THE ENTRY INTO CANAAN

God has raised up a descendant of David – Jesus the Christ.

 

 

 

By Fr. Felix (African Times Guest Writer)

 

 

 

A Reading from the Acts of the Apostles (13:13-25) The author of Acts

gives us two sample speeches of Peter, one to the Jews, and the other

to gentiles. Similarly with Paul, one speech to Jews and one to

gentiles; Paul always proclaimed the Good News first in each place

to the Jews. Here we begin Paul’s speech to the Jews, which

continues into the next reading. The first part of each of the

speeches to the Jews always gives the history of the Chosen People,

God’s constant and careful choice and guidance of Israel. Jesus must

be understood as the culmination of the history of the Chosen

People, and without this he makes no sense. However, to avoid

boring the reader by repetition, the author of Acts focuses the

speeches on different parts of the Old Testament predictions of the

Messiah.

 

So Peter’s speech at Pentecost focuses on the prophet Joel and the

prophecies in the Psalms (2.14-36), Stephen’s speech before his

martyrdom focuses on the patriarchs and Moses (7.2-19), and this

speech focuses on the entry into Canaan and the choice of David

(13.17-23). There is even a passing reference to Paul’s previous

‘patron saint’, King Saul. The historical part ends,

uncharacteristically for Paul, by quoting the Gospel evidence of

John the Baptist.