Acts 14, The Result of Paul's First Missionary Journey

Paul and Barnabus head north from Antioch, through the region that is now southern Turkey.

Acts 14:1-7

At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Gentiles believed. But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to do miraculous signs and wonders.

The people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews, others with the apostles. There was a plot afoot among the Gentiles and Jews, together with their leaders, to mistreat them and stone them. But they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding country, where they continued to preach the good news.

Growth and division follow the "Good News".

Acts 14:8-12

In Lystra there sat a man crippled in his feet, who was lame from birth and had never walked. He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed and called out, "Stand up on your feet!" 

At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.

When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, "The gods have come down to us in human form!" 

Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker.

A dramatic miracle leads to adulation from the crowd.  Reacting to the event from their own belief system, the crowd identifies Barnabas with the god Zeus and Paul, that talkative one, with the god Hermes.

Acts 14:13-18

The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them. But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: "Men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn  from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them. In the past, he let all nations go their own way. Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy."

Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crowd  from sacrificing to them.

Paul and Barnabas react like good Jews.  The Greeks are unclean pagans, ready to worship idols! But good Jews know that this is a serious sin, violating the Oneness of God, violating the first of the Ten Commandments.  So Paul and Barnabas react in horror.

Acts 14:19-23

Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. 

The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe. They preached the good news in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium  and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God," they said.

Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the  Lord, in whom they had put their trust.

The attack in Lystra is instigated by jealous Jews, who react to Paul and Barnabas much like they, in turn, had reacted to the Greek idolatry.   Surviving the brutal attack, Paul then moves on to Derbe. After that, the two missionaries retrace their steps.

An NIV footnote allows a variety of interpretations for the "appointment of elders", noting that the Greek in verse 23 could be translated "ordained elders" or "had elders elected".  (If you look to this verse to explain the "correct" form of ecclesiastical structure, the NIV will have nothing of it.)

Acts 14:24-27

After going through Pisidia, they came into Pamphylia, and when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia. From Attalia they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work they had now completed.

On arriving there, they gathered the church together and  reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. And they stayed there a long time with the disciples.

After their long journey, Paul and Barnabas return, with excitement, to their sending church.

This first missionary journey will have repercussions.  Paul and Barnabas turned increasingly to the Gentiles, amidst Jewish opposition, and the Gentiles responded. What should be done about these Gentiles worshiping the Jewish Messiah?  That is the subject of the next chapter.

Acts 13:26-52, The Messianic Message in Southern Turkey

Saul and Barnabas are preaching in a synagogue in Pisidian Antioch, in southern Turkey. Saul has outlined basic Jewish history up to the recent advent of John the Baptist.  Now he speaks about the Messiah.

Acts 13: 26-41
"Brothers, children of Abraham, and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent. The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath. Though they found no proper ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him executed. When they had carried out all that was written about him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb.

But God raised him from the dead, and for many days he was seen by those who had traveled with  him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to our people. We tell you the good news: What God promised our fathers he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm: `You are my Son; today I have become your Father.' The fact that God raised him from the dead, never to decay, is stated in these words: `I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David.' So it is stated elsewhere: `You will not let your Holy One see decay.' 

"For when David had served God's purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his fathers and his body decayed. But the one whom God raised from the dead did not see decay.

"Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses.

"Take care that what the prophets have said does not happen to you: `Look, you scoffers, wonder and perish, for I am going to do something in your days that you would never believe, even if someone told you.' "

The quotes in verses 33-35 are from Psalm 2:7, Isaiah 55:3 and Psalm 16:10.  The quote in verse 41 is from Habakkuk 1:5.

Luke summarizes the gospel message, as preached by Saul/Paul to fellow "children of Abraham".

Acts 13:42-48

As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people invited them to speak further about these things on the next Sabbath. When the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews and  devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked with them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.

On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and talked abusively against what Paul was saying.

Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: "We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. For this is what the Lord has commanded us: `I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.'"

When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.

The quote in verse 47 is from Isaiah 49:6.  Paul's plan to turn to the pagan Gentiles is a clear insult.

Luke has an interesting interpretation in the turn of the Gentiles to God; those people were "appointed for eternal life...."  Amidst the emphasis on "listening" and "believing", we also have a nod to divine action and divine planning.

Acts 13: 49-52

The word of the Lord spread through the whole region. But the Jews incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region.

So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy  Spirit.

This Jewish jealousy will be a theme throughout the book. Jesus was a reformer of Judaism, claiming to be the anticipated Messiah. Paul, now a follower of the Anointed One, will also emphasize reformation, including, eventually, full acceptance of people outside the Jewish faith.  The world will never be the same.

Acts 13:1-25, The First Missionary Journey

Saul, Barnabas and John Mark have returned to the growing church in Antioch.

Acts 13:1-3
In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul.  While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the  work to which I have called them." So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.

The church in Antioch is strong and vibrant.  And so, instructed by the Holy Spirit, it sends out a missionary team.

Acts 13:4-12
The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper. They traveled through the whole island until they came to  Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus, who was an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul  because he wanted to hear the word of God. 

But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith. Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said, "You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of  the Lord?  Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind, and for a time you will be unable to see the light of the sun." 

Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand. When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.

This is the first we hear of the name change, Saul to Paul.  Saul is a Jewish name, that of the first king of Israel.  Paul is probably more acceptable to the Gentiles?

Saul's confrontation with the "sorcerer" is dramatic.  If I were Sergius Paulus, I would be very impressed!  (Even more so, Elymas!)

Acts 13:13-22
From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem. From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch. On the Sabbath they entered the synagogue and sat down. After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue rulers sent word to them, saying, "Brothers, if you have a message of encouragement for the people, please  speak."

Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand and said: "Men of Israel and you Gentiles who worship God, listen to me! The God of the people of Israel chose our fathers; he made the people prosper during their stay in Egypt, with mighty power he led them out of that country, he endured their conduct for about forty years in the desert, he overthrew seven nations in Canaan and gave their land to  his people as their inheritance.

 All this took about 450 years. "After this, God gave them judges until the time of Samuel the prophet. Then the people asked for a king, and he gave them Saul son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, who ruled forty years. After removing Saul, he made David their king. He testified  concerning him: `I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.'

Perga and Pamphylia are in modern southern Turkey.

Note Saul's mention of the earlier Saul, the Jewish king.

From the NIV footnotes:  In verse 18, some manuscripts  say "he endured their conduct and cared for them."

Acts 13:23-25

"From this man's descendants God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as he promised. Before the coming of Jesus, John preached repentance and baptism to all the people of Israel. As John was completing his work, he said: `Who do you think I am? I am not that one. No, but he is coming after me, whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.'

Saul moves quickly in his speech to first century times and the teachings of John the Baptist.  In the next portion of the speech, he will introduce the Messiah.

Acts 12, Persecution in Jerusalem

The young church has spread as far north as Tarsus.  It continues to grow in Jerusalem, but under persecution.

Acts 12:1-5

It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. When he saw that this pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover. So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread occurs in a week that covers Passover.  (The modern church views this as the week before Easter.)

Acts 12:6-10
The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up.  "Quick, get up!" he said, and the chains fell off Peter's wrists. Then the angel said to him, "Put on your clothes and  sandals." And Peter did so. "Wrap your cloak around you and  follow me," the angel told him.

Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him.

Peter apparently thinks he is dreaming.

Acts 12:11-15
Then Peter came to himself and said, "Now I know without a doubt that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me from Herod's clutches and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating." When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had  gathered and were praying. Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer the door. When she recognized Peter's voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, "Peter is at the door!"

"You're out of your mind," they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, "It must be his angel."

Rhoda is so shocked that she leaves Peter at the door.

Verses 12 and 13 identify this meeting place as the home of John Mark.  Many believe that the disciples have been meeting here for some time and that this was most likely the "upper room" where Jesus had his last meal with the.

Acts 12:16-19
But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. "Tell James and the brothers about this," he said, and then he left for another place.

In the morning, there was no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter.  After Herod had a thorough search made for him and did not find him, he cross-examined the guards and ordered that they be executed. Then Herod went from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there a while.

Despite the miraculous event, Peter is not eager to stay around.  Wise!

Acts 12:20-23
He had been quarreling with the people of Tyre and Sidon; they now joined together and sought an audience with him.  Having secured the support of Blastus, a trusted personal servant of the king, they asked for peace, because they depended on the king's country for their food supply.

On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people. They shouted, "This is the voice of a god, not of a man."

Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.

We hear a final word about Herod and his arrogance.  The physician, Luke, attributes Herod's death to two identical events, one supernatural, one natural: an angel of God struck down Herod and worms ate him.

Acts 12:24-25
But the word of God continued to increase and spread. When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission, they returned from Jerusalem, taking with them John, also called Mark.

The team of Barnabas, Saul and John Mark is a strong team of long term, committed disciples.  They will change southern Europe and Asia Minor.

Acts 11, Even the Gentiles

Peter's conversation with Cornelius has consequences.  At this time, Peter has completely embraced telling the dirty Gentiles about the Jewish Messiah, Jesus.  This leads to some pushback from other followers of Jesus.

Acts 11:1-10

The apostles and the brothers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him and said, "You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them." 

Peter began and explained everything to them precisely as it had happened: "I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. I saw something like a large sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to where I was.  I looked into it and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles, and birds of the air.   Then I heard a voice telling me, `Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.'

"I replied, `Surely not, Lord! Nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.'

"The voice spoke from heaven a second time, `Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.' 

This happened three times, and then it was all pulled up to heaven again.

Peter repeats his story, copied again by Luke, to stress that he, Peter, is responding to a divine command.  His story should resonate with his Jewish brothers, who can hear Peter's incredulity.

Acts 11:11-17

"Right then three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea stopped at the house where I was staying. The Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going with them. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man's house. He told us how he had seen an angel appear in his house and say, `Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He will bring you a message through which you and all your household will be saved.'

"As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. Then I remembered what the Lord had said: `John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I  could oppose God?"

The visible evidence of the Holy Spirit's approval is a final confirmation to Peter (and the others) that he has done what he was supposed to do.

Acts 11:18-21
When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, "So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life." 

Now those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus  and Antioch, telling the message only to Jews. Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. The Lord's hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.

Once Gentiles are allowed to be part of this new covenant, it is not surprising that some believers actively go to the Gentiles.

Acts 11:22-26
News of this reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.

Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught  great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.

Barnabas, "Son of Encouragement", has continued to be a faithful and consistent disciple, strengthening the Church wherever he lands.  Barnabas even has the courage to hunt up that scary rascal, Saul, the one who first persecuted the church and then later was so aggressive in his preaching that he angered his Jewish brothers and some Jews tried to kill him.

Luke takes a moment to record this new term used for followers of the Christ: "Christian".

Acts 11:27-30
During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.)  The disciples, each according to his ability, decided to provide help for the brothers living in Judea. This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.

The early church, spreading north and west of Jerusalem, still cares for the center of Jewish worship and sends gifts to help the young church back home.

Acts 10:34-48, Peter's proclamation to Cornelius

Peter has been invited to address the house guests of Cornelius.

Acts 10:34-38
Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right. You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached-- how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.

Peter summarizes what he is learning.  He has told the Gentiles about Jesus, the Jewish Messiah, and they have responded eagerly.

Acts 10:39-43
"We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen--by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."

Peter repeats the witness that he and others have of this Messiah, and gives what is now a distilled "salvation message", that "everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins..."  There are no additional conditions here to this offer of salvation.

Acts 10:43-48

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising  God. Then Peter said, "Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have." So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.

The Holy Spirit is "poured out" even on the [dirty, unsophisticated, pagan, unclean] Gentiles!  And I, a Gentile, am thankful!

The "Christ", Jesus, here is preached as an extension of Judaism, opening a door for the Gentiles.  It was not intended to be an alternative to Judaism or a competing religion, but a completion of the first century Jewish faith.

Over the next few chapters, this salvation message will move further and further into Gentile cultures.

Jewish Dietary Customs

In Acts 10, Peter has a vision in which he is instructed to dine on "unclean" food.  What food did Peter and the Jews view as unclean?  The teachings on unclean foods were part of the Torah, appearing in Leviticus 11 and repeated in Deuteronomy 14.

The Israelites could eat any animal that "had a divided hoof and chewed its cud."  It had to have both of those properties, as chapter 11 of Leviticus goes on to describe animals that have one property but not the other, forbidding them.

Seafood was acceptable as long as it had scales and fins, that is, was fish.  (Slimy things like oysters would have been unacceptable!)

Some birds were not acceptable.  Those unacceptable were primarily birds of prey (like eagles or owls) or scavengers (like vultures.)  Chicken were acceptable, as were ducks and geese.

Many insects and bugs were not acceptable, but some like grasshoppers and locusts were explicitly allowed.

It is not clear why these various animals were prohibited.  Some have attempted to argue that the prohibitions were hygenic; that the unclean animals were more likely to carry diseases, particularly in a hot middle eastern environment, long before the advent of air-conditioning.

A discussion on clean and unclean foods, from a Jewish perspective, is available here at
http://www.jewfaq.org/kashrut.htm.  Several different opinions on unclean foods and Leviticus 11, from various Christian perspectives, are available here and here.  Regardless of one's understanding of the Jewish dietary laws, it is clear that in Acts 10, Peter is being told that the salvation available to the Jews has been opened up the all the world, independent of their understanding and history of the Torah.

A more general discussion on Leviticus 11 and the Torah's emphasis on "clean" and "unclean" is available at this bible.org page.

Tomorrow we will return to Acts and this radical concept of inviting the Gentiles to partake of the Jewish salvation.