<font color='black' size='4' face='Times New Roman, Times, serif'>Forwarded: <br>
<br>
<br>
<div style="font-size: 10pt; color: black;"><font face="arial, helvetica">-----Original Message-----</font><br>
<font face="arial, helvetica">From: Tom O'Brien <tgobrien@comcast.net></font><br>
<font face="arial, helvetica">To: Tom O'Brien <tgobrien@comcast.net></font><br>
<font face="arial, helvetica">Sent: Wed, Mar 29, 2017 9:59 am</font><br>
<font face="arial, helvetica">Subject: Scripture in Context April 23, 2017</font><br>
<br>
<div id="AOLMsgPart_1.2_d82196e0-79ef-4d4a-933a-3e6bdab0d102">
<style scoped="">#AOLMsgPart_1.2_d82196e0-79ef-4d4a-933a-3e6bdab0d102 td{color: black;} @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}@font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}.aolReplacedBody p.aolmail_MsoNormal,.aolReplacedBody li.aolmail_MsoNormal,.aolReplacedBody div.aolmail_MsoNormal {margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}.aolReplacedBody a:link,.aolReplacedBody span.aolmail_MsoHyperlink {mso-style-priority:99; color:#0563C1; text-decoration:underline;}.aolReplacedBody a:visited,.aolReplacedBody span.aolmail_MsoHyperlinkFollowed {mso-style-priority:99; color:#954F72; text-decoration:underline;}.aolReplacedBody span.aolmail_EmailStyle17 {mso-style-type:personal-compose; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; color:windowtext;}.aolReplacedBody .aolmail_MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}@page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}.aolReplacedBody div.aolmail_WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;}</style>
<div lang="EN-US" class="aolReplacedBody">
<div class="aolmail_WordSection1">
<div class="aolmail_MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial, helvetica;">Dear Friends, </div>
<div class="aolmail_MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial, helvetica;"> </div>
<div class="aolmail_MsoNormal"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">[Below]</font><font face="arial, helvetica"> is Scripture in Context for April 23, 2017. I hope you and others find it interesting and helpful. It is also posted on Facebook and at </font><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://www.scriptureincontext.org" style="font-family: arial, helvetica;">www.scriptureincontext.org</a><font face="arial, helvetica">. </font></div>
<div class="aolmail_MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial, helvetica;"> </div>
<div class="aolmail_MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial, helvetica;">Blessings, </div>
<div class="aolmail_MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial, helvetica;"> </div>
<div class="aolmail_MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial, helvetica;">Tom </div>
<div class="aolmail_MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial, helvetica;"><br>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b>TODAY’S READINGS IN CONTEXT<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b>APRIL 23, 2017<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><o:p> </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><b><u>Acts 2:14a, 22-32 <o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><b><u><o:p> </o:p></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">The book, “The Acts of the Apostles,” was written by the
author of the Gospel According to Luke around 85 to 90 CE. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">Today’s reading is presented as continuing Peter’s speech after
the Pentecost Event, and it reflects the theology of the community from which
Luke-Acts came. In Luke and Acts, everything
that happens is guided by the Holy Spirit and is part of “God’s Plan.” Peter’s speech says “God’s Plan” included the
handing over of Jesus to the Israelites (v. 23), the crucifixion by the
Israelites of Jesus “by the hands of those outside the law” (<i>i.e</i>. Gentiles, Romans), and the
“impossibility” (v. 24) that death could hold Jesus in its power. The balance of the speech states that Jesus
descended from King David to whom God promised that his line would endure
forever (2 Sam. 7:13).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">After the Temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE, the
only two surviving sects in Judaism were the Pharisees and the Jesus Followers
(not called “Christians” until 85 or so). The other sects (Sadducees, Zealots,
Herodians, Essenes) became irrelevant or were killed by the Romans. For
example, the Sadducees (priests) disappeared because there was no Temple for animal
sacrifices. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">For the next 30+ years, the Jesus Followers and the
Pharisees contended for control of Judaism.
Matthew, Luke-Acts and John were written during this time. Around 100 CE,
there was a “parting of the ways” – the Jesus Follower Movement evolved into
Christianity and the Pharisaical Movement evolved into Rabbinic Judaism. In the post-70 Gospels (and Acts), there is harsh
language against Israelites, Judeans/Jews, and Pharisees (but hardly any
against the ruling Romans).
Unfortunately, the historical controversy that led to the harsh words in
the post-70 Gospels is often forgotten. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><u><o:p> </o:p></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><b><u><o:p> </o:p></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><b><u>1 Peter 1:3-9<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">The First Letter of Peter was likely written in the last
quarter of the First Century, long after Peter’s death. It was written in
sophisticated Greek and resembles the form of Paul’s letters. Its focus is not on the earthly life of Jesus
of Nazareth, but on the Resurrection and the affirmation that Jesus is the
Christ, the Messiah. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">In today’s reading, the author notes that Jesus Followers
“had to suffer various trials” (v. 6), not so much from overt governmental
persecution, but because the Jesus Follower Movement was a minority sect within
Judaism, particularly after the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></div>
<div class="aolmail_MsoNormal" style="font-family: arial, helvetica;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">The author also expects that God will send the Christ soon because
“salvation is ready to be revealed in the last time” (v.5) and “your faith
…will result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed (v.
7).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><br>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">=</div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><br>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</font>