The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) - Day 345: One in Christ (2023)

Episode Date: December 11, 2023

In Acts 24, Fr. Mike notes how Felix remained unmoved by Paul's teaching despite being compelled by it initially, showing us that unless we act on what we believe, there is no change. As we begin reading St.Paul's letter to the Galatians today, Fr. Mike highlights Paul's explanation of the role of Jewish law in the Age of the Church, clarifying that through baptism, we are all one in Christ and heirs to the promises of the Father regardless of our backgrounds. 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.

Thank you. Day 345, we're reading Acts of the Apostles, chapter 24, St. Paul's letter to the Galatians, chapters 1, 2, and 3, as well as Proverbs chapter 29, verses 12 through 14. As always, the Bible translation I'm reading from is the Revised Standard Version, the Second Catholic Edition. I'm using the Great Adventure Bible from Ascension. If you want to download your own Bible in your reading plan, you can visit ascensionpress.com slash Bible in a Year. You can also subscribe to this podcast by clicking on subscribe and receiving daily episodes and daily updates. It is day 345. We are reading Acts of the Apostles chapter 24, St. Paul's letter to the Galatians chapters 1, 2, and 3, and Proverbs chapter 29 verses 12 through 14. The Acts of the Apostles chapter 24. Paul before Felix at Caesarea.

And after five days, the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and a spokesman, one Tertullus. They laid before the governor their case against Paul. And when he was called, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, Since through you we enjoy much peace, and since by your provision, most excellent Felix, reforms are introduced on behalf of this nation, in every way and everywhere we accept this with all gratitude. But to detain you no further, I beg you in your kindness to hear us briefly. For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, an agitator among all the Jews throughout

the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. He even tried to profane the temple, but we seized him. By examining him yourself, you will be able to learn from him about everything of which we accuse him. The Jews also joined in the charge, affirming that all this was so. Paul's defense before Felix. And when the governor had motioned to him to speak, Paul replied, Realizing that for many years you have been judge over this nation, I cheerfully make my defense. As you may ascertain, it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship at Jerusalem, and they did not find me disputing with anyone or stirring up a crowd either in the temple or in the synagogues or in the city. Neither can they prove to you what they now bring up against me. But this I admit to you,

that according to the way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the law or written in the prophets, having a hope in God, which these themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust. So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward God and toward men. Now, after some years, I came to bring my nation alms and offerings. As I was doing this, they found me purified in the temple without any crowd or tumult. But some Jews from Asia, they ought to be here before you and to make an accusation if they have anything against me, or else let these men themselves say what wrongdoing they found when I stood before the council, except this one thing which I cried out

while standing among them, with respect to the resurrection of the dead, I am on trial before you this day. But Felix, having a rather accurate knowledge of the way, put them off, saying, But Felix, having a rather accurate knowledge of the way, put them off, saying, When Lysaeus the tribune comes down, I will decide your case. Then he gave orders to the centurion that he should be kept in custody, but should have some liberty, and that none of his friends should be prevented from attending to his needs. Paul held in custody.

After some days, Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, and he sent for Paul and heard him speak upon faith in Christ Jesus. And as he argued about justice and self-control and future judgment, Felix was alarmed and said, Go away for the present. When I have an opportunity, I will summon you. At the same time, he hoped that money would be given him by Paul. So he sent for him often and conversed with him. But when two years had elapsed, Felix was succeeded by Portius Festus, and desiring to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison. The Letter of Paul to the Galatians Chapter 1. Salutation Paul, an apostle, not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead, and all Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead, and all the brethren who are with me, to the churches of Galatia. Grace to you and

peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. There is no other gospel. I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and turning to a different gospel. Not that there is another gospel, but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone is preaching to you

a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed. Am I now seeking the favor of men or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still pleasing men, I should not be a servant of Christ. Paul's vindication of his apostleship. Brethren, I would have you know that the gospel which was preached by me is not man's gospel, for I did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people. So extremely zealous was I

for the traditions of my fathers. But when he who had set me apart before I was born and had called me through his grace was pleased to reveal his son to me in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not confer with flesh and blood. Nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away to Arabia, and again I returned to Damascus. Then, after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to visit Kepha, and remained with him fifteen days. But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord's brother. And what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie. Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia, and I was still not known by sight to the churches of Christ in Judea.

They only heard it said, he who once persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy. And they glorified God because of me. Chapter 2, Paul and the other apostles. Then, after fourteen years, I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. I went up by revelation, and laid before them, but privately before those who were of repute, the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, lest somehow I should be running or had run in vain. But even Titus, who was with me, was not compelled to be circumcised, though he was a Greek. But, because of false brethren secretly brought in, who slipped in to spy out our freedom, which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage, to them we did not yield

submission even for a moment, that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. And from those who were reputed to be something, what they were makes no difference to me, God shows no partiality. Those, I say, who were of repute added nothing to me. But on the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised, for he who worked through Peter for the mission to the circumcised worked through me also for the Gentiles. And when they perceived the grace that was given to me, James and Kepha and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised, only they would have

us remember the poor, which very thing I was eager to do. Paul rebukes Peter at Antioch. But when Kepha came at Antioch. so that even Barnabas was carried away by their insincerity. But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Kepha before them all, If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews? We ourselves, who are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners, yet who know that a man is not justified by works of the law, but through faith in Jesus Christ.

Even we have believed in Christ Jesus in order to be justified by faith in Christ, and not by works of the law, but through faith in Jesus Christ. Even we have believed in Christ Jesus in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law shall no flesh be justified. But if in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we ourselves were found to be sinners, is Christ then an agent of sin? Certainly not. But if I build up again those things which I tore down, then I prove myself a transgressor. For I, through the law, died to the law, that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave

himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God. For if justification were in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if justification were through the law, then Christ died to no purpose. Chapter 3. Law or Faith? O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? Let me ask you only this. Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh?

Did you experience so many things in vain if it really is in vain? Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Thus Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. So you see that it is men of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, In you shall all nations be blessed. So then, those who are men of faith are blessed with Abraham who had faith. For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse.

For it is written, Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law and do them. Now, it is evident that no man is justified before God by the law. For he who through faith is righteous shall live. But the law does not rest on faith. For he who does them shall live by them. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us. For it is written, Cursed be everyone who hangs on a tree, that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles,

that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. The promise to Abraham. To give a human example, brethren, no one annuls even a man's will or adds to it once it has been ratified. Now, the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, and to offsprings, referring to many, but referring to one. And to your offspring, which is Christ. This is what I mean. The law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God so as to make the promise void. For if the inheritance is by the law, it is no longer by promise.

But God gave it to Abraham by a promise. The purpose of the law. Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions till the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made. And it was ordained by angels through an intermediary. Now, an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one. Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not. For if a law had been given which could make alive, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. But the scripture consigns all things to sin that what was promised to faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. Now, before faith came, we were confined under the law, kept under restraint

until faith should be revealed, so that the law was our custodian until Christ came, that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a custodian. For in Christ Jesus, you are all sons of God through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek. There is neither slave nor free. There is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise. The Book of Proverbs chapter 29 verses 12 through 14. If a ruler listens to falsehood, all his officials will be wicked.

The poor man and the oppressor meet together. The Lord gives light to the eyes of both. If a king judges the poor with equity, his throne will be established forever. Father in heaven, give you praise and glory. We thank you. Thank you for this day. And thank you for a new day, day 345, of just being able to, gosh, Lord, we have 20 days left. 20 days left of listening to your word. 20 days left of being able to just be penetrated by your word, to soak in your word, to be able to be transformed by your word.

Help us to not simply be informed by your word, but be transformed by your word. Help us not just learn about you, but to become like you. Let this time we spend with you change us. And we ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen. It kind of reminds me that end of that prayer, that time we spend with you, Jesus, let that change us. You remember earlier on in the Acts of the Apostles, when they saw the apostles, they recognized that they had been with Jesus. We look at ourselves after 345 days and ask the question, okay, God, would people now looking at me recognize that I've spent time with you? Would they recognize that I've allowed your character and your thoughts and what you love, what you hate to shape my heart, my thoughts,

and how I live and what I love and what I hate, I think that there's something powerful there. Or we can remain unconverted. I mean, in chapter 24 of the Acts of the Apostles, that's kind of what we have. We have Felix, and Felix is, you know, big man in town, and Paul makes a defense before him. Now, Felix has a wife, Drusilla, and Drusilla is Jewish, and you think, well, that's kind of a bonus in their part, but yes, it is, and yes, it isn't, in terms that, well, that's kind of a bonus and their part. But yes, it is. And yes, it isn't in terms that, well, Drusilla had been married before to a king of a small little kingdom, small little nation. And so Felix was able to apparently convince her to leave her small king husband for him and saying that, yeah, I'm more connected to the Roman Empire than him.

And however he convinced her, the reality, of course, is that Felix and Drusilla, both of them have a certain character, not only about that, you reality, of course, is that Felix and Drusilla, both of them, have a certain character. Not only about that, her leaving her husband and whatnot, but also history books have kind of indicated that Felix was a man who is not necessarily a good man. At the same time, this little snapshot we get in Acts chapter 24 is of kind of a Herod character, right? Remember how Herod longed to see Jesus? Remember actually before that even, Herod wanted to hear from John in kind of a similar situation where John was accusing Herod

of living with his brother's wife and how that was wrong. And here it says in the gospels that Herod still liked to listen to John. Well, here we have the case of Felix and we have Paul preaching to Felix. And it's very fascinating that it says in chapter 24, verse 25, as Paul argued about justice and self-control and

future judgment, Felix was alarmed. And that reality, of course, that Felix is alarmed is it reveals something to us about Felix. It reveals that not only was he convicted by Paul's preaching, but also that he remained unmoved. Even after he was convicted, he remained unmoved. Because what's he say? He says, go away for the present. When I have an opportunity, I will summon you. And he sent for him often and conversed with him. But when two years had elapsed, Felix was succeeded by Portia's Festus and desiring to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison. So again, I can be really compelled by the Lord. I can be compelled by God's grace. He can open up my heart in all these ways. But unless I act on that, there is

no change, right? Unless I act on what I believe, there is no change. Now, let's jump into Galatians. We have the St. Paul's letter to the Galatians, which isn't too long. It's simply six chapters. We have half of it today, chapters one through three. The background for St. Paul's letter to the Galatians is, you know, the background, the background is that Paul went to the region of Galatia, right? And he established these churches and he proclaimed Jesus Christ. Obviously these Gentiles had come to faith in Jesus Christ. But then what happens is some people follow, just like in Corinth, people followed Paul and began to say that you have to also get circumcised in order to experience the fullness of the Christian faith, in order to experience the fullness of what it is to be a follower of Jesus Christ.

And Galatians are beginning to believe they had already believed them. And yet here at St. Paul, he's making a case for himself saying that, listen, the way in which I have preached the gospel to you was not about the law. It was not about obeying the ritual laws of Judaism, of circumcision, of kosher meals, of ritual purity, but it was faith. It was the faith that came to you when Jesus Christ was proclaimed. And in fact, remember the Holy Spirit that came upon you when we prayed for the Holy

Spirit, just like in Ephesus and those Gentiles were prayed with and they received the power of the Holy Spirit and all these other occasions that we had heard about in the Acts of the Apostles. And not only that, but St. Paul even points out the fact that it makes sense that you might be a little confused because there was even this guy named Kepha. And you all know Kepha because Kepha here is the Al-Habait, right? He doesn't say the Al-Hayit, but we all know that he's the one over the house. He's the prime minister. That even him, even he was insincere. What happened?

Well, Paul, when he was living amongst the Gentiles, he was eating like a Gentile. He was not eating according to the Jewish customs. And yet when a bunch of Jews who really, really were holding strong to the idea that you needed to eat according to the Jewish customs arrived. Then Kepha, Peter, he began to shrink back and he wouldn't eat with the Gentiles anymore. And he would have observed the Jewish customs in the presence of the Jewish Christians. And Paul said, I publicly opposed him to his face because he was in the wrong. And that is true. And one of the things that sometimes people bring this up and they say, well, yeah, so the Pope was wrong. And we'd say, yeah, I mean, he was so infallible does not mean impeccable.

Impeccable means without sin. Infallible means doesn't teach error. And we don't say that the Pope or the Holy Father, or even the first Pope here, Peter, that anything, everything they teach is without error. It's, there are certain conditions for a Pope to teach without error. For example, the first Pope, St. Peter, he spoke without error when he preached the sermon at Pentecost. He preached without error when he wrote 1 Peter and 2 Peter. So we have that case there. In this case, though, he was insincere. He was, you might say hypocrite, but ultimately he was wrong. He was wrong in how he lived. And so,

as Paul says, he opposed him to his face. And that was very important because of the fact that Peter was in the wrong. And so here is St. Paul showing the people in Galatia that what they're counting on is not the law. What they're counting on has to be the Holy Spirit. And there's this line, Galatians chapter two, verse 20, that is so important. It says, I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me, that the life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. And this is so, so important because the Holy Spirit comes to us

when we ask him. The Holy Spirit comes to us by the name of Jesus. The Holy Spirit comes to us when we ask him. The Holy Spirit comes to us by the name of Jesus. The Holy Spirit comes to us through baptism, through confirmation, and the Holy Spirit comes to us in so many ways that the Lord just wants us to have access to himself. The Lord wants us to have access to the Father. In fact, he redeems us, right? He has redeemed us. The law had his purpose, and that's the end of chapter three. The law had its purpose. It was our custodian. It was our guardian. And so the idea behind that is, is that on your way to school, there was a custodian, there was a guardian, or there was a teacher who brought you to school to make sure that you learned your lesson. And here's St. Paul at the end of chapter three saying,

yeah, that's what the law was. It was our guardian. It was our custodian until Christ came that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, this is verse 25, but now that faith has come, we are no longer under a custodian. For in Christ Jesus, you are all sons of God through faith. And this key was obviously affirmed by the council of Jerusalem in Acts chapter 15. And we already heard about the council of Jerusalem where the Holy Spirit and us, right, the apostles gathered together with the first pope and they determined that, yep, you do not have to get circumcised

in order to have the fullness of the faith, simply baptized, simply living out the faith, the Christian faith, not necessarily the Jewish faith. And again, once again, how do people experience this? They experience it equally. This last line in chapter three is important for us because St. Paul is making it very, very clear that it's not some people who experience the faith. You have to be a free person or you have to be a man or you have to be a Jew.

He says, no, no, no. In Jesus Christ, there is neither Jew nor Greek. There's neither slave nor free. There's neither male nor female. We're all one in Christ Jesus. That's not negating the reality of male and female. It's not negating the reality of Jew or Greek or of slave or free. What it's saying is there's an equality there. So everyone experiences the equality of grace, even amongst the differences

between Jew and Greek or slave and free or male and female. Does that make sense? We're all one in Christ Jesus. And so the ultimate point that Zaynbal is making then here is that everyone has become an heir in baptism to the promises of the Father, the promises that God made all the way back to Abraham. So hopefully that makes sense. I don't know. When we get to Paul's letters, there's so much stuff that we can break down, so much to learn from him. That's why I'm so grateful we're going through this letter to the Galatians in two days only to be able to just absorb it, maybe rewind and take it back in and rewind and take it back in to be able to hear what is it that God is saying through St. Paul's letters, not just to

Galatians, but all these letters that we're going to be diving more deeply into in the days to come. I am praying for you. Please pray for me. My name is Father Mike. I cannot wait to see you tomorrow. God bless. you