peace to live by

Paul Under Persecution, Part 2 (TMF:2588)

Wednesday, April 09, 2025
Peace to Live By: Paul Under Persecution, Part 2 (TMF:2588) - Daniel Litton
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       And so, killing Jesus off wasn’t enough for these leaders, who we know as the Scribes and Pharisees, the teachers of the Law (that is, the Jewish Law). They were the original offenders, and they came after the church. Remember, Paul himself, as Saul, was one of them. Paul said of himself on one occasion, “as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church” (Philippians 3:5, 6, ESV). So, in writing to the Colossians, Paul is referring to his current imprisonment in Rome. He was currently under persecution for the Gospel’s sake. The Jews themselves oftentimes led secular leaders to persecute the church, which really needs no explanation. And we know that secular people had opposed Paul as well, like when he was in Ephesus and the idolmakers came against him (see Acts 19). But the overarching point Paul is trying to make is that it wasn’t enough for everyone to take Jesus out, but now, just like he had been himself, they were focusing on his followers.