Congregation Book Study, Week 11 to March 17, 2024, Chapter 7, paragraphs 1-8 and box on page. 53, Answers.

Study of the Book of the congregation, March 11-17, 2024, Chapter 7, paragraphs 1-8 and box on page. 53, Answers.

Congregation Bible study (30 mins.) bt chap. 7 paras. 1-8 and box on p. 53.

“He declared the good news about Jesus”

1, 2. What happened when the enemies of God's people tried to stop the work of the Kingdom?

Contrary to expectations, the persecution did not stop the expansion of the message of the Kingdom, the disciples scattered in various lands after hearing from Jerusalem became bearers of the good news. Rather than extinguishing the Christian faith, persecution contributed to its spread, as disciples took the gospel to new places. This episode reveals how attempts to stifle the Kingdom hour can trigger unforeseen consequences, and in this case resulted in the further spread of faith. 

When the enemies of God's people tried to stop the work of the Kingdom, they unleashed a wave of cruel persecution led by Saul. This attack led the disciples to flee Jerusalem, but instead of stopping the spread of Christianity, the persecution had an unexpected effect. The scattered disciples began to preach the good news in the lands to which they had fled, helping to further spread the work of the Kingdom. 

As we see, instead of stopping it, the persecution helped the message spread even further. This historical event highlights how attempts to stop the advance of the Kingdom can result in its expansion rather than its stopping.

“Those who had been scattered” (Acts 8:4-8)

3. a) Who was Felipe? 

Philip was one of those who had been scattered and was heading to the city of Samaria as an evangelizer. Later, after the events recounted in Acts 8, his preaching territory was established and, some 20 years later, Luke mentions him when Paul and his companions were on their way to Jerusalem. Philip was known as The Evangelizer and had four unmarried daughters who prophesied, indicating that he was still active in his ministry and had taught his family to love and serve Jehovah.

Philip was a disciple of Christ who played a significant role in the spread of the Gospel according to the biblical account in the book of Acts. There he stands out for his evangelizing work and for his willingness to fulfill the missions entrusted to him.

Because of the persecution, Philip went to Samaria and his preaching in this place was successful, and the people of that region accepted the word of God. In addition to his work in Samaria, Philip also had a significant encounter with an Ethiopian Eunuch, whom he guided toward the Christian faith by explaining the scriptures.

After these events, Philip settled in Caesarea, where he continued his evangelizing work and established his home with his family. There he is described as "the evangelizer" and it is mentioned that he had four unmarried daughters who prophesied. So we can say that he was a good faithful disciple who played an important role in the spread of the Gospel, both in Samaria and Caesarea and who raised his daughters in the Christian faith, which demonstrates his dedication and commitment in the preaching ministry. and teaching. 

3. b) Why had most of the people of Samaria not heard the Kingdom message? 

Most of the people of Samaria had not heard the Kingdom message, because Jesus had specifically instructed his Apostles not to enter any city of Samaria during his earthly ministry. In Matthew 10:5, 6, Jesus commanded the apostles not to go the way of the Gentiles or enter any city of the Samaritans. Rather he asked them to go to the lost sheep of the people of Israel.

Jesus had predicted that the apostles should not enter any city in Samaria initially, but then he prophesied that Samaria would receive a complete testimony. This was fulfilled when Philip, one of the dispersed, took the message to Samaria, demonstrating Jesus' broad vision for the spread of his teaching.

What had Jesus predicted about Samaria?

Although Jesus had predicted that Samaria would receive a complete testimony in the future. Before ascending to heaven, Jesus told his disciples that they would be his witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria. This prophecy of Jesus indicated that the Gospel message would reach even the most distant regions of the Earth. This signaled the global expansion of the preaching of the Gospel, including to Samaria, despite the ethnic and religious tensions existing between the Jews and the Samaritans at the time.

4. How did the Samaritans react when Philip preached to them, and what could be a reason?

The Samaritans were receptive to the message that Philip shared with them, and one reason may be that they were able to notice the difference between Philip and other religious leaders of the time. Philip broke with tradition by preaching without class distinctions and showed inclusive love for all, thus challenging the negative expectations that the Samaritans might have had about the Jews and their religious leaders.

This inclusive and loving attitude of Philip towards them was refreshing and comforting to the Samaritans, who were not used to receiving that kind of treatment from the Jews. 

When Philip preached to the Samaritans, they reacted positively and paid close attention to his message. The reason for this reaction could be that the Samaritans were used to being marginalized and despised by the Jews, and they could also feel the rejection of the Pharisees, who were known for their closed attitude and prejudices.

Therefore, the Samaritans reacted positively to Philip's message because they found in him a messenger who gave them hope, love and acceptance, thus breaking down the social and religious barriers that existed between them and the Jews.

5-7. Share an experience that shows that persecution has helped the message reach more places.

During World War II, Nazi persecution failed to stop the preaching of Jehovah's Witnesses, even in concentration camps. Despite the harsh conditions and constant danger, the Witnesses continued to share their faith with other prisoners. A Jew who was in a Nazi concentration camp and encountered the Witnesses was impressed by their courage and conviction. This encounter led him to study the Bible with them and eventually become a Jehovah's Witness.

This experience highlights how persecution contributes to the spread of the Christian message, evident in Mozambique during the 1970s. When Jehovah's Witnesses were forced to flee Malawi due to persecution, preaching did not cease in Mozambique, despite that they also faced hostilities. Brother Francisco Coana highlights that, despite arrests and obstacles, the positive response of many reaffirmed the belief that God was on their side, reflecting the experience of Christians in the first century.

Another example is that of an SS officer in the Gusen concentration camp, Austria, who agreed to study the Bible with a witness named Franz Desh. Years later, Franz and the officer met again at an assembly, but this time the officer was also a publisher of the good news, showing how even persecutors can be reached by the Kingdom message. 

Additionally, persecution often forces Christians to listen to other countries, bringing the Kingdom message to new areas. For example, as mentioned in the 1970s, many Jehovah's Witnesses had to flee Malawi to Mozambique due to persecution. Despite facing new difficulties in Mozambique, such as persecution by the government, the Witnesses continued to preach and found people willing to hear and accept the Kingdom message, demonstrating that persecution cannot stop the spread of the Kingdom message.

8. What effect have political and economic changes had on preaching?

Political and economic changes have significantly influenced the dynamics of preaching. On the one hand, forced migration has led to the spread of Christianity to new regions, as displaced people find refuge in diverse places. This has required religious communities to adapt to different languages and cultures to continue effective preaching.

These political and economic changes, as well as mass migrations due to wars, poverty and other factors, have had a significant impact on the preaching of Christianity in recent decades. These events have led many people to move countries which has created new opportunities for them to hear the Gospel message and study the Bible in their new places of residence.

The arrival of refugees and migrants has generated the need to preach in multiple languages ​​in order to communicate the Kingdom message effectively to people of different cultures and linguistic backgrounds.

This phenomenon highlights the importance of being prepared to witness to people from all nations, tribes, peoples, and languages around us, as urged in Revelation 7:9. Each of us has the responsibility to strive to share the gospel message with those around us, regardless of their background or language, so that they may have the opportunity to know the truth and make a decision whether to support Jehovah and the Kingdom of he.

ANALYSIS BASED ON THE BOX: “FELIPE THE EVANGELIZER”

The apostles sent Peter and John to Samaria after hearing that the people there had accepted the word of God. Philip, who was preaching in Samaria, may have informed the governing body about the progress of preaching in this region, prompting the apostles to send Peter and John to consolidate and strengthen the new believers.

The title "the evangelizer" indicated that Philip was dedicated to preaching the gospel and spreading the Christian faith. Although the Bible applies this term to those who preach in places where the message has not yet been proclaimed, it can be inferred that Philip continued to be active in his ministry, since he is mentioned as such even after several years.

The fact that Philip had four unmarried daughters who prophesied is notable to show that he had taught his family to love and serve Jehovah. This highlights the importance of teaching and transmitting faith within the family. Furthermore, it demonstrates the depth of Philip's commitment to his faith and his desire to share God's message with others, including through his family.

In this context, prophesying probably refers to the ability of Philip's daughters to communicate God-inspired messages or to share spiritual teachings. This suggests that Philip's daughters were actively involved in religious service and had a significant role among the Christian brotherhood.