Fr. Mike walks us through the Church’s first council in Acts 15 and highlights the importance of the Church’s authority in the question of circumcision for Gentile converts. He also draws our attention to Paul’s treatment of God the Father and God the Son as equal but not the same. This sheds light on Paul’s conversation about head coverings for women in our reading from 1 Corinthians and reassures female believers about their roles in marriage and the Church. Today’s readings are Acts 15, 1 Corinthians 11-12, Proverbs 28:10-12. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.
Full Episode
Hi, my name is Father Mike Schmitz, and you're listening to the Bible in a Year podcast, where we encounter God's voice and live life through the lens of Scripture. The Bible in a Year podcast is brought to you by Ascension.
Using the Great Adventure Bible timeline, we'll read all the way from Genesis to Revelation, discovering how the story of salvation unfolds and how we fit into that story today. It is day 336. We are reading from the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 15. from the first letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians, chapters 11 and 12, as well as Proverbs chapter 28, verses 10 through 12.
As always, the Bible translation I'm reading from is the Revised Standard Version, Second Catholic Edition. I'm using the Great Adventure Bible from Ascension. If you want to download your own Bible in a Year reading plan, you can visit ascensionpress.com slash Bible in a Year. You can also subscribe to this podcast and receive daily episodes and daily updates.
It is day 336, reading Acts 15, 1 Corinthians chapters 11 and 12, as well as Proverbs chapter 28, verses 10 through 12. The Acts of the Apostles, chapter 15. The Council at Jerusalem. But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brethren, unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.
And when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. So being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, reporting the conversion of the Gentiles, and they gave great joy to all the brethren.
When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, It is necessary to circumcise them and to charge them to keep the law of Moses. The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter.
And after there had been much debate, Peter rose and said to them, Brethren, you know that in the early days God made choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. And God who knows the heart bore witness to them, giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us. And he made no distinction between us and them, but cleansed their hearts by faith.
Now therefore, why do you make trial of God by putting a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? But we believe that we shall be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will. And all the assembly kept silence.
And they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. After they finished speaking, James replied, Brethren, listen to me. Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for his name.
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