Chapter 14
2022 - It occurred to me last night that this is the first missionary journey, and Paul and Barnabas have no idea how it ought to be done. So they do what they think they should, what God leads them to do. Wouldn't it be interesting to compare the "methodology" employed on this journey with that of subsequent journeys to see if there were changes, and possibly understand why the changes were made. I am thinking of the "all things to all men that I might win some". Which trip was that on? Was it something that became apparent, or something used in a last desperate attempt to win over the Greeks? Perhaps everything else had been tried?
Paul and Barnabas enter the synagogues of Iconium to preach. 2021 - So think about the context this gives to what Paul said in Antioch and the way he left. He said he was turning to the Gentiles. But the very next town he goes to sees him first in the Synagogue of the Jews preaching the gospel to them again. SO, we conclude that it was specifically the Jews in Antioch Pisidia that he gave up on, and he shook the dust off about them. But he left a body of true believers there in Antioch that he would return to at least twice. And he continued to preach first to the Jews.
2022 - So at this point, a little further into the first journey, Paul still goes to the Jews first as he enters a new town. He preaches always to the Jews first.
In Iconium, many Jews and Greeks believe. But the unbelieving Jews recruit and incite the Gentiles against them. Still, they stay for quite some time, and do signs and wonders. This verse about that:
3 So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands. [Act 14:3 ESV]
They do miracles in front of these people. Paul and Barnabas, neither of whom was with Jesus, doing miracles that seemed to me to be reserved for the apostles. Just not so. The Holy Spirit conveys power according to the will of God, not according to place or position. And the purpose for these signs is clear here. The signs are witness to the truth of what Paul and Barnabas are saying, because as in Jesus' time, who but God to make these things happen. BUT, this also gives an understanding of why there are no such signs today. The gospel is worldwide, the sources of information readily available. So many know the truth and preach the truth. Signs are no longer needed to confirm it, it was confirmed in the past. We have only to believe.
2022 - The "expected" results of correctly proclaiming the gospel? Polarization of the religious? My guess is that both the Jews who opposed them, and the Jews and Greeks who believed were all "church goers" when Paul and Barnabas arrived. My further guess is that those who were stirred up against them were not church-goers at all, just thugs and sinners with nothing better to do. The situation was divided, with neither side able to "take over". So while things were up in the air, Paul and Barnabas stayed and "fought the battle". But ultimately the opposition pulled in the thugs - who only wanted to destroy - and incited them to break the law - both civil and moral - and plot/plan to stone Paul and Barnabas. When their lives were threatened, and they became aware of it beforehand, they left town. This is now the second time that they have left rather than submit to violence. They seem to me to be placing their continued ministry above their pride and bravery, and so moving on to a more receptive location rather than fall on their swords.
They leave when they learn of a plot to stone them. It says they "fled". This is worth thinking about. They didn't stay and become voluntary martyrs even though they saw it coming. They dropped everything and took off to preach in another place. Stephen was imprisoned, and had no chance to leave, and was an involuntary martyr. Hmm...
2024 - We saw this back in John somewhere also - 16-18 when Jesus addressed the 11 in the upper room. He told them to get out when rejected, not to hang around. Well...I went and looked for it in John and did not find it. Perhaps now that it is tagged I will find it next time.
They go to Lyconeum, and preach there. Paul heals a man lame from birth. The people there are amazed, and being great worshipers of Greek gods, they say that Paul and Barnabas in fact ARE the Greek gods Zeus and Hermes, sent down to men. They want to make sacrifices to them. The head of the temple of Zeus is in agreement.
2021 - Never noticed this before:
14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, [Act 14:14 ESV]
Barnabas is most definitely called an apostle here. ESV puts it in lower case, signifying that it is the lesser meaning of apostles (messengers) that is used here, rather than the Office of the 12. But...it is stated this way. There is an MSB note for this verse, but it is about tearing their clothes, and doesn't mention this use of the word apostles. Even in his book, MacA does not cite this scripture as an example of the secondary sense of the word, perhaps because you'd get into an argument about Paul's apostle title and whether it is truly primary. This is a verse to argue that he wasn't "that kind" of apostle. Other verses using the secondary sense of the word are Rom 16:7, Gal 1:19, 2Cor 8:23, Phil 2:25.
2022 - There is no information that Paul and Barnabas went first to the synagogue in Lystra. There may not have been a synagogue there at all - after all it is just a hop down the road from Iconium, and Derbe just a hop on down the road from there. A few miles at best, an easy walk. We can't definitively say they didn't try preaching to Jews first, but we have no evidence of it. And look what happens? They are mistaken for "gods". Seems like we could make a good argument that while Iconium was predominately Jewish, in Lystra, Greek idolatry was the primary religion. This might also be why no synagogue had been - or maybe could not be - established there...Yes. It says there was a temple of Zeus at Lystra, and it had its own priest in residence.
Paul and Barnabas deny that they are anything but men, and Paul says this:
15 "Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, 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. 16 In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. 17 Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness." [Act 14:15-17 ESV]
2021 - Paul here says that nature itself is a witness that God created all. He is saying, in effect, that things could not work together for the good of man as cooperatively as they do by pure random chance. All creation cooperates to bring satisfaction and gladness to all that lives, and especially to mankind. This is the eternal, perpetual, direct observable evidence of God to all men. It proves his existence, and so condemns those who do not believe, even if they have never heard!
This needs to tack on to the "wisdom" posts on FB.
Turn from vain things - worshiping Greek gods - and worship a living God, creator of all things. He appeals to nature in the face of the pantheon of Greece. A real god creates. God "allowed" the Gentiles to do their own thing up to that point, but he made it clear that He was present with general revelation. He sent them rain and fruitful crops and gave them happy lives. Is Paul saying that God didn't condemn those who had not heard of him but looked on them as well as his own? What is Paul's point here? MSB says in the note on 16 that "The path that they all have walked is described in Rom. 1:18-32. MSB goes on with this note on vs 17 - God's providence and His creative power testify to man's reason of His existence as does man's own conscience, which contains His moral law. (Rom 2:13-15).
2022 - The message Paul delivers here indicates that his entire audience believed in the Greek gods. Paul does not mention Jesus at all here, on God, and his creation of all men, and so their obligation to Him for his care of them, for the blessing of nature in the form of rain and abundant crops. Paul's first task is to turn them from these false and capricious gods that they worship to the living God, the God of Israel. That is his approach to those who have never heard of God.
Jewish troublemakers come from Antioch (shook off the dust of the Jews but left a body of saved people) and Iconium (a divided city that they left to avoid a plot to stone them there, though there were many who believed) to Lystra and incite the crowds against Paul and Barnabas - even after they wanted to sacrifice to them they now turn so against them that they stone Paul, trying to murder him. So unexpected riot and unrest led to Paul being stoned. He didn't see it coming, so didn't try to escape. Those doing the stoning drag his body out of the city, supposing him dead. And perhaps he really was. This may be the time Paul refers to elsewhere as the time when he saw "the third heaven". People back in this time knew dead when they saw it. He was probably dead.
2022 - Once again the religious establishment recruits the un-churched to do the dirty work. Just as they had done to get Jesus crucified. They probably said that Paul was trying to undermine their long held devotion to Zeus in favor of this new religion. They'd have made it seem like he wanted to subjugate them to this new religion with himself as the new priest in the hierarchy. This happened very suddenly, without the restraint that the many new converts in Antioch and Iconium would have exerted. There was no "protective circle" around Paul and Barnabas - and no available intelligence as to the plans of the opposition - as there had been in Antioch and Iconium. Paul didn't know they were planning to kill him.
And when their intent was obvious, Paul and Barnabas left this town also and moved on.
But when the disciples gather around, Paul gets up and goes back into the city, likely for medical attention, and next day gets out of there to Derbe. What was Barnabas thinking, and what was he doing during this time? Was he trying to stop the stoning, and they beat him up and/or knocked him out? Or did he go and hide, and hoped they wouldn't stone him also? What a traumatic time it would have been for Barnabas in either case. He most definitely qualifies as facing persecution for the cause of Christ.
But after many are converted there (in Derbe), Paul retraces his steps through Lystra, Iconium and Antioch even, encouraging those just converted. 2021 - Couple of things. There was no trouble in Derbe. Things went smoothly there as Paul recovered from being stoned in Lystra. But what kind of courage and faith did it take for Paul to go from Derbe back to Lystra and face those people that had "killed" him the first time he was there?! He stays long enough to encourage these, then goes on to Iconium and Antioch, where the very people who had stirred up Lystra to stone had come from. There are people in all three of these cities that so oppose what Paul and Barnabas are doing that they will commit murder to stop it! And Paul goes right back to those towns, to encourage the new converts there, and can you imagine what a "pep talk" that was for them to see such faith?
2022 - There is a contrast though, between the first and second visits to these towns. On the return visit, Paul goes to those who believed the first time. He is not face to face with the opposition. It does not say he returned to the synagogue. I am not saying that it was any less bold of him to return to these cities after what had happened, but that we see a different strategy when there are believers already present. Different from what he does if there's a synagogue there. Different than what he does if there is idolatry there.
Paul and Barnabas appoint elders in every church as they retrace their steps. Churches, not synagogues. Two religions in the Gentile world now in direct competition. Either/or, not both. This will be the pattern from here on I suppose.
They continue making their way back to Antioch in Syria - the church that had commissioned and sent them out. They report on all that has happened, they say that God "opened a door of faith to the Gentiles". This would be after Peter had already said this in Jerusalem following the conversion of Cornelius and his household.
Paul and Barnabas remain in Antioch for some time.