Act 14:1-20 | KingComments | STEP | What happened in the Pisidian Antioch, is repeated in Iconium. Paul and Barnabas again first go to the synagogue. The persecution in Antioch has not diminished their courage and zeal to bring the gospel. They speak in a way that leads a large crowd of people, both from the Jews and from the Gentiles, to come to faith. Speaking must be in a way the Lord can use (cf. ). It is about an ability that must be of God ( ), which is His gift, but which also must be used. The Word has power and bears fruit. As in Pisidian Antioch, the unbelieving Jews are the fierce opponents of the gospel. Here, too, they know how to manipulate the minds of the Gentiles and to make them bitter, so that they come in opposition to the brethren. But the brethren do not give way to the rage of the people. They remain for a long time, without worrying about the attempts of the Jews to expel them. They speak boldly of the Lord and bear witness to Him. In turn, the Lord gives testimony to the Word of His grace by giving to His witnesses that they perform signs and wonders. These signs and wonders serve to confirm the Word. This is as the Lord promised when He commanded them to proclaim the gospel ( ; cf. ). Yet we do not read that every preaching in Acts is accompanied by doing signs and wonders. So it is not an automatism. When the gospel has been so powerfully proclaimed, division arises in the crowd. The preaching of the gospel brings division. The opposition in Iconium grows and takes on a threatening form. The enmity becomes so great that there is mention of a plan to mistreat and stone the apostles. This plan is conceived in a dialogue between the nations and the Jews with their rulers. The plotting shows the deep-rooted hatred against the proclaimers of the gospel. Not only death by stoning, but also a preceding mistreatment is part of their plan. Though they did not give in at first to the bitter mood among the Gentiles, the moment comes when it seems advisable to flee ( ). It is just how the Holy Spirit wants it, because through Him they let themselves be guided. The apostles were not characterized by a kind of heroism, but by something much better: the simplicity of grace. This is how they come to flee into Lystra and Derbe, cities that are in Lycaonia, which thereby get the chance to hear the gospel.

‏ Acts 14:1-20

Preaching in and Fleeing From Iconium

What happened in the Pisidian Antioch, is repeated in Iconium. Paul and Barnabas again first go to the synagogue. The persecution in Antioch has not diminished their courage and zeal to bring the gospel. They speak in a way that leads a large crowd of people, both from the Jews and from the Gentiles, to come to faith. Speaking must be in a way the Lord can use (cf. Ecc 12:10). It is about an ability that must be of God (2Cor 3:5), which is His gift, but which also must be used. The Word has power and bears fruit.

As in Pisidian Antioch, the unbelieving Jews are the fierce opponents of the gospel. Here, too, they know how to manipulate the minds of the Gentiles and to make them bitter, so that they come in opposition to the brethren. But the brethren do not give way to the rage of the people. They remain for a long time, without worrying about the attempts of the Jews to expel them. They speak boldly of the Lord and bear witness to Him.

In turn, the Lord gives testimony to the Word of His grace by giving to His witnesses that they perform signs and wonders. These signs and wonders serve to confirm the Word. This is as the Lord promised when He commanded them to proclaim the gospel (Mk 16:20; cf. Heb 2:3-4). Yet we do not read that every preaching in Acts is accompanied by doing signs and wonders. So it is not an automatism.

When the gospel has been so powerfully proclaimed, division arises in the crowd. The preaching of the gospel brings division. The opposition in Iconium grows and takes on a threatening form. The enmity becomes so great that there is mention of a plan to mistreat and stone the apostles. This plan is conceived in a dialogue between the nations and the Jews with their rulers. The plotting shows the deep-rooted hatred against the proclaimers of the gospel. Not only death by stoning, but also a preceding mistreatment is part of their plan.

Though they did not give in at first to the bitter mood among the Gentiles, the moment comes when it seems advisable to flee (Mt 10:23). It is just how the Holy Spirit wants it, because through Him they let themselves be guided. The apostles were not characterized by a kind of heroism, but by something much better: the simplicity of grace. This is how they come to flee into Lystra and Derbe, cities that are in Lycaonia, which thereby get the chance to hear the gospel.

Healing a Lame in Lystra

There is no synagogue in Lystra. It seems to be a very pagan city. When they walk through Lystra, they see a man who has not been able to walk since he was born. Luke focuses our attention to this man who, as far as his condition is concerned, is reminiscent of the man we met in the beginning of Acts and who was healed by Peter and John (Acts 3:2-8). There it was a Jewish man, here it is a pagan. As a true evangelist, Paul sees that the man listens with great interest to what he says.

Paul can discern whether it is just curiosity or a deeper need for interest. He sees that this man has faith to be saved, both in his body and in his soul. Therefore he does not need a long consideration to know what to do. He speaks with a loud voice to the man the words: “Stand upright on your feet.” The man obeys immediately. He leaps up and begins to walks. The healing is immediate and complete.

That is the case with all wonders in the New Testament. They all have an immediate and perfect result. There is no question of gradual or half work. The wonder of the healing of a blind person by the Lord Jesus in phases is no exception (Mk 8:24-25). It is a purposeful work of the Lord through which He wants to teach the disciples a lesson [see the explanation of the Gospel according to Mark].

By the way, Paul was not looking for someone he could heal. He didn’t make the sick better looking for them everywhere randomly, but he noticed something special with this man.

Preaching of Paul in Lystra

In light of their erroneous view of things, the crowds misrepresent what is happening. They live by the faith of descending gods. There is no intellectual idolatry in Lystra, but primitive idolatry. They immediately give Barnabas and Saul the names of their most important idols because it is clear to them that these idols appeared in human form among them. They call Paul Hermes because Hermes was the messenger of Zeus. Barnabas is the silent one and therefore they worship him as Zeus, the main god. Because Paul speaks, they give him the place of messenger.

The temple of Zeus stands in front of the city as a forward post to protect the city. That temple has a priest who quickly arrives with bulls to sacrifice them to these ‘gods’. Because everything happens in the Lycaonian language, Paul and Barnabas at first don’t realize what is going on, but as soon as their intention is clear, they come in defense. They immediately and radically reject the tribute that these people want to pay them.

This whole movement is a huge danger to the Christian faith, greater than any opposition. In this way, countless people allow themselves to be honored. Herod has therefore been punished by God with a terrible death (Acts 12:23).

Paul and Barnabas reject all tribute to them. To make themselves heard above the tumult, they have to shout. They cry out to the crowds as to why they are doing these things, for it is utterly reprehensible because they too are only creatures (Acts 10:26; Rev 19:10). The situation is urgent and they need to change their minds quickly.

They take the opportunity to preach the gospel to them. On this occasion, Paul does not quote anything from the Old Testament, which he does when speaking to Jews. Here, however, he speaks to primitive pagans. That is why he starts with the Creator and creation, a theme that interests the pagans very much. To us the lesson is that it is always good to think about who we have in front of us and to connect to that in the preaching. Paul goes on to say that after creation God let the nations go their own ways. That this is the result of the falling into sin, he does not talk about.

Nor does he speak about the election of a people for His Name out of all those nations. He does talk about the fact that God, although He has let the nations go their own ways, has taken care of them. His care for them has been – and still is – expressed by giving rain from heaven and fruitful seasons. “From heaven” means from God’s presence. Every harvest is a proof of His goodness. He has also filled their hearts with food, i.e. with satisfaction about good results of efforts made, which also goes hand in hand with joy.

There are many earthly blessings that also fill the hearts of unbelievers with joy. Even unbelievers know the satisfaction and joy of a good marriage and good family relationships, of health and enjoyable work. The joy that God gives in natural relationships is a testimony of His goodness toward people in general. It is a gift from Him. God is the Savior, that here means Sustainer, of all people (1Tim 4:10; Psa 104:27-28). That same God now comes to announce the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ.

By saying this, the people of Lystra are restrained from offering sacrifice to the apostles. It seems that the danger of devil worship has been averted. But other dangers arise.

Paul Stoned

When the Jews of Antioch and Iconium come to Lystra, they are not displeased with the idolatry of the pagans. Nor are they on the side of Paul and Barnabas against idolatry. On the contrary, they turn against the two servants of God. Their hatred of the gospel is greater than their abhorrence of paganism and its idolatry.

The Jews of Antioch and Iconium are not satisfied that they have driven the bringers of the gospel out of their own cities. They pursue the apostles, and through their malicious imputations they manipulate the crowds here in Lystra as well, resulting in an uprising against Paul and Barnabas. The crowds stone Paul as if he were a false prophet. Then they drag him out of the city, supposing him to be dead.

When people start to worship people, they exalt themselves, someone equal to them, a human being. When someone comes to condemn this worship and points to the Lord Jesus as the only One Who may be honored, he gets the hatred of those people on himself. At first they wanted to worship Paul as a god, but when it turns out that he condemns their religion, they turn against him and kill him. At least that’s what they think.

The power of life is greater than the power of the devil and death. Surrounded by the disciples, Paul comes back to life. It is a beautiful picture: The disciples stand around him as a circle of life – presumably they have prayed for him – through which there is an atmosphere to which death gives way and life can manifest itself.

When Paul has got up, he enters the city again, not to be admired as a god who has power over death, but to finalize a few things. It is in itself a wonder of God that from almost dead a moment later he is able to go on healthy and strengthened.

After finishing his work in Lystra, he goes with Barnabas to Derbe the next day. There too they preach the gospel with great results. Many come to faith there and become disciples. That will mean that these believers are baptized and also taught to live as followers of the Lord. Presumably in this environment and during this visit Timothy was brought to the Lord by Paul (Acts 16:1; 1Tim 1:2; 2Tim 1:2).