Medjugorje Forum

This is the last entry from the Acts of the Apostles. In this entry Paul was talking to King Agrippa of his life before his conversion. After Paul's witnessing, he is released from custody. Ultimately Paul went to Rome where he lived for two years. We don't know more about his life after this.
299. Acts of the Apostles 26:4-10 My manner of living from my youth, a life spent from the beginning among my people and in Jerusalem, all [the] Jews know. They have known about me from the start, if they are willing to testify, that I have lived my life as a Pharisee, the strictest party of our religion. But now I am standing trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our ancestors. Our twelve tribes hope to attain to that promise as they fervently worship God day and night; and on account of this hope I am accused by Jews, O king. Why is it thought unbelievable among you that God raises the dead? I myself once thought that I had to do many things against the Name of Jesus the Nazorean, and I did so in Jerusalem. I imprisoned many of the holy ones with the authorization I received from the chief priests, and when they were to be put to death I cast my vote against them.

The next part of the Bible are a series of letters, many of them written by Paul to members of the churches that he helped start along the coastal areas of the Mediterranean Sea. They are known as letters, but another term for them are epistles. There is a pattern to many of Paul's letters. First, he offers a greeting of grace and peace to the reader. Then Paul offers thanksgiving to God for the new Christians and may include intercessory prayers for them. Then Paul may address some doctrinal or practical issues that he has been made aware of with respect to the individual communities to whom he is writing. The letter to the Romans was written to the church community in Rome before Paul had ever even been there.
300. Letter to the Romans 1: 5-7 Through Him (Jesus) we have received the grace of apostleship, to bring about the obedience of faith, for the sake of His Name, among all the Gentiles, among whom you are also, who are called to belong to Jesus Christ; to all the beloved of God in Rome, called to be holy. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the LORD Jesus Christ.

301. Paul warns Christians against hypocrisy
Letter to the Romans 2:17-24 Now if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the Law and boast of God and know His Will and are able to discern what is important since you are instructed from the Law, and if you are confident that you are a guide for the blind and a light for those in darkness, that you are a trainer of the foolish and teacher of the simple, because in the Law you have the formulation of knowledge and truth- then you who teach another, are you failing to teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? You who forbid adultery, do you commit adultery? You who detest idols, do you rob temples? You who boast of the Law, do you dishonor God by breaking the Law? For, as it is written, "Because of you the Name of God is reviled among the Gentiles (Isaiah 52:5)."

302. God's plan for Jews and Gentiles
Letter to the Romans 9: 14-18
What then are we to say? Is there injustice on the part of God? Of course not! For He says to Moses: "I will show mercy to whom I will, I will take pity on whom I will." So it depends not upon a person's will or exertion, but upon God, Who shows mercy. For the scripture says to Pharaoh, "This is why I have raised you up, to show My power through you that My Name may be proclaimed throughout the earth." Consequently, He has mercy upon whom He wills, and He hardens whom He wills.

303. Letter to the Romans 10: 12-13 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same LORD is LORD of all, enriching all who call upon Him. For "everyone who calls on the Name of the LORD will be saved."

304. Letter to the Romans 15: 7-9 Welcome one another, then, as Christ welcomed you, for the glory of God. For I say that Christ became a Minister of the circumcised to show God's truthfulness, to confirm the promises to the patriarchs, but so that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy. As it is written: "Therefore, I will praise You among the Gentiles and sing praises to Your Name."

305. Letter to the Romans 15: 20 Thus I aspire to proclaim the Gospel not where Christ has already been Named, so that I do not build on another's foundation, but as it is written: "Those who have never been told of Him shall see, and those who have never heard of Him shall understand."

306. First Letter to the Corinthians 1:1-3 Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the Will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, to the Church of God that is in Corinth, to you who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be holy, with all those everywhere who call upon the Name of our LORD Jesus Christ, their LORD and ours. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the LORD Jesus Christ.

307. First Letter to the Corinthians 1: 10 I urge you, brothers, in the Name of our LORD Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and in the same purpose.

308. This part of the letter to the Corinthians addresses a problem in the community where they were filing lawsuits against one another for misdeeds, Paul urged them not to.

First Letter to the Corinthians 6: 7-11 Now indeed [then] it is, in any case, a failure on your part that you have lawsuits against one another. Why not rather put up with injustice? Why not rather let yourselves be cheated? Instead, you inflict injustice and cheat, and this to brothers. Do you not know that the unjust will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators nor idolators nor adulterers nor boy prostitutes nor practicing homosexuals nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor robbers will inherit the Kingdom of God. That is what some of you used to be; but now you have had yourselves washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the Name of the LORD Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.

The next two letters contain no references to the holy Name.

309. Letter to the Ephesians 5: 15-20 Watch carefully then how you live, not as foolish persons but as wise, making the most of the opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not continue in ignorance, but try to understand what is the Will of the LORD. And do not get drunk on wine, in which lies debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another [in] psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and playing to the LORD in your hearts, giving thanks always and for everything in the Name of our LORD Jesus Christ to God the Father.

310. You will hear part of this entry proclaimed every year during the Mass readings on Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday readings exalt the holy Name. This reading was also proclaimed just recently at the Sunday Mass on October 1, it happens to be one of my favorites.
Letter to the Philippians 2: 5-11 Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus, Who, though He was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, He emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, He humbled Himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted Him and bestowed upon Him the Name that is above every name, that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is LORD, to the glory of God the Father.
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I just want to add some commentary to this passage. Paul tells us that we should glorify the Name of Jesus. Paul recommends all creation should genuflect at the sound of His Holy Name. While many may find it difficult to carry out this recommendation, there is another subtle and pious way to honor the holy Name of Jesus. You may have noticed some holy ones or priests or whomever do this or you may already do this yourself, but it is the slight bow of the head or nod of the head when you speak or hear the Name of Jesus. It is a beautiful way to show glory to the holy Name.

311. Letter to the Colossians 3:16-17 Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly, as in all Wisdom you teach and admonish one another, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the Name of the LORD Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

The First Letter to the Thessalonians contains no references to the Name of the LORD.
The Second Letter to the Thessalonians has a portion in it (Chapter 2) where Paul describes what will happen before the LORD's coming from Heaven into the world again. It is good to read it and remember (I will post it after #312).
312. Second Letter to the Thessalonians 1:11-12 To this end, we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of His calling and powerfully bring to fulfillment every good purpose and every effort of faith, that the Name of our LORD Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in Him, in accord with the grace of our God and LORD Jesus Christ.
Chapter 2 We ask you brothers, with regard to the coming of our LORD Jesus Christ and our assembling with Him, not to be shaken out of your minds suddenly, or to be alarmed either by a "spirit," or by an oral statement, or by a letter allegedly from us to the effect that the day of the LORD is at hand. Let no one deceive you in any way. For unless the apostasy comes first and the lawless one is revealed, the one doomed to perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god and object of worship, so as to seat himself in the temple of God, claiming that he is a god- do you not recall that while I was still with you I told you these things? And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. But the one who restrains is to do so only for the present, until he is removed from the scene. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the LORD [Jesus] will kill with the breath of His Mouth and render powerless by the manifestation of His coming, the one (antichrist) whose coming springs from the power of satan in every mighty deed and in signs and wonders that lie, and in every wicked deceit for those who are perishing because they have not accepted the love of truth so that they may be saved. Therefore, God is sending them a deceiving power so that they may believe the lie, that all who have not believed the truth but have approved wrongdoing may be condemned.
But we ought to give thanks to God for you always, brothers loved by the LORD, because God chose you as the firstfruits for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in truth. To this end He has [also] called you through the Gospel to possess the glory of our LORD Jesus Christ. Therefore, brothers, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught, either by an oral statement or by a letter of ours.
May our LORD Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting encouragement and good hope through His grace, encourage your hearts and strengthen them in every good deed and word.

313. Second Letter to the Thessalonians 3: 6-10 We instruct you, brothers, in the Name of [our] LORD Jesus Christ, to shun any brother who conducts himself in a disorderly way and not according to the tradition they received from us. For you know how one must imitate us. For we did not act in a disorderly way among you, nor did we eat food received free from anyone. On the contrary, in toil and drudgery, night and day we worked, so as not to burden any of you. Not that we do not have the right. Rather, we wanted to present ourselves as a model for you, so that you might imitate us. In fact, when we were with you, we instructed you that if anyone was unwilling to work, neither should that one eat.

The letters of Paul to Timothy were written when Paul was advanced in years to a much younger Timothy. Paul gave pastoral advice and encouragement in ministry with detailed instructions for church organization and life.
314. First Letter to Timothy 6:1 Those who are under the yoke of slavery must regard their masters as worthy of full respect, so that the Name of God and our teaching may not suffer abuse.

315. Second Letter to Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands, bearing this inscription, "The LORD knows those who are His"; and "Let everyone who calls upon the Name of the LORD avoid evil."

The next two letters contain no references to the Name of the LORD and that completes the letters written by Paul.
Scholars can not be certain of who wrote the letter to the Hebrews. The letter exalts Christ in His superiority.
316. Letter to the Hebrews 1: 1-4 In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways to our ancestors through the prophets; in these last days, He spoke to us through a Son, Whom He made Heir of all things and through Whom He created the universe, Who is the refulgence of His glory, the very imprint of His Being, and Who sustains all things by His mighty Word. When He had accomplished purification from sins, He took His seat at the right Hand of the Majesty on high, as far superior to the angels as the Name He has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

317. Letter to the Hebrews 2: 11-12 He who consecrates and those who are being consecrated all have one origin. Therefore he is not ashamed to call them "brothers," saying, "I will proclaim Your Name to my brothers, in the midst of the assembly I will praise You."

318. Letter to the Hebrews 6:10 For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love you have demonstrated for His Name by having served and continuing to serve the holy ones.

319. Letter to the Hebrews 11: 17-18 By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was ready to offer his only son, of whom it was said, "Through Isaac descendants shall bear Your Name."

320. Letter to the Hebrews 13: 15 Through Him [then] let us continually offer God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips that confess His Name.

The Letter of James has been called 'the Proverbs of the New Testament because it is written in the moralistic style of wisdom literature.'
321. Letter of James 2: 5-7 Listen, my beloved brothers. Did not God choose those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom that He promised to those who love Him? But you dishonored the poor person. Are not the rich oppressing you? And do they themselves not haul you off to court? Is it not they who blaspheme the noble Name that was invoked over you?

322. Letter of James 5: 8-10 You too must be patient. Make your hearts firm, because the coming of the LORD is at hand. Do not complain, brothers, about one another, that you may not be judged. Behold, the Judge is standing before the gates. Take as an example of hardship and patience, brothers, the prophets who spoke in the Name of the LORD.

323. Letter of James 5:13-15 Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone in good spirits? He should sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the presbyters of the church, and they should pray over him and anoint [him] with oil in the Name of the LORD, and the prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the LORD will raise him up. If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven.