In this episode we continue to see the influence of women in shaping policy, whether with Leah or Claudia. Claudia seeks to persuade her husband, Pilate, to release Johanna, who brought to Gospel of Jesus to Tabitha. Pilate flatly refuses. It is later that Claudia takes it on her own to have Johanna released and brought before her husband. Pilate in anger, and being ruthless, has Johanna killed by strangulation.
It is Cornelius who has the job of being executioner. However, we see the emotional side of Cornelius with him weeping after he did his job. The human side of him comes out it seems for the first time in this episode.
The Ethiopian is brought before Pilate after it was told him that this foreignor was providing weapons for a revolt. Pilate has him banished from the city, and the movie shows where he is allowed to take the scroll of Isaiah with him. The reunion of Philip with Peter becomes the pivotal moment when Philip gets an angelic message to head toward Gaza. It is in this way that Philip meets up with this Ethiopian, whose chariot has broken down. This meeting becomes the occasion for the Ethiopian to learn about the passage from Isaiah that he has been reading and later to become baptized!
Yes, Philip got his cue from an angel. I wonder how we might desire to have a direct message from God in terms of our own witnessing to others? Can we tell if someone really needs our witness? In our day, we need to be attentive to how God might be speaking to us. Possibly, it could come through a friend whom God uses, who has us meet up with someone who is ripe for the hearing the good news.
Another miraculous event comes with Peter being called to Joppa. Tabitha had left Jerusalem to return Joppa. While there she dies (supposedly from the flogging). Peter comes by her dead body and brings her back to life. Here, we must see that the apostles were empowered to do great things. I wonder how much we even think of what our potential is as people of faith. Jesus did say that we would do greater works than what he did. Maybe we feel we can't bring someone back from the dead, but there might be some other ways we can enhance someone's life beyond our expectation.
We also see in this episode how the apostles were still eager to talk about Jesus in public - yes, in public. I'm afraid today, for a lot of folks their faith has become a private affair. Faith as well as church can only be talked about under the safest and "appropriate" situations.
Next Sunday will be the final episode. It will be interesting to see what all comes of the statue of the emperor that has arrived and is to be placed in the temple.
As I have been following the Twitter feed, it's interesting how some people are hoping for a continuation of the series. The book of Acts provides us with quite a history of the post-resurrection life of Jesus' followers! You may post your thoughts in the comments section here.
Pastor Marty
It is Cornelius who has the job of being executioner. However, we see the emotional side of Cornelius with him weeping after he did his job. The human side of him comes out it seems for the first time in this episode.
The Ethiopian is brought before Pilate after it was told him that this foreignor was providing weapons for a revolt. Pilate has him banished from the city, and the movie shows where he is allowed to take the scroll of Isaiah with him. The reunion of Philip with Peter becomes the pivotal moment when Philip gets an angelic message to head toward Gaza. It is in this way that Philip meets up with this Ethiopian, whose chariot has broken down. This meeting becomes the occasion for the Ethiopian to learn about the passage from Isaiah that he has been reading and later to become baptized!
Yes, Philip got his cue from an angel. I wonder how we might desire to have a direct message from God in terms of our own witnessing to others? Can we tell if someone really needs our witness? In our day, we need to be attentive to how God might be speaking to us. Possibly, it could come through a friend whom God uses, who has us meet up with someone who is ripe for the hearing the good news.
Another miraculous event comes with Peter being called to Joppa. Tabitha had left Jerusalem to return Joppa. While there she dies (supposedly from the flogging). Peter comes by her dead body and brings her back to life. Here, we must see that the apostles were empowered to do great things. I wonder how much we even think of what our potential is as people of faith. Jesus did say that we would do greater works than what he did. Maybe we feel we can't bring someone back from the dead, but there might be some other ways we can enhance someone's life beyond our expectation.
We also see in this episode how the apostles were still eager to talk about Jesus in public - yes, in public. I'm afraid today, for a lot of folks their faith has become a private affair. Faith as well as church can only be talked about under the safest and "appropriate" situations.
Next Sunday will be the final episode. It will be interesting to see what all comes of the statue of the emperor that has arrived and is to be placed in the temple.
As I have been following the Twitter feed, it's interesting how some people are hoping for a continuation of the series. The book of Acts provides us with quite a history of the post-resurrection life of Jesus' followers! You may post your thoughts in the comments section here.
Pastor Marty
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