Tent Making and Christian Life (Acts 18:1-4)
The tent-making scene in Acts 18:1-4 is the section in the book of Acts that is most frequently associated with labour. Despite the fact that this text is well-known, it is frequently interpreted excessively narrowly. In the well-known passage, Paul earns money by building tents, which he uses to sustain himself while carrying out his primary mission of preaching for Christ. However, this perspective is excessively narrow since it fails to see that the act of tent-making itself is a genuine ministry of preaching to Christ.
In line with Luke’s belief that the Spirit empowers Christians to utilize their wealth for the good of their whole community, which in turn becomes a testimony to the gospel, this is a natural conclusion.
When you consider that Paul is an instance of this Spirit-formed activity, it is rather remarkable.
The desire to sustain himself in his preaching career, however, was accompanied with a desire to offer financial assistance to the entire community.
Everything I have demonstrated to you is that through toiling one must assist the needy, keeping in mind the words of our Lord Jesus, who said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:33-35, emphasis added, Revised Standard Version) A major goal of Paul’s money-making endeavors was to assist the community in its economic development.
He does not state that everyone should follow in his footsteps when it comes to preaching.
Using compelling evidence, Ben Witherington contends that Paul is not asserting any better social rank as a result of his apostolic position, but rather that he is “going down the social ladder for the sake of Christ.”
Entrepreneur John Marsh No Longer Feels Shame for Loving God and Making Money (Click to Watch)
This means that Paul does not participate in tent manufacturing as a requirement to enable him to carry out his “true work” of preaching as a result of this experience. But Paul’s many types of employment at the sewing shop, market, synagogue, lecture hall and prison all serve as kinds of testimony in their own right. When Paul is involved in any of these situations, he is participating in God’s restoration endeavor. In any of these situations, Paul lives out his new identity in Christ for the purpose of God’s glory and out of love for his neighbors, including those who were formerly his adversaries.
His witness to Christ would have been effective even if he had not been given the gifts of preaching and apostleship; he would have been an example to others merely by the way he engaged in tent-making, toiling on behalf of the community, and working for the welfare of people in all situations.
Paul’s example, on the other hand, demonstrates that all parts of human existence should be seamless witnesses.
In reality, according to the book of Acts, Christians have just one vocation: that of bearing witness to the gospel.
It would be more correct to describe a Christian who works in a money-earning profession, such as tent manufacturing, in order to support a non-money-earning profession, such as teaching about Jesus, as “dual service” rather than “bi-vocational”—one calling, two types of service.
Similarly, in 1 Thessalonians 1:19 and 1 Corinthians 9:1-15, the apostle Paul expresses this ethic. “The Acts of the Apostles: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary,” by Ben Witherington, III (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1998), pp. 547-548.
The Tentmaker Priscilla (Acts 18:2)
Paul needed a method to sustain himself while at Corinth, and thankfully, he had a trade: he produced leather tents for the Roman government as well as for private parties who placed orders with the company. Once he arrived in Corinth, he began working alongside Priscilla and Aquila, a couple who also specialized in the manufacture of leather tents. (The Roman government needed leather tents for its military personnel to be housed on military posts around the empire. The use of a canvas tent is not recommended, especially in colder areas.
- Canvas was commonly used for boat sails in the past.) The fact that Priscilla was a Gentile (and descended from the Roman nobility) is contradicted by the fact that she married Aquila, a Jew from the Turkish region of Pontus, according to experts.
- However, the Roman emperor (during the year 51-52 A.D.) ordered that all Jews be exiled from the city of Rome.
- And it was there that they made contact with the apostle Paul.
- Six times in the New Testament, Priscilla and Aquila are named together, and in all but one of those instances, her name is listed first.
- When the Jews’ expulsion from Rome was finally ended, they were able to return to their former home in the capital city and resume their involvement in the establishment of new churches.
- When it comes to males in the Bible, we typically hear stories about complicated characters, but in Priscilla we see that women can be just as multitalented, just as diverse, and just as capable of operating in a number of settings.
Where did Paul learn to be a tentmaker?
QuestionAnswer As a tentmaker by trade, the apostle Paul relied on his earnings from this occupation to sustain himself while on his second missionary voyage in Corinth. Priscilla and Aquila were fellow tentmakers at Corinth, and “since he was a tentmaker as they were,” Paul stayed and worked alongside them. Acts 18:3–4 describes how he “reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, attempting to persuade both Jews and Greeks.” We just don’t know where Paul learnt his craft of tentmaking, and we won’t speculate.
- Knowing that Paul studied under the tutelage of Rabbi Gamaliel in Tarsus when he was a young man, we may assume that he gained an in-depth understanding of the Hebrew Scriptures (Acts 22:3).
- We also know that Tarsus, Paul’s hometown, was located in the region of Cilicia, which was well-known for goat-raising and the production of goats’ hair fabric, which was utilized for tent-making.
- It was customary procedure for Jewish rabbis to have acquired a trade during their training.
- Paul worked as a tentmaker, which was his profession.
- It’s also likely that Paul learnt about tentmaking throughout his school years and began to put his skills to use.
- In certain cases, Paul drew on his previous experience as a tentmaker in order to avoid becoming a burden on the churches he was fostering and to prevent allegations that he was preaching for financial gain.
- You understand that these hands of mine have met my own needs as well as the needs of my comrades,” says Paul in Acts 20:33–34.
- His primary concentration was on proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ (see 1 Corinthians 2:2).
- It is pointed out by author E.
- In the ancient Greco-Roman civilization, it required a long time to create the necessary contacts in order to obtain the requisite authorization to conduct business in a city, both from city officials and from the relevant guilds.
The apostle Paul was able to enter the business world on occasion, but only in situations such as those he encountered in Corinth, where he was actually assisting in an established business with an established shop with regular suppliers, owners who were members of the appropriate trade guilds, and a regular clientele” (Paul and First-Century Letter Writing: Secretaries, Composition, and Collection, InterVarsity Press, 2004, p.
170).
For example, the book of Acts makes no mention of Paul’s journey to Arabia before commencing his ministry; we don’t hear about this story until Paul addresses it in his epistle to the Galatians, which we read in the New Testament.
Questions about Biblical Characters Return to: Questions about Biblical Characters Where did Paul receive his training as a tentmaker?
Subscribe to the
Get our Question of the Week emailed to your inbox every weekday morning! Got Questions Ministries is a trademark of Got Questions Ministries, Inc., registered in the state of California in the year 2002. All intellectual property rights are retained. Policy Regarding Personal Information The information on this page was last updated on January 4, 2022.
What is a Tentmaker?
Tentmaking is a topic that is being discussed by more individuals than ever before today. So the question is: How do we answer it? We will use the Apostle Paul as an example. Tents were built by him and his co-laborers, Priscilla and Aquila, while they worked toward their principal purpose, which was the propagation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Acts 18:1-5). Paul, on the other hand, is not the only one who employs the technique of tentmaking. New Testament records indicate that Paul labored in Galatia, Corinth, Thessalonica, and Ephesus, among other locations (1 Th.
- 3:7-8; Acts 20:31-35; 1 Cor.
- He relied on his ability to construct tents to get him into some of the most difficult mission fields and into regions dominated by business, such as Corinth, where he served.
- While in Corinth, Paul spoke on Sabbath in the synagogue and worked as a Tentmaker during the week, conversing with merchants and travelers about the gospel of Jesus Christ.
- His line of work brought him into regular, day-to-day interaction with merchants and other passengers.
- Anybody seriously believe that Paul spent his days working at his craft and never shared the Gospel with any of the people who came to him for his services?
- According to our understanding, Paul was known as a Tentmaker among the Corinthians.
- As a result, his trade in Corinth was a tool that allowed him to have more opportunities to communicate the saving love of Jesus Christ with others during the week and even on Sabbath in the synagogue.
- As a Christian man or woman, a Tentmaker is a devoted and spiritually mature Christian who sees his or her job in the context of the Great Commission and as an opportunity to serve the Kingdom of God.
Consequently, work is a critical component of Christianwitness since it provides a considerable way of creating connections, credibility, and ministry situations in a timely manner. A Tentmaker can do the following:
- Work as an employee for a corporation
- Work as a teacher in a school or educational institution Work in the government sector
- Own (or just operate) a business
Tentmaking is an interesting area of mission work because it provides opportunity to reach individuals who are otherwise inaccessible with the Gospel in novel and creative ways. The term “inaccessible people” can apply to individuals who live un primitive conditions and adhere to another faith, such as Islam, or it can refer to those who are successful in their professional life but who do not appear to be open to the Gospel. In some mission fields, like as Europe or Japan, tentmaking may be quite effective, especially in areas that have lately shown to be tough.
- 1) It allows admission into the majority of nations in the world, particularly those that are believed to have limited access.
- Many of these same nations accept foreign people to live and work inside their borders, and in some cases, actively recruit them to do so.
- Secondly, it gives opportunity to establish natural working contacts with others in the same field of business both overseas and in countries with open and restricted access to the internet.
- Furthermore, the time required for preparation is significantly reduced by the use of tentmaking.
- Tentmaking is one of our greatest bets for assembling a sufficient (and improved) missions force.
- TENTMAKERS are not necessarily all laborers for Christ in cross-cultural contexts.
- It is possible to argue that all Christians should have such a goal, but this is not the case in practice.
In fact, from now till the end of the ages, I will be with you at all times.
Many people involved in the work of ministry (Eph 4:11-12) in any local church are not ordained pastors by profession.
Because of this, persons who do not exhibit a personal commitment to and capacity to participate in the work of the ministry in their local churches are not appropriate candidates to serve as Tentmakingmissionaries in their own countries.
There is a lot of encouragement waiting for you if you take up the position of Tentmaker.
Just as the Bible would be meaningless if it did not contain the subject of grace, your life would be meaningless if it did not have a driving passion to share God’s Grace and invest in others.
2:15).
As Paul did, use the abilities that God has given you to assist others in coming to a saving understanding of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
A biblical example in Paul, as well as a commission from Jesus Christ to create disciples, are both available to you.
Traditional mission activities, as well as tentmaking, have a place in the world.
We are acknowledging that God leads the majority of His children into a trade while also training them for the work of the ministry through the promotion ofTentmakingmissions.
Some of them are preparing to enter the worldwide job force as Tentmakers, while others are being equipped and called to vocational ministry by the Lord (Ex 35:30-36:2).
Tentmaking – Wikipedia
Seetent for information about the movable shelter. See Khayamiya for more on the Tentmakers of Cairo. Generalized tentmaking refers to the efforts of any Christian who, despite devoting their lives to the ministry of the Gospel, receives little or no compensation for Church labor and instead undertakes other (“tentmaking”) tasks to maintain their family and other obligations. To be more specific, tentmaking might refer to a type of worldwide Christian evangelism in which missionaries support themselves by working full-time in the marketplace using their talents and education, rather than getting financial assistance from a church.
History
Peter and other apostles in the early Christian Church devoted themselves entirely to their religious ministry and lived off the money donated by Church members (see Acts 4:34-37), whereas Paul worked outside the Churches he founded because he did not want to be a financial burden on the young Churches he helped to establish. According to Paul, he and his colleagues “labored and toiled night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you” during their time in Thessalonica, according to the Bible (2 Thessalonians3:8).
He also anticipated that by refusing to take financial help, he would increase his reputation among non-Christians, giving him a better opportunity of converting more of them to Christianity (See1 Corinthians9, particularly verse 12).
Tentmaking is not simply about financial assistance; it is also about community involvement.
Modern times
Recently, William Carey (1761-1831), widely regarded as the founder of modern evangelical Christian missions, was a tentmaker in India, where he also worked as a factory owner and university professor in addition to his missionary duties. He died in 1831. At the time, international mission work was a novel and contentious concept in the Church, and tentmaking was the only means by which Carey could support his work. Thousands of Christian missionaries have followed in his footsteps in order to sustain themselves while serving in foreign countries.
Governments hostile to Christianity frequently allow well-qualified teachers, doctors, computer technicians, and engineers to work in their countries, regardless of whether or not these men and women are Christians themselves.
The term “working clergy” is used in the Catholic and Orthodox churches to refer to men who, whether assigned to a parish or not, are responsible for their own financial well-being.
In the Orthodox Church, Saint Luke (Voino-Yasenetsky), Bishop of Simferopol and Crimea, who continued to work as a surgeon and medical doctor after his ordination, is a well-known example of a working priest.
Digital times, blogging
Today, an increasing number of non-ministers and ministry professionals are spending time online through their blogs, and they are using them to earn an income, both passive and active, through direct advertising sales, affiliate marketing, or the promotion of other products and services related to their work outside of ministry. Some refer to them as “Digital Tentmakers” (tentblogging), while others call them “TentBloggers” (tentblogging), referring to individuals who generate money from their blogs.
See also
- Tentmakers crowdfunding website
- Today’s Tentmakers: Self-Support: An Alternative Model for Worldwide Witnessby J. Christy Wilson
- Today’s Tentmakers: Self-Support: An Alternative Model for Worldwide Witnessby J. Christy Wilson Tentmaker Group
- Working Your Way to the Nationsby Jonathan Lewis (free download)
- Tentmaking Resource Directory
- Tentmaker Group ISBN 978-1-57910-889-2
Saint Paul the Apostle
Frequently Asked Questions
What influences did St. Paul have on Christianity?
St. Paul the Apostle, originally known as Saul of Tarsus, (born 4 BCE?, Tarsus in Cilicia—died c. 62–64 CE, Rome), one of the leaders of the first generation of Christians, is often regarded as the most important figure in the history of Christianity after Jesus Christ, according to many scholars. He had many adversaries and detractors in his own day, despite the fact that he was a key player within the very small Christian movement at the time, and his contemporaries were unlikely to have accorded him the same level of respect that they did to Peter and James.
He is now considered to be one of the greatest religious leaders of all time because of the huge effect that his letters have had on future Christianity.
Sources
Approximately half of another book, Acts of the Apostles, is devoted entirely to Paul’s life and accomplishments. Paul is credited with 13 books in the New Testament, 13 of which are attributed to him. As a result, Paul and the others who came under his influence are responsible for almost half of the New Testament. Only seven of the thirteen letters, on the other hand, may be recognized as being completely legitimate (dictated by Paul himself). The others originate from disciples who wrote in his name, who frequently drew on material from his surviving letters and who may have had access to letters written by Paul that have since been lost.
It is widely agreed that the seven unquestionably important letters of Paul are the most reliable sources of information about his life and thought; they are, in the order in which they appear in the New Testament, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Philippians, 1 Thessalonians, and Philemon.
The letters Ephesians, Colossians, and 2 Thessalonians are regarded “Deutero-Pauline,” meaning they were written by Paul’s disciples after his death; 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus are called “Trito-Pauline” (probably written by members of the Pauline school a generation after his death).
St. Paul is incarcerated. St. Paul the Apostle in jail, where it is said that he composed the letter to the Ephesians, according to tradition. Photos.com/Jupiterimages is a collection of photographs taken by Jupiter.
Life
Paul was a Jewish man from Asia Minor who spoke Greek. Társus was the capital of the easternCilician province of Tarsus at the time of Paul’s birth. By the time he reached maturity, this territory had been annexed to the Roman province of Syria. Both Damascus and Antioch, which are the two most important cities in Syria, played a significant role in his life and writings. Despite the fact that his actual date of birth is uncertain, he was active as a missionary around the first centuryce’s 40s and 50s, according to tradition.
- 4 BCE), or a little later, according to this evidence.
- Paul learnt how to “work with his own hands” during his childhood and adolescence (1 Corinthians 4:12).
- Using only a few leatherworking instruments, he could travel the world and set up business anywhere he wanted.
- This, together with the fact that his letters are written in Koine, or “common” Greek, rather than in the fine literary Greek of his affluent contemporary, the Jewish scholar Philo Judaeus of Alexandria, provides further evidence that Paul was not an aristocratic figure.
- The Pharisees, a religious sect that developed during the latter Second Temple period, were Paul’s political and theological allies until around the middle of his life.
- The Pharisees believed in the existence of a life beyond death, which was one of Paul’s most deeply held beliefs.
- The Pharisees were extremely conscientious students of the Hebrew Bible, and Paul was able to cite extensively from the Greek version while he was writing his letter.
As stated by Paul himself (Philippians3:4–6, Galatians 1:13–14), he was the best Jew and best Pharisee of his generation, despite his claim to be the least apostle of Christ (2 Corinthians11:22–3, 1 Corinthians 15:9–10) and his attribution of his successes to the grace of God (Philippians3:4–6, Galatians 1:13–14).
While the exact nature of Paul’s reasoning is unknown, it appears that they had nothing to do with his Pharisaism.
Alternatively, Paul could have felt that Jewish converts to the new movement were not sufficiently observant of Jewish law, that Jewish converts mixed too freely with Gentile (non-Jewish) converts, thus associating themselves with idolatrous practices, or that the concept of a crucified Messiahwas objectionable.
- In any case, Paul’s persecutions most likely comprised traveling from synagogues to synagogues and demanding the execution of Jews who recognized Jesus as the messiah, whatever his motivations were.
- It appears that Paul began his persecutions in Jerusalem, a notion that conflicts with his claim in Galatians 1:4–17 that he did not know any of the Jerusalem believers of Christ until a long time after his own conversion.
- More precisely, Paul claims to have seen the Lord (1 Corinthians 9:1), whereas Acts reports that he saw a blindingly brilliant light near Damascus (Acts 9:1).
- He subsequently returned to Damascus, and three years later, he traveled to Jerusalem to become acquainted with the main apostles who were then in residence in the city.
- His ministry spanned around 20 years (from the mid-30s to the mid-50s), during which he built many churches in Asia Minor and at least three in Europe, including the church at Corinth.
- Paul the Apostle is a saint who lived in the first century AD.
- Hartmann Schedel’s Liber Chronicarum (Nuremberg Chronicle), published at Nuremberg in 1493, is depicted here.
- During the course of his travels, Paul understood that his preaching to Gentiles was causing problems for the Christians in Jerusalem, who believed that Gentiles had to become Jews in order to join the Christian cause.
- In order to resolve the situation, Paul traveled to Jerusalem and arranged a bargain.
Paul would not have to change his message, but he would take up a collection for the Jerusalem church, which was in desperate need of financial assistance (Galatians 2:10–10; 2 Corinthians 8–9; Romans 15:16–17, 25–26), despite the fact that Paul’s Gentile churches were not in the best of financial standing (Galatians 2:1–10; 2 Corinthians 8–9).
It is also clear that Paul and the apostles from Jerusalem struck a political pact not to intervene in each other’s zones of influence while they were together.
He was imprisoned in Jerusalem for bringing a Gentile too far into the Temple precincts, and after a series of trials, he was sentenced to death and exiled to Rome.
According to later Christian belief, he was executed there (1 Clement 5:1–7), possibly as part of the killings of Christians ordered by the Roman emperor Nero in the aftermath of the great fire that engulfed the city in 64ce.
Which apostle was a tentmaker?
Phoebe Schamberger posed the question. 4.1 out of 5 stars (19 votes) Additional views of the Apostle Paul’s tentmaking work may be found in Acts 18:1-3, 20:33-35, and Philippians 4:14-16, among other places. Tentmaking is not simply about financial assistance; it is also about community involvement. Instead, the vocational identity, along with superior performance at work and a Christ-like lifestyle, motivates coworkers to follow Christ.
Was Paul a Pharisee?
Paul identified himself as “of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; in matters of the law, a Pharisee” in his letter to the Romans. Only a few details are provided regarding Paul’s family in the Bible. According to Acts, Paul refers to himself as “a Pharisee, born of Pharisees” while referring to his family.
Did the Apostle Paul have a job?
As a tent maker, he worked with leather, and leatherwork is a rather quiet trade to be in. As a result, he might have chatted as he worked, and if he was thought to have something interesting to say, others would have stopped by from time to time to hear him out. It is quite likely that Paul used this method to promote the gospel.
Who was Apostle Paul’s assistant?
In the book of Acts, Barnabas is Paul’s closest buddy.
Who was Paul’s first convert?
He achieved considerable success at Philippi and went on to establish churches in a number of other towns, beginning with that city. In addition, Lydia was the first person in her town who came to believe in Jesus Christ, making her the first Christian conversion on the European continent. There were 34 questions that were connected.
Why is the church called Apostolic?
This Christian denomination and Pentecostal movement arose out of the Welsh Revival in 1904-1905, and is known as the Apostolic Church. When the word “Apostolic” is used to allude to the role of apostles in the denomination’s church administration, it also refers to a desire to mimic 1st century Christianity in terms of beliefs, practices, and church governance.
How many years did Paul study before preaching?
Because he was still mostly “unknown” at the time of his public ministry to the world, Paul had three years of preparation before he launched his public ministry to the world.
Was Paul really a Tentmaker?
In Thessaloniki, Paul writes that he and his companions “labored and toiled night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you” (Philippians 2:13). (2 Thessalonians 3:8). Additional insights regarding the Apostle Paul’s tentmaking work may be found in Acts 18:1-3, 20:33-35, and Philippians 4:14-16, among other places.
What is the difference between an apostle and a disciple?
While a disciple is a student who learns from a teacher, an apostle is a person who is sent to spread the teachings of Christ to others. “Apostle” is a term that refers to a messenger or someone who has been dispatched. An apostle is a person who is assigned to convey or transmit the teachings of the church to others. The phrase “all apostles were disciples” is correct; nevertheless, “all disciples are not apostles.”
Who trained Paul as a Pharisee?
Among Christians, Gamaliel is regarded as a Pharisee doctor of Jewish law, according to the Christian tradition.
Acts of the Apostles, chapter 5 describes Gamaliel as a man held in high regard by all Jews, and in Acts 22:3 he is identified as the Jewish law teacher of Paul the Apostle.
What did Jesus say about the Pharisees?
“Wrath on you, professors of the law and Pharisees, you hypocritical hypocrites! You have locked the door on the kingdom of heaven in the sight of mortals. You yourself will not enter, and you will not let those who are attempting to enter to do so.” Wrath on you, professors of the law and Pharisees, you hypocritical hypocrites!
What does Paul call the Pharisees?
Then, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and some Pharisees, Paul yelled out in the Sanhedrin, “Sadducees, Pharisees!” “My brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee, and I was raised as a Pharisee. I’m standing trial because I believe in the resurrection of the dead, and this is why.”
What was Jesus’s wife’s name?
Mary Magdalene is the wife of Jesus.
What did Jesus say to his apostles?
“If someone wishes to follow me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me,” Jesus said to his followers. In other words, whomever wishes to save his or her life will lose it, but whoever wishes to give his or her life for me will find it. When a guy acquires the whole world, but loses his soul, what is the point of having everything?
What are the three qualifications for apostleship?
In your opinion, what were the three requirements for apostleship? I saw Jesus after he had been raised from the dead. Was endowed with supernatural abilities by the Holy Spirit./ Jesus or the Holy Spirit has chosen them.
Was Jesus actually a carpenter?
Now, obviously, Jesus finally adopted the profession of “Rabbi” or teacher, therefore he was not a carpenter in the traditional sense, regardless of translation. However, it is assumed from Mark 6:2-3 that he was, like his step-father, a “carpenter,” as the word is typically interpreted, throughout his formative years.
What is Digital tent making?
A Digital Tentmaker is someone who generates revenue via the use of the internet and electronic media in addition to their regular full-time job. In the blogging world, a TentBlogger is someone who makes a livelihood and earns an income by blogging in addition to their regular full-time job.
What lessons can we learn from the life of Paul?
Paul the Apostle Has Taught Us 5 Important Lessons.
- He didn’t live to please other people. Paul writes in Galatians 1:10, ” This sentence made me laugh because Paul came across as cocky. But Paul was also modest, unselfish, and focused on God’s purpose in his life. He lived with eternity in mind
- And he was a man who loved God and served others.
How long did the Apostle Paul stay in Tarsus?
It takes the apostle Paul four years to return to Tarsus, where he was born. God, speaking through the Prophet Agabus in Antioch, announces that a three-year famine would take place (Acts 11:27-28).
Is the church still Apostolic?
A genuine Apostolic Succession, as well as the faithful transmission of the Gospel in all of its truth and purity, are both claimed by the Evangelical Catholic Church.
What are the rules of Apostolic Church?
a: According to Synan, the Apostolic Pentecostals are the most rigorous of all of the Pentecostal denominations. They abstain from the use of alcoholic beverages and cigarettes, as do the majority of Pentecostals. They don’t usually watch television or go to the movies either. Women who practice Apostolic Pentecostalism likewise dress in long gowns and do not trim their hair or put on cosmetics, as do males.
What is the difference between Apostolic and Pentecostal?
Among the differences between Pentecostal and Apostolic views is the belief in the Holy Trinity, or three distinct forms of God, whereas Apostolic churches were formerly affiliated with Pentecostal churches but later separated and believe in just one God.
The term “Pentecostal” refers to someone who is a member of a Pentecostal congregation.
Did Jesus have a last name?
When Jesus was born, there was no indication of his last name. He was known only by his given name, Jesus, and not by his biological father, Joseph, and while he acknowledged Joseph as his earthly father, he recognized a greater father from whom he was descended. Due to the fact that he was born of his mother’s womb, he is sometimes referred to as Jesus of Mary.
Who is Lucifer’s father?
Historically, Lucifer was described as “the mythical son of Aurora and Cephalus, and the father of Ceyx.” In poetry, he was frequently depicted as ushering the coming of day. Lucifer is the Latin term that corresponds to the Greek name Phosphoros.
Acts 18:3 and he stayed and worked with them because they were tentmakers by trade, just as he was.
New International Version (New International Version) and because he was a tentmaker like them, he stayed with them and worked alongside them. New Living Translation (New Living Translation) Paul lived and worked beside them since they were both tentmakers, just like he. Version standardized in English Due to the fact that he was of the same craft as them, he stayed and worked with them, as they were tentmakers by trade. Berean Study Bible (also known as the Berean Study Bible) because they were tentmakers by trade, just as he was, he stayed with them and worked alongside them.
- Because their occupation was that of tentmakers.
- New The King James Version (KJV) is a translation of the King James Bible.
- The New American Standard Bible is a translation of the New Testament into English.
- In addition, because he was of the same trade as them, he chose to remain with them while they were at work; after all, they were tent-makers by trade.
- The Bible with an amplification system Due to the fact that he was of the same trade as them, he remained with them, and they worked together since they were tent manufacturers.
- Christian Standard Bible Holman Because they were tentmakers by trade, they stayed with them and worked alongside them, using the Christian Standard Bible as a translation.
- The Aramaic Bible translated into plain English Due to the fact that he was a member of their craft, he remained in their company, and he assisted them in the performance of their craft, since they were tentmakers.
- Paul was also a tent builder, so he stayed with them and collaborated with them on their projects.
The International Standard Version (ISO) is a formalized formalized formalized formalized formalized formalized formalized formalized formalized formalized formalized formalized formalized formalized formalized formalized formalized formalized formalized formalized formalized formalized formalized formalized formalized formalized formalized formalized formalized formalized formalized formalized formalized formalized formalized formalized formalized formalized formalized formalized formalized formalized formalized formalized formalized formalized formalized formalized formalized formalized formalized and because they were in the same line of work, he remained with them.
Because they were tentmakers by trade, they collaborated on projects.
Because he was employed in the same trade as them, he remained with them and continued to work with them (for they were tentmakers by trade).
Weymouth The New Testament is a collection of writings that were written during the years of ad ad ad ad ad ad ad ad ad ad ad ad ad ad ad ad ad ad ad ad ad ad ad ad ad ad ad ad ad ad ad ad Due to the fact that he was of the same trade as them, that of tent-maker, he chose to live and work with them.
- Young’s Literal Translationand because he was of the same trade as they, he remained with them and continued to work, as they were tent-makers in their trade; Translations in addition to the above.
- 2 The Jew Aquila, a native of Pontus who had lately arrived from Italy with his wife Priscilla since Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome, was the first person he came across on his journey.
- 4 he spent every Sabbath in the synagogue, attempting to encourage both Jews and Greeks to join him in his cause.
- 1 Corinthians 4:12 (New International Version) We put forth a lot of effort with our own hands.
- Don’t you think we should have even more of a right to your support if others have this right to ours?
- Instead, we are willing to put up with everything rather than obstruct the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
- Nevertheless, I have not made use of any of these privileges.
Indeed, I’d sooner die than allow someone to take away my honorable claim.
1 Corinthians 9:18 What, then, is my reward?
2 Corinthians 11:7 (New International Version) Was it a sin for me to humble myself in order to exalt you, since I provided you with free gospel preaching from the gospel of Jesus Christ?
And because he was of the same trade as them, he lived with them and worked: for by trade, they were tentmakers, and they sewed together.
1 Corinthians 4:12 (New International Version) Furthermore, we toil, laboring with our own hands: we bless those who revile us, and we suffer those who persecute us.
Or do I and Barnabas, on our own, lack the ability to abstain from working?
The profession was one that St.
The material in question was one that was used for both ship sails and tents, and on the whole, though some have speculated that leather was employed for the latter, it is more likely that this was the material at which St.
It should be noted that Pontus, the province from which Aquila sprang, was likewise well-known for the same type of production, with the raw materials in each case coming from the goats that grazed on the slopes of the Taurus and the mountain ranges of that province.
Paul had learned this trade does not appear to be at odds with the relative luxury represented by his education both as a youngster in Tarsus and as a young man at the feet of Gamaliel in Jerusalem during his formative years.
It is evident that he chose to labor for his living in this location, as he had done in Thessalonica, in order to avoid being accused of having a vested interest in his position as a schoolteacher (1Corinthians 9:15-19;2Corinthians 11:7-13).
A fresh craftsman was working for pay or as a partner, most likely the latter, as was the case later with Philemon (Philemon 1:17), in the workshop of a Jew who had lately arrived in Corinth from Rome and was not yet recognized to the outside world as anything other than a Jew.
Paul acted, which was to be “all things to all men,” and, as a result, as a Jew to Jews, as a motivation for his actions (1Corinthians 9:20).
(See the notes on Acts 21:21-24 for more information.) In the chain of ideas in 1Corinthians 9:22-25, a vow of this nature, involving for a time a greater level of asceticism than that of everyday life, serves as a connection between the Apostle’s being made “all things to all men” and his “keeping under his body, and bringing it into obedience.” In verse 3, A.V.
- ‘Tent-makers’ is a term used by Chrysostom and Theodoret to refer to tent-stitchers or tailors, which is a paraphrasing of the original.
- However, the knowledge that such a factory was taking place would also encourage those who lived in Cilicia to engage in the trade of tent-making using the cloth that had been created.
- Commentaries that run in parallel.
- He stayed for a while (emenen) A Verb in the Imperfect Indicative Active tense in the Third Person SingularStrong’s 3306 is as follows: to remain, abide, stay, or wait; with the acc: I am waiting for, I am anticipating.
- and(kai)ConjunctionStrong’s 2532: and, even more importantly, specifically.
- withπαρ’(par’) PrepositionStrong’s 3844 is as follows: The preposition comes from; the preposition comes beside, in the presence of; the preposition comes alongside of themαὐτοῖς(autois) Personal / Obsessive Orientation The pronoun – Dative Masculine is used here.
- becauseδιὰ(dia) PrepositionStrong’s 1223:A main preposition designating the channel via which an act takes place; through which they were (san) able to act.
tentmakers σκηνοποιοὶ(skēnopoioi) Noun – Nominative Masculine Form of Noun A tent-maker, according to PluralStrong’s 4635.
by profession, (technical) A noun in the Dative Feminine form.
Tikto is derived from the root tikto, which means art, or a trade or ability.
He certainly was.
I exist in the first person singular present indicative; it is a protracted form of a primary and deficient verb; it is in the first person singular present indicative.
“Tentmakers” in Minneapolis
In order for the Gentiles to observe your good actions and exalt God on the day of visitation in the event that they falsely accuse you of wrongdoing, you must maintain excellent behaviour in their presence. It is my hope that you would be inspired this morning to look at your secular vocation here in Minneapolis the same way you would look at it if you were called by God to undertake this exact same job as a “tentmaker” among an unreached people group in another part of the world.
What Is a “Tentmaker”?
Some of you may not be familiar with the term “tentmaker” or what it refers to in its most basic sense. Allow me to explain. For more than two decades, the apostle Paul journeyed across the Roman world, proclaiming the gospel and establishing new churches. Churches, as as the church at Philippi (2:25; 4:14–18), occasionally lent their support to his work. Occasionally, he even solicited assistance, such as when he requested that the Vatican assist him in funding a trip to Spain (Romans 15:24).
- However, in practice, he nearly never received money from the religious organizations.
- What did he do to supplement his income?
- So, in a way, Paul’s itinerant band of men could be described as a traveling band of merchants who worked when they had to, manufacturing, mending, and selling tents when the opportunity presented itself.
- As a result, they are referred to as “tentmakers.”
- A tentmaker nowadays is a person who makes a living in another culture in order to bring the reality of Jesus Christ to the public’s attention and to help him establish his church. An example of a tentmaker is someone who believes that Christians should be involved in hundreds of secular occupations, but who feels that the product or service he or she is delivering is always secondary to the impact he or she has on people’s lives via his or her labor. A tentmaker has focused his attention on items that will last forever
- He now understands that gaining money, receiving promotions, and becoming well-known are at best secondary means to what truly matters in eternity, namely, God being praised and others coming to know and trust him. As a result, tentmakers take a look at the cities of unreached peoples where there aren’t any churches and no Christians, and they sense God’s call to go to these towns and live and work there in order to bring the light of knowledge of God’s grandeur to those who haven’t yet heard the gospel.
Tentmaking as a Strategy to Reach the Unreached
Let’s use the Sultanate of Oman as an example. It is a tiny nation with a population of 1.2 million people located near the mouth of the Persian Gulf. Ibadi Islam is the official religion of the country. Patrick Johnstone thinks that there are perhaps 40 indigenous Christians living in two tiny Arabic-speaking communities in the area. Earlier this summer, I received a letter from Ruth Siemens informing me of the chances in Oman. Ruth leads Global Opportunities, a non-profit organization in Pasadena, California.
- That exemplifies how anti-Western their views were.
- Then read the next line, which discusses tentmaking options in this so-called closed country.
- We would be overjoyed if there were only twenty of them!
- He has created a significant opening in the wall!
- (From a letter written in July 1988.) This is how the letter comes to a close.
- Imagine!
- As part of our broader plan to reach unreached people groups, this must be included!
- Second, because the expense of sending vocational missionaries is increasing at an alarming rate.
- For the fourth reason, Christians who live their lives for Christ in the secular workplace serve as important role models for new believers in these unreached people groups.
- It would need extensive training and strength, as well as a regular recommitment under the constraints of the workplace and a new cultural environment.
When I think about Bethlehem adopting a mindset in which it is simply assumed that we will train and send both vocational missionaries and tentmakers, and that we will support them with the kind of prayer and inspirational communication that will ensure that they do not fail, I get very excited about the prospect.
Tentmaking and the Twin Cities
What I’m telling you is so that you can begin to see the link that God has been establishing in me, which is the relationship between tentmaking and Minneapolis (or the Twin Cities). In the Twin Cities, there are probably over 1,000 Christian congregations to choose from. Let’s suppose the number is 1500. Assume that each of these churches had an average of 300 persons in attendance every weekend, which is a rather high estimate considering that the majority of the churches are much smaller. Weekend attendance at worship services in the Twin Cities is around 450,000 persons.
On any given Saturday, that would imply that 77 percent of the population of the Twin Cities (1,550,000 people) is not attending church.
And just as many of those who are present are not genuine believers in Christ.
If you ask, “What is God’s plan for winning these folks over?” you will receive the answer, “tentmaking.” In other words, God wants you to think about your employment in terms of its strategic impact on bringing him to the attention of others.
Five Ways to Make God Known at Work
It occurs to me that there are at least five things—five ways to make God known via your secular job—and that all of them are significant. Because of the absence of one of them, the testimony to Christ’s truth is jeopardized.
- First and foremost, the excellence of the products or services you provide in your job reflects the excellence and greatness of God
- Second, the standards of integrity you adhere to in your job reflects the integrity and holiness of God
- And third, the excellence of the products or services you provide in your job reflects the excellence and greatness of God. Third, the love you demonstrate for others in your professional life reflects God’s love for them. Fourth, the way you manage the money you earn from your employment demonstrates the importance of God as compared to other things. (5) Your public declaration of the truth of Christ opens up a door to all of these things in your life and the prospect of these things in the lives of others.
When it comes to evangelizing the Twin Cities, “tentmakers” are likely to be the most effective means of doing so. And for some of you, that will include reevaluating why you are in the position you are in today. It will imply a renewed commitment to accomplish in Minneapolis and St. Paul what we want to accomplish by sending tentmakers to Muscat, the capital of Oman.
The Biblical Basis: Three Points
So, in order to encourage you to proceed with this rethinking of your calling, I’d want to provide you with a biblical foundation for considering yourselves to be tentmakers in the city of Minneapolis. Three fundamental principles from 1 Peter. 1. The Chosen People of God You are God’s chosen people because you are followers of Christ. 1 Peter 2:9, 10 (NASB): However, you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and the people of God. (9 ) Once you were not God’s people, but now you are God’s people; once you were not merciful, but now you are merciful.
- The enormous Old Testament promises granted to Israel, on the other hand, are applicable to us converted gentiles.
- God has, however, extended grace to us, and we have been selected by him to be his own people.
- You have received something extraordinarily significant from God in your life.
- You were convinced.
- That is the first pillar of your calling as a tentmaker in Minneapolis, and it is the most important.
- The Presence of Aliens and Exiles Around the World You are strangers and exiles in this world because you are God’s people.
- They are foreigners from Iran, India, Pakistan, the United Kingdom, the United States, and other countries.
They aren’t entirely at ease with their surroundings.
And that’s the perspective from which we’re expected to perceive ourselves in connection to the world as it currently exists in sin.
This was a word used to refer to Jews who were dispersed outside of their ancestral country of Israel.
Moreover, if you name as Father him who judges each one impartially according to his acts, you must maintain a fearful attitude during your exile.
The apostle Peter writes in 1 Peter 2:11:Beloved, I implore you on behalf of all strangers and exiles to refrain from the desires of the body, which wage war against your soul.
It implies that your soul is God’s property, and that there are powers in this world who are conducting a war against your soul with the goal of capturing it from God and destroying it as soon as possible.
3.
The Bible says in 1 Peter 2:9 that you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and God’s own people, and that you have been called to proclaim the wondrous acts of the one who called you out of darkness into his glorious light (NIV).
In order for the Gentiles to observe your good actions and exalt God on the day of visitation in the event that they falsely accuse you of wrongdoing, you must maintain excellent behaviour in their presence.
To do this, you must work and live in such a manner that the secular world of Minneapolis will be driven, sooner or later, to acknowledge that God was real in you and that he is wonderful.
Summary
To summarize, I’ll use the word “tentmaking” to describe the simple foundation for your thinking about your employment in the Twin Cities.
- In the first place, you are God’s chosen people because you are believers in Christ
- In the second place, you are foreigners and exiles in the secular world because you are God’s people. The third reason you should be there is that God wants you to be there (1 Peter 2:13), and he wants your reasons for being there to be distinct from those of people around you:
- The quality of your products or services
- The standards of your honesty
- The love you exhibit to others
- The manner in which you spend your pay
- And the vocal testimonial you provide.
All of this will be done to demonstrate to others your devotion to God and your desire for them to come to know him, believe in him, and ultimately be saved. Would you mind taking a moment to consider your own personal objectives? What is it about your career that you enjoy? Do you have the attitude of a tentmaker, believing that whatever it takes to make Christ known will be done? Perhaps you would want to pray and rededicate yourself to this wonderful calling as the organ plays in the background.
