The mission sent out
In the church at Antioch the following were prophets and teachers: [ On the 'prophets', see 11:27+. The charisma of the teacher, or didaskalos, was his ability to instruct others on matters of morality and doctrine, instruction usually based on the sacred scriptures. Cf. 1 Cor. 12:14+. The five prophets and teachers here named represent the governing body of the church of Antioch; cf. the list of the Twelve, Acts 1:13, and of the Seven, 6:5. Like the latter, the Antiochene Five are, it seems, hellenistic Jews.]
Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. One day while they were offering worship [ The use of the term for Christian prayer in common puts this on a level with the sacrificial worship of the Old Law, cf. Rom. 1:9+.] to the Lord and keeping a fast, the Holy Spirit said, 'I want Barnabas and Saul set apart for the work to which I have called them'. So it was that after fasting and prayer they laid their hands on them [ It seems, to judge by 14:26 (cf. 15:40), that by this act the community commends to God's grace the new missionaries chosen, v. 2, and sent, v. 4, by the Holy Spirit. The significance of the rite is not, therefore, exactly the same as that of 6:6 by which the Seven receive their commission from the apostles. Cf. 1 Tim. 4:14+.] and sent them off. - Acts 13:1-3 -
Cyprus: the magician Elymas
So these two, sent on their mission by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and from there sailed to Cyprus. [ Barnabas' native country, 4:36.] They landed at Salamis and proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews; [ Paul's regular policy, 17:2, is to approach the Jews first, cf. 13:14; 14:1; 16:13; 17:10,17; 18:4,19; 19:8; 28:17,23;, on the principle that the Jews have first claim, see 3:26; 13:46; Rom. 1:16; 2:9-10; Mark 7:27; only after their refusal does Paul turn to the pagans, cf. 13:46; 18:6; 28:28.] John acted as their assistant.
They travelled the whole length of the island, and at Paphos they came in contact with a Jewish magician called Bar-jesus. This false prophet was one of the attendants of the proconsul Sergius Paulus who was an extremely intelligent man. The proconsul summoned Barnabas and Saul and asked to hear the word of God, but Elymas Magos - as he was called in Greek - tried to stop them so as to prevent the proconsul's conversion to the faith. Then Saul, whose other name is Paul, [ The Jews, and the eastern peoples in general, adopted names familiar in the Graeco-Roman world: John took 'Mark', 12:12. Joseph-Barsabbas took 'Justus', 1:23, Simeon 'Niger', 13:1, Tabitha 'Dorcas', 9:36, etc. Luke has given Paul his Roman name for the first time and does not use 'Saul' again. He also gives prominence now to Paul who is no longer a subordinate of Barnabas but the real missionary leader, v. 13.] looked him full in the face and said, 'You utter fraud, you impostor, you son of the devil, you enemy of all true religion, why don't you stop twisting the straight forward ways of the Lord?
Now watch how the hand of the Lord will strike you: you will be blind, and for a time you will not see the sun.' That instant, everything went misty and dark for him, and he groped about to find someone to lead him by the hand. The proconsul, who had watched everything, became a believer, being astonished by what he had learnt about the Lord. - Acts 13:4-12 -
They arrive at Antioch in Pisidia
Paul and his friends went by sea from Paphos to Perga in Pamphylia where John left them to go back to Jerusalem. The others carried on from Perga till they reached Antioch in Pisidia. Here they went to synagogue on the Sabbath and took their seats. After the lessons from the Law and the Prophets had been read, the presidents of the synagogue sent them a message: 'Brothers, if you would like to address some words of encouragement [ That is, a sermon based upon the Sacred Scriptures, cf. Rom. 15:4. The synagogue custom mentioned here was followed also when Christians met for worship: the sermons were preached by the 'prophets' or teachers, cf. 1 Cor. 14:3, 31; 1 Tim. 4:13; Heb. 13:22; Acts 11:23; 14:22; 15:32; 16:40;20;1,2.] to the congregation, please do so' Paul stood up, held up a hand for silence and began to speak: - Acts 13:13-16 -
Paul's preaching before the Jews [ The great inaugural discourse of Paul which Luke offers as typical of the apostle's preaching to the Jews. It falls into two parts: vv. 16-25 are a summary of the history of salvation (cf. Stephen's sermon, chapter 7) with an appendix recalling John the Baptist's testimony: vv. 26-39 claim that Jesus who died and has risen is the expected Messiah (thus closely resembling Peter's discourses, though this discourse ends with a suggestion of the Pauline doctrine of justification by faith). The conclusion, vv. 40-41, is a grave warning taken from the Sacred Scriptures, cf. 28:26-27.]
'Men of Israel, and fearers of God, [ The two classes of listeners: Jews by birth and 'God-fearers', 10:2+.] listen! The God of our nation Israel [ Lit. 'the God of this people Israel'.] chose our ancestor, and made our people great when they were living as foreigners in Egypt; then by divine power he led them out, and for forty years took care of [ Var. 'upheld' (or: 'bore with').] them in the wilderness. When he had destroyed seven nations in Canaan, he put them in possession of their land for about four hundred and fifty years. [ Western (and Antiochene) Text 'For about four hundred and fifty years he gave them judges'. The text is obscure.]
After this he gave them judges, down to the prophet Samuel. Then they demanded a king, and God gave them Saul, son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin. [ Paul's own name, and he too was the tribe of Benjamin, Rom. 11:1; Phil. 3:5.] After forty years, he deposed him and made David their king, of whom he approved in these words, "I have selected David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who will carry out my whole purpose".
To keep his promise, God has raised up [ Or 'raised from the dead'. The Greek verb can mean either, and this ambivalence is exploited in the argument, as in 3:20-26; the 'promise' finds fulfillment in Christ's resurrection, vv. 32-33; see also 26:6-8; moreover, it is by his resurrection that Jesus is established as saviour, cf. 5:31; see also 2:21; 4:12; Rom. 5:9-10; Phil. 3:20, etc. Thus the verb which means 'raise up' in v. 22 equivocally means 'raise from the dead' from v. 30 onwards. In v. 23 it is transitional and ambiguous.] for Israel one of David's descendants, Jesus, as Saviour, whose coming was heralded by John when he proclaimed a baptism of repentance for the whole people of Israel. Before John the Baptist ended his career he said, "I am not the one [ Var. 'what'.] you imagine me to be; that one is coming after me and I am not fit to undo his sandal". - Acts 13:17-25 -
My brothers, sons of Abraham's race, and all you who fear God, this message of salvation is meant for you. [ Var. 'for us'.] What the people of Jerusalem and their rulers did, though they did not realise it, was in fact to fulfil the prophecies read on every Sabbath. [ Following Western Text. Current text 'For those who live in Jerusalem and their leaders did not recognise him or (understand) the prophecies read on every Sabbath: but they fulfilled the prophecies by condemning him'.] Though they found nothing to justify his death, [ A recurring element of the Christian plea: the innocence and unjust condemnation of Jesus, cf. 3:13-14; Luke 23:16, 22, 47; Matt. 27:3-10, 19, 23-24.] they condemned him and asked Pilate to have him executed. [ 'asked Pilate to have him executed', alternatively (the textual witnesses vary) 'that (he) should be executed'; or 'that (they might) execute him'. Var. 'handed him over to Pilate that he might be executed'.]
When they had carried out everything that Sacred Scripture foretells about him they took him down from the tree and buried him in a tomb. [ Western Text'... foretells about him, after he had been crucified they asked Pilate for permission to take him down from the tree, and when they received it they took him down and buried him in a tomb'.] God raised him from the dead, and for many days he appeared to those who had accompanied him from Galilee to Jerusalem: and it is these same companions of his who are now his witnesses before our people.
We have come to tell you the Good News.......
WELCOME TO SACRED SCRIPTURE/HOLY BIBLE READER'S COMMUNITY. - Wishing you, 'Happy Reading', and may God, the Father, the Son of the living God, Jesus Christ, fills your heart, mind, thoughts, and grants you: The Holy Spirit, that is, Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding, Counsel, Piety, Fortitude, and the fear of the Lord, and also His fruits of the Holy Spirit, that is, Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Trustfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control. Amen! God blessing be upon you!
THEOLOGY? ISN'T THAT THE STUDY OF RELIGION? SO, WHAT DOES IT HAVE TO DO WITH ME? ISN'T IT CONCERN PRIESTS, THEOLOGIANS AND THE VATICAN?
THEOLOGY HAS LITTLE TO DO WITH ME, HASN'T IT?
Most of us think that theology is the concern of specialists, an academic subject that has little to do with lay person. Yet, the Christian theology that we accept today has its roots in the faith experiences of the Hebrews' search for God, their reflection on those experiences and their response to Him.
As Rev. Fr. Michael Amaladoss SJ, the Assistant to Father General Peter-Hans Kolvenbach SJ, responsible for Dialogue and Ecumenism (May 1992-...) puts it, "Faith looks, not only backward to God's saving and powerful presence in history, but also to the future that God invites us to create in the power of the Word and of the Spirit. Theology is therefore not an abstract philosophical elaboration of eternal verities reserved to a few expert professionals. It is a discerning search for God in the here and now of history that is the concern of everyone".
In this sense, theology must be the concern of every Christian and more so of every Christian in Malaysia.
It is the recognition of the Malaysian situation, specifically that of Saint Francis Xavier's Church (Petaling Jaya, Selangor.), that has prompted the central argument in Theology of Shoes-off, an initial effort on the part of Rev. Fr. Joseph (Jojo) Fung SJ to identify the elements that could form our very own Malaysian Theology.
Rev. Fr. Amaladoss SJ has this to say about Theology of Shoes-off. The flowering of local theology is a sign of the rootedness and maturity of a particular Church. So I am glad to welcome and introduce this pioneering effort by Rev. Fr. Joseph (Jojo) Fung SJ to develop a Malaysian theology of "Shoes-off".
BY REV. FR. JOSEPH MATTHEW FUNG JEE VUI ( JOJO ) SJ, was the Parish Priest of SFX Church (Petaling Jaya, Selangor.) from 1988 to 1992.
The Lord Jesus Christ, promised to us that our mission on this earth is really and utmost important for our own salvation.
"I tell you solemnly, there is no one who has left house, wife, brothers, parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God who will not be given repayment many times over in this present time, in the world to come, Eternal Life." - Luke 18:28-30 -
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Faith . Hope . Love - Welcome donation. Thank You. God bless.
By bank transfer/cheque deposit:
Name: Alex Chan Kok Wah
Bank: Public Bank Berhad account no: 4076577113
Country: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!
I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.
HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -
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