Queen's Road Cell

'We' (16:10-17). Evidently, Luke joined Paul’s party in Troas and accompanied it to Philippi; the rest of chapter 16 is his eyewitness account. The “we” account ends when the mission team leaves Philippi (see 16:39-40) and begins again when Paul returns to Philippi five years later (see 20:5–28:16).   For Further Study: Does disagreeing and parting company have to lead to anger and broken fellowship? Consider how Paul felt about Barnabas and Mark after parting from them (see 1 Corinthians 9:1-7; Colossians 4:10; Philemon 24; 2 Timothy 4:11). What do you learn about fellowship? Is there an example here for you? The disagreement with Barnabas about taking John Mark likely occurred around AD 49, while 1 Corinthians was written from Ephesus during his third journey, sometime between AD 53-57. Colossians was written AD 60-62, and 2 Timothy is AD 64-67   It did not take long before Paul and Barnabas reconciled. Reconciliation depends on each one's personal relationship with...

Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe were all in the province of Galatia—these were the churches who later received Paul’s letter to the Galatians.   1. Why does Luke repeat in v.22-29 information already given in v.19-21? To record that the decision of the council was accurately recorded in writing and passed on Because of the importance of the matter for the church at large.    2. What steps do the apostles and the elders take to ensure that the decision of the council is well-communicated and that the Gentile Christians are reassured? They chose ‘leading men’ individuals from Jerusalem to follow Paul and Barnabas with a letter to affirm its contents (v.22-23, 25, 27). The personal touch They called the Gentile Christians "brothers" (v.23) They acknowleged that the Gentiles had been "troubled" and their minds "uinsettled" They assured the Gentiles that those troubling and unsettling them did not have the authority of the Jerusalem church. (v.24) ...

Two issues at stake: (1) Does God still require His covenant people to keep the Law of Moses (and the oral tradition)? and (2) Even if the Law is just a cultural preference for Jewish Christians, should Gentile Christians keep it anyway in order to keep peaceful fellowship? 6. How did the church handle this major dispute between some Jewish believers and the Antiochene Christians (see 15:2,6,12,22-30)?  They took it to the highest authorities in the Church. There was a forum to explain their position. This was a decision-making body whose conclusions were binding.   7. Why did Peter support the Antiochene position? List his key reasons in 15:6-11.  He had the experience of Cornelius' household behind him. He had pioneered Gentile minsitry. God knew the heart and had testfied to their inclusion through the giving of the Holy Spirit just as he had to the jews. He made no distinction. Clenasing of the heart was by faith. There was no reason to lay the burden of the Law on th...