Episode Details

Acts 16:2-3 The believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of [Timothy]. Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. This is a fascinating moment. Paul had just come away from the council of Jerusalem, where the decision had been made that it was unnecessary for Christians to obey all the Jewish law. He, more than anyone, passionately believed it was not necessary for men to be circumcised, and in his letters, he was scathing of those who disagreed. So why did Paul then insist that his new companion, Timothy, should go through this ceremony? The answer is that he believed their priority was to preach the gospel, and nothing should be allowed to get in the way of that. If Timothy was to work effectively among Jews, it would be much more helpful if he were circumcised. Timothy’s mother was a Jew, so he already had much in common with the Jewish people. His circumcision would make it much easier for him to gain their respect and trust. Paul was absolutely clear that his priority was to share the good news of Jesus effectively with as many people as possible. Nothing was more important than that. Our situation is very different from Paul’s, but that’s an important challenge for us as well. Question What could you do to reach out more effectively to your family, neighbours or work colleagues with the good news of Jesus? Prayer Lord God, thank you for Paul’s example. Help us to be humble enough to learn from it. Amen