In light of the sermon in Acts 13:16-41, the next couple of verses describe the short-term results.
As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people invited them to speak further about these things on the next Sabbath. When the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked with them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.
Acts 13:42-43 NIV
Let’s put ourselves in the sandals of the people in that first-century synagogue. They would have probably heard the Scriptures read weekly, and had rabbis or other teachers speak to them about the Word of God. On that day, though, they also heard about some significant recent events. These didn’t change what God had told His people in the past, but Jesus fulfilled many things that had been written before (see Matthew 5:17-20, for instance). This wasn’t a retraction of what the people had learned from the Scripture. Instead, Paul’s teaching was explaining the result of what the Scriptures had been saying would happen.
What is that good news, as presented here? Forgiveness of sins through Jesus, and freedom: not just unlocking a shackle, but a kind of freedom that wasn’t possible under the Law of Moses (see Acts 13:38-39). Remember, the Law of Moses was good – God gave it to His people, after all – but it couldn’t offer salvation by itself.
In fact, the Law of Moses had some things in common with the ministry, person, and voluntary sacrifice of Jesus Christ, but the two also differed in some key points:
- The Law of Moses defined what it meant for the Hebrew people to be holy to God.
- The Law of Moses reminded people about sin, and about sin’s consequences.
- The Law of Moses included sacrifices for sin, but couldn’t fully make people righteous.
- The Law of Moses looked forward to something better, who we now know was Jesus Christ.
On the other hand…
- Jesus Christ’s example and teaching showed and taught us what it meant to live like God wanted us to.
- Christ’s substitutionary death showed us what the consequences of sin were, as He took those sins upon Himself.
- Jesus gave His life as a sacrifice. However, Jesus’s sacrifice for sin was complete, unlike animal sacrifices that needed to be made over and over again.
- And, salvation through Jesus brought freedom and justification.
Under the Law of Moses, sacrifices appear (to me, at least) to have been for past sin, meaning that the next sin wasn’t necessarily “covered” by the previous sacrifice. On the other hand, those who have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior can live in freedom, knowing that their future, present, and past sins are paid for.
And, why is that? Because we are justified: having been declared righteous because of Jesus, regardless of whether or not we have been, are currently, or will be perfectly righteous in our own behavior. As a result, we are free to live for Jesus, without worrying about whether or not we just broke the Law of Moses. Our handcuffs were unlocked when we accepted Jesus, and now we should live in freedom, because we have been pronounced righteous because of His life, independent of our own bad choices.
Acts 13:42-43 confirms that the people wanted to hear more, and both Jewish people and Gentile converts to Judaism continued to listen to Paul and Barnabas. That’s what we hope for from our own obedience to God’s direction as well.
From Sunday School lesson prepared for November 12, 2023
References:
- The Lookout, November 12, 2023, © 2023 Christian Standard Media.
- Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
- New Testament History: A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Book of Acts, by Gareth L. Reese. © 1976, College Press Publishing Company.
- The College Press NIV Commentary – Acts, by Dennis Gaertner. © 1993 College Press Publishing Co.
Those Who Sin Differently 