Summary of
MEETING WITH SIMILAR SUCCESS AND
SIMILAR OPPOSITION AT ICONIUM, PAUL AND BARNABAS FLEE FOR THEIR LIVES TO LYSTRA
AND DERBE, AND PREACH THERE.
"After this detailed account of
Paul's labors at Pisidian Antioch, Luke subjoins only brief
notices of his further labors, partly because from the nature of the case his
discourses must have embraced nearly the same topics, and partly because the
consequences that resulted assumed quite a similar shape" [OLSHAUSEN]. [2]
I think Matthew Henry summed up the first seven verses
the best:
Acts 14:1 1-7 The apostles spake so
plainly, with such evidence and proof of the Spirit, and with such power; so
warmly, and with such concern for the souls of men; that those who heard them
could not but say, God was with them of a truth. Yet the success was not to be
reckoned to the manner of their preaching, but to the Spirit of God who used
that means. Perseverance in doing good, amidst dangers and hardships, is a
blessed evidence of grace. Wherever God's servants are driven, they should seek
to declare the truth.
When they went on in Christ's name and strength, he
failed not to give testimony to the word of his grace. He has assured us it is
the word of God, and that we may venture our souls upon it. The Gentiles and
Jews were at enmity with one another, yet united against Christians. If the
church's enemies join to destroy it, shall not its friends unite for its
preservation? God has a shelter for his people in a storm; He is, and will be
their Hiding-place. In times of persecution, believers may see cause to quit a
spot, though they do not quit their Master's work.
1 In Iconium they entered the synagogue of the Jews together, and spoke in such a manner that a large number of people believed, both Jews and Greeks.
Paul had assumed the role as prominent speaker, however
both Paul and Barnabas preached in the synagogue.
This is indicated by the words “they” and “together”.
As a result of the preaching of Paul and Barnabas many
Jews and gentiles were now proselytes (converted believers).
Matthew Henry writes this comment on Acts 14:1
…Let not those of any denomination be
condemned in the gross, nor some suffer for others' faults; but let us do good
to those who have done evil to us. Though the blood-thirsty
hate the upright, yet the just seek their soul (Prov. xxix.
10), seek the salvation of it. [4]
... Notice is taken of this,
that they
went both together into the synagogue, to testify their unanimity and
mutual affection, that people might say, See how they love one
another, and might think the better of Christianity, and that
they might strengthen one another's hands and confirm one another's testimony,
and out
of the mouth of two witnesses every word might be established. They
did not go one day and another, nor one go at the beginning and the other some
time after; but they went in both together.” [4]
I think we can easily see the application Matthew Henry
points out in verse one.
2 But the Jews who disbelieved stirred up the minds of the Gentiles and embittered them against the brethren.
There were some Jews who were blinded to the truth being
preached.
As a result of their disbelief, and believing they were
the chosen people, they became jealous.
Jealously most often breeds contempt; just as one
un-confessed sin leads to another.
This jealousy and contempt led these Jews to spread lies
among the Gentiles, turning these in an attempt to turn them away from Paul and
Barnabas, and the truth they preached.
We will take a couple of minutes to discuss the
following two points by Matthew Henry:
II. The success of their preaching there: They
so spoke that a great multitude, some hundreds perhaps, if not thousands, both
of the Jews and also of the Greeks, that is the Gentiles, believed. Observe here,
1. That the
gospel was now preached to Jews and Gentiles together, and those of each
denomination that believed came together into the church. In the close of the
foregoing chapter it was preached first to the Jews, and some of them believed,
and then to the Gentiles, and some of them believed; but here they are put
together, being put upon the same
level.
The Jews have not so lost their preference as to be thrown behind, only the
Gentiles are brought to stand upon even terms with
them; both
are reconciled to God in one body (Ephes. ii.
16),
and both together admitted into the church without distinction.
2. There seems to have been something remarkable in the
manner of the apostles' preaching here, which contributed to their success: They
so spoke that a great multitude believed--so plainly, so convincingly, with such an evidence
and demonstration of the Spirit, and with
such power; they
so spoke, so warmly, so affectionately, and with such a manifest concern for
the souls of men, that one might perceive they were not only convinced, but
filled, with the things they spoke of, and that what they spoke came from the
heart and therefore was likely to reach to the heart; they so spoke, so
earnestly and so seriously, so boldly and courageously, that those who heard
them could not but say that God was with them of a truth. Yet
the success was not to be attributed to the manner of their preaching, but to
the Spirit of God, who made use of that means. [4]
3 Therefore they Spent a long time there, speaking boldly with reliance upon the Lord who was testifying to the word of his grace, granting the signs and wonders be done by their hands.
Paul and Barnabas were emboldened and not discouraged by
the lies of the un-believers being spread about them and of the good news of
Jesus.
They were emboldened because they saw “the
Lord testifying to the word of His grace, granting them signs and wonders to be
done by their hands”.
As with many people, “seeing is believing”.
Here we see the Lord giving testimony to the word by granting His power to Paul and
Barnabas as His apostles.
We too could see such signs and wonders. If we were have faith, to trust, and rely
solely on our Lord.
Matthew Henry writes this commentary on verse 3:
The opposition that their preaching met with there, and
the trouble that was created them; lest they should be puffed
up with
the multitude of their converts, there was given them this
thorn in
the flesh.
1. Unbelieving Jews were the first spring of their
trouble here, as elsewhere (v. 2): they stirred
up the Gentiles. The
influence which the gospel had upon many of the Gentiles, and their embracing
it, as it provoked some of the Jews to a holy jealousy and stirred them up to
receive the gospel too (Rom. xi. 14), so it provoked
others of them to a wicked jealousy, and exasperated them against the gospel.
Thus as good instructions, so good examples, which to some are a savour of life unto life,
to others are a savour of death unto death.
See 2 Cor.
ii. 15, 16.
2. Disaffected Gentiles, irritated by the unbelieving
Jews, were likely to be the instruments of their trouble. The Jews, by false
suggestions, which they were continually buzzing in the ears of the Gentiles,
made their minds evil affected against the brethren, whom of
themselves they were inclined to think favourably of. They not only took occasion in all companies, as it
came in their way, but made it their business to go purposely to such as they
had any acquaintance with, and said all that their wit or malice could invent
to beget in them not only a mean but an ill opinion of Christianity, telling
them how destructive it would certainly be to their pagan theology and worship;
and, for their parts, they would rather be Gentiles than Christians. Thus they
soured and embittered their spirits against both the converters and the
converted.
4 But the people of the city were divided; and some sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles.
The word Jews used here refers to
those Jews who were spreading lies about Paul and Barnabas and what they
taught.
They used these lies to divide the city into two
theocratic factions.
In our country we have two main political parties,
who often times use half truths and in some cases outright lies to turn people
to their ideology.
This action divides this country with two different
political views on how this country should be run.
On verse 4 Matthew Henry writes: Their continuance in their work there,
notwithstanding this opposition, and God's owning them in it, v. 3.
We have here,
1. The apostles working for Christ,
faithfully and diligently, according to the trust committed to them. Because
the minds of the
Gentiles were evil affected against them, one would think that therefore
they should have withdrawn, and hastened out of the way, or, if they had
preached, should have preached cautiously, for fear of giving further
provocation to those who were already enough enraged. No; on the contrary,
therefore they
abode there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord. The
more they perceived the spite and rancour of
the town against the new converts, the more they were animated to go on in
their work, and the more needful they saw it to continue among them, to confirm them in
the faith, and to comfort them.
They spoke boldly, and were not afraid of giving
offence to the unbelieving Jews. What God said to the prophet, with reference
to the unbelieving Jews in his day, was now made good to the apostles: I
have made thy face strong against their faces, Ezek. iii.
7-9.
But observe what it was that animated them: They spoke boldly in the
Lord, in his strength, and trusting in him to bear them out; not depending
upon any thing in themselves. They were strong in the Lord, and in the
power of his might.
2. Christ working with the apostles, according to his
promise, Lo, I am with you always. When they went on in his name and
strength, he failed not to give testimony to the word of his grace. Note,
(1.) The gospel is a word of grace, the assurance of
God's good will to us and the means of his good work in us. It is the word of
Christ's grace, for it is in Him alone that we find favour with God.
(2.) Christ himself has attested this word of grace, who
is the Amen, the faithful witness; he has assured us that it is the
word of God, and that we may venture our souls upon it. As it was said in
general concerning the first preachers of the gospel that they had the
Lord working with them, and confirming the word by signs following (Mark xvi.
20),
so it is said particularly concerning the apostles here that the Lord
confirmed their testimony, in granting signs and wonders to be done by their
hands--in the miracles they wrought in the kingdom of nature--as well as the
wonders done by their word, in the greater miracles wrought on men's minds by
the power of divine grace. The Lord was with them, while they were with him,
and abundance of good was done.
5 And when an attempt was made by both the Gentiles and the Jews with their rulers, to mistreat and to stone them, 6 they became aware of it and fled to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra and Derbe, and the surrounding region: 7 and there they continued to preach the gospel.
The punishment for blaspheming (insulting God) was death
by stoning.
Stephen was stoned to death for preaching what the Jews
called blaspheming, when Jesus said He had the same authority as God.
Stephen was sentenced at a trial where as with Paul and
Barnabas their enemies incited the crowed to stone them.
Acts 14:8-21
Summary
At Lystra Paul healing a cripple, the people are scarce
restrained from sacrificing to them as gods, but afterwards, their minds being
poisoned, they stone Paul, leaving him for dead withdrawing to Derbe, they preached and
teach there.
There being no mention of the
synagogue at Lystra, it is probable there were too few Jews there to form one.
8 At Lystra a man was sitting who had No strength in his feet lame from his mother's who had never walked.
Lystra was about 29 kilometers or 18 miles South West of Iconium.
Lystra was a Roman city.
Because Paul was a Roman citizen he may have felt safe
in going there.
The lack of synagogue’s did not hinder Paul’s mission.
Paul preached the good news in the streets.
9 This man was listening to Paul as he Spoke, who, when he had fixed his gaze on him, and had seen that he had faith to be made well, 10
said with a loud voice, "stand upright on your
feet." And he leaped up and began to walk.
The wonders spoken of in Verse 3 were still with Paul as
he commanded a lame man to stand up.
The lame man was healed by the power of Jesus through
which was granted to Paul by grace. See (V3).
Paul may have been led by the sight of
this cripple to dwell on the Savior's miracles of healing, and His present
power; and perceiving from the eagerness with which the patient drank in his
words, that he was prepared to put his own case into the Redeemer's hands, the
Spirit of the glorified Physician came all upon Paul,
and "with a loud voice" he
bade him "stand upright upon his feet." The effect was
instantaneous--he sprang to his feet "and walked.“ [3]
11 When the crowds saw what Paul had done , they raised their voice, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have become like men and have come down to us.”
We can’t be certain about what the Lycaonian language is.
It could have been Greek or Greek mixed with another
language.
They believed Paul and Barnabas to be gods. A totally understandable misconception of
them to believe Paul to be a god.
For in their primitive culture they believed only a god
could do such a miracle.
12 And they began calling Barnabas, Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker.
These were names of Greek gods.
Zeus being the father of the gods
The crowds of Lycaonians were preparing to worship both Paul and Barnabas as
gods
13 The priest of Zeus, Whose temple was just outside the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, and wanted to offer sacrifice the crowds.
The people were
very excited about the visit of Paul and Barnabas beleiving them to be Zues and Hermes, perhaps
because of a story:
“Zeus and Hermes once visited the region. Those gods pretended
to be human. They wanted a place to stay. But the people would not invite them
into their homes. There was an old man who was poor. He and his wife had a
small cottage. At last, that man and his wife let the gods stay in that
cottage. The gods gave a reward to them. But the gods destroyed the other
peoples’ homes.”
Paul in danger again, 14:14-20
14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their robes and rushed out into the crowd, crying out 15 and saying, “Men, why are you Doing these things are also men of the same nature as you preach the gospel to you that you should turn from these vain things to a living God who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.
The tearing of ones garments was a Jewish sign of
displeasure and grief.
Verses 14-18. when . . .
Barnabas and Paul heard—
Barnabas is put first here, apparently as having been
styled the "Jupiter" of the company.
they rent their clothes and ran in--rather (according to the true reading), "ran forth."
among the people, crying out . . . Sirs, why do ye these things?—
they rent their clothes and ran in--rather (according to the true reading), "ran forth."
among the people, crying out . . . Sirs, why do ye these things?—
This was something more than that abhorrence of
idolatry which took possession of the Jews as a nation from the time of the Babylonish captivity: it was
that delicate sensibility to everything which affects the honor of God which
Christianity, giving us in God a reconciled Father, alone can produce; making
the Christian instinctively feel himself to be wounded in all dishonor done to
God, and filling him with mingled horror and grief when such gross insults as
this are offered to him.
15. We
. . . are men of like passions, &c.—
How unlike either imposture or enthusiasm is this, and
how high above all self-seeking do these men of Christ show themselves to
be! [2]
.
.
We can see in verse 15 where both Paul and Barnabas were
disgusted by what the people were planning to do.
Not only did they show their discuss by renting their
clothes but they also ran among them pleading with the people not to call them
gods.
They both assured the people that they were not gods but
rather served a living God; not make of flesh and blood as they were.
For like them they were men made of flesh and blood.
16 “In the generations gone by he permitted all nations to go their own ways; 17 and yet he did not leave himself without witnesses, in that he did good gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.”
In other translation we read suffered instead of
permitted.
This indicates to me that God allowed the nations to go
their own was but was grieved to do so.
The phrase “in their own ways” means living apart from
God and following other gods.
“Though the heinousness of idolatry is represented as so much less in
the heathen, by how much they were outside the pale of revealed religion, he
takes care to add that the heathen have divine "witness" enough to
leave them ‘without excuse’.” [2]
God repaid evil with good, which was His witness by
continued blessings.
unto the living God—
This is the most glorious and distinctive of all the names of God. It is
the familiar phraseology of the Old Testament. which, in such contrast with all
that is to be found within the literature of heathenism, is shown to be, with
its sequel, the New Testament, the one Book of the true religion.
who made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all . . . therein—
This idea of creation, utterly unknown alike to rude and to
cultivated heathenism, would not only define what was meant by "the living
God," but open up a new world to the more thoughtful part of the audience.
[2]
Paul and Barnabas quickly realized these people were pagans
knowing nothing of the prophets of the old testament.
They preached about the true living God the creator of
the heavens and the earth and all that exists in them.
18 Even saying these things, with difficulty they restrained the crowds from offering sacrifices to them.
Paul and Barnabas realizing the danger of these peoples
actions did their level best to discourage the worship and sacrifice planned.
They also realized the danger of Idolatry incrementally
slipping into the Christian church.
19 But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having
won over the crowds, based on Paul, dragging him out of the city,
supposing him to be dead.
We do not know whether these Jews followed Paul and
Barnabas to Lystra with the intent to
stop them or to conduct other business.
Lystra was noted as growing much corn.
Those Jews (Jewish leaders) did incite the crowds to
kill Paul.
In fact Paul was stoned and was carried out of the city
presumed to be dead.
20 But while the disciples stood around him, he got up and entered the city. The next day he went away with Barnabas to Derbe.
We don’t know what the physical condition was of Paul.
All we know is
scripture tells us:
1. He was thought
to be dead by those who stoned him.
2. He was dragged
out of the city.
3. Those that
stood around him were disciples who may have followed those who dragged Paul
out of the city.
4. Paul was badly
injured by the stones and was near death but yet lived.
5. Although the
recovery could have been natural, even though this was not mentioned in
scripture. I believe the disciples prayed, for Paul and he arose.
Acts 14:21-28 - Summary
Paul and Barnabas returning to Antioch and Syria
21 After they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “through many tribulations of we must enter the kingdom of God.”
Paul and Barnabas’ mission in returning to these to Lystra and Iconium and to Antioch was
not merely to return home by a familiar route,
but rather to follow up and encourage those recent converts.
Sometimes when a person accepts the Lord Jesus, they are
left to their own devices.
Not in this case here Paul and Barnabas taught the new
disciples answering their questions, and providing mentorship.
Our responsibility does not end with a persons
salvation!
23 When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
This verse we see the elders were selected, then
appointed, and then ordained,
presumably by the laying on of hands as Peter did in
Jerusalem.
We are not told here if Paul and Barnabas fasted and
prayed before the selection process of elders.
24 They passed through Pisidia and came into Pmphylia.
25 When they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia.
Acts 14:21-28 Summary
Paul and Barnabas returning to Antioch
and Syria
26 From there they sailed to Antioch, from which they had been committed to the grace of God for the work they had accomplished.
27 When they had arrived and gathered the church together, they began to report all things that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. 28 And they spent a long time with the disciples.
Notice here that Paul and Barnabas gave God all the glory for their
successful mission.
They were home and needed to recharge.
This was a time of reflection and rest for they had
journeyed far and although their mission was a labor of love it was none the
less physically and mentally exhausting.
CREDITS, LINKS, AND CITATION
[3] – Commentaries By Marion Adams
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