Book of Acts Lesson 26

Acts 13:13-43

I. Transition and Setting (v. 13–15)

Acts 13:13–15 “Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem, but they went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia. And on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent a message to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, say it.””

v. 13 – Paul and his companions sail from Paphos to Perga; John Mark departs and returns to Jerusalem.

Acts 15:37–38 “Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work.”

v. 14 – Paul and Barnabas travel to Antioch in Pisidia.

Sergius Paulus - may have contacts in the area of Pisidia

100 miles north of Perga on the Via Sebaste

Antioch Pisidia was 3,600 feet above sea level (Galatians 4:13 “You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first,”)

The Roman province of Galatia and in the region of Phrygia (Acts 16:6 “And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia.”)

He spent nearly a year visiting cities on this route in the province of Galatia.

v. 15 – On the Sabbath, they are invited to speak in the synagogue after the reading of the Law and the Prophets.

Hellenized Jews

Word of Encouragement: Urge a change in belief and behavior / A sermon

II. Paul’s Sermon: God’s Faithful Plan of Redemption (v. 16–41)

Psalm 105 (ESV)

Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples! Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works! Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice! Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually! Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered, O offspring of Abraham, his servant, children of Jacob, his chosen ones! He is the Lord our God; his judgments are in all the earth. He remembers his covenant forever, the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations, the covenant that he made with Abraham, his sworn promise to Isaac, which he confirmed to Jacob as a statute, to Israel as an everlasting covenant, saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan as your portion for an inheritance.” When they were few in number, of little account, and sojourners in it, wandering from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another people, he allowed no one to oppress them; he rebuked kings on their account, saying, “Touch not my anointed ones, do my prophets no harm!” When he summoned a famine on the land and broke all supply of bread, he had sent a man ahead of them, Joseph, who was sold as a slave. His feet were hurt with fetters; his neck was put in a collar of iron; until what he had said came to pass, the word of the Lord tested him. The king sent and released him; the ruler of the peoples set him free; he made him lord of his house and ruler of all his possessions, to bind his princes at his pleasure and to teach his elders wisdom. Then Israel came to Egypt; Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham. And the Lord made his people very fruitful and made them stronger than their foes. He turned their hearts to hate his people, to deal craftily with his servants. He sent Moses, his servant, and Aaron, whom he had chosen. They performed his signs among them and miracles in the land of Ham. He sent darkness, and made the land dark; they did not rebel against his words. He turned their waters into blood and caused their fish to die. Their land swarmed with frogs, even in the chambers of their kings. He spoke, and there came swarms of flies, and gnats throughout their country. He gave them hail for rain, and fiery lightning bolts through their land. He struck down their vines and fig trees, and shattered the trees of their country. He spoke, and the locusts came, young locusts without number, which devoured all the vegetation in their land and ate up the fruit of their ground. He struck down all the firstborn in their land, the firstfruits of all their strength. Then he brought out Israel with silver and gold, and there was none among his tribes who stumbled. Egypt was glad when they departed, for dread of them had fallen upon it. He spread a cloud for a covering, and fire to give light by night. They asked, and he brought quail, and gave them bread from heaven in abundance. He opened the rock, and water gushed out; it flowed through the desert like a river. For he remembered his holy promise, and Abraham, his servant. So he brought his people out with joy, his chosen ones with singing. And he gave them the lands of the nations, and they took possession of the fruit of the peoples’ toil, that they might keep his statutes and observe his laws. Praise the Lord!

Acts 13:16–41 (ESV)

So Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said: “Men of Israel and you who fear God, listen. The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it. And for about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness. And after destroying seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance. All this took about 450 years. And after that he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’ Of this man’s offspring God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised. Before his coming, John had proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. And as John was finishing his course, he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but behold, after me one is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’ “Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to us has been sent the message of this salvation. For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not recognize him nor understand the utterances of the prophets, which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him. And though they found in him no guilt worthy of death, they asked Pilate to have him executed. And when they had carried out all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb. But God raised him from the dead, and for many days he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people. And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers, this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm, “ ‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you.’ And as for the fact that he raised him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, he has spoken in this way, “ ‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’ Therefore he says also in another psalm, “ ‘You will not let your Holy One see corruption.’ For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers and saw corruption, but he whom God raised up did not see corruption. Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses. Beware, therefore, lest what is said in the Prophets should come about: “ ‘Look, you scoffers, be astounded and perish; for I am doing a work in your days, a work that you will not believe, even if one tells it to you.’ ”

A. Introduction and Invitation (v. 16–17)

Paul addresses fellow Israelites and God-fearing Gentiles. This group consisted of Gentiles who believed and worshipped as Jews but were unwilling to be circumcised and become full Jewish converts. Most likely there were degrees in which that was true among the Gentiles here, from interest to sympathy to actual belief.

Acts 17:22 “So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious.”

Acts 20:17 “Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church to come to him.”

God chose Israel and led them out of Egypt.

Acts 13:17 “The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it.” Deuteronomy 4:37 “And because he loved your fathers and chose their offspring after them and brought you out of Egypt with his own presence, by his great power,”

Biblical Theology: Biblical theology studies how the whole Bible progresses, integrates, and climaxes in Christ.

A type is a biblical event, person or institution which serves as an example or pattern for other events, persons or institutions.

• Typology is the study of types and the historical and theological correspondences between them.

• The basis of typology is God’s consistent activity in the history of his chosen people.

Types and antitypes: God sovereignly designed types to predictively prefigure Christ who fulfills the Old Testament. Do not forget that the primary author of the Bible is God. While each book has an individual author, who is writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in the context by which he is writing to a particular audience, God remains the primary author.

40 Questions about Biblical Theology Foreshadowing: God Sovereignly Designed the Type to Foreshadow the Antitype

Sometimes the human author of a type may be aware that what he writes is prophetically forward looking in a predictive sense. That is, the author is conscious that what he writes is part of a typological trajectory that will climax in the Messiah.

But sometimes the original human author may be unaware that what he writes is part of a typological trajectory that will climax in the Messiah. That typological connection may become evident only retrospectively. But the typological connection is one that God sovereignly planned and chose to reveal in his good time:

Colossians 2:17 “These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.”

B. Historical Review: God’s Sovereign Work (v. 18–25)

v. 18–22 – God's guidance through the wilderness, judges, kings (Saul and David).

Deuteronomy 1:31 “and in the wilderness, where you have seen how the Lord your God carried you, as a man carries his son, all the way that you went until you came to this place.’”

Deuteronomy 7:1 ““When the Lord your God brings you into the land that you are entering to take possession of it, and clears away many nations before you, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations more numerous and mightier than you,”

400 years in Egypt, 40 in the wilderness, 10 to conquer the land

Parallels with Rome’s rise to power / 700 years

Acts 13:22 “And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’” Acts 13:30 “But God raised him from the dead,”

v. 23–25 – From David’s line came Jesus, the promised Savior. John the Baptist prepared His way.

God as the subject of the action depicted in these events.

Psalm 89:20 “I have found David, my servant; with my holy oil I have anointed him,” 1 Samuel 13:14 “But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.”” Isaiah 44:28 “who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd, and he shall fulfill all my purpose’; saying of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be built,’ and of the temple, ‘Your foundation shall be laid.’ ”” 2 Samuel 7:12–14 “When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men,” Matthew 1:21 “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.””

Luke 3:16–17 “John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.””

Reformation of Israel

C. The Gospel Proclaimed (v. 26–31)

v. 26–29 – Jesus was rejected and crucified in Jerusalem, fulfilling the Scriptures.

The message of salvation was for both the descendants of Abraham and for those in Israel’s midst who feared God (God-fearing Gentiles)

Ignorance of the Messiah, who is Jesus Christ

Psalm 22:6–7 “But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people. All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;” Psalm 69:2 “I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters, and the flood sweeps over me.” Psalm 118:22 “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.”

God’s plan of salvation from the beginning (Gen 22, Levitical system)

Deuteronomy 21:22 ““And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree,”

v. 30–31 – God raised Him from the dead; many witnesses testified.

We are witnesses to this good news.

D. Theological Implications and Appeal (v. 32–41)

v. 32–37 – Jesus' resurrection is the fulfillment of God’s promise.

Psalm 2 ESV

Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying, “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.” He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.” I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

This psalm describes the coronation of a king. Luke 3:22 “and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.””

Romans 1:3–4 “concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,”

Isaiah 55:3 “Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David.” Psalm 16:10 “For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.” 2 Samuel 7:14–16 “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’ ”” Holy things of God come to us through faith in Jesus, the son of David and son of God.

Acts 2:31–32 “he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses.”

Just as Israel and David were God’s chosen ones, so, too, is Jesus, and this must be recognized, for the promises of God are fulfilled in Him.

v. 38–39 – Through Jesus, forgiveness of sins and justification are offered—what the law could not do.

(Galatians 4:24–26 “Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.”)

v. 40–41 – A warning not to reject the message, quoting Habakkuk.

Habakkuk 1:5 ““Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told.”

Rise of Nebuchadnezzar and the threat of invasion

III. Immediate Response (v. 42–43)

Acts 13:42–43 “As they went out, the people begged that these things might be told them the next Sabbath. 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.”

v. 42 – The people beg for more teaching on the next Sabbath.

v. 43 – Many follow Paul and Barnabas, who urge them to continue in the grace of God.