Choices

Each day we make hundreds, if not thousands, of choices. Think about it, in this one day you’ve chosen when to get up, where you’re going, what clothes to wear, where to eat, what to do, how to relax, how to prepare for events or impending responsibilities, etc. This list could go on for pages.

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Exegetical Notes: Acts 18:24-28; 19:1-7

18:24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures.

“Apollos” – As an aside: Many hypothesize Apollos to be the writer of the NT book, Hebrews (over the traditional Pauline authorship) because the writer of Hebrews demonstrates a great knowledge of Christ’s fulfillment of the OT scriptures (Jew, v28) and the linguistic style of Hebrews demonstrates itself to be much more “eloquent” than Paul’s other writings.

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Five Misconceptions About Sin From Luke 7:36-50

Lk 7:36–50

36 One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table. 37 And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, 38 and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” 40 And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.” 41 “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” 44 Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” 50 And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

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Exegetical Notes: Acts 17:22-34

22 So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious.

“said” – “The thrust of his message is clear: the Creator God, who has revealed Himself in Creation, has now commanded all to repent, for everyone must give an account to Jesus Christ whom God raised from the dead.”
 Stanley D. Toussaint, “Acts,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 403.

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Exegetical Notes: Acts 16:22-34

22 The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods.

The events in these verses are ignited by Paul’s healing of a slave girl who “had a spirit of divination. Scholars tie her divination back to the false god Apollo, (who was represented by a Python snake), the original priestess at Delphi (home of Apollo) was said to have the gift of divination as well. Thus this slave girl is also able to predict future events. She was a source of great profit for her owners and when Paul became aggravated at her following them around for several days, he cast the demon out of the girl. The owners of this girl became angry over their impending profit losses and began a stir in the city of Philippi (v. 12).

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