NBC’s “A.D. review of Episode 7 –The Visit

But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison. ⁴ Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. ⁵ Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. ⁶ And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. ⁷ For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. ⁸ So there was much joy in that city.” (Acts 8:3–8 ESV)

Episode 7 –The Visit, of A.D. – the Bible Continues covers some of the above verses. But like the Berean Christians, it’s always important to check the Bible…

Note verse 5. Philip was proclaiming “the Christ.” Verse 7 tells us that signs were done. Don’t put the cart before the horse here. First came the message of Christ, then came miraculous signs. The disciples were not just “magic men” traveling the countryside. The miracle bore witness to the message.

And note too that this was a disciple; Phillip, who was standing there when Jesus said

And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; ¹⁸ they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.” Mark 16:17–18 (ESV)

Again, no traveling magician—no; Phillip was one of the twelve, first a disciple, now an apostle commission by the risen Christ Himself. I wish that this episode had drawn a clearer distinction between Phillip and his message vs. Simon and his tricks.

Back to the Bible…

But there was a man named Simon, who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great. ¹⁰ They all paid attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called Great.” ¹¹ And they paid attention to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic. ¹² But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. ¹³ Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles performed, he was amazed.” (Acts 8:9-13)

So Phillip being ambushed was made up (though a good approximation of how it might happened in those days). So too the show-down between Phillip and Simon. I don’t think A.D. is done with Simon yet, as I read the rest of Acts 8 I see A.D. could include more of the story.

Also made up was this visit of Emperor Tiberius Caesar Augustus. A.D. is grossly exaggerating what Rome thought of the “Nazarene Problem.” A sitting emperor would never make a journey to check in on a small province like Judea (actually, Tiberus was pretty aloof in these days, getting on in years without a successor clearly named).

The two “punk” kids were Caligula and Agrippa. While these two people really did live (Caligula is the adopted grandson of Tiberius and  will succeed Tiberius to the throne), they also did not make a visit to Jerusalem to check in on Pilate.

A sneak peek has shown me that Saul will be converted next week (Acts 9). With that on the horizon, think this week about “conspiracy”; why do people conspire together? I’ll unpack that next week.

But finally I can’t end without going back to the opening scenes in which some believers are being beaten and arrested while the apostles are doing something with bread and wine.

Did you catch what Peter said? I’ve watched it a few times and have got it all here: “Jesus told us this wine was His blood, and this bread His body. We eat and drink them now to give us the strength to bear witness to him and to live in unity with him.”

Nice sentiment. But while Jesus did take bread saying “this is My body,” and while He did take wine saying “this is My blood,” He also said what?

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“Given/shed for you for the remission of your sins.”

Those are His words. We can take them or we can leave them. We can read new intent into them (e.g. “He meant “this symbolizes My body”), but lets at least be honest and admit that these are now our words, not His.

His words were “for the remission of sins.” Not “for strength to bear witness and to live in unity.” Frankly, I’d love to feel stronger/be stronger as I bear witness about Him. And I’d love for there to be more unity in the Christian Church. But that’s not why He instituted the Lord’s Supper/Holy Communion. That meal is “for the remission of sins.”

I’m fine with cameos by Tiberius and Caligula. I don’t mind the additions to the story of Phillip being mugged and even Saul being told/lied to that Peter has fled to Damascus…

But when we have Jesus’ words—the word of the Word made flesh—lets stick to them. God didn’t mumble something about needing some illumination; He said “Let the be light.” God didn’t mutter outside the grave of Lazarus some nice words about loved one living on in our memories; He commanded, “Lazarus, come forth!”

When we have Jesus’ words—God’s Words—lets stick to them.

Episode 1: Review

Episode 2: Review

Episode 3: Review

Episode 4: Review

Episode 5: Review

Episode 6: Review

Episode 7: Review