A Divided Response to the Gospel

Acts 14:1-28

At Iconium

1 Now it happened in Iconium that they went together to the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude both of the Jews and of the Greeks believed. 2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren. 3 Therefore they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who was bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.

4 But the multitude of the city was divided: part sided with the Jews, and part with the apostles. 5 And when a violent attempt was made by both the Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to abuse and stone them, 6 they became aware of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding region. 7 And they were preaching the gospel there.

Idolatry at Lystra

8 And in Lystra a certain man without strength in his feet was sitting, a cripple from his mother's womb, who had never walked. 9 This man heard Paul speaking. Paul, observing him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed, 10 said with a loud voice, "Stand up straight on your feet!" And he leaped and walked. 11 Now when the people saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying in the Lycaonian language, "The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!" 12 And Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. 13 Then the priest of Zeus, whose temple was in front of their city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, intending to sacrifice with the multitudes.

14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their clothes and ran in among the multitude, crying out 15 and saying, "Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them, 16 who in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways. 17 Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness." 18 And with these sayings they could scarcely restrain the multitudes from sacrificing to them.

Stoning, Escape to Derbe

19 Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there; and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. 20 However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city. And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.

Strengthening the Converts

21 And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God." 23 So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed. 24 And after they had passed through Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia. 25 Now when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia. 26 From there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work which they had completed.

27 Now when they had come and gathered the church together, they reported all that God had done with them, and that He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. 28 So they stayed there a long time with the disciples.

When team Paul and Barnabas arrived in Iconium to teach and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, there was a divided response much like before at Antioch.  Once again they spoke in the gathering place of the Jews, the synagogue, and once more both Jews and Gentiles listened to the words of this life (Acts 5:20) found in believing and receiving Christ.  The word translated as Gentiles Ἕλληνες” here likely means the non-Jewish Greek persons who have been drawn into Judaism and knew the Torah scriptures and not the entirety of the people of all other nations (though they are examples and exemplars of the nations by representation).  These two groups quickly divided over the message that they heard from these two spokesmen of God after many from both parties had believed in the gospel and in Christ Jesus.  Those among the Jews who rejected Jesus turned on the gospel team and slandered them to all who heard them speak of sin, righteousness, the judgment, and eternal life (John 16:8-11, Acts 24:25).  They poisoned the minds of the hearers who had not yet believed where the seed was thrown but kept it from taking root to germinate in their souls (Luke 8:11-12) with lies and deceit to embitter them against the message by maligning the messengers of the gospel of grace and God’s goodwill towards men.  They continued to speak boldly in the Lord and bear witness to His grace in Christ with accompanying signs to prove the power was of God and not them; this pattern occurs throughout Acts until the New Testament scriptures were completed and this proof was no longer needed.  The division against them escalated until their lives were threatened and they moved on to Lystra and Derbe to preach the gospel there.  Unfortunately, their healing with the message made the people there assume the power was of Paul and Barnabas and they imagined that they were Greek gods.  It took much explaining to prove otherwise and prove that they “should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things” instead.  Miraculous healing can make people draw ungodly conclusions if that is the emphasis.  Some Jews followed from Antioch and Iconium to stoned Paul and leave him for dead, but God kept him alive to continue on with Barnabas to Derbe to preach the gospel.  They made many disciples there as commissioned in Matthew 28:19-20 and then put their AILS in perspective as they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch to strengthen and encourage the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith in the midst of persecution which all who live godly and faithfully in Christ will experience (2 Timothy 3:12) in one way or another just as Paul and Barnabas had.  They revisited the converts in Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch in reverse order as visited with the ails of their ministry they suffered (AIL, Antioch Iconium Lystra) and ordained elders in each of those places to watch over the flocks (1 Peter 5:1-4) in their churches as a pattern for us to follow now in a pluralistic leadership model as a guard against a one man rule which could take away humility in serving others due to the temptations of this fallen old man we drag around (Ephesians 4:22, Colossians 3:9-10) and mortify daily with the Spirit’s enabling power (Romans 8:13) working in us for our sanctification.  They ended up back in Antioch where “they had been commended to the grace of God for the work which they had completed.”  There they reported God’s work extending beyond the Jews to the nations as promised through Abraham and stayed for a long time to revel in God’s grace and gospel they were privileged to be in the midst of.  We remember that there will always be a divided response to the gospel we bring and even persecution with words or violence even, but the glory given to the Lord in the name of Christ and the souls set free from sin’s bonds and the resulting wrath of God on sin lifted makes it all worthwhile!