Follow-up Notes
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| ACTS OF THE APOSTLES Follow-up Notes |
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| JAMES, JESUS' BROTHER:� | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Soon after the last events of Acts, Jesus, Jesus' brother, was killed.� Josephus explained that King Agrippa had just died.� But before a successor could arrive from Rome, the high priest Ananus Jr., another son of Ananus Sr. (Ananias), the current high priest, assembled the Sanhedrin of the judges, and brought before them the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James, and some others; and when he had formed an accusation against them as breakers of the law [of Moses], he delivered them to be stoned. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| PAUL'S LETTERS/EPISTLES: | |||||||||||||||||||||
| While in prison, Paul wrote these books of the New Testament: | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� Colossians:� "Remember my chains" (4:18) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� Philemon:� "Paul, a prisoner of Christ....while I am in chains" (1:1 & 13) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� Ephesians:� "For I am an ambassador in chains" (6:20) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� Philippians:� "Whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel....Now I | |||||||||||||||||||||
| want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel.� As a result, it now has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.� Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly?.All the saints send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar's household" (Philippians 1:7, 12-14) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| IT IS BELIEVED PAUL WAS RELEASED BY NERO.� NOTE HIS WRITINGS: | |||||||||||||||||||||
| "Prepare a guest room for me, because I hope to be restored to you in answer to your prayers" (Philemon 1:22) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� "Convinced I will remain so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me" (Philippians 1:24-25) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� "And I am confident in the Lord that I myself will come soon" (Philippians 2:24) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� "At my first defence, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me....And I was delivered from the lion's mouth" (II Timothy 4:16-17) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| NERO STARTED OUT GOOD, BUT BECAME BAD: | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Josephus said of him, He publicly put his own mother to death not long afterward, making her this requital, not only for being born of her, but for bringing it so about by her contrivances, that he obtained the Roman empire.� He also slew Octavia his own wife, and many other illustrious persons, under this pretence, that they plotted against him.� (Antiquities of the Jews XX, 8:2) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| PAUL WAS EXECUTED DURING HIS SECOND IMPRISONMENT IN ROME.... | |||||||||||||||||||||
| perhaps two years later.� He did not expect to escape death.� He told Timothy in the last letter he ever wrote, | |||||||||||||||||||||
| "I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal" (II Timothy 2:9) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| "I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure.� I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.� Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day" (II Timothy 4:6-8). | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Tradition says he was beheaded about a year after Peter was executed.� However, there is no biblical evidence that Peter was ever in Rome.� When Peter wrote his letters, he referred to himself as an apostle and elder, but not as the pope.� He did not refer to Christians in Rome either.� And when Paul wrote to the church in Rome, he did not salute Peter or refer to him. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Paul and Peter were apparently executed two years after Nero burned Rome, accusing the Christians.� This was the beginning of the first mass persecution of Christians. | |||||||||||||||||||||
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