On The Road Again (Or Sea As It Were)

This is the study page for the Thursday Night Study Group meeting on February 28.  We will be studying Acts chapter 20.  The chapter is about half travelogue and half dialogue.  The route is not what was intended, but to avoid trouble the travelers took the long way.

There are lots of odd elements to the trip, and most of them are left unexplained.  In essence, this chapter forms a connection to the trip to Jerusalem, or would if it weren't for the long monologue of Paul.  Be thinking about why Luke included the elements he did, and consider what is missing that you would have liked to have known.  Some things may have been assumed to be common knowledge of the day, but a lot wouldn't.

Read the chapter through several times.  It may be helpful to read ahead just to get a sense of how this chapter fits into the story Luke is relating.  Remember to look for things that seem out of place or incomplete.  Ask questions about what Luke wrote.  It would be nice to be able to ask him personally, but we'll just have to put ourselves in his shoes and see what we can figure out that way (not a great method really, but it's what we have).  Look stuff up in commentaries you may have or other sources you find online.

After reading it through a few times, consider the questions below:

• Where was the uproar that ceased?
• How long was he in Greece?
• Why did he return back through Macedonia?
• Which names of his companions did we run across in chapter 19?
• Where was this guy from?  Who else was from there?
• From verse 5, who is now another of the companions of Paul?
• What was taking all night in Troas?
• What has Luke, the "physician", left out of the story in verse 11?
• If Paul is in such a hurry to reach Jerusalem, why travel by foot instead of boat?
• Find Assos, Mitylene, Chios, Samos, and Miletus on a map.  How far are they traveling?  Why would this take them a while to navigate?
• How far did the Ephesian elders need to travel to see Paul?
• What is Paul doing in the first part of his speech?
• What does he expect in Jerusalem?
• Since he doesn't think he will see them again, what does he begin to do?
• What warnings does he give them?
• From verse 31, how did Paul work with people?
• In 33, what is he doing?  Isn't this the third time he does this in some fashion?
• When did Jesus say the quote Paul claims for Him?
• Where would Paul have gotten this quote?
• What, after all that, really bothered the elders?

That should do.  There are lots of other stuff.  Read up and bring your thoughts and questions to group.  I look forward to seeing you all then!

Wow, Tough Crowds

This is the study page for the Thursday Night small group meeting.  The passage is Acts 14, and it completes the account of the first missionary journey of Barnabas and Paul. 

It might be helpful to read the last portions of chapter 13 to get a better sense of the setting for 14.  Read the chapter a few times.  Be sure to look for incongruities.  Look around in the setting for what they might mean or indicate.  Look up some background material on the region (it's weird).  See the page for the previous chapter to get some ideas of where to look for background material. Jot down questions and observations.

Once you've read through a few times, go through once more considering the questions below (if you haven't already).

• What had prompted Paul and Barnabas to come to Iconium?
• What was similar about the response in Iconium to what they had experienced in Pisidian Antioch?
• How long were they in Iconium before they had to leave?  Why did they leave?
• Where did they go after Iconium?  Look at a map, how far did they go?
• What does Paul do in Lystra that he doesn't do elsewhere (at least recorded)?
• How do the people react to Paul's healing of the lame man?
• What does their names for Paul and Barnabas reveal about how they are perceived by the crowds?
• What does that reveal about the faith of the multitude of people?
• Who shows up with a bull and wreath?  Why is that weird?
• What do Paul and Barnabas do when they realize what the crowd is doing?
• Luke doesn't say, but how long might have passed between verse 18 and 19?
• He also doesn't say how long it took for those from Iconium to stir up trouble, but what impression do you get about the time frame?
• When and where do they go from Iconium?  How far is that? (look at a map)
• After all the description in Cyprus, Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra, what's the deal with Derbe?  Was it even successful?
• Where did they go after Derbe?  Why not just head for Antioch from there?
• What did they do along the way back from Derbe?  What did they do in each church?  Why was that important?
• When they get back to Antioch (where they started from) what sort of reception do they receive?
• How long did this trip take?

 That should do for now?  Be sure to use other resources for background and setting, both cultural and geographical.

We may do this on January 3 or we may wait a week and do it on January 10.