Thursday 24 July 2025

Psalm 12

Background
If you read yesterday’s Word in Time (Acts 13:1-12) you’ll have spotted that there’s a gap of 13 verses before today’s passage begins. In those 13 verses, we learn that John left the mission and headed back to Jerusalem, while Paul and Barnabas arrived in Antioch in Pisidia. On the Sabbath, they attended worship at the synagogue and were invited to speak. You can read the first part of Paul’s speech in verse 16 onwards, in which he begins much further back, setting the story of Jesus in the context of God’s saving work among the people of Israel more than 1000 years ago, beginning with their liberation from slavery in Egypt.

In the portion of Paul’s speech we read today, you can spot clear parallels with Peter’s speech to the crowds in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2). This is surely no mistake – Luke wanted to clarify that, despite divisions that emerged in the Early Church, Peter and Paul were ‘singing from the same hymn sheet'. Both speeches tell the story of Jesus’ death at the hands of his own people, who had failed to understand his message; his vindication through the miracle of the resurrection; the disciples as witnesses to the resurrection; and the ways in which Jesus’ death and resurrection were the fulfilment of Old Testament prophecies. Both culminate in an invitation to believe in Jesus, and an offer of the forgiveness of sins.

Paul firmly locates the story of Jesus in the context of the Hebrew Scriptures, citing or drawing on Psalm 107:20, Psalm 2:7, Isaiah 55:3 and Psalm 16:10 (the latter also used by Peter). However, interestingly, the speech is aimed not just at the Jewish people. As well as his fellow ‘descendants of Abraham’s family’, Paul addresses all ‘others who fear God’ (v. 26).

Paul’s judgement of the Jewish leaders who rejected and crucified Jesus foreshadows the response that he and Barnabas receive – Paul’s speech is welcomed by many, but the Jews become jealous of Paul and Barnabas’ following, and drive them out of the region (v. 50). Following today’s passage, Paul goes on to say that, although the message came first to the Jews, who rejected it, it is now being preached to the Gentiles, as God is seeking to bring salvation to the ends of the earth (v. 47).

To Ponder:

• Paul’s very effective summary of the gospel message would only take around three minutes to deliver. If you had a short time – perhaps a ride in a lift – to explain to someone the key points of the gospel, what would you include?
• Paul, like Jesus before him, has little patience for those who are religious leaders, but who hear the message of the gospel and reject it. If you are already involved in the life of the Church, how does that make you feel?
• Are there people in your community who never have the opportunity to hear the gospel preached? Why?

Bible notes author: The Revd Naomi Oates
Naomi is a Methodist minister, currently serving in four churches across five communities in the North Kent Circuit. When not being rugby-tackled by her two young children, she enjoys cycling, baking and reading Golden Age detective fiction (although not all at the same time).