Acts 14, Part 2

Paul and Barnabas has just spoken in the Jewish synagogue at Iconium, and had such a Holy Spirit moving that scripture says a “great number of both Jews and Greeks believed”. It goes to show, that when the Lord’s Word is spoken, it will go forth and accomplish what it was intended for.

Isaiah 55:11 ESV

11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

While God’s Will was being accomplished, there were those who were unbelievers among the Jews who started speaking to the Gentiles, getting them to become enraged with the false accusations - literally poisoning their minds. The whole time they were there, there became a faction siding with the Jews, and others with the apostles. The outrage was so harsh that they even had a group seeking to stone the apostles. Instead of accomplishing their goal, the apostles found out and left Iconium, fleeing to Lystra and Derbe where they continued to preach the gospel. While there, they even healed a man who was crippled in his feet since birth. This man had never taken a step in his life, and the people in the cities knew him, knew his condition, knew he had never walked. Paul, though, could sense the faith of this man and knowing he wanted to be made well commanded him to stand up. Not only did he stand, but he walked!

Now, the crowd attributed this healing to the local “g” gods, thinking Paul and Barnabas had to be sent on behalf of the “g” gods. However, they set them straight - reminding them that they were serving a living God! This section ends rather abruptly with the statement they could hardly keep these people from offering sacrifices on their behalf. But what happens next shows how petty and how consumed the Jews were with anyone preaching the gospel.

Paul Stoned

Acts 14:19–23 ESV

19 But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. 20 But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe. 21 When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. 23 And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

Jews persuaded the crowds. How often have we had someone with a personal “bone” to pick with someone who will continually stir the pot? They find things they know will cause feelings to be stirred, and they will keep on and on until it makes someone mad! This is kind of where I envision these Jews. First of all, what were they doing there? Why had they come? What was it to them that they were ministering there? WHY did they make everyone so mad they were ready to stone Paul?

Part of the issue was with the issues Paul was addressing. Does someone get mad when we talk good about them? Does anyone get mad when we stroke their egos? instead Paul was addressing the things they were doing wrong! It is easy to get mad when you touch on sore topics. But it is up to the minister to point out where we, as humans, fail God’s standards. It’s not going to be received well, and at times it will bring about controversy.

The apostles evidently worked for a while in Lystra as is indicated by the presence of disciples there (v. 20a). One would have thought that Lystra would be particularly receptive, given its mainly Gentile population and the fact that they had even taken the apostles for gods. But crowds are fickle, especially when their expectations are not fulfilled. Perhaps their regard for the apostles soured when they discovered that they were not bringing them the material blessings of the gods. In any event, they were turned against Paul and Barnabas by a group of Paul’s former Jewish opponents who had come from Iconium and even the 100 miles from Pisidian Antioch. In an act of mob violence, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, taking him for dead.

A method of capital punishment where the executioners hurl rocks and stones at the convicted until they are dead (e.g., Exod 19:13). This was the punishment for apostasy (Lev 20:2; Deut 13:11; 17:5), blasphemy (e.g., Lev 24:14), sorcery (Lev 20:27), sabbath violation (Num 15:35–36), misusing Yahweh’s name (Josh 7:25), and adultery with a foreign wife.Just why Barnabas was spared is not indicated. He was evidently not present on the occasion when Paul was attacked. Some of the disciples from Lystra came out of town and encircled Paul’s body, perhaps indicating that they had some question about his death and desired to protect him from further harm. Suddenly Paul rose in their midst and was able to accompany them back into the city. The question has often been raised whether Paul actually was restored from death. Luke’s reference to their “thinking he was dead” (v. 19) would indicate that this was not the case. A miracle did occur, however. God’s deliverance of his own from a dire threat like this is a special testimony to his protective providence, and that is always a miracle. In his catalogue of his trials, Paul mentioned in 2 Cor 11:25 the one time when he had been stoned, probably referring to this incident at Lystra (cf. 2 Tim 3:11).

Paul and Barnabas did not linger in Lystra. It was no longer safe to remain there. The very next morning they set out for Derbe (v. 20b). Since Derbe was some sixty miles southeast of Lystra, the journey would have taken several days on foot. Luke related no specific anecdote about the ministry in Derbe but only gave the essential details that a successful witness was carried on there and many disciples were won to the Lord. Derbe was the easternmost church established on the mission of Paul and Barnabas. Had the two chosen to do so, they could have continued southeast from Derbe on through the Cilician gates the 150 miles or so to Paul’s hometown of Tarsus and from there back to Syrian Antioch. It would have been the easiest route home by far. They chose, however, to retrace their footsteps and revisit all the congregations that had been established in the course of the mission. In so doing they gave an important lesson on the necessity of follow-up and nurture for any evangelistic effort. Paul would again visit these same congregations on his next mission (16:1–6).

The two apostles returned the way they had come, revisiting the newly established churches along the route—first Lystra, then Iconium, and finally Pisidian Antioch. In each congregation they performed three essential ministries. First, they strengthened the disciples (v. 22a). This probably refers to their further instructing the Christians in their new faith. Second, they encouraged them “to remain true to the faith” and pointed out the “many hardships” they might encounter for bearing the name of Jesus (v. 22b). Paul and Barnabas had themselves experienced persecution on this trip in almost every city where they witnessed. They reminded the Christians that this was not just the lot of missionaries but could be expected of all who carry Christ’s name. The theme is one Paul often sounded in his epistles—we must be willing to suffer with Christ if we expect to share in his glory (Rom 8:17; cf. 2 Thess 1:4; 2 Tim 2:12); the path to resurrection is by way of the cross.

The final ministry of the apostles was to establish leadership in the new congregations. For these early churches there was no professional clergy to assume their leadership. Consequently, the pattern of the Jewish synagogues seems to have been followed by appointing a group of lay elders to shepherd the flock. There is some question in this particular instance about who appointed the elders—the apostles or the congregation. The NIV text follows the most natural rendering of the Greek construction: Paul and Barnabas appointed the elders (v. 23). This seems to be an exception to the more common practice of the congregation appointing its leadership (cf. Acts 6:1–6). Perhaps in these early congregations the wisdom of the apostles was needed in establishing solid leadership over those so recently converted from paganism. Perhaps even in these instances the selections of the apostles were confirmed by vote of the congregations.

Paul Returns and Reports Back

Acts 14:24–28 ESV

24 Then they passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia. 25 And when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia, 26 and from there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had fulfilled. 27 And when they arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. 28 And they remained no little time with the disciples.

Verses 24–25 complete the mission of Paul and Barnabas, giving the final leg of the return trip. Again they traversed the rugged mountain paths of Pisidia into the lowlands of Pamphylia and arrived at Perga, where they had started (cf. 13:13–14a). No mention was made earlier of any witness in Perga, but now they devoted some time to preaching the gospel there. Then they descended to Attalia (modern Adalia), the main port town of that region.

The first missionary journey was completed with the return of the apostles to Syrian Antioch. Verse 26 forms an inclusio, or bracket, with 13:2f. It was the Antioch church that had commissioned the apostles, committing them to the Lord by prayer and fasting and identifying with their mission (“work”) by the laying on of hands. The work was now complete, and the two missionaries gave their report to the sponsoring congregation. Verse 27b marks a transition. The subject of opening “the door of faith to the Gentiles” would be the main topic of the Jerusalem Conference in the next chapter. It summarizes the primary significance of the mission in chaps. 13–14. Evidently the report of this mission did not immediately reach Jerusalem, and Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch for “a long time” (v. 28). Word would eventually spread to Jerusalem and provoke the major debate that is the subject of chap. 15.

Polhill, John B. 1992. Acts. Vol. 26. The New American Commentary. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.