19: When the disciples were hauled before councils in Acts, they answered in ways that were quite remarkable for simple fishermen. This is due to this verse right here. Jesus had taught them not to try to come up with a case when they were tried for preaching the gospel. The Lord himself spoke through…

18: Though the disciples likely did not suffer this level of persecution on this particular trip, it was right around the corner, as they would soon discover. Thus, Jesus is warning them ahead of time. The governors would, in this case, be Romans. The kings would be either the Herodian kings or some of the…

17: The councils were local courts of the Jews. These were run by local elders or priests. The synagogues were the most common meeting places for the Jews at that time. They naturally became meeting places for hearings and public cases of various kinds. Daily Bible Reading: Acts 3:1-4:37 Daily Memory Verse: 1 John 2:3…

16: To go forth as sheep among wolves was a proverbial expression of the day. It would be readily understood. The Jews would likely think of the Gentiles as wolves, and themselves as sheep. Here, the disciples are the sheep, and some of the Jews are the wolves.   The advice concerning serpents and doves is…

15: It is very important to properly understand what is being said here. In order to get it right we must keep several things in mind. First of all, Jesus is the judge. He alone can properly measure man’s reaction to the Truth. He alone knows every heart. He alone understands every reaction. He alone…

14: As the ministers of Christ, sent out specifically by him, the disciples were not to be rejected. It was very significant if a house, or even a whole town, rejected the message of the gospel. The disciples were to, in such a case, move on, knowing that all that was due had been done…

13: Again, to ask whether someone was worthy was not a question of them being better than others. Instead, the disciples were to observe the response to their salutation. If they were only begrudgingly allowed to stay, rather than welcomed, their peace was not to be given to that house. They were not to judge, but to…

12: To salute a household meant that Jesus did not simply want the disciples to go and take, he wanted them to go and give. Their salutation to that house would carry with it his peace. Those in the area would see and understand that the willingness and giving nature of the master of the…

11: We might think it strange that Jesus would tell his disciples to ask about ‘worthy’ people. This would seem to imply that some people are more worthy than others to have the disciples under their roof. This was not the case at all. The Jews were very impressed by those who gave alms. These…

9: The disciples were told not to take money with them. Jesus expected the Jews to recognize the Truth and supply the needs of those who told it.10: The word scrip does not, as some suppose, also refer to a wallet of some kind. Instead, it is more of a backpack. This is a large…