OPENING PRAYER
"Man Shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God"- Matthew 4:4- "My mother and brothers are those who hear the Word of God and do it" - Mark 8:21
ACTS 7:54
When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth.
-The evil hates the truth or I should say it can't stand anything that stands for good, especially in the Name of Christ it can't stand the most-
Having received this day as a gift, I (We) thank You Holy Trinity, for through Your goodness and patience You were not wrathful with me (Us), and idler (s) and sinner (s), neither have You cast me (Us) down in my (Our)sins...But You have shown Your love towards me (us) and have guided me (us) to keep my (our) daily watch to glorify Your power...Enlighten my (our) mind (minds) to study Your teachings in Scripture...Help me (us) to apply what I (we) learn and to praise You with all my (our) heart and glorify Your Holy Name, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and forever...Amen!!!
Shine within my (our) hearts, loving Master, the pure Light of Your Divine Knowledge, and open the eyes of my mind that I may understand Your teachings...Instill in me (us) also reverence for Your Blessed commandments, so having conquered sinful desires I (we) may pursue a spiritual way of life, thinking and doing all those things that are pleasing to You...For You, Christ my God, are my light, and to You I (we) give, glory, together with Your Father and Your Holy Spirit, now and forever...Amen!!!
CHANT PSALM 23
INTO YOUR HANDS LORD YESHUA (JESUS CHRIST) WE COMMIT OUR SOULS AND BODIES, BLESS US AND HAVE MERCY ON US AND GRANT US ETERNAL LIFE!!!
ACTS 22 STUDY GUIDE & BREAKDOWN
PAUL'S DEFENSE AT THE TEMPLE
ACTS 22:1-21
22:1: BRETHREN AND FATHERS: is a respectful form of address- (ACTS 7:2), showing that Paul treats even his enemies with courtesy!!!
22:3-21: AGAIN, PAUL BEGINS: at a point with which his listeners would be familiar, first identifying with his hearers before trying to bring them to a new understanding- (see my notes- at Acts 14:15-17): Paul is careful to mention his relationship with important Jews- (Gamaliel, v. 3; Ananias, v. 12): both to calm and to identify with this crowd at the temple:
22:16: IN APOSTOLIC UNDERSTANDING: being BAPTIZED is directly equated with the cleansing of SINS- (See notes- at Acts 8:36-39; and Acts 10:48):
22:17: TRANCE: means a religious ecstasy or a direct vision of God's divine energy!!!
22:21-22: IN SPITE OF PAUL'S ATTEMPTS: to moderate the wrath of these Jews, the mere mention of the GENTILES sets them off against him, demanding his death!!!
AN APPEAL TO ROMAN CITIZENSHIP & BEFORE THE SANHEDRIN
ACTS 22:22-30
22:24-29: SCOURGING: was a form of punishment in which prisoners were bound in a stooping position with their hands tied behind their backs, and whipped with leather lashes that had bits of bone or metal in them: This punishment could be inflicted on non-citizens either to extract a confession or as a penalty for a crime: FOR ROMAN CITIZENS, it could only be used if the person had been found guilty of a crime!!!
22:30: GOD: often works through secular leaders -(see-my Acts 23:23-notes): Here, the civil authority wants to interrogate Paul more thoroughly, which allows Paul all the more opportunity to proclaim faith in the Resurrection...
ACTS 23 STUDY GUIDE & BREAKDOWN
BEFORE THE SANHEDRIN CONTINUED
ACTS 23:1-11
23:1: THIS COUNCIL: is the Jewish Sanhedrin, the highest Jewish governing body!!!
23:2: ANANIAS WAS HIGH PRIEST: during AD 47-59- He was a hard and violent man who later was assassinated by his own people at the start of the Jewish was against the Romans-(AD 70): Paul at this point so far has said nothing offensive to the Jews, and St. John Chrysostom calls the order to strike Paul- shameless and without cause!!!
23:5-5: PAUL: accuses Ananias of the ultimate hypocrisy: violating the Law while posing as one who judges according to the Law: Paul nerveless shows great respect for the holy office of the HIGH PRIEST even though the officeholder himself was contemptible...
23:6: KNOWING: that his interrogation will not hear him impartially, Paul intentionally divides the council against itself by bringing up the heart of the Christian faith: THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD...
23:8: THE PHARISEES CONFESS BOTH: Why is the word both used when three things are mentioned??? According to St. John Chrysostom, ANGEL AND SPIRIT refer to one entity or concept: This both refers to belief in the RESURRECTION and belief in a realm of angels or spirits...
23:11: PAUL RECEIVES COMFORT FROM THE LORD: in the face of the impending plot on his life- (vv. 12-16), and a prophecy of both his preaching and his subsequent death at Rome: for the word WITNESS can also refer to martyrdom!!!
THE MURDER PLOT AGAINST PAUL-PAUL IMPORISONED IN CAESAREA
ACTS 23:12-35
23:23: GOD OFTEN: works through secular leaders- (same as my notes above Acts 22:30): Here the commander (v. 19) protects Paul from assassination, which allows God's plan to unfold for Paul to preach in Rome (v. 11): THE THIRD HOUR OF THE NIGHT IS 9:00PM-
23:24: FELIX: was the Roman GOVERNOR from AD 52-59:
23:31: ANTIPATRIS: was a town halfway between Jerusalem and Caesarea which had a military outpost:
23:35: HEROD'S PRAETORIUM: was a palace and fortress built decades earlier by Herod the Great: it was later taken over by the Roman governors as their official residence...
PSALM 2 STUDY GUIDE & BREAKDOWN
CHANT PSALM 2:
PSALM-2: Why do the [a]nations [b]rage, And the people plot a [c]vain thing? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against the Lord and against His Anointed,[d] saying, 3 “Let us break Their bonds in pieces And cast away Their cords from us.”
4 He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; The Lord shall hold them in derision. 5 Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, And distress them in His deep displeasure: 6 “Yet I have [e]set My King [f]On My holy hill of Zion.”
7 “I will declare the [g]decree: The Lord has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. 8 Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession. 9 You shall [h]break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’ ”
10 Now therefore, be wise, O kings; Be instructed, you judges of the earth. 11 Serve the Lord with fear, And rejoice with trembling. 12 [i]Kiss the Son, lest [j]He be angry, And you perish in the way, When His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.
PSALM 2: THE LORD IN PSALM 2: is God the Father, and Jesus is called HIS ANIONTED (v. 2), which means HIS CHRIST: Jesus is also called KING (v. 6), which is declared by the Father's eternal DECREE: Jesus is King without beginning and without end, and He is King OVER HIS HOLY HILL OF ZION, which is the Church: Jesus is also THE SON OF GOD THE FATHER (v. 7), For He was BEGOTTEN from the Father outside of time and before all worlds- (Creed): He was also begotten in these last times by the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, for us men and for our salvation-(Creed): then again, He was begotten in the sense of His Resurrection from the dead- (Acts 13:32-33): but Jesus is also King over THE NATIONS- (v. 8), which in due time, He will SHATTER LIKE A POTTER'S VESSEL-(v. 9): When He restores heaven and earth, and reigns eternally with His saints in the world to come- (Creed): therefore, the rulers of the nations are called to serve this King or they will be judged; but BLESSED ARE ALL WHO TRUST IN HIM- (v. 12):
-The Church includes Psalm 2- in the Nativity (Christmas) Eve and Good Friday service: on Nativity Eve it is used in the refrain (called the prokeimenon or gradual) before the Epistle is read in the Divine Liturgy: On Good Friday, the entire Psalm is part of the First Hour prayers!!!
END WITH THE LORD'S PRAYER: LET'S DEPART IN PEACE IN THE NAME OF THE LORD
JPCE SPIRITUAL TALK
NEVER HOLD BACK
THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD
JEHOVAH SHALOM!!!