NOTES for Act 13:13-52
Today's reading gives us an opportunity to understand the meaning of what the New Testament calls salvation. We have before us Paul's sermon in one of the synagogues of Antioch (vv. 16–41), which evidently met with great success, especially among the Gentiles (v. 42). At first glance, such interest seems inexplicable: after all, Paul is essentially only recounting to his listeners things about the Saviour's earthly ministry that were already more or less known at the time, at least in Jewish circles; and some rumours about the events in Jerusalem must undoubtedly have reached even Gentiles close to the Synagogue (vv. 23–37). He does, of course, preface his account with a brief survey of sacred history (vv. 17–22), but that, too, could hardly have been news to anyone even slightly acquainted with the life and tradition of the Synagogue. Yet the sermon itself also contains the key to understanding the interest shown by the Gentiles: Paul says plainly that sins for which there is no justification under the law given to Moses can be forgiven in the name of Jesus Christ (vv. 38–39).
To understand these words, it is important to remember that, according to the Torah (the Law of Moses), not every sin could be forgiven, but only one committed involuntarily, out of weakness or ignorance. It was possible to be cleansed of the consequences of such a sin, so that, having repented and asked God's forgiveness for what he had done, the involuntary sinner could hope that from then on he was free both of the sin itself and of everything it might have brought in its wake. But it was not possible to be cleansed of a sin committed knowingly and voluntarily. One could repent of what one had done and ask God for forgiveness, and even receive it, but in such a case it was impossible to be cleansed of the sin, to be rid of its consequences.
And now it turned out that any sin could be forgiven, even one that had not been forgiven before. It is no wonder that this point especially interested the Gentiles: they knew their own lives well, fully understanding that, from the Torah's standpoint, it was practically impossible for them to be cleansed of sin. Nor is this a matter of some indiscriminate forgiveness or indulgence towards sin. On the contrary, it is precisely in the light of the Kingdom that the sin of anyone approaching it becomes more clearly visible than ever. The point is that those entering the Kingdom are given a chance to begin everything anew. With a blank page. And to write on that page their new life—a life that will become part of the Kingdom. And a path of salvation.