The book of Acts contains the earliest Christian apologies, defenses made by Stephen, Peter, and Paul before both Jewish and gentile authorities. Read one of more of these defenses an comment on the way in which the speaker defends himself against charges brought against him and on the way he tries to persuade others to follow the gospel.
The first thing that i see when he is defending himself is that Paul relates his back story. At one point in his life Paul was just like the men accusing him. He would beat and lock up all that spoke in the name of Jesus. Then he explains how he was converted into believing in this faith. I think that was his plan that he wanted to believe that this faith he was trying to preach was an every day mans religion. He also makes it clear that they are believing in the same things just in different ways. Trent Dean
ReplyDeletePaul is making his defense to Agrippa against the accusations of the Jews, he states all the positives of his life, how he had been a strict Jew and how he had persecuted the followers of Jesus. He described the events of his conversion, where Jesus had spoken to him and Paul became Saul. After conversion, he set out to tell everyone Jew and Gentile to repent and turn to God. And for this the Jews arrested him.
ReplyDeleteIn the end he was convicted evidently because he appealed his case to the emperor.
Jerry Taylor
In the book of Acts especially in Chapter 7. We see Stephen who is being brought to the council over charges. Stephen who is very outspoken told the Jewish leaders said, "You stubborn people must you resist the Holy Spirit"? Stephen after saying this accusing them of disrespecting Gods laws. This angered many of the Jewish leaders there. He tried his best to get the leaders on his side by telling them it's not over and they can still be saved. The leaders didn't listen to him, and they ordered him to be killed by Stoning.
ReplyDeleteIn Acts Chapter 7, Peter and John are brought before the council after being arrested because they were teaching people about the resurrection of Jesus. When the day of their trail came, Peter was the first to speak. "Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead-by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:8-12)
ReplyDeletePeter defends himself here by accusing those who crucified Jesus, but also tries to get them to follow the faith by telling them that there is salvation for them through Christ our Lord.
One of my favorite defenses of the faith is one of the most closely tied to the point of origin of Christianity. Directly following Pentecost, when the disciples have received the holy spirit from Jesus Christ upon Christ's resurrection. Peter stands and gives an elaborate speech to thousands. In many translations, it is listed as 3,000 converted to Christianity. Many more would have had to listen as well, as some are too clever for their intelligence and would either need time to reason or time to deny the claims made by Peter.
ReplyDeleteHowever, this is one of my favorite defenses because I believe this is the first gathering for communion in church history after the ascension of Jesus. Not necessarily as some churches call communion today, but what I believe communion to be. I think communion is the gathering of the church body united in Christ and the flowing spirit among the believers in remembrance and worship of Jesus Christ. There are yet to be the martyr defenses or one in which one is sacrificing everything. However, the way the spirit flowed that day would have been unimaginable. We are a part of this whenever we gather as Christians today.
Although, as it stands today, I must ask myself, could there ever be a gathering of the church body like that today? We have had many influential voices in our communities and churches. However, the unity I fear can never be as great following the initial starting of the Church. This defense is unique because the spirit connects us to that moment. While our voices as it stands in America and the world will never unify to that extent except maybe with the coming of Christ. No matter the denomination we choose to follow or are a part of, that Church established that day, and no other is where fellowship is committed to.
Tanner Simon