Episode 11

Overview: Caiaphas tries to unite the Jews, but the Zealots forge their own alliance. Joanna pays the price for her evangelism. Philip meets a foreign traveler who’s asking important questions. And Peter pays a visit to the dearly departed Tabitha.

Bible Connections: Acts 8:26-38; 9:36-42.

Other Sources: We know from history that Jewish leaders like Caiaphas were in a difficult position, trying to keep peace with the Romans while preserving the sanctity of the Temple and Jewish traditions.

Dramatic Imagination: Bible students have long wondered why the Ethiopian eunuch was traveling home from Jerusalem with a scroll. This series creates a plausible answer. Dating back to the Queen of Sheba, there was a long-standing relationship between Jews and Ethiopians, so it’s no surprise that the African queen would send an emissary. Whether he would supply weapons to the resistance, that’s a matter of dramatic imagination.

Entry

• What’s your impression of the Ethiopian eunuch? What motivates him? What is he seeking?
• How do you think Peter felt after raising Tabitha?
• If you were to write a story based on just one of the many characters in this episode, who would it be? Who seems most interesting to you?

Dig Deeper

• Why would God want to take Philip away from a successful ministry among the Samaritans—and out to a desert road to meet one guy? Doesn’t that seem counter-productive?
• What was the Ethiopian confused about? What was he asking Philip? What eventually made him want to commit to Jesus?
• Imagine yourself as one of Tabitha’s friends or relatives, back home in Joppa. How do you feel when she dies, when Peter shows up and when she comes back to life?

Takeaway

• Consider how spiritual power is seen in these episodes. Powerful preaching, yes, and sometimes an angel or a supernatural wind—but how did God’s power affect the centurion or the Ethiopian? And how does God show his power in your life—through grand displays or quiet words?
• Why would Jesus choose an illiterate fisherman to lead his church? How was Peter prepared for this task? As you consider your own calling, do you ever feel ill-equipped to do what God wants? But take a second look and see how God might have been equipping you, like Peter, in unlikely ways.
• Remember back around episode 4, when Peter and John were getting arrested every day. The Bible tells us that the council considered them “unschooled, ordinary men,” but they also “took note that these men had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13). How did being with Jesus prepare them for the task ahead of them? Now, as you consider your calling, how can you spend time with Jesus?