Chapter Fourteen –
First Journey of Paul Continued
ACTS 14:19-28:
In our previous lessons, we began the first journey of Paul. It began in
Antioch
of Syria and from there; Barnabas, Saul, and John Mark went down to
Seleucia.
From Seleucia, they caught a ship to
Cyprus
and landed at
Salamis.
They would share the Gospel of Jesus as Christ in the synagogues of the
Jews.
As Barnabas
and Saul came to
Paphos,
they crossed paths with the proconsul and a sorcerer who had been acting as
his advisor. As the proconsul wanted to hear from Barnabas and Saul, the
sorcerer withstood them.
Saul, who
will now be called from this point forward, Paul; openly denounced the
sorcerer and struck him blind by the power of the Lord. This would give
cause for the proconsul to believe the words concerning the teaching of the
Lord.
Paul and
Barnabas left Cyprus and came to
Perga
in
Pamphylia
where John Mark would leave them and return to Jerusalem for unknown
reasons. From Perga they would travel north inland to
Antioch
in
Pisidia,
where they would go into the synagogue of the Jews on the Sabbath. As the
invitation is given to speak, Paul is going to preach the Gospel and this
becomes Paul’s first recorded sermon. At the conclusion of his sermon, the
Gentiles requested to hear these words as well. When the city had come out
to hear, the Jews became filled with envy. Many of the Jews rejected the
Gospel of Jesus as Christ and became antagonistic; however, many Gentiles
would become followers of Christ. The Jews stirred up the leaders of the
city and forced Paul and Barnabas to flee to
Iconium.
Paul and
Barnabas preached in the synagogue of the Jews and there were those who
believed from the ranks of Jew and Gentile (proselytes, as they were in the
synagogue). The unbelieving Jews tried to poison the minds of Gentiles
against the brethren, which would cause Paul and Barnabas to stay longer.
Finally the Jews stirred up the people to the point that they would attempt
to abuse and stone them; this would cause them to leave.
Leaving
Iconium, they would then come to
Lystra.
Upon entering the city Paul would heal a lame man that everyone knew. This
would cause the people (being idolaters) to cry out that Barnabas and Paul
were gods come to earth and attempt to worship them.
In the
final verse, Luke records the majority response to Paul’s sermon. As good as
it is at the common sense arguments; the background of the majority here
would not allow them to see the benefits of this sermon.
Please use the map provided:
http://www.plvcc.org/articles_live_by_faith/acts_13_map.html
Text #1:
Acts 14:19-20
“Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there; and
having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him
out of the city, supposing him to be dead.
20
However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into
the city. And the next day he departed with Barnabas to
Derbe.”
Stoned:
The hatred among Jews that did not believe the Gospel of Jesus as the
Christ, was so intense, they were willing to travel from Antioch and Iconium
to get at him. The people of Lystra were so fickle, they initially thought
him to be a god, and now are willing to kill him.
After the
stoning, they took the body outside the city and left it lay as dead. Even
the disciples thought him dead, as no mention of assistance is offered; yet,
he would rise up before them and go right back into the city.
The very
next day, in whatever state he was in, he traveled 30 miles away to Derbe.
Derbe:
this is a city in the south east corner of Lycaonia. Not much is known about
the history of this city before the Gospel would come; however, it will be a
strong Christian city afterwards.
Summary of
Lystra:
Paul came
to
Lystra
and had to use a different approach to preaching the Gospel, as there was no
synagogue here. After healing a man at the city gate, the people flocked to
him and Barnabas, thinking them to be gods.
Paul would
preach his first recorded sermon to those who were not familiar with the One
True God. At the conclusion of the sermon, the majority would still attempt
to worship them as gods; but we know that there would be some who would obey
the Gospel.
Jews came
from
Antioch
and
Iconium
and stirred the people to stone Paul and leave him for dead. Dragged out of
the city, he rose-up and went back into the city, and the next day came to
Derbe.
Text #2:
Acts 14:21
“And when they had preached the gospel to that city and
made many disciples, they returned to
Lystra,
Iconium,
and
Antioch”
Many
Disciples:
Not much is
stated about what transpires here in Derbe, except that the Gospel is very
successful among the citizens of this city. It should be noted here, before
we move to the second half of the verse, that Paul did not go into Cilicia,
as he has already been there –
Acts
9:30;
11:25-26.
Back in the
Lion’s Den:
The length
of time that Paul stays in Derbe is not recorded, and can give a false
impression that he was here then gone. The success of the Gospel would
require him and Barnabas to do here, before they leave, what they are about
to do in the cities they have already been to.
At the
conclusion of their time in Derbe, they are now going to return to the very
places where they have known hatred and violence (lion’s den reference).
This return is not without purpose, and we will discuss this in the next
segment.
Summary of
Derbe:
Paul came
to Derbe and by the Gospel created many disciples (Mathew
28:19). The details of Paul’s preaching or the founding of these
brethren are not mentioned. They will use this city as the turning point in
the journey and return through the cities they have already visited.
Text #3:
Acts 14:22-23
“strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting
them to continue in the faith, and saying, “We must through many
tribulations enter the kingdom of God.”
23
So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting,
they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.”
Strengthening:
This is a
process of further instructing them in doctrinal truth, which in turn would
give them the strength to stand fast.
Exhorting:
Charging them to do their duty; to continue without wavering in the faith.
Many
Tribulations:
Paul would
give them a realistic view of the labor and path for Christians working
diligently to achieve their true home, by true doctrine.
Order for
the Body:
The word
“appointed” comes from the Greek
understanding of, ‘set in order’ or ‘put in place’ (Titus
1:5). These older men were set in place by a system of Spirit
revealed qualifications (1
Timothy 3:1-7;
Titus 1:5-9).
In all
these cities, whether a synagogue was present or not, older wise and noble
men were already looked to as guides; this coupled with the gifts of the
Holy Spirit that accompanied the early Body of Christ (1
Corinthians 12:7-11 – especially knowledge and wisdom!), would
allow these men to prove their qualifications among the brethren and be
placed over this work as shepherds.
It should
also be noted that they are appointed in plurality; which creates an
eldership, not a dictatorship!
As the
Gospel came to these early churches, they were not left to the wolves. Paul
as an Apostle of Christ made sure they were able to have protective
shepherds who would then keep them from the wolves.
Commended
Them to the Lord:
This is the
first time this is spoken of in this fashion. The next time it will be used
will be with the elders of the Body at Ephesus, and the details describe the
process:
Acts 20:32
“So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word
of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance
among all those who are sanctified.”
Text #4
Acts 14:24-28
“And
after they had passed through
Pisidia,
they came to
Pamphylia.
25
Now when they had preached the word in
Perga,
they went down to
Attalia.
26
From there they sailed to
Antioch,
where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work which they
had completed.
27
Now when they had come and gathered the church together, they reported all
that God had done with them, and that He had opened the door of faith to the
Gentiles.
28
So they stayed there a long time with the disciples.”
At the
conclusion of the return through the cities with Bodies of Christ, Paul and
Barnabas began to return back to where they had begun this journey.
Perga:
The first time they came through Perga, the only thing Luke would record was
that John Mark left to go back to Jerusalem. Here; however, this time coming
back they would preach the Gospel. Luke does not record if they were
successful or not.
Attalia:
This
is a sea
port of Pamphylia near Perga and was the main sea port for the Gulf of
Adalia; no activity is mentioned here other than departing by ship.
At the
conclusion of the sea journey, they would return back to Antioch of Syria,
where this journey would begin (this officially concludes this first
journey). Having been selected by the Spirit of God and sent by these
brethren for this work, they reported back to them upon arrival.
The Report:
·
God given
all the credit!
·
The door of
faith had been opened for the Gentiles – and we know that this took place by
preaching to them the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Two
Summaries:
Places Paul
visited before this journey:
Acts 9;
11:27-30;
12:25;
Galatians 1:11-17
Jerusalem – Damascus – Arabia – Damascus – Jerusalem – Caesarea – Tarsus –
Antioch of Syria – Jerusalem – Antioch of Syria.
Paul’s first journey:
Acts 13-14
Antioch of Syria – Seleucia – Salamis – Paphos – Perga – Antioch of Pisidia
– Iconium – Lystra – Derbe – Lystra – Iconium – Antioch of Pisidia – Perga –
Attalia – Antioch of Syria.