This passage is striking. It gives a clear picture of God’s pattern for preaching, for bearing witness to His name. The pattern is seen in what Paul and Barnabas experienced. Their experience shows exactly what God expects of His servant and exactly what the servant can expect as he preaches the glorious gospel of the Lord Jesus.

In Iconium the two missionaries met with better success than in Antioch, but they encountered similar opposition, and from the same source. (1) "Now it came to pass in Iconium, that they went together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude, both of the Jews and the Greeks, believed. (2) But the unbelieving Jews stirred up and disaffected the minds of the Gentiles against the brethren."

Together Paul and Barnabas journeyed to the town of Iconium and entered the synagogue. The attendance at such services wasfor but one purpose, i.e. to preach Jesus as the Christ. There is an

enlightening comment given regarding the preaching of these men here in Iconium. We all know that some preaching is not the kindthat reaches the hearts of men. Luke states that Paul and Barnabas "so spake" that a great multitude of both Jews and Greeks believed. We would do well to follow closely the method and message of the apostles that we might "SO speak" as to reach the hearts of those to whom we preach. While some among the Jews opened their minds and obeyed the truth, there were others who refused the message, being disobedient not only to the truth but to their own conscience as well.

The Gentiles were only the guests of the Jews as they attended the synagogue services. The Gentiles in this place as in many others saw something in the religion of the Jews that attracted their interest. But since they were ignorant of this new religion the words of the members of this belief would quite naturally be accepted as authoritative. Hence, when the rulers of the synagogue began to speak out against the doctrines of these two strangers their words were heeded by a good share of the uncircumcised. Some of the Gentiles were actually antagonistic toward the apostles as well as being opposed to those among their own group who had embraced this new belief.

Unless there was some real threat of bodily harm in the persecution, Paul could see no reason for leaving a place of labor. So, in spite of the active opposition of the jealous Jews there rang forth from the synagogue (and doubtless from house to house) the news that this Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ. The Lord honored and confirmed their message with signs and wonders. It is of real interest to note that each time miracles are mentioned they are associated with the hands of either the apostles or those upon whom the apostles had laid their hands. Never do we hear the Christians of these towns working miracles "through their great faith."

The multitude of Jews and Gentiles who believed must have been "great," not in comparison to the whole population, but to the number who were usually convinced under such circumstances, and especially to the number who had just been convinced in Antioch. For we see that the unbelieving Jews were still an influential body, and the remark that they "disaffected the minds of the Gentiles" indicates that the masses of the Gentiles were still unbelievers.

Paul and Barnabas went on to Iconium, about 90 miles from Antioch. It was a city so ancient that it claimed to be older than Damascus. In the dim past it had had a king called Nannacus and the phrase "since the days of Nannacus" was proverbial for "from the beginning of time." As usual they began in the synagogue and as usual they had good success; but the jealous Jews stirred up the mob and once again Paul and Barnabas had to move on.

It has to be noted that Paul and Barnabas were more and more taking their lives in their hands. What was proposed in Iconium was nothing other than a lynching. The further Paul and Barnabas went the further they moved from civilization. In the more civilized cities their lives at least were safe because Rome kept order; but out in the wilds Paul and Barnabas were ever under the threat of mob violence from the excitable Phrygian crowds stirred up by the Jews. These two were brave men; and it always takes courage to be a Christian.

(14:1) Preaching: the first step in preaching is a unified spirit and effort. There is emphasis upon the word "together" and the fact that the men were ministering and serving together. Remember: the Spirit of God had moved Paul ahead of Barnabas in the ministry. This speaks volumes on the spirit of Barnabas. He must have been a most unusual man, a strong servant of the Lord. Several factors gave the men a unified spirit.

• They served the same Lord.
• They were called to the same field.
• They bore the same message.
• They loved each other as brothers in the Lord. Therefore, they wished to encourage and support each other as they fulfilled God’s call.
• They knew that love was the primary witness to the world.

(14:1) Witnessing—Preaching: the second step in preaching is following the God-given method. The method of God is twofold.

1. First, the servant of God is to speak. He is to speak by bearing witness and preaching the Lord Jesus Christ, the salvation that is in Him. God’s method is verbal witness.

2. Second, the servant of God is to go where the people are. Note that the first place Paul and Barnabas went was the synagogue. This was their method...

• to go first where the people were, where a ready-made audience was.
• to go first where the religionists (Jews) were, the people who were already familiar with the Scripture.

(14:1) Preaching: the third step in preaching is the experience of results. Both Jews and Greeks were reached, and the idea is that they were reached immediately. Note: there was no partiality or favoritism shown to anyone. The evangelistic thrust was to all people throughout the whole city. All were put on the same level; there was no class or social distinction between any. Paul and Barnabas reached out to all who would listen to the glorious gospel. They were obedient to their Lord; therefore, God was able to honor His word and many were reached—many believed the salvation that is in Christ Jesus.

(14:2) Persecution: the fourth step in preaching is the grumbling opposition. Note three things.

1. It was the unbelieving religionists (Jews) who stirred up the trouble over the preaching of the gospel. The word "unbelieving" (apeithesantes) means disobedient. The idea is they were unwilling to believe or be persuaded. They deliberately withheld belief, disobeying God.

2. The picture is this: they went about stirring up the city against the Lord’s servants. The religionists made a deliberate attempt to arouse the people. The religionists...

• spread rumors
• poisoned opinions
• made false suggestions
• made insinuations

They tried to embitter and provoke the people and the officials of the city to get rid of the preachers.

3. They opposed the preachers for three reasons.

3-7. This divided and excited state of the public mind continued during the whole time that Paul and Barnabas remained in the city. (3) "They continued there a long time, speaking boldly respecting the Lord, who bore testimony to the word of his favor, and granted signs and wonders to be done through their hands. (4) Yet the multitude of the city was divided: some were with the Jews, and others with the [172] apostles. (5) But when an onset was made by both Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to abuse and stone time, (6) they, being aware of it, fled down to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra, and Derbe, and the surrounding country; (7) and there they preached the gospel."

The whole city of Iconium was shaken by the message of grace. Unfortunately however, it was divided about equally for and against the apostles. This fact would only encourage the apostles to draw the more closely to their source of power; but when knowledge of a plot to stone them reached their ears, and when they perceived that not only the envious Jews but also the Gentiles and rulers of the city were involved, they were forced to make a hasty retreat. The province of Lycaonia is the next to be entered in the preaching of the Word.

In the rapid sketch which Luke is giving us of this rather hurried missionary tour, he makes no definite note of time, to indicate how long the two missionaries remained at any particular place. The above remark, that they continued in Iconium "a long time," is the only note of the kind in the tour, and it is very indefinite. It only indicates that their stay here was long in comparison with that at most other places during this tour.

Though their preaching here was not as successful as might have been expected from the length of time employed, it received abundant attestations of the Lord's approval. The proof of this fact adduced by Luke is quite different from that often adduced for a similar purpose by modern writers. Now, the proof that a man's ministry is "owned and accepted" by the Lord, is found in the "abundant outpourings of the Spirit" which attend it; and this, in other words, means the number of "powerful conversions" with which it is rewarded. But the Lord's method of bearing testimony to the word of his favor, according to Luke, was by "granting signs and wonders to be done" by the hands of the preachers; while not a word is said, either by him or any other inspired writer, of such a spiritual attestation as is now confidently referred to.

This shows that our modern revivalists have confounded the attestations of the word by signs and miracles, which was common, in apostolic times, with the exciting scenes which now occur in their revivals. This mistake not only confounds things essentially different, but assumes that the apostles were accustomed to scenes of which they never dreamed. Moreover, it erects a false and very injurious standard by which to judge whether a man's ministry is acceptable to God. If the preacher who is most successful in gaining converts is the one whose ministry is most acceptable to God, then there is not the same value in earnest piety, a blameless life, and watchful oversight of the flock which the apostolic epistles would lead us to believe; since it sometimes occurs that men who obtain the fame of great "revivalists," are quite deficient in these essential characteristics of an acceptable minister of the Word.

The onset made by the multitude, like the similar proceedings in Antioch, was instigated by the unbelieving Jews, though effected chiefly by the Gentiles and the rulers of the city. The escape of the missionaries must have been narrow, and was probably owing to the kindness of some stranger, whom Paul and Barnabas may have remembered with gratitude, but whose name will not be known to the great world till the day of eternity.

(14:3) Boldness—Perseverance—Minister: the fifth step in preaching is the boldness and perseverance of the preacher. Note three things.

1. Despite the persecution and evil feelings against their preaching, they continued ministering and witnessing for Christ. They did not...

• withdraw or flee.
• soften their preaching.
• compromise their message.
• seek to please the officials.

But note the source of their boldness. They spoke boldly "in the Lord"; that is, they relied upon and trusted Him and His strength to bear them along, looking after their welfare.

2. The preachers were instruments in the hands of the Lord. Note the words, "gave testimony [witness] to the word of his grace." In the Greek the subject of this sentence is Christ, not the preachers. Christ is the One who gave witness, who did the preaching through the lives and voices of the two ministers. They were so surrendered, so yielded to the Lord, He was able to use them to the fullest as His servants to bear witness to the Word of His grace.

3. Note the words, "The Lord...granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands" (Acts 14:3). Again, the signs and wonders are worked by Christ through the hands of the preachers. He is the Source, the Power, the Minister, the Healer. They were only the instruments and servants in the hands of the Lord. (God grant that we be so yielded to Him!)

(14:4-5) Ministers—Persecution: the sixth step in preaching was the divided opinions about the preachers. Preachers can expect divided opinions. Some people will support them; others will not support them. No preacher has ever been acceptable to all persons. Note three points.

1. The greatest impact that a preacher can make is to be so surrendered to Christ that he becomes the very instrument and voice of Christ. The whole city had heard about Christ and they were affected by the message and ministry.

It was because of Paul’s commitment to all the duties of a minister that God was able to use him so dynamically.

2. The people were divided over the preachers. They formed cliques and factions over the Lord’s servants. Some favored; some opposed.

3. The opposition won out and actually made an assault (horme) upon the two men. The word means an impulse, a rush upon. Apparently a mob gathered and headed for the men, either rushing into their residence or rushing about trying to find them. Note: both Gentiles and Jews were involved, that is, both non-religionists and religionists, both those who were unfamiliar and those who were familiar with the Scriptures.

(14:6-7) Ministers: the seventh step in preaching is turning away to willing hearers. Very simply, the preachers discovered that the opposition was about to attack them. More harm to the gospel would be done if they remained, and the important thing was for the gospel to go forward in its saving power. So the preachers turned away and fled for the sake of the gospel. They turned to willing hearers and continued to preach the gospel.

Note two stirring lessons.

1) When facing opposition, the Lord’s servant must carefully weigh what is best for the spread of the gospel. Sometimes taking a stand will bring greater results; sometimes leaving will bring greater results. The servant must always do what is best for the gospel.

2) The Lord’s servant is not to become defeated and give up the ministry because of opposition. He must always go forth, looking for new fields in which to preach Christ.

 

8-12. At Lystra Paul and Barnabas were involved in a strange incident. The explanation of their being taken for gods lies in the legendary history of Lycaonia. The people round Lystra told a story that once Zeus and Hermes had come to this earth in disguise. None in all the land would give them hospitality until at last two old peasants, Philemon and his wife Baucis, took them in. As a result the whole population was wiped out by the gods except Philemon and Baucis, who were made the guardians of a splendid temple and were turned into two great trees when they died. So when Paul healed the crippled man the people of Lystra were determined not to make the same mistake again. Barnabas must have been a man of noble presence so they took him for Zeus the king of the gods. Hermes was the messenger of the gods and, since Paul was the speaker, they called him Hermes.

This passage is specially interesting because it gives us Paul's approach to those who were completely heathen and without and Jewish background to which he could appeal. With such people he started from nature to get to the God who was behind it all. He started from the here and now to get to the there and then. We do well to remember that the world is the garment of the living God. It is told that once, as they sailed in the Mediterranean, Napoleon's suite were discussing God. In the talk they eliminated him altogether. Napoleon had been silent but now he lifted his hand and pointed to the sea and the sky, "Gentlemen," he said, "who made all this?"

The district of Lycaonia, into which the apostles had fled, was an interior district of Asia Minor, lying north of the Taurus Mountains, but of very indefinite boundaries. The exact situation of the two towns, Lystra and Derbe, is not now known. With the character of the people, however, which is the important consideration in a narrative like this, we are made sufficiently acquainted by the narrative itself. It was one of those retired districts, remote from the great [173] marts of trade and the routes of travel, where the people retained their primitive habits, spoke their primitive dialect, and knew little of either the civilization of the Greeks, or the religion of the Jews. This rude state of society will account for some of the peculiarities of the following narrative.

Although Paul had been speaking to them of the true God, and of his Son Jesus Christ, until the cripple, at least, believed; yet, when the miracle was wrought before them, all their heathenish ideas rushed back upon their minds, and they at once supposed that they stood in the presence of gods. Such was the natural conclusion of men who had been educated from childhood to believe the strange inventions of heathen mythology. It was an honest mistake, committed through ignorance.

Their conclusion as to which of the gods had appeared, was as natural and as instantaneous as their conviction that they were gods. They had a temple, or a statue, or perhaps both, in front of their city, as we learn below, to the honor of Jupiter; hence any god who might appear to them would be naturally taken for him. But when two gods appeared together, the one who acts as chief speaker could be no other than Mercury, the god of Eloquence, and the constant attendant of Jupiter in his terrestrial visits. The remark of Luke that Paul was called Mercury "because he was the chief speaker," shows that he was familiar with Greek mythology.

(14:8) Preaching—Witnessing: Paul preached on the city streets. There is no mention of a synagogue in Lystra, but there were at least a few Jewish citizens living in the city. Scripture mentions Timothy’s mother who was apparently Jewish.

If the Jews had been meeting together, Paul would have joined them and begun his preaching ministry among them. But as is seen in this passage, he was apparently preaching in the streets and sharing Christ with whoever would stop and listen. The statement "there sat a certain man at Lystra" seems to point also to open air preaching. The man was most likely a beggar.

Note another fact: Paul and Barnabas had to struggle against a language barrier. They did not know the Lyconian dialect, and only the educated Jew would know Greek and Aramaic, Paul’s natural languages (Acts 14:11). Note the immense dedication of these men. Despite a language barrier they struggled to make Christ known to everyone.

(14:8-13) Superstition—Humanism: the nature of superstitious people, the nature that necessitated a special message. What happened gives clear insight into the nature of superstitious people.

1. Superstitious people are open to faith in Christ. This is pictured in the cripple sitting on the side of the street. It seems the cripple was one of the few who took time to stop and listen to Paul. This is concluded from the loud shout of Paul, which was apparently to attract an audience.

a. The man was utterly helpless; both feet were crippled and had been from birth. He had never walked.

b. The man listened to the gospel. He "heard Paul speak."

c. The man’s heart was opened to the gospel; therefore...

• he was affected.
• he sensed that the message was from heaven.
• he experienced the stirring of faith in Christ.

d. The man actually "had faith to be made whole" (echei pistin tou sothenai). The words "made whole" mean both to be cured and to be saved. Paul, of course, was preaching the gospel, and the man’s heart was stirred to believe and trust Jesus to save him. Paul noticed this; he saw a faith rise up in the man, a faith strong enough to heal him as well as save his soul. All the man needed was to be pointed toward such power in the name of Jesus.

e. Paul shouted out with a loud voice (megalei), "stand upright on thy feet." And the man leaped up and walked. Note: Paul did not reach out for the man; he did not touch the man at all. He simply spoke to the man. The power was of Christ and the faith was within the man. The man had to exercise his faith, believe in and really trust in the Lord Jesus to be healed just as he did to be saved.

The point is this. The heathen and superstitious people of the world can and are to be reached for Christ. Their hearts are just like the hearts of the civilized and educated of the world. Their hearts...

• are of the same nature.
• are in just as much need.
• are just as open and subject to the truth.

Thought 1. Note: there are even heathen and superstitious people in civilized and industrialized societies. Any person ignorant of the Scripture and the truth about Christ...

• is a heathen: a pagan, an irreligious person, a foreigner toward God.

• is trusting his fate and destiny to some form of superstitious and false belief.

2. Superstitious people are prone to deify men. Practically everyone within earshot of Paul would naturally run to see what was causing such a commotion. From what happened, the incident took place in a very busy section of the city. The picture is that of a large crowd running together, stunned, shocked, and excited. They began to run all about the city shouting the belief that "the gods" had come to visit them in the form of men. Of course with so much excitement the whole city soon heard about the miracle and became involved in making gods out of the two miracle workers. The point is this: there is a tendency within the world to deify both mankind and certain people, to hold to the superstitious and heathen belief of humanism...

• to deify mankind, worshipping the ability and feats of men whether in science and technology or in magic and sorcery. There is a tendency to worship and believe man is the one who determines his own fate and destiny.
• to deify certain persons, esteeming them too highly, putting them upon pedestals and places of honor because of their apparent power, achievements, knowledge, fame, or ability to read the future.

Such deifiation of men is idolatry, superstition, and heathenism. Worshipping self is the tendency of man’s heart, whether a heathen in the wilds of a jungle or a heathen in the most industrialized society.

3. Superstitious people believe myths. The people of Lystra identified Paul and Barnabas with two man-made gods, Zeus (Jupiter) and Hermes (Mercury). The widely held myth ran like this.

Long ago the two gods disguised themselves as men and came to earth seeking people who would welcome and entertain them. Their search was futile. Everyone rejected them except two peasants, Philemon and his wife, Baucis. Disappointed and angered, the two gods destroyed the whole population, but they rewarded and honored Philemon and his wife.

Note how quickly the people of Lystra associated the two gods with Paul and Barnabas. The two gods were thought to have visited the earth in the region of Lystra. Seeing such a phenomenal event—a crippled man healed by the shout of Paul, a crippled who had never walked—stirred the imagination of the Lystrians. They made the connection between the two preachers and the mythical gods.

They were not about to make the same mistake again. They wanted the favor and blessings of the gods, not their judgment and condemnation. They called Barnabas Zeus, the king of the gods; and they called Paul Hermes, the god of speech and the messenger of the other gods. The points to note are these:

a. The heathen believed in myths: they held to false ideas about reality and truth, the origin and power of the world, the nature and presence of God.

b. The heathen mistook man’s ability and power for God’s ability and power: they were immediately ready to pay homage to man in honor of his achievements.

4. Superstitious people offer the wrong sacrifice. The people were wildly excited. They rushed to pay honor to the two god-like men. They were ready and even prepared to make sacrifice to the two. Why? To secure their favor and blessings.

Note the idea of sacrifice or of giving oneself in order to secure favor and blessings is not just an idea of religion. It is a fact of all reality, a fact that holds true for everything man does. A man has to sacrifice and give himself to any endeavor if he wishes to reap the benefits of the endeavor (its favor and blessings). Whatever the project, a man’s being, time, energy and effort are required if he wishes to have the blessings. The point is threefold.

a. The heathen, the lost of the world, sacrifice and give themselves to men of power, ability, wealth and achievement. They give themselves to such men, treating them as god-like men. They do it to secure the favor and blessings of their power, ability, wealth, and achievements.

b. The humanists, the heathen who follow the basic myth of the world, sacrifice and give themselves to men of science and industry, ability and achievement. Why? To secure the favor and blessings wrought by their god-like hands.

 

14-18. Nothing could have been more unexpected or more painful to the humble missionaries, than a demonstration of this kind. The purpose of the priest and the crowd with him was, doubtless, communicated to them before the rites were commenced. (14) "Which when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard, they rent their clothes, and ran into the crowd, crying aloud, (15) and saying, Men, why do you do these things? We are men of like passions with yourselves, preaching the gospel to you, that you should turn from these vanities to the living God, who made the heavens and the earth, and the sea, and all things that are in them; (16) who in generations past suffered all the Gentiles to go on in their own ways; (17) although he did not leave himself without testimony, doing good, and giving you rains from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness. (18) And by saying these things they with difficulty restrained the people from offering sacrifice to them."

Though Barnabas, on this occasion, received the chief honor at the hands of the people, yet Paul continued to play the part of Mercury which the people had assigned him; for the speech to the idolaters bears unmistakable marks of his paternity. Mr. Howson notices the coincidence between the exhortation to the Lystrians, that they "should turn from these vanities to the living God," and his remark to the Thessalonians, that they had "turned from idols to serve the living and true God;" between the remark that "in generations past God suffered the Gentiles to go on in their own ways," and his [175] statement to the Athenians, that "the times of this ignorance God had overlooked;" and finally, between the argument by which he proves that God had not left himself without testimony among the heathen, and that in Romans, where he says (to quote the common version,) "The invisible things of him, from the creation of the world, are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse."

To which I would add, that the coincidence in thought between this speech, so far as reported, and that made in Athens to another company of idolaters is so striking, that the latter might be regarded as the same speech, only modified to suit the circumstances of the audience and the peculiarities of the occasion.

The speech and manner of the apostles finally brought the people back to their senses. It was a sad disappointment to know that their wonderful visitors were only men like themselves, and this conviction left them in great bewilderment as to the nature of the superhuman power which Paul had exerted.

19. In the midst of all the excitement at Lystra certain Jews arrived. They may have been there for one of two reasons. They may have been deliberately following Paul and Barnabas in a set attempt to undo the work that they were doing. Or they may have been corn merchants. The region round Lystra was a great corn growing area and they may have come to buy corn for the cities of Iconium and Antioch. If so, they would be shocked and angry to find Paul still preaching and would very naturally stir up the people against him.

Lystra was a Roman colony; but it was an outpost. Nevertheless, when the people saw what they had done they were afraid. That is why they dragged what they thought was Paul's dead body out of the city. They were afraid of the strong hand of Roman justice and they were trying to get rid of Paul's body in order to escape the consequences of their riot.

The outstanding feature of this story is the sheer courage of Paul. When he came to his senses, his first act was to go right back into the city where he had been stoned. It was John Wesley's advice, "Always look a mob in the face." There could be no braver thing than Paul's going straight back amongst those who had tried to murder him. A deed like that would have more effect than a hundred sermons. Men were bound to ask themselves where a man got the courage to act in such a way.

This state of suspense was most favorable to the acceptance of Paul's own explanation of his miraculous power, and consequently to their belief of the gospel; and we can not doubt that some of the disciples, whom we afterward find there, owed their conviction, in part, to the circumstance. But with those who did not promptly embrace the faith, the same suspense made room for explanations unfavorable to conviction, and such explanations were soon given. (19) "But Jews from Antioch and Iconium came thither, and having persuaded the multitude, and stoned Paul, they dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead."

The readiness with which a people who had so recently offered divine honors to Paul were persuaded to stone him to death, though at first glance surprising, is but a natural result of all the circumstances. That portion of them who had been prominent in the idolatrous proceedings felt mortified at the discovery of their mistake, and were naturally inclined to excuse their own folly by throwing censure upon the innocent objects of it.

The Jews stimulated this feeling by urging that Paul was an impostor, and that all the honorable women and chief men of Antioch and Iconium had united in driving him away from those cities. This enabled them to charge him with willful deception, and as their feelings were already keyed up to their utmost tension they were easily swayed to the opposite extreme, and at a nod from the Jews they were ready to dash him to pieces. That Paul, rather than Barnabas, was the victim of their wrath, resulted from the fact that both here and in the cities from which the Jews had come, he was the chief speaker. The same circumstance which had given him the inferior place in their idolatry, gave him, finally, the superior place in their hatred.

(14:14-18) Preaching—Message: the message to superstitious people. Note what Paul and Barnabas did. The people had been shouting and carrying on their activities of worship in their native tongue. Many of the people would be bilingual, speaking both their own language and Greek. But Paul and Barnabas could not understand what they were saying in their native Lyconian tongue (Acts 14:11). When they finally grasped what was happening, they courageously protested against such heathen behavior. They ran into the midst of the crowd tearing their clothes. The tearing of one’s clothes was a sign of holy indignation against sin. By this symbol the people would know immediately the two men were protesting.

• Paul cried out (Acts 14:14), declaring exactly what a heathen people needed to hear. The people were ignorant of the Scriptures, so Paul had to approach them on the basis of "the living god, which made heaven and earth" (Acts 14:15). Paul declared five points.

1. Men are only men: "We also are men of like passions with you." The word "passions" (homoiopatheis) means the same nature.
2. a. Note who is declaring this: one of the greatest men who ever lived...

• the man chosen by God Himself to be the witness and pattern for all men.

• the man who could say to all other men, "Be followers of me" (1 Cor 4:16; 1 Cor. 7:7; 1 Cor. 11:1; Phil. 3:17; Phil. 4:9; 2 Thes. 3:7; 1 Tim. 1:16; 2 Tim. 1:13).

• the man who was the epitomy, the supreme example, of human religious achievement.

This man, Paul, rejected the honor and homage of men; he declared that all men are mere men. No man is a god.

b. Note that Paul knew who he was: he was not a god-like man; he was a messenger who preached to men. He was a preacher declaring that men should repent and turn from their vanities, turn from the empty things and man-made idols of this earth.

2. There is only one living God. The people were worshipping one of two things:

• man-made idols which were lifeless and totally helpless in saving men from sin, death, and judgment.

• man himself who was aging, suffering, and dying, totally unable to save himself from sin, death, and judgment, much less save anyone else.

3. The living God is the creator of all things, of "heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein." He is the Creator of man, everything about man, and everything surrounding man. Therefore, the God of creation is the only God who is to be worshipped.

4. God permitted men to walk as they willed. Note the point: Paul was explaining why people worship idols, that is, "these vanities," the empty things of earth. Men worship the empty things of earth because God has given man a free will. Man is allowed to walk in his "own ways." God "suffers," that is, allows, puts up with man, longs and aches for man to turn to Him as the only living and true God, the only God who deserves the honor and worship of men.

Note: the Book of Romans explains what happened to man (cp. Romans 1:18-32).

5. God has always given witness to Himself. No man has ever been left without witness. There is the evidence...

• of good in the world (ontology, being).

• of rain.

• of fruitful seasons.

• of food.

• of gladness (joy).

The laws of nature do not just happen. They were given and are controlled by the only living and true God. He is behind all the good that happens to man.

(14:19-20) Minister: the minister needed to reach a heathen and superstitious people. Note three qualifications needed by the minister who seeks to reach the heathen of the world:

1. The minister must be willing to suffer persecution, even martyrdom. Antioch of Pisidia and Iconium were the two cities that had threatened and expelled Paul and Barnabas. Some Jews were so incensed over the preachers—over their ministry and message—they were now hounding and dogging their steps, arousing the people against them.

Note how fickle, changeable, and impulsive the heathen were, and how carnal and evil the religionists (Jews) were. Yet the minister was willing to suffer in order to help them, the very ones who opposed him. The people stoned Paul and left him for dead

2. The minister must be faithful in witnessing and in bearing disciples. Note some disciples were standing around Paul as he lay upon the ground, assumed to be dead!

3. The minister must trust God’s delivering power. Note: Paul "rose up" (anastas). This points toward a miraculous recovery by God. Paul had given everything to God; therefore, he was God’s. His life was in the hands of God to do as He willed.

20. Although Paul's physical constitution was feeble, he had, as is often the case with such constitutions, great tenacity of life. The mob left him, thinking he was dead. (20) "But while the disciples were standing around him, he rose up, and entered into the city, and the next day he went out with Barnabas into Derbe."

21, 22. Having been compelled to fly from Antioch to Iconium, and from Iconium to Lystra, wading into deeper dangers at every step, [176] who can tell the feelings with which the wounded missionary enters the gate of another heathen city, bearing visible marks of the indignity he had suffered, to excite the contempt of the people? We know, from the expression given to his feelings on some other occasions, that now they must have been gloomy indeed. But he who brings light out of darkness caused a refreshing light to shine upon the darkening pathway of his faithful servant, by granting him here a peaceful and abundant harvests of souls. (21) "And when they had preached the gospel in the city, and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, (22) confirming the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God."

Luke passes hurriedly over these scenes; but the uninspired imagination loves to linger among them, to sympathize with the suffering apostles in their afflictions and comforts, and also with the congregations in the four cities, as the two brethren, who had come among them like visitors from a better world, were bidding them farewell, and leaving them to make their own way through many temptations into the everlasting kingdom of God.

(14:21) Preaching—Making Disciples: the first great task was to preach the gospel and make disciples. Note two challenging facts.

1. The ministry of the preachers (Paul and Barnabas) was to preach the gospel (euaggelisamenoi). And that is exactly what they did.

2. The ministry of the preachers (Paul and Barnabas) was to make disciples. The words "had taught many" (matheteusantes hikanous) mean had made many disciples. They not only preached, they had taken the believers and made disciples out of them.

That the term elder is used as an official title, and not merely to indicate the older members of the Church, is sufficiently evident from the fact that men became elders by appointment, whereas an [177] appointment can not make one an old man. The fact that these officers were called elders indicates that they were generally selected from the elderly class; still, it does not necessarily imply that, to be an elder officially, a man must be an elder in years. Terms which are appropriated as official titles do not always retain their original meanings. Whether advanced age is necessary to the elder's office is to be determined, not by the official title, but by the qualifications prescribed. But, inasmuch as no such qualification is anywhere prescribed, we conclude that any brother who possesses the qualifications which are prescribed, may be made an elder, though he be not an old man.

The qualifications to be prescribed for one who would fill an office depend upon the duties of the office. Imperfection in the qualifications leads to proportionate inefficiency in the performance of the duties. Seeing, then, that but few men are found possessing, in a high degree, all the qualifications for the office of bishop, we should not be surprised that its duties have generally been more or less inefficiently performed. Much less should we, as so many have done, seek a remedy for this inefficiency, in an entire subversion of the Church organization instituted by the apostles.

After all that can be said to the contrary, the apostolic plan has proved itself more efficient than any of those invented by men. Those congregations of the present day which are under the oversight of an efficient eldership, other things being equal, come nearer, in every good word and work, to the apostolic model of a Church of Christ, than any others in Christendom. And those which have a comparatively inefficient eldership will compare most favorably with those under an inefficient pastorship of any other kind. Finally, such inefficiency is not, after all, more frequently found in the eldership than in what is popularly styled the ministry. This must be so, from the fact that the qualifications for the office, public speaking alone excepted, are more frequently found combined in three or four men, than in one, whether pastor, or class-leader, or whatever may be his title.

The folly, therefore, of abandoning the apostolic eldership in favor of any other organization, is demonstrated by history; while its wickedness must be apparent to every one who esteems apostolic precedents above human expedients. To seek an escape from the condemnation due for this wickedness, by asserting that the apostles left no model of Church organization, is only to add to the original crime by perverting the Scriptures to excuse it. So long as it stands recorded that Paul and Barnabas "appointed for them elders in every Church," and so long as the duties of these officers remain carefully prescribed in the apostolic epistles, so long will it be false to deny that the apostles left us a definite model of Church organization, and wicked in the sight of God to abandon it for any other. [179]

In this passage there are three notable lights on the mind of Paul.

(i) There is his utter honesty to the people who had chosen to become Christians. He frankly told them that it was through many an affliction they would have to enter into the kingdom of God. He offered them no easy way. He acted on the principle that Jesus had come "not to make life easy but to make men great."

(ii) On the return journey Paul set apart elders in all the little groups of newly-made Christians. He showed that it was his conviction that Christianity must be lived in a fellowship. As one of the great fathers put it, "No man can have God for his father unless he has the Church for his mother." As John Wesley put it, "No man ever went to heaven alone; he must either find friends or make them." From the very beginning but to was Paul's aim not only to make individual Christians but to build these individuals into a Christian fellowship.

(iii) Paul and Barnabas never thought that it was their strength which had achieved anything. They spoke of what God had done with them. They regarded themselves only as fellow-labourers with God. After the great victory of Agincourt, Henry the king forbade any songs to be made and ordered that all the glory should be given to God. We begin to have the right idea of Christian service when we work, not for our own honour, but from the conviction that we are tools in the hand of God.

24-26. Leaving Antioch of Pisidia, the apostles returned as far as the sea-coast by the same route through which they had gone up into Pisidia. (24) "And passing through Pisidia, they came into Pamphylia; (25) and having spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia. (26) Thence they sailed to Antioch, whence they had been commended to the favor of God for the work which they had performed." Perga, on the river Cestrus, a few miles above its mouth, was the point at which they had disembarked on their first arrival from Cyprus. They had made no delay there at first, but now we are told that they "spoke the word in Perga." Luke's silence in reference to the result of this effort is an indication that it was not very decided. It is probable that their design was simply to usefully employ an interval during which they were waiting for a vessel bound to Antioch. This conjecture is confirmed by the fact that they finally left Perga by land, and walked down to Attalia on the sea-coast, where they would be likely to meet with a vessel without so long delay. They were not disappointed; for "thence they sailed to Antioch."

(14:21-27) Minister, Duty—Church—Salvation: the second great task was to strengthen the churches. A real commitment was needed to accomplish this task. The reasons are clear.

First, the excitement of a new work, that is, of large numbers of receptive people and conversions was over. The remaining people in a community are just not as receptive as the first persons who made decisions. And the longer a church waits to reach out, the more difficult it is to reach people with the gospel. The work of day by day ministry in the same community and preaching to and teaching the same people are just not as exciting as reaching out into new areas and establishing new works.

Second, strengthening and making true disciples of believers are much more difficult than leading them to Christ. Leading people to Christ involves a one-time decision, but strengthening and making disciples involves...

• many decisions.
• many days and months and sometimes years.
• the same people over and over.
• varied personalities.
• different levels of spiritual growth.
• different levels of commitment.
• different emotions.
• different ages.
• opposing thoughts and ideas.

Note Paul’s commitment. In Derbe he was only 160 miles from his hometown, Tarsus. When he left Derbe, he could have continued on toward Tarsus by travelling over the mountain pass or the Cilician Gates. Remember: when he had first begun to preach, he had ministered in his hometown and throughout Syria for about eleven years. The pull to visit his home and the churches he had established there must have been strong. But the need lay with the churches he had more recently founded, and Paul belonged to the Lord. Therefore, he had to return to the churches just established and strengthen them. His return trip gives a clear picture of what is involved in strengthening churches.

1. There was confirming (episterizontes) which means strengthening, making firm, establishing. New converts and churches always stand in danger of...

• wavering
• being lured away
• returning to religious tradition
• slipping back
• not praying faithfully
• being tempted by wordly friends
• not studying the Scripture consistently
• not witnessing

2. There was exhortation.

3. There was warning about persecution. The true believer passes through many trials and afflictions while entering into the Kingdom of God.

a. The believer will suffer persecution. He must be warned lest be become discouraged and fall away when persecution strikes.

b. The believer is given the most glorious assurance: he shall pass through the tribulation or trial. The tribulation will end. The believer will not be swallowed up by the persecution and cast into eternity lost and perishing. If the trial does not end on earth, God will take the believer on to heaven to live in His glorious presence forever.

4. There was the organizing of the church.

5. There was visiting all about and preaching the Word (Acts 14:24-25). No doubt believers had been reached throughout the whole district of Galatia. The first believers were bearing testimony with the travelling public as well as with their neighbors. The point to note is this: Paul and Barnabas were busy, as busy as they could be moving about and preaching the Word. They were just as busy in following up and strengthening the churches as they had been in establishing them.

6. There was an acknowledging and reporting to the mother church (Acts 14:26-27). Note what was done when Paul and Barnabas returned to the mother church of Antioch.

a. The church was called together for the most glorious missionary meeting imaginable, the very first missionary report ever given to a mother church.

b. The two missionaries rehearsed and shared all that God had done with them.

 

This meant three very significant things.

1) The door of faith, faith in Christ, was being proclaimed as the presence of God (John 14:6; 1 Tim. 2:5).

2) God was the One who had opened the door. He was the One who had quickened the gospel to their hearts and minds. No man could do that; only God could.

3) It was proven that every person can be saved, no matter who they are. And they can be saved by faith...

• apart from law.
• apart from ritual (circumcision).
• apart from worldly speculations and myths.
• apart from humanistic imagination.
• apart from novel ideas.
• apart from philosophy.

27, 28. The apostles had now completed their missionary tour, and there could but be great anxiety in the congregation who had sent them forth, to know the result of their labors. It was the first mission ever sent to the heathen world. The missionaries were as eager to report the success with which their sufferings and toil had been crowned, as the congregation were to hear it. He who returns from a hard-fought field bearing good tidings, pants beneath the burden of his untold story. (27) "And having arrived and assembled the Church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and that he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. (28) And they continued there no little time with the disciples." In the statement that God had "opened a door of faith to the Gentiles," this is an allusion both to the opening of that national inclosure which had hitherto confined the gospel almost exclusively to the Jews, and the introduction of the distant Gentiles through that door into the Church. Before this, faith had been to them inaccessible; for "how shall they believe on him of whom they had not heard?" But now that the preachers had been sent out to them, the door was open, and faith was accessible to all.

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