Act 14:24-26 | KingComments | STEP | In reverse order, they again visited the cities where they had previously brought the gospel, now to strengthen the disciples. It is an after-care visit, a pastoral service. This is a necessary part of the labor of love that newly converted souls need. They come fearlessly to the places where they have previously been driven away by persecution. During the Lord Jesus’ walk in Israel, the disciples did not dare to return to a place where they recently tried to stone Him ( ). Paul and Barnabas do not have that fear here. They go through the power of the Spirit, while they also know that God, as with Job, determines the boundary of the work of satan. That they are well aware of what happened to them during their first visit, we see with Paul. When he writes his farewell letter to Timothy at the end of his life, he refers once more to all the suffering that has befallen him in these three cities ( ). That happened at the very beginning of his service, but he never forgot it. These are the cities where especially the Jews persecuted him bitterly and tried to kill him, but where the Lord rescued him. The service in the mentioned cities does not consist of openly preaching the gospel this time either, but as said, of strengthening the souls of the disciples in faith. They teach the disciples in the truth of the faith and encourage them to hold on to it. It is about holding on to the whole Word of God. Continuing in the faith is necessary because there is a lot of deception and oppression. Furthermore, Paul makes it clear that tribulation is part of the gospel. More than anyone else he knows what he is talking about when he says this. He knows from experience the tribulations that accompany entering into the kingdom of God. He who says this, has just been stoned (cf. ). These believers have continued to live in cities where there is great opposition to the gospel. Therefore they need reinforcement and encouragement. In faith they have already entered the kingdom of God ( ), but not yet actually, because that will only happen when the Lord Jesus comes back to visibly establish that kingdom. Between these two events are the tribulations ( ). Paul here presents the kingdom of God as it will be in the future because he speaks about entering. Only believers can enter it because unbelievers cannot ’deserve’ the kingdom by undergoing tribulation. For believers there is now tribulation and later rest ( ). Apart from their teaching the apostles give to encourage the believers, they do something else that will be of help to these young believers once they have left. They appoint elders in each church. The apostles appoint these elders after they have chosen them themselves. In both these actions, choosing and appointing, there is no activity of the church. The appointment of elders is further only mentioned in Titus 1 ( ). The appointment of elders happens in churches of the Gentiles. In churches with an exclusively Jewish background this is not an issue, because elders have been present there for many years. In their case we read nothing about a formal appointment. The elders for Gentile churches were not appointed by Paul and Barnabas right at the start of the church, but at a second visit. Some maturation of the believers has taken place and some who possess the necessary qualities can now be appointed. What the requirements of an elder, or overseer, are, Paul writes in his first letter to Timothy and in his letter to Titus ( ; ). The word for ‘elder’ means that it is someone who is a more mature believer in the midst of newly converted believers. From the texts where the appointment of elders occurs, it appears that the authority of the apostles is the source. The official appointment of elders is therefore no longer possible since the passing away of the apostles. Although there are no officially appointed elders anymore, fortunately there are still older believers who function as elders in the local church. They are given by the Holy Spirit and can be recognized by their qualities. They should be acknowledged by the church in their work ( ; cf. ; ). We also observe that after the activities of the apostles as evangelists, they unite the converted in a local church to which a letter or letters will also be written later. In these letters Paul further teaches the believers how things should be done in a local church. It is nice to remember that the local church represents the universal church ( ). The local believers are members of the church. They may know that the Lord Jesus is in the midst according to His promise when they come together as a church ( ). After the appointment of the elders Paul and Barnabas commend the believers to the Lord in prayer with fasting. Luke adds “in whom they had believed”. He emphasizes once more that the believers have entrusted their life to the Lord. It is in this trust that the apostles continue on their way back. On their return journey, they travel through Pisidia and arrive in the south in Pamphylia on the coast. There they visit Perga, where they also have been on their outward journey and where Mark has left them. This time they speak the Word there. Then they travel to the port of Attalia.

‏ Acts 14:24-26

Back to Antioch in Syria

In reverse order, they again visited the cities where they had previously brought the gospel, now to strengthen the disciples. It is an after-care visit, a pastoral service. This is a necessary part of the labor of love that newly converted souls need. They come fearlessly to the places where they have previously been driven away by persecution. During the Lord Jesus’ walk in Israel, the disciples did not dare to return to a place where they recently tried to stone Him (Jn 11:8). Paul and Barnabas do not have that fear here. They go through the power of the Spirit, while they also know that God, as with Job, determines the boundary of the work of satan.

That they are well aware of what happened to them during their first visit, we see with Paul. When he writes his farewell letter to Timothy at the end of his life, he refers once more to all the suffering that has befallen him in these three cities (2Tim 3:11). That happened at the very beginning of his service, but he never forgot it. These are the cities where especially the Jews persecuted him bitterly and tried to kill him, but where the Lord rescued him.

The service in the mentioned cities does not consist of openly preaching the gospel this time either, but as said, of strengthening the souls of the disciples in faith. They teach the disciples in the truth of the faith and encourage them to hold on to it. It is about holding on to the whole Word of God. Continuing in the faith is necessary because there is a lot of deception and oppression.

Furthermore, Paul makes it clear that tribulation is part of the gospel. More than anyone else he knows what he is talking about when he says this. He knows from experience the tribulations that accompany entering into the kingdom of God. He who says this, has just been stoned (cf. Col 1:28-29).

These believers have continued to live in cities where there is great opposition to the gospel. Therefore they need reinforcement and encouragement. In faith they have already entered the kingdom of God (Jn 3:5), but not yet actually, because that will only happen when the Lord Jesus comes back to visibly establish that kingdom. Between these two events are the tribulations (2Pet 1:11).

Paul here presents the kingdom of God as it will be in the future because he speaks about entering. Only believers can enter it because unbelievers cannot ’deserve’ the kingdom by undergoing tribulation. For believers there is now tribulation and later rest (2Thes 1:6-7).

Apart from their teaching the apostles give to encourage the believers, they do something else that will be of help to these young believers once they have left. They appoint elders in each church. The apostles appoint these elders after they have chosen them themselves. In both these actions, choosing and appointing, there is no activity of the church. The appointment of elders is further only mentioned in Titus 1 (Tit 1:5).

The appointment of elders happens in churches of the Gentiles. In churches with an exclusively Jewish background this is not an issue, because elders have been present there for many years. In their case we read nothing about a formal appointment. The elders for Gentile churches were not appointed by Paul and Barnabas right at the start of the church, but at a second visit. Some maturation of the believers has taken place and some who possess the necessary qualities can now be appointed.

What the requirements of an elder, or overseer, are, Paul writes in his first letter to Timothy and in his letter to Titus (1Tim 3:1-7; Tit 1:5-9). The word for ‘elder’ means that it is someone who is a more mature believer in the midst of newly converted believers. From the texts where the appointment of elders occurs, it appears that the authority of the apostles is the source. The official appointment of elders is therefore no longer possible since the passing away of the apostles.

Although there are no officially appointed elders anymore, fortunately there are still older believers who function as elders in the local church. They are given by the Holy Spirit and can be recognized by their qualities. They should be acknowledged by the church in their work (Acts 20:28; cf. Heb 13:7 ; 17 ; 24; 1Thes 5:12).

We also observe that after the activities of the apostles as evangelists, they unite the converted in a local church to which a letter or letters will also be written later. In these letters Paul further teaches the believers how things should be done in a local church. It is nice to remember that the local church represents the universal church (1Cor 12:27). The local believers are members of the church. They may know that the Lord Jesus is in the midst according to His promise when they come together as a church (Mt 18:20).

After the appointment of the elders Paul and Barnabas commend the believers to the Lord in prayer with fasting. Luke adds “in whom they had believed”. He emphasizes once more that the believers have entrusted their life to the Lord. It is in this trust that the apostles continue on their way back.

On their return journey, they travel through Pisidia and arrive in the south in Pamphylia on the coast. There they visit Perga, where they also have been on their outward journey and where Mark has left them. This time they speak the Word there. Then they travel to the port of Attalia.

Arrival and Report in Antioch

They leave Attalia and sail across the Mediterranean to disembark again in Antioch. This is Antioch in Syria from where, more than a year ago, they left for their first missionary journey. The church did not send them, but commended them to the grace of God for the work to which He had called them. The church has been sympathizing with them. Now the apostles want to share with the believers what the Lord has done through their ministry (cf. Acts 21:19).

There is no question of accountability toward the church. The church is not the source of mission, but a place of fellowship where what the Lord does in blessing for others is shared. God is the One Who works, they are only the instruments. Also today it is heartwarming for believers who are allowed to do a work for the Lord elsewhere to experience interest from the ‘home church’ in the work that the Lord does.

Paul and Barnabas tell the believers especially that God has opened a door of faith for the Gentiles. This has already been the case in Antioch because Antioch is also a Gentile city. Yet the existence of a church of Gentiles is then only an incident. Now it has become clear that God is working through Paul and Barnabas everywhere outside Israel and that the Gentiles are coming to faith in crowds, together with some Jews who also live in those places.

God’s work of grace among the Gentiles through His Word and the power of the Holy Spirit outside of the church in Jerusalem and the law raises the question with the converted Jews whether this can happen just like that. In the next chapter this question will be answered. We will see there that the grace of God also has an answer to this question.

After the report Paul and Barnabas do not leave immediately for the further proclamation of the gospel to the Gentiles. They stay with the disciples for a longer period of time. Their ‘home church’ is a kind of haven of peace after all the unrest they have experienced in their work. There they can share and have fellowship.

It must have been a refreshment for them to stay with these believers, called “disciples” by Luke. The fact that the believers are called “disciples” is because of their consistent imitation of the Lord Jesus. To be allowed to stay with such believers is a blessing for anyone who also wants to consistently imitate the Lord Jesus, as we know from Paul and Barnabas.