Presenting a Biblical response by concerned former Seventh-day Adventists to the Sabbath School Bible Study Guide.

This website is NOT connected to the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The offical Seventh-day Adventist Church website is linked here.

HOME | 2011 | FOURTH QUARTER | WEEK 1 | DAY 1 | DAY 2 | DAY 3 | DAY 4 | DAY 5 | DAY 6 | DAY 7

BibleStudiesForAdventistsHead

Commentary on "Paul: Apostle to the Gentiles"

PHIL HARRIS

 

Day 2: Sunday, September 25, 2011 - Persecutor of Christians

 

Overview

Today we are looking at the witness, testimony and martyrdom of Stephen while Saul stood by holding the outer garments of his executioners.

 

Observations

While Stephen’s name is Greek and he could have had a Hellenistic background it is going beyond solid biblical evidence, as the lesson author does, in asserting he was a ‘Greek-speaking Jew’. While Greek was the ‘cultural’ language of the Roman Empire and was understood and used by many we really know nothing about Stephen’s ethnic background or use of the Greek language. The situation is similar to when Saul later adopted the use of the name ‘Paul’, a Latin name. This didn’t prove he had Roman blood in his genealogy or that he was fluent in Latin.

The lesson does bring out some important points concerning Stephen’s preaching such as the voided importance of obedience to Jewish Law and worship at the temple in Jerusalem versus all these things having been fulfilled by Jesus Christ their Messiah.

In referring to Stephen’s preaching the lesson author saysNo wonder, then, that he angered the Pharisee Saul”. In the account given to us in Acts we don’t know what Saul’s feelings may have been because they are not stated. We don’t even know for sure how much of what Stephen had to say Saul even heard. In Phil. 3:1-11 Paul makes no specific reference to the time of Stephen’s stoning nor does he mention being angry.

Concerning Paul, what we don’t know is how he could have been so totally dedicated to the persecution of Christians up to a certain moment in time and then so completely changed an instant later other than that God intervened in his life. There is no recorded transition from persecutor to evangelist. More than anything else we see God’s omniscient sovereignty at work in both the lives of Stephen and Paul. God does not explain why he chose Saul to be his apostle to the Gentiles.

 

Summary

  1. Assuming Stephen was a ‘Greek-speaking Jew’ simply because his name was Greek and that he debated with the Hellenists doesn’t prove he came from such a background. The danger in doing so is to turn assumptions into conclusions and then to build doctrines upon ‘shifting sand’ instead of ‘solid ground’.
  2. While Saul was obviously sympathetic with those who murdered Stephen we should restrict our understanding of this period of his life to what he actually says of himself in scripture.
  3. Scripture does not reveal why God choose Saul to be his apostle to the Gentiles. We don’t even know how Saul could have been so dedicated to persecuting Christians and then so totally and suddenly changed. What we do see is that God worked a miracle in his life. For that all glory goes to God.
  4. The account of Saul the persecutor to Paul the apostle of God testifies to the miracle of a changed life God offers to the vilest sinner.

 

GO TO DAY 3

 

Copyright 2011 BibleStudiesForAdventists.com. All rights reserved. Revised September 19, 2011. This website is published by Life Assurance Ministries, Glendale, Arizona, USA, the publisher of Proclamation! Magazine. Contact email: BibleStudiesForAdventists@gmail.com.

The Sabbath School Bible Study Guide and the corresponding E.G. White Notes are published by Pacific Press Publishing Association, which is owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist church. The current quarter's editions are pictured above.

 

Official Adventist Resources

Standard Edition Study Guide Week 1

Teacher's Edition Study Guide Week 1

Easy Reading Edition Study Guide Wk 1

SSNET Study Guide Week 1

Search the Complete Published Ellen G. White Writings

 

Please Support This Project

ONLINE DONATIONS

white20114
Quarterly20114