The Upper Room Daily Reflections: daily words of wisdom and faith in Nashville, Tennessee, United States "And When You Pray" for Wednesday, 11 April 2018Today’s Reflection:
THE FIRST FORMAL LESSON on prayer I remember receiving was in Ms. Vicki’s fourth-grade Sunday school class. Ms. Vicki took us fourth graders seriously even though we were children. She believed us when we had problems and took our concerns to heart without patronizing us. She wanted to hear our thoughts and opinions, and she encouraged us to ask questions about the Bible. Even still, Ms. Vicki had no problem chiding and disciplining us. “There’s a difference between acting like children and acting childish,” she reminded us. “I encourage the first,” she continued, “but I don’t tolerate the second.”Seated at the Sunday school table, sun pouring through the stained-glass windows, adding vibrant color to the sad, mottled carpet from the 1970s, Ms. Vicki taught us the correct format for prayer: A prayer should always include thanks, intercession, petition, and gratitude. And always, always in Jesus’ name. That’s where the power came from, she said. That phrase acted like a notary public; it made our prayer official and sent it straight to God. God was not a vending machine, Ms. Vicki insisted, but prayer did have a protocol. Prayer was a particular thing that one did or did not do, and the way we did it was important. (Hannah E. Shanks, This Is My Body)
From page 41 of This Is My Body: Embracing the Messiness of Faith and Motherhood by Hannah Shanks. Copyright © 2018 by Hannah E. Shanks. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Fresh Air Books. http://bookstore.upperroom.org/ Learn more about or purchase this book.
Today’s Question: What is important for you to include when you pray?
Today’s Scripture: I will both lie down and sleep in peace; for you alone, O LORD, make me lie down in safety. (Acts 4:8, NRSV)
This Week: pray for increased faith.
Did You Know?
In need of prayer? The Upper Room Living Prayer Center is a 7-day-a-week intercessory prayer ministry staffed by trained volunteers. Call 1-800-251-2468 or visit The Living Prayer Center website.
This week we remember: Dietrich Bonhoeffer(April 9).
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
April 09
Did You Know?
In need of prayer? The Upper Room Living Prayer Center is a 7-day-a-week intercessory prayer ministry staffed by trained volunteers. Call 1-800-251-2468 or visit The Living Prayer Center website.
This week we remember: Dietrich Bonhoeffer(April 9).
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
April 09
Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a Lutheran pastor and key leader of the German Confessing Church, which opposed and encouraged resistance to Adolph Hitler's Nazi policies. Bonhoeffer was born in Germany in 1906, educated in Tubingen and Berlin, then did post-graduate studies at Union Theological Seminary in New York. He returned to Germany in 1931 and was soon a respected theologian and author.Bonhoeffer spearheaded the Barmen Declaration, a statement by Confessing Church members that they would not cooperate with Nazi policies. He led an illegal seminary for pastors who wanted to be part of the Confessing Church, but Hitler shut that down in 1937. American friends asked him to return to Union Seminary in 1939 as a visiting professor but soon after his arrival in New York, the theologian minister decided he needed to be in his country involved in active resistance. He joined a group of soldiers in the German Military Intelligence who wanted to overthrow Hitler and was arrested in 1943 when the plot was discovered.
Bonhoeffer was sent to a series of concentration camps and on April 9, 1945 he was hanged with five others in the resistance group, including his brother and two brothers-in-law. Dietrich Bonhoeffer was thirty-nine years old.
If Dietrich Bonhoeffer had taken the Spiritual Types Test, he probably would have been a Prophet. Dietrich Bonhoeffer is remembered on April 9.
Lectionary Readings for Sunday, 15 April 2017
(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)
Acts 3:12-19
Psalm 4
1 John 3:1-7
Luke 24:36b-48
Scripture Texts: Acts 3:12 Seeing this, Kefa addressed the people: “Men of Isra’el! Why are you amazed at this? Or why do you stare at us as if we had made this man walk through some power or godliness of our own? 13 The God of Avraham, Yitz’chak and Ya‘akov, the God of our fathers,[Acts 3:13 Exodus 3:6, 15] has glorified his servant Yeshua — the same Yeshua you handed over and disowned before Pilate, even after he had decided to release him. 14 You denied the holy and innocent one, and instead asked for the reprieve of a murderer! 15 You killed the author of life!
(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)
Acts 3:12-19
Psalm 4
1 John 3:1-7
Luke 24:36b-48
Scripture Texts: Acts 3:12 Seeing this, Kefa addressed the people: “Men of Isra’el! Why are you amazed at this? Or why do you stare at us as if we had made this man walk through some power or godliness of our own? 13 The God of Avraham, Yitz’chak and Ya‘akov, the God of our fathers,[Acts 3:13 Exodus 3:6, 15] has glorified his servant Yeshua — the same Yeshua you handed over and disowned before Pilate, even after he had decided to release him. 14 You denied the holy and innocent one, and instead asked for the reprieve of a murderer! 15 You killed the author of life!
“But God has raised him from the dead! Of this we are witnesses. 16 And it is through putting trust in his name that his name has given strength to this man whom you see and know. Yes, it is the trust that comes through Yeshua which has given him this perfect healing in the presence of you all.
17 “Now, brothers, I know that you did not understand the significance of what you were doing; neither did your leaders. 18 But this is how God fulfilled what he had announced in advance, when he spoke through all the prophets, namely, that his Messiah was to die.
19 “Therefore, repent and turn to God, so that your sins may be erased; (Complete Jewish Bible).
Psalm 4:1 (0) For the leader. With stringed instruments. A psalm of David:
2 (1) O God, my vindicator!
Answer me when I call!
When I was distressed, you set me free;
now have mercy on me, and hear my prayer.
3 (2) Men of rank, how long will you shame my honor,
love what is vain, chase after lies? (Selah)
4 (3) Understand that Adonai sets apart
the godly person for himself;
Adonai will hear when I call to him.
5 (4) You can be angry, but do not sin!
Think about this as you lie in bed,
and calm down. (Selah)
6 (5) Offer sacrifices rightly,
and put your trust in Adonai.
7 (6) Many ask, “Who can show us some good?”
Adonai, lift the light of your face over us!
8 (7) You have filled my heart with more joy
than all their grain and new wine.
9 (8) I will lie down and sleep in peace;
for, Adonai, you alone make me live securely.(Complete Jewish Bible).
1 John 3:1
See what love the Father has lavished on us in letting us be called God’s children! For that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it has not known him. 2 Dear friends, we are God’s children now; and it has not yet been made clear what we will become. We do know that when he appears, we will be like him; because we will see him as he really is.
3 And everyone who has this hope in him continues purifying himself, since God is pure. 4 Everyone who keeps sinning is violating Torah — indeed, sin is violation of Torah. 5 You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and that there is no sin in him. 6 So no one who remains united with him continues sinning; everyone who does continue sinning has neither seen him nor known him.
7 Children, don’t let anyone deceive you — it is the person that keeps on doing what is right who is righteous, just as God is righteous.(Complete Jewish Bible).
Luke 24:
36 They were still talking about it when — there he was, standing among them! 37 Startled and terrified, they thought they were seeing a ghost. 38 But he said to them, “Why are you so upset? Why are these doubts welling up inside you? 39 Look at my hands and my feet — it is I, myself! Touch me and see — a ghost doesn’t have flesh and bones, as you can see I do.” 40 As he said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41 While they were still unable to believe it for joy and stood there dumbfounded, he said to them, “Have you something here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 which he took and ate in their presence.
44 Yeshua said to them, “This is what I meant when I was still with you and told you that everything written about me in the Torah of Moshe, the Prophets and the Psalms had to be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds, so that they could understand the Tanakh, 46 telling them, “Here is what it says: the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day; 47 and in his name repentance leading to forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed to people from all nations, starting with Yerushalayim. 48 You are witnesses of these things.(Complete Jewish Bible).
John Wesley’s Explanatory Notes: Acts 3:12-19
Verse 12
[12] And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?
Peter answered the people — Who were running together, and inquiring into the circumstances of the fact.
Verse 13
[13] The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.
The God of our fathers — This was wisely introduced in the beginning of his discourse, that it might appear they taught no new religion, inconsistent with that of Moses, and were far from having the least design to divert their regards from the God of Israel.
Hath glorified his Son — By this miracle, whom ye delivered up - When God had given him to you, and when ye ought to have received him as a most precious treasure, and to have preserved him with all your power.
Verse 14
[14] But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;
Ye renounced the Holy One — Whom God had marked out as such; and the Just One - Even in the judgment of Pilate.
Verse 16
[16] And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
His name — Himself: his power and love.
The faith which is by him — Of which he is the giver, as well as the object.
Verse 17
[17] And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers.
And now, brethren — A word full of courtesy and compassion, I know - He speaks to their heart, that through ignorance ye did it - which lessened, though it could not take away, the guilt.
As did also your rulers — The prejudice lying from the authority of the chief priests and elders, he here removes, but with great tenderness. He does not call them our, but your rulers. For as the Jewish dispensation ceased at the death of Christ, consequently so did the authority of its rulers.
Verse 18
[18] But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.
But God — Who was not ignorant, permitted this which he had foretold, to bring good out of it.
Verse 19
[19] Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
Be converted — Be turned from sin and Satan unto God. See Acts 26:20. But this term, so common in modern writings, very rarely occurs in Scripture: perhaps not once in the sense we now use it, for an entire change from vice to holiness.
That the times of refreshing — Wherein God largely bestows his refreshing grace, may come - To you also. To others they will assuredly come, whether ye repent or no.
Verse 12
[12] And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?
Peter answered the people — Who were running together, and inquiring into the circumstances of the fact.
Verse 13
[13] The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.
The God of our fathers — This was wisely introduced in the beginning of his discourse, that it might appear they taught no new religion, inconsistent with that of Moses, and were far from having the least design to divert their regards from the God of Israel.
Hath glorified his Son — By this miracle, whom ye delivered up - When God had given him to you, and when ye ought to have received him as a most precious treasure, and to have preserved him with all your power.
Verse 14
[14] But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;
Ye renounced the Holy One — Whom God had marked out as such; and the Just One - Even in the judgment of Pilate.
Verse 16
[16] And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
His name — Himself: his power and love.
The faith which is by him — Of which he is the giver, as well as the object.
Verse 17
[17] And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers.
And now, brethren — A word full of courtesy and compassion, I know - He speaks to their heart, that through ignorance ye did it - which lessened, though it could not take away, the guilt.
As did also your rulers — The prejudice lying from the authority of the chief priests and elders, he here removes, but with great tenderness. He does not call them our, but your rulers. For as the Jewish dispensation ceased at the death of Christ, consequently so did the authority of its rulers.
Verse 18
[18] But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.
But God — Who was not ignorant, permitted this which he had foretold, to bring good out of it.
Verse 19
[19] Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
Be converted — Be turned from sin and Satan unto God. See Acts 26:20. But this term, so common in modern writings, very rarely occurs in Scripture: perhaps not once in the sense we now use it, for an entire change from vice to holiness.
That the times of refreshing — Wherein God largely bestows his refreshing grace, may come - To you also. To others they will assuredly come, whether ye repent or no.
Psalm 4
Verse 1
[1] Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.
O God — The witness and defender of my righteous cause.
Verse 2
[2] O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? /*Selah*/.
My glory — By his glory probably he means that honour which God had conferred upon him.
Vanity — Wickedness.
Lying — Those calumnies which they raised against him, to make him odious to all the people.
Verse 3
[3] But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto him.
Godly — Me, whom, though you traduce as an hypocrite, God hath pronounced to he a man after his own heart, 1 Samuel 13:14.
For himself — In his stead, or to be his vicegerent, as all kings are, and especially the kings of God's own people.
Verse 4
[4] Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. /*Selah*/.
In awe — Be afraid, if not of me, yet of God, who hath engaged in my cause.
Sin not — By prosecuting your rebellion against God's authority.
On your bed — Calmly consider these things in the silent night, when you are at leisure from distracting business.
Be still — Compose your tumultuous minds.
Verse 5
[5] Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD.
Offer — Unto God, that he may be reconciled to you.
Righteousness — Righteous sacrifices; which requires that the persons offering them be righteous and do righteous things, and offer them with an honest mind, with faith and true repentance. Without which, he intimates, that all their sacrifices were of no esteem with God, and would be wholly unprofitable to them.
Verse 6
[6] There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.
Many — Of my followers, who are weary of waiting upon God.
Who — Who will put an end to our troubles, and give us tranquility.
Lift up — Upon me and my friends. Give us an assurance of thy love, and evidence it by thy powerful assistance.
Verse 7
[7] Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.
Thou hast — Whatsoever thou shalt do with me for the future, I have at present unspeakable satisfaction in the testimonies of thy love to my soul; more than worldly persons have in the time of a plentiful harvest.
Verse 8
[8] I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.
In peace — In tranquility of mind, resting securely upon God's promises.
Verse 1
[1] Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.
O God — The witness and defender of my righteous cause.
Verse 2
[2] O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? /*Selah*/.
My glory — By his glory probably he means that honour which God had conferred upon him.
Vanity — Wickedness.
Lying — Those calumnies which they raised against him, to make him odious to all the people.
Verse 3
[3] But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto him.
Godly — Me, whom, though you traduce as an hypocrite, God hath pronounced to he a man after his own heart, 1 Samuel 13:14.
For himself — In his stead, or to be his vicegerent, as all kings are, and especially the kings of God's own people.
Verse 4
[4] Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. /*Selah*/.
In awe — Be afraid, if not of me, yet of God, who hath engaged in my cause.
Sin not — By prosecuting your rebellion against God's authority.
On your bed — Calmly consider these things in the silent night, when you are at leisure from distracting business.
Be still — Compose your tumultuous minds.
Verse 5
[5] Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD.
Offer — Unto God, that he may be reconciled to you.
Righteousness — Righteous sacrifices; which requires that the persons offering them be righteous and do righteous things, and offer them with an honest mind, with faith and true repentance. Without which, he intimates, that all their sacrifices were of no esteem with God, and would be wholly unprofitable to them.
Verse 6
[6] There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.
Many — Of my followers, who are weary of waiting upon God.
Who — Who will put an end to our troubles, and give us tranquility.
Lift up — Upon me and my friends. Give us an assurance of thy love, and evidence it by thy powerful assistance.
Verse 7
[7] Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.
Thou hast — Whatsoever thou shalt do with me for the future, I have at present unspeakable satisfaction in the testimonies of thy love to my soul; more than worldly persons have in the time of a plentiful harvest.
Verse 8
[8] I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.
In peace — In tranquility of mind, resting securely upon God's promises.
1 John 3:1-7
Verse 1
[1] Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
That we should be called — That is, should be, the children of God. Therefore the world knoweth us not - They know not what to make of us. We are a mystery to them.
Verse 2
[2] Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
It doth not yet appear — Even to ourselves.
What we shall be — It is something ineffable, which will raise the children of God to be, in a manner, as God himself. But we know, in general, that when he, the Son of God, shall appear, we shall be like him - The glory of God penetrating our inmost substance.
For we shall see him as he is — Manifestly, without a veil. And that sight will transform us into the same likeness.
Verse 3
[3] And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
And every one that hath this hope in him — In God.
Verse 4
[4] Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
Whosoever committeth sin — Thereby transgresseth the holy, just, and good law of God, and so sets his authority at nought; for this is implied in the very nature of sin.
Verse 5
[5] And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
And ye know that he — Christ.
Was manifested — That he came into the world for this very purpose.
To take away our sins — To destroy them all, root and branch, and leave none remaining.
And in him is no sin — So that he could not suffer on his own account, but to make us as himself.
Verse 6
[6] Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
Whosoever abideth in communion with him, by loving faith, sinneth not - While he so abideth. Whosoever sinneth certainly seeth him not - The loving eye of his soul is not then fixed upon God; neither doth he then experimentally know him - Whatever he did in time past.
Verse 7
[7] Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
Let no one deceive you — Let none persuade you that any man is righteous but he that uniformly practises righteousness; he alone is righteous, after the example of his Lord.
Verse 1
[1] Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
That we should be called — That is, should be, the children of God. Therefore the world knoweth us not - They know not what to make of us. We are a mystery to them.
Verse 2
[2] Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
It doth not yet appear — Even to ourselves.
What we shall be — It is something ineffable, which will raise the children of God to be, in a manner, as God himself. But we know, in general, that when he, the Son of God, shall appear, we shall be like him - The glory of God penetrating our inmost substance.
For we shall see him as he is — Manifestly, without a veil. And that sight will transform us into the same likeness.
Verse 3
[3] And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
And every one that hath this hope in him — In God.
Verse 4
[4] Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
Whosoever committeth sin — Thereby transgresseth the holy, just, and good law of God, and so sets his authority at nought; for this is implied in the very nature of sin.
Verse 5
[5] And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
And ye know that he — Christ.
Was manifested — That he came into the world for this very purpose.
To take away our sins — To destroy them all, root and branch, and leave none remaining.
And in him is no sin — So that he could not suffer on his own account, but to make us as himself.
Verse 6
[6] Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
Whosoever abideth in communion with him, by loving faith, sinneth not - While he so abideth. Whosoever sinneth certainly seeth him not - The loving eye of his soul is not then fixed upon God; neither doth he then experimentally know him - Whatever he did in time past.
Verse 7
[7] Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
Let no one deceive you — Let none persuade you that any man is righteous but he that uniformly practises righteousness; he alone is righteous, after the example of his Lord.
Luke 24:36b-48
Verse 36
[36] And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
Jesus stood in the midst of them — It was just as easy to his Divine power to open a door undiscernibly, as it was to come in at a door opened by some other hand. Mark 16:14,19; John 20:19.
Verse 40
[40] And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.
He showed them his hands and his feet — That they might either see or feel the prints of the nails.
Verse 41
[41] And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?
While they believed not for joy — They did in some sense believe: otherwise they would not have rejoiced. But their excess of joy prevented a clear, rational belief.
Verse 43
[43] And he took it, and did eat before them.
He took it and ate before them — Not that he had any need of food; but to give them still farther evidence.
Verse 44
[44] And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
And he said — On the day of his ascension.
In the law, and the prophets, and the psalms — The prophecies as well as types, relating to the Messiah, are contained either in the books of Moses (usually called the law) in the Psalms, or in the writings of the prophets; little being said directly concerning him in the historical books.
Verse 45
[45] Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
Then opened he their understanding, to understand the Scriptures — He had explained them before to the two as they went to Emmaus. But still they Understood them not, till he took off the veil from their hearts, by the illumination of his Spirit.
Verse 47
[47] And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
Beginning at Jerusalem — This was appointed most graciously and wisely: graciously, as it encouraged the, greatest sinners to repent, when they saw that even the murderers of Christ were not excepted from mercy: and wisely, as hereby Christianity was more abundantly attested; the facts being published first on the very spot where they happened.
***Verse 36
[36] And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
Jesus stood in the midst of them — It was just as easy to his Divine power to open a door undiscernibly, as it was to come in at a door opened by some other hand. Mark 16:14,19; John 20:19.
Verse 40
[40] And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.
He showed them his hands and his feet — That they might either see or feel the prints of the nails.
Verse 41
[41] And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?
While they believed not for joy — They did in some sense believe: otherwise they would not have rejoiced. But their excess of joy prevented a clear, rational belief.
Verse 43
[43] And he took it, and did eat before them.
He took it and ate before them — Not that he had any need of food; but to give them still farther evidence.
Verse 44
[44] And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
And he said — On the day of his ascension.
In the law, and the prophets, and the psalms — The prophecies as well as types, relating to the Messiah, are contained either in the books of Moses (usually called the law) in the Psalms, or in the writings of the prophets; little being said directly concerning him in the historical books.
Verse 45
[45] Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
Then opened he their understanding, to understand the Scriptures — He had explained them before to the two as they went to Emmaus. But still they Understood them not, till he took off the veil from their hearts, by the illumination of his Spirit.
Verse 47
[47] And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
Beginning at Jerusalem — This was appointed most graciously and wisely: graciously, as it encouraged the, greatest sinners to repent, when they saw that even the murderers of Christ were not excepted from mercy: and wisely, as hereby Christianity was more abundantly attested; the facts being published first on the very spot where they happened.
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