In one of my high school algebra classes, my teacher had printed on the board a very complicated, multi-step equation. We read it, discussed what steps we would utilize to solve this complex multifaceted paragraph. After spending half of the class time talking through solutions, she smiled and said, “There is a better way. Let me show you a simple solution.”
In the Book of Acts, among the written adventures of the Apostle Paul, a couple was introduced, Aquilla and his wife, Priscilla. In Greek, her name means, “old-fashioned simplicity.” Priscilla grew up in a wealthy Roman Jewish home. She worked in harmony with her husband making tents. The Apostle Paul was also a tent maker which helped to fund his numerous mission trips. During one of Paul’s missionary journeys, they became acquainted with one another and traveled together building churches and teaching the Gospel. They helped fund the travels by making tents to sell.
The Greek word for “tent” is “skno-poios,” meaning “tabernacle, booth, dwelling.” There were two possible tents that carry this Greek meaning. The first is a small tent used for traveling. The second meaning is the traditional prayer shawl that was used for teaching and praying the Scriptures. When they traveled throughout the Empire, they first of all sought after the Jewish communities and taught them about their Jewish Messiah by using the knots, cords and designs from the traditional prayer shawl. During one of their teaching services, they met Apollos, of whom they taught the deeper ways of God to him, making the scriptures about the Messiah, Jesus Christ, simple for him to understand.
In Acts chapter 18, “a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spoke and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace: For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publicly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.”
In this passage, notice that Priscilla and Aquilla expounded, explained, and illustrated the way of God more perfectly. In other words, they made the teachings of scriptures uncomplicated. Afterward, Apollos began teaching other Jews the simplicity of the Gospel of Jesus; becoming known during that time as one of the prominent teachers of the Gospel.
Priscilla not only was successful in her trade, but she was also known as a teacher that made the Scriptures plain, easy to understand, similar to what my high school algebra teacher said, “Let me show you a simple way.”
With that point in mind, just how complicated is the Gospel of Jesus? It isn’t. This old-fashioned simplicity of the gospel is so simple that even children can understand it. We will never understand the extent of God’s love, but we can accept it. We do not understand the complicated methods of electricity, but we use it. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) Simple. Old-fashioned. God loves us more than we understand. Believe it. Receive it. It’s that simple.
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com
Be First to Comment