I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Acts 19-20.

    One of the more common ideas about Christianity is that it was Paul who created Christianity as a separate religion from Judaism. However, throughout the Book of Acts, whenever Paul went to a new town he preached in the local synagogue until those with the influence to do so made him unwelcome. Reading today’s passage made me realize that even those Jews who did not accept Christ viewed Christianity as merely a sect of Judaism. Luke describes a group of Jewish exorcists who attempted to use the name of Jesus to cast out demons. Clearly these Jewish men considered Jesus and Paul to be members of the Jewish faith. The results of their actions led many to recognize the dangers, and sinfulness, of occult and pagan worship practices. I suspect that the response to this incident was what created Demetrius’ concern about his business. As an aside, when the rioters gathered in the amphitheater, Paul wanted to go in and address them, but those who knew him begged him not to do so. Coming back to my main point, when Paul addressed the Ephesian elders on his trip to Jerusalem he told them that he had one message for both Jews and Gentiles. I believe that Paul preached throughout his ministry that Christianity was the natural progression of Judaism, that a full and genuine faith in Judaism would lead one to follow Jesus.