Continuing on from the end of chapter 15 regarding Paul's second journey:
Acts 16:1-5:
16:1And he came-down into Derbe and into Lystra, and look!, some learning-disciple was there, Timothy by-name, son of a Judean believing woman and of a Greek father, .2who was witnessed-of by the brothers in Lystra and Iconium. .3This-person Paul intended to go-out together with him, and having received (him) he circumcised him because-of the Judeans, the (Judeans) being in those places, for all-people-together had known that his father was-from-the-beginning a Greek. .4And as they journeyed-through the cities they gave-over to them to keep-watch (regarding) the decrees, the (decrees) having been judged2 by the apostles and elders, the (apostles and elders) in Jerusalem. .5Therefore indeed the churches were made-solid with belief and they exceeded with the number daily.
As Paul and those with him continued on their journey westward, they arrived in Derbe and then into Lystra, cities which he had visited on his first journey and taught the people God's Word pertaining to the resurrected Christ Jesus.
In Listra – look (behold, see, pay attention)! – there was a learning-disciple (student) named Timothy. His mother was of the Judean background and she was a believer (she believed God's Word, she was faithful, she trusted what God said about Himself and His son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and so she had become a holy-person, a Christian). But Timothy’s father was a Greek (Hellenist, of the Gentile background).
The name "Timothy" in Greek is Timotheos which means "honor, value, price, worth of/to God." As we continue in this study we will learn that this is exactly what Timothy characterized during his lifetime. Paul wrote two letters to Timothy (I Timothy and II Timothy) which give a lot of details regarding Timothy and his life, plus Paul made many references regarding him in his other letters, such as: Romans 16:21; I Corinthians 4:17, 16:10; II Corinthians 1:1; Philippians 1:1, 2:19-23; Colossians 1:1; I and II Thessalonians 1:1; I and II Timothy; Philemon 1; Hebrews 13:23.
This Timothy had become well-known among the brothers (the holy-people, Christians) throughout the cities of Lystra and Iconium, a city north of Lystra, and they were able to bear witness and attest regarding him – his believing of God's Word, his character, the way he behaved himself among the brothers, etc.
Emphatically this is the person whom Paul intended (willed) to leave Lystra and travel together with him, and when Paul had taken him he circumcised him. Why would Paul do such a thing at that time when God had plainly made it known that circumcision was no longer necessary either for Judeans or for Gentiles to become children of God? Plus, Timothy was already a child of God because he had previously believed God's Word and had received God's gift of holy spirit by means of the Lord Jesus Christ – and Paul knew this? God's Word tells us why so that there should be no misunderstanding on this subject: Paul circumcised him on account of the Judeans, specifically those Judeans who were in that area at that time, for everybody knew that Timothy's father had always been a Greek (Hellenist, a Gentile), and so Timothy would not have already been circumcised when he was an eight-day-old baby as the law of Moses directed. Timothy’s Gentile father would have made sure that he was not circumcised, even though his mother was of the Judean background.
In order for Paul with Timothy to effectively continue teaching, etc, among those Judeans who did not yet believe regarding the Lord Jesus Christ, it was necessary to circumcise Timothy. Paul did this to help his and Timothy's access to teach God's Word among those Judean people and go into their synagogues. Most definitely this was not done in any way to make Timothy a child of God because Timothy was already a child of God; he had previously received God's gift of holy spirit by means of the Lord Jesus Christ.
As Paul and Timothy and Silas journeyed (passed) through the cities, they gave-over to the people (handed over, delivered alongside/beside them) to keep watch regarding the decrees (to know them and be vigilant to guard them during their everyday living), emphatically and specifically the decrees (ordinances, opinions, dogmas) which were decided upon by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem at the meeting recorded in Acts 15.
Therefore indeed the churches (the assemblies of holy-people throughout that region) were caused to be solid (firm, stable) with/by the belief. What belief? The belief that God has made-known for people to believe – His Word regarding Himself and His son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and all that they accomplished so that holy spirit-life could be made available to those who would believe what God says.
The people who believed God's Word as taught by Paul and those with him were established with/by God's belief and as a result the number of believers within the churches exceeded (abounded) day after day after day.
[Reference: I Corinthians 9:19-23. Note: verbs with a superscript 2 (2) immediately following them indicate the "perfect" tense - details are provided in the "Relevant Notes" link of this study.]
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9 contributions of holy spirit
