Grace Still Amazes

Today’s readings are Genesis 29, Matthew 28, Esther 5 and Acts 28.  Today we end Matthew and Acts.

In Genesis 29, unlike in Genesis 24, when Jacob goes to Haran to look for a wife he doesn’t pray.  However, he wasn’t a slacker.  He rolled the stone away and watered Rachel’s sheep.  Find out that Rachel belonged to Laban he rejoiced, but didn’t worship.

Bruce Waltke notes that this present scene (29:1-14) is “chiefly about God’s providence versus Jacob’s prayerlessness” (Waltke, Genesis, p. 402).

So Jacob marries…two daughters of Laban.  One he loved, Rachel, but Laban tricked him and gave him Leah first, thus forcing Jacob to work for him seven more years for Rachel.

David Guzik notes:

It was possible for Jacob to be fooled because of the wedding customs of the day.  According to those customs the wife was veiled until she was finally alone with her husband in the “honeymoon suite.”  If it was dark by the time Jacob and his new bride were alone together (something Laban would not have difficulty arranging), it helps explain how Jacob was fooled.

And Thomas Constable says…

Jacob had pretended to be his older brother, and now Leah pretended to be her younger sister.  Laban and Leah deceived Jacob as Jacob and Rebekah had deceived Isaac.  Perhaps Jacob”s eating and drinking at the feast had clouded his mind (Genesis 29:22).

As Jacob had deceived Isaac by taking advantage of his inability to see due to poor eyesight (Genesis 27:36), so Laban deceived Jacob by taking advantage of his inability to see in the dark tent (Genesis 29:25).

The “bridal week” was the week of feasting that followed a marriage (Gen. 29:27; cf. Judges 14:12; 14:17). Jacob received Rachel seven days after he had consummated his marriage to Leah (cf. Genesis 29:28, 30).

The Hebrew name “Rachel” means “ewe,” and “Leah” means “cow.”  Ironically, Laban treated them as cattle and used them for bargaining and trading.

“Zilpah” means “small nose,” and “Bilhah” means “carefree.”  Jacob married two women in eight days.  The Mosaic Law later prohibited marrying two sisters at the same time (Leviticus 18:18). Bigamy and polygamy were never God”s will, however (Genesis 2:24).

Notice that Jacob was behaving like his parents, who each favored one son above the other, by favoring one of his wives above the other.  In both cases serious family problems followed.

Then Jacob began to have children, by one wife, then another.

There was definitely jealousy and competition between Rachel and Leah, and later between their sons.

Matthew 28–Christ is risen

What Happened on the Cross

by John Damascene (c. 675 – 749)

By nothing else except the death of our Lord Jesus Christ
has death been brought low:

The sin of our first parent destroyed,
hell plundered,
resurrection bestowed,
the power given us to despise the things of this world,
even death itself,
the road back to the former blessedness made smooth,
the gates of paradise opened,
our perfected nature seated at the right hand of God,
and we made children and heirs of God.

Here for Steven Green’s Christ the Lord is Risen Today.

“Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb” (Matt. 28:1) and the angel said to them ““Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.  He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay” (vv. 5-6).  Hallelujah!

An angel had announced the Incarnation, and now an angel announced the Resurrection (Matt. 1:20-23); cf. Matt. 18:10).

7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” 8 So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.

“Fear and great joy,” what would you feel, knowing your Lord, whom you have been with for at least a couple of years, whom you have seen doing miracles, teaching God’s truth, casting out demons…has come back!

They should “go quickly” because this was great news indeed.

Of all the possible reasons for the tomb being open and empty that the women could have imagined, the angel clarified the one true explanation.  Jesus had risen from the dead.  The angel reminded them that Jesus had predicted His resurrection (cf. Matthew 16:21; 17:23; 20:18-19).  He then invited them to come and see where He had lain and to go and tell the other disciples that He had risen from the dead.

Now, the guards and religious elders concocted a story (read “fake news”) that the disciples had stolen Jesus’ body, if anybody asked (28:11-15).

Jesus then commissioned his disciples to go make more disciples (28:16-20).

Notice the repetition of “all” in vv. 18-20 : all authority, all nations, all things, and all the days.

We make disciples by going, baptizing and teaching.  And notice, it is “teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you.”  Teaching without application does not fulfill the great commission.  Call people to do something!

We have His authority (v. 18) and His presence with us always.  There are no excuses.  We have everything we need.

Here is a good word from Francis Chan…

Esther 5

Chapters 5-7 carry us to the climax of our story.  They show how God providentially preserved and protected His people.

Chapter 5 is about Esther’s wisdom in preparing an audience with the king and exposing Haman as the enemy of the Jews, and thus of the Persian Empire.

Here we have an example of how God controls the hearts of kings (Prov. 21:1).

Esther prepares a first banquet (5:1-8), inviting Haman as well.  Esther does not reveal her petition at this time, but requests another banquet the following day.

Literally the Hebrew says, “so we may do the word of Esther.”  This is a deliciously ironic twist on a king who only three chapters before was terrified that women might not do the word of their husbands.  Vashti was banished for not coming when the king called, but now Esther has gotten away with coming when the king did not call.  The king who worried about women obeying their husbands is now obeying his wife, and ordering Haman to obey her as well.  And to add irony to irony, Haman not only obeys a woman, but delights in being hosted by a Jew—a Jew passing as a Persian so splendidly that she puts the lie to all he said about her people’s disruptiveness.

–Patricia K. Tull

Esther. why wait?  The king has asked you for your request, twice!  The enemy is right there beside you!  Every day your fellow Jews are suffering!

BUT! — God will use the next 24 hours to accomplish important things!  The king will have insomnia, and Haman will initiate a construction project. . .

What are you waiting for the Lord to do for you?  As you wait, God is at work on your behalf.

“Wait on the Lord” (Psalm 27:14; 33:20-22; 62:5; 130:5-6; Isaiah 40:30-31; Lamentations 3:25; Isaiah 30:18

Haman leaves on cloud nine, but that quickly disappears when he sees Mordecai and Mordecai does not rise or show fear in his presence (5:9).  Haman goes home, boasting to family and friends that he was rich, that he alone was invited to Queen Esther’s banquet, and yet complaining that Mordecai the Jew does not bow to him (5:10-13).

His wife Zeresh suggests that he set up a pole and ask the king the next day to have Mordecai impaled upon it (5:14).  No, Haman apparently had not read Proverbs Proverbs 26:27…

Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling.

Well, this is a pole, not a pit.  Whatever.

Acts 28, Paul finally gets to Rome.  28:1-10 tells us that Paul and those on his ship stayed first in Malta, where they were treated well by the people, but Paul was bitten by a snake.  They thought, “bad luck,” but when he didn’t die they changed their minds and thought he was a god (28:4-6).  Paul then healed Publius’ father (v. 8) and several others (v. 9) so that Paul was honored by the people (v. 10).

After three months they sailed sailed to Syracuse and stayed there for three days (v. 11-12).

13a And from there we made a circuit and arrived at Rhegium.

Notice that they missed going through the Straits of Messina.

The waters there are treacherous.

So much so that in Greek mythology, a six-headed monster named Scylla lived on the Italian Peninsula and would pull sailors up and devour them if they came within her grasp, while an all-consuming whirlpool called Charybdis, on the Sicilian side, would suck passersby to their deaths.

In Homer’s Odyssey, Odysseus and his crew confronted the two monsters while navigating through the Strait.  Emphasizing the dangers of the narrow Strait – 32 kilometres long and from 3 to 16 kilometres wide – it was only possible to avoid one of the monsters by sailing closely to the other.  Odysseus navigated his ship through safely, but Scylla managed to catch and devour six of his men.

But Paul didn’t go that way.

13b And after one day a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli.

Notice that Puteoli is not far from Mount Vesuvius and Pompeii.  Mt. Vesuvius erupted in 79 A.D., destroying both Pompeii and Herculaneum.

Mount Vesuvius Today, Italy Magazine

Puteoli Harbor, Carl Rasmussen

14 There we found brothers and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome.  15 And the brothers there, when they heard about us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. On seeing them, Paul thanked God and took courage.

News of Paul”s arrival preceded him to Rome.  An entourage of believers traveled down the Appian Way, one of the major roads in Italy, 33 miles south to the Three Taverns, a resting spot.  There some of them waited while the more energetic among them proceeded another 10 miles to Appii Forum, a market town.

There Paul met his first Roman Christians.  He had sent them his epistle to the Romans three years earlier (in A.D. 57) from Corinth during his third missionary journey.  This group of greeters would have been a great encouragement to Paul who had looked forward so long to ministering in Rome (Rom. 15:22-29).  Their reception led Paul to thank God.  The trip from Malta probably took three weeks.

Paul was placed under house arrest (28:20) this first time in Rome (v. 16) and was allowed visitors.  He explained why he was in Rome (vv. 17-22) so many came to hear him (vv. 23) and there was the typical response:

24 And some were convinced by what he said, but others disbelieved.

So Paul, quoting Isaiah 6 (vv. 25-27) about their hardness of heart, turned to the Gentiles (v. 28)

Acts 28:28 is probably the ultimate climax of Acts.  It summarizes the main theme of the book. Having presented the gospel to the Jews in Rome, and having witnessed their rejection of it, Paul now focused his ministry again on the Gentiles (cf. Acts 13:46-52; 18: 6; Rom. 1:16).  Until “the times of the Gentiles” run their course and Messiah”s second advent terminates them, Gentiles will be the primary believers of the gospel (cf. Romans 11:19-26).

“Luke -Acts is basically a story about a mission.  Acts 28:28 comments on the mission”s future.  The narrative prepares for this comment by reports of the Gentiles” friendly response to Paul on the voyage and the Roman Jews” contrasting response.  When we recognize the careful reflection on the possibilities of mission among both Gentiles and Jews in Acts 27-28 , the impression that the ending of Acts is abrupt and unsuitable is considerably reduced.” [Note: Tannehill, 2:343. See also Ladd, “The Acts . . .,” pp.  1177-78.]

30 He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, 31 proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.

With this expression [i.e, unhindered], which is literally Luke”s last word in Acts , he is saying that largely through Paul”s activities, the Church is now on the march, and nothing can stop it, echoing Jesus words, “I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

Victory in Matthew 28 and Acts 28.

 

Today’s readings are from Genesis 28, Matthew 27, Esther 4 and Acts 27.

Isaac sends Jacob away to Paddan-Aram (Haran), to find a wife.  He didn’t want Jacob to “take a wife from the Canaanite women” (Genesis 28:1).  He sends him away with a repetition of the covenant God made with Abraham (28:3).

Esau (28:6-9) observes Isaac telling Jacob not to take a wife from among the Canaanites, so he marries again (cf. 26:34-35).  He marries one of one of Abraham’s descendants (a granddaughter, who was Ishmael’s daughter “Mahalath”).  “Mahalath” (“Dance,” v. 9) is evidently another name for, and the same woman as, “Basemath,” Ishmael’s daughter (36:2).

Meanwhile, Jacob went to Laban’s house in Haran.  Traveling up the Way of the Patriarchs he slept for the night and he had a dream of a ladder, with angels ascending and descending on it (vv. 11-12) and there God covenanted with Jacob…

13 And behold, the LORD stood above it and said, “I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac.  The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. 14 Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 15 Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”

Impressed by the dream and God’s presence (vv. 16-17), he took his stone pillow, make a pillar (v. 18) upon which he poured oil in worship and named the place Bethel.  This place already had a history of significance for the family of Abraham.

• Near Bethel, Abraham built one of the first altars mentioned in the Bible, and there he “invoked the name of the Lord.” (Genesis 12:8)
• After Abraham had fled to Egypt to escape a famine in the Holy Land, he returned to the same place near Bethel, and once again invoked the name of the Lord. (Genesis 13:1-4)
• Laterm, after Jacob’s return to the Holy Land, Bethel was the second place where he and his family settled. There he set up an altar to God, and God spoke to him. (Genesis 35:1-15)

In response to God’s promises to Jacob, Jacob says…

20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, 21 so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, then the LORD shall be my God, 22 and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God’s house.  And of all that you give me I will give a full tenth to you.”

Jacob is trying to bargain with God.  He’s still trying to do it his own way, not yet living by faith.  Jacob’s life is in chaos, not unlike ours when the Spirit calls us.

Matthew 27 recounts the crucifixion of Jesus.  Jesus is led away to Pilate (27:1-2).

David’s citadel, where Pilate might have met with Jesus, or possibly…

Judas regrets his decision to betray Jesus (27:3-4) and throws the money away.  Judas’ remorse was incomplete.  It was like what Paul expresses in 2 Corinthians 7:9-11…

9 As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. 10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. 11 For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment!  At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter.

The Valley of Hinnom, where Judas hanged himself

After Jesus’ initial answer to Pilate’s first question, Jesus remained silent.  Pilate asked, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You have said so.”  After that, Jesus was silent.  That is contrasted later in the passage with the shouts of the crowd.

Only Luke reported that now Pilate sent Jesus to Herod Antipas for questioning (Luke 23:6-12).  Herod then returned Jesus to Pilate.  Pilate then tried to substitute another prisoner for Jesus, Barabbas (vv. 15-21.  The religious leaders would not hear of it.  Then Pilate’s wife warned him to have nothing to do with Jesus because of a dream she had (v. 19).

The crowds shouted “Crucify him!” (vv. 22-23), so Pilate symbolically washed his hands of the whole matter (vv. 24-25).  Pilate tried to claim innocence (v. 26) and the Jewish people gladly accepted their guilt (v. 27).  Neither of them knew what they were talking about.

Jesus was first scourged (v. 28) and sent to be crucified.

The whip (flagrum or flagellum) consisted of several single or braided leather thongs of variable lengths, in which small iron balls or sharp pieces of sheep bones were tied at intervals.

As the Roman soldiers repeatedly struck the victim’s back with full force, the iron balls would cause deep contusions, and the leather thongs and sheep bones would cut into the skin and subcutaneous tissues. Then, as the flogging continued, the lacerations would tear into the underlying skeletal muscles and produce quivering ribbons of bleeding flesh.  Pain and blood loss generally set the stage for circulatory shock.  The extent of blood loss may well have determined how long the victim would survive on the cross.

During the 12 hours between 9 PM Thursday and 9 AM Friday, he had suffered great emotional stress (as evidenced by hematidrosis), abandonment by his closest friends (the disciples), and a physical beating (after the first Jewish trial).  Also, in the setting of a traumatic and sleepless night, had been forced to walk more than 2.5 miles (4.0 km) to and from the sites of the various trials.  These physical and emotional factors may have rendered Jesus particularly vulnerable to the adverse hemodynamic effects of the scourging.

27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor’s headquarters, and they gathered the whole battalion before him.  28 And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 30 And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head.

Thomas Constable explains:

The Sanhedrin and or its servants had abused Jesus as a false Messiah (26:67-68). Now Pilate’s soldiers abused Him as a false king.  Ironically, Jesus was everything He was mocked for being: Messiah and King of Israel.  The “scarlet robe” (Gr. chlamys) they put on Jesus (v. 28) was probably the reddish purple cloak that Roman military and civil officials wore.  Perhaps the thorny spikes that the soldiers wove into a circle (“crown of thorns”) resembled the one on Tiberius Caesar’s head, on Roman coins, that consisted of palm branches.

The imperfect tense of the Greek verb translated “beat” means they beat Jesus on the head repeatedly (cf. Isa. 52:14).

Of course, this robe, which was later torn off, would have been stuck to Jesus’ body by the drying blood.  This would have been worse than body waxing!

31 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and led him away to crucify him. 32 As they went out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. They compelled this man to carry his cross.

Jesus was able to carry the crossbeam of His cross until He passed through the city gate (cf. Mark 15:21; John 19:17).  Normally crucifixions took place outside the city wall (cf. Lev. 24:14; Num. 15:35-36; 1 Kings 21:13; Acts 7:58), which symbolized additional rejection (cf. Heb. 13:13).

Evidently some women offered Jesus some wine to drink, to which they had added myrrh to decrease His pain (Mark 15:23).  Jesus refused it after tasting it, because He chose to endure the cross fully conscious.

It would be appropriate to read Isaiah 53 here.

The Romans normally tied or nailed the victim to the crossbeam of his cross.  In Jesus’ case they did the latter.

They would then hoist the crossbeam and the prisoner up onto the upright member of the cross. Next they would fasten the crucified person’s feet to the upright, by tying with a rope, or nailing them with a large spike.

The Romans constructed crosses in various shapes: an X, a T, or, as in Jesus’ case, the traditional T with the upright extending above the crossbeam (v. 37). Sometimes the victim was only a few inches off the ground, but Jesus appears to have been a few feet higher (v. 48; John 19:29).

35 And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots.

Normally victims would be crucified naked, except for a loincloth.  The four executioners took the criminal’s clothes for themselves.  These would have been his shoes, his turban, his girdle, his inner garment, and his outer cloak or robe.  In Jesus’ case, they cast “lots” for His robe (“garments”), fulfilling Psalm 22:18 (cf. John 19:23-24).  This happened in the late morning on Friday (Mark 15:25; John 19:14).

The Romans reserved crucifixion for the worst criminals from the lowest classes of society.  Roman citizens were exempt from crucifixion unless Caesar himself ordered it.  For the Jews, crucifixion was even more horrible because it symbolized a person dying under God’s curse (Deut. 21:23).  Israel’s leaders hung up those who had died under God’s curse for others to see and learn from. Jesus bore God’s curse for the sins of humankind, so that people would not have to experience that curse (Galatians 3:13).

Jesus was mocked by the soldiers (vv. 37-38), by passersby (vv. 39-40), the religious leaders (vv. 41-43) and then the thiefs (v. 44), one of whom later stopped mocking and asked to be remembered.  Matthew did not record that anyone spoke in Jesus’ defense.

45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour.

From noon to 3 p.m. an abnormal darkness covered the land.  No matter how it happened, it symbolized judgment–first on Jesus as the sin-bearer, but also upon the Jews.  At this time Jesus “cried out” the words of Psalm 22:1, because He felt like His Father was abandoning Him when He “(became) sin for us” (2 Cor. 5:21) and bore God’s full wrath against sin.

Separation from the Father must have been the worst part of the Cross for Jesus who had never before experienced anything but intimate fellowship with His Father.

Since Jesus was God, I do not believe that He experienced actual separation from God the Father.  However, when the Father poured out His wrath on His Son—who took upon Himself the sins of the world—and for that moment and for that reason the relationship between the Father and the Son became different.  Jesus became the focal point of God’s judgment on mankind’s sin (cf. Rom. 3:21-26; 2 Cor. 5:21).  It was terrible and terrifying for Jesus.

The crowd thought Jesus was calling out to Elijah (vv. 47-49) and Jesus “cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit” (v. 50).

51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split.

The curtain spoken of here is the curtain which separated the Holy of Holies from the other portion of the Temple known as the Holy Place.  It was 40 cubits (60 feet) long, and 20 (30 feet) wide, of the thickness of the palm of the hand (Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, 2:611; idem, Sketches of Jewish Social Life, p. 197).

The tearing happened at 3:00 p.m., the time of the evening incense offering.  A priest would normally have been standing in the holy place offering incense when it tore (cf. Luke 1:8-10).  Some early non-biblical Jewish sources also report unusual phenomena in the temple 40 years before its destruction in A.D. 70, one of which is the temple curtain tearing. (Robert L. Plummer, “Something Awry in the Temple?  The Rending of the Temple Veil and Early Jewish Sources that Report Unusual Phenomena in the Temple around AD 30,” Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 48:2 (June 2005):301-16)

“The fact that this occurred from top to bottom signified that God is the One who ripped the thick curtain. It was not torn from the bottom by men ripping it” (Barbieri, Forty Days with the Gospel of Matthew, Vol. 2, p. 90.)

This was a supernatural act that symbolized the opening of access to God and the termination of the Mosaic system of worship.  This event marked the end of the old Mosaic Covenant and the beginning to the New Covenant (cf. 26:26-29).  Jesus Himself now replaced the temple (cf. 26:61).  He also became the Great High Priest of His people.  The rent veil also prefigured the physical destruction of the temple, a necessary corollary to its spiritual uselessness from then on.

Then we have these two strange verses:

52 The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, 53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

The resurrection of these “saints” (OT believers?) happened “after his resurrection” but are likely mentioned here to show the incredible power of the crucifixion and its connection to the resurrection.  Who they were is unclear.  Were they raised “like Lazarus” to die again?

There was a confession by the centurion who, with awe, said that “Truly this was the Son of God.” (v. 54).  Joseph was given permission to take and bury the body of Jesus (vv. 57-61).  A guard was set upon the tomb “lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,'” (v. 64).

Low in the grave He lay—
  Jesus my Savior!
Waiting the coming day—
  Jesus my Lord!

Esther 4

When Mordecai heard about the decree he reacted strongly, possibly because he felt responsible for it!

Notice that Mordecai put on sackcloth, wept aloud and fasted (v. 1).  There is no mention of prayer, but that does not definitely mean that he did not pray.  Jews around the provinces did the same (v. 2)

Esther finds out about Mordecai’s mourning, and becomes distressed herself (4:4).

Mordecai told Hathach what had happened with Haman and gave him a text of the annihilation decree, which Hathach reported to Esther (4:5-9).

Esther then sent work back to Mordecai that she would seek a time and way to approach the king (4:10-11).

Mordecai encouraged her not to shirk her responsibility to be involved in delivering her people (4:12-14). Here he utters those challenging words: “And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this” (4:14)

We too get a choice to rise up to the situation in faith or slink back in fear and remain silent.  Will we obey the voice of God and speak and act for His glory or remain mute and motionless hoping that no one will notice?  If God is calling you to something and you remain silent, God will find another way… but you will miss out on how God wanted to use you for His purpose and lose the reward that would have been yours.

She responds to Mordecai’s challenge by asking for fasting (and we assume prayer) and then swallows her fears and says, “If I perish, I perish.” (4:15-17).

Finally Esther begins to see the depth of the problem and the need to follow Mordecai’s instructions no matter what the cost.  And it could potentially cost.  We shouldn’t underestimate the step that Esther took here and so it isn’t surprising that all the Jews in Susa are asked to fast for three days concerning Esther’s next move.  At the end of that time, Esther will do something that was not lawful to do (even for the Queen!) – she will go before the king unannounced.  If all goes well, he will extend the golden sceptre to her and she will find favour in his sight.  If the king is in the wrong mood, she will die.  It is a huge step of faith but one she is resolved to do!  ‘If I perish, I perish’ are the words on her lips as she takes each step of the journey.

John Gill comments on Esther’s abandonment to God’s will saying: “and if I perish, I perish; signifying, that she readily and cheerfully risked her life for the good of her people; and if such was the pleasure of God, that she should lose it, she was content, and acquiesced in his will, leaving herself entirely in his hands, to dispose of her as he thought fit.”

Again, the lack of references to God, or even prayer, indicate that God works behind the scenes to fulfill His promises even when people are far from Him and disobedient.

Acts 27 recounts Paul’s voyage to Rome, a true adventure.  Luke gives us an amazing amount of detail in this chapter, exhibiting it’s historical accuracy.

Toward the end of the nineteenth century a group of Scottish unbelievers decided to expose errors in the Bible.  They designated one of their number to visit all the places Luke mentioned that Paul visited with a view to proving the record in Acts inaccurate.  The man chosen was Sir William Ramsay who, after thorough study of the matter, concluded that Luke was accurate in every detail. [Note: Ironside, Lectures on . . ., pp 618-19.] Ramsay became a Christian and wrote several books on Acts and Paul in defense of God”s Word.

The circumstances of Paul’s Voyage to Rome were far different than for his earlier travels.  Before, he was a free man; this time, he was a prisoner of the Romans (Acts 21:27-26:32).

The Journey to Rome began in early fall of about 60 AD and ended the following spring of about 61 AD after a shipwreck near Malta.  The entire voyage is recorded in Acts chapters 27 and 28.

Paul sails from Caesarea to Crete in vv. 1-8.

Most likely Paul sailed from Caesarea.  His ship originated from the port of Adramyttium just south of Troas opposite the island of Lesbos.  It was a coastal vessel that docked at most ports along the northeastern Mediterranean shoreline.  Sidon (v. 3) stood about 70 miles north of Caesarea.  So far, so good.

Prevailing winds in the Mediterranean during spring and fall usually blow from west to east and often from the northwest.  Consequently this ship sailed north up the east side of the island of Cyprus (cf. Acts 21:3).  Proceeding north it came to the coast of Cilicia and turned west passing Pamphylia and landing at Myra in Lysia, the southernmost region in the province of Asia. This was a 14-day journey by ship that spanned about 500 miles. [Note: Eckhard J. Schnabel, Early Christian Mission, 2:1266.]

Harbor of Andriake, Ferrell Jenkins

6 There the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing for Italy and put us on board. 7 We sailed slowly for a number of days and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus, and as the wind did not allow us to go farther, we sailed under the lee of Crete off Salmone.

This was a grain ship (Acts 27:38) that had accommodations for at least 276 passengers (Acts 27:37).  There were no ships devoted exclusively to passenger travel at this time. (Ben Witherington, The Acts of the Apostles: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary, p. 759.)

According to a contemporary description, these large ships were usually 180 feet long, 50 feet wide, and 44 feet deep from the deck to the hold. [Note: Lionel Casson, Ships and Seamanship in the Ancient World, pp. 158-59.]

Still good sailing, so far.

They figured the lee (south) side of the island of Crete would give them protection from the strong northeasterly winds.  They were wrong.

 8 Coasting along it with difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near which was the city of Lasea.

Fair Havens, Ferrell Jenkins

Evidently the captain waited for some time for the weather to improve in Fair Havens.  The “Fast” refers to the day of Atonement that fell in the fall each year, sometimes as late as early October.  People considered it dangerous to travel by sea between mid-September and mid-November, and the harbors closed for the winter from mid-November to mid-February.

Paul, a seasoned sea-traveler,  had already experienced shipwreck three times (2 Cor. 11:25).  He recommended staying through the winter at Fair Havens.

Verse 9-26 describe the storm at sea.

The centurion had the final word.  Grain ships of this kind were part of a fleet that was under the control of the Roman government even though private individuals owned the ships.  The pilot (captain) and the owner (rather than captain) carried more influence with the centurion than Paul did.  Fair Havens was suitable for wintering but not as desirable as Phoenix (modern Phineka, or possible Lutro).

“Euroquilo” means northeastern.  The wind changed from a mild southerly breeze to a violent northeasterly gale.  This wind drove Paul”s ship southwest away from Crete and the harbor at Phoenix.

15 And when the ship was caught and could not face the wind, we gave way to it and were driven along.

The small island of Clauda (modern Gavdos or Gozzo) lay south of Crete about 23 miles.  There appears to have been no adequate harbor there. However this island did provide enough temporary shelter for the sailors to haul the trailing rowboat (dinghy) on board.  Another safety measure was to feed ropes over the bow and hold them up against the ship”s hull from each side.  Drawn up tight under the ship these ropes helped to reinforce the internal braces of the hull.

The “shallows of Syrtis” (v. 17) might refer to areas of quicksand off the northern coast of Africa, or possibly shallow seas choked by seaweed.

The Greek word translated “sea anchors” (or “gear,” v. 17) simply means equipment and can refer to any gear, perhaps some of the sails and rigging here (cf. Acts 27:40).  With no stars they couldn’t navigate.  They were truly “at the mercy of the winds.”

Evidently the ship was taking on so much water that the captain decided to jettison the wheat on board as well as other cargo and all but the most essential tackle (cf. Jonah 1:5).  He kept some wheat on board probably for ballast as well as for food (Acts 27:38).

” All hope of our being saved was at last abandoned” (v. 20).  Now, I can remember one person saying, years ago, is that the reason for this comes from the KJV of verse 15 “we let her drive.”

Paul presumably mentioned his former advice at Fair Havens not to gloat, but to encourage his fellow travelers to believe what he was about to tell them.  What he had predicted had taken place, and what he was about to predict would also.  An angelic visitor now confirmed God’s former assurance to Paul that he would reach Rome (Acts 23:11).  He told Paul that all on board would reach land safely by running aground.

The winds and currents had carried Paul”s ship in a northwesterly direction from the south-central Mediterranean (vv. 27-28).  The sailors may have smelled the land, which sailors can do, or they may have heard the waves breaking on shore.

Shipwreck (vv. 27-44).  As they neared land, the crew (probably the first to suspect landfall) attempted to abandon ship.  They were caught, however, and the ship’s boat was cut away.  These men would be the only hope for everyone else were they to land the ship.

All on board needed to eat to gain strength for the work of getting ashore that lay ahead.  Paul gave thanks to God publicly for the food (cf. 1 Tim. 4:4-5).  This would have helped all present to connect their deliverance with God.

They lightened their load (v. 38) and eventually landed on a sandy beach (the second-best possible place to dock a boat!).  Although English versions say “reef” (v. 41), the Greek word does not specify it as a coral reef, but more like a sand bar.  Everyone, all 276 of them, eventually made it to shore safely.

Thomas Constable notes:

A British yachtsman and scholar who was familiar with the parts of the Mediterranean Sea that Paul covered on this journey retraced Paul”s route in the first part of the nineteenth century. His book relates his experiences and findings.  It is fascinating reading and confirms the accuracy of Luke”s references in this chapter. [James Smith, The Voyage and Shipwreck of St. Paul.]

This unusually dramatic and vivid chapter stresses God”s sovereign control over circumstances to bring His will to pass, specifically that Paul should minister in Rome.  It reminds us of Jesus” ability to control the winds and the waves of Galilee to accomplish His will and to communicate His identity.  He had sent His disciples into a storm (Luke 8:22-25)) just as He had sent Paul.

Jesus had predicted that He would build His church and that Hades” gates would not overwhelm it (Matthew 16:18).  This chapter shows to what lengths God will go to remain faithful to His promises.

Today’s readings are Genesis 27, Matthew 26, Esther 3 and Acts 26.

In Genesis 27 Jacob tricks Isaac and Esau gets a lesser blessing.  Isaac apparently “lives to eat,” as expressed in v. 9, “delicious food for your father such as he loves” and v. 14 “his mother prepared delicious food such as his father loved.”  That is probably an inordinate (abnormal) love, such that made Isaac favor Esau.  It blinded him from seeing Esau’s own weakness for food back in Gen. 25:29-34.

So Isaac was not merely physically blind.  And this is what has always puzzled me–why could he not tell it was Jacob rather than Esau?  The answer is that Isaac was also spiritually blind to Esau’s faults.

Robert Gonzales also points out that Isaac’s own love for food and favoritism towards Esau, required that he confer the blessing “in secret,” instead of in front of the whole family (Genesis 49).  When we have an idol, we hide our behaviors.

Did Isaac know that Yahweh “love Jacob but hated Esau”?  Was he ignorant of what he should have known, or was he purposefully going against God?  Either way, he was in dangerous territory.

While this doesn’t excuse Jacob and Rebekah’s sin, it does show that God will get His way, even through the sins of people.  Maybe Isaac eventually bowed to this, for when Esau did come in, Isaac didn’t revoke Jacob’s blessing, but gave Esau another, lesser blessing.

As a result of all of this, Esau hated Jacob and would have killed him if Rebekah had not sent him away to Haran.

Photo of modern Haran by Leon Mauldin.

I got this chart from Cheri Gregory on the internet…

Matthew 26 begins the passion of Christ.  Passover was coming (v. 2) and a plot was being hatched (vv. 3-4).

Bible Atlas

Bethany, 1800s

Jesus was in Bethany in the house of Simon (v. 5) and was anointed (vv. 6-13).  Most believe this is the same event as in John 12, so it was the Saturday before the crucifixion.

John recorded that Lazarus was there, his sister Martha helped with the serving, and their sister Mary was the woman who broke the vial and anointed Jesus’ head (and feet, John 12:2-3).  Perhaps Matthew did not mention them by name in order to keep Jesus central in his story. John further recorded that the pound of perfume cost 300 denarii, about one year’s wages for a working man (John 12:3, 5).  Matthew and Mark just said it was “very” expensive (“costly”).

That was a big issue for Judas who saw this as a waste (v. 8).  Apparently it was the tipping point for him, for he went to the chief priests to see what he could get as his “severance pay” (vv. 14-16).  He needed his “golden parachute” because he could see that this venture was going nowhere.  The “30 pieces of silver” they agreed to pay Judas was a paltry sum (in contrast to the “high price” at which Mary evaluated Jesus, v. 9), and fulfilled Zechariah 11:12.  The amount constituted a month’s wages, if the silver pieces were denarii, which seems likely.

Traditional Upper Room, photo by Carl Rasmussen

Jesus gave directions to prepare for Passover (vv. 17-19), then celebrated Passover with His disciples (vv. 20-29), after the betrayer left (vv. 21-25).  So Judas was not there went they celebrated “the Lord’s Supper.”

Thomas Constable notes:

As the first Passover looked forward to deliverance and settlement in the Promised Land, so the Lord’s Supper looked forward to deliverance and settlement in the promised kingdom.  Disciples are to observe the Lord’s Supper only until He returns (1 Cor. 11:26).  Then we will enjoy the messianic banquet together with our Savior and King (Isa. 25:6; cf. Matt. 8:11).  Probably Jesus spoke these words after drinking the third cup of the Passover ritual.

Garden of Gethsemane

Afterward they went out to the Mount of Olives (v. 30), where Jesus predicted Peter’s betrayal (vv. 31-35) and then asked them to watch and pray with Him (vv. 36-45).  Of course, they could not stay awake as Jesus faced his “dark night of the soul.”  Faced with alienation from the Father, He asked that the “cup be passed” from Him (v. 39).  But at every step, Jesus was willing to submit to the Father’s will.

what would jesus drink_ (matthew 26 39; john 18 11), nick batzig

agony in gethsemane__a tale of three gardens, jeffrey c. waddington

five reasons the father silently said ‘no’ to the son in gethsemane, thabiti anyabwile

the agony of gethsemane__the most amazing and terrifying scene in the bible, nathan cherry

Then, the soldiers, with Judas, came to arrest Jesus (vv. 40-56) and brought him to Caiaphas, the officiating high priest (v. 57).

This is a model of Caiaphas’s house

This is the first of six trials of Jesus.  There are so many abrogations of the law in these trials.

These are just the four trials that occur in the Gospel of Mark, but they highlight some of the illegalities.

Matthew stressed Jesus’ righteousness for his readers by highlighting the injustice of His trials.

58 And Peter was following him at a distance (and that was the problem).

The lawyers had to interview several people (“false witnesses”) before they finally found “two” of them that would agree on a charge against Jesus.  This was another way that Matthew stressed Jesus’ innocence. Interpreting with wooden literalism, one might take Jesus’ words as a threat to desecrate the temple, but Jesus had spoken metaphorically (John 2:19-21).  He had meant that He was the true temple, the place where people met God and where God met them.  Most ancient Near Eastern people regarded the desecration of a temple as a capital offense, and the Jews shared this viewpoint (cf. Jer. 26:1-19).  Jesus had not, as far as the Gospel records go, said that He would or could destroy the temple.  He had said, “[You] destroy the temple . . . Nor had He said that He would rebuild the Jerusalem temple. (Thomas Constable)

When asked directly, Jesus agreed that He was ” the Christ, the Son of God” (v.63) and added “from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” (v. 64).  They treated this as blasphemy (v. 65) and sentence Him to death (v. 65), then they spit on Him and slapped him (v. 66), then mocked him (v. 67).

The chapter ends with Peter’s three denials.

if it could happen to peter… (matthew 26), nicholas batzig

According to John 18:17 it appears that Peter’s denials took place at the house of Annas, the former High Priest.  However, according to Matthew 26:69 Peter’s denials took place at the home of Caiaphas, the current High Priest and son-in-law of Annas.  Obviously, these are two different homes with two different men presiding.

The solution, however, is not difficult to see.  In John 18:5 Peter makes his first denial of the night at the house of Annas during Jesus’ first Jewish hearing.  Then he follows the crowd with Jesus over to the house of Caiaphas where Peter makes his further denials during the second Jewish hearing (Matt 26:69–75; Mark 14:66–72; Luke 22:55–65; John 18:25–27).  So where did Peter deny Jesus?  First, right outside the doorway of Annas’ house and then sitting in the courtyard of Caiaphas’ house while warming himself by a fire.

Model of a house excavated from the ruins of 1st century Jerusalem. It may have belonged to Annas.
If so, Jesus was questioned in one of the small side-rooms or in a corner of the courtyard.

Jesus-story.net

In Esther 3:1 Haman gets promoted.  He is an Agagite, a long line of Jew haters.

King Saul, a Benjamite, failed to destroy King Agag, an Amalekite (1 Samuel 15); but Mordecai, also a Benjamite (2:5), destroyed Haman, an Amalekite.

Haman was proud, egotistical and spiteful.  He had all the God-hated characteristics of Proverbs 6:16-19.

Mordecai angers Haman by refusing to bow down to him (3:2), which infuriated Haman and causes him to overreach in seeking to eliminate the Jews altogether.  (It is possible that he could have successfully executed Mordecai, but he wants to do more!)

His pride wounded, Haman made a proposal to exterminate the Jews.  (Neither the king nor Haman knew that Esther was a Jew.)

He cast lots to determine the day most favorable for wiping out the Jews.  This was like reading his horoscope.  However, God controls the cast of the die (Prov. 16:33).  A day is set far enough in advance to allow the Jews to prepare to defend themselves.

Haman makes a request to the king to exterminate a people group (doesn’t mention the Jews by name) and contribute 10,000 talents of silver to the king’s treasury (possibly attained by looting the massacred people).  Vv. 8-9

In 3:10-15 the king gives permission and signs it with his seal, making it inviolable.

Swindoll drew three lessons from this section of the book:

“First, from Mordecai we learn: Never forget there will always be someone who will resent your devotion to the Lord. Second, from Haman we learn: Never underestimate the diabolical nature of revenge. . . . Third, from Ahasuerus: Never overestimate the value of your own importance.

In Acts 26 Paul makes his defense before Agrippa.  Paul explains his own background as a Pharisee (26:4-5).  The real issue of contention, Paul says, is the resurrection of the dead (26:6-8).  Then he goes through his testimony of opposition to Jesus at first (26:9-12), his conversion and calling on the road to Damascus (26:13-17).  I love v. 18

18 to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me’ [Jesus].

Paul was obeidient to his calling (vv. 19-20), but the Jews opposed him (v. 21).  But Paul will use every opportunity he can to proclaim the gospel (vv. 22-23).

Festus believed Paul was out of his mind (v. 24), but Paul assured him he was thinking rationally (v. 25).  Then he addressed King Agrippa, “do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe” (v. 27, cf. v. 3).  Agrippa felt some conviction (v. 28) to which Paul hope that ALL would “become such as I am–except for these chains” (v. 29).

A conference among the three of them determined that Paul had done nothing wrong, and could have been set free had he not appealed to Rome (vv. 30-32).  Thomas Constable says…

Luke implied that everyone present concurred that Paul was completely innocent.  This had previously been the verdict of the Pharisees (23:9), Claudius Lysias (23:29), and Festus (25:25).  Now Agrippa, a Roman ruler with Jewish blood in his veins who was sympathetic to the Jews, voiced the same opinion (v. 32).  In Agrippa’s opinion, Paul did not even need to be in prison, much less die for what he had done.

Now Paul is headed for Rome!  What a ride he will have!