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Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Acts 16 מעשי השליחים continued...

Talmidim,


We did not finish the study last week on ch. 16, therefore we will continue with the following remaining questions below this week...


9. How was it possible that Lydia was able to provide hospitality to the Shaliachim, was this socially acceptable and what do we learn from the language of the text?

10. What is known about this girl who had a spirit of divination from the original language, and what do we know about the history of the area they are in that sheds more light and details on the events described in vs. 16-18?

11. What was the charge that the businessmen brought against Shaul and Silas, and was it legal?

12. According to Jewish custom, what liturgy could Shaul and Silas possibly have been chanting at the hour of their imprisonment; and what was it?

13. Why did the Jailer attempt suicide the moment he saw the prison doors opened?

14. What exactly did the jailer mean by asking “what must I do to be saved”?

15. How was it that Shaul and Silas could be released, how did this come about?

16. Why did Shaul refuse to go, and what does that have to do with him being a Jew?

17. Why were the police afraid and why did they apologize?

18. What is remarkable about vs. 40?

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Acts 16 מעשי השליחים

מעשי השליחים
Acts 16 Tree of Life Version (TLV)

1. Where was Timothy from; and why did Shaul want him to accompany him, what are the possible reasons offered by the commentaries?

2. Explain how the characteristics of the relationship between Shaul and Timothy were in line with that of a traditional rabbi and talmid?

3. What is meant by vs. 3 when it says: “for the sake of the Jewish people in those places”, how is this interpreted?

4. What do the commentaries say as to “WHY” were the Shaliachim forbidden by the Ruach of Yeshua to proceed into Bithynia?

5. How was Paul’s dream an easy conclusion that God’s will was clear for the Shaliachim to now go to Macedonia?

6. What do we know of Philippi (besides that it was one of the epistles of Shaul), what was significant about this city?

7. Why did they go to a river on Shabbat, explain why there is no mention of a synagogue and what do commentators say about women such as Lydia being addressed, was this normal for the time?

8. Who was Lydia what do we know about her, and what is significant about her “purple cloth”?

9. How was it possible that Lydia was able to provide hospitality to the Shaliachim, was this socially acceptable and what do we learn from the language of the text?

10. What is known about this girl who had a spirit of divination from the original language, and what do we know about the history of the area they are in that sheds more light and details on the events described in vs. 16-18?

11. What was the charge that the businessmen brought against Shaul and Silas, and was it legal?

12. According to Jewish custom, what liturgy could Shaul and Silas possibly have been chanting at the hour of their imprisonment; and what was it?

13. Why did the Jailer attempt suicide the moment he saw the prison doors opened?

14. What exactly did the jailer mean by asking “what must I do to be saved”?

15. How was it that Shaul and Silas could be released, how did this come about?

16. Why did Shaul refuse to go, and what does that have to do with him being a Jew?

17. Why were the police afraid and why did they apologize?

18. What is remarkable about vs. 40?


Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Acts 15 מעשי השליחים

מעשי השליחים
Acts 15 Tree of Life Version (TLV)

1. Why is it significant that the text mentions “Judea” as the place where these men were from and what does that have to do with their teaching about Gentile adherence to the Torah?

2. Was Shaliach Yakov (James) responsible for sending these “men” who taught that Gentiles must be circumcised in order to be saved; and did he lean towards this legalistic view? Give Scriptural evidence for your answer…

3. What was the distance between Antioch (Syria) and Jerusalem, how did Shaul & Barnaba travel, and how was this advantageous for them to spread the news of their evangelistic accomplishments?

4. What is the meaning of “party of the Pharisees” or “sect of the Pharisees”; and how does this relate to their position that all Gentiles must be circumcised in order to obtain salvation?

5. How is the Apostolic analysis of the issue at hand described similar to how the “Essenes” (Qumran Community who is responsible for the Dead-Sea Scrolls) operated and functioned in regards to developing Halacha? (Jewish Law)

6. What מעשי or “precedents” did Shaliach Shimon offer in his argument against circumcision of Gentiles, and how is this significant to the decision of the Elders?

7. How does Shaliach Yakov’s speech function as “legal inference” establishing precedent?

8. Where did Shaliach Yakov derive the restrictions he placed upon the Gentiles, what is the source of these rules?  Give Biblical examples…

9. Who actually sent this letter, and what is significant about the language used to describe who authored it?

10. What did the letter fully accomplish and what matters did it settle between relations between Jews and non-Jews in the New Covenant?

11. No sooner is one disagreement resolved when another comes up in Ch. 15, now between Shaliach Shaul and Shaliach Bar-Nabba, over John Mark.  Why was this disagreement so serious and is there any Biblical evidence that this was ever reconciled between the two, or three including John Mark? Give citations to support your answer….


Monday, May 9, 2016

Thursday, May 5, 2016

Acts 14 מעשי השליחים



וַיְהִי בְאִיקָנְיוֹן וַיָּבֹאוּ יַחְדָּו אֶל־בֵּית הַכְּנֶסֶת אֲשֶׁר לַיְּהוּדִים וַיְדַבְּרוּ־שָׁם עַד כִּי־הֶאֱמִין הָמוֹן רָב מִן־הַיְּהוּדִים וּמִן־הַיְּוָנִים׃

14 Now (it came to pass) in Iconium, the same thing happened—they entered as usual into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a large number of Jewish and Greek people believed.

1.    What is significant of the word “V’yahi”, in the Hebrew, and εγενετο δε εν (egeneto de) in the Greek; (And it Came to Pass…)?


 

2.    What do we know about the city Iconium?


 



 2 וְהַיְּהוּדִים אֲשֶׁר לֹא הֶאֱמִינוּ עוֹרֲרוּ וְהִכְעִיסוּ אֶת־נַפְשׁוֹת הַגּוֹיִם עַל־הָאַחִים

But the Jewish people who would not believe stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers.

3.    How does the translation of vs. 2 often contribute towards Supersessionism and Anti-Semitism among Gentile Christian churches today?


 



4.    How does the text describe how Shaul & Barnaba spoke in Iconium and the proofs that were offered through them, and how is this significant?




5.    What was the result of their ministry in Iconium?


 

6.    Now the “Shaliachim” were being threatened, how, and who was responsible for it?  Where did they go from there?




7.    Why was Lystra relatively a “safe place” for Shaul & Barnaba, what do we know about it, and what other disciple was from this city that was important to Shaul?


 

8.    What makes the healing miracle in Lystra a remarkable display of miraculous power; what made this healing extra special?


 

9.    How did the people respond, why would they respond this way and what was wrong with it?


10.                   Why did Shaul & Barnaba tear their clothes?


11.                   What is significant of the use of this verse by Shaul & Barnaba: “the living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them” and where in Tanakh is it found?


 

12.                   Next the Jews who did not believe tracked down Shaul & Barnaba and stone Shaul.  Was his recovery from the stoning a miracle or a natural recovery, why?


 

13.                   What is the meaning of vs. 22, when it says: “It is through many persecutions that we must enter the kingdom of God.” ?


 



 

 

 

Wednesday, May 4, 2016