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Week 3: The Persecution of the Church in Jerusalem


  • Brief introduction about St. Luke and the Book of Acts:

    • St. Luke accompanied the St. Paul on his missionary journeys, so he accurately narrated what he witnessed. Being a physician, he also described events in detail.

    • He did not conclude the book of Acts with "Amen" like the other books because the Synaxarion (Church calendar of saints and events) comes after it, serving as the continuation of the Church’s history beyond the Book of Acts.

    • The Church reads the Synaxarion (the lives of the saints of the day) after the Book of Acts during the liturgy, to declare that the Word of the Lord continues to grow and multiply in His holy Church.

    • The placement of the Book of Acts between the Gospels and the Epistles serves as a connection between them: the Gospels present the life of Christ, the Book of Acts shows the preaching of the Gospel, and the Epistles reflect how to live according to the Gospel.

  • Introduction:

    • Author: St. Luke

    • Time of writing:

      • It was written around the year 63 AD in Rome, after he had written his Gospel. It covers a period of about thirty years—from the Ascension of Christ to Paul’s first imprisonment in Rome.

    • Purpose of the book

      • A clear record of the ministry of Peter and Paul.
      • Demonstrates the behavior of the early Christians as high examples for us.
      • Shows the mighty work of the Holy Spirit in fulfilling Christ’s promises and establishing the Church.
      • Displays the divinity of the Son.
      • Proclaims the divinity of the Holy Spirit.

  • Outline

      • Chapter 1 – The Apostles in Jerusalem from the Ascension to Pentecost:
        Includes the selection of Matthias and the worship of the Church.
      • Chapters 2–7 – The Beginning of Evangelism until the Martyrdom of Stephen:
        Includes the gifts of the Spirit, the growth of the Church, the healing of the lame man, threats against the apostles, the death of Ananias and Sapphira, the imprisonment of the apostles, the selection of seven deacons, and the stoning of Stephen.
      • Chapters 8–12 – The Persecution of the Church in Jerusalem:
        Includes the faith of the Ethiopian eunuch, the conversions of Paul and Cornelius, the founding of the Church in Caesarea, the martyrdom of James, the imprisonment of Peter, and the death of Herod.
      • Chapters 13–15 – The Evangelism of Paul and Barnabas Until Their Separation:
        Includes the story of Elymas the sorcerer, the Church in Antioch, the healing of the lame man in Lystra, the stoning of Paul, and the First Council of Jerusalem.
      • Chapters 16–20 – Paul’s Preaching in Europe
      • Chapters 21–28 – Paul’s Trials:
        Includes his journey to Jerusalem, his arrest and transfer to stand trial in Rome, his trials before Felix, Festus, and Agrippa, the shipwreck in Malta, and finally his arrival in Rome and preaching there for two years.

  • Reading:

    • Chapters 7-12

      • Read chapter 7 from 44-60
      • Read Chapter 8 from 1-4, 26-40
      • Read Chapter 9 from 1-31
      • Read Chapter 10 from 1-8
      • Read Chapter 11: no readings from chapter 11
      • Read Chapter 12

  • Resources:

  • Key verse:

    • “We ought to obey God rather than men.” Acts 5:29

  • Comments: 

    • Acts 7 
      • St. Stephen's speech (Acts 7: 44-53)
        • Ver 48, God's presence is not confined to the temple; He does not dwell in a building, but in the hearts of His children who believe in Him.
        • He revealed to the Jews that the hardness of their hearts. Their worship and circumcision were only outward and superficial, without touching their hearts or ears to listen to Christ. The Jews rejected the testimony of the Holy Spirit about Christ in the prophecies of the Old Testament prophets, and even killed the prophets.
        • Contemplation: In the same way, a person loses every blessing when they refuse to obey the Holy Scriptures.
      • The stoning of St. Stephen (Acts 7:54-60):
        • While the Jews were stoning Stephen, he remained calm and prayerful, asking God to receive his spirit to dwell with Him in heaven. This shows the strength of his faith and his steadfastness in the final moments of his life. 
        • St. Stephen’s vision of our Lord Jesus Christ setting at the right hand of God was also mentioned in several other places in the bible (old and new testament)
          • Mark 16:19: So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.
          • Ephesians 1:20: Which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places.
          • Psalm 110:1 The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool.
      • Discussion:
        • What made his speech so powerful? as mentioned in verse 55, he, being full of the Holy Spirit.
        • What can we learn from his forgiveness?  He followed Christ's example by praying for his enemies and showing love toward them
    •  Acts 8
      • The Church is scattered and Saul persecutes. (Acts 8: 1–4)
        • Saul, a Jewish man from Tarsus and the tribe of Benjamin, was around 40 years old in the early first century. Well-educated, he strongly supported the persecution of Christians.
        • Verse 4, The Christians who were scattered from Jerusalem, in their travels, were not afraid of the Jews. Instead, they continued to preach the word of God in joy, despite the persecution they had endured.
        • Contemplation:  Truly, the Lord turns sorrow into joy and spiritual gain, and He controls all the events of life to work for our salvation.
        • How did God use persecution for His plan? The persecution forced believers to leave Jerusalem, spreading the Gospel to new places.
      • Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch (Acts 8:26-40):
        • The Holy Spirit led Philip to go to the Ethiopian eunuch.
        • Baptism is essential for salvation:
          • First: Baptism performed by immersion in water.
            Second: Accepting the faith. when the Ethiopian Eunuch said " I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God" 
    • Acts 9
      • The conversion of Saul (Acts 9: 1-31)

        • The encounter with our Lord Jesus Christ (1-9)

        • Ananias and Saul's healing (10-19)
        • Saul begins to preach (20-31)
        • Contemplation: 'Against You, I have sinned' (Psalm 51:4).
          Do not forget the presence of God.  Remind yourself that He is standing before you, seeing all your actions, words, and thoughts. Even if you fall, quickly repent to Him—He will forgive you."
      • Miracles performed by the apostles, followed by their trial. (Verses 12-31):

        • New believers continued to join, but their number was not mentioned this time as it was before when it said five thousand, because the number had increased greatly.

        • Now we see the power of the Holy Spirit, the disciples had previously failed to heal the demon-possessed boy at the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17:19), but now they were able to heal all kinds of diseases and cast out demons—even through touch or just the shadow.
        • Verse 19: An angel of the Lord came at night, opened the prison door, and brought them out. He instructed them to go and continue preaching. Their release from prison was not an escape, but rather to continue their ministry in the temple, proclaiming eternal life.
        • Contrary to what the Sanhedrin expected, the apostles went out with joy and enthusiasm for greater preaching. They considered the suffering of being beaten as sharing in the sufferings of Christ and a preparation for the glory of heaven.
        • The apostles continued steadfast in teaching in the temple and in homes, in the name of the Lord. They held the liturgies and Christian rituals in homes, as churches had not yet been built.
    • Chapter 6: 1-8 
      • Ordaining deacons (Acts 6: 1-8)
        • The ordained seven deacons:
          • Number seven:  it is one of the sacred numbers that symbolizes the work of the Holy Spirit, such as the seven sacraments of the Church.
          • Qualifications of deacons:
            • Good reputation': They are known for their uprightness and fairness.
            • Full of the Holy Spirit
            • Wisdom': Good judgment
          • Verse 6: Ordination was carried out by the apostles through prayer and the laying of hands, and this same process continues today in our Church.
            • Here is a clear declaration of the sacrament of priesthood in the ordination of one of the priestly ranks, which is the diaconate. This practice has continued in the Church to this day
        • The arrest of Stephen (Acts 6:12–15)

  1. Review/recap questions

    ** Servant may add more questions

  1. Homework

    ** Servant may add more questions

 
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