When Slap-Fights Go Horribly Wrong

This is the study page for the Thursday Night Group meeting on April 4, to study Acts 23.  We will begin with Paul's defense before the Sanhedrin, and move to his eventual removal to the Judean coast.

Read through Chapter 23 several times.  It will be hard not to continue on to the succeeding chapters, and continuing may be a good thing to do.  Chapter 24 is fairly short and the story moves quickly to its conclusion from here.  We have two governors, a king and a boat trip left after this chapter.

As you read through the chapter, slow down, re-read difficult sentences, try and imagine yourself in the event. Ask yourself questions about what it would have been like to have been there, what it looked like, what are the expressions on faces, what do their voices sound like.  Once you can put together some idea of a "setting" using your imagination, ask yourself the "why" questions.  This is narrative, and fast-moving narrative.  You have to think and imagine in order to slow it down to really observe.  This is inspired of God, so it's worth the effort; there's a goal in mind here, find it.

Once you've sifted through the chapter a few times, and come up with some questions, read it through again, and consider these.  They're not replacements, or the "right questions", they're ones from my different perspective.  We need your perspective in order to get a more full view of these events; we can't really understand the game with just the view from one "knot-hole".

• Paul's opening statement seems to offend the high priest, why?
• To whom does Paul address his "rebuke" when he is struck?  What tells us he knew who the man was?
• When Paul is told who the man was to ordered he be struck, how does he respond, with what sort of attitude?
• Paul then changes tactics dramatically.  Why?  What about how he started won't work with this group?
• What does his declaration about the resurrection do to the assembly?
• If you're the "commander", what has happened to your dilemma?  Now what do you do?
• Who appears to Paul to encourage him?  What is remarkable about that?
• What is really "stupid" about the oath the Jews take concerning Paul?  What is really important if they are going to live out this oath?
• What do the "oath-takers" do to try to get to Paul?
• Why would the council, divided the night before, play along with the conspiracy?
• Who hears of the plot?  Where must he have been?  Why might he have been there?
• What does that tell you of Paul's family?  This is really the first we hear of any of them, so where are some or many of them?  How is Paul viewed by his family?
• To whom does Paul send his nephew?  Why not go himself or with his nephew?
• How does the commander respond when the boy is brought to him?  Why this way?
• What does the commander do when he hears what the boy has to say?
• What does he tell the Sanhedrin?  When does he tell them?  Where is Paul when the Sanhedrin hears from the commander?
• What does that mean for the oath-takers?  I suppose that's "more than forty" fewer problems for Paul?
• What does the commander tell the governor about Paul?  What does he leave out or change about his involvement?

So we leave Paul, again waiting on another "trial" and will have to wait until next week to continue the story.  It may be possible to get chapters 24 and 25 done at once since 24 and 25 are so short.  Chapters 26, 27 and 28 will not be so easy.  So, possibly 4 weeks after this.

Staying Alive In Church

This is the page for the small group meeting Thursday, September 27.  This week we will be in Acts 5 (or at least start it).  It's a long chapter and a lot happens, so we'll get through as much as we can in the time we have.

As you read through the chapter, notice that the first eleven verses really are a continuation of the last 5 of chapter 4.  The rest of the chapter is made up of the near extinction of very happy apostles.  Read through the chapter a few times and look for the odd things people do, or don't do (the religious leaders, the apostles, and what are the people doing?).  Write down questions that come up and bring them to the group Thursday.

After reading through several times, consider these questions as you read through a final time:

• When did Ananias claim all the money was at Peter's feet?
• What would Ananias and Sapphira gain by lying? What probably motivated them?
• Why would they think they could "pull it off"?
• Why do you think Sapphira didn't hear about her husband's death at some point?
• When verses 13 and 14 are taken together, how do people join the group?
• What is drawing people from the outlying areas into Jerusalem?
• What does it take to be healed by Peter?
• Who do the religious leaders lock up?
• Which segment of the religious leaders does this?
• Who leads the apostles out, and why tell them to go back to the temple?
• If the captain and his officers fear being stoned by the people, why would the religious leaders not fear the same thing?
• Read the article on the sect of the Pharisees at this link (or at least the part on their beliefs - section II).  Why would this group give any support to the believers against the Sadducees?
• What about Gamaliel's point makes some sense?  What doesn't?
• Look up Theudas at this link.  Which explanation sounds better to you?
• Look up Judas of Galilee at this link.  Which of these two do you think makes better support for Gamaliel's point?
• Consider the reason for the apostles (remember Acts 1:21-22), what might have happened to the church had the assembly carried out their initial intent?
• So, instead of killing them, what does the assembly do?
• How effective a threat/punishment is it?
• What do the apostles do after the flogging?
• How does the church respond to these events?

That should do for the next few days.  I am looking forward to studying this passage with you.  Remember each other before our Master.  Blessings upon you until we see each other Thursday!