The book of Acts is essential because in it, those who read it, can see the scope and nature of the earliest Christian mission. One of the main heroes of Acts is the apostle, Paul. We are first introduced to him as a persecutor of the early Christian movement. Through Paul’s missionary journeys, which began around the 16th century, God used him to legitimize the Christianization and colonization of faraway lands by the European empires.
One of the primary themes in the prophetic literatures is Justice. The apostle Paul intertwines Hebrew terms throughout scriptures which are used in certain context that God/Yahweh expected his people to live by. The word Justice is coherent with righteousness and is one essential term that is used frequently. Moreover, Social Justice can be depicted as a paradigm that Yahweh challenges his people to respond to. This concept of Social Justice was essential for the theology of the prophetic prophets. For one thing, God has used the prophets to shine light in their community to address the levels of neglect and abuse of their people. Throughout the Old Testament and the New Testament scriptures, we find illustrations how a ruler or nation should advocate for justice through actions by caring for the poor, needy and the oppressed in which God’s standards are measured and how He we will be judged. “Thus says the LORD, maintain justice, and do what is right (Isaiah 56:1).”
The apostle Paul can be characterized as one of the great world changers in the life of Christians. Having a Jewish blood in his DNA, and being raised in the Roman world, God created him to be the perfect fit to minister to not only the Jews but also to the Gentiles. The ethnicity and background of Saul of Tarsus is historically known as a theologian who although was rejected in the synagogue, never truly abandoned Judaism. Paul calls himself a Pharisee and we know that Scholars agree about Paul’s Jewish background and identity, but some dispute his Roman citizenship. None of the Pauline letters mention that Paul is a Roman citizen, but the book of Acts claims twice that he is (Acts 16:37-38, Acts 22: 25-28).
The apostle Paul came to faith of Jesus as the Messiah after his encounter with God who gave him a vision as he traveled on the road to Damascus. Scholars believe that one of Paul’s motivations for persecuting Christians was inflamed by the politics of the Sadducees and the Romans and not as some might believe by the religious piety of the Pharisees.
Paul’s beliefs in the Hebrew Bible are accredited from his upbringing and rabbinic teachings. He received some of the best education of his time and was received by the people and especially the philosophers. No other apostle is known to have been rejected by the synagogue and misunderstood by the church. Paul’s theology was rooted in the Torah and was known as the true Judaism. If we are honest, there are times that we criticize about rules. The apostle Paul, knew about rules because he was a former Pharisee.
God gave us his rules in the Holy Scriptures so that we can handle difficult choices. Just like Paul who confronted the acts of legalism by listening to God/Yahweh, we too are charged to address the “isms” of this world.
Repletely, Luke makes it transparent to the reader of Acts showing Jesus’ mission being fulfilled as the Word of God spreads. Noticing, that everywhere the Word went there was some kind of opposition. In the same way, everywhere the Word went, some believed! The early Christian movement is depicted as a movement within Judaism. One of the major concern and centrality of Jerusalem for the author of Luke-Acts was the restoration of Israel. Paul, is in a sense Torah observant in the book of Acts and it’s here where we find important points. First, the missionaries in Acts were Jewish. Gentile converts in Acts were bound by the food laws of the Torah. Some scholars believe that Paul’s reference to being a Pharisee, found in the present tense and also in the past tense, constitutes his doctrinal point of convergence in terms of the resurrection of the dead, rather than his current identity in Christ.
Also, the gospel of Luke and Acts presents a number of positives and negatives putting much emphasis for caring for the marginalized and the poor by meeting not just their spiritual needs but most importantly their physical needs. The Pharisees were known for their economic statuses and as Christians, followers of Christ, we too should allow God to use us and finds us doing justice and not just speaking about it and backing it with some kind of action.
Many scholars still argue today about the choice of choosing the apostle Paul, of all people, as a means by which to consider issues of Jewishness in an ongoing debate even with other Jews. Although, Paul was a devoted Pharisee, who was reared in the upbringing of Jewish Law, he was obedience to any commands even if it meant murdering Christians.
An important significance of the rite in the Bible is regarding circumcision. For instance, in ancient Israel and in Judaism, the circumcision was customarily performed upon infants of eight days according to Genesis, chapter 17, verse 12 saying, “And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any strange, which is not of thy seed .” In the Hebrews letters, it is also depicted in a different facet to the practice to a divine injunction to Abraham, Joshua and to the people of Israel. The interpretation of this concept of circumcision can also be depicted and interpreted from a “spiritual” point of view of individuals having an uncircumcised heart which is the same of being unreceptive to the Word of God.
Although there were chief rulers in Jerusalem who were tormenting over the issue of circumcision, we find that this requirement was omitted from the Gentiles believers. For the Gentiles, it was more important of how their lifestyle were and to see life changing behaviors such as alienation from their once idols and changes in the sexual behaviors.
The message of Social Justice is threaded throughout both in the Old and New Testament. The Old Testament Laws created numerous laws to make sure that the inflicted were treated fairly and provisions were made to bring some kind of relief. The concept of Social Justice is not just about the poor but it raises awareness for those who can make a difference especially those who are in official compacities to make changes that will treat people with humanity. Social Justice is an action word. God wants his followers to live a holy life and treat others with compassion while pursuing justice. Partiality has no place when we are “doing justice”, taking advantage of the powerless and the undeserved has no place when we are doing justice.
The apostle Paul was called to preach to the Gentiles and he believed he could be all things to all people. “For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though I myself am not under the law) so that I might win those under the law (1st Corinthians 9:19-20).” Some have used Paul’s quote in scripture to mean that we as Christians are to compromise with the world in order to fit in. On the contrary, when we look at Paul’s life, he refused to compromise God’s moral standards and was willing to forgo traditions and what he was familiar with in order to share the Gospel to both Jewish and non-Jewish individuals.
The term Social Justice is not always defined the same way nor is it exercised the same way. In reality, we cannot always respond to everyone who asks for money. Nor, can we donate to every organization that is helping the poor. However, in our own moral proximity that we find ourselves, we can all love our neighbors as ourselves.
In closing, there are physical needs all around us that should motivate us to show the Love of Jesus, when we can, where we can and however, we can. One of the lessons we learn from the apostle Paul’s examples for Christians today is how God gave him everything he needed to accomplish His purposes. He had the assurance from God and learned the value of obedience.
As we walk with the apostle Paul through scriptures, who like many disciples today are going through challenges, struggles and sharing testimonial victories, there is a wealth of wisdom we can gleam from his life as we strive to grow and live a purposeful life.
servingthelordwithgladness 