Acts 13:1–15:35

13:1–3 Paul and Barnabas’s Missionary Journey: Antioch Launches the Mission. Chapter 13 begins by naming the leaders of the church at Antioch. During the past few years, the church at Antioch has grown and now has its own prophets and teachers. Besides Saul and Barnabas, Luke lists two men from northern Africa, Simeon and Lucius, as well as Manaen, whom he calls a syntrophos of Herod—something like “foster brother.” This is a diverse group, but one absolutely united in the Spirit. Despite the difficulty we have already seen with Gentiles’ entering the church, this largely Gentile church displays a remarkable degree of unity and sense of purpose.

The group is worshiping and fasting when the Spirit instructs them to send Saul and Barnabas on a mission: “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them” (v. 2). Although only the leaders are named, it seems likely that the entire congregation are the ones worshiping and fasting. Luke makes no distinction between Jesus’ choosing and commissioning Saul and the Spirit’s doing so; here the Spirit has “called” him for a particular work, whereas Jesus in chapter 9 describes Saul as “a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles” (9:15). Later Paul will inform a crowd in Jerusalem that Jesus had said to him, “You will be told all that is appointed for you to do” (22:10). Later still, speaking to Herod Agrippa II, Paul recounts Jesus’ words to him after his conversion:

I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me. (26:16–18)

A word from Jesus and a word from the Spirit carry the same weight. They are one in nature yet two in person—both divine.

Once those in Antioch hear from the Spirit, they again fast and pray, this time for the upcoming journey, just as they had done prior to the Spirit’s word. They also lay their hands on Saul and Barnabas. Mark is present too, but not explicitly named. Laying on of hands is an act of commissioning a person or persons for a particular service. There is no one method prescribed in the OT or the NT. The apostles lay hands on the first servants (6:6), and much later Paul will speak of elders’ laying hands on Timothy (1 Tim. 4:14). Paul also warns Timothy not to lay hands too quickly (1 Tim. 5:22). In the OT, Moses lays hands on Joshua, as directed by God, to commission him for leadership (Num. 27:18).

There is no indication that something, whether power or anything else, is automatically transferred by the laying on of hands. When Paul writes that Timothy’s gift was given to him by the laying on of hands (1 Tim. 4:14), it is the “prophecy” of his gifts that is directly connected to the laying on of hands, not the gift itself. At the commissioning of Joshua, God tells Moses to “invest him with some of your authority” (Num. 27:20), but there is no indication that the act itself transfers any authority. Instead the entire event invests Joshua with Moses’ authority in the eyes of the people. The laying on of hands is a symbolic, public declaration that someone has been recognized as worthy of some task and has the blessing of God and whoever is involved. In Acts, similar commissioning-type events occur involving fasting and prayer with no mention of the laying on of hands (cf. Acts 14:23), but the primary goal of the laying on of hands is recognition and commissioning for service.

13:4–12 Paul and Barnabas’s Missionary Journey: Barnabas Takes the Lead in Cyprus. Although Barnabas and Saul are commissioned, Luke again makes the divine direction evident: they are “sent out by the Holy Spirit” (v. 4), reinforcing Luke’s constant insistence that the early church grows through the power of the Spirit working through the apostles.

Paul and his colleagues apparently do not spend much time in the port city of Salamis, but Luke does mention their first destination: the synagogues. The Gentile mission does not exclude Jews, neither then nor now. Luke also adds that at this point John Mark is still on board with Saul and Barnabas (v. 5)—a relationship that will prove short-lived.

Verse 9 is where Luke notes his switch from referring to the apostle to the Gentiles as “Saul” to referring to him as “Paul,” which is more or less the Roman version of Saul. Moving into the larger world of the Roman Empire, where everyone speaks Greek and many Latin, Saul prefers to be known by his Romanized name for the sake of his message—any obstacle suggested by the name “Saul” is removed.¹ Paul does not begin to identify himself as a Gentile after his conversion; this is an example of contextualization in ministry. Paul neither changes his name to avoid persecution nor shucks his Jewish background; much less does he become a pioneer of the so-called insider movements of today. Recognizing his situation, Paul adapts in order to suit the preaching of the gospel best without compromising its message. Anything we can do, subtle or overt, that removes any possible obstacle to the gospel or any distracting personal stumbling block should be done for the sake of Christ. By definition, gospel ministry entails plenty of obstacles and distractions; we should seek to minimize the ones we bring along ourselves.

Paul’s encounter at Paphos (vv. 6–12) parallels Philip’s in Samaria (8:9–13). Like Philip, Paul meets a magician, this one being a “Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus,” also known as Elymas (13:6, 8). Bar-Jesus is “with” Sergius Paulus, meaning that he basically works for the proconsul (v. 7). When Sergius Paulus summons Barnabas and Paul to come speak the word of God, Bar-Jesus opposes them, presumably because he knows that if Sergius follows these Christians, whatever livelihood he earned from Sergius will dry up.

Filled with the Spirit, Paul condemns Elymas: “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord?” (v. 10). Here Paul echoes Micah 3:9 and its context, in which false prophets (cf. Acts 13:6) and seers are condemned and judged. In contrast to those who lead Israel astray, the prophet proclaims, “As for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the Lord [cf. Acts 13:9], and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression and to Israel his sin” (Mic. 3:8). Not only does Paul condemn Bar-Jesus specifically, and dark magic and false prophecy generally, he also provides a model of how to read the OT in the NT, taking into consideration not only the text cited but also its original context.

Paul declares that the Lord is against Elymas, who is blinded immediately. The irony is obvious: the magic seer is blinded by the “hand of the Lord,” a phrase pointing to God’s power at work on behalf of his name and people (Acts 13:11). The display of God’s power has the desired effect, as Sergius Paulus sees what has occurred and believes in the Lord. It is not the sign itself but the teaching confirmed by the sign that elicits belief, “for he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord” (v. 12). This conversion may seem to affirm the cliché “I will believe it when I see it,” but the overt displays of the Spirit through the apostles are provided to establish the church of Jesus in the world. As so often, this text points to the particular descriptive elements in Acts mixed with prescriptive elements. Luke prescribes how Christians should consider and react to evil powers, and how we should rely on the Word of God to do its work, but he also shows dramatic pictures of this unique period of the church. In this narrative a man is converted, but the emphasis is first and foremost not on his experience but on the power of God over all other powers. Given the context of Acts, however, we can safely assume all the elements present in a typical conversion (e.g., faith, repentance, reception of the Spirit) are present for Sergius Paulus as well.

Importantly, the narrative of Bar-Jesus highlights the conversion of a Gentile Roman official; the gospel is penetrating to every level and strata of society. Even prominent, seemingly unreachable public figures are within reach of the Spirit through the Word of the Lord. As with Saul of Tarsus, it is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that, even though conversion is possible for anyone, it is unlikely for many even if they hear the gospel. But the book of Acts dispels any such reservation concerning the power of the good news of Jesus Christ.

13:13–52 Paul and Barnabas’s Missionary Journey: Paul Takes the Lead in Pisidia. Verses 13–14 serve as a transition from Cyprus to Perga, with Luke also mentioning John Mark’s departure. (This will lead later to a split between Paul and Barnabas, longtime friends and partners, when Barnabas seeks to recruit his cousin back to the ministry; cf. comment on 15:36–41.) Pisidian Antioch was a major Roman colony and home to many Jews. One Sabbath, Paul and Barnabas enter the synagogue, and, after readings from the Law and the Prophets, they are asked if they have a “word of encouragement for the people” (13:15). This recalls Jesus’ experience in Luke 4:16–30, often referred to as Jesus’ inaugural sermon as it is the first event recorded by Luke after Jesus’ temptation. Though this is not the beginning of Paul’s ministry, what takes place is no less dramatic than what happened with Jesus in Nazareth that day.

Reading from the Law and the Prophets was standard synagogue practice, something similar to the lectionary readings common in many churches today. Paul has no shortage of truths to share. His sermon can be divided into three sections: verses 16–25 cover OT material, with verses 23–25 focusing on the fulfillment of the Davidic promises in Jesus; verses 26–37 discuss the ministry and work of Jesus; and verses 38–41 extend application and invitation to Paul’s hearers.

In typical apostolic fashion, Paul begins with the OT. His exposition is brief, with four verses given to the multiple centuries from the exodus to Samuel (vv. 17–20) and two verses to the period from David to Jesus (vv. 22–23). In verses 17–20 Paul highlights OT themes familiar from other sermons recorded in Acts: God’s choice of Israel, his saving act in Egypt, Israel’s disobedience and rebellion (“for about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness”; v. 18), and God’s fulfillment of his promise of land. These verses highlight God’s sovereign rule over Israel, from the birth of the nation to its redemption and establishment in the land. If readers know the story (and Paul’s hearers certainly do), then Paul’s approach in verses 21–22 becomes clearer, revealing his brilliance as a reader, interpreter, and expositor of the OT.

Rather than focusing only on God’s choice of David, Paul also mentions Israel’s first king, Saul. The request for a king was a national and spiritual debacle. In demanding a king, the Israelites rejected God’s kingship, wishing instead to have a king on the throne, as did the pagan nations surrounding them. The desire for a king was an obvious choice of sight over faith. Yet, as with so much of Israel’s history, this desire for a king in order to be like the nations was foreseen in Deuteronomy. God knew his people would make this choice, and he even declared that they would have a king—but one he would choose (Deut. 17:15). Deuteronomy then lists the traits required of this ideal king; most importantly, the king must read, copy out, and do all of the statutes of the Mosaic law (Deut. 17:18–19). Such a king and his offspring would continue on the throne perpetually.

This description of the ideal king finds a parallel in Psalm 1. This psalm speaks generally to the “blessed man” and finds universal application, but this is not the core of its message. The psalm’s parallels to Deuteronomy 17:14–20 are undeniable. The law requires the king to “read in [the law] all the days of his life,” and by reading, copying out, and doing the law, the king will “learn to fear the Lord his God” (Deut. 17:19). The king will be devoted to the law, “that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, either to the right hand or to the left, so that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children, in Israel” (Deut. 17:20). Devotion to the law requires devotion to God, doing his will; it is more than simply keeping commands.

Psalm 1 proclaims, “Blessed is the man . . . [whose] delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night” (Ps. 1:1–2). The ideal king will prosper on the throne as a result of his devotion to God, and the blessed man who delights in the law will likewise prosper: “He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers” (Ps. 1:3). A royal reading of Psalm 1 is also supported by its placement alongside Psalm 2, a key royal psalm.

The ideal king and blessed royal figure are summed up in only one OT figure, David—and that is precisely to whom Paul goes. It is not just the choosing of David that matters but God’s evaluation of him: “I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will” (Acts 13:22, citing Ps. 89:20 and 1 Sam. 13:14). To do “all my will” is to read, keep, and meditate on God’s law. But David was far from perfect, and his kingdom split only one generation after his death. Thus the complete fulfillment of these themes was not found in him but pushed forward to Christ. Taking the main themes from the first part of his sermon, therefore, Paul develops them in relation to Jesus—especially the themes of kingship and kingdom. Paul does not make general comments about the OT and then haphazardly make a beeline to Jesus. Though expansive, his sermon is quite streamlined, and as such it serves as a model for us.

On the heels of his OT citations regarding David, Paul moves right to Jesus as the fulfillment of the promise to David (Acts 13:23). The underlying text is the promise to David that he would always have a descendant on the throne (2 Sam. 7:12–13). Jesus is the son of David, his offspring, God’s “Savior” of Israel. It may strike us as unusual that Paul then mentions John the Baptist at this point, but we must not miss John’s vital place in the flow of redemptive history. He was a transitional figure, the one who prepared the way of Jesus in accord with the prophecies of Isaiah. John was also the last of the messianic prophets, and with him an old era came to an end.

Roughly four hundred years passed since the close of the OT, with no direct word from God, before John, looking and sounding a lot like Elijah, appeared, proclaiming the coming of the Lord and offering a baptism of repentance in preparation for the great work God was soon to do. This is exactly what the OT prophets did: preach repentance (unlike the prophet Agabus in Acts). They proclaimed how God would act according to his promises (either to bless or to curse), and they preached repentance in the face of these impending acts. Thus John the Baptist was a mouthpiece of the Lord, announcing that the ultimate time of fulfillment was at hand. He was an indispensable part of the story, God’s prophetic witness. As with the wilderness generation and with Samuel and David, John’s role was to point forward to the great one coming after him. Paul’s point is that John was part of God’s keeping his word to Israel: God promised salvation, and he promised one (John) who would announce it when it came.

Addressing his listeners as “Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God” (i.e. “God-fearers,” like Cornelius), Paul applies the ministry of John the Baptist and preaches for his hearers’ conversion. Speaking to Jews in the Diaspora, Paul describes how their fellow Jews in Jerusalem rejected Jesus because they failed to understand the prophets. The message of the gospel is coming to Jews in Pisidian Antioch precisely because in rejecting Jesus, the Jews in Jerusalem fulfilled the words of the very prophets they misunderstood (Acts 13:27, 29). This is similar to Peter’s telling the Jerusalem Jews that they acted “according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God” (2:23). There are familiar themes in Paul’s message: fulfillment of God’s plan, Jesus’ innocence, involvement of the Romans (Pilate). Paul also notes how men “took [Jesus] down from the tree and laid him in a tomb” (13:29). The “tree” recalls Paul’s word to the Galatians that Jesus died under the curse of the law, for “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree” (Gal. 3:13). Even though Paul’s main point is different here than in Galatians, he nevertheless grounds Jesus’ death on the cross in Scripture, further underscoring God’s sovereignty in the crucifixion. The idea of God’s “definite plan” (Acts 2:23) continues as Paul recounts the resurrection and the eyewitnesses of the risen Christ.

Now Paul brings his listeners hope: “We bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers, this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus” (13:32–33). Paul then cites Psalm 2:7, connecting God’s begetting of Jesus to the resurrection. The discussion concerning Jesus’ being “begotten” is complex, but the basic idea here involves God the Father’s raising Jesus from the dead, making him the “firstborn of the dead” (Rev. 1:5).

Jesus’ sonship cannot be separated from his kingship, as he is the royal son of David who could not be contained by death (“corruption”; Acts 13:34). Paul strings together Psalm 2:7; Isaiah 55:3; and Psalm 16:10 as scriptural support. Each text is taken from a context that asserts God’s faithfulness in relation to his promise to David, a promise of an “everlasting covenant” (Isa. 55:3), a promise to “make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession” (Ps. 2:8), and a promise of eternal life: “At your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Ps. 16:11). The resurrection is not merely a historical instance of God’s keeping his promise; it is his means of salvation. It is through the resurrected Jesus that “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” (Acts 13:38–39).

Once again in Acts, salvation is summed up as the forgiveness of sins, which is through belief in Jesus. The word behind “freed” is the same word often translated “justified.” Paul’s theology of the law, expounded in Romans, Galatians, and Philippians, is founded on the realization that the Mosaic law that brings condemnation was not meant for salvation. This condemning function of the law points mankind to God as their only hope. Although the law has other functions, in terms of salvation this is its most important role (along with pointing to Christ). The law reveals God and his righteousness, along with the righteousness he desires in his people, but the law does not provide what it demands. The law cannot change the heart; to the contrary, when it confronts the human heart, it reveals the depths of sin. When one is commanded not to steal but then steals anyway, the law shows that the intent to steal was there all along. Does this mean that God gave Israel a law he knew they could not keep? Yes—in order to reveal the hopelessness of humanity apart from him.

Paul is not attempting a detailed discussion of justification such as those he offers in Romans 3:21–5:21 and Galatians 3, and we should avoid seeking to make more of his statement here than the apostle intends. In Acts 13 Paul is focusing on bondage under the curse of the law and the inability of the Israelites to be freed from that curse on the basis of the law. Whatever implications there might be for a larger biblical-theological discussion, it is imperative not to sidestep Paul inadvertently by downplaying the biblical fact that forgiveness of sins is the most common way that the writers of Scripture summarize salvation. This does not make forgiveness the whole of salvation, but no other word is used as often in the Bible as shorthand for God’s work of redemption through Jesus on behalf of his people. In the context of Acts 13, as Paul highlights the sin of rejecting God in Jesus Christ, in the rejection both of the prophets who told of his coming and of Jesus himself, he makes clear that the only remedy for such rejection is the fulfillment of God’s promises in Jesus and the forgiveness found through faith in him. Only belief in Jesus brings freedom from the curse of sin.

Paul brings his sermon to a close with a word of warning (vv. 40–41). His recounting of the Jerusalem Jews’ rejection of the Messiah was intended not only to explain what happened to Jesus; it also serves as an object lesson. Just as Jesus came to those Jews in fulfillment of God’s promise, so now he comes through the preaching of the gospel (cf. Paul’s statement of Jesus’ being “portrayed as crucified” “before your eyes” in Gal. 3:1, referring to the proclamation of the gospel). Rejecting Paul’s message is no different than rejecting Jesus himself in Jerusalem, as the Jewish leaders did. Paul quotes Habakkuk 1:5, ending on an ominous note of prophecy concerning the failure to believe God’s work “in your days . . . even if one tells it to you” (Acts 13:41). Paul has just preached about God’s work in Jesus in those days, and now it is his witness in preaching that they must believe. Although we usually think of condemnation as preceding the gospel, here Paul ends on a note of warning. Perhaps he said more, but that means little to us as readers of Acts. This note of warning and prophesied rejection serves an important function, setting up the next scene in the story: another turning point.

Verses 42–43 should be read as the narrative conclusion of Paul’s sermon. His teaching has a positive effect on many of his hearers: some want him to come back the next week and go over the whole thing again, and others, both Jews and also Gentile converts to Judaism, follow Paul and Barnabas, who encourage them (the Jews and converts) to “continue in the grace of God” (v. 43). Luke’s comments do not seem to describe conversion, but at the very least these listeners are sympathetic and interested. Luke does not typically speak in veiled language nor make hints when it comes to conversion; that they “followed” the apostles does not assert saving faith. When Paul instructs them to “continue in the grace of God,” he is perhaps encouraging them to continue on to Jesus. Perhaps they believe, but if they do they are in a clear minority of the Jews in Pisidian Antioch.

Verses 44–52 function almost as a narrative version of Paul’s teaching in Romans 10–11:

I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says,

“I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation;

with a foolish nation I will make you angry.”

Then Isaiah is so bold as to say,

“I have been found by those who did not seek me;

I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.”

But of Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.” (Rom. 10:19–21)

The reception one week later is not as warm as the first visit, at least not “warm” in the same way. One way or another, “almost the whole city” (Acts 13:44) arrives to hear Barnabas and Paul, whose allusion to and application of Deuteronomy 32:21 and Isaiah 65:1–2 in Romans 10:19–21 is acted out in real life. We can be certain this crowd is largely Gentile, for several reasons. For one, Pisidian Antioch is a Gentile-majority city. In addition, the reaction of the Jews when they see the crowds, and the resultant impact this event has on Paul’s future ministry, strongly suggest that the group described as “almost the whole city” is largely Gentile.

The Jews are “filled with jealousy” when they see all of the people listening to Paul and Barnabas; their preaching of Jesus is clearly the issue, because the Jews “began to contradict” Paul (Acts 13:45). Luke clearly shortens the event, distilling it to its theological core. He does not record Paul’s exact words at this point, only that the Jews are contradicting and “reviling” him. “Reviling” translates a form of the Greek word blasphēmeō, from which the English word blaspheme derives. The ESV adds the pronoun “him” (absent in the Greek text), making Paul the object of the blasphemy or reviling. While this word can be used in reference to speaking against one’s fellow man, Luke uses this term elsewhere in Acts in relation to God (18:6 is ambiguous, as here; 19:37 is used in reference to a foreign god; 26:11 is clearly used in reference to God), and here his use of the term likely implies that the Jews’ contradicting and rejecting Paul and his message amounts to blasphemy against God.² Such a reading is supported by the reality, prevalent throughout Acts, that to reject Jesus as the Messiah—to reject the apostolic gospel—is to reject God. The Jews do revile and slander Paul, and in doing so they blaspheme. The irony, of course, is that they believe Paul to be the blasphemer. Paul’s next words further support this understanding of Luke’s meaning.

Paul and Barnabas respond with a devastating condemnation from Scripture. The tide of salvation history has turned, and the long-awaited day—the day of salvation for some and of condemnation for others—has arrived. Because of God’s promise to the patriarchs, to Moses, and to David, the gospel came to the Jews first, but now their rejection of that message has reached its full measure. They have no one to blame but themselves and the many generations of God rejecters, and as a result, Paul reveals, “we are turning to the Gentiles” (13:46). This epic declaration is supported by Isaiah 49:6, which promises that a “light for the nations” (cf. “Gentiles”; Acts 13:47) will come and that salvation will be made available to everyone on earth. But the Jews in Pisidian Antioch reject God by rejecting Paul’s gospel of Jesus, and they do so openly.

Acts 13:48 highlights God’s sovereignty in salvation, a predominant theme throughout Acts. Many Gentiles in Pisidian Antioch are converted to Christ, despite the efforts of the Jews. The gospel spreads as the Word does all that God intends (Isa. 55:11). With no biblical background, no training, no known preparation, the Gentiles hear the gospel and receive it with joy. Luke immediately explains how the preached Word is able to accomplish that which sounds impossible: “As many as were appointed to eternal life believed” (Acts 13:48).

For evangelism and missions, these are some of the greatest words of encouragement in the Bible. Luke does not say that Paul and Barnabas know ahead of time who, if anyone, will believe. He does not say that the knowledge of God’s appointing of people to eternal life has any effect on Paul’s decision to preach that day. How does anyone know whom God has appointed? There is only one way to know: those appointed come to faith. Knowledge of the identity of the elect lies with God alone and is the guarantee that God’s Word will do its work. Those appointed to eternal life are called in only one way: through the witness of the gospel. The Word is the God-appointed means for calling his people. Like the other biblical writers, Luke does not stop to speculate or seek to delve into the depths of what is known eternally only to God.

Luke next provides another summary statement, similar to the others in that it follows a dramatic event in the life of the early church. Amid ongoing persecution from multiple levels of society, Paul and Barnabas are driven out of town by the Jews, but not before the gospel takes root among the Gentiles and begins to spread throughout the area (vv. 49–50). In a symbolic act of judgment taken from Jesus’ instructions to his disciples sent out among Israel (Matt. 10:14), Paul and Barnabas shake the dust off their feet as they leave Pisidian Antioch. This is a dramatic action that says in effect, “You have sealed your own judgment, and we are witnesses.” Rather than being overwhelmed by anxiety and fear, the “disciples”—presumably the believers in Antioch—are “filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 13:52). The conversion narratives and the experience of the Spirit among the Gentiles fit the pattern established among the Jews in the early chapters. Whether Jew or Gentile, all believers in Jesus are Spirit-filled disciples.

14:1–7 Iconium, Lystra, and Back to Antioch: Ministry in Iconium. The events in Iconium, a city in central Galatia, are a kind of microcosm of the apostolic experience of gospel ministry. Multiple conversions are followed by immediate opposition from unbelieving Jews; supernatural signs and wonders accompany and confirm the ministry; the apostles stay on for a time in the midst of increasing hostility; and finally the apostles decide to leave town when they learn of a plan to stone them.

When Paul declared, “We are turning to the Gentiles” (13:46), he did not mean they were abandoning the Jews. After all, Paul will later write, “I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh” (Rom. 9:3). Paul is the apostle to the Gentiles, but not to the exclusion of the Jews. His desire for his fellow Jews to embrace their Messiah never wanes, even though they are the source of some of his worst persecution and even though he does not shy away from speaking about their historical unbelief and rejection of God (Rom. 10:5–21; 1 Thess. 2:14–16).

In the Greco-Roman world, as true up to the present day, synagogues functioned as enclaves hosting various social and political activities.³ Paul was new to these Galatian cities, and in the ancient world travelers did not have the luxury of smartphones telling them where they could stay, eat, and fill up the tank, nor were hotel chains available. So a synagogue provided a point of entry, a familiar setting in an unfamiliar place, and, of course, an opportunity to share how God had kept his promise to Abraham in Jesus of Nazareth.

Luke records that many Jews and Greeks believed the gospel (Acts 14:1; cf. the language to 13:43). “Greeks” could refer to proselytes and God-fearers, as Paul and Barnabas minister in the synagogue. However, from the specific mention of the “Jewish synagogue” and the separate mention of “Greeks,” as well as the summary nature of the verse, Luke is likely referring to unbelieving Greek residents of Iconium.⁴ Notice that Luke switches to “Gentiles” in verses 2 and 5 when he speaks of opposition. That is not to say that “Greek” is a technical term for Gentile believers or that “Gentile” always refers to unbelievers. The term “Greek” is used here as in Romans 1:16 (“to the Jew first and also to the Greek”): as a simple way of differentiating believers from two different backgrounds.

Immediately, unbelieving Jews instigate trouble and also rile up Gentiles in opposition to Paul and Barnabas. In spite of this, however, the two remain in Iconium, preaching the gospel. In a little while they will pursue different action in the face of persecution. In the meantime, their preaching is accompanied by the witness of the Lord himself. “Word of his grace” (Acts 14:3) refers to the good news of salvation in Jesus, who empowers them to perform “signs and wonders,” which likely include at least healing and perhaps speaking in tongues as well (cf. 2:4). As with Peter and the Jerusalem apostles, the Spirit is present in the preaching of Paul and Barnabas as well.

Some in Iconium side with the Jews against Paul and Barnabas, while others are on their side (14:4), even if they are not necessarily believers—later, in Athens, unbelievers will show interest in the message and invite Paul to come speak again (17:32). Luke refers to Paul and Barnabas as “the apostles.” Even though this term can mean “one who is sent” in a general sense—even Jesus is called an “apostle” in this sense in Hebrews 3:1—the overwhelming use of the word in the NT refers to the original Twelve (Matt. 10:2; Mark 3:14; Luke 9:1; Acts 1:2) and to Paul, who saw the risen Lord Jesus and was appointed by him personally (Acts 9). Thus there is no legitimate ground for claiming apostleship since the days of the apostles.

Paul refers to his specific apostolic call and ministry several times in his letters,⁵ as does Peter;⁶ the term is used also for James the brother of Jesus, leader of the church in Jerusalem (Gal. 1:19). In Acts 15 a distinction is made between “the apostles and the elders” (15:22, 23). In the case of James, it is clear from Luke and Paul that the other apostles recognize his apostleship. Although there is no recorded direct commissioning of James by the risen Jesus, he is nevertheless recognized by the apostles. But what about Barnabas? Disciple is used commonly for the Twelve in the Gospels, and the term can be used generally for followers of Jesus (e.g., Acts 6:1, 2, 7; 9:1, 19). The fact that apostle is reserved almost exclusively for the Twelve, Paul, James, and a few others argues for a more technical use by Luke to refer to one appointed personally by Jesus or recognized as an apostle by other such apostles led by the Spirit. It is possible that Barnabas had such an appointment, although Scripture does not say as much.

Perhaps the best explanation is that Luke calls Barnabas an apostle because, along with Paul, he was commissioned and set apart by the Holy Spirit and the church in Antioch (13:2–3) and traveled side by side with Paul, teaching and preaching. Generally speaking, Barnabas is a prominent figure of authority in the early church. Peter, John, and James give the “right hand of fellowship” to both Paul and Barnabas and recognize them both as called to the Gentiles, just as the other apostles were called to the Jews (Gal. 2:9). Barnabas befriends Paul and makes introductions between Paul and the apostles (Acts 9:27), and the apostles send Barnabas to check on the happenings at Antioch (11:22). When Paul becomes angry over hypocrisy at Antioch, he singles out Peter and “even Barnabas” among all of the Jewish believers (Gal. 2:13).

Thus Barnabas is recognized as having a special, prominent ministry in the early church. His position is greater, at least according to the language used of him and the number of times he appears in various contexts, than other prominent NT characters such as Stephen (though he was martyred early), Philip, and even Paul’s other traveling companions, Timothy, Titus, and Epaphroditus. In other words, there is no one else like Barnabas in Acts or the rest of the NT except for James. Like James the brother of Jesus, Barnabas shares the apostolic stature of the Twelve and Paul. Though we may not have the whole story, Barnabas was likely an apostle in the technical sense of the word, which is why Luke calls him as such here (Acts 14:4).

When opposition turns life-threatening, Paul and Barnabas leave town. This is another example of the apostles’ willingness to escape persecution if possible. Later we see examples of Paul’s inability to escape, and when he is told what will certainly happen, he faces it with conviction. But there does not seem to be any divine warning at Iconium. Luke just records that they find out about the plan of a mixed group of Gentiles, Jews, and city leaders to stone them. Just like converts to the gospel, its opponents come from all social, ethnic, and political backgrounds. As Paul and Barnabas make their way further through Galatia, they continue preaching the gospel wherever they go (v. 7), and in doing so they will face further danger.

14:8–18 Iconium, Lystra, and Back to Antioch: Ministry in Lystra. Lystra, less than 20 miles (32 km) southwest of Iconium, is the most thoroughly Gentile context encountered by the apostles up to this point. The passage begins with an incident quite similar to Peter and John’s experience outside the temple in chapter 3. Just as Peter looked at the lame man in Jerusalem and said, “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” (3:6), so in Lystra Paul notices the blind man listening to him and says, “Stand upright on your feet” (14:10). And, as in chapter 3, the man in Lystra “sprang up and began walking” (14:10). Whereas the man in Jerusalem was begging for money, this man is listening to Paul, who recognizes his faith, likely through the insight of the Spirit. In Jerusalem the signs and wonders done by the apostles were the Spirit’s witness to the world about Jesus the Messiah; this miracle is a Spirit-induced way of opening the door to a Gentile community.

The Gentile crowd is just as astonished as were the Jews in Jerusalem at the miraculous healing. But they have a quick explanation: “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men” (v. 11). Specifically, they think that Zeus (as Barnabas), the king of the gods, and Hermes (as Paul), his son and the messenger of the gods, have come to Lystra. There is a logic to their conclusion, as local legend holds that the two gods had visited as human beings once before.⁷ The situation spins quickly out of control as priests of Zeus attempt to make sacrifices in light of the supposed divine visit.

The contrast between Herod’s reaction to the crowd’s call of “the voice of a god, and not of a man” (12:22), and Paul and Barnabas’s reaction to the Lystrans is impossible to miss. The apostles immediately tear their garments, typically a sign of lament and grief.⁸ Paul immediately avers that he and Barnabas are men, “of like nature with you” (14:15). The situation calls for fast action, and Paul gets right to the point. He answers with an assertion of monotheism and a straightforward plea to repent. From the start he challenges a core part of their worldview, namely, their polytheism. Not only is there only one God; in addition, that God is the creator of everything—a strike against their idolatry. Paul then implies that they are answerable to the God of whom he speaks.

Paul’s next words draw comparisons with the longer discourse at Mars Hill (chapter 17) and his discussion of what we refer to as “natural revelation” in Romans 1. Everything the Lystrans have, from rain and food to the good times and contentment they experience, is from the one God (cf. Matt. 5:45). Paul points to common human experience as evidence of God. As in Romans 2, he does not say that God is revealed personally through these things, but he does make clear they do witness to God (Acts 14:17). All this follows and develops verse 16, in which Paul states that up to this point God has let people go their own way. The idolatry of the nations, which God allowed (Rom. 1:24), is a sign of their innate knowledge of him (Rom. 1:19–20), and even though they do not know him personally through these good gifts, they nevertheless owe their entire existence to him (Acts 17:28).

This is a brief, and brilliant, presentation of the truth of the Bible. It is not a complete presentation of the gospel—there clearly was not time—but an opening foray in evangelism to people with no biblical background. Paul links their way of life and common human experience to the truth of the Scripture. With this Gentile crowd he does not cite biblical passages (as he and others do with Jewish audiences) but summarizes theological content in a way that connects with his hearers—another example of legitimate and able contextualization. Although he does not finish his sermon in Luke’s account, Paul returns to Lystra on his way home (14:21). The groundwork for future ministry is laid, even if, as far as the narrative seems to indicate, Paul is not able to preach the entire gospel. It is possible that Luke shortens the account (as he does elsewhere) and leaves off Paul’s witnessing to Jesus, but that does not seem to fit Luke’s typical pattern.

It is not clear whether people come to faith during this first visit. Though Luke mentions other “disciples” taking up Paul’s presumed dead body in verse 20, this could refer to converts from Lystra. These disciples could also be other believers who followed from places such as Pisidian Antioch and Iconium, or perhaps unnamed companions who have been there all along.⁹ We do not know how much time passes between verses 18–19, so Paul could have preached and called for repentance, perhaps even several times. Luke does not record people’s belief, however, as he usually does (e.g., 13:48; 14:1). At some point, at least on the way back through (v. 21), believers are found in Lystra, including Timothy (16:1), who comes to faith through Paul’s ministry.

14:19–23 Iconium, Lystra, and Back to Antioch: The Stoning of Paul. Saul of Tarsus once hunted down and persecuted Christians for the sake of his Jewish heritage. Now, in fulfillment of Jesus’ words to Ananias regarding Saul (“I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name”; 9:16), the roles are reversed, as Jews from Antioch and Iconium track the apostles down in Lystra, and Paul is nearly killed. Pisidian Antioch is around 100 miles (160 km) from Lystra, and, apparently, men from that city stop in Iconium and pick up others to join their mob. Given the closeness of the Jewish communities and the relative ease of travel and sending messages, it is not out of the realm of possibility to think that Jews from Antioch and Iconium (80–90 miles/129–145 km apart) have communicated with each other about the danger of these fanatics proclaiming a false messiah from Nazareth, disrespecting the law of Moses, and sinning against God (as unbelieving Jews thought Christians were doing).

This is but the beginning of Paul’s sufferings, and it is vicious. The Jews turn the crowds, already stirred up after the Zeus and Hermes incident, against the apostles, and the mob takes hold of Paul to stone him to death—or so they think. Unlike with the practice of going outside the camp prescribed in the Mosaic law (Num. 15:35), this takes place inside the city before they drag Paul’s body outside the city. It seems the Jews do the instigating and the Gentiles do the stoning; unbelieving Jews are unafraid to collaborate with unclean Gentiles against the Christians, just as they did regarding Jesus (Luke 23:1–25; John 18:28–32; 19:12–16). We can only guess why Barnabas is not stoned, though we know that Paul did most of the preaching (but cf. Acts 13:46; 14:3), especially at Pisidian Antioch and Lystra—the Lystrans called Paul “Hermes,” the messenger and spokesman of the gods. Whatever the reason, Paul is singled out for death, assumedly because they perceive him to be the more serious threat. Paul’s injury is such that they drag him outside the city thinking him dead—making his itinerary the next day all the more surprising. Barnabas and the other disciples must be in absolute shock and horror. God, however, was not finished with Paul.

By the grace of God, Paul survives. The Lystrans had taken him out of the city, “supposing” he was dead, but the disciples bring him back in the city for the night. Somehow, Paul is able to leave the next day, presumably on foot (though not necessarily), for Derbe, roughly 60 miles (96 km) away. He must have experienced divine healing or protection from injury during the stoning in order to make this walk the next day (cf. 2 Tim. 3:11). There is no regrouping or rethinking the mission—Paul has been set apart by Jesus as an apostle to bear witness and set apart by the Spirit for this very trip, and nothing will stop his completing this task.

The visit to Derbe, the furthest point reached in the first missionary journey, is described very briefly, with Luke noting the making of “many disciples” as a result of Paul’s preaching (Acts 14:21). The pattern of growth in the midst of persecution holds true. It is now clear that persecution is not limited or particular to the Jewish mission of the church, as Gentiles are now taking full part. But they are also taking full part in salvation through faith in Jesus.

Paul and Barnabas retrace their steps, visiting the churches in Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch. With Paul’s recent experience at Lystra in mind, his message “that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (v. 22) would have held great significance. The early Christians will increasingly follow in the footsteps of the apostles by experiencing suffering, and Paul prepares them as one speaking from experience.

There is little gap between the planting of the first churches and the establishing of their leadership. Luke concludes his narrative of Paul’s first missionary journey by noting how Paul and Barnabas “appointed elders for them in every church” (v. 23). Although Luke does not go into detail, we can say from Acts that the basic pattern found in Jerusalem (11:30; 15:2; 21:18) is copied in the other churches as well (20:17). In Paul’s writings he describes the qualifications for the office of elder (1 Tim. 3:1–7; Titus 1:5–9), but Luke is only concerned here to reveal Paul’s concern for leadership in the churches. Combined with Paul’s epistles, this is enough to establish a distinct and repeatable pattern of leadership arising from Acts.

We cannot say for certain whether there were one or many churches in places such as Lystra or Iconium, though it is perhaps safe to assume that these were small gatherings, maybe small enough to be limited to one church in each place. Regardless of the number of churches in a single city or region, there is no ground for understanding “in every church” to imply only one elder in each church, as is the practice of many Christian churches today. Luke uses the plural form (presbyteroi) of the Greek word typically translated “elders” and a Greek phrase translated aptly as “in every church.”

14:24–28 Iconium, Lystra, and Back to Antioch: Back to Antioch. On the way back to Antioch, Paul and Barnabas stop at Perga to minister the gospel (v. 25). This is a town visited only briefly on the outward leg of the journey, the town at which Mark decided to return home (13:13). From Attalia they leave for Antioch, their home base, where they report the events of the journey, especially how God “had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles” (14:27). God’s initial work among the Gentiles marks a major step toward the “end of the earth” (1:8) and also leads to the first and greatest controversy in the early church, as the inclusion of the Gentiles is not met with enthusiasm by everyone.