Acts 16-17 In Acts 16 Timothy joins Paul and Silas. In these two chapters there are several items of interest: the Spirit forbids and directs the team, they encounter a “python spirit,” they are supernaturally delivered from prison, and Paul uses some pagan literature...
Acts
Naked Bible 51: Acts 15
Acts 15 Acts 15 is the account of the Jerusalem council, the meeting of the leadership of the church in Jerusalem, along with Paul and Barnabas, to discuss the matter of Gentile acceptance of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Some Jewish believers were of the opinion that...
Naked Bible 50: Acts 14
Acts 14 Acts 14 has several items of interest related to the ancient supernatural worldview of the New Testament writers. This episode will take us into Greco-Roman beliefs about the gods, some Pauline commentary on the Deuteronomy 32 worldview, and the possible...
Naked Bible 49: Acts 13
Acts 13 Acts 13 marks the transition in the book to the ministry of Paul. That is, Paul and the mission to the Gentile nations becomes the focus, whereas the church in Jerusalem fades into the backdrop. In this episode, we’ll discuss the odd citation of Psalm 2:7 in...
Naked Bible 48: Acts 11 & 12
Acts 11 & 12 This episode continues with the expansion of the early church. In the wake of Cornelius’ conversion, early Christians (who are mostly converted Jews or converted Jewish proselytes) are learning that the gospel is meant for Gentiles as well. This...
Naked Bible 47: Acts 10
Acts 10 Acts 10 is the account of Peter’s vision whereby God teaches him that Gentiles are acceptable candidates for the gospel and the first transparently Gentile convert in the book of Acts – the centurion Cornelius. The chapter takes us into Jewish attitudes toward...
Naked Bible 45: Acts 9
Acts 9 Acts 9 marks a transition in the story of the early church – the conversion of Saul, apostle to the Gentiles. That’s the part everyone knows (and it’s important, to say the least). But there are other interesting and noteworthy things going on in the chapter:...
Naked Bible 44: Acts 8
Acts 8 Acts 8 features snippets from the ministries of Peter and Philip. Against the backdrop of Jesus’ words that the disciples would take the gospel to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the “uttermost parts of the earth” (Acts 1:8), as well as the messaging of the...
Naked Bible 43: Acts 6 & 7
Acts 6-7 Acts 6-7 are familiar to most Bible students as being about the selection of deacons and Stephen’s martyrdom. For sure those items are important, but there are other items of interest in these chapters that are frequently overlooked. Some of these connect...
Genesis 1-3, the Sin of Achan, and Acts 5 (Ananias and Sapphira)
The most recent Naked Bible podcast featured some discussion of the point of the punishment of Ananias and Sapphira. I made the comment that Luke wanted readers to see a patterning contrast between others who sold something and "laid the money at the apostles' feet"...
Naked Bible 42: Acts 4 & 5
Acts 4-5 – SUMMARY Acts 4-5 picks up threads discussed in previous podcasts: the “name theology” of biblical theology re-imagined in Jesus, the use of the OT by NT writers to make subtle theological assertions, and the “having all things in common” theme. We’ll...
Naked Bible 41: Acts 3
Acts 3 There are two focus points in this episode. The first is Acts 3:6, specifically the concept of the “name” and the NT understanding of the term “Christ” (Greek: Christos). Is the term merely an adjective ("anointed")? Is it a proper name, like a last name? Or is...
Naked Bible 40: Q&A 1
Our first Question and Answer episode! Transcript 40 Q&A1 Here is the paper referenced in the show: GOD'S PLAN AND GOD'S POWER: ISAIAH 66 AND THE RESTRAINING FACTORS OF 2 THESS 2:6-7 Q&A Question Summaries with Timestamps 1. [00:55] – Acts 1:15 and the...
Naked Bible 39: Acts 2:42-47
Acts 2:42-47 This passage has been used by scholars and lay folks alike to justify socialism, communism, or some sort of politically utopian society that has the veneer of socialism or communism. This isn’t the case at all. Jesus couldn’t have been clearer when he...
Naked Bible 38: Acts 2:22-41
Acts 2:22-41 This episode will focus on two items of biblical theology that are controversial in biblical study: How the New Testament writers / apostles quoted the Old Testament The meaning of Acts 2:38 Of the two, the second is more familiar to Christians due to...