My Favorite Verses - Vol V (Feb 17 to Jun 17)
An illustrated collection of brief commentaries on some of the Bible’s most beloved (and some of its least understood) passages, parables, verses & sayings
An illustrated collection of brief commentaries on some of the Bible’s most beloved (and some of its least understood) passages, parables, verses & sayings
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Acts 7:48 … To dwell in Holier Houses<br />
(06/09/20<strong>17</strong>)<br />
“Yet the Most High does not dwell<br />
in houses made with human hands.”<br />
~ Paul (Acts 7:48)<br />
Actually, this verse receives both a “Yes” and a “No” from me – a “No” in<br />
the sense that “the Most High” is the seemingly celestial Essence of Oneness that<br />
permeates everything around us; including everything that happens <strong>to</strong> be found<br />
within any holy houses made by human hands … And yet this verse also gets a<br />
smiling “Yes” in the sense that the one “house” where the Most High actually<br />
does dwell is the body of every sentient being (see John 14:20-26 & John 15:26 &<br />
Luke <strong>17</strong>:20-21 & Hebrews 3:16 & 1 Corinthians 3:16 et al), a “house” most certainly<br />
not “made by human hands” (at least not in the sense that Paul is implying here) …<br />
Of course, far more importantly than where we might find this Holy Essence –<br />
this “Most High” – is the fact that Paul fully misunders<strong>to</strong>od what it was; that for<br />
him God was a celestial overlord who looked down upon us all from “on high”<br />
(see Romans 7:4, 1 Corinthians 2:11, 2 Corinthians 1:10, 1 Corinthians 15:23-25, 2<br />
Corinthians 9:10-11, Philippians 4:6 & Philippians 4:19 et al), while Jesus continually<br />
reminded us of a very differently godhead – a heavenly Father composed of<br />
perfect Love (see Matthew 5:48 & 1 John 4:8 et al), a heavenly Father who<br />
embodied the essence of the Holy Spirit within us (see Matthew 12:31-33, John<br />
3:3-8, John 14:20-26 et al), a<br />
heavenly Father who never judged<br />
from “on high” (see Matthew 18:21-<br />
22, John 5:22, John 8:15 & John<br />
12:47 et al) but who rather<br />
perpetually extended “grace upon<br />
grace” <strong>to</strong> all of us from within (see<br />
Luke 6:36 & John 1:1-8+16 et al).<br />
Amen … Let it be so.<br />
P.S. Note as well Paul is being hypocritical here – seemingly denigrating<br />
Jewish religious authorities, even though he almost exclusively preached <strong>to</strong> devout<br />
Jews during his missions (see Acts 9:20, Acts 13, Acts 15:21, Acts <strong>17</strong>:2, Acts 19:8 et<br />
al) – and this despite the fact that he had apparently been Called <strong>to</strong> preach <strong>to</strong> the<br />
Gentiles (see Acts 9:15 & Acts 22:21 et al), and this even though he openly outed<br />
himself as a Pharisee on more than one occasion (see Acts 23:6 & Philippians 3:5).<br />
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