ETB Acts 13:42-52

Session 2 p.19 The Task

Last we started Acts 13, this week we are at the end of it as Luke records Barnabas and Paul moving to the mainland of Asia Minor in fulfillment of the “calling” we studied last week. Remember that there are long times of travel between the events we read in their travels. Those “down times” or period of waiting often lead to thought of wondering if we are “on the right path” or “truly mattering.”

The quarterly starts with information from “experts” that revolved around a person’s vocation. Even those times not at work correlated to the job. For many, their career “is” their identity, and they are shattered when that is taken away from them.

Discuss: What gives you your sense of identity? Describe a time when you experienced an “identity crisis.” (p. 21)

We live in a confused culture with many voices trying to lead people down one path or another. In this chaotic context, Jesus calls Christians to share His gospel with anyone who will listen. Some will reject Jesus, while others will accept their newfound faith. [LifeWay Adults (2024). Explore the Bible: Adult Leader Guide, Spring 2024]

Showing people that your identity is not wrapped up or correlated to things “in the world” can be a power witnessing tool to those who are searching for something more fulfilling.

Understand the Context

In Acts, Luke included a significant number of speeches that make up about a third of the book. Nine speeches are credited to Paul during his missionary journeys, including the one between last week’s passage and today’s.

While many of Paul’s speeches tended to follow different paths, the three messages to Jews remained consistent. First, Paul explained that Jesus was the Messiah, the One promised in the law and the prophets. Next, he leaned into numerous Old Testament passages to validate his claims about Jesus. Finally, he emphasized the importance of Jesus’s resurrection.

One of the most important speeches Paul gave took place at the synagogue in Antioch of Pisidia—a different city from the Antioch in which Paul and Barnabas were commissioned. As was their custom, Paul and Barnabas visited the synagogue on the Sabbath.

A Sabbath service would begin with prayers and readings from the Scriptures. The readings were followed by a sermon from a congregant. On this day, the synagogue leaders asked Paul and Barnabas to share. Paul’s sermon presented a history lesson of God’s selection of the Jews and His promises to them. The sermon also proclaimed the fulfillment of the messianic prophecies in Jesus. Finally, Paul concluded in the customary style of applying the sermon to individual persons—a call to action.

Paul’s sermon elicited mixed reactions. [ETB:ALG Spr'24]

Although we only have 10 verses to look at today, notice all the different responses to the gospel as we read through them together.

Explore the Text

Acts 13:42–45 ESV

42 As they went out, the people begged that these things might be told them the next Sabbath. 43 And after the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who, as they spoke with them, urged them to continue in the grace of God. 44 The next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. 45 But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what was spoken by Paul, reviling him.

As they went out

One of the books made note that those that “went out” would have only been Jews or proselytes that could have been “inside” the synagogue for the service. Although others could gather outside and “listen in” this first contingent of people were mostly of the Jewish faith. This may have added to the animosity later when so many “outsiders” were present.

these things

The people followed the speakers out wanting to hear more about “these things.” It is difficult to tell if this refers to all of the message about Christ that Paul was presenting or just about “a work you will not believe” in verse 41. Probably a combination of both since there were a number of people. I do not recall of recently hearing an itinerant pastor being asked to come back a second week. Those who seem to generate interest for multiple “presentations” are not generally of a Scriptural nature but usually the opposite in morals and content.

after the meeting broke up

Depending on how you interpret the words here for “broke up” and later in the verse “followed” the meaning of the verse can change significantly.

If this “broke up” is simply a dispersion of the current gathering, the following is probably literal and walked along with the teachers as they went to their place of rest.

If this “broke up” is more organization and the synagogue was disbanded, then the “followed” is more about discipleship and distancing themselves from Judaism as a practice.

The first interpretation would cause the “urging to continue” at the end of the verse to be practical and although still a teaching against strictly following the law, the second interpretation would see the “urging” to be a call for direct rebellion against the synagogue.

It may be that Luke was inspired to write it this way in order to present the possibility of both views so that the reader could see from the Gentile perspective it was less rebellious but from the strict Jewish perspective Paul and Barnabas were blasphemous. These contrasting interpretations seem to continue as the passage narrative progresses.

Jews and devout converts to Judaism

The crowd is a mixture of “True Jews” and Gentile “proselytes.” Being that the city is well outside the Judean borders, most of the inhabitants will be Gentile. This verse does speak highly though of those Jews who were in the town as they did show God’s love and truth well enough to have “devout converts” which are not mentioned in other cities.

These would have been Gentiles who had rejected pagan religions and embraced the practices of the Jewish faith. It is not clear how long these converts had been practicing Judaism, but Paul’s message about the Messiah caught their attention. [ETB:ALG Spr'24]

These “crossovers” would have recognized the appeal of God’s Truth’s being spoken by Paul for their friends who were still worshipping in other ways that would not have been fulfilling. Inviting them to come “hear for themselves” seems to have been an effective request.

to continue in the grace of God

Jewish faith was based on the law of Moses. As Paul well knew, obedience to the law is what defined a truly righteous person in the eyes of most Jews. But he also understood the paradigm shift that Jesus had created when He came to earth.

Instead of following the rules and regulations of the law, Jesus taught the early believers to emphasize the power of God’s grace. Salvation is not something to be earned through good works. It is a gracious gift of God (Eph. 2:8-9) provided to those who place their faith and trust in the finished work of Christ on the cross. [ETB:ALG Spr'24]

The MacArthur Bible Commentary A. Paul’s First Missionary Journey (13:1–14:28)

With such encouragement, Paul and Barnabas hoped to prevent those who were intellectually convinced of the truths of the gospel, yet had stopped short of saving faith, from reverting to legalism rather than embracing Christ completely.

Luke used the same wording to describe Barnabas’s encouraging the Judean Antioch disciples.

Acts 11:23 “23 When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose,”

Luke may have been emphasizing how their pattern of preaching and encouragement in the faith had not changed since they started ministering to the Gentiles.

Luke & Acts Commentary

In response, Paul and Barnabas “urged them to continue to rely on the grace of God” (13:43). Given the way salvation blessings were offered (13:38–39) and the parallel thought at 13:23, Paul and Barnabas were encouraging them to remain in the salvation offered in the gospel (13:23, 26, 38–39) and to not return to performance-based thoughts of salvation through obedience to the Old Testament law and Jewish tradition. This encouragement was needed, especially when we remember the attacks these churches subsequently sustained from Judaizers (cf. Gal 1:6–7; 3:1–6; 5:7–12; 6:11–13).

almost the whole city

I could not find information on how many people this may have included. Seems to have been a sizeable number of Jewish families settled there after Babylon fell but not much information on population after that initial colonization. Luke’s emphasis may not have been about the number, but that it was a mix of all the cultures and peoples of the city that came to hear, not just a Jewish contingent.

filled with jealousy and began to contradict

Seeing the large number of Gentiles created a tense jealousy in the hearts of ethnic Jews in the synagogue. As a result, the situation appears to deteriorate rapidly. Rather than an orderly meeting, devout Jews initiated a verbal attack on Paul. They began to contradict his words and followed that up by reviling him.

The Greek wording emphasizes the hostility with which these Jews argued against Paul and the gospel. Their attacks likely crossed a line into blasphemy. For the Jews, the shift from a measure of curiosity to active persecution was abrupt and almost violent because of the presence of Gentiles. [ETB:ALG Spr'24]

Jealousy makes us do some strange things. It is a perceived removal or unrecognized expected privilege. These Jews may have expected to remain the “privileged” conduit for salvation from God, but now these men are saying it is now removed.

Anyone have a story they care to admit to about acting jealousy?

It is one of the more useful tools of the enemy to keep people away from the truth. In this case, it not only kept the Jews from believing but also caused them to attack God’s messengers, and God’s truth coming from them.

D.L. Moody had a story about how to defeat Jealousy.

AMG Bible Illustrations Kill the Spirit of Jealousy

D. L. Moody told of two merchants between whom there was great rivalry and bitter feeling. One of them was converted. He went to his minister and said, “I’m still jealous of that man, and I don’t know how to overcome it.” “Well,” said the minister, “if a man comes into your store to buy goods, and you cannot supply him, just send him over to your neighbor.” He said he wouldn’t like to do that. “Well,” said the minister, “you do it and you will kill jealousy.” Sure enough, when he began sending customers over to his rival for goods he himself could not supply, the rival began to send customers over to this man’s store, and the breach was healed.

Ask: What responses can we expect to encounter when we share the gospel? How can you overcome rejection as you witness for Christ? (p. 23)

Acts 13:46–48 ESV

46 And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. 47 For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, “ ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ” 48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.

Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly

When opposition comes, we can continue to proclaim truth like Paul and Barnabas because God’s message is for Him to defend. Like Steve says, we are just the paper boys, we didn’t right the news.

spoken first to you

Ask: Why it was necessary for the word of God to be spoken to the Jews first?

The missionaries appeared to agree that the proclamation of the Messiah and salvation should be given to the Jews first. Throughout Israel’s history, God’s messages went to His people first and foremost. Truly, it was necessary for the Jews to be the first to be offered any covenant with God. As the Jewish Messiah that had been prophesied, the message had to be presented to the Jews first. [ETB:ALG Spr'24]

God’s plans since Shem, have alway put the Jews as the first recipients and His “first” choice for anything that involves humankind.

judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life

Apparently this wording is not easy to decipher in the Greek, and the English is not much better.

One English translation (LEB) reads “do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life.”

I have found that almost everyone thinks they “deserve” eternal life, they just have a different view on how or through whom that is obtained. The best way I could reconcile this wording was that the Jewish leaders in attacking Paul & Barnabas had in effect called down God’s judgement against themselves by going against God’s messengers, thereby making it useless for them to preach to them anymore as God would not allow them to be saved for their “blasphemy against the Holy Spirit” who was working through them.

The two teachers continue to prove their calling, and words are from God by quoting from Isaiah.

Light for the Gentiles

Paul expressed God’s command by quoting Isaiah 49:6, known as the second Servant Song. The Jewish nation was identified as the servant of God and the verse emphasized God’s expectation that His people would spread His word throughout the world. They were called to be a light for the Gentiles. Historically, Israel had been disobedient and did not follow God’s plan. Despite some initial interest and enthusiasm, this generation of Jews in Pisidian Antioch was following the same pattern.

In contrast, Paul and Barnabas embraced their role as minister to the Gentiles. Paul’s understanding of his calling was established during his encounter with Jesus on the Damascus Road. It was within this call that Paul was commissioned to preach Jesus to the Gentiles. He and Barnabas were more than willing to obey God’s command and to share Christ’s message of salvation with Gentiles. [ETB:ALG Spr'24]

rejoicing and glorifying

Luke’s story goes back and forth between the good and bad, resistance and acceptance, ridicule and respect.

Some of the Jews were unworthy of eternal life, here there are Gentiles who are. Instead of contradicting what the Apostle was saying, that accepted it joyfully. Not only accepting but telling others about it as well.

Ask: What barriers might we need to overcome to engage with others about the gospel? How have you had to adjust your approach over time to reach people with Christ’s good news? (p. 23)

Acts 13:49–52 ESV

49 And the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region. 50 But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district. 51 But they shook off the dust from their feet against them and went to Iconium. 52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

word of the Lord was spreading

God’s Word was doing its work. From Antioch, now out to the surrounding areas. But with God’s work also comes the enemy’s resistance. Luke continues keeping the tension in the story an switches back to the negative side in the next verse.

incited, stirred up, drove out

Remember all of this was initiated out of jealousy. It has now grown into outright rebellion now, slander, assault, and defamation.

What I find interesting is that there is no mention of resistance to these things or a “countering” by Paul, Barnabas, or any of the disciples. It does not seem important to Luke’s story. The response recorded is the strongest condemnation possible with the least expended effort, any more energy used would give it too much acknowledgment.

shook the dust from their feet

Just as Jesus had instructed the disciples to shake the dust from their feet when leaving a town where they were not welcomed (Matt. 10:14), Paul and Barnabas “shook the dust off their feet” against the city leaders. To put this in context, entering the Jewish temple with dust on the feet rendered a person unclean. Also, when Jews journeyed across Gentile territory, they shook the Gentile dust from their feet as they entered Israel. Here, Paul and Barnabas shook off the dust of a Jewish community that would not accept their message of the Messiah. This gesture symbolized absolution from responsibility as well as leaving the defilement of unbelief behind them. [ETB:ALG Spr'24]

Jon Courson’s Application Commentary Chapter 13

In ministry and in life, we will either “shake it off” or get shaken up. Those who shake the dust off their feet when an attack comes or when rejection hits will go on. Those who get shaken up will quit. I pray you and I will be those who, like Paul and Barnabas, shake off the dust and keep going in order that those around us might be “filled with joy and with the Holy Ghost.”

Filled with joy

The new believers in Pisidian Antioch could have been disheartened when the missionaries left. They also could also have been persecuted as Paul and Barnabas had been. Still, these believers experienced joy. Their overwhelming faith was far more important than any persecution they endured. Their joy and identity was rooted in the Holy Spirit. [ETB:ALG Spr'24]

Ask: What role can we play as individuals in helping the gospel spread?

In the passage today much of the gospel being presented was for the salvation of the people in Antioch. Does the “good news” have to be about bringing someone to Christ?

That is the “best news” but we should also be willing to share how God’s grace and work within us is changing us into Christ-likeness. That is “good news” to those who may be struggling to see progress in their own lives. Allowing His identity to come through us may draw people into His Kingdom.

Apply the Text

· We can expect a variety of responses to the gospel message.

· God uses His people to take the gospel to those who are far from Him.

· The gospel spreads from person to person until whole areas have heard the good news.

At the beginning of our text some people were glad that Paul and Barnabas had come, some were not. At the end of the passage, these feelings may have grown stronger, but not really changed. The main thing that was different was that many had come to Christ. I think that is one of the reasons Luke showed us all the different reactions and how Paul and Barnabas were not discouraged by the resistance. People were being saved, God was (and is) still in control, the called to witnesses had not changed. All of these important factors are still true today.

Pray: Close in prayer, asking God for a spirit of joy in the face of opposition and wisdom to know how to respond. Help us not to be jealous of what You are doing in and through others and to pray against that tactic of the enemy.