I grew up in a time when debating was popular. I did not participate in it but was instructed to look up to those who were great at debating. What I never liked about the whole thing was that it always seemed like an excuse for good people to argue. As I grew I also was frustrated with the message it sent to those who were "outsiders looking in". It seemed to give us a reputation of bickering; in the process it spawned the understanding that anyone that does not agree with me is my opponent or enemy.
This text has two distinct encounters, i.e., Paul with the Jewish sorcerer (obviously not a really good Jew morally but only ethnically) and the synagogue. Only the sorcerer was viewed as an enemy. He opposed Paul and tried to keep others from believing. The Jews in the synagogue were seeking to follow God; they needed more information and direction. They were not enemies to Paul.
Very few in our society sit in the seat of the Jewish sorcerer; most are like the synagogue attendees -- good people at heart that need a little direction. It might not sound like a big deal to some but I think our world has seen enough of the debaters. So my hope today is not for boldness in proclaiming Christ but rather wisdom in discerning who I am talking to -- a sorcerer or a seeker. There was only one sorcerer; there was a crowd of seekers. My hunch is that the distribution is still the same in our society but that our society sees Christians mostly as people stuck in debate mode ready to attack enemy sorcerers.
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