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Raphael: St Paul Before the Proconsul, 1515 |
I’ve been asked to
open a Bible study on Acts 13:4-12 and decided to take the opportunity to share some of the thoughts
that arise.
These nine verses mark the beginning of what is often called
Paul’s first missionary journey, which began in Syrian Antioch. They relate the story of Elymas the magician.
It is unclear whether “magician” in this context means that Elymas gave wise counsel, knew a
few parlour tricks or actually possessed genuine demonic power. The word magos, which the KJV translates “sorcerer”,
is also translated “wise men” when Matthew employs it to describe those who
came to worship the Lord Jesus as a baby (I suspect Matthew uses magos to mean “astronomers” or “scientists” rather than those who trafficked in witchcraft). In Acts 8, however, when used to describe
Simon the magician who “amazed people with his magic”, it clearly speaks of
gimmickry or something much worse.
In any case, Elymas had an encounter with the hand of the Lord that did not
go as expected.