Act 13:49 | KingComments | STEP | When the Jews see the crowds, they become jealous. As long as the preaching took place in the synagogue for the select company of its visitors, they were still under the assumption that it was a message from God for them as Jews. However, now they see that many who never come to the synagogue also hear about the Lord Jesus. With their nationalistic pride and exclusivism they cannot cope with that. Where grace is preached, it will always arouse the enmity of people who consider themselves important in their service to God. It is the jealousy of begrudging grace to the nations. That is why they begin to contradict and blaspheme what they first greeted so enthusiastically. Those who do not accept grace for themselves will also begrudge it to others. Instead of telling the crowds to come to the synagogue, Paul speaks to the Jews. They have been given priority in the preaching of grace, but grace puts everyone on an equal footing before God. If they don’t want it, if they don’t want eternal life, he and Barnabas will no longer address themselves to them, but to the Gentiles. For the believing Jew this is already difficult to accept, for the unbelieving Jew it is reprehensible. It evokes all his hatred. However, they have forfeited the right to the blessing based on the law, because they did not meet the conditions. Now that they do not want grace either, they also forfeit grace. They have put themselves offside because of this. In this way, what used to be a small Jewish sect, partly due to the resistance of the Jews, is slowly moving in the direction of a worldwide movement. The preaching to the Gentiles is not a concoction of Paul. God has already thought of the Gentiles in the Old Testament to make them partakers of salvation ( ). Isaiah 49 is about the Lord Jesus as the Servant of Yahweh. The words Paul quotes are meant in Isaiah as an encouragement to the Servant of Yahweh, after He expressed His disappointment that Israel rejected Him. This now also happens with Paul and Barnabas. They too are rejected by the unbelieving Jews. That is why Paul says in his quote “so the Lord has commanded us”, by which he means himself and Barnabas. Now that they, as the preachers of grace, have been rejected by the unbelieving Jews, they will go to the Gentiles, as the Servant of Yahweh was told. When the Gentiles hear this, they rejoice. They glorify the Word of the Lord; they embrace it and fully appreciate it. That Word does its work in them. Many come to faith through it. Those who come to faith are those who are appointed to eternal life by God. Here we find the side of predestination. God knows perfectly who will believe because He Himself has appointed them to it. This also means that only those people will believe who God has appointed to this purpose. But predestination does not take away our responsibility to preach the gospel. The counterpart is found in the first verse of the following chapter. Paul, who knew like no other the truth of predestination, also preached the gospel. He also did not know who all would believe. God also begs not only the elect to be reconciled with Him, but all people ( ). The Christian therefore believes that so many people come to repentance as God has appointed and that he must preach it in such a way that many come to repentance. No matter how hard the enemy tries to prevent the spread of the Word, the course of the Word is unstoppable. The Word of the Lord in Antioch has an enormous effect all around. Remarkably often the name ‘Lord’ appears in this section ( ), of which the ‘Word of the Lord’ is mentioned three times ( ). It emphasizes that the Word of God for those to whom it is preached and by whom it is accepted is the Word of the Lord, the Commander, to Whom they must submit. The Jews know how to incite the devout women of prominence and other distinguished people and to assume the role of persecutors. Important and distinguished people feel the gospel as a threat to their honor and prestige. They refuse to acknowledge any authority that puts an end to what distinguishes them. If there is no desire for the gospel, such people can easily be turned into opponents. The Jews, with their insinuations, succeed in this. The result is that Paul and Barnabas are driven out of that area. As they leave Antioch, they make it clear by shaking the dust off their feet against them that they have no part at all in the people driving them away. They don’t even want to have anything to do with the dust of the city (cf. ). Then they are on their way to their next destiny, Iconium. When Paul and Barnabas leave, they do not leave behind some disciples who panic, but disciples who are filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. Although the preachers are gone, the joy and the Holy Spirit remain. Joy and the Holy Spirit belong together. They are filled with both. God gives that where the hearts are focused on the Lord Jesus and the opposition is fierce.

‏ Acts 13:49

Driven Out by the Jews

When the Jews see the crowds, they become jealous. As long as the preaching took place in the synagogue for the select company of its visitors, they were still under the assumption that it was a message from God for them as Jews. However, now they see that many who never come to the synagogue also hear about the Lord Jesus. With their nationalistic pride and exclusivism they cannot cope with that.

Where grace is preached, it will always arouse the enmity of people who consider themselves important in their service to God. It is the jealousy of begrudging grace to the nations. That is why they begin to contradict and blaspheme what they first greeted so enthusiastically. Those who do not accept grace for themselves will also begrudge it to others.

Instead of telling the crowds to come to the synagogue, Paul speaks to the Jews. They have been given priority in the preaching of grace, but grace puts everyone on an equal footing before God. If they don’t want it, if they don’t want eternal life, he and Barnabas will no longer address themselves to them, but to the Gentiles.

For the believing Jew this is already difficult to accept, for the unbelieving Jew it is reprehensible. It evokes all his hatred. However, they have forfeited the right to the blessing based on the law, because they did not meet the conditions. Now that they do not want grace either, they also forfeit grace. They have put themselves offside because of this. In this way, what used to be a small Jewish sect, partly due to the resistance of the Jews, is slowly moving in the direction of a worldwide movement.

The preaching to the Gentiles is not a concoction of Paul. God has already thought of the Gentiles in the Old Testament to make them partakers of salvation (Isa 49:6). Isaiah 49 is about the Lord Jesus as the Servant of Yahweh. The words Paul quotes are meant in Isaiah as an encouragement to the Servant of Yahweh, after He expressed His disappointment that Israel rejected Him. This now also happens with Paul and Barnabas. They too are rejected by the unbelieving Jews. That is why Paul says in his quote “so the Lord has commanded us”, by which he means himself and Barnabas. Now that they, as the preachers of grace, have been rejected by the unbelieving Jews, they will go to the Gentiles, as the Servant of Yahweh was told.

When the Gentiles hear this, they rejoice. They glorify the Word of the Lord; they embrace it and fully appreciate it. That Word does its work in them. Many come to faith through it. Those who come to faith are those who are appointed to eternal life by God. Here we find the side of predestination. God knows perfectly who will believe because He Himself has appointed them to it. This also means that only those people will believe who God has appointed to this purpose.

But predestination does not take away our responsibility to preach the gospel. The counterpart is found in the first verse of the following chapter. Paul, who knew like no other the truth of predestination, also preached the gospel. He also did not know who all would believe. God also begs not only the elect to be reconciled with Him, but all people (2Cor 5:20). The Christian therefore believes that so many people come to repentance as God has appointed and that he must preach it in such a way that many come to repentance.

No matter how hard the enemy tries to prevent the spread of the Word, the course of the Word is unstoppable. The Word of the Lord in Antioch has an enormous effect all around. Remarkably often the name ‘Lord’ appears in this section (Acts 13:44 ; 47-49), of which the ‘Word of the Lord’ is mentioned three times (Acts 13:44 ; 48 ; 49). It emphasizes that the Word of God for those to whom it is preached and by whom it is accepted is the Word of the Lord, the Commander, to Whom they must submit.

The Jews know how to incite the devout women of prominence and other distinguished people and to assume the role of persecutors. Important and distinguished people feel the gospel as a threat to their honor and prestige. They refuse to acknowledge any authority that puts an end to what distinguishes them. If there is no desire for the gospel, such people can easily be turned into opponents. The Jews, with their insinuations, succeed in this.

The result is that Paul and Barnabas are driven out of that area. As they leave Antioch, they make it clear by shaking the dust off their feet against them that they have no part at all in the people driving them away. They don’t even want to have anything to do with the dust of the city (cf. Mt 10:15). Then they are on their way to their next destiny, Iconium.

When Paul and Barnabas leave, they do not leave behind some disciples who panic, but disciples who are filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. Although the preachers are gone, the joy and the Holy Spirit remain. Joy and the Holy Spirit belong together. They are filled with both. God gives that where the hearts are focused on the Lord Jesus and the opposition is fierce.