Apostles Act 16

Acts 16 In the sixteenth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, there are is two episodes that involves Paul’s mission of of evangelization. In the First part of the chapter Timothy is circumcised in Antioch even after the council in Jerusalem had ruled against the practice for the Gentiles. The second episode involves the conversion of Lydia and her household to Christianity in the region of Mesopotamia. Both of these arguments will show how the mission of Paul and the other apostles is to become all things to all peoples and nations. Paul had Timothy circumcised before leaving for Lystra for the simple fact, that it would help in his evangelization mission in Asia. A correlation or an explination of why Timothy was circumcised comes in Pauls

It does this by showing that this apostate of a Jew came fully back to the Jewish and received full salvation by partaking in the mosaic covenant. In other word the Apostles and God could use Timothy as a tool for the conversion of the Jew and other gentiles on there evangelization campaign through Asia. It is clear that through the act of becoming one with the culture, Timothy has help the apostles in their efforts to evangelize and unify the people. The reader sees this when it is stated, “the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily.” (Act 16: 5). This kind of statement has been seen three other times in the Acts of the Apostles as a method letting people know that mission of the Apostles is working, these are areas updates fall in Acts 6:7 and

This parallels well with this story for it was a Roman colony that did not abide by any religious rule of life. So for Lydia to convert and be baptized is rather unique. For just like Cornelius who heard the voice of God and had an open mind to Peter so to does Lydia for it says in the Acts of Apostles, “the Lord opened [Lydia’s] heart to listen to what was said by Paul” (Acts 16:14). This is important for it supports the theme that Paul has set out to preach to the nations, where as Peter preaches more locally. this opening of Lydia heart could mean the Holy Spirit opened her mind for her to hear what the apostles were trying to speak to