Lesson 14: Through Many Tribulations (Acts 14)

On the day of Pentecost, Peter proclaimed that Jesus was crucified, then raised and ultimately exalted (Acts 2.23,32-33). Paul proclaimed the same when he proclaimed the gospel at Pisidian Antioch (Acts 13.28,32-33,37). Jesus is now the exalted King, but His exaltation came through suffering. Significantly, while on this earth Jesus told His disciples that they too would be persecuted, but would then inherit eternal life (Mark 10.30).

In our study of Acts we’ve already noted how the disciples suffered for the cause of Jesus (see Acts 5.40-41; 8.1-4). In this lesson we will note how Paul also suffered the cause of Christ. But, that is of no concern to the faithful, because it is “through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14.22).

Notes From The Text:

Vss. 1-7, At Iconium

• Vs. 1, Iconium was located ~75 miles from Pisidian Antioch and was one of the chief cities of Galatia. Two important trade routes passed through the city and it lay on the road leading to Ephesus.
• Vs. 2, “unbelieving” is literally “disobedient”. To truly believe as those in vs. 1 will result in obedience. To not believe the message always results in disobedience.
• Vs. 4, the gospel message always results in division between those who will believe and those who will not (see Matthew 10.34; Luke 12.53). Note: the word “apostle” means “one sent”. Paul and Barnabas were both sent out by the Holy Spirit on this work (see Acts 13.4). The word does not necessarily mean that Barnabas was counted as one of the apostles.
  
• Vs. 6, Lystra was located 18 miles from Iconium and Derbe was some 60 miles further. “The province generally was backward, its inhabitants still speaking a vernacular language during the first century A.D. In this verse it is implied that one crossed a frontier in passing from Iconium to Lystra.” (Archaeological Study Bible)

Vss. 8-20, At Lystra

• Vss. 9-10, while this man’s faith played a role in his healing, it is evident in Scripture that the faith of the recipient was not a requirement for healing (see Acts 3.3-6). That said, the man is an example of obedient faith. He believed so much that when Paul commanded him to “stand upright on your feet”, he immediately “sprang up”.
• Vs. 11, their speaking in Lycaonian explains why Paul and Barnabas did not realize what they were doing (vs. 14).
• Vs. 12, “ the local Zeus, Zeus Ampelites, was portrayed on reliefs as an elderly bearded figure, and because he is sometimes depicted with a young male assistant. The identification by the people of Lystra of Barnabas as Zeus and Paul as Hermes “as he was the bringer of the word” suggests that they thought that the two men were functioning in the way that they envisaged their own gods as acting: the bearded Zeus was the initiator of the action and Hermes was his agent in carrying out the action.” (Anchor)
• Vs. 13, “The response of the Lystrans may be traced to the following legend: Zeus and Hermes once visited the Phrygian hill country, disguised as ordinary men. They were turned away from a thousand homes but finally were welcomed into the humble abode of an elderly couple. The gods turned that house into a temple and destroyed the houses of all who had rejected them.” (Archaeological Study Bible)
• Vs. 14, contrast with Herod in Acts 12.22-23.
• Vs. 15, “On the one hand was a God who was the maker of all things and who was all powerful, and on the other hand the gods who had been made by the hands of men, and who were powerless.” (Garreth Reese)
• Vss. 16-17, God may have allowed the nations to go their own way, but His desire for their salvation was apparent by His leaving witness. Significantly, Paul and Barnabas credited Jehovah God with the very blessings associated with Zeus.
• Vs. 19, the Jews from Antioch would have traveled close to 100 miles to reach Lystra. Note: a young Timothy may have witnessed the stoning of Paul (see Acts 16.1; 2Timothy 3.11).

Vss. 21-28, Return To Antioch

• Vs. 21, from Derbe they could have traveled east to Tarsus and then on to Syrian Antioch. However, they saw their responsibility to further strengthen the disciples recently won over to Christ.
• Vs. 22
  • The life of a disciple can truly be described as “continuing in the faith” (cf. Ephesians 1.1).
  • Paul had earlier proclaimed that Jesus’ crucifixion led to His exaltation (Acts 13.28-30). Disciples of His will follow the same pattern; rejection by this world, but exaltation with God in His Kingdom await! (Mark 10.30; John 15.20; 1Peter 5.10).
• Vs. 23, some find it remarkable that elders could appointed so soon, especially given the qualifications laid out in Titus 1 and 1Timothy 3. It should be taken into consideration that this first journey of Paul’s likely lasted some four years (~ AD 44-48). Also, many of the first converts would have been either Jews and/or God-fearers (i.e. Gentiles who worshiped Jehovah). They would have already been well on the way to meeting the requirements of shepherding God’s people.
• Vss. 26-27, note how God was credited for all that had been accomplished. In Antioch they had been “commended to the grace of God” for the work they would do. When they returned “they declared all that God… how He had opened a door of faith” Truly, “we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us” (2Corinthians 4.7).