Paul and the Sorcerer

Tom:

This is our Understanding the Scriptures segment, we are in Acts Chapter 13, Dave, moving right along.Last week I believe we finished Verse 5, we are going to pick up with Verse 6:“And when they had gone through the Isle unto Pa’phos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-je’-sus: which was with the deputy of the country, Ser’-gi-us Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God.”That’s interesting.It must be because some people were talking about it, or do you think this man had a heart for---

Dave:

Well, there are seekers out there, and he does become a believer this man, but not El’-y-mas the sorcerer.It says that’s his name by interpretation, that’s Verse 8, he withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.But let me go back here a bit, Tom.I often take skeptics to this passage, as I do to Acts 16, and Acts 23, 24, and so forth and so on.Verse 7 says. “Which was with the deputy of the country---“Now, the Greek word translated deputy here, it’s a poor translation---sorry, I don’t want to offend the King James people, I’ve used the King James.It’s (outopatos) and it’s a title belonging only to a man of proconsul dignity, that’s another title, and it was believed that the governor doubted that the governor of Cyprus had ever received such an honor.And I love it because God---and so the skeptics attack the Bible.Well that’s not possible---the deputy of, you know,this guy was never an (outopatos), I love it!The Lord put a few of these things in there like that just to let the skeptics feel a moment of triumph before they get slammed.Well, what do you know!The archeologists come to our rescue, as they often have, and they found a coin that was minted in the time of Claudius Caesar, that showed that he indeed was an (outopatos), that that had been put upon him.Do I dare give you another example right here?

Tom:

Sure, go for it.

Dave:

There’s another one very similar.Chapter 16, Verse 12, we’ll come to that eventually if the Lord hasn’t come by then.“And from thence to Phil’-ippi, which is---Well, Paul is still on his journey now---which is the chief city of that part of Mac-e-do’-ni-a, and a colony: and we were in that city abiding certain days.”Well again, the skeptics attack the Bible, because they said, No, no, no, this is a special word, colonia, and it means special Roman colony of certain status, and Phil’-ippi never had attained to that, and they found him medal.Now, the coin in this case was a little medal that showed that Julius Caesar had conferred that honor upon Phil’-ippi.I love it!So, let the skeptics attack, and then do a little more digging over there, fellows.The archeologists come to our rescue again.

Tom:

See Dave, that’s what we would expect.Over and over the Bible claims to be God’s word.And if it’s God’s word, we are not going to have errors in history.

Dave:

Absolutely!

Tom:

We’re not going to have the same kinds of problems, or any of the problems you have in books that were written by men.

Dave:

Right, there’s going to be no contradictions of true science, might contradict false science, but let the scientists learn a little bit more and they will be in agreement.So, anyway, the isle was called Pa’phos---it’s actually the island of Cyprus---and you’ve got a false prophet, a Jew, who is a sorcerer.In other words, he is using the power of Satan and he is deceiving the people.And he thinks he’s got Ser’gi-us Paulus, the (outopatos). He thinks he’s got him duped.But Ser’gi-us Paulus, it says, is a prudent man.He calls for Barnabas and Saul, he wants to hear the word of the Lord.Well, that upsets El’y-mas.

Tom:

Let me pick up there, Verse 8:“But El’y-mas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.Then Saul, (who also is called Paul) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him And said, O, full of all subtlety and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee,and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season.And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.”

Dave:

“Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of theLord.”

Tom:

There was an up side and a down side to this, right?

Dave:

It was something that Paul had to do, because this man has great influence on this island, and these people are believing him, and now he’s opposing the truth of God.It’s not going to be just an argument, but there’s going to be a demonstration.And Paul says, I’m sorry, buddy, you’re going to be struck blind, you’re not going to see.It’s not going to be permanent but for a certain length of time, and, Boom! he’s blind, pleading for someone to lead him by the hand.I don’t know what it did to El’y-mas the sorcerer, but it certainly convinced the governor.

Tom:

Well, it gave him a lot to think about for a year.

Dave:

I would think so.

Tom:

I assume that’s what a season is.

Dave:

I like what Paul says, I mean, this is all inspired of the Spirit of God, and it reveals to us what is behind the antagonism against the gospel of Jesus Christ, because that was what Paul was preaching.He was bringing this good news how that Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose again the third day, according to scripture, and so forth.So, it says in Verse 10, “full of all subtlety and all mischief.”This is a wicked man that is deliberately deceiving people to his own ends.Thou child of the devil---remember, Jesus, called the Jews, the whole bunch of them that were arguing with him.

Tom:

And the leaders of the Jews.

Dave:

Well, but I think it was more of them as well.There was a whole group, in fact, a large number of them.

Tom:

Well, what I’m saying is, he wasn’tlaying that across to all Jews.

Dave:

No, no, absolutely not, of course not.Let me just find the quote, I know it by heart, but at the moment---can you believe it---it escapes me.

Tom:

Like some pages are about to escape you in your Bible.

Dave:

Right.Jesus says, You are of your father the devil, and the lust of your father you will do.He was a murderer from the beginning and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him.Because I tell you the truth, you won’t believe me because you are his children and you’re setting about to kill me.Okay, that’s John 8, verses 44, and thereabouts.So, he says, You are the child of the devil.In other words, you’re doing what the devil is doing, like father, like son.You’re imitating him and following his guidance.Thou enemy of all righteousness.You will find, Tom, that those who reject Christ, who reject God’s word, they ultimately become the enemies of righteousness.They love sin, they love disobedience and so forth.Wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord.And so he pronounces blindness upon him.Now notice Verse 12, I find very important.“Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.”We have to come back and talk about that.Doctrine?I thought it was just---Wow! this is a fantastic experience, this is a miracle, that ought to be enough.No, there is something you have to understand.To be saved you must understand it, you must believe it, and this is the doctrine, and doctrine is very important, it is vital!And yet today, doctrine is despised.We just want a bunch of hoopla and razzmatazz and get people excited---but doctrine, that’s so boring.

Tom:

Yeah, but Dave, doesn’t it separate truth from error?

Dave:

Tom, I was sitting next to a guy on the plane---I’ve heard it, you’ve heard it many times.What did he say to me?O, I’m spiritual but I’m not religious.Well, what they mean by that is, I can be a space cadet flying off, you know, in my own religious ideas, but doctrine? rules?I don’t want to go by any rules, we’re all taking different roads to get to the same place, make it up as you go.So, that’s the problem here, and we’ve got to get back---that’s why we search the scriptures daily to see what God is saying.

Tom:

Right.