Lesson 2773

(Lesson 2773)(07-28-19) Acts 16:1-5
    “Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek: Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek. And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem. And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.”

   In today’s quote, Paul chose Timothy to accompany him as he preached throughout the region. Knowing that Timothy’s mother was a Jew, Paul had him circumsized as per the tradition of the Jews.
    For those bible literalists, today’s quote seems to put to rest the largely accepted “universal” church idea, seeing that Paul referred to the “churches” (Denoting more than one church.) that had been established by the work of the early evangelists, including himself.
    This lesson also established that those early churches bagan to teach some elements of the Law of Moses as requisite to eternal salvation, as was demanded by James and the others Jews in the church at Jerusalem. There is, however, no evidence, that I have found, that establishes that Paul himself ever added those requirements to his message. ~