The Readings: Numbers 27:12-23; Acts 19:1-22; Mark 1:14-20

In today’s second reading Luke summarizes Paul’s stay in Ephesus. The Lectionary assigns vv.11-20; since we’re reading through Romans, it may be useful to read vv.1-22, and wonder how Luke’s portrait might relate to our encounter with Paul as author of Romans. For example, Paul describes the gospel as “the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith” (1:16), and toward the end of the letter says “For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to win obedience from the Gentiles, by word and deed, by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and as far around as Illyricum I have fully proclaimed the good news of Christ” (15:18-19). Perhaps Luke’s portrait gives us some idea of the sorts of experiences of power that lie behind Paul’s words.

What do you see?