Paul and Silas in Prison
16: 16-40

50-51 AD

Paul and Silas in Prison DIG: Why was Paul irritated with this servant-girl? You would think he would be pleased with her announcement. When Paul and Silas were seized, what was the charge against them? What happened to them? What does the response of Paul and Silas say about them? If you were the jailer, what would you think of Paul and Silas singing? Escaping? Remaining? In what ways does the jailer express his new faith in Yeshua? Given the charge against them in verses 20-21, why might Paul insist on his rights as a Roman citizen because most residents in the Roman Empire did not have the privilege of citizenship. How would this diffuse tensions for this young Philippian church?

REFLECT: The girl’s owners rejected the gospel because it cost them financially. What financial concerns keep some people from the faith today? Is this a factor for you? About twelve years later Paul wrote a letter to the Philippians from another prison. How might the events here be the basis for what Paul said in Philippians 4:4-7, 12-13? What can you learn from his example about knowing peace and joy even in hard times? If asked, “What must I do to be saved?” how would you answer? Called to leave, or called to stay. Which one of these describes your calling in regard to your life history?

Now we have a new scene, but it connects with the previous one (to see link click By – Lydia’s Conversion in Philippi) to make a seamless story. After meeting Lydia, the liberated woman, we meet an enslaved woman. No sooner are lost people saved than the Adversary begins to hinder the work. Here, as in Samaria (see Ba – Simon the Sorcerer) and Cyprus (see Bn – Barnabas and Sha’ul Sent Out from Syrian Antioch), was a clash of light and darkness. There are only two types of people in the world. Those whom the law of the Spirit of life in Messiah Yeshua has set free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2) and those dead in [their] trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1). There are only the slaves of unrighteousness and the slaves of righteousness (Romans 6:16-18).³⁷⁸ The enemy of souls (Matthew 13:39), sought to infiltrate the church or to crush it with persecution. Both avenues of attack would be unsuccessful.

Spiritual opposition: It so happened that as we were going to the place of prayer (16:13), we met a slave girl who had a spirit of divination (Greek: puthona, meaning a python spirit). The Greek text literally reads the spirit of a python. That designation comes from Greek mythology, in which the Python was a snake that guarded the famous oracle of Delphi (the most important shrine in all Greece). Eventually, Apollo, the god of prophecy, killed the Python. Since it was believed that Apollo spoke through the oracle of Delphi, the term ‘python” came to refer to anyone in contact with Apollo. In modern terms, this slave girl was a medium in contact with demons, and she was continually bringing her masters much profit from her fortune-telling. Such people were believed to be able to predict the future, a valuable commodity in the Greco-Roman world as they valued divination highly. Thus, she was a veritable gold mine for her owners (16:16).³⁷⁹

Following after Paul and us, she kept shouting, saying: These men are servants of God Most High, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation (16:17). Here we see demonic recognition of who they were, just as in the gospels demons always recognized who Yeshua was. Demons also recognize the true way of salvation. None of this would have been very clear to Gentiles. The term God most high was a common term for God in the TaNaKh, but the same term was equally common in the Gentile world and was particularly applied to Zeus. Neither would the way of salvation be immediately clear to a Gentile audience. The Greco-Roman world was full of “saviors.” Savior/deliverer, salvation/deliverance were favorite terms. The emperor named himself “savior” of the people. All of which is to show why Paul finally became irritated with the girl’s constant announcements.

The “us” or “we” passages stop at verse 17 and does not reappear in Acts until Paul’s return to Philippi in 20:6 (see Bx – Paul’s Vision of the Man of Macedonia). Some have seen this as an indication that Luke remained behind to minister in Philippi and did not rejoin Paul in his travels until his return visit at the end of his Third Missionary Journey (see Ci – Paul Raised Eutychus from the Dead at Troas). But here, it seems to indicate in the present context that Luke and Timothy had dropped out of the picture at this point and were ministering somewhere else. That is the reason only Paul and Silas were arrested (see below).

She kept doing this for many days and Paul tolerated it for a while. But after many days Paul was irritated. These declarations may have been true enough, but they were open to too much misunderstanding for pagan hearers. The truth could not be so easily condensed for those from a polytheistic background. Yeshua might be seen as just another “savior” in the expanding pantheon of Greek gods.³⁸⁰

Finally, when he had enough of this, Paul turned to the evil spirit, in a form reminiscent of Messiah’s exorcisms, declared: I command you in the name of Messiah Yeshua to come out of her!” And it came out (Greek: exelthen) of her that very moment (16:18). Powerful as they are, even the demons must submit to the authority of Yeshua Messiah (Mark 1:23-27). Note that in expelling the demon Paul did not address the girl but the demon, and he did not rely on his own authority, but that of Yeshua in contrast to those in 19:13-16. But that was not the only thing to vanish. Along with the demon, her masters saw their prospects for further profit also exited.

The arrest: But when her masters saw that the hope of profit was gone (Greek: exelthen), they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace, the court of law, before the authorities. Luke probably intended the wordplay. He used the same verb (Greek: exelthen) for the demon’s coming out in verse 18 as for the money going away. The latter created a problem. Healing the demon possessed girl was one thing; but when that involved considerable economic loss, well, that was quite another! The profit motive was a frequent obstacle to the gospel in Acts. It was surely the downfall of Simon Magus (see Ba – Simon the Sorcerer). It would lead Demetrius and his fellow Ephesian silversmiths to violently oppose Paul (see Ch – Idol-Makers Start a Riot in Ephesus). Here the greed of the slave girl’s owners is contrasted with the generosity of Lydia, who shared her house with the missionaries and the Philippian believers (16:15).

The owners of the slave girl were careful in their charges to avoid the real issue of her healing and their resulting loss of profit. And when “the business men” brought them to the chief authorities, they said, “These men are throwing our city into an uproar! Being Jewish, they are trying to convert Roman citizens to Judaism (which was illegal in Philippi being a Roman colony) and advocate customs which are not permitted for us to accept or practice, being Romans” (16:19-21). Their purpose was only to stir up the mob, thus anti-Semitism throughout history.

In the Roman Empire, there were two very different laws; one for citizens of the Roman Empire, and one for those who were not citizens. Roman citizens had specific civil rights there were zealously guarded. Non-citizens had no civil rights, and were subject to the whims of the chief authorities. They were greatly upset that Roman citizens should be harassed by strolling peddlers of an outlandish religion . Such people had to be taught to know their proper place and not trouble them.³⁸¹

None of the charges were true, but they had their effect. Then the crowd joined in the attack on them. So the chief authorities ripped their clothes off them and repeatedly commanded them to be beaten illegally with rods (16:22). Flogging was considered to be an appropriate punishment for those indicted on counts of causing civic disturbance. Although such corrective beating was applied in such cases to both slaves and free men, it could be administered with different instruments, the respective use of which would cause greater or lesser injury (22:24-25). Luke’s description of the flogging which the missionaries received shows that it was severe. The rods would open wounds that would have left bloody welts needing to be cleansing (16:33).³⁸²

There was no mention of a trial or a defense. The chief authorities had simply taken the word of their fellow Romans and acted accordingly. The authorities did not know Paul and Silas were Roman citizens so they were treated like mere foreigners without local rights and privileges, and Jewish ones at that. When anti-Semitic feelings run high, justice also flees. Paul could have declared, “I am a Roman citizen!” But, evidently, Paul only chose to use his Roman citizenship when if furthered the advancement of the gospel, not when it merely personally advantageous for him to do so. Paul’s sense of identity came first from his faith in Yeshua, secondly from his Jewish heritage, and only thirdly from his Greco-Roman heritage.³⁸³

After inflicting many blows on them, they threw them into a maximum security prison, ordering the jailer to guard them securely. Having received this charge, he threw them into the inner prison, a dungeon with no light or air except what came through when the door was opened, and fastened their feet in the stocks (16:23-24).³⁸⁴ But all those safeguards were to prove futile. Like Herod (12:6-11) and the Great Sanhedrin (5:19-25) before them, the chief authorities at Philippi were to learn that no prison can hold those whom God wants released.³⁸⁵

Salvation for a Jailer’s Household

We are not surprised to find Paul and Silas miraculously delivered from jail. It had happened before, to the apostles (see Au – The Apostles are Persecuted) and to Peter (see Bk – Peter’s Persecution and Deliverance). After having been severely beaten, they found themselves in a filthy dungeon. Their feet were fastened in stocks designed to induce painful cramping by spreading their legs as wide as possible. In spite of it all, they maintained a joyful attitude.³⁸⁶ But about midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were intently listening to them (16:25). The night lacks the kindness of the day when demands and activities can distract us. But despite their anguish, their prayers ascended before the throne, and God gave them sings in the night (Job 35:10). Prayers come naturally when we are in agony – but songs? Their voices were unchained, penetrating walls and bars. We can preach the gospel in many ways, but the message is never clearer than when God’s people refuse to cease their praises during intense suffering. In their bondage, Paul and Silas were free to sing; they were also free to stay (see the commentary on Romans Ag – Paul, A Slave of Messiah Yeshua).

Suddenly their songs were eclipsed by the rumblings of an earthquake, and there was such a great earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken before an awesome God. Immediately all the doors were unlocked, and everyone’s chains came loose from the walls. When the jailer woke up from the earthquake and saw the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing the prisoners had already escaped. According to Roman law, if a prisoner escaped, the jailer who was in charge had to suffer his sentence. This accounts for the despair of the jailer in this case. He preferred death by his own hand to being tortured to death, which obviously awaited some of the condemned prisoners who had supposedly escaped.³⁸⁷ But Paul could see what was about to happen and cried out with a loud voice, saying: Don’t harm yourself! We’re all here (16:26-28)!

Sometimes ADONAI frees us from chains so we can turn our backs on our slavery and walk away like Peter did (see Bk – Peter’s Persecution and Deliverance). He was free to leave. As a result, the Messianic community that was praying for his release was encouraged. Other times, however, God frees us from chains so we can remain where we are to share the message of freedom with other captives.³⁸⁸ When the jailer called for torches and rushed in; and trembling with fear, he fell down before Paul and Silas. It was obvious that the jailer saw something divine. After he brought them out of the jail, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved” (16:29-30). He had overheard the prayers and singing of Paul and Silas and he knew they had the message of salvation. Now he was ready for understanding. The miracle of the earthquake and the prisoners who wouldn’t escape got his attention and prepared his heart to receive Pau’s message.

It could not be put any simpler. They said: Put your trust in the Lord Yeshua and you will be saved – you and your household. At some point the jailer’s household entered the picture. Luke did not specify when.³⁸⁹ But unlike the rich young ruler (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Il – The Rich Young Ruler), his family, servants, and perhaps relatives or guests who were staying with him all heard the gospel. Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him, along with everyone in his household (16:31-32). When the gospel is preached to hearts prepared by God, results are inevitable. The jailer and each members of his household were saved.

The truth that salvation is wholly by faith in the Lord Yeshua Messiah permeates the Scriptures. There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved (4:12)! That marvelous truth was at the heart of the teaching of the emissaries (Acts 2:38, 5:14, 8:12, 10:43, 11:17 and 21, 13:12 and 38-39, 14:1, 15:11, 17:12, 18:8). Yeshua Himself declared: I AM the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me (John 14:6). It is also the constant there of the epistles (Romans 3:20-25, 5:1; First Cor 6:11; Galatians 2:16, 3:24; Eph 2:8-9; 2 Timothy 3:15; Titus 3:7).

To believe in the Lord Yeshua Messiah means, first, to trust that He is who He claimed to be. The emissary Yochanan declared: But these things have been written so that you may believe that Yeshua is Mashiach Ben-Elohim, and that by believing you may have life in His name (Yochanan 20:31). Secondly, it means to believe what He did. Paul concisely summarized the work and ministry of Yeshua this way: For I also passed on to you first of all what I also received, that Messiah died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures (First Corinthians 15:3-4). To the Romans he wrote: For if you confess with your mouth that Yeshua is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart it is believed for righteousness, and with the mouth it is confessed for salvation (Romans 10:9-10).³⁹⁰

Four of his actions show that the jailer’s salvation was sincere. First, he took Paul and Silas that very hour and washed their wounds (John 13:35). Second, he and all his household were immersed and at once. By that act they publicly identified themselves with Yeshua Messiah. Though the hour was late, other people were no doubt were still outdoors because of the earthquake. Third, the jailer brought them to his house and set food before them. Paul and Silas apparently accept what was set on the table without any question. Although it is doubtful whether the jailer gave thought to providing a “kosher meal,” particularly in the middle of the night and in the aftermath of a rather severe earthquake, he may well have served something permitting to Paul and Silas to eat – or they at least ate what they could of what he offered.³⁹¹ Finally, he was overjoyed that he with his entire household had put their trust in God (16:33-34). A short time earlier he was ready to commit suicide. Now he was overflowing with the joy that comes from knowing one’s sins are forgiven (Psalm 32:1; Romans 4:7). Only God can turn around a life so quickly.

What about the other prisoners? Luke doesn’t give us any of the details, but we must assume that they stayed also; otherwise, the jailer would have suffered the consequences of their sentences and no evidence of that exists. Possibly some of them were also born again through the witness of Paul, Silas and the jailer.³⁹²

The departure from Philippi: When the next day came, the chief authorities sent their police officers, saying, “Release those men.” But the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The chief authorities have sent orders to release you. So come out now, and go in shalom.” But now Paul was the accuser and not the victim, and he said to the officers, “They have beaten us publicly without a trial – men who are Roman citizens – and have thrown us into prison. And now they are sending us away secretly? No indeed! Let them come themselves and lead us out” (16:35-37)! Paul had the upper hand. This would be a public acknowledgement that they were wrong. The treatment of Paul and Silas, being Roman citizens, was illegal in three different ways: (1) binding them in stocks; (2) beating them; and (3) failing to give them a trial. Since claiming falsely to be a Roman citizen was punishable by death, usually no one questioned someone’s claim since the penalty was so severe.³⁹³

The police officers reported these words to the chief authorities. They became afraid for their own lives when they heard that they were Roman citizens, so they came and apologized to them. They did exactly as Paul wanted them to do. After they escorted them out of the prison, they continually kept on begging them to leave the city because the chief authorities knew that they were in danger of being punished themselves under Roman law. What a reversal of fortune. Paul and Silas had been treated as criminals and were innocent. But, the chief authorities who condemned them now found themselves as the genuine lawbreakers! When Paul and Silas went out of the prison, they did not leave Philippi immediately, but instead, visited Lydia’s house to further the gospel. And when they saw the brothers and sisters, they encouraged them and then departed (16:38-40). So a church had been planted in Philippi, to which the letter to the Philippians would later be written.³⁹⁴

The wealthy business woman, the exploited slave girl (who was probably saved as a result of the exorcism), and the rough Roman jailer had been brought into brotherly and sisterly relationship with each other and with the rest of the Philippian church. True, they experienced some tensions, and in his letter to the Philippians, Paul had to exhort them to stand firm in one spirit – striving side by side with one mind, united in spirit, with one purpose (Philippians 1:27, 2:2).³⁹⁵

Once again Satan’s plans were frustrated and overruled by ADONAI’s sovereign control of events. The persecution of the Adversary unleashed to destroy the Philippian church merely added another household to it and gained its protection from the city’s chief authorities. For those who boldly preach the gospel and praise Him no matter what the circumstances, YHVH stands ready to turn persecution into production. As the Church father Tertullian wrote in his book, the Apology, said, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.” But as we will see later in the book of Acts, it is just as true that the growth of the Church almost always leads to persecution.

Deep calls to deep, Lord, in the roar of Your waterfalls; all Your waves and Your breakers have swept over me. You will send Your faithful love by day; Your song will be with me in the night – a prayer to the God of my life (Psalm 42:8-9). I cling to this hope, and pray for a song.³⁹⁶

Lydia’s Conversion in Philippi
16: 11-15

50-51 AD

Lydia’s conversion in Philippi DIG: Compare verse 13 with 14:1 and 17:2. What does the fact that there was no synagogue in Philippi mean with respect to the Jewish community there? How did that affect Paul’s strategy for his ministry? Why did these women meet near a river? What did Lydia have to do with Thyatira? What was unusual about her name? Was it a surprise that she also sold purple fabrics? What are the we or us passages about?

REFLECT: How did the Lord open your heart to respond to the gospel? What people did he use as part of the process? Where do you have an “open door” for ministry right now? In your home? School? Work place? Community? How will you step in and fill it?

As a result of Paul’s vision of a man from Macedonia pleading with him, saying: Come over and help us (16:9), Luke tells us that we (Paul, Silas, Timothy and Luke) put out to sea from Troas. By this time, Luke had joined the missionary team and traveled with them (to see link click Bx – Paul’s Vision of the Man of Macedonia: A closer look at the “us” or “we” passages and sea passages) and gives some details or their voyage across the Aegean Sea. They made a straight course for Samothrace and stayed that night. It was a rocky island, about half way between Troas and Philippi, whose jagged peak rises to 5,000 feet above sea level. They must have enjoyed a favorable wind to complete their 150-mile journey in only two days, since it took them five days on their return (20:6). The next day we sailed on to Neapolis. They did not stop to preach in Neapolis, but from there continued on to Philippi, about ten miles inland – that Luke notes was a leading city of the district of Macedonia as well as a Roman colony. We stayed in this city for several days (16:11-12).

They didn’t think of themselves as passing from the continent of Asia to Europe. These terms were in use, but the Aegean was Greek on either side. They had, instead, the excitement of approaching a new province, bringing them nearer to Rome. They knew that beyond Macedonia they could reach Achaia and Italy, and the vast lands of Gaul, Spain, Germania, even the mist-bound island of Britain lately added to the empire; all except Rome untouched by the Good News. They were not bringing military might or a political program; just four men – and Another, invisible.³⁶⁹

Philippi was an important Roman colony city, in fact, the only such colony that Luke actually describes as such. It lay on the Via Egnatia, the main east-west route across Macedonia, connecting Rome with its eastern provinces. While the city was originally built and fortified by Philip of Macedonia, father of Alexander the Great, about 358 BC and named after him, the Philippi that Luke and Paul knew was a metropolis run on Roman principles and Roman law. This is a very important fact as the story develops. Roman citizenship was highly valued in such a place. The city prospered not only because it was in a very fertile region, but because there were still active mines in the area, especially gold mines.

Philippi was a military city. When Antony had been defeated by Octavian in 31 BC, he not only made the city a Roman colony, but he even gave Philippi the ius italicum, the legal character of a part of Italy, even though it was outside Italy. This was the highest honor that could be bestowed on a provincial city, for it meant that the Philippians were self-governing, exempt from poll and land taxes, and they could purchase or sell land and engage in civil lawsuits. It was, in short, a microcosm of Roman life at that time.

Finding no synagogue on Yom Shabbat, we went outside the gate to the Gangites River, where we expected a place of prayer to be. But how did Paul know that there would be a prayer meeting by the river? Jewish custom and the Oral Law (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Ei – The Oral Law) said that if there were not enough sufficient Jews in the area to maintain a synagogue, then the public worship should take place in a clear area, preferably by a river so there would be easy access for a mikveh, or ritual immersion. Paul knew that Philippi’s Jewish community was too small to form a synagogue. A minyan (a quorum of ten men) would have been enough for a regular synagogue service, and a modified version of the service could proceed with fewer men, or even with no men and only women, as is the case here. And Luke said that we went to the river, found a small group of women, sat down (the normal posture for teaching) and began speaking with them (16:13).³⁷⁰ Lacking a man to lead them, these women met to pray, read from the TaNaKh, and discussed what they had read. To be taught by a traveling rabbi such as Paul was no doubt a rare privilege.

It is significant that the first people Paul preached to in Europe were women. Those who reject his teaching on the role of women often caricature him as a male chauvinist. But he was not prejudiced, as his eagerness to speak to this group of women shows. Paul’s attitude was in sharp contrast to that of his fellow Pharisees. They would not lower themselves to teach a woman, and regularly in their rote prayers they thanked ADONAI that they were neither a Gentile, a slave, or a woman. Paul’s teaching also ran counter to the treatment of women in Greco-Roman society. He valued the ministry of women such as Phoebe (Romans 16:1), the various women among those he greeted in Romans 16:3ff, and even Euodia and Syntyche (Philippians 4:2-3).³⁷¹

There by the river, Paul encountered a certain woman named Lydia (16:14a). We’ve seen Paul have more thrilling encounters. Nothing outwardly dramatic happened. Almost seemed ho-hum, didn’t it? Was this all that God had in mind – one woman’s reception of the gospel – when He resisted Paul’s plan to preach His Word in the direction he was headed (see Bx – Paul’s Vision of the Man of Macedonia)? But after temporarily closing a door in the province of Asia, ADONAI strained Paul’s eyes to see a much wider vision. The gospel of Yeshua Messiah went to Europe! Within a couple hundred years, Christians numbered in the tens of thousands in Europe. When we hear people say, “When God closes a door, He opens a window,” sometimes we just might be underestimating Him. In this case, He closed a door and opened a continent. And it all started with a businesswoman named Lydia.³⁷²  (Art by Sarah Beth Baca: see more information on Links and Resources).

Luke presents five cameos of important believing women in a variety of roles they assumed (see
Bd – Signs and Miracles Follow Peter: A closer look at Luke, Women and Ministry), and she was one of them. Because her home was located in the Roman province of Lydia, it is likely that Lydia was not so much her personal name as the name of her business. She was a seller of purple cloth from the city of Thyatira (16:14b), the site on one of the seven churches of Revelation (see the commentary on Revelation Bc – The Church at Thyatira), which was the part of Asia Minor called Lydia. Royalty and the wealthy knew Thyatira for producing purple dyed goods and it was obviously a very profitable business. The fact that Lydia had a house (61:15) large enough to accommodate the four missionaries and some from the emerging church at Philippi (16:40) points to her wealth. She may have been known as the Lydian lady. Three sequential aspects of Lydia’s conversion stand out in the narrative.

First, she was a worshiper of God (16:14c NASB). There were three levels of Gentile relationship to Judaism. The first level was God-fearers, these were Gentiles who became convinced that ADONAI was the only true God, they abandoned their paganism and idolatry, but they did not choose to become a proselyte in any form. There was no adoption of Jewish customs or practices (see Be – The Centurion’s Vision). The second form is the proselyte of the gate. This was a Gentile who adopted many Jewish practices like celebrating Shabbat and the feasts of Isra’el, but did not become a full proselyte. Most of these were men because this category didn’t require circumcision. Then you had full proselytes who were total converts. Most of these were women.³⁷³ So it seems that Lydia was a proselyte. Hers was a seeking heart, and she had already turned from pagan idolatry to worship the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Lydia’s seeking was the first step of her spiritual liberation. Yet she, like all sinners, did not seek God on her own until He sought her. In Romans 3:11, Paul wrote: There is no one who understands, no one who seeks after God. And Yeshua added: No one can come to Me unless My Father who sent Me draws them (John 6:44).

Second, not only was Lydia seeking, but she was also listening (Greek: ekouen, the imperfect verb here suggests more than one meeting) to the gospel proclaimed by Paul (Romans 10:17). Many hear the sound of the life-giving message preached without really listening to it (16:14d). They are like Paul’s companions on the Damascus Road, who, although they heard its sound, did not understand the voice of the One who was speaking (Acts 22:9). Our Lord condemned those who heard without listening (Matthew 13:11-17).³⁷⁴

And third, the Lord opened her heart to respond to what Paul was saying (16:14e). Here we have the divine side of conversion. We are all spiritually dead. Just as dead as if we were physically at the bottom of the ocean with our lungs full of water. If that were the case, we could not save ourselves physically. We are dead. The same is true spiritually (Ephesians 2:1; Colossians 2:13). God always has to make the first step toward us in the salvation process. Like Lydia, we are saved when we respond to the light God has given us. This is the human side of conversion. When the gospel does come to us, it is not only in word, but also in the power of the Ruach ha-Kodesh and with full conviction (First Thessalonians 1:6). But to be sure, this does not remove our responsibility to repent and believe once the gospel is understood.³⁷⁵

As was customary in the early Messianic Community/Church, Lydia, along with her household (she was a wealthy woman with household servants) were immersed immediately after their conversion, no doubt in the Gangites River near a place of prayer. Immersion is the outward sign of an inward conviction. It is the believers’ identification with Yeshua Messiah and is an act of obedience, but plays no role in salvation. After her immersion she urged us (all four of the missionaries) to accept her hospitality, saying: If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my house. And she insisted (16:15). Hospitality is required of all believers (Romans 12:13; Hebrews 13:2; First Peter 4:9), especially women (First Timothy 5:10) and leaders in the congregations of God (Titus 1:8). It was critical in the ancient world, where inns were often unsuitable for believers to stay in. They were filthy, dangerous, expensive, and often little more than brothels. To make a home where travelers could be exposed to the love of Messiah, family life and fellowship was a high priority for believing women (First Timothy 5:9-10). Lydia’s hospitality gave proof that she was a truly liberated woman (John 13:35).³⁷⁶

We must not conclude that because ADONAI opened Lydia’s heart, Lydia’s part in her conversion was entirely passive. She listened attentively to the spoken word (Greek: rhema) of Paul, and it is the word that brings a sinner to the Savior. I tell you, whoever hears My word and trusts the One who sent Me has eternal life. [That person] does not come into judgment, but has passed over from death into life (John 5:24). The same God who ordained the end, Lydia’s salvation, also ordained the means to the end, Paul’s witness of Yeshua Messiah. We should always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits for salvation through the sanctification by the Ruach and belief in the truth. He called you to this salvation through the proclaiming of the Good News, for you to gain the glory of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah (Second Thessalonians 2:13-14).³⁷⁷

Paul’s Vision of the Man of Macedonia
16: 6-10

50 AD

Paul’s vision of the man of Macedonia DIG: Who spread the gospel to the province of Bithynia? Why was Macedonia so important? Note the change from “they” to us in verse 10. How does this relate to Luke 1:3-4? How and why is this closed door pivotal?

REFLECT: How sensitive are you to the direction of the Ruach ha-Kodesh? When was the last time He told you “no!” How did you respond? Did you plow ahead anyway? How did that work out for you? Or did you obey? In hindsight, what did you avoid? With so many possible reasons for feeling led a certain way, how do you sort out the voice of the Holy Spirit from all others? How would you advise someone to navigate this? God still calls people to the mission field. Perhaps many today will encounter a “Macedonian man” who will call them out to the mission field. Might you be one of those people?

These verses provide a brief summary of Paul’s travel’s that eventually lead him to Troas, an important part on the coast of Asia. What this passage suggests is that while Paul seems to have planned to head directly across Galatia and into the province of Asia, and perhaps on to Ephesus, not once but twice ADONAI had to correct his course.³⁶⁶

Having passed through the Phrygian region of the province of Galatia, Paul decided to move further west to the Roman province of Asia, in the western part of Asia Minor (now part of Turkey), but he was forbidden by the Ruach ha-Kodesh to speak the word there. This explains why they had to go to Phrygia and Galatia . . . because they had been forbidden to speak the gospel in Asia Minor. But that area was an important one, and in the future there would be churches in such cities as Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea (see the commentary on Revelation, to see link click Ay – Write, Therefore, What Is Now). We don’t’ know how they were forbidden, but Paul was eventually allowed to go there on his Third Missionary Journey (16:6). Paul was being guided by hindrance. The Ruach ha-Kodesh often guides as much by the closing of doors as He does by the opening of doors. God knows what He is doing when He says, “No.”

When they came to Mysia (northwest of Phrygia), they were trying to proceed into the province of Bithynia on the coast of the Black Sea (north of Galatia). First and Second Peter were written from this area (First Peter 1:1) so it seems that Peter was the one chosen by ADONAI to evangelize this region. But the Ruach of Yeshua (this is the only reference to the Spirit of Jesus in the New Covenant) would not allow them. This was the only time that the Ruach is referred to by that title. He is referred to as the Ruach of Messiah in Romans 8:9, and the Ruach of Messiah Yeshua in Philippians 1:19. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas (or to give it its full name, Alexandria Troas), on the coast of the Aegean Sea. It was the seaport of Mysia and a free Greek city in Paul’s day (16:7-8). More importantly, however, it was the main port-of-call between Asia Minor and Macedonia. From Troas, Paul might have traveled in several different directions, but the matter was settled by God Himself.

That night, God made Paul’s direction clear. Now a vision appeared to Paul in a dream. Luke implies that, having arrived in Troas during the day, Paul received a vision at night. A man from Macedonia was standing and pleading with him, saying: Come over to Macedonia and help us (16:9). A call to help is often a cry to save in the Bible (Genesis 49:25; Exodus 18:4; Deuteronomy 33:26; Psalm 10:14; Isaiah 41:10). The greatest help we can bring to anyone is the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ. This would be the first entry of the gospel into the continent of Europe, completely uncharted territory. Strategically, Macedonia also served as the link between Rome and the whole eastern part of the Roman Empire. Having received the divine vision, however, Paul did not hesitate.

As soon as he had seen the vision (see Bf – Peter’s Vision: A closer look at visions or dreams), immediately we tried to go to Macedonia (across the Aegean Sea to the mainland of Greece), concluding together that God had called us to proclaim the Good News to them (16:10). At this point – in mid-sentence – Luke slips into the first of the we passage in Acts. The shift from they in verse 8 to we here probably means that Luke joined the other missionaries in Troas. The Gentile author Luke traveled with Paul, and reports his own experiences. Like Timothy, Luke was to be Paul’s faithful friend and loyal companion for the rest of his life. Verse 10 is the first of the us passages in Acts. They will continue until 16:17 and resume at 20:5. The question is often asked, “Who is included in this we passage?” So, let’s take a more detailed look at them.

A closer look at the “us” or “we” passages and sea passages: We must first admit that the author seldom intrudes himself directly into the text. There are only a few parenthetical remarks (17:18 and 21). So we must ask why here? Why now? Why this? Well, Luke was present for a very limited amount of time with Paul during the Second Missionary Journey and more extensively during the Third Missionary Journey. The author does not wish to make a great deal of his own personal participation in these events, especially since he seems only to have been an observer and recorder of the actions and words of others, and so he quietly and subtly includes the us or we passages, without fanfare, and thus without introduction.

Luke’s played a role other than that of “minister of the word,” that is, a coworker in the gospel in the usual sense of fellow evangelizer or helper in church planting. Perhaps, he was the team’s doctor. More attention should be paid to the fact that Paul sometimes practiced his trade as he traveled from city to city, and perhaps some of his traveling companions did as well. It is quite possible that Luke lived in Troas of perhaps Philippi and traveled back and forth between those cities. This would account for the brief us or we passages during Paul’s Second Missionary Journey, and why they occur just where they do. We would then have to assume that by the time of the Third Missionary Journey, Luke had agreed to travel with the group for a more extended period of time.³⁶⁷

Yeshua, You have taught me in Your Word that no wisdom, no understanding, and no counsel will prevail against You (Proverbs 21:30). May I never be guilty of choosing my personal preferences and inclinations over Your clear guidance. And when I am unsure about Your specific directions, may I be willing to wait for You, knowing that You give me my food at the right time. And when You give it to me, I gather it, when You open Your hand, I will be satisfied with good (Psalm 104:27-28).³⁶⁸

Timothy Joins Paul and Silas
16: 1-5

50 AD

Timothy joins Paul and Silas DIG: Who did Timothy replace on Paul’s Second Missionary Journey? Why was Timothy viewed as a Jew and not a Gentile? Since Paul was the emissary to the Gentiles, why did Paul circumcise Timothy (Romans 16:1)? How might his decision be justified?

REFLECT: When have you given up some personal rights in order to better represent Yeshua to others? How might you need to do so now? Are you more person-oriented (like Barnabas) or task-oriented (like Paul)? What are the strengths and weaknesses of your type? What does this tell you about God’s use of various types of people? Think of one of your dearest friends. What are the unique qualities you most appreciate about this person? What have you learned about yourself through this rare relationship? What elements of your life and your past – things you have often deemed to be a negative or a drawback – could God use to make you more effective in ministry, even to make you a better friend?

The decision by the Jerusalem council (to see link click Bs – The Council at Jerusalem) to release Gentiles from observance of all the 613 commandments of the Torah, and the Oral Law (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Ei – The Oral Law), set in motion a time of transition for the congregation of God. Gentile believers were no longer merely a sect of Judaism. Faith in Jesus Christ was rapidly becoming a predominantly Gentile movement. The story, as told in Acts, shifts attention to the gospel’s penetration deep into the Roman world and to the widening ministry of Paul.³⁶²

According to the plan, Paul proceeded northward, this time on foot, through the Cilician gates to the cities where he and Barnabas had established churches on their First Missionary Journey. This time Paul and Silas (15:40-41) went from east to west and therefore reached the towns in the reverse order from their first visit: Derbe first, then Lystra, and finally Iconium.

Now Paul and Silas, having crossed the rugged Taurus Mountains, came to Derbe and Lystra in south Galatia. There was a disciple there named Timothy (16:1), who was already a believer when Paul arrived, probably accepting Yeshua in Paul’s First Missionary Journey to Lystra three years earlier. We know it was Paul who led him to the Lord (First Timothy 1:2) and then he became a traveling companion during Paul’s Second Missionary Journey. Timothy’s name appears seventeen times in ten different letters of Paul, more than any of his other companions. Two of Paul’s letters, First and Second Timothy, were addressed to him. Paul wanted Timothy to take the place of John Mark, just as Silas took the place of Barnabas. Timothy was continually well-spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium (16:2). Even though he was probably only in his late teens or early twenties, this shows that he had the approval of the churches in his own area. In fact, the elders at the church at Lystra may very well have commissioned him (First Timothy 4:14 and Second Timothy 1:16).³⁶³

We know that Timothy, his name meaning God honoring, was trained in the Hebrew Scriptures from childhood (Second Timothy 3:14-15). He was the son of a woman, Eunice (Second Timothy 1:5), who was a Jewish believer, probably as a result of Paul’s First Missionary Journey, for Paul called him my dearly loved son and faithful child in the Lord (First Corinthians 4:17a). His grandmother was also Jewish and her name was Lois. They were excellent spiritual models (Second Timothy 1:5). Young Timothy undoubtedly witnessed Paul’s stoning in Lystra (Acts 14:19-20; Second Timothy 3:10-11), but he was drawn to the apostle by the Lord. Timothy possessed spiritually valuable abilities, but he needed encouragement to use them (First Timothy 4:14; Second Timothy 1:6). He was Paul’s favorite companion and coworker (Philippians 2:19-23), perhaps the son Paul never had but always wanted. Timothy’s biological father, however, was Greek. The word father is in the imperfect state, which shows that he had already passed away.

Because his father was Greek, it put the Jewishness of Timothy into question. Many Christians believe that Timothy was a Gentile. Nevertheless, while legal responsibilities and entitlements are passed from father to son, Jewish and non-Jewish descent are always traced through the mother, not the father. The child of a Jewish mother and a Gentile father is Jewish, the child of a Gentile mother and a Jewish father is Gentile. If a Gentile woman converts to Judaism, she is a Jew, and her subsequent children are likewise Jewish.

In Ezra we read: Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said to Ezra, “We have been unfaithful to our God and have married foreign women from the peoples of the land. But in spite of this, there is still hope for Isra’el. So now let us make a covenant with our God to send away all these women and their offspring, in accordance with the counsel of my lord and of those who fear the commands of our God. Let it be done according to the Torah.” The phrase and such are born to them, implies that the children of Jewish fathers and Gentile mothers are Gentiles and not Jews. That is why on Ezra’s return, the Jews confessed their sin of marrying Gentile women (Ezra 10:1-4).

Obed, the son of Bo’az and Ruth the Moabitess is Jewish not because of his father Bo’az, but because Ruth became a Jew before he was born, not by some formal conversion process (there was none at that time) but with her confession (see the commentary on Ruth An – Your People Will Be My People and Your God My God). Because marrying outside the Jewish community violates the Oral Law, I think the most likely explanation for Timothy’s mixed heritage is that Timothy’s mother, Eunice, like many Jews today, was assimilated into the dominant Gentile culture around her and simply did not observe halakhah, or the rules governing Jewish life. The conclusion that Timothy was a Jew is important for understanding 16:3.

Paul wanted this man to accompany him, replacing John Mark, and he took him and circumcised him, which implies that he had an expert mohel (circumciser) perform the operation. While Paul had both Jewish ritual knowledge (22:3) and at least some manual dexterity (18:3), circumcising an adult is not a simple operation and normally requires a specialist. So Paul had Timothy circumcised for the sake of the unbelieving Jewish people in those places (Romans 16:1). Paul didn’t want Timothy’s uncircumcision to provide a stumbling block for the gospel. The Good News itself contains the stumbling block of Messiah’s death (1 Cor 1:23), and effective proclaimers of the gospel will remove all other stumbling blocks that they can. That is the point: Paul anticipated a problem and solved it.³⁶⁴

Paul’s pattern in the book of Acts was to first visit Jewish synagogues wherever he went (see Bo – Paul’s Message in Pisidian Antioch). So without circumcision, it would have limited Timothy’s ministry to the Jews. Therefore, Paul was not violating the position he took back in Acts 15, because the issue there was whether circumcision was required for Gentiles such as Titus . . . and the answer was no (Acts 15:19). But Timothy had Jewish origins (see above) and according to God’s covenant with Abraham, circumcision was required for Jews and Jewish believers (see the commentary on Genesis El – God’s Covenant of Circumcision with Abraham). This is also a good example of Paul using his own principle of First Corinthians 9:20, “To the Jewish people I identified as a Jew, so that I might win over the Jewish people. To those under Torah I became like one under Torah (though not myself being under Torah), so that I might win over those under Torah.” This was especially necessary for they all knew that he had Jewish origins on his mother’s side, but that his father was Greek (16:3). This was the reason Timothy was not circumcised. His Greek father was against it because Greeks were against those kinds of practices. In fact, when the Greeks controlled the Land they outlawed circumcision even for Jews. Consequently, Timothy’s not being circumcised was well known among the Jewish population and for the sake of obedience to the Abrahamic Covenant, and evangelism to unbelieving Jewish people in those areas, Timothy submitted to circumcision.

As they were traveling through the cities, they visited the churches that they established (see Bm – Paul’s First Missionary Journey) and were continually handing down the ruling (see Bt – The Council’s Letter to the Gentile Believers) that had been decided upon by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem, for them to keep (16:4). The circumcised Timothy was also with them at that point. Therefore, the ruling said that there was no need to circumcise Gentiles; however, Timothy was traveling with Paul and had just recently been circumcised. This showed that Paul saw no inconsistency with what the rulings of Jerusalem said about the circumcision of Gentiles and the circumcision of Timothy because his Jewish origins required it. In addition, instead of making Timothy a sideshow to the gospel in terms of whether he was a Jew or not, Paul permitted circumcision so that the gospel would remain the focus of their ministry.

In the years that followed, Timothy played an important part in the expansion and strengthening of the churches. He traveled with Paul and was often his special ambassador to the “trouble spots” in the ministry, such as Corinth. He became a shepherd of the church at Ephesus (First Timothy 1:3), and probably joined Paul in Rome shortly before the apostle was martyred (Second Timothy 4:21).³⁶⁵

This is a transition statement that provides reasonable clues to the development of Luke’s material that follows, Paul’s ministry in Asia and a shift to Gentile missions. The decision by the Jerusalem council, far from dividing the congregations of God, helped to unite it, for it made clear that idolatry and immorality were all that Gentile believers must avoid to have fellowship with Jewish believers. Thus, Messiah’s communities were strengthened in the faith and now with the basis of salvation settled, the congregations of God kept increasing daily in number (16:5). They flourished. Now, more than ever, they were prepared to carry on when Paul left.

Disagreement between Paul and Barnabas
15: 36-41

50 AD

Disagreement between Paul and Barnabas DIG: Who do you think was right in this dispute? Paul or Barnabas? Why? Is it possible for one not to be “wrong” and one to be “right,” but simply to have an honest difference of opinion? What was the result in this split between the two?

REFLECT: What goes through your mind when people you greatly admire show sides of themselves that you’ve never seen before, when they appear oh-so-human? When have you had a difference of opinion with another believer and decided to part ways? What happened? If it’s not about the fundamentals of the gospel, is it all right to disagree? What is the advantage in majoring in “the majors” (the fundamentals of the gospel) and not majoring in the minors? What happens when you get sidetracked in minor issues that have to do with our freedom in Messiah? Have you ever made a snap judgment of someone’s motives while standing on the outside looking in? Why is this so wasteful and dangerous?

At this strategic moment in the history of the Church, when it began to radically change from a movement within Judaism to a predominantly Gentile movement, two of its most important visionaries could no longer see eye to eye and parted company. Luke gives us no indication why the conflict between Paul and Barnabas could not be resolved. But, Barnabas turned out to be right in his assessment of his cousin Mark. After a few more years of discipling with the son of encouragement, early church tradition says Mark ministered with Peter and wrote a New Covenant gospel. Eventually, Paul changed his mind about Mark, writing to Timothy, “Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service” (Second Timothy 4:11; also see Colossians 4:10 and Philemon 23-24). Although they never ministered together again, we know that they eventually reconciled their differences, because Paul later wrote approvingly of Barnabas’ ministry (First Corinthians 9:6).³⁵³

After some days teaching and preaching in Syrian Antioch Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s return and visit the brothers and sisters in every city where we have proclaimed the word of the Lord in the First Missionary Journey, to see how they are doing and disciple them” (15:36). It is probable that the days spent by Paul and Barnabas in Syrian Antioch was over the winter months and that the coming of spring, with the consequent opening up of travel routes by land and sea, stirred Paul to fresh activity. Paul’s proposal was for a return to visit the areas already evangelized, and in the light of the letter to the Galatians we can understand one of the reasons that made him propose such a journey.³⁵⁴

As he had just done earlier in Chapter 15, Luke once again indicates that the early Church was not without its heated disagreements. Barnabas was planning to take along his cousin John, called Mark. But Paul kept on insisting that they shouldn’t take him along – the one who had deserted them in Pamphylia, not accompanying them in the work of evangelism. But, Barnabas’ desire to take Mark with them was surely motivated by the wish to let the young man prove himself. This can be traced to their family relationship, which Luke does not mention (Colossians 4:10); but, to the sympathetic character of Barnabas, a people person, of which Luke has already given his readers good evidence (9:27). It was as if he was saying, “Come on, Paul, give the kid another chance!” Barnabas did a remarkable job in helping to turn around the life and ministry of his young cousin. Paul, however, was concerned about the mission and was unwilling to take a doubtful partner. He was a perfectionist, the “do-or-die” person, the “get up and keep punching” guy, intense, and was more concerned for the success of the mission. In his mind, Mark had blown his chance, leaving them shorthanded on the First Missionary Journey (13:13). It was as if he was saying, “The kid’s not dry behind the ears! A quitter! Excess baggage!”³⁵⁵

Therefore, a lengthy, sharp disagreement (Greek: paroxysmos, meaning anger, irritation or exasperation) took place, so that they split off from one another. While Paul evidently considered a spiritual principle to be at stake, Barnabas’ passion is probably fueled by family loyalty to his cousin. Barnabas took John Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus (15:37-39). With that note, both Barnabas and John Mark sailed off the pages of the book of Acts, never to be heard of again. From now on Acts would focus on Sha’ul/Paul.

Just a couple of years earlier, Barnabas had been carried away with hypocrisy at the church in Syrian Antioch with regard of not fellowshipping with the Gentile believers there (see the commentary on Galatians, to see link click Bb – The Antioch Incident). The defection of Barnabas was of a far more serious nature with regard to Gentile freedom than the vacillation of Peter. Barnabas was Paul’s chief collogue in the evangelism of the Gentiles, and now to have him play the hypocrite and deserter, was a bitter blow to the great apostle. This may have been prepared the way for the dissension between them which two years afterwards led to their separation.

There is no doubt that ADONAI used this division, but this can never be casually used as an excuse for carnal division. God can redeem good out of evil, yet we are all held accountable for the evil we do, even if the LORD brings good out of the evil in the end. Either Paul or Barnabas – probably both – had to get this right with Ha’Shem, and they eventually did.³⁵⁶

Despite their disagreement here, we know that Paul and Barnabas remained friends (First Corinthians 9:6, written during the Third Missionary Journey, Colossians 4:10), and later Paul was even reconciled to John Mark (Colssians 4:10; Second Timothy 4:11 and Philemon 24). This shows that a disagreement does not require a break of fellowship. But there was one positive side of this disagreement. Instead of having just one missionary team, there were two; one comprised of Barnabas and John Mark and the other composed of Paul and Silas.

Since the prevailing custom was for missionaries to travel in pairs (8:14-17 and 9:32-33), Paul looked for a second traveling companion. Thus, Paul, summoning Silas from Jerusalem, went out, being entrusted by the brothers and sisters to the gracious care of the Lord (15:40). His choice of Silas indicates that the two men had become well acquainted during Paul’s visit to Jerusalem (see Bs – The Council at Jerusalem), and Silas’ teaching and preaching at Antioch.³⁵⁷ As with the First Missionary Journey, they were sent out from the church at Antioch. The church also probably sent out Barnabas and John Mark with their blessing as well. Silas was also known by his Roman name of Silvanus (Second Corinthians 1:19; First Timothy 1:1; Second Timothy 1:1). He was a leading believer in the Messianic community in Jerusalem (15:22 and 27), he was a prophet and had the gift of prophecy (15:32).

Paul selected a new partner, Silas, a leading man of the church, a prophet (15:22 and 32), and one chosen to take the Jerusalem council’s decrees to the churches (Acts 15:27). Silas is probably a Greek version of the name Sha’ul. He was a contributor with Paul of the letters to the church at Thessalonica, and he was the secretary for Peter’s first letter (First Peter 5:12). Like Paul, he was a Roman citizen (16:37).³⁵⁸

This was a wise choice in many ways: (1) Silas could speak for the Messianic community in Jerusalem and make clear that Paul was not at odds with them regardless of what the party of the circumcision may have said when they visited Galatia; (2) he could interpret the decree in 16:4, a matter of no small importance for Paul’s ongoing ministry to the Gentiles; (3) as First and Second Thessalonians and Second Corinthians 1:19 were to show, Silas was a capable coworker, and probably also a secretary for two of Paul’s earlier letters; (4) it appears from 16:37-38 that he was also a Roman citizen (16:37), as was Paul, which would be especially useful in colony cities like Troas, Philippi and Corinth.³⁵⁹

They both went through Syria and Cilicia since the decrees from the Jerusalem council were originally addressed to all the churches in those areas, strengthening the communities with discipleship (15:41). Just as Barnabas began his second missionary journey in his hometown of Cyprus, Paul began his Second Missionary Journey in Cilicia, where his home town of Tarsus was located.

The LORD changes His missionaries, but the mission goes on. Now there were two missionary teams instead of one! If ADONAI had to depend on perfect people to accomplish His will, He would never get anything done. Our limitations and imperfections are good reasons for us to depend on the grace of God, for our sufficiency is from Him alone: We are not competent in ourselves, but our competence is from God (Second Corinthians 3:5).³⁶⁰

Like Paul and Barnabas, we may sometimes find ourselves strongly disagreeing about matters that relate to ministry. But differing convictions don’t have to become razor-sharp arguments. Here is a four-step plan for dealing with conflicts between believers:

1. Identify the real source of the argument: Job asked the relevant question, “Is there no end to your futile words? What compels you to answer [me in this way]” (Job 16:3). Ask the Ruach ha-Kodesh to shed light on the true source. Sometimes we believe that conviction is the motivation for our differing views until we allow God to reveal our selfishness or unwillingness to change. Part of spiritual maturity is risking our position in favor of the will and glory of God. Let’s be willing to allow Him to shed light on any selfish or worldly view.

2. Submit the issue to God: James exhorts us to, “submit to God. But resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). An important part of giving anything to God is taking everything from the Adversary. Paul tells us not to sin in our anger and thereby give the deceiver a foothold (Ephesians 4:26-27). The ruler of demons has a field day with our arguments and quarrels. When we ask ADONAI to remove all selfish, worldly motives and influences of the enemy, issues often either disappear or downsize themselves to a workable level.

3. Resist the temptation to sin in your anger: Anger in and of itself is not sin. It is an emotion, and sometimes a very appropriate emotion. But unfortunately, anger heightens the risk of wrong actions and words. Each of us regrets something we’ve said or done in anger. Let’s ask God’s help when we are angry at another believer so that our feelings do not turn into wrong actions.

4. Pray for (and if possible, with) the other person involved: Prayer changes things and people! Philippians 4:6 invites us to pray about everything. Can you imagine how defeated the enemy would be if two divided church leaders or laymen got down on their knees together and prayed for God’s glory? We don’t have to be together on every issue, but we can be together in prayer!

Lord, let our love keeps growing in knowledge and every kind of discernment, so we can determine what really matters and can be pure and blameless in the Day of Messiah , filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God (Philippians 1:9-11), accepting one another, just as Yeshua also accepted us, to the glory of God (Romans 15:7).³⁶¹

Paul’s Second Missionary Journey
15:36 to 18:22

49-52 AD
The edict of Claudius expelling Jews from Rome
Paul wrote First and Second Thessalonians (about the end times) in 50 AD from Corinth
(to see link click Cc – Many Respond to the Good News in Corinth: the blessing of converts).

Paul saw himself above all as Messiah’s apostle to the Gentiles (Romans 1:5, 15:18; Galatians 2:8). This calling is very much confirmed by the account of his missionary activity in Acts. His witness to the Gentiles was first revealed at his conversion (9:15), and was exemplified by his joining Barnabas in evangelizing the Gentiles from Antioch (to see link click Bn – Barnabas and Sha’ul Sent Out from Syrian Antioch). On his First Missionary Journey this special calling was confirmed for him in the conversion of the Roman proconsul, Sergius Paulus, on Cyprus (13:12), in the mass response of the Gentiles in Pisidian Antioch (13:48), and in the formation of a group of disciples at Lystra (14:20). At Jerusalem, Paul’s witness to the Gentiles was confirmed by the apostles and elders of the mother church, and the way was cleared for his further ministry. Paul was then ready for a major outreach to the Gentiles.³⁴⁹

The most notable feature of Paul’s Second Missionary Journey is that the good seed of the gospel was, for the first time, planted in European soil. Of course, there was in those days no line of demarcation between “Asia” and “Europe,” and the missionaries sailed across the northern part of the Aegean Sea were conscious of traveling only from one province to another, not from one continent to another, since both shores of the Aegean belonged to the Roman Empire. In spite of that, the invasion of Europe was not in the mind of Paul, but it was evidently in the mind of the Spirit of God.³⁵⁰ With the benefit of hindsight, knowing that Europe became the first Christian continent and was, until a century ago, the main base for missionary outreach to the rest of the world, we can see what an epoch-making development this was. It was from Europe that, in due time, the gospel fanned out to the great continent of Africa, Asia, North America, Latin America, and therefore reached the ends of the earth.

What Paul and his companions were conscious of doing was to establish new churches in the three Roman provinces during the Second Missionary Journey, which they had not penetrated during the First Missionary Journey. In the First they had concentrated exclusively on Cyprus and Galatia. But in the Second they reached Macedonia and Achaia, establishing churches at Thessalonica the capital of Macedonia, and at Corinth the capital of Achaia. Not only that, they just touched the province of Asia by visiting Ephesus, promising to return during their next journey.³⁵¹

Taking the gospel to the end of the earth (1:8) is particularly applicable for the first part of their mission, where Paul was extensively involved in travel from Sryian Antioch to Troas (see Bx – Paul’s Vision of the Man of Macedonia). The pace slowed down thereafter with more extensive stays and establishment of churches in Philippi (see By – Lydia’s Conversion in Philippi), Thessalonica and Berea (see Ca – Synagogue Responses Vary to Paul’s Visit). After a seemingly brief visit to Athens with his notable address from the Areopagus (Cb – An Unknown God in Athens), Paul concluded this period of ministry in Corinth, staying there at least eighteen months (see Cc – Many Respond to the Good News in Corinth) before returning to Syrian Antioch.³⁵² Here, once again, we see a mix of successes and opposition.

The Council’s Letter
to the Gentile Believers
15: 22-35

48 AD

The Council’s letter to the Gentile believers DIG: Why would a letter and representatives from the Messianic Community in Jerusalem be a good way to communicate the apostles’ decision? What is the tone of the letter? What are the main points? How do Judas and Silas personally add to this letter? What else brings unity to the Messianic Community in Jerusalem and the primarily Gentile church in Antioch? How would things be different if the Pharisees who wanted to add circumcision and taking on the yoke of the Torah (15:5) had won out? How is abstaining from unhealthy practices different from the practice of pure legalism?

REFLECT: From the debate, the resulting letter, and the way in which it was delivered, what do you learn about the way to solve disagreements among believers? How is your style of handling disagreements similar to the way the issue was handled in Chapter 15 or different from it. In your community’s Messianic community or churches, what are the ethnic, social, and racial lines of division? What is your relationship like with believers from different places of worship? How might verses 30-33 be a model for unity within diversity? In light of 1:8, how important is it to work for this kind of relationship?

The Council agreed with James’ summary (to see link click Bs – The Council at Jerusalem: The Decision). Then it seemed good to the apostles (those in authority over the universal Messianic Community/Church) and elders (those in authority over the local Messianic community in Jerusalem). The combination of prophetic Scripture and apostolic experience seemed conclusive to them, as it had done with James. And James’ proposal of Gentile abstinence in four culturally sensitive areas seemed a wise policy to promote mutual tolerance and fellowship.³⁴³ It is apparent that at some point a vote was taken and the whole community voted unanimously to choose leading men from among themselves to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas to authenticate and represent the Jerusalem Council regarding their report. It seems that those of the circumcision (15:24), who disagreed with the majority decision, abstained from voting, although without bitterness or revenge. The whole community decided to send Judah (also called Barsabbas, meaning son of the Shabbat) of whom we know nothing more, and Silas, which was his Jewish name (and Silvanus, which was his Roman name, who became the companion of Paul on his second missionary journey), leading men among the brethren (15:22), and this letter, in the proper form of an official document, along with them:

“The apostles and the elders, your brothers (members of the Messianic community),To the Gentile brothers of Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia where Paul had ministered and taught during his first missionary journey: Greetings (15:23)!” This letter was written specifically to these churches where Jews and Gentiles were mixed together and faced those tough questions.

We have heard that some from among us have troubled you with words disturbing (Greek: anaskeuazo, is a military metaphor for plundering a town) to your souls, although we gave them no such authorization. These men were those of the [sect] of circumcision (15:24). They were Pharisees who were believers, but mistakenly wanted the Gentile converts to be circumcised and keep the Torah and all its 613 commandments, in addition to the Oral Law (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Ei – The Oral Law). But they were acting on their own without the endorsement or approval of the apostles or the elders of the Messianic community in Jerusalem. So here we have a complete disclaimer and repudiation of those of the circumcision attempt to impose circumcision, the Torah and the Oral Law on the Gentile believers.

Today there are all kinds of sects and denominations that likewise lead people down the wrong path by unscriptural teaching like the Hebrew Roots Movement. Some Christian pastors beat the sheep with things like attending movies is a sin, or that observing one day rather than another as a day of worship is a sin, or that drinking even a small amount of alcohol is a sin. Fundamentalist Christianity gets a bad name from misguided teachers who lay a heavier yoke on believers than our Lord Yeshua has done.³⁴⁴ This amounts to a Christian Oral Law!

Therefore, it seemed good to us, having come to one accord (it seems that those of the circumcision decided to abstain and not to vote against the majority), to select men to send to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul (the only reason Barnabas is listed first here is because it is the leaders of the Messianic community who were writing this letter and to them Barnabas was the more prominent one) – men who have risked their lives in Pisidian Antioch (see Bo – Paul’s Message in Pisidian Antioch) and Lystra (see Bq – Paul’s Message in Lystra), for the name of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah (15:25-26). 

We therefore have sent to you Judah and Silas as witnesses (Second Corinthians 13:1), who themselves will report to you the same things by word of mouth since a letter could be a forgery. Despite Paul and Barnabas’ status, Judas and Silas appear to represent the Jerusalem community’s official delegates because Paul and Barnabas were still considered to be under the immediate authority of the Messianic community in Tziyon.³⁴⁵

It seemed good to the Ruach ha-Kodesh (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Kv – The Spirit Will Guide You Into All Truth) and to us not to place on you any greater burden than these essentials: that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. By keeping away from these things, you will do well. Shalom (15:27-29)!” These four essentials were merely a basis for fellowship between Jewish and Gentile believers. There were two books in the Bible that were byproducts of the Council of Jerusalem’s decision. One was the book of James (Jacob) and the other was the book of Galatians.

After the delegates had received their instructions from the Jerusalem Council, Paul and Barnabas of the church of Antioch, and Judah and Silas of the Messianic community of Jerusalem were sent off, they went down to Syrian Antioch; and when they had gathered the whole group together, they delivered the letter. The people read it out loud, and rejoiced over its encouragement (15:30-31). We can imagine how those Gentile believers felt, wondering how the decision would be handed down. Would the Jerusalem Council decide that they were really not saved after all because they didn’t submit to circumcision, Levitical Judaism and the Oral Law? But when they heard the contents of the letter, it was an overwhelming feeling of relief to know that they were saved and right with God after all.³⁴⁶

Judah and Silas, prophets themselves, encouraged the brothers and sisters with a long message and strengthened them. In 15:41 Paul and Silas will travel through the churches of Syria and Cilicia to strengthen those believers. In 18:23 it is the churches in Galatia and Phrygia that are strengthened.³⁴⁷ It was very clear that salvation was grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). After spending some time there, they were sent off with shalom by the brothers and sisters in Syrian Antioch to those who had sent them in Jerusalem (15:32-33).

Verse 15:34 is omitted from the best manuscripts. It reads, “It seemed good to Silas to remain there (in Antioch).” This is probably a scribe’s attempt to explain how Silas can leave with Paul on the Second Missionary Journey in verse 40, if both men went back to Jerusalem in verse 33. There seems to be a discrepancy and that is why some scribe probably added verse 34 to try (in his mind) to reconcile it. This ignores the fact after Judah and Silas went to Jerusalem some time could have passed and Silas could have easily returned to Syrian Antioch to accompany Paul on his Second Missionary Journey.

But Paul and Barnabas remained in Syrian Antioch, teaching and proclaiming the word of the Lord with many others (15:35). In other words, they continued their ministry where the men of the circumcision had interrupted it.

There were ten results of the Jerusalem Council:

1. The gospel of grace was reaffirmed. Salvation = faith + nothing.

2. The unity of the Messianic Community/Church was preserved, because this incident could have very easily split it into a Jewish Community and a Gentile Church.

3. The evangelism of the Gentiles could now proceed. The Messianic Community was now open to salvation by grace through faith apart from works, whether that is pagan works or Jewish works of circumcision or the Levitical sacrifices. This decision allowed Paul to go on his Second and Third Missionary Journeys.

4. The Gentile churches were encouraged.

5. The future of the universal Church, includes both Jews and Gentiles: for Yeshua Himself is our shalom, the One who made the two one and broke down the middle wall of separation (Ephesians 2:14a).

6. The principle of freedom from legalism was established.

7. The problem that arose was settled by discussion, guided by the Ruach ha-Kodesh, which serves as a model for all disputes within the congregation of God.

8. The Jerusalem Council freed the gospel from the entanglement with Rabbinic Judaism, which included circumcision, the Levitical sacrificial system, and the Oral Law.

9. Gentile Christianity was confirmed as being valid.

10. There was the recognition of both Messianic Jewish missions and Gentile missions. This is true to this day.

Therefore, apostolic church survived the greatest challenge it had yet faced and established the doctrine of salvation by grace. The Adversary’s attempt to inject heretical teaching had failed. So also was his attempt to split the Church along racial and cultural lines. With the vitally important truth about salvation safeguarded, the universal Church experienced greater days of ministry than ever before.

There has always been, and always will be, only one way to be saved. No one expressed this truth any clearer than Paul when he wrote the familiar words: For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not from yourselves – it is the gift of God. It is not based on deeds, so that no one can boast (Ephesians 2:8-9).³⁴⁸

The Council at Jerusalem
15: 1-21

48 AD

The council at Jerusalem DIG: What other things might these Pharisees be saying were necessary for the Gentiles to do (Mark 2:16, 18, 24, 7:1-5)? If you were a Gentile hearing that these regulations were required, how would you feel about your faith? As a strict Jew, why would these things be important for you? What is the main issue as Paul sees it (Galatians 2:21, 3:5, 3:10-14)? How would you describe Peter’s struggle with this issue (Acts 10:28, 34-35; Galatians 2:11-13)? How does Paul’s teaching in Galatians 2:15-16 show its influence upon Peter here? Knowing Paul’s Pharisaic background (26:5) and Peter’s desire to keep kosher (10:14), how might their testimony carry the day? What is James’ position in the matter? What has led him to change his mind? What is the significance of the council’s decision in light of 1:8? Given Paul’s advice about a similar controversy in First Corinthians 8:1-13, why were the conditions of 15:20 included?

REFLECT: What roles do you see played by experience, theology, and practical considerations in the decision-making process of the council? What troubling issues in your life could be resolved by looking at them with the same three realities in mind? In your Messianic community or church? Is there some area of your faith where you feel like Peter – going back and forth because you are not sure what is right? How might verse 11 relate to this concern? Is there a “Christian-Oral Law” in your church? Spoken or unspoken? What should you do about that?

Certain chapters in the B’rit Chadashah are uniquely important to messianic Jews because they bear directly on the central issue of messianic Judaism, which is: What does it mean to be at the same time both Jewish and a believer in Yeshua, and how does one go about doing justice to both? This is one of those chapters.³³⁰

The wholesale entrance of Gentiles into the Messianic Community was very disturbing and threatening to some of the Jewish believers. Many believed that Gentiles who wanted to become Christians had to first become Jewish proselytes. They believed that the Gentiles were taking a shortcut in the process and needed to go through Judaism to become a believer. From childhood it had been drilled into them that circumcision was the symbol separating God’s people from pagans. Naturally, they expected believing Gentiles to start acting like Jews! The thought of that not happening shocked and overwhelmed them. They could not conceive that pagans could simply enter the kingdom of God and immediately be on an equal basis with Jewish believers. That seemed unfair to those who had devoted their lives to keeping God’s Torah.

Given those concerns, conflict was inevitable. As long as the Gentile converts were few and were already Jewish proselytes (like the Ethiopian eunuch) the issue could be avoided. But by the time of the council at Tziyon, matters had come to a head.³³¹

The background: Now some men coming down from Judea, false brothers who secretly slipped in to spy out those who sought freedom in Messiah (Galatians 2:4).  They were continually teaching the [Gentile] brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moshe, you cannot be saved” (15:1). These men were Judaizers, those of the circumcision, meaning Jews that believed that Gentiles had to act like Jews (see the commentary on Galatians, to see link click Ag – Who Were the Judaizers), and who had taken issue with Peter earlier (see Bh – Peter’s Report to Jerusalem). Being zealots for the Torah and claiming to follow Messiah, they insisted on the necessity of circumcision even for Gentiles. However, they were not authorized by James or the Messianic Community in Yerushalayim to be teaching the brothers (15:24).

The phrase according to the custom of Moses is actually shorthand for something far more comprehensive. Those men from Judea were insisting that Gentiles must become Jews in every sense. In verse 5 they make this clearer by adding specifically that the Gentile believers should be directed to keep the Torah of Moshe, by which they meant both the Written and Oral Law (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Ei – The Oral Law). This demand goes beyond the requirements for individual salvation described in the TaNaKh, in Judaism, or by the apostles. The TaNaKh says, and Peter quotes in 2:21, that everyone who calls on the name of Adonai shall be saved (Joel 3:1-5a LXX).

Therefore the requirement that Gentiles convert to Judaism posed a serious threat to the gospel. For if people not born into the Jewish culture and society are required to become Jews before God will recognize their faith in Him, far fewer Gentiles would trouble themselves to accept the gospel. The real issue is this: Can faith in YHVH and His Messiah transcend Jewish culture? Can a Gentile become a Christian without also becoming a Jew?

It is one of the supreme ironies of our lifetime is that the issue has become exactly the opposite: Can a Jew becomes a follower of Yeshua Messiah without becoming a Gentile? Much of the opposition within the Jewish Community to Jews’ coming to trust in Yeshua takes it for granted that the answer to that question is No. It is assumed that when ethnic Jews accept Yeshua they abandon their people, adopt a Gentile lifestyle and is lost to the Jewish community. While some Jews who became Christians have done just that, the very existence of the early Messianic Community started from the beginning that it did not have to be so.

These Judaizers from Judah seem to have been unaware that Cornelius, his friends and family had been received into the Messianic Community without being circumcised (see Bg – Peter Goes to the House of Cornelius), or they were aware of it but opposed it, and unwilling to accept that fact, they decided on their own to do something to limit the influx of Gentiles.³³²

When Paul and Barnabas had a big argument and debate with them and would not allow their Gentile brothers to be bullied by the self-appointed guardians of orthodoxy. So the elders of the church at Syrian Antioch officially appointed Paul, Barnabas with some others from among them like Titus (Galatians 2:1) to go up to Jerusalem to the twelve apostles and elders about this issue (15:2). The twelve apostles had the authority to prohibit and to permit in the governance the Messianic Community.

Yeshua had told the apostles: Yes! I tell you that whatever you prohibit on earth will be prohibited in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven (Matthew 18:18). This is not a blank check for our desires nor is it even related to prayer as many suppose. As in Matthew 16 (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Fx – On This Rock I Will Build My Church), we remember the terminology reflects rabbinic decisions, not personal requests. For example, the Talmud speaks of binding a day by declaring it a fast day (Tractate Ta’anit 12a), thus making food prohibited. The Greek perfect tense here points to the fact that whatever is already the LORD’s decision in heaven will be revealed to the godly church leadership on earth. Whether it is prohibited (Hebrew: asur) or permitted (Hebrew: mutar). This passage deals with making legal judgments and halakhah, not prayer.

So the Antioch community escorted Paul and Barnabas a certain distance as a mark of honor and sent them on their way. They were passing through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and they were continually bringing great joy to all the brothers and sisters. When they arrived in Tziyon, they were welcomed by the community and the apostles and the elders. That showed that the Judaizers, or the [sect] of the circumcision, was in the minority. They reported all that God had done in helping them (15:3-4).

But some belonging to the [sect] of the Pharisees who had believed (Greek: peoisteukotes from pisteuo, meaning to believe, to have faith in, to trust in) stood up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to command them to keep the Torah of Moshe” (15:5). The term [sect] refers to a distinct subgroup that has distinct beliefs. Those believers, who were also Pharisees, thought the Gentiles should be circumcised. There is nothing surprising about former Pharisees being saved – Paul was one himself – nor about their old attitudes carrying over.³³³ The rabbis taught that the Torah is eternal, and Yeshua reinforced their belief (see the commentary on Exodus Du – Do Not Think That I Have Come to Abolish the Torah). But the one thing had to change after the cross (see the commentary on Hebrews Bp – The Dispensation of Grace) was that salvation comes only by the blood of Messiah. The phrase to keep the Torah of Moshe means keeping the whole Torah (and the Oral Law) – all 613 commandments in the five books of Moshe – including circumcision and the Levitical sacrifices. Evidently these Pharisees hadn’t grasped that change and mistakenly clung to the traditions that they had known all their lives. There were different views among the believers in the early Messianic community that needed to be sorted out (see the commentary on Hebrews for the theology of that transition).³³⁴ But opposed to the Judaizers who kept on demanding Gentile circumcision, once James and the Council at Yerushalayim made their decision, you never hear of any objections from those belonging to the [sect] of the Pharisees again. They were obedient to the Ruach ha-Kodesh, the apostles and elders of the Messianic community. They eventually understood that salvation equals faith plus nothing. Not circumcision, not the Levitical priesthood, and not the Oral Law.

Therefore, the apostles and elders were gathered together to examine this issue (15:6). Because Acts is a transitional book, and because the twelve apostles would eventually die out, we see the transition of the leadership of the Messianic community gradually shift from the twelve apostles to the elders of the various churches established by Paul. There were two key issues: Gentile circumcision and Gentile Torah obedience.

Peter was not the pope: If Peter had been the head of the Church at that time, as the Roman Catholic Church asserts, the other apostles seem totally unaware of it. Nowhere do they acknowledge his authority. And nowhere does he attempt to exercise authority over them. The council at Jerusalem reveals quite clearly how the Church operated in those days. Had the present papal hierarchy been in place, there would have been no need for a council in the first place. The church at Antioch would have written a letter to Kefa, the bishop of Rome, and he would have issued a papal bull settling the matter. And of all the churches the one at Antioch was the last that should have appealed to Tziyon. For according to Roman Catholic legend Peter was bishop in Antioch for seven years before transferring his authority to Rome. But the appeal was made to a church council at Yerushalayim, not to Peter. And James presided and announced the decision, not Peter. In fact, Kefa didn’t even so much as express an opinion. He did not attempt to make any infallible pronouncements although the subject under discussion was a vital matter of faith. Furthermore, after the council in Yerushalayim, Kefa is never again mentioned in the book of Acts! That would be a pretty strange way for a pope to act.³³⁵

ADONAI chose the Gentiles: There was no attempt to cut this debate short. After much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God chose from among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the message of the Good News and believe (15:7). From Peter’s having the keys to the Kingdom and opening the door of salvation to the Gentiles (see Bg – Peter Goes to the House of Cornelius) to the council at Jerusalem, somewhere between ten and twelve years had passed. It was God’s choice that a Peter, a Jew, should preach the gospel to the Gentiles.

This was authenticated by the Ruach ha-Kodesh: And God, who knows the heart (Greek: kardiognosta, meaning the heart searcher), testified to them by giving them the Ruach ha-Kodesh – just as He also did for us. He made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts through faith (15:8-9). The fact that the gift of tongues was given to the Gentiles, just as it had been given to the Jews at Shavu’ot was the key evidence of acceptance. Peter had used this as evidence twice before, first in 10:4-48, and secondly to the Jews in 11:15-17. The Gentiles received the Ruach on the basis of faith and not on the basis of the Levitical sacrificial system.

Therefore, why do you challenge Gentile salvation and put God to the test by putting a yoke on the neck of the [Gentile] disciples – which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear (15:10)? Christian teaching contrasts the supposedly oppressive “yoke of the Torah” with the words of Yeshua: My yoke is easy and My burden is light (Matthew 11:30). This is a mistake on two accounts. First, any observant and knowledgeable Jew does not consider the Torah a burden, but a joy. If a person things something is pleasant, you will not be able to convince him or her otherwise. Second, and much more importantly here, such teaching mistakenly identifies the yoke that Peter says has proved so unbearable.

The term yoke is Jewish enough. For example, the Oral Law explains why Deuteronomy 6:4-9 precedes Deuteronomy 11:13-21 in the Sh’ma portion of the synagogue liturgy: For what reason does the [paragraph beginning with the word] “Sh’ma” precede the [paragraph beginning with] “V’hayah im shamoa?” So that one should first accept upon oneself the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven, and [only] after that accept upon oneself the yoke of the mitzvot, or the yoke of the commandments of God (B’rakhot 2:2).

In this context the term yoke does not imply an oppressive burden any more than Yeshua’s does. Accepting the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven means acknowledging God’s sovereignty and His right to direct our lives. Once one acknowledges His right to direct our lives, it is obvious that if He has given us commandments we should obey them. The same is true of Yeshua, who put it this way in Yochanan 14:15: If you love Me (compare the first paragraph of the Sh’ma), you will obey My commands (compare the second paragraph of the Sh’ma).

So then, if the yoke of the commandments is not burdensome, they what is Peter talking about? He is speaking of the detailed, mechanical rule-keeping that some (but not all) of the Pharisees, apparently including the ones mentioned in 15:5, held to be the essence of Judaism. This was not the yoke of the mitzvot given by God that expresses gratitude to Him for the gift of life, but rather, the yoke of legalism given by men. The yoke of legalism is indeed unbearable, but the yoke of the commandments has always required, first of all, the love of God and neighbor (Mark 12:28-34), and now implies love toward Yeshua Messiah. But love can never be legalistic. Paul also spoke of legalism as a yoke of slavery (Galatians 5:1), and wrote a detailed account of the subject in Romans 1-11.

Then Peter summarized his argument. But instead, we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Yeshua, in the same way as they are (15:11). The Jews only had to believe in Yeshua to be saved, and the Gentiles are saved in the same way. He made no distinction between us and them. This was Peter’s final word in the book of Acts.

Then the whole group became silent and were listening to Barnabas and Paul (the only reason Barnabas is listed first here is because he was better known to the council in Jerusalem and probably in this context Barnabas took the lead) as they were describing in detail all the signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles (15:12). His point was that God would not have blessed Barnabas and Paul if He didn’t want the Gentiles to hear the gospel and be saved by faith and He would not have saved them if He wanted them first to be circumcised.

Yes, there were a few close companions of the apostles who also received the gift of healing, namely Barnabas (here), Philip (8:7) and Stephen (6:8). But we never see the gift being used at random in the different churches that Paul started. It was a gift associated only with Messiah, the apostles, the seventy (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Gv – Jesus Sends Out the Seventy), and some who were intimate coworkers with the apostles.³³⁶

After Barnabas and Paul finished speaking, James (the half-brother of Yeshua one of the pillars of the early Messianic community) responded. He was the chief elder it was his responsibility to offer a solution. He said: Brothers, listen to me. Simon (Peter) has described how God first showed His concern by taking from the Gentiles a people (Greek: laos, meaning a people of God) for His Name (see Bg – Peter Goes to the House of Cornelius). Instead of the usual term for Gentiles (Greek: ethne, from etho, meaning a people joined by practicing similar customs or common culture, usually referring to unbelieving Gentiles), the term a people is used here where normally that word is reserved for Isra’el (2:47, 3:23, 4:10, 5:12, 7:17 and 34, 13:17). God had promised Gentile inclusion; now He was fulfilling it. The events that happened when Peter visited Cornelius agreed with the words of the Prophets, indicating that what follows would be a composite citation.³³⁷ The reference to the prophets is important. James’ point is not just about one passage from Amos, rather, this passage reflects what the prophets teach as a whole (Zechariah 2:11, 8:22; Isaiah 2:2, Hosea 3:4-5 and Jeremiah 12:15-16). James was stressing fulfillment, for the prophets agree with what Peter had described. God had promised Gentile inclusion; now He was fulfilling it.³³⁸ As it is written (15:13-15).

After this I will return and rebuild the fallen tabernacle of David.
I will rebuild its ruins and I will restore it,
so that the rest of humanity may seek the Lord –
namely all the Gentiles who are called by My name – says Adonai,
who makes these things known from of old (15:16-18).

James’ quotation matches Amos 9:11-12 LXX with material in verse 18 from Isaiah 45:21. The TaNaKh clearly predicted the salvation of the Gentiles. But the complete fulfillment of Amos’ prophecy will take place when the King David’s Kingdom is restored (see the commentary on Revelation Fi – The Government of the Messianic Kingdom). Meanwhile, this was a beginning.

The Decision: Therefore, I judge not to trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God by faith alone– but to write to them to abstain from four things that would not cause Jews to be offended. These four things are a summary of what the Jews call the Noachide laws, or the seven laws of Noah. And if they didn’t participate in these offensive practices, they would be accepted as believers in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

First, they would not eat things that were sacrificed to idols (15:29), especially meat. This was forbidden under the Torah (Exodus 34:15), but permitted under grace (First Cor 8:1, 4, 7, 10 and 10:19). What this shows is that these four abstentions were not absolute law. Paul himself allowed for believers to eat meat sacrificed to idols because just because someone does that (who are just pieces of wood anyway), it doesn’t mean they are worshiping idols.³³⁹

Secondly, they were to abstain from any form of sexual immorality. In the first-century pagan world (as, unfortunately, in the twenty-first century Western world), sexual unions outside of marriage were no big deal, along with homosexual behavior, temple prostitution and other improper practices. In Judaism, on the other hand, these were abominations (Leviticus 18:6-18) and would definitely be offensive.³⁴⁰

Thirdly, from what is strangled (Leviticus 17:13, that is, meat from animals not slaughtered in a way that allows the blood to flow out. According to the Oral Law, Jewish sh’chitah (slaughtering) requires that an animal be killed with a single knife stroke across the neck. The animals instantly dies, that it, humanely, and the blood drains quickly. This was also permitted under grace. Gentile believers could eat their meat rare unless it offended a Jewish believer.

And fourthly, from drinking blood, which was a pagan practice forbidden by the Torah (Leviticus 17: 10 and 14). It was permissible to eat blood sausage (under the Dispensation of Grace) as Germans like to do, but again, not if eating with a Jewish believer because that would be offensive to him or her (15:19-20).

For Moshe from ancient generations has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read in all the synagogues every Shabbat (15:21). The point here is quite clear; those from the Gentile nations are certainly encouraged as a voluntary action to grow in their understanding of Torah because of their faith in Yeshua of Natzeret, but at the same time their legal requirements under Torah were not the same as they were for Jews.

The larger question is this, “Who is the One who is the ultimate offense to the Jewish people?” The answer is clear. It is Yeshua, or as some Jews call Him, Yeshu, which is an acronym for, “May his name be blotted out.” The name of Yeshua represents the greatest name of uncleanness in Judaism today, as it has for the last 2,000 years.

Even the traditional Hebrew prayer Aleinu (the final prayer in the daily prayers based on Zechariah 14:9), we read in one of the final phrases that, “they bow down to vanity and empty things.” Although it is difficult to know the exact meaning behind these words, many believe that the subjects of this particular part of the prayer are messianic Jews. The strong possibility that this particular comment was added to the prayer clearly emphasizes the deep negative emotions that most of the Jewish world holds toward Yeshua as the ultimate symbol of the tameh (unclean) – the unkosher animal forbidden by Jewish dietary laws – (Hebrew: hazir), or the pig.

The sages teach that the pig will return and become kosher during the days of Messiah. Somehow the pig’s nature will be changed. They teach that one of the hints (remez, one of the four levels of rabbinic interpretation using allegories) given to us is that the root letters of the hazir are Het-Zayin-Resh, from which are also derived the word hazar, which literally means to return. So the Hebrew root letters have a dual meaning – either pig or return.

Furthermore, the sages explain that according to the sod of sods, or secrets-of-secrets of the Torah (the fourth levels of rabbinic interpretation), there is a “Prince in the heavens” and His name is Hazir-el, which is literally translated as “the pig of God.” Then the sages come to an incredible conclusion, “This particular Prince is the Prosecutor of Isra’el, and in the future, God will return Him to Isra’el to be her defender. In other words, the “Kosher Pig” is none other than the Angel of ADONAI, Yeshua Messiah, who will have the authority to be the defender of Isra’el before the Mighty One of Isra’el. And since He will return, the implication is that He was here once before! A compelling parallel to this idea can be found in the prophet Zechariah 14:3-4.

Why is His name called pig? Because in the future He will return (Hebrew: lachzir) in order to return to crown as in the days of old. This means that the Angel of ADONAI will not only return to redeem, protect, and defend Isra’el, according to the sod of sods mentioned above, but He will also return to the glory and splendor that was lost. He will return to His lawful place as King, as the crown belongs to Him. This midrash should not be held of equal value to Scripture, but it does provide us with a concept, thought, or idea that is to be discovered in the text of Scripture.³⁴¹

Father, You have made me alive in Messiah even though I was dead in my sins. By grace I am saved! You have also raised me up in Christ and seated me with Him in the heavens, so that in the coming ages You might display the immeasurable riches of Your grace in Your kindness to me in Yeshua. For by grace I have been saved through faith. And this is not anything that comes from [within me] – it is THE gift of God. It is not based on [anything I have done], so that I may not boast (Ephesians 2:8-9). Having been liberated into such freedom, may I stand firm and never submit again to the yoke of slavery (Galatians 5:1), or be ungrateful or insecure enough to saddle anyone else with it.³⁴²

Paul’s Return to Syrian Antioch
14: 20b-28

48 AD
Paul wrote Galatians (about salvation), part of the Big four (to see link click Ad – Letters of Paul), from Syrian Antioch in 48 AD.

Paul’s return to Syrian Antioch DIG: After the treatment Paul and Barnabas received in Lystra, how would you feel if you were one of these new believers when you had heard that they had come back? From what they have seen in Paul and Barnabas, what would these new believers realize about their ministry? Reviewing Paul’s first missionary journey of about 1,100 miles, what do you learn about Paul? About the gospel? How does this passage refute the teachings of the prosperity gospel?

REFLECT: What was one of the biggest misunderstandings about the gospel that you had to overcome before you could believe it? How did you overcome that misconception? What will it take for you to back down from doing God’s will? What kind of temptation or obstacle or opposition will do it? Describe someone who has been a living example to you of surviving hardships with victory and joy. What have you learned from him or from her? Can we have the heart of Paul and Barnabas and allow nothing to stop us? Nothing stopped Yeshua from doing God’s will on our behalf. As we look to Him, can we be stopped?

On the next day after he was stoned (to see link click Bq – Paul’s Message in Lystra), Paul left with Barnabas on a sixty-mile trip for Derbe, the eastern-most frontier of Galatia (14:20b). After proclaiming the Good News to that city and making many disciples, a church was established there. That ended the first missionary journey with success and they returned to Syrian Antioch. God had opened the door for them for their great ministry; salvation had gone out to the Gentiles; they made it very clear that salvation was by faith and not by works.

Had the two chosen to do so, they could have continued southwest 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 steps and revisit all the congregations that had been established in the course of the mission.³²⁴ They returned to Lystra where Paul was stoned and to Iconium where his life was threatened, and to Pisidian Antioch where he was expelled. They were strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to persevere in faith. Paul and Barnabas to do far more than get conversions; they wanted to make disciples. And saying, “It is through many persecutions that we must enter the Kingdom of God” (14:21-22). For most people, this is a forgotten message. They consider any kind of persecution completely counter-productive to their faith in Messiah (like the health and wealth teaching that far too many chase after today), failing to note the significant place suffering has in God’s plan.³²⁵

Their message of encouragement by warning of hardship may seem to be a paradox to us. We may not find a message about unavoidable troubles very strengthening! But we must first realize that the inevitable nature of hardships can motivate us to redirect our energies. Fear of trials sometimes drains more energy than facing them! Once we accept the inevitability of hardship, we can redirect our focus from fear of trials to faithfulness. In the face of tribulations, we often sense a heavenly strength filling our souls right on time.

Secondly, realizing the inevitability of hardship encourages us in the faith. It would be pretty discouraging if we thought hardships in our lives were always signs of disobedience or sin. We are usually aware when the consequences of sin have caused us great suffering, but many other times trials have nothing at all to do with disobedience. Believing a heretical prosperity gospel can leave us terribly discouraged, wondering what we’ve done wrong. If we were to believe that false teaching, we would constantly wonder why we can’t seem to muster up enough faith to be healthy, problem free and prosperous. However, be encouraged to know that difficulty is not a sign of immaturity or faithlessness. The Ruach ha-Kodesh will do His job and let you know if you are suffering because of sin. Otherwise, remember – it is through many persecutions that we must enter the Kingdom of God.”³²⁶

Paul and Barnabas knew that these baby churches must have proper leadership, so they handpicked elders for them in every community. This is the first reference to elders outside the Messianic community in Jerusalem. The congregation does not elect elders, rather they are appointed. So believers are to be in submission to a plurality of elders. In Acts 20:28 we are told that the Ruach ha-Kodesh raises up the leaders, and the function of the local Messianic community or church is to who are the leaders that God has already chosen. They prayed with fasting and placed them in the care of the Lord – in whom they had put their trust (14:23).

After their return visit to the Galatian cities in which they had planted churches, they passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphyllia on their way home. After speaking the message in Perga, they went down to Attalia, a port for Perga, the capital of Pamphylia. Luke carefully ties together the end of the First Missionary Journey with the beginning. From there they sailed back to Syrian Antioch (where they had been entrusted to the gracious care of God in 13:1-3 for the initial work was completed). All total, they were gone somewhere between eighteen and twenty-four months.

It was the mother church at Syrian Antioch that had commissioned Paul and Barnabas, committing them to the Lord by prayer and fasting and identifying with their mission by the laying on of hands (13:2b-3). When they arrived and gathered together Messiah’s community (the first missionary conference ), they began to report all that God had done in helping them and that He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles (14:25-27). They did not go in that door by the Levitical sacrificial system, they did not go in by circumcision, they did not go in by Greek philosophy, and they certainly did not go in by pagan mythology. They came in by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Luke was probably present on that occasion too and heard the missionaries’ exciting report. The inference would seem to be that their stay would be merely temporary; before long God would be calling them to a wider missionary work. Evidently the report of this mission did not immediately reach Yerushalayim, and Paul and Barnabas stayed quite a while with the disciples (14:28). During this extended period of time, Paul wrote his letter to the Galatians, or those churches just established in Galatia. Word of Gentile salvation would eventually spread to Tziyon and provoke the major debate that would be the subject of Chapter 15.³²⁷

As you review Paul’s First Missionary Journey, you can see the principles by which he operated, principles that are still applicable today.

First, he worked primarily in the key cities and challenged the believers to take the message out to the more remote areas. The gospel works in the populated centers, and we must carry it there.

Second, Paul used on approach with the synagogue congregations and another with the Gentiles. He referred the Jews and Jewish proselytes to the TaNaKh, but when preaching to the Gentiles, he emphasized the God of Creation and His goodness to the nations. His starting point was different, but his finishing point was the same: faith in Yeshua Messiah.

Third, he majored in establishing and organizing local churches. Jesus had the same local church in mind when He gave the “Great Commission” (Matthew 28:19-20). After we make disciples we must immerse them and then teach them the Word of God. Merely winning people to Christ is only fulfilling one-third of the commission! It takes a local community of believers to help fulfill all of what Messiah commanded us to do.

Fourth, the apostle to the Gentiles grounded believers in the Word of God. This is the only source of strength and stability when persecution comes, as it inevitably will. Paul did not preach a popular “success gospel” that painted a picture of an easy life for the believer.³²⁸

Lord Jesus, I am encouraged to know that when I endure, it brings me favor with You. For we are called to this, because You suffered for us, leaving us an example, so that we should follow in Your steps. You did not commit sin, and no deceit was found in Your mouth; when abused, You did not return abuse; when suffering, You did not threaten, but committed Yourself to the One who judges justly (First Peter 2:20-23). Grant me, Lord, to pay any price in exchange for the gift of Your hard-won salvation.³²⁹

Paul’s Message in Lystra
14: 8-20a

47 AD

Paul’s message in Lystra DIG: What was religious life like in Lystra? Compare verses 8-13 with 3:1-11. How are the two stories alike and different? What results from each healing? What does Paul emphasize about ADONAI in his message? How is his speech to this crowd in verses 15-17, different from his sermon in the synagogue in 13:17-41? Why? Since Pisidian Antioch was 100 miles away, what does that tell you about the nature of Paul’s opposition? After reading verses 19-20, how would you characterize Paul? His supporters?

REFLECT: What does the difference between Paul’s speech in 13:17-41 and his speech in verses 15-17 teach you about sharing your faith with various types of people? How do people understand the gospel through their own prejudices and beliefs? How do you typically handle complements and success? Do they sort of go to your head? What usually happens when we depend on others’ positive opinions to feed our pride? When you think of the most humble, sincere people you know, what qualities of theirs are the most admirable – the ones you’d most like to possess yourself?

Do you ever wonder why God doesn’t perform miraculous works more often? Have you thought, “Just one good miracle would really turn things around.” If so, consider what happened here. Paul and Barnabas proceeded to the city of Lystra where Paul met and healed a man who had been crippled from birth. Because of the miracle, the crowd thought Paul and Barnabas were gods. Not exactly the outcome they desired!³¹¹

Lystra was a region in the province of Galatia, about eighteen miles southwest of Iconium, in the center of Asia Minor. It was a small mountain rural town, off the major route. Its main significance was a Roman military post, and for the reason it had been given the status of a colony in 6 BC. A Roman military road connected it with the other colony city in the region, Pisidian Antioch, 100 miles or so to the northwest. This was the first of three visits Paul made to this city, and what an eventual one it was! On his Second Missionary Journey, Paul enlisted Timothy in Lystra (16:1-5), and he made a visit to this church on his Third Missionary Journey as well (18:23).³¹² The significance of the story of what happened in Lystra is that for the first time in Acts, missionaries came to a town where there was no synagogue, and Jews play no apparent part in the story. Thus, new methods were needed because now they were trying to reach pagan Gentiles with no Jewish background. Therefore, the events in Lystra prepare us for the debate in Chapter 15 (to see link click Bs – The Counsel at Jerusalem).³¹³

The healing of a cripple: The narrative begins with a miracle story. Paul and Barnabas fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and the surrounding countryside. Now a man was sitting in Lystra without strength in his feet, lame from birth, who had never walked. To authenticate his gospel message, Paul had been given the same authority to perform miracles that Yeshua had (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Cs – Jesus Heals a Man at the Pool of Bethesda). In fact, this was the same situation that Peter confronted earlier in the book (see Ap – Peter Heals a Lame Beggar). This man overheard Paul speaking (Greek: lalountos, meaning ordinary conversation). It is likely that Paul was simply speaking with some of the citizens in the marketplace, telling them about the Good News of Yeshua, and the crippled man overheard what he said (14:8-9a). The word produced faith, “So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17), and faith brought healing.³¹⁴ When Paul looked intently at him and saw that he had faith in Messiah to be healed. How could Paul see this man’s faith? Obviously ADONAI gave him the gift of discernment to minister to that man.

Then Paul said with a loud voice, which would attract the attention of the others, “Stand right up! On your feet!” And the man leaped up and began to walk around (14:9b-10)! The story is brief and to the point without further elaboration, only containing the basic elements of an ancient miracle story (description of the illness, interaction with the healer, proof of the healing, and the reaction of the crowd or audience). The healing represents the first display of Paul’s miraculous powers and has many features in common with Peter’s healing of Aeneas (9:32-35) and particularly with his healing of the lame man. Like the latter, this man had been lame from birth. Also like the man at the Beautiful Gate, this man leaped up and walked about when healed. There is no mention of the name of Yeshua or the power of God, but the reader of Acts has had sufficient examples by now to know that it is indeed through the divine power that the miracle was worked (3:16, 4:30, 9:34). The people of Lystra, however, did not know that, and this ignorance led them to the wrong reaction.³¹⁵

The excited crowd declared Paul and Barnabas to be gods: It is difficult not to read this story in light of a famous myth recorded fifty years earlier by the Latin poet Ovid, in his book Metamorphoses 8.626ff. In the legend, the supreme god Jupiter (Zeus to the Greeks) and his son Mercury (Hermes to the Greeks) once visited the Lycaonian hill country, disguised as mortal men. In their disguise they decided to test the hospitality of humans. Posing as poor travelers, they sought hospitality but were turned down a thousand times. At last, however, they were offered lodging in a tiny cottage, thatched with straw and reeds from the marsh. Here lived an elderly peasant couple called Philemon and Baucis, who entertained them in spite of their poverty. They offered their guests all their food and wine. Though it was not much, Baucis and Philemon explain that they are content with what they have because they love each other. Eventually, the gods revealed themselves. They destroyed by flood all the homes that would not take them in, but spared Baucis and Philemon. Consequently, when the people of Lystra saw this unique miracle of Paul healing the lame man from birth, they assumed that Zeus and Hermes had come down again. And because they did not want to be destroyed again with a flood, they immediately began to sacrifice to these two men. Apart from the literary evidence in Ovid, two inscriptions and a stone altar have been discovered near Lystra, which indicate that Zeus and Hermes were worshiped together as local patron deities.³¹⁶

Paul spoke Greek, and apparently the crippled man and the crowd knew enough Greek to get the gist of what he was saying. However, the Lycaonian language was a native tongue, a language Paul himself did not know. The crowd, apparently familiar with the myth that Ovid wrote (see above), assumed that once again “the gods” have come to us in human form.³¹⁷

The pagans acknowledged the miracle but attributed it neither to ADONAI, of whom they knew nothing, nor to the Adversary, as did the Sanhedrin with Yeshua (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Ek – It is only by Beelzebub, the Prince of Demons, That This Fellow Drives Out Demons), but to false gods. Now the crowd, seeing what Paul had done, lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, “The gods have become like men and come down to us!” Since it was in the Lycaonian language that the people shouted out their belief that the gods had visited them again, it is understandable that the missionaries did not at first understand what was happening.³¹⁸ And they began calling Barnabas “Zeus” and Paul “Hermes” (because he was the main speaker). Zeus was the supreme head of all the pagan deities. Hermes was a son of Zeus and the messenger of all the gods. Hence, he was the god of persuasiveness. These two deities were supposed to travel together. As a result, the people, having decided that Paul, by his persuasiveness, must be Hermes, inferred that his traveling companion must be Zeus.³¹⁹ This was the reason Barnabas was listed first (14:11-12).

It only dawned on them when the priest of Zeus (whose job it was to keep the gods happy), whose temple was before the front gate of the city, brought bulls and garlands; he wanted to offer a sacrifice with the people (14:13). Only the best for visiting gods! It was customary to build shrines to their deities and to set up their images before the city gates. These images were crowned with garlands of cypress, pine or other leaves, or of flowers. The garlands were sometimes placed upon the altars, and then upon the priests. This shows that although Lystra was within the Greek and Roman world and culture, they were still very pagan.

Paul appealed to the crowd, asking them to worship the true God: But the apostles didn’t realize what the priest of Zeus was doing until someone who spoke Greek interpreted it for them. Then they tore their clothes and rushed out among the crowd. Paul’s solution was to identify God as the source of the blessings they had experienced, and to point out that for that reason ADONAI alone is to be worshiped. This is Paul’s first message to a pagan audience. Crying out, he declared: Men, why are you doing these things? We too are human, just like you! We proclaim the Good News to you, telling you to turn from these worthless, powerless idols that create nothing, to the living God (14:14-15a). 

If you want God to use you, you must know who God is and know who you are. Many believers, especially leaders, forget the second truth. We’re only human! If it takes a crisis to get you to admit this, God won’t hesitate to allow it, because He loves you. And one more all of us need to remember along with Paul, “I delight in weakness, in insults, in distress, in persecutions, in calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong (Second Corinthians 12:10).³²⁰

Paul’s message was not based on the TaNaKh, because this was a pagan audience. Therefore he started with the witness of God in creation (Romans 1:18-23). He made it clear that there is but one God who is the living God, the giving God, and the forgiving God. He had been patient with them, not judging them for their sins as they deserve.³²¹ Paul began with the point that He is the God of creation, the One who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. In past generations He removed His grace from the Gentiles and allowed all the nations to go their own ways (Romans 1:24-32). There was a tolerance of God’s part toward sinners who did not have the full revelation of His holy will. Those times ended with the coming of Messiah (4:12). Yet He did not leave Himself without a witness – He did good things by giving you rain from heaven filling your hearts with joy and gladness. In Greek mythology Zeus was the god of rain, but then Paul told them it was the living God of Isra’el that provided them with the rain. Furthermore, God gave them fruitful seasons. In Greek mythology Hermes was the god of giving of food, but again, Paul told them it was the God of Isra’el. Even saying these things, they barely restrained the crowd from sacrificing to them (14:15b-18). At this point Paul didn’t mention Messiah because his purpose in Lystra was not to preach the gospel per se, but to stop the pagans from worshiping idols.³²²

Not surprisingly, the pattern of resistance increased again: We all know that people can be incredibly fickle. One minute we are laying palm branches in the road, crying: Hosanna in the highest. The next minute we are crying: Crucify Him, or I never knew Him. So it was with the adoring crowd at Lystra. One minute they were preparing to worship Paul and Barnabas; however, just as the crowd settled down, some Judaizers (see the commentary on Galatians Ag – Who Were the Judaizers), unbelievers  claiming to follow Yeshua, came from Pisidian Antioch and Iconium. We now see that the Jewish opposition to Paul and the gospel is more organized. The stoning which had been plotted in Iconium (14:5), now took place. They traveled 100 miles or so to oppose Paul and Barnabas’ ministry in Lystra. Embarrassed and feeling foolish, the Lystran crowd was an easy target for the clever enemies of the Truth who used the confusion to create a riot. The attack focused on Paul, since he was the main speaker.³²³ And after they won the crowd over they stoned Paul (Second Corinthians 11:25; Second Timothy 3:11) and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead (14:19). As the stones were hurled at him, did Paul remember Stephen’s radiant face and perhaps even pray Stephen’s prayer (7:59-60)? The Judaizers who were pursuing Paul ironically parallel the actions of Sha’ul going to Damascus to take believers into custody (9:1-2). Later Paul would say: I bear in my body the marks of Yeshua (Galatians 6:17), he may have had in mind the scars from this incident.

Supposing is from the Greek word nomizo, which usually means to suppose something is not true. Nomizo appears in Acts 7:25, where Moses wrongly supposed the Israelites would understand that God had sent him to deliver them. In Acts 8:20, it describes Simon the sorcerer’s false assumption that he could buy the power of the Ruach ha-Kodesh. Nomizo is used in Acts 16:27 to describe the Philippian jailer’s nearly fatal supposition that the prisoners had escaped. Paul was not dead; he merely laid there unconscious. The fact that the visiting Jews merely suppose that Paul was dead suggests that this was not an official execution, but a lynching.

But the mission’s ministry to Lystra had not been without fruit, and some of the disciples they had made surrounded the battered, unconscious body of the fallen emissary. His would-be executioners believed Paul to be dead and left after they contemptuously dumped his body outside the city, but the Gentile believers had stayed behind, either to take his body away for a decent burial or to protect it from further harm. One of those disciples was Timothy (16:1), and possibly his mother Eunice, and grandmother Lois (Second Timothy 1:5). And while they were deciding what they should do, miraculously, Paul got up under his own strength and went back into the city (14:20a). A miracle in itself. Why did he go back into the city? To prove he wasn’t intimidated. He was not only resilient; he was courageous. The very next day he did indeed leave, but he left on his own terms.

Paul’s Message in Iconium
14: 1-7

45-46 AD

Paul’s message in Iconium DIG: Why did Paul and Barnabas stay in Iconium for a considerable amount of time? How does Paul and Barnabas’ experience in Iconium differ from Pisidian Antioch? How is it similar? What is the purpose of signs and wonders here (also see 6:8)? Why are the people divided? What did Jesus say about people being divided over the gospel? How did the violence against Paul and Barnabas increase from when they were in Pisidian Antioch?

REFLECT: Can you speak with boldness for your Lord? Once we accept Messiah as our Lord and Savior, we are eternally secure (see the commentary on The Life of Christ, to see link click Ms – The Eternal Security of the Believer), but what about our physical well-being? Does the Bible teach that we cannot be harmed or killed for proclaiming the gospel or being a believer? Seeing Paul and Barnabas’ courage, faith, and endurance, how are you challenged to serve the Lord more completely? How should we determine when to trust God to protect us supernaturally and when to run for our lives?

Between Paul’s tenacity and Barnabas’ encouragement, neither lacked motivation, even after leaving Pisidian Antioch in a cloud of dust. By the time they could see Iconium in the distance, they were spilling over with the kind of joyful anticipation that can only come from the filling of the Ruach ha-Kodesh. A new challenge awaited them. Perhaps more of a challenge than they expected.³⁰⁵

Iconium was some ninety miles southwest of Pisidian Antioch on the Via Sebaste, the main route that connected the Roman colonies established by Augustus – Comama, Cremna, Parlais, Antioch, Iconium and Lystra. It was in the central part of what is today Konya in Turkey, a rugged location on a plateau some 3,370 feet above sea level. To reach the town, Paul and Barnabas would have had to cross the mountain range running between Pisidian Antioch and Philomelium, and then descend into the Lycaonian plains. Iconium was partially Hellenized by the Seleucids, until it came under Roman influence in 65 BC when emperor Claudius granted the town the use of his name as an honorary prefix, hence it became known as Claudiconium. It was an important crossroad, lying on routes running westward to Pisidian Antioch and Ephesus and south to Lystra and Derbe, and was a thriving center when Paul and Barnabas arrived.³⁰⁶

Now the same thing happened in Iconium as in Pisidian Antioch – they both entered as usual into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a large number of Jewish and God-fearing Greek people believed. But if some were united in faith, others were united in opposition, and trouble soon arose because the Judaizers, Jewish people who would not believe (see the commentary on Galatians,to see link click Ag – Who Were the Judaizers) stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers by an unscrupulous slander campaign (14:1-2).

So precisely because of the rise of opposition that the missionaries felt, they stayed there a considerable time, speaking boldly in the Lord to help consolidate the infant believers there. Far from being intimidated, they were inspired to be even more bold. Boldness is essential for spreading the Good News. It is what enables believers to persist in the face of opposition. Boldness certainly defined Paul. To the Thessalonians he wrote: After we had first suffered and been mistreated in Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to tell you the Good News of God – even in the midst of much opposition (First Thessalonians 2:2; also see Acts 9:27-28, 13:46 and 19:8). That he would continue to speak with boldness was his constant concern (Ephesians 6:19-20; Philippians 1:19-20).

Boldness also marked the early preaching of Peter and John. Sternly warned by the Great Sanhedrin to stop preaching in the name of Yeshua, they replied, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you decide. For we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard” (4:19-20). When Peter and John reported the Sanhedrin’s threats to the rest of the Messianic community, their response was to pray for even greater boldness, “And now, Lord, look at their threats, and grant Your servants to speak Your word with courage” (4:29).³⁰⁷

As the two missionaries continued to testify to the message of Yeshua’s grace, they were authenticated as true spokesmen of God by the granting signs and wonders to come about by their hands (Acts 14:3, also see 15:12; Galatians 3:5 and Hebrews 2:4). Once again we see that the ability to perform signs and wonders in Acts was limited to the apostles. And it could very well be that the reference Paul makes in Galatians 3:5 pointed to these events: So then, the One who gives you the Ruach and works miracles among you – does He do it because of your deeds based on Torah or your hearing based on truth and faithfulness.

But like Pisidian Antioch, Iconium became a polarized, smoldering cauldron. Eventually, the city erupted in response to the confrontational preaching of the two men and the population split in two. Some were with the unbelieving Jewish leaders and some were with the apostles. This means that there were more than twelve apostles (seeRomans 16:7), even though the role of the Twelve is unique(Matthew 19:28; Revelation 21:14); indeed Ephesians 4:11 suggests that the office of apostle continues to be a gift to the Messianic Community.

This is always the case. Christ won’t let you sit on the fence. The gospel always divides people into one of two families. You are either in the family of God, or the family of Satan. Yeshua Himself declared: Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. Yeshua is not to rule in glory at His First Coming; He is not at that time to fulfill the Messianic prophecies of world peace: They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore (Isaiah 2:4). For this reason, He will bring division. Families, both Jewish and Gentile, have been divided and loyalties broken because of our Savior. Jewish believers are still ostracized from their families and friends if they believe Yeshua is Messiah. But to be His disciple we must count the costs.

Some will acknowledge Him as Meshiach, while others will not, so families will be split down the middle over this issue (Matthew 10:34-39). From now on means that the division did not start after Jesus’ death and resurrection but had already begun beforehand, there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. Then Yeshua quotes from Micah 7:6, and gives specific examples of the coming division: They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law (Luke 12:51-53).

Interestingly enough, just as the Pharisees and the Herodians overcame their mutual dislike for each other to oppose Yeshua, some Jews and Gentiles temporarily overcame their aversion to one another for a common cause.³⁰⁸ The smoldering division eventually burst into flame and an attempt (Greek: horme, meaning a rush or an assault) was made by both Gentiles and Jewish people, along with their rulers, on the lives of the two missionaries. The verb form of horme appears in 19:29, where it describes the assault on Paul’s companions by the mob at Ephesus. No doubt a similar scene of mob violence took place at Iconium, as the unruly crowd sought to abuse and stone them.³⁰⁹ The pattern of resistance increased from merely driving them out of their district to both Jews and Gentiles threatening to stone them.

But they found out about it crossed the border into the Roman province of Galatia, and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra (some 18 miles or 29 km distant) and Derbe (some 55 miles or 89 km further) and the surrounding countryside (14:4-6). Although Luke does not specify the source of information regarding the intended plot, it may be surmised that some (or many) of the new believers possessed well-paced connections with colleagues, friends, or partners and been able to alert the two men to the pending danger.³¹⁰ Paul and Barnabas were bold, but not foolish. Their flight was an act of prudence, not cowardice. Yeshua had told the Twelve: When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another (Matthew 10:23). There was obviously nothing more they could accomplish by remaining in Iconium, so it was time to move on to new territory where the gospel was needed. As it had done earlier in Acts 8:1-4, persecution merely pushed the Good News of forgiveness and salvation into new regions (14:7).

Spirit of God, Your Word says: The naïve believes every word, but the shrewd discerns their steps (Proverbs 14:15). May I not be afraid to use the wits and wisdom You have given me to be part of Your blessing in my life. I trust You unconditionally in whatever way You choose to keep Your promises, knowing that You are my refuge, and underneath me are Your everlasting arms (Deuteronomy 33:27).

Paul’s Message in Pisidian Antioch
13: 13-52

45 AD

Paul’s message in Pisidian Antioch DIG: From Cyprus to Pisidian Antioch is about 350 miles by sea and land. What does their willingness to travel so far show about Paul and Barnabas? Compare 13:5 and 15. Why are they using this strategy? What is significant about Paul’s audience? From verses 17-23 list all the things Paul says God has done. How do God’s actions prepare the way for Paul to speak about Jesus in verse 23? Compare verses 22-23 and 36-37 with Romans 1:3 and Acts 2:29-31. What is the connection between David and Yeshua? Why is this so important to Paul and Peter? What things about Messiah is Paul emphasizing by his use the three quotes in verses 33, 34 and 35? The resurrection is mention four times in verses 30-37. How does the resurrection confirm the meaning of these quotes? In verses 38-39, what does Paul say is the central meaning of the resurrection for his listeners? Compare verse 39 with Romans 3:20-24 and 8:3-4. From these verses, how would you explain what Paul means by being justified? Why would Paul end his sermon with a warning of judgment from Habakkuk 1:5?

REFLECT: If you were to emphasize one central truth about the gospel, what would it be? What difference would it make to your faith if there was no Easter to celebrate, but only a Good Friday to remember? How do you think Paul would respond to a modern-day skeptic who felt Jesus was a noble, but misguided, martyr? What role would the TaNaKh play in his answer? How would knowing the TaNaKh help you to understand and share your faith better? What kind of opposition have you faced because of your faith? How do you usually respond to opposition? Does it make you stronger? Why? Would it be tougher for you to face opposition from community or from your family members? Why? Who are some of the people that have had the greatest influence on you? How have they earned the right to speak into your life? What qualifies them to be respected and reliable?

It is quite possible that the reason Barnabas and Paul went off to Pisidian Antioch, which was not necessarily the most obvious choice for the next place to evangelize, is that Sergius Paulus, who had family connections in that region, suggested it. Perhaps he even wrote a letter of recommendation to aid them along the way. Therefore, the contact with Sergius Paulus is the key to the following itinerary of the First Missionary Journey.²⁸⁴

The arrival: Although Luke provides no information regarding how long the trio remained on Cyprus, they apparently experienced no difficulty in finding a ship to take them to the Asia Minor coast. Setting sail from Paphos, and traveling 180 miles by water, Paul’s company came to Perga (the capital) in Pamphylia (modern day Turkey), given over to the worship of Atriums. This city was located in Asia Minor and is not to be confused with Antioch in Syria, from which the missionaries set out on their journey. Perga, the metropolis of the region, could be reached by traveling seven miles up the Cestrus River from the Mediterranean port of Attalia, and then going about five miles west by foot. At that point John Mark left them and returned to Jerusalem. The Bible does not tell us why Mark chose to leave them at this important time. However, what is clear that Paul did not consider his leaving a good reason. Later, Paul refused to take Mark with himself and Barnabas on a return visit to Syria and Cilicia because he felt that Mark had deserted them in Perga.

Apparently Paul and Barnabas did not preach in Perga at that time, but they did on their way back to Syrian Antioch in 14:24-25. But going through the low swampy lands of Pamphylia, a region through which Paul passed on his way to Pisidian Antioch, he contracted an oriental eye disease called ophthalmia (see the commentary on Galatians, to see link click Bp – Until Messiah is Formed in You). So, they passed on from Perga and came to Antioch of Pisidia, about a hundred miles north on foot (13:13-14a). It was a rugged and dangerous trail across the Taurus Mountains to the city of Antioch, Pisidia, on a plateau 3,600 feet above sea level. Antioch was a common town name. This was one of sixteen Antioch’s in the ancient world that were established by Seleucus Nikator to honor his father, Antiochus.²⁸⁵ Historians point out that Antioch of Pisidia was actually in the province of Phrygia. This has been confirmed by two inscriptions. But Antioch was also located very near Pisidia. Since Pisidia was the more prominent and well-known region, it was common to distinguish it as Pisidian Antioch.²⁸⁶ It had a very large Jewish population. Josephus notes that two thousand Jewish families lived in the area (Antiquities 12.3.4).

After their difficult trip was over, Paul and Barnabas arrived in Pisidian Antioch. In what was to become the pattern for Paul’s ministry, they entered the synagogue on the Shabbat and sat down. The primary and seminal element in the synagogue was scripture reading – prayer being a secondary activity. The most important piece of furniture was the ark, containing the Torah scrolls. It is likely that most synagogues possessed the whole Torah, together with the psalms and the Prophets. The Torah reading was conducted in Hebrew, accompanied by a vernacular translation. Paul and Barnabas probably communicated with their various audiences in Greek. They synagogue possessed no specific person appointed as a teacher and the “sermon” delivered on Shabbat was not considered to be a true part of the service. After the reading of the Torah and the Prophets, the synagogue leaders sent word to them, giving them a polite invitation to speak from the text, saying: Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, speak (13:14b-15). If a rabbi like Paul was present he would presumably have been asked to address the people. They were held in high esteem. In fact, people were required to rise in his presence and to give him special consideration in his efforts to earn a living. As a Levite (4:36-47), Barnabas would normally have been eligible to read the second portion (Git. 5:8).²⁸⁷

After the reading of the Torah and the Prophets: Then as now, on Shabbat, there was added to the service a reading from the Torah (the Five Books of Moshe) and the haftarah (or conclusion), which consisted of a reading from the N’vi’im (the Prophets) or the K’tuvim (the Writings). Following this would be a drashah (meaning investigation, that is, a teaching or sermon), depending on who was available to teach or preach. Hospitality often dictated offering this honor to a visitor, if he was competent (see Luke 4:16-17). Obviously both Paul and Barnabas were competent, but Paul, taking the lead, was the one who spoke.

The message: So Paul, standing up on the bema seat, and motioning with his hand, to quite everyone down and get their attention, said: Men of Isra’el and God-fearers, which would have both groups who would be at the synagogue on a typical Shabbat, listen (13:16). Paul’s sermon in this synagogue illustrates how he went about presenting the gospel to Jews. As with Stephen (see Aw – Stephen’s Testimony to the Sanhedrin), the appeal is through the history of God’s dealings with the people of Isra’el. Yeshua is presented as the Son of David, a term everyone knew to mean the Messiah.

God-fearers: Besides Paul’s conviction that it was right to present the gospel first to the Jew, he also knew that it was in the synagogues where he would find Gentiles most likely to be responsive, since “proselytes at the gate” (see Bb – An Ethiopian Asks about Isaiah 53) were already interested in the one true God. One aspect of communicating the gospel consists of trying to determine which people are most likely to respond to it. Paul wasted little time in reaching people open to it. In this regard the Jewish community is not different from Gentile communities: there is a full spectrum of receptiveness, from people stubbornly opposed to those whose hearts are waiting and aching for the Good News of ADONAI.²⁸⁸ Here’s the heart of Paul’s sermon in a few sound bites:

Sound bite number one. Isra’el has always been the object of God’s special care. The God of this people Isra’el chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with an outstretched arm (the phrase the TaNaKh uses repeatedly to describe God’s judgment on those who rebel against Him and His people Isra’el) He led them out of there. This was the exodus, then for about forty years He put up with them in the wilderness. And when He had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He gave their land as an inheritance to the Israelites – all of this took about 450 years, starting with the birth of Isaac and ending with the actual conquest of the Land by Joshua (13:17-20a).

Sound bite number two. God gave Isra’el Canaan as their homeland and great leaders – judges, kings, especially King David, a man after God’s own heart. After that, He gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. Then, after the judgeship of Samuel, they asked for a king, and God gave them Sha’ul, son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. The TaNaKh does not state how long King Sha’ul reigned, but Josephus said forty years in his Antiquities of the Jews 6:14:9. After removing him, He raised up David to be their king. He also testified about him and said, “I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do My will” (13:20b-22). The point of this historic review is that ADONAI had prepared for the coming of the Messiah.

If you look up all the times God speaks about meditation in the Bible, you will be amazed at the benefits He has promised to those who take the time to reflect on His Word throughout the day. One of the reasons ADONAI called David, “a man after My heart,” is that David loved to reflect on God’s Word. He said: O how I love Your Torah! It is my meditation all day long (Psalm 119:97). Serious reflection on God’s truth is a key to answered prayer and the secret to successful living.²⁸⁹

Sound bite number three. God promised to send David’s descendant to rescue both the Jewish children of Abraham and Gentile friends of God. Paul deals with the messiahship of Yeshua. Psalm 89:27-30 declares that the first-born, son’s seed shall be established forever. The Messiah will be the first-born son to God, and will be elevated as eternal King. But how can a human king have eternal seed? Paul, reflecting on the words of Psalm 89 wrote: From David’s seed, in keeping with His promise, God brought to Isra’el a Savior – Yeshua (13:23). The reason that the seed is eternal is because the source of the seed is eternal Himself! In addition, it is clear that the source of the seed, and of the Messiah, is eternal and heavenly (Second Samuel 7:13-16).²⁹⁰ So in the past YHVH prepared for the coming of the Messiah, in the present the Messiah has come, and God has sent the Messiah to Isra’el.

Before His coming, John had proclaimed an immersion of repentance to all the people of Isra’el (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Be – John the Baptist Prepares the Way). As John was completing his service, he said: What do you suppose me to be? I am not He. John clearly denied being the Messiah, but responded to his Lord right away. He prepared the hearts of others toward the coming Messiah because he saw Yeshua for who He really is. He knew Jesus was more than a great teacher, He was the Lord God we must all answer to. But behold, One is coming after me, whose sandal I’m not worthy to untie (13:24-25). This statement shows that John knew Jesus was high above him. In that day, it was not uncommon for a great teacher to have disciples follow him, and it was expected that the disciples would serve the teacher in various ways. This arrangement came to be abused, so the leading rabbis established certain things that were too demeaning for a teacher to expect of his disciple. It was decided that for a teacher to expect his disciple to untie the strap of his sandal was too much; it was too demeaning. Here, then, John insists he wasn’t even worthy to do this for his Lord and Savior.²⁹¹

Paul deals with the death and burial of the Messiah, two of the three points of the gospel. And emphasizing their Jewishness, he said: Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham and those among you who are God-fearers, it is to us Jews the message of this salvation has been sent. Then he dealt with the death of Messiah (13:23-26).

Sound bite number four. The people and their leaders in Jerusalem failed to recognize the Messiah. He was crucified and buried, but ADONAI raised Him from the dead. Everything YHVH promised Isra’el is fulfilled in the resurrected Yeshua. For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers were responsible for His death– not recognizing Him or the sayings of the Prophets that are read every Shabbat – fulfilled these words by condemning Him. They did it out of ignorance, but their ignorance did not absolve them. Though they found no charge worthy of a death sentence, but in spite of the lack of evidence, they nonetheless asked Pilate to have Him executed. When they had unintentionally carried out all that had been written about Him, the Jewish leaders wanted Him taken down from the tree (Greek: wood) before sundown and laid in a tomb (13:27-29). It should be noted how often Jews avoid using the term “cross,” which is offensive to them. Even today in Jewish evangelism the term tree is used which is less offensive.²⁹²

Fourthly, Paul deals with the resurrection of the Messiah, the third point of the gospel, “But (Greek: de, is emphatic here). But God raised Him from the dead! For many days He appeared to those who had come up from the Galilee to Jerusalem, those who knew Him best are now His apostles to the people” (First Corinthians 15:6). The Paul applied the truth of the resurrection. And we proclaim to you Good News – the promise of the Messiah, made to the fathers, has arrived! For God has fulfilled this promise to the children – to us – by raising up (the birth) Yeshua, as it is also written in the second psalm:

You are My Son.
Today I have become Your Father (13:30-33).

Luke quotes the TaNaKh almost always in a form either corresponding to the LXX or close to it, and not according to the Hebrew Masoretic Text. Here Psalm 2:7 is quoted verbatim from the LXX. And indeed, the rabbis took this to be a messianic Psalm.

But since God raised Messiah up from the dead, never to return to decay. Meaning Messiah will never die again. He is the firstfruits of the First Resurrection (see the commentary on Revelation Ff – Blessed and Holy are Those Who Have Part in the First Resurrection). He has a resurrection body and has put on immortality. He has spoken in this way, “I will give you the holy and sure mercies of David” (13:34). Again Isaiah 55:3 is quoted close but not exactly corresponding to the LXX. By Messiah’s resurrection, the Davidic Covenant is assured (see the commentary on the Life of David Ct – The LORD’s Covenant with David).

Therefore, ADONAI also says in another psalm, “You will not permit Your Holy One to see decay.” And again, Psalm 16:10 is quoted verbatim from the LXX.²⁹³ Then we have the application of that Psalm. For after David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he went to sleep and was laid with his fathers and saw decay. So the application of Psalm 16:10 cannot possibly be to King David because he died and saw decay. But it is applicable to the One whom God raised up did not see decay – Yeshua Messiah (13:35-37).

Sound bite number five: Anyone may be forgiven for their sins and justified (found not guilty) before God through faith Yeshua Messiah’s death, burial and resurrection. Therefore, let it be known to you, brothers, that through this One that was killed and raised from the dead, is proclaimed to you the removal of sins, including all those from which you could not be justified (Greek: dikaiountai, meaning the act of God whereby, negatively, He forgives our sins, and, positively, He declares us righteous by transferring all the obedience and righteousness of Messiah to us by faith), by the Torah of Moses. According to the Oral Law (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Ei – The Oral Law), there are thirty-six transgressions for which the Torah specifies the punishment as being karet,” that is, being cut off from Isra’el (K’ritot 1:1). For these the Torah provides no sacrifice for atonement to restore fellowship.²⁹⁴ Through this One everyone who keeps trusting is made righteous. Be careful, then, so that what is said in the Prophets may not come upon you (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Mt – The Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple on Tisha B’Av in 70 AD):²⁹⁵

“Look, you scoffers,
be amazed and vanish away.
For I am doing a work in your days –
a work you will never believe,
even if someone tells it to you in detail” (13:38-41 LXX)

This is a reference to the Babylonian invasion of 586 BC, but the application is to the 70 AD judgment. The one point of similarity is that they were both confronted with scoffers). Luke quotes the TaNaKh almost always in a form either corresponding to the LXX or close to it, and not according to the Hebrew Masoretic Text. Here Habakkuk 1:5 is quoted close but not exactly corresponding to the LXX.²⁹⁶

The results: The initial effect of Paul’s sermon was to arouse interest, not opposition. He did not alienate his Jewish hearers by denouncing them as opposing God or following a man-made religion, as some zealous but mistaken Christian evangelists do today. As Paul and Barnabas were going out, the people kept begging them to speak these things to them again at the next Shabbat. This request was probably made by the elders of the synagogue, giving them a week to investigate any false claims. When the synagogue meeting broke up, many of the Jewish people and Gentile proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who were speaking with them and trying to persuade them to continue in the grace of God (13:42-43). They didn’t want to wait because they had already become believers as a result of Paul’s message that Shabbat.

The following Shabbat, almost the entire city, both Jews and Gentiles, came together to hear the word of the Lord. They came to hear the Word of God and the synagogue was overflowing with people standing outside. Since the town’s citizens had the opportunity to hear the Torah read every Shabbat, they were presumably drawn to Paul’s preaching of the Word in regard to Jesus.²⁹⁷ The teaching of the Torah, requiring circumcision, attracted only a few Gentiles, but the preaching of grace, attracted a multitude of Gentiles who had heard Paul’s sermon the previous Shabbat and understood that the salvation he proclaimed in Messiah included them! The word had spread like wildfire through the Gentile community and they were there in masse. But when the unbelieving Jewish leaders saw the Gentile crowd, they were filled with zealousness (Greek: zelos), as the Great Sanhedrin had been previously (5:17). Their zealousness was over the presence of all those Gentiles. It was one thing to proclaim the coming Messiah to the Jews. It was quite another to maintain that the Messiah God accepted the Gentiles on an equal basis. To them this was a little short of blasphemy,²⁹⁸ and they tried to contradict Paul’s interpretation of Scripture by continually reviling him.  Both Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said: It was necessary for the word of God to be spoken to you first (Romans 1:16). Since you reject it and judge yourselves unfit for eternal life – behold, we are turning to the Gentiles (13:44-46). This would turn out to be the pattern of evangelism in the book of Acts.²⁹⁹

For so the Lord has commanded us,
“I have placed you as a light to the [Gentile] nations,
so that you may bring salvation to the end of the earth” (13:47 LXX).

Luke quotes the TaNaKh almost always in a form either corresponding to the LXX or close to it, and not according to the Hebrew Masoretic Text. Here Isaiah 49:6 (and separately citing Amos 9:11-12) is quoted close but not exactly corresponding to the LXX.³⁰⁰ It is essentially the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) given to the Jewish people. The phrase light for the Gentiles recalls Isaiah 60:1-3 CJB: Arise, shine, for Your light has come, and the glory of Adonai has risen upon You . . . and Goyim (Gentiles) will walk in Your light. Yeshua is the light of the world (John 8:12).

When the Gentiles heard this, they were thrilled and glorified the word of the Lord; and as many as had been [predestined] for eternal life believed (13:48). Here we have a clear picture of the sovereignty and the doctrine of predestination. It was those who ADONAI predestined for eternal life that believed. While it is true that believers are chosen in Christ before the creation of the world (Ephesians 1:4), and that God foreknew, predestined, and called the elect (Romans 8:29; Jude 1), it is also true that the Bible says that God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). I believe this is an antinomy, or two contradictory statements that are both true. For example the Trinity is an antinomy. God is one (Deuteronomy 6:4) and is reflected in three Persons. We don’t have to choose. I also believe we don’t have to choose on this issue. The Bible teaches both, believers have been predestined for eternal life; and we have a choice in this life, whoever believes in Him shall not perish. But those who go to hell do so because they judge themselves unfit for eternal life (13:46). It doesn’t make sense to our finite minds, but the Lord will explain it all to us when we get to heaven.

Evangelism always follows true salvation, as those who are saved naturally desire to share their faith. The converts in Pisidian Antioch were no different. Through their enthusiastic testimony, the word of the Lord spread throughout the whole region. The strategic position of Pisidian Antioch would help to cause the spread of the gospel in spite of opposition.

Unable to win the debate against Paul and Barnabas, the Jewish leaders invited some of the wealthy Gentile women of high standing (women could be quite wealthy in the Roman world, and many were attracted to Judaism) who attended the synagogue with their husbands, the leading men of the city.³⁰¹ Evidently they had sufficient social standing to force the departure of Paul and Barnabas. They stirred up persecution against the two missionaries and they drove them out of their district. Paul refers to this persecution in Second Timothy 3:11; possibly he and Barnabas were beaten with rods or whips (Second Corinthians 11:24-25a). In any event, Paul and Barnabas followed the advice given by Jesus for dealing with an unreceptive city: If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town, as a testimony against them, and go where their ministry would be more fruitful (Mattityahu 10:14; Mark 6:11; Luke 9:5). In other words, they were not only to leave such a town or home, but such was to be considered and treated as a pagan. The emphasis here is on those who were not worthy. The procedure was that a sandal was taken off and the dust was shaken off as a traditional Jewish symbol of separation and warning of judgment.³⁰² As a result, they shook the dust off their feet against them, and they went on to Iconium (13:49-51).

And the new Jewish and Gentile believers in the city of Pisidian Antioch were continually filled with joy and the Ruach ha-Kodesh (13:52). Believers are immersed with the Holy Spirit once at the moment of salvation (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Bw –What God Does For Us at the Moment of Faith), but we are leaky vessels and we need to be continually filled. As Paul and Barnabas started out for Iconium (about eight miles away), they left behind them two completely different groups of people: the rejecting, prejudiced, hate-filled Jews; and the joyous, Spirit-filled believers.

These verses paint a stark picture of the choice facing every person on the earth. People either have faith/trust/belief in Yeshua Messiah and are saved for all eternity . . . or they reject Him and are lost for all eternity. As He Himself put it: Whoever is not with Me is against Me, and whoever does not gather with Me scatters (Matthew 12:30). He left us not third alternative.³⁰³

ADONAI, help me to always speak what is consistent with being clear minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love and in patience. May I be sanctified in demeanor – not backbiting or enslaved by wine, teaching what is good (Titus 2:1-3). My desire is to be someone others can trust – in the same measure that I trust in You.³⁰⁴

Barnabas and Sha’ul Sent Out
from Syrian Antioch
13: 1-12

44-45 AD

Barnabas and Sha’ul sent out from Syrian Antioch DIG: What was the scene when the Spirit spoke to the leaders at Antioch? How do you think He may have spoken? How could the Spirit speak in your worship times? Cyprus is a 150-mile sail from Seleucia, and was Barnabas’ home (4:36). What might these two men be thinking and feeling as they go? Since Gentiles were already welcome in the Messianic Community (11:18), why would Paul and Barnabas go to a synagogue? Put yourself in Elymas’ place. Why and how would you oppose these missionaries? If you were Sergius Paulus, what would be your response to the missionaries after the events of verses 9-12?

REFLECT: When you are not certain what direction God is leading you, how do you go about discerning His will? What have you learned about this process by experience? What are some methods that the Adversary uses to try keeping the clear message of God’s Word from getting through to us? How do you challenge and overcome those obstacles? With what types of people do you feel most comfortable talking about the Lord? Why? When have people tried to turn you from your faith? What happened? How do you deal with such pressures? When is it right to strongly confront people who oppose the faith? How deeply does the call to reach the nations affect your praying, your heartbeat? How could this priority increase in intensity for you?

Barnabas and Paul eventually returned after delivering the financial gift for relief from the famine for the kedoshim (brothers and sisters) living in Judea (11:29). But after a while, the church at Syrian Antioch sent out Barnabas and Paul on the First Missionary Journey (to see link click Bm – Paul’s First Missionary Journey). That began the final phase of Messiah’s commission: And you will be My witnesses to the end of the earth, which was an idiom of that day for the Gentile world (1:7-8).

Chapter 13 is a turning point in Acts. The first twelve chapters have focused on the ministry of Peter, while the remaining chapters focus on the ministry of Paul. Until now, the emphasis has been on the Messianic congregation in Jerusalem and Judea; however, Chapters 13-28 describe the spread of the Gentile Church throughout the Roman world. And it was from the dynamic, doctrinally sound, Spirit-filled church at Syrian Antioch that the flag of Gentile missions was unfurled. It had spiritual leaders, with a spiritual ministry, who went on a spiritual mission, faced spiritual opposition, and experienced spiritual victory.

Spiritual leaders: Effective, strong churches inevitably have strong godly leaders, and the church at Syrian Antioch was no exception. ADONAI has always put a premium on spiritual leadership (Acts 6:3; First Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9; Hosea 4:9; Matthew 9:36). These five men were the heart of the ministry at Syrian Antioch. There were prophets and teachers. The double use of the Greek particle te, makes the first three names prophets, and the last two teachers. Not much is known about them except for Barnabas and Paul.

Prophets played a significant role in the early Church (First Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 2:20, 3:5, 4:11). Like the apostles, they were preachers of God’s word and were responsible to instruct the local congregations. Sometimes they received new revelation from God, as in Acts 11:28 and 21:10-11. Both of those incidents record that the prophets, in contrast to the apostles, received practical, not doctrinal revelation. The prophets’ functioned as receivers of divine revelation ended with the cession of the temporary sign gifts. Even their office, like that of the apostles, was replaced by pastor-teachers and evangelists (Ephesians 4:11-12), who were the elders and overseers (First Timothy 3:1ff; Titus 1:5-9). The prophets were so revered that the early Messianic community viewed them like their “high priests,” even though they moved from place to place.

Barnabas receives an official designation here for the first time even though he has already appeared several times in Acts. From 4:36 we learn he was a Levite from the island of Cyprus. His birth name was Joseph, but the apostles named him Barnabas, which means son of encouragement – a fitting description of this gentle, loving man.

Simeon (a Greek transliteration of Shimon, or in Hebrew meaning God has heard) was by far the most common male name in the first century Eretz (land of) Isra’el, as well as a constant favorite in the diaspora. Given the name’s popularity, this Simeon is called Niger (which means black). He was probably an Ethiopian or North African.

Lucius is a common Latin name, and he was from Cyrene on the north African coast. There is nothing to link him with the Lucius whom Paul greets in Romans 16:21 and certainly no evidence to identify him (as some have argued) as Luke the physician. The Greek Luke and the Latin Lucius are completely different names, and the rabbis consider it to be a non-Jewish name. Furthermore, there is no Church tradition that suggests that Luke was ultimately from northern Africa.

Teachers are critical in today’s Church (First Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 4:11; James 3:1). Theirs is the ministry of giving others a clear understanding of biblical truth. The distinctive aspect of the ministry of teachers is its emphasis of instruction rather than proclamation. That they are somewhat different from preachers seems obvious in the texts that discuss both, though the same gifted man can sometimes perform both functions, as Acts 15:35 clearly shows.²⁷³ Despite being highly respected as the “spiritual elite,” the status of the teachers ranked below that of the prophets, the “leaders of the generation.”

Manaen is a Greek transliteration of the Hebrew Menachem, meaning God is my comforter. While the name is somewhat rare both in the Eretz Israel and the diaspora, it is a fairly common Roman name. He was notable because he was brought up since childhood (Greek: suntrophos can be translated foster-brother) with Herod Antipas the Tetrarch. This was the same Herod who beheaded John (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Fl – John the Baptist Beheaded), and presided over one of Yeshua’s trials (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Lp – When Herod Saw Jesus, He Was Greatly Pleased). He had been raised in Herod the Great’s household along with Herod Antipas. He was a possible source of Luke’s information about the Herods.

And Sha’ul, who needs no introduction, who of course came from Tarsus of Cilicia. Through his tireless efforts the gospel spread throughout the Gentile world (13:1).

Spiritual ministry: The church at Syrian Antioch was the base of Gentile evangelism. While the whole church was ministering to the Lord, they fasted (13:2a). The Greek word for ministering is from leitourgei, which originally meant to discharge a public office. In the Bible, however, leitourgeo means more than public service; it describes priestly service. The leaders of the Syrian Antioch church faithfully discharged the office that ADONAI called them to, and fulfilled their ministry. Keep a clear mind in all things, withstand hardship, do the work of proclaiming the Good News, and fulfill your service (Second Timothy 4:5). In the Septuagint it describes the priests who leitourgei in the Tabernacle (Exodus 28:41). Serving in a leadership role in the Church must be viewed as an act of worship to YHVH. Such service consists of offering spiritual sacrifices to Him (see the commentary on Hebrews Df – Believer’s Behavior in Relation to God: service), including prayer, oversight of the flock, studying, and preaching and teaching the Word.

Their ministering was not to the congregation, but to the Lord. It is vital to understand that ADONAI is primarily an audience of One for all spiritual ministry. Like the Macedonian believers, those in ministry must give themselves first to the Lord and only then to others (Second Corinthians 8:5). They are to make every effort to present [themselves] before God (Second Timothy 2:15), not to humans. Every godly servant, works heartily, as for the Lord, not for human masters because it is the Lord whom we serve (Colossians 3:23-24 NIV). In the last analysis, we have an audience of One.

The Bible frequently connects fasting with time of fervent, passionate prayer (Nehemiah 1:4; Psalm 35:13; Dani’el 9:3; Matthew 17:21; Luke 2:37, 5:33; Acts 14:23). Believers may become so concerned with spiritual issues that they lose the desire to eat, or they set aside food to concentrate on intense intercession. Scripture nowhere commands believers to fast, but Yeshua assumed His followers would do so (Matthew 6:17; Luke 5:33-35). In sharp contrast to the showy, hypocritical fasting of the Pharisees, when believers fast, it is for God’s eyes only (Matthew 6:16-18).²⁷⁴

Spiritual mission: It was abundantly clear that although the leaders of the Syrian Antioch church endorsed, prayed and fasted for these two men and their work, it was the Ruach ha-Kodesh who declared: Set apart for me Barnabas and Sha’ul for the work to which I have called them. Here, the order is Barnabas and then Sha’ul, but after the First Missionary Journey it will be Sha’ul and then Barnabas because Paul took the lead. Regarding his name, it would be odd for the Spirit of God to keep calling this man Sha’ul if He had changed his name to Paul four chapters earlier (see Bc – Sha’ul Turns from Murder to Messiah), which of course, He hadn’t.²⁷⁵ The congregation responded in faith. Then after fasting and praying to confirm the call, they laid hands on them, they sent them off as an extension of the church at Syrian Antioch (13:2b-3).

So, sent out by the Ruach ha-Kodesh, the journey began and they went down to Seleucia, the seaport sixteen miles to the west of Syrian  Antioch, and from there they sailed to Cyprus (13:4). There had already been some evangelism in Cyprus (11:19) and some members of the church in Syrian Antioch had family ties there, including Barnabas himself (4:36). Cyprus was one hundred and thirty miles southwest of Syrian Antioch. It is a Greek island in the Mediterranean Sea and an important trade center. The Roman fleet for this region was stationed there, and one could obtain regular passage to many destinations from this port. It is one hundred and forty eight miles long and about twenty miles wide. Cyprus was close to Syrian Antioch (probably two days journey at the most), and it had a large Jewish population. All those reasons make it an ideal starting point for outreach to the Gentile world.

When they arrived at Salamis, the largest city and chief commercial center on Cyprus, they began to proclaim the word of God in the Jewish synagogues (13:5a). Although Paul was called to be Yeshua’s emissary to the Gentiles, he invariably made it his practice throughout his life to bring the Good News of Yeshua Messiah to the Jews first. This matches with his teaching (Romans 1:16ff) and his heart’s longing for all Isra’el to be saved (Romans 9:1-5, 10:1, 11:26). With both reason and practice he thus refutes the Two-Covenant theology, which states that Jews are saved through Moshe and Gentiles are saved through Jesus. Unfortunately, few Gentile Christians have seen fit to obey Paul’s exhortation to be imitators of him (First Corinthians 11:1) in this area. Instead, if they evangelize at all, they reach out to everyone but Jews, who are often the last to have the gospel properly explained to them, so that they are left to rely on hearsay and half-truths, or, worse, are presented with error and evil in the name of the gospel.²⁷⁶

They also had John Mark (12:25), Barnabas’ cousin (Colossians 4:10), as a helper (13:5b). Mark was a native of Jerusalem (12:12) and was Barnabas’ cousin (Colossians 4:10). When Barnabas and Paul returned to Antioch from Jerusalem after delivering relief aide, Mark came with them (Acts 12:25). He had undoubtedly left Antioch along with Barnabas and Paul. Clearly, Luke has included John Mark here to explain the later reference to his departure from the group. He would soon desert them and return to Jerusalem (see Bv – Disagreement between Paul and Barnabas), for now, he was a member of the ministry team, helping Barnabas and Paul carry out their spiritual mission.

Spiritual Opposition: From Salamis, the three traveled the width of the island, arriving at Paphos, some ninety miles to the west, a center for the worship of Aphrodite (Venus). The greatest festival in Cyprus in honor of Aphrodite was the Aphrodisia, held for three days each spring. It was attended by great crowds, not only from Cyprus, but also from surrounding countries. It was a city where immorality and extensive religious prostitution was commonplace. At that time, they found a man who was a magician – a Jewish false prophet, whose title was Bar-Yeshua. Like Simon (see Ba – Simon the Sorcerer), he was a deceiver who put his knowledge to evil use. He was with the proconsul (13:6-7a). All Roman provinces were divided into two classes, those that required troops and those who did not. The former were under the administration of the emperor, and the latter were administered by the Senate and ruled by proconsuls.²⁷⁷ Time and time again we find Luke giving the proper designations for the Roman officials that he mentions.

One should not be too surprised that a Roman official could be fooled by such a con artist. Romans put great stock in powers of divination and even had their own sacred oracles, especially the upper-class. Charlatans like Bar-Jesus were usually smooth and highly knowledgeable, practicing a sort of pseudoscience. And his Jewish credentials did not hurt him either. The Jews had a reputation among the Romans for their depth and insight of religious understanding. Josephus mentioned a number of such Jewish sorcerers who had great success among the Gentiles. There is even a reference to a Jewish sorcerer from Cyprus who aided the Roman governor Felix in seducing Drusilla away from her husband Azizus (Antiquities 20.236-237).²⁷⁸

On Bar-Yeshua’s part, the fact that he had attached himself to the proconsul was no accident. The kingdom of darkness is always eager to influence those who are in power. Much of the evil in this world can be traced to the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12b; Dani’el 10:13-11:1). The Roman proconsul of Cyprus was Sergius Paulus (the same name as Paul but in Greek), whom Luke describes as an intelligent man (13:7b). As such, he no doubt had a keen interest in new philosophies and religious beliefs. That he had in his entourage a Jewish teacher (albeit a false one), showed that he had some interest in Judaism. Barnabas and Paul appeared to him to be two more Jewish teachers from whom he could learn more about the Jewish faith. Moreover, his position as proconsul prompted him to investigate this new teaching that was sweeping across Cyprus.²⁷⁹

Accordingly, Sergius Paulus summoned Barnabas and Paul and sought to hear the word of God from them. But, alarmed at the prospect of being out of a job with the conversation of the Roman proconsul, Elymas the magician (for so his name is translated) constantly opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith (13:7c-8). Like many Jewish people at the time, Bar-Jesus also had a Greek name, Elymas, by which he was known at the court of Sergius Paulus. Apparently, Elymas was the Greek transliteration of an Arabic word for magician. The battle for the soul of Sergius Paulus had reached its climax.

Spiritual victory: But Sha’ul, who is also Paul, had had enough of the magician’s interference. Taking the lead in this challenge, and being filled with the Ruach ha-Kodesh, Paul fixed his gaze on him (13:9). Here the one sent to the Goyim is called both Sha’ul and Paul (see Bm – Paul’s First Missionary Journey: Paul is Sha’ul and Sha’ul is Paul). The decisive shift from the name Sha’ul to Paul happens only after Paul sets off on his missionary journeys among the Gentiles. From now on, Luke will call him Sha’ul only in regards to his past (22:7, 26:14). The name Paul appears 132 times in Acts 13-28.

Then, Paul said, “O you, full of all deceit (Greek: dolos, meaning a snare, a thing to lure someone into a trap) and trickery (Greek: radiourgias, meaning fraud), son of the devil (instead of being Bar-Yeshua, the son of Jesus, he is the son of the devil), enemy of all righteousness – will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord?” Bar-Jesus had been deceiving the proconsul with all his false claims. This event is an illustration of the lesson that Yeshua taught in the parable in Matthew’s gospel (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Ev – The Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds), and His explanation (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Fa – The Parable of the Weeds Explained). Wherever ADONAI sows His true children (the wheat), the Adversary comes along and sows a counterfeit (the weeds) child of the devil. Paul recognized that Elymas was a child of the devil (John 8:44),²⁸⁰ and dealt with him accordingly.

Remembering his own blindness (see Bc – Sha’ul Turns from Murder to Messiah), Paul knew that by the darkening of the eyes, the mind’s darkness might be restored to light.²⁸¹ Thus, justice was tempered with mercy and Paul declared: Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind and not see the sun for awhile.” It was probably meant to be a warning and intended to act as a stimulus to conversion, although we do not know whether it achieved this result.²⁸² As so often happens, ADONAI used a miracle to confirm the authenticity of His messengers and the truth of His word. Immediately, cloudiness and darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand. When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, because he was astonished at the teaching about the Lord (13:10-12). Significantly, it was the teaching about the Lord, not the stunning miracle he had just witnessed, that prompted Sergius Paulus to believe and be saved. This became a very important incident because from this point Paul very clearly takes the lead between he and Barnabas.

A Roman Gentile responds to the gospel, whereas a Jew, with supposed religious connections, rejects the same message. The contrast is intentional, and this would turn out to be the pattern of evangelism in the book of Acts.²⁸³

It is well to remember the lesson of these verses. Leading someone to Messiah is not merely an academic exercise, nor is it a matter of making a successful sales pitch. Rather, it involves all-out spiritual warfare against the forces of hell. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist when the times are evil, and after you have done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm then! Buckle the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness (Isaiah 11:5). Strap up your feet in readiness with the Good News of shalom (Isaiah 52:7; Psalm 9:17). Above all, take up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one (Psalm 28:7, 76:3, 91:4-5). And take the helmet of salvation (Isaiah 59:17) and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (Isaiah 49:2).

Lord, You say: Pay attention to Me, My people, give ear to Me, My nation. For Torah will go out from Me, My justice as a light to the peoples. My righteousness is near, My salvation has gone out, and My arms will judge the nations. The coastlands will wait for Me – for My arm they will wait expectantly (Isaiah 51:4-5). ADONAI, I want to be part of this great work in my day, in whatever way You desire: Speak, for Your servant is listening (First Samuel 3:10).

Paul’s First Missionary Journey
13:1 to 14:28

Paul is Sha’ul and Sha’ul is Paul

As it turns out, Sha’ul – derived from the famous first king of Isra’el, from the tribe of Benjamin, to which Sha’ul/Paul himself belonged (Philippians 3:5) – is simply the Hebrew name for this person. Paul, is a Greek name derived from the Latin surname Paulus. For someone born in Tarsus (Acts 21:39) but educated under Gamaliel in Yerushalayim (Acts 22:3) in a strict form of Pharisaism (Galatians 1:14; Philippians 3:5-6), this was not unusual. Sha’ul was a Jew of the Diaspora because he came from Tarsus, and Jews of the Diaspora always had two names – a Jewish name (Sha’ul) and a Gentile name (Paul).

Here’s the clincher. When Paul recalls his conversion, he specifically notes that Yeshua was speaking in Aramaic, the common Hebrew language of the day: Sha’ul, Sha’ul, why are you persecuting Me (Acts 26:14)? Paul draws attention to how Messiah addressed him by his Hebrew name, and makes no mention that it is now abandoned.

When Sha’ul/Paul launched his Gentile-focused ministry among Greek-speakers (beginning with Acts 13:9), it was natural for Luke, the author of Acts, to begin referring to him exclusively by his Greek name. Nor is it surprising that he’s later referred to as Paul in Jerusalem, since there were Greek speakers there also. Indeed, Luke could be making a thematic point by shifting from Sha’ul to Paul around Chapter 13, given the broader theme in the book of Acts as seen in 1:8: But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. After all, there was a shift going on from the beginnings of the Messianic Community in Jerusalem, to the Goyim at the ends of the earth and the Roman Empire.

Sha’ul/Paul’s two names were not unique. Several other people in the B’rit Chadashah were given two names: Joseph, later called Barnabas (Acts 4:36); Simeon, also called Niger (Acts 13:1), Thomas, also called Didymus (John 21:2); and Tabitha, was also called Dorcas (Acts 9:36), and Nakdimon (his Jewish name) was also known as Nicodemus (John 3:1-21), among others.²⁷¹

First Missionary Journey:

44-48 AD

Luke’s data for this period is clearly sketchy,
He is better informed about the period after the Jerusalem counsel.

Paul wrote Galatians (about salvation), part of the Big Four (see Ad – Letters of Paul), from Syrian Antioch in 48 AD. When he wrote the letter to the Galatians, Galatia was divided into two regions. The principal cities of the northern region were Ancyra, Pessinus, and Tavium. The cities of the south included Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe. Paul’s letter was probably addressed to the four southern churches, the ones he visited on his First Missionary Journey.

Chapter 13 marks a turning point in the book of Acts. The first twelve chapters have focused on the ministry of Peter; the remaining chapters focus on Paul. Until now the emphasis has been on the Messianic community in Jerusalem and Judea; Chapters 13-28 describe the spread of the Gentile Church throughout the Roman world. And it was from the dynamic, doctrinally sound, growing, Spirit-controlled church in Syrian Antioch that the flag of Gentile missions was unfurled. It had spiritual leaders, with a spiritual ministry, who went on a spiritual mission, faced spiritual opposition, and experienced spiritual victory.²⁷²

The Ruach ha-Kodesh was very strategic in His leading of Paul on his First Missionary Journey. Paul and Barnabas first went to Syrian Antioch and they were warmly received. It was a dynamic church, and would turn out to be the base of Gentile evangelism. The first missionary journey began with the appointment of Barnabas and Paul from the church at Syrian Antioch. In each leg of their journey they experienced increased hostility.

The second leg of their journey was Pisidian Antioch. As would be his practice, Paul first went to a Jewish synagogue to preach the gospel. But he was rejected, so he said: It was necessary for the word of God to be spoken to you first (Romans 1:16). But since you reject it and judge yourselves unfit for eternal life – behold, we turn to the Gentiles (13:44-46). This would turn out to be the pattern of evangelism in the book of Acts. But the Jewish leaders stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and they drove them out of their district. So Paul and Barnabas shook the dust off their feet against them, and they went on to Iconium (13:50b-51).

Next they went to Iconium and the pattern of resistance increased from merely driving them out of their district to both Jews and Gentiles attempting to stone them. Now it happened that both the Gentiles and Jewish people, along with their rulers, made an attempt to abuse and stone them (14:5).

Lastly, Paul and Barnabas traveled to Lystra: There, new methods of evangelism were needed because they were trying to reach pagan Gentiles with no Jewish background. But not surprisingly, the pattern of resistance increased. We now see that the Jewish opposition to Paul and the gospel was more organized. But Judaizers came from Pisidian Antioch and Iconium (see the commentary on Galatians, to see link click Ag – Who Were the Judaizers?) . The Jews traveled about 100 miles to oppose Paul and Barnabas’ ministry in Lystra. The stoning which had been plotted in Iconium (14:5), now took place. And after they won the crowd over they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead (14:19). 

Herod Agrippa Gets His Due
12: 19b-25

August 1, 44 AD

Herod Agrippa gets his due DIG: How similar or dissimilar was this Herod’s death to the death of his uncle (see the commentary on The Life of Christ, to see link clickAx – He Will be Called a Nazarene)? What did Herod Agrippa do that showed him to be the fraud he was? What happened as a result of God’s dealing with Herod?

REFLECT: Who do you see as a current “Herod” in today’s world. Can you take comfort in knowing that God’s judgment is certain? How do you give glory to God? How can you help the word of God to continue to grow where you live?

Several months had passed since Peter’s escape, and the scene now shifts to consider the fate of Herod Agrippa. It seems that the king was going to receive a delegation from Tyre and Sidon, who had apparently displeased Agrippa in some way. Having reconciled, Herod gave a public speech during a festival honoring Claudius Caesar to commemorate the agreement. It was on that appointed day that Luke ends this part of his account by describing Agrippa’s grisly death. After executing the guards (to see link click Bk – Peter’s Persecution and Deliverance), Herod went down from Judea and stayed in his headquarters in Caesarea, which was commonplace after the Passover (12:19b).

Now it happened that Herod Agrippa was furious with the people of Tyre and Sidon, which was not part of Agrippa’s territory, yet they depended on the Jews for their food supply. Yet, they were concerned enough about Herod’s displeasure that the ambassadors of Tyre and Sidon came to him, united. Having won over Blastus the king’s personal aide (probably by means of bribery). They kept on asking for peace – because their country was supplied with food, especially grain, from the king’s country and evidently he had cut it off (12:20).

On the appointed day that Herod was going to make his decision regarding the food supply of Tyre and Sidon, he donned his royal robes and, taking his judgment seat upon the throne, began to make a speech to them. We don’t know what Agrippa said in his speech, but we know why he said it. He wanted to impress the people. And he did! The people played on his ego and were shouting continually: The voice of a god and not a human (12:21-22). However, he did not give glory to ADONAI, nor did he rebuke them, so the whole scene was nothing but idolatry.²⁶⁷

Luke’s description of Herod Agrippa’s death is consistent, though not identical, with that of Josephus, the first century Jewish historian: Agrippa came to Caesarea, where there was a festival in honor of Claudius Caesar arranged for him. On the second day he put on a garment made entirely of silver threads and came into the theater early in the morning, at which time the silver of his garment reflecting the sun’s rays shone so brightly as to cause fear for those gazing at him. Therefore, his flatterers exclaimed that he was a god, adding, “Be merciful to us; for although till now we have reverenced you only as a man, from now on, we will regard you as superior to mortal nature.” But the king neither rebuked them nor rejected their irreverent flattery. However, as he looked up he saw an owl (see the commentary on Jeremiah Ad – The Owl as a Symbol of Judgment) and immediately understood that this bird was the messenger of terrible news. Suddenly and violently he had a severe pain in his stomach. Therefore he looked at his friends and said, “I, whom you call a god, am commanded now to leave this life, while Providence thus rebukes the lying words you just now said to me.” After five days, exhausted from the stomach pain, he died, at the age of fifty-three (Adapted from Antiquities of the Jews 19:8:2). This report is similar enough to confirm the reliability of the B’rit Chadashah, yet different enough to show that the descriptions are independent of each other.²⁶⁸

Immediately, an angel of the Lord struck him down – because he did not give God the glory (Isaiah 42:8a). The opponent of the gospel was judged, while Peter was freed. Justice and grace appear side-by-side. Ha’Shem’s response was swift, and Herod Agrippa was eaten by worms (Greek: skolakobrotos, meaning tapeworms) and died (12:23). And the death of Agrippa allowed Peter to return to Jerusalem, and there we find him next (see Bs – The Counsel at Jerusalem).

I cannot help but see in King Herod an illustration of the future man of lawlessness (Second Thessalonians 2:3) who will one day rule the world and persecute God’s people (see the commentary on Revelation Ds – The Woman and the Dragon). The antichrist will make himself like god and will command the worship of the whole world. But Yeshua Messiah will return and judge him and those who follow him (see the commentary on Revelation Fo – The Great White Throne Judgment).²⁶⁹

Indeed, one cannot fail to admire the literary skill with which Luke describes the complete reversal of the Church’s situation. At the beginning of Chapter 12, Herod is on a rampage – arresting, persecuting, and executing the leaders of the Messianic community; at the end he is struck down and dies. The chapter opens with James dead, Peter in prison and Herod triumphing; it closes with Herod dead, Peter free, and the word of God triumphing. Such is the power of God to overthrow hostile human plans and to establish His own in their place.²⁷⁰

Again, Luke keeps us on track with the growth of the Church by reporting that despite the furious opposition of the Adversary, the word of God kept on growing and multiplying. And Barnabas and Sha’ul returned to Jerusalem after the death of Herod to distribute the Jewish relief fund from the church at Antioch for the famine (11:29-30), bringing along Barnabas’ cousin John, who was also called Mark, with them (12:24-25). It is right to see 12:24-25 as both a summary statement meant to round off Luke’s account of the Messianic community in Jerusalem, and a transition statement that provides reasonable clues to the development of Luke’s material that follows. Luke is about to describe that great leap forward that we call the First Missionary Journey, where the gospel will be declared to the Gentiles.

Peter’s Persecution and Deliverance
12: 1-19a

43 AD

Peter’s persecution and deliverance DIG: This Herod is the nephew of Herod the Great who ruled in Yeshua’s day. What do you learn about his character in verses 1-3? Why would this action please the Jewish leaders? Why do you think Herod, as a Roman official, would now join in the Jewish opposition to the Messianic Community? How do you feel about the fact that God saved Peter and not Jacob? In light of John 21:18-19, how might Peter respond to this question? Who is Jacob? Why do you think he is specifically mentioned? What does this tell you about the importance of the Messianic Community in Jerusalem? Herod died in 44 AD, eleven years after the events of Chapter One. What types of opposition has the community faced so far in Acts? How far had it expanded?

REFLECT: Who really has the power here? Herod or ADONAI? What does that tell you about how believers ought to deal with opposition and persecution? What worldly forces seem all-powerful to you right now? How does this chapter put them in perspective for you? How are you like the people in the prayer meeting in this story? What are some of your prayers that you would be surprised if God answered them favorably? Although Peter was miraculously rescued from prison, he went into hiding to avoid Herod. How do you think Peter acted when he left Jerusalem? With a lack of faith? With common sense? Within God’s plan? Explain. Likewise, where do you see an overlap between God’s power and human common sense in the way things work out for your deliverance?

Up to this point, the Messianic community was enjoying great growth and success; experiencing one exciting conversion after another. First, there was Sha’ul of Tarsus, then the Gentile centurion Cornelius, then the mixed crowd of Jews and Gentiles in the church at Antioch. But here in Acts 12, the ugly opposition of the Adversary once again raises its ugly head.²⁵⁷

The death of Jacob (James): Now at that time Herod Agrippa I enters the picture. He was the son of Aristobulus IV and the grandson of Herod the Great (see the commentary on The Life of Christ, to see link click Aw – Herod Gave Orders to Kill all the Boys in Bethlehem Two Years Old and Under), Agrippa was born in 11 BC and sent to Rome for his education after the execution of his father Aristobulus in 7 BC. Herod the Great (who some people call Herod the paranoid) mistakenly thought that Aristobulus was conspiring to overthrow him, had him executed. Arriving in Rome, Agrippa was raised by the members of the royal family. In fact he became close friends with Gaius, also known as Caligula, who was the grandnephew of Emperor Tiberius. And when Caligula became Emperor in 37 AD he gave Agrippa the patriarchies of Philip, and Lysanias in south Syria (Luke 3:1). When Caligula banished Agrippa’s uncle Antipas I 39 AD, the Emperor added Galilee and Perea to his domain. Later in 41 AD when Claudius was emperor, he gave Agrippa both Samaria and Judea, which made him king over Judea. Until then Judea was under the control of Procurators, but now it was under the control of Agrippa the King. He died in 44 AD for refusing to give God the glory (see Bl – Herod Agrippa Gets His Due).

Despite being raised and educated in Rome, Agrippa I was always on shaky ground with the Romans. He ran up numerous debts in Rome, then fled to Palestine, leaving angry creditors behind him. Unwise comments he made got back to the Roman emperor Tiberius, who promptly imprisoned him. Released from prison following Tiberius’ death, he was made ruler of northern Palestine (Luke 3:1), to which Judea and Samaria were eventually added in 41 AD. He ruled the largest territory of Palestine since his grandfather Herod the Great nearly fifty years earlier. Because of his tenuous relationship with Rome, it was vital that he maintain the loyalty of his Jewish subjects. One way to win favor with the resident Jewish authorities was to persecute the hated believers, especially the apostles.

Now about the time Barnabas and Sha’ul arrived in Jerusalem to give the financial gifts for the Jews collected from the Gentile believers in Antioch (see Bj – The Church in Antioch: The benevolence of the church). But at that point Herod Agrippa seized some from Messiah’s community to do them harm. This is the fourth persecution of the Messianic Community. He had Jacob (James), John’s brother, put to death by the sword (12:1-2). So Jacob was the first apostle to die (apart from Judas) in fulfillment of Mark 10:39: You will drink the cup I drink, and you will endure the immersion I must endure. The ancient Christian historian Eusebius relates a story from Clement of Alexandria, who says that the soldier who guarded James was so affected by his witness that he declared himself a believer also and was willingly executed for Yeshua alongside Jacob.²⁵⁸ Ironically, his brother John would be the last of the apostles to die, and he would die of old age.

People who use the book of Acts to seek consistency in God’s actions have trouble with Chapter 12 because ADONAI did not choose to rescue Jacob, but he did rescue Peter. Once again, we cannot use a historical book like Acts to establish biblical doctrine.

Also, it is important to remember that the Messianic community did not replace Jacob as they had replaced Judas (1:15-26). As long as the gospel was going to the Jew first (Romans 1:16), it was necessary to have the full complement of twelve apostles to witness to the twelve tribes of Isra’el. The stoning of Stephen (see Ax – The Stoning of Stephen) once again confirmed the rejection of the gospel by the Great Sanhedrin and the expansion of the Good News through all Judah, and Samaria, and to the end of the earth (1:8). Therefore, the number of apostles was no longer important.²⁵⁹

The imprisonment of Peter: Seeing that the killing of Jacob pleased the Judean leaders, he proceeded to capture Peter, the chief of the apostles, as well (12:3a). Because Agrippa’s grandfather was Herod the Great, he was a descendent of the Edomites. As a result, he did what he could to appease the Jews. The Oral Law (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Ei – The Oral Law) records another event where he did the same thing. When Antipas was publically reading the commandments of the Kingdom (Deuteronomy 17:14-16), at Sukkot of the Sabbatical Year, he read: You may not put a foreigner over you, who is not your brother, he wept when he read the words, for he remembered his Edomite ancestry. But the people of Hasmonean ancestry, who remembered that he was also the grandson of Maryomni (a Hasmonean, a descendent of the Maccabees), cried repeatedly, “Do not be dismayed, you are indeed our brother” (Sotah 8:8). This shows that because of the insecurities of his Edomite background, he went very far in trying to please the Jews.²⁶⁰

This was during the Days of Matzah or the Festival of Unleavened Bread (12:3b). After seizing Peter, he put him in prison. This was Peter’s third imprisonment (4:3 and 5:18). Then Agrippa handed him over to four squads with four soldiers each to guard him. The usual number of a Roman military night-watch was four, and the watch changed every six hours. Normally this procedure was reserved for dangerous political prisoners. Perhaps Antipas had heard of Peter’s previous escape in 5:19 and to make sure it didn’t happen again. He was intending to bring him before the people after the eight days of the Festival of Passover/Unleavened Bread (12:4), fearing an unpredictable mob reaction when Passover pilgrims flooded the City. We may compare the similar problem that arose when the Jewish leaders were contemplating the arrest of Jesus (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Ka – The Plot Against Jesus).

So Peter was kept in prison, but Messiah’s community fervently (Greek: ektenos) offered prayer to God for him (12:5). Luke uses ektenos to describe the agonizing prayer of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane: And being in agony, He was praying very fervently (Greek: ektenos); and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground (Luke 22:44). The imperfect tenses in this verse make it clear that they prayed for several days. This is the turning point in the story. Never underestimate the power of prayer. While it is true that the angel fetched Peter out of prison, prayer fetched the angel!²⁶¹

Peter’s deliverance: Herod thought he had the situation well in hand. But God had other ideas. Now that very night, the night of the eighth day of Unleavened Bread, when Herod Antipas was about to bring him out (for he was to die the next day), Peter was sleeping (12:6a). The fact that Peter was sleeping the night before he was scheduled to die shows that he was not too worried about the situation. And why not? Back in John 21:18-19a, Peter had the assurance of Yeshua that he would reach old age before he died: I tell you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go. So he wasn’t worried because he knew that somehow God was going to rescue him.

He was bound with two chains between two soldiers, while the two other guards were before the door keeping watch over the prison (12:6b). Among the Romans the prisoner was bound to the soldier who had charge of him by means of a chain, which joined the prisoner’s right wrist to the left wrist of the soldier. Sometimes, however, for greater security, the prisoner was chained to two soldiers, one on each side of him, and two were stationed outside the door. This was the case with Peter.²⁶²

In Herod’s plans to win the favor of the Jewish people there was one thing he forgot – he didn’t consider what Ha’Shem might do! God had more ministry for Peter and He didn’t want him executed yet. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the cell. The light, however, didn’t awaken either Peter or the soldiers. He poked Peter on the side and woke him up, saying: Get up! Quick! And the chains fell off his hands. Then the angel said to him, “Get dressed and put on your sandals,” and he did so. Then he tells him, “Put on your cloak and follow me.” Peter went out and kept following him. Still groggy, however, he didn’t know that what was happening with the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. In a series of miracles, they made their way past a first guard, and a second at the cell door, then they came to the iron gate leading from the prison courtyard into the streets of the city, which opened for them by itself. Finally, they went out and walked along a narrow street. Suddenly the angel left him because his divine duty was done (12:7-10).

When Peter finally came to himself, he exclaimed: Now I know for real that the Lord has sent His angel (Acts 12:11; Psalm 34:7; Dani’el 3:28 and 6:22) and delivered me from the hand of Herod Agrippa and from all that the unbelieving Judean people were expecting (12:11). This wasn’t a dream – he was really free! They had killed Jacob and they were looking forward to seeing Peter killed, but that expectation would not be fulfilled.

When he realized everything that had happened to him, he went to the house of Miriam, the mother of John (also called Mark, whose gospel was written to the Romans). She must have been a wealthy woman because she had servants and her house was big enough to accommodate many believers. And her house must have been well known because Peter knew exactly where to go. Luke presents five cameos of important believing women in a variety of roles they assumed (see Bd – Signs and Miracles Follow Peter: A closer look at Luke, Women and Ministry). Believers met in each other’s homes for prayer, worship and fellowship arising from their common trust in Yeshua. We can see the same thing today with the havurah (friendship-group) within the Messianic Community.

Many believers were assembled at her house and together they prayed all night. Their prayers were interrupted by a knock at the door. When Peter knocked on the door of the entrance gate, a maid named Rhoda came to answer. Although she recognized Peter’s voice from previous contacts, out of joy she did not open the gate but ran in and announced that Peter was standing in front of the gate. They said to her, “You’re crazy!” We must face the fact that even in the most fervent prayer meetings there is sometimes a spirit of doubt and unbelief. We are like the father who cried out to Jesus, “I believe! Help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24). Those Jerusalem believers believed that ADONAI could answer their prayers, so they kept it up night and day. However, when the answer came right to their door, they refused to believe it. YHVH graciously honors even the weakest faith, but how much more He would do if only we would trust Him.²⁶³

But she kept insisting it was so. But they were saying, “It is his angel” (12:11-15). The reference to Peter’s angel could allude to the Jewish belief in guardian angels in special relationship to humans (Genesis 48:16 LXX; Tobit 5:22). Though from a later period, there is some evidence that Jews believed that guardian angels had the same appearance as the one they protected (Genesis Rab. 78 [50a], which interprets Genesis 33:10 to refer to the angelic prince of Esau who had Esau’s appearance). To this we should remember that the rabbis taught that one’s spirit or angel often lingered on earth, appearing for several days after one’s death and that belief may be reflected here.²⁶⁴

But Peter kept on knocking, hoping that he didn’t attract attention to himself and get arrested again. Finally, Rhoda was able to convince the others to come and see for themselves. When they opened the gate (much to Peter’s relief), they saw him and they rushed out into the courtyard. They were amazed on how their prayer had been answered! But he motioned with his hand for them to be silent, and he fully explained to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. He said: Go tell these things to Jacob, the half-brother of Yeshua (Acts 15:13; Galatians 1:18-19), and the brothers. From Acts 15 we learn that Jacob was the head of the Messianic community in Yerushalayim at that time.

Then, Peter left Jerusalem and went to another place (12:16-17). He didn’t want to put all his fellow believers in jeopardy, and knew Agrippa would soon be looking for him. With this account we basically come to the end of the story of Peter in Acts. He makes one more brief appearance at the Jerusalem counsel in Acts 15, then he walks off the pages of the Bible to make room for Paul and the story of his ministry to the Gentiles.

Peter’s sudden, mysterious disappearance from a securely guarded cell caused no small amount of angst among the Roman guard. Roman law dictated that if a prisoner escaped, his guard would suffer the same punishment, and Peter was going to be executed. When day came, there was no small commotion among the sixteen soldiers that had been guarding Peter as to what had become of him. They just couldn’t figure out that the eyes of ADONAI are on the righteous and His ears open to their prayers, but the face of ADONAI is against those who do evil (Psalm 34:15-16). Herod made a major search of the City for Peter, but he did not find him. Furious, he turned his anger on the hapless guards. He interrogated them and, just like his grandfather, he commanded that they be led away to execution (12:19a). His plan had blown up in his face. He needed a vacation to pull himself together. Unfortunately for him, he still failed to learn that he could not fight Ha’Shem. That mistake, which cost him Peter and his prestige with the Jews, would shortly cost him his life.²⁶⁵

Before we leave this portion of Acts, it would be good for us to consider how believers can best pray for those in prison, for even today there are many people in prison simply because they are believers: Remember the prisoners as if you were fellow prisoners (Hebrews 13:3a). In other words, pray for them as you would want them to pray for you if the situation were reversed. We ought to pray that ADONAI would give them the grace to bear with suffering so that they might have a triumphant witness for the Lord. We should ask the Spirit to minister the Word to them and bring it to their remembrance. It is right to ask God to protect His own and to give them wisdom as they must deal with a difficult enemy day after day. We must ask YHVH that, if it is His will, they be delivered from their bondage and suffering and reunited with their loved ones.²⁶⁶

The Church in Syrian Antioch
11: 19-30

42 AD

The church in Syrian Antioch DIG: Syrian Antioch was the third largest city in the Roman Empire. What might the apostles feel as they hear the gospel is taking root there? What was the nature of Barnabas’ character based on verses 22-26 (4:36-37 and 9:27-28)? From this profile, why did Barnabas recruit Sha’ul?

REFLECT: With whom do you associate that no messianic rabbi or pastor would normally contact? How might you share the gospel with those people? Would these people be comfortable in your messianic congregation or church right now? Why or why not? What would you consider evidence of the grace of God at work in your life? In your messianic congregation or church? What experiences have you had with people who take bold risks to share the faith of the gospel? Do they make you feel guilty? Annoyed? Challenged?

For Messiah’s stated purposes (1:8) the scattering of believers, especially Jewish Hellenistic believers, which seemed like a disaster, proved to be a great blessing because those who had been scattered, like seed, and went around proclaiming the Word (8:4). Now we pick up where 8:4 left off and find out where those who we scattered went and what they did.

Persecution scattered the early Hellenistic believers to the city of Antioch, the modern Syrian city of Antakiyeh, which became the home church for Gentile missions. It had a school of theology and became the church home of two church fathers, Ignatius and John Chrysostom. It was there that we see the first widespread evangelism of the Gentiles. As a result, Syrian Antioch became the center of Gentile Christianity, just as Jerusalem had become the center of the Messianic Community.

Seleucus Nicator founded the city of Antioch in 300 BC. Having previously served as an infantry general under Alexander the Great, he eventually assumed the title of basileus and established the Seleucid Empire over much of the territory in the Near East that Alexander had conquered. Antioch later became the capital of the Seleucid Empire. It was 300 miles north of Jerusalem and became part of the Roman Empire in 64 BC. Rome declared Antioch to be a free city with its own municipal government and became the third largest city in the Empire, after Rome and Alexandria, Egypt. Built on the Orontes River, it had a population of around 100,000 residents and had quite a reputation. It was called Antioch the great, Antioch the Beautiful, and the Queen of the East.

Antioch was made up of Greek speaking Syrian majority, with a large Jewish minority and probably more than a dozen synagogues. But it was a major city of pagan worship. Its patron god was Tyche, but being polytheistic, they also worshiped the Ashteroth, which involved immoral festivals and ritual prostitution. Only five miles away was the town of Daphne, which was the center of the worship of Apollo and Artemis, and it was noted for its pleasure seeking Temple. Syrian Antioch was such a wicked city that it was perhaps only overshadowed in its depravity by Corinth. It was so morally corrupt that the Greek writer Juvenal, wrote in his satire that “the sewage of the Syrian Orontes flowed into the Tiber River.” He was describing the degradation of Rome, but blamed it on Antioch.²⁴⁵

Jews had settled in Syrian Antioch since its foundations, being included amongst the military colonists who established the city. In line with the city’s political importance, its Jewish community ranked in status with those of Alexandria and Rome. The growth of the Jewish population was presumably stimulated by the material advantages the city offered, as well as its attractions as a major urban center. Many Jews appear to have emigrated from the land of Isra’el, Jews from Syria itself also tending to congregate in the capital – together with migrants from Babylonia and other parts of the Parthian empire.²⁴⁶

Paul was Luke’s source for this information on Syrian Antioch. This explains why Acts 11-14 focuses on the roles Paul and Barnabas play in, and as sent out by, the church at Antioch. It is also possible that Luke was born in Antioch, or had direct access through personal contacts in Antioch. As a result, this material is solidly based in that tradition.²⁴⁷

The birth of the Gentile church: This passage picks up where 8:4 left off, discussing the effect of those scattered because of the persecution of Hellenistic Jewish believers by Sha’ul of Tarsus that happened in connection with the stoning of Stephen. While some went to Samaria (8:5 and 25) and Caesarea (8:40 and 10:24ff), Damascus (9:10), Lydda, Joppa and Sharon (9:35-36), at the same time some displaced Hellenistic Jews traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, a city in modern day Syria, telling the message only to Jews (11:19). They spread the gospel as they went; however, it was only when they got to Antioch that they began to take the next step and evangelize Gentiles. Being Greek-speaking Jews, from predominantly Gentile areas, they were more open to witnessing to Gentiles than the native Palestinian Jews. Through their efforts, the first Gentile church was born.²⁴⁸

There were some of them, unnamed [Jewish] men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Syrian Antioch and began speaking to the Gentiles also, proclaiming the Lord Yeshua, not as Messiah, which would have no meaning to the Gentile mind, but as Lord (to see link click Aq – Peter Speaks at the Temple: A closer look at Luke’s use of the word Lord), an authoritative figure who is the final judge and through whom, if they had faith, would come forgiveness and inclusion into God’s people. Later, after the Gentiles had been taught about Yeshua’s role as the Jewish King of the Jewish nation to whom they had joined themselves by their faith (Romans 11:17-24), they could be expected to understand the fullness of the concept of Messiah.²⁴⁹ Some of the most significant work done for the Kingdom has been done by unknown witnesses who are obedient to Christ right where they are and where they do not attract much attention.²⁵⁰ The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord (11:20-21). Now that Peter had opened the door to the Gentiles (see Bg – Peter Goes to the House of Cornelius), we see a rapid expansion of the gospel (1:8).

It was these men who began what may be called the Gentile mission in Syrian Antioch. Looking at Acts 8-11 together, one gains the rather clear impression that Luke is presenting a complex picture of the origins of the proclamation of the Good News to Gentiles. It was not a mission originated by the leadership of either Jerusalem community or the Syrian Antioch church, but by ADONAI through a variety of means including Peter, Paul, these anonymous men from Cyprus and Cyrene, and perhaps even Philip.

Neither the salvation of the Ethiopian eunuch nor that of the house of Cornelius and his household prepared the Jerusalem believers for the widespread Gentile conversions at Antioch. News about the Gentile evangelism in Antioch reached the ears of the community in Jerusalem. Sending the right representative was essential. Sending a legalistic Pharisee would have spelled disaster. Barnabas, however, had all the qualifications for the job. Therefore, they sent him to Syrian Antioch to investigate and verify the report (11:22). This was a wise decision because Barnabas, too, was from Cyprus (4:36). Let’s pause and take a look at the role Barnabas plays in the book of Acts. He was an early model of a Jewish believer. He was the one who convinced the apostles of the genuineness of Sha’ul’s conversion. He also represented the apostles in the investigation into the church at Antioch. And as you see below, he was responsible for bringing Sha’ul to Antioch from Tarsus. He accompanied Sha’ul on his first missionary journey and defended Gentile believers at the Jerusalem counsel (see Bs – The Counsel at Jerusalem), which was a major role for Barnabas in the book of Acts.

When Barnabas arrived and saw the grace of God, he was thrilled. Thus, he verified their ministry of Gentile evangelism. He encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with heartfelt devotion. Such persistence was necessary in a city so given over to paganism. For Barnabas was a good man, and like Stephen, full of the Ruach ha-Kodesh and faith. And a large number was added to the Lord as he stayed and participated in Gentile evangelism (11:23-24).

Although Barnabas was thrilled with the great harvest the scattered seeds had ultimately produced, those Hellenistic Jews were obviously in a situation over their heads. They needed a specialist, an expert discipler. They needed Sha’ul. And right about then, Sha’ul probably needed them. Seven years after Sha’ul left for Tarsus (9:30), he returns on the scene. Then Barnabas left for Tarsus, a hundred miles north, to look for Paul. Why not send to Yerushalayim and ask for the deacon Nicolas, who was from Syrian Antioch (6:5)? Because Barnabas knew that ADONAI had commissioned Sha’ul to minister to the Gentiles (9:15, 22:21, 26:17). You recall that Barnabas befriended Sha’ul in Jerusalem (9:26-27), and no doubt the two of them often talked about Sha’ul’s special call from God.²⁵¹

Finding Paul, however, was no easy task. He had apparently been disinherited for his belief that Yeshua was the Messiah (Philippians 3:8), and forced to move from his home. The Greek word to look for (Greek: anazeteo) suggests a very lengthy search implying difficulty on the part of Barnabas. Eventually, however, Barnabas caught up with Paul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Syrian Antioch to co-minister with him. Barnabas had recognized Paul’s ability when he observed him preaching in Damascus, and was prepared to introduce him to the Antioch church, just as he had done earlier to the Jerusalem community. In this we see the bridge-building abilities of Barnabas, perhaps another reason the Jerusalem community wisely sent him to Antioch to help facilitate growth there.²⁵² For a whole year they met together with Messiah’s community and taught a large number (11:2526a). What a great team they must have made – Sha’ul the teacher and Barnabas the encourager. One taught the principles of a godly life and the other assured them they could do it with God’s help.²⁵³

Now it was in Syrian Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians (11:26b also see Acts 26:28).The word Christians in the Greek text is Christianoi, which could also be translated Messiah people, and was a term used in derision. The name Christianoi was applied to Gentile believers by Gentile non-believers. Why? Because Jewish believers would have called their Gentile brothers and sisters in the faith by the same term they used for themselves, people belonging to the Way (9:2); while Jewish nonbelievers of Antioch wouldn’t have thought enough about Gentile believers in Yeshua to give them a special name. But in time both Jewish and Gentile believers in Yeshua learned to bear proudly the name that began as a nickname (First Peter 4:16). The name non believing Jews gave to Jewish believers was Natzratim, or Nazarenes, that is, followers of the man from Nazareth. The word in modern Hebrew for Christians remains Notzrim.²⁵⁴

What is the difference between a Jewish Messianic believer and a Hebrew Christian? On the one hand, there are Jews who grow up in religious homes. They go to Shul, they may not be completely kosher like Orthodox Jews, but they are mindful of the commandments of Moshe regarding food. They go to Hebrew school. They observe the feasts. They are connected with the Jewish community and way of life. Then one day, whatever the circumstance, whether through interaction with a person or personal revelation, they are saved. Most likely by another Jew. If this person comes from an Orthodox background the reaction of the family can be severe. Many times they will be excommunicated. In extreme cases, they will be declared dead and a funeral held to emphasize the point. If this person comes from a Reformed Judaism (which has abandoned aspects of Orthodox Jewish worship and ritual in an attempt to adapt to modern changes in social, political, and cultural life), the reaction may not be as severe, but the problem still remains – where does this person go to worship? Do such people have to give up their Jewishness and go to church? No. Messianic congregations have a Torah procession, the parashah is read (see the commentary on Deuteronomy Af – Parashah), some have Davidic dance. They read from the Torah and the prophets, but they also include readings from the B’rit Chadashah. In short, they do not have to abandon their Jewish roots to follow Yeshua as their Messiah. They would call themselves Messianic Jews.

On the other hand, there are ethnic Jews who grow up in secular homes. They have no contact with the Jewish community. If their last name wasn’t Goldware, Levi, or Cohen, you wouldn’t even know they were Jewish. They don’t go to Temple, they either don’t know or don’t care about eating kosher, they didn’t go to Hebrew school and they don’t follow the feasts. Then one day, whatever the circumstance, whether through interaction with a person, most likely a Gentile, or a personal revelation they are saved. They have no Jewish roots to give up. Therefore, they identify with Christ and would go to church. They are Hebrew Christians, but would merely call themselves Christians.

The benevolence of the church: Now at the end of the first year of the co-ministry of Barnabas and Sha’ul, prophets came down from Jerusalem to Syrian Antioch. Now a prophet was one who received direct revelation from God. The early Messianic Community had prophets, like Judah and Silas (15:32), and the church at Antioch had prophets like Lucius the Cyrenian, Simeon called Niger, Manaen (13:1). For one to be a prophet one had to give a near historical prophecy. One of them, named Agabus, stood up and predicted through the Ruach that there was going to be a great famine over all the Roman world. The Greek word for world used here is oikouméne, which means the inhabited world, or the Roman world. Indeed, this took place during the reign of Claudius (23:34, 28:17), who was emperor from 41 AD to 54 AD.

Contemporary records demonstrate that a series of famines affected Mediterranean agriculture during his reign. In the winter of 40/41 AD Rome experienced such a lack of food that stores were only stocked for a week. This crisis continued at least into Claudius’ second year 41/42 AD. Yerushalayim’s status as the “navel of the earth” unfortunately does not include the advantages of a city endowed with natural resources or trading materials. The mountains yields only stone in large quantities and most raw materials are lacking. More significantly, Jerusalem naturally possesses only one real water source, the spring of Siloam (Second Kings 20:20; Second Chronicles 32:2-4; Nehemiah 3:15; Isaiah 8:6, 22:8-11; John 9:7ff).

In times of famine grain supplies were the first to be affected, and here too Tziyon is ill-served by its geographical location, the soil in the surrounding area is notoriously poor in quality. The City’s chief requirements had to be imported from Galilee, Samaria and the Transjordan. However, the capital produced fruits and vegetables, such as olives, dates, vines and honey. While Jerusalem enjoyed a high standard of living, her citizens also suffered from a higher cost of living than the rest of the country. In times of drought and famine, these prices soared and the City experienced special hardships. Any severe disturbance to the wheat and barley production and/or transport could cause the price to escalate more than sixteen times. Only a few exceptional urban centers in the ancient world depended upon foreign imports for their food. Unfortunately, Jerusalem was one of them. In time of need, aid from the diaspora provided a vital source of sustenance, and the diaspora communities felt a strong sense of responsibility to the believers in Judea.²⁵⁵

So the disciples of Syrian Antioch decided to send relief to those kedoshim (brothers and sisters) living in Judea, each according to his ability (Galatians 2:1-10). So the Messianic community in Yerushalayim sent Antioch a teacher in Barnabas, and the church at Antioch sent the Messianic community in Jerusalem relief from the famine. This is in keeping with Romans 15:25-27, when the Gentiles receive spiritual blessings from the Jews, they are obligated to share their material blessings with them. This they did, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Sha’ul (11:29-30). This is the first use of the word elders. They did not send relief to the apostles, but to the elders. This shows that Acts is a transitional book, and the leadership in Tziyon was being transformed from apostles, which ended with the death of John around 98 AD, to elders, which is a permanent office.

The final stage in the Lord’s command recorded in Acts 1:8 had been reached. The Messianic Congregation, being Jewish, had expanded from Jerusalem and Judea to Samaria and to the Gentiles in the most remote part of the earth, then becoming predominately a Gentile Church. The church at Syrian Antioch, begun in this chapter, was to play a leading role for several centuries. But of all its honors, one stands out. It was the church that Paul pastored and from which he was called by the Ruach ha-Kodesh to launch his missionary journeys (see Bm – Paul’s First Missionary Journey).

We are aware, Lord, that during times of hardship and cultural conflict, the people who know their God will be strong and take action. Those who are wise among the people will give understanding to many (Dani’el 11:32-33). May we not be those who are lulled to sleep by the times or driven to despair. May we instead be like warriors in battle trampling down the mud of the streets, fighting because You, Lord, are with us. They will be like mighty warriors treading down muddy streets in war. They will fight, because ADONAI is with them and will put horsemen to shame (Zechariah 10:5).²⁵⁶

Witness to the End of the Earth
11:19 to 28:31

42-62 AD

We are commanded to go and make disciples of all nations, immersing them in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Ruach ha-Kodesh (Matthew 28:19). This commandment is for every true follower of Jesus Christ, not just those with the gift of evangelism. ADONAI wants every disciple to be a dynamic witness for Him. Therefore, it is the Big Idea that runs throughout the first twelve chapters of the books of Acts. Peter was a fisherman, untrained in the fine details of theology, yet the Spirit of God used him in dynamic ways to bring many people to a saving faith in Yeshua as the Messiah.

So here’s the question. How can we be like Peter and share our faith with others in effective ways even when we’re scared and may not really want to? The answer lies in knowing how to use four tools of evangelism: service evangelism, lifestyle evangelism, friendship evangelism, and confrontational evangelism. Let’s open up our evangelism toolbox and learn how to use each one effectively.

Tool Number One: Service Evangelism: Think of service evangelism as a way of sharing the love of Messiah with others in practical ways that meet specific felt needs. It’s giving the cup of cold water to someone who is thirsty (Matthew 10:42). Now, the difference between humanitarian aid and service evangelism projects is that humanitarian aid doesn’t typically share openly about that person and ministry of Jesus Christ, but in service evangelism you do. And as you serve people, with no strings attached, you will quickly discover that they ask you why you are helping them, and this gives you the opportunity to share the gospel, “I’m just sharing God’s love in a practical way. Can we talk about Jesus?” Many times people are both grateful and inquisitive as to why you are helping them, and it gives you a great opportunity to share with them the love of Yeshua. As a result, service evangelism is a simple way to meet human needs while talking about Messiah.

Tool Number Two: Lifestyle Evangelism: This means of evangelism is based upon Jesus’ words to be light in the world: You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden (Matthew 5:14). To be the light that Messiah is referring to simply means that as a believer, I am to reflect who Yeshua is to others. For example, the moon has no ability to generate light on its own; it simply reflects the light of the sun. In the same way, as believers, we are to reflect the light of Christ’s love, mercy, and kindness to others everywhere we go. No doubt you’ve heard some variation of this illustration, “If you were put on trial because you claim to be a believer, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” That’s what we’re talking about in lifestyle evangelism, living out the faith in such a way that others can see the difference and ask you about it.

Tool Number Three: Friendship Evangelism: When my wife and I were at a church plant in La Crosse, Wisconsin, our young son was participating in his first year of T-ball (they hit the baseballs off of batting tee) and I was the manager. A man who lived down the street from us had a son playing on our team and he was my coach. He knew I was a pastor, but I never brought it up. I was earning the right to be his friend. By the end of the season, he asked me some question about the Lord and I was able to invite him to our church. But we were friends first. I think friendship evangelism operates in a similar way to another statement Jesus made about believers in Matthew 5:13. Salt was used to preserve meat without refrigeration, and salt is also a flavor enhancer. I believe as we build relationships with unbelievers, and they get to know us and we them, our friendships can act like a flavor enhancer bringing out the God flavors of His Word. I like how The Message version of the Bible puts it: Let Me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth (Matthew 5:13). When we become friends with an unbeliever, our friendship becomes a God-ordained flavor enhancer that draws them to Yeshua.

Tool Number Four: Confrontational Evangelism: I consider most street preachers to be very confrontational in their approach to evangelism. It makes me uncomfortable most of the time, it certainly isn’t for everyone, but it sure is effective in the right context. Sometimes, timing is everything. There are crisis points in people’s lives where they are more open. Sometimes the death of a family member or close friend will open the door of opportunity. There is no better time. Many people have talked to their parent on their deathbed about the Lord who never wanted to hear about Him during their lifetime.

So now you have a full toolbox of evangelistic tools that you can choose from, depending on the situation you find yourself in. Just remember, if you have the opportunity to lead someone to the Lord, great, but otherwise, just keep sowing the seed of the gospel. As you do so, the Spirit of God will do the rest of the work, drawing people into a relationship with Jesus Christ.²⁴⁴