Verse 1. "Now there were at Antioch, in the
church that was there, prophets and teachers: Barnabas, and Simeon who
was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen who had been brought
up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul."
Encountering lists of names in Scripture, you sometimes might wonder:
Who are these people? We know quite a lot about Barnabas: He gave
up his property for others (Acts 4:36-37); he supported Paul (Saul –
Acts 9:27); he made mistakes (Galatians 2:13); but Paul highly regarded
him (Galatians 2:1,9). Lucius of Cyrene was an African, and less is
known, except he was likely the one also mentioned in Romans 16:21. As
to Manaen, the phrase used here is literally that he was the
"foster-brother" of Herod. He had been close to "royalty" and perhaps
gave up much when he came to Christ.
Simeon, as it says, was also called "Niger" which simply meant "the
black". It’s very possible (but not certain) that Lucius and Simeon were
"black" men. However, that which is notable about all of these men is
the presence of the Holy Spirit of God in their lives (they were
"prophets and teachers"). Over one million people depart this earth
(die) every month. When we go, our earthly "labels" will be of little
consequence. Manaen was likely raised with a "silver spoon in his mouth"
(he was wealthy and well-connected), but none of that is important
anymore. A time is at hand when all that matters is whether or not we
are in Christ.
Verse 2. "While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the
Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to
which I have called them.’"
Those who want to serve the Lord will be satisfied. They had been
"ministering to the Lord and fasting" prior to the Holy Spirit’s call to
a new work of God. Sometimes it takes awhile for the call to come. When
Moses killed the Egyptian and separated two Hebrews who were in a
dispute (Exodus 2:11-14), he felt he was in a position to "deliver" his
people. He was indeed the man, but it was forty years before God
used him (Acts 7:29-30). John the Apostle was long in exile on the
island of Patmos (Revelation 1:9), and Paul spent three years in Arabia
(Galatians 1:17-18), before he was sent by God.
The point in this: Don’t lost heart! Sometimes people are used
immediately in God’s service, and other times it takes years. Our job is
simple – whether we are "used" of God or not, we are to minister to the
God who made us. If our role is "large" or small, it does not matter –
we simply serve Him and love Him in whatever context we are in. And God will
"set apart" His people.
Verse 3. "Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands
on them, they sent them away."
Note they did not immediately act on the prophesy ("the Holy Spirit
said" – verse 2), but instead they diligently sought the Lord as they
considered the prophetic word. "Do NOT quench the spirit and do not
despise prophetic utterances," we are properly taught in 1st
Thessalonians 5:19-20. Nothing has changed today, for God does
communicate with His people. However, Paul continues "But examine
everything carefully" (1st Thessalonians 5:21), and that is equally good
advice.
Yes, we are to RECEIVE that which is of the Lord, and in addition we
are also to pray, in relation to, well – everything! That’s part
of what Paul meant in 1st Thessalonians 5:17, when he
commanded, "pray without ceasing." And there is more – When they were
satisfied that this was a direction from the LORD (and no other spirit)
– They acted! Immediately they were sent, as He had directed them. When
you know it’s the Lord, don’t hesitate – just go (you’ll be glad
you did).
Verse 4. "So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to
Seleucia and from there they sailed to Cyprus."
"Being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went!" And they didn’t go
just anywhere, but went in the direction led by the Holy Spirit – to
Seleucia and they to the island of Cyprus. They came from Antioch (verse
1) which is interesting, because there were sixteen cities named
"Antioch" in the region. Seleucus Nicator of Syria named all of the
towns in honor of his father Antiochus. The one Paul and Barnabas left
was likely the Antioch which was a few miles inland from Seleucia, on
the Mediterranean coast.
They wasted no time there, but quickly sailed to the island of
Cyprus. We’ll see in a few verses that God had a very definite purpose
for them. But they knew only a little at this point - to be in their
situation would be to experience the same confusing circumstances we
find in "modern" life. It’s wonderful to see God leading them, for we
can understand through them, that God is continually leading you and me.
We don’t need to see everything – we simply need to be willing and
respond to Him.
Verse 5. "When they reached Salamis, they began to proclaim the word
of God in the synagogues of the Jews; and they also had John as their
helper."
Salamis was the port city where Paul and Barnabas embarked from a
ship on the island of Cyprus, in the Mediterranean Sea. Paul and
Barnabas (or Barnabas and Paul, as they were called at that time) were
Jews, and they began to speak (proclaim) Jesus (the Word of God) in the
Jewish synagogues of that place. A synagogue was a logical place to
start, for they would be conversing with people who had a common
background with their own. Understanding would be possible – even
likely.
The "John" in this verse is actually the "John Mark" of Acts 12:12,
who is the author of the Book of Mark. We explored Scriptural references
about him in Acts 12:12, and you will find information about him in the
commentary on that verse. This was a much younger man than Barnabas and
Paul, and we know that he was a relative of Barnabas - some say a
"nephew" and others a "cousin".
Verse 6. "When they had gone through the whole island as far as
Paphos, they found a magician, a Jewish false prophet whose name was
Bar-Jesus,"
Barnabas and Paul had made their way overland, across the island of
Cyprus, from Seleucia in the east, where they landed from their ship, to
Paphos in the west, where the governor resided. This was a place which
was famous for a temple built to the "goddess" Venus, which was called "Paphian
Venus" at that time.
The need for their arrival was very great, for a Jewish man named
Bar-Jesus, who was also called Elymas the "Sorcerer" (or "Magician") was
giving false prophesies in the place. It was quickly apparent to Paul
and Barnabas, that Bar-Jesus (Son of Jesus) was a discredit to the name
he bore.
Verse 7. "who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of
intelligence. This man
summoned Barnabas
and Saul and sought to hear the word of God."
Bar-Jesus, a false prophet, had the ear of the Gentile procounsel,
Sergius Paulus. As procounsel, Sergius was the Roman governor of the
island. Paul later related these events to Dr. Luke, who was the author
of the Book of Acts, and the information that Sergius Paulus was an
"intelligent" man, would have been the observation of Paul.
I’ve often thought that the real nature of intelligence is not truly
intellect at all, but rather it is the capacity to effectively
listen. To be able to HEAR and comprehend other people; the capacity
to listen to the lessons of history – these are rare gifts. To hear the
Word of God through the Holy Spirit of God, is by far the greatest gift
of all, and the procounsel now sought to hear that Word through Paul and
Barnabas.
Verse 8. "But Elymas the magician (for so his name is translated) was
opposing them,
seeking to turn the
proconsul away from the faith."
This Bar-Jesus, the false prophet, referred to himself as "Elymas"
which is "wise man" in Arabic, for that is what he thought about
himself. But he actually had no wisdom, for he sought to oppose the
Spirit of God. (He was in for a surprise, as are all who oppose God).
This is the test of a man (or woman). We may think highly of
ourselves, but the real test of our character is found in our response
to God (and the people of God). Men like Voltaire or Rousseau may seem
to be very bright men to their contemporaries, but those who say in
their hearts "there is no God" (as they did) are merely "fools" in His
sight (Psalm 14:1).
Verse 9. "But Saul, who was also known as Paul, filled with the Holy
Spirit, fixed his gaze on him,"
Elymas (Bar-Jesus) was now under the scrutiny of the Holy Spirit of
Almighty God, through the Apostle Paul. This man (Paul) was a
formidable opponent in any case, but FILLED as he was, by the Holy
Spirit of God, Elymas was in for a rough time.
We should realize that God is looking intently at each one of us,
right now. None of us can stand up to that scrutiny, which is why need
our Savior, Christ Jesus. When the Father looks at those who love Him,
He sees the Son in us. We are set FREE in Him, from the judgment of God.
Verse 10. "and said, ‘You who are full of all deceit and fraud, you
son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to
make crooked the straight ways of the Lord?’"
Paul now called this Bar-Jesus every name in the book, and led-off by
calling him a deceiver and a fraud (a fake). "Son of the devil" was very
heavy indeed, and so is "enemy of all righteousness." By stating he made
"crooked the straight ways…" he was telling the man he was precisely the
opposite of John the Baptist, who made "straight" the way of the Lord
(Matthew 3:3, quoting Isaiah 40:3).
There is nothing more disliked in the sight of God than
hypocrisy. Bar-Jesus was a false prophet, who pretended to be a godly
man, when in fact he led people AWAY from the true God. The Pharisees of
Jesus’ time did that; saying that the works of Jesus were of the "devil"
(Matthew 12:24). Jesus responded that "blasphemy (slander) against the
Spirit will not be forgiven" (Matthew 12:31). Just like the Pharisees
before him, this Bar-Jesus (Elymas) was in deep trouble.
Verse 11. "’Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you
will be blind and
not see the sun for a
time.’ And immediately a mist and a darkness fell upon him, and he went
about seeking those who would lead him by the hand."
Blindness was certainly an appropriate penalty (limitation) to be
placed into the life of Bar-Jesus (or "Elymas"). He had been pretending
to "see" (understand) that which others did not see. He had said he was
a "prophet" but he was false (13:6) through and through. Since he had
pretended to "see", he would now become blind by the power of
God.
This would only be "for a time" but he might get the message (as we
also should). God is real and it is extremely unwise and dangerous to
falsely pretend to be His servant. Also note he now had to be led
around. We need to finally understand we need one another, as God
directs. We were created to need one another, whereas Bar-Jesus claimed
to be more than other people, and therefore, by implication, needed
nothing. He was dead wrong.
Verse 12. "Then the proconsul believed when he saw what had happened,
being amazed at the teaching of the Lord."
It is so reasonable to trust in the Lord. To not trust in Him is to
lose everything. To not trust is to become simply – a fool! This
"Elymas" (preceding verses) had worked hard to turn the procounsul away
from God, but in spite of all that effort, the procounsul now placed his
belief in the Lord. And this is the culmination of all efforts expended
against our Lord. To oppose God is simply a waste of time!
Notice that the key to his belief was not witnessing the sudden the
blindness of Elymas, though that factor was a contributor. Just like the
magicians of Egypt "could not stand before Moses because of the boils"
(Exodus 9:11), this "Elymas" was swatted away from Paul and the
procounsul, like the fly who was after your dinner. It was the Word
of the Lord that captured this man’s heart, and the same will happen
to ALL who openly LISTEN to the Word of God.
Verse 13. "Now Paul and his companions put out to sea from Paphos and
came to Perga in Pamphylia; but John left them and returned to
Jerusalem."
This appears to be such an "innocent" verse, as are many of them, but
dynamic issues are held in the innocent-sounding words "John left them".
The work was completed (for now) on the island of Cyprus, and the party
sailed north and west to the port city of Perga, on the western portion
of the area of Pamphylia. It was at this point that young John Mark
(eventually to be the author of the Book of Mark) left without their
approval.
It’s not completely clear why he left. He may have been lonely for
his home (his mother). The work might have been too much for him. But he
did leave, and the fact of his departure would drive a wedge between
Paul and Barnabas. It is well to remember that the seemingly "innocuous"
verses of Scripture (like) this one, were created by God, just as much
as any other. That which seems not worth a glance, may well be a verse
that touches someone - forever. We should read ALL Scripture and never
rest until our understanding is opened by the Holy Spirit of God.
Verse 14-15. "But going on from Perga, they arrived at Pisidian
Antioch, and on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat
down. After the reading of the Law and the Prophets the synagogue
officials sent to them, saying, ‘Brethren, if you have any word of
exhortation for the people, say it.’"
From Perga, they went north, overland, to another of the many towns
named "Antioch" in that part of the world. This one was in Pisidia,
which is within modern day Turkey. As was the custom for Jewish
travelers, they went to Synagogue on the Sabbath (Saturday). It was also
a custom that Jewish visitors to a Synagogue would be invited to speak,
after the reading of the Law and the Prophets (the Old Testament).
Notice that "witnessing" is not as hard we might think. God is always
preparing circumstances within our life settings, where we may speak of
Him. He may call us out of that setting, but more usually, we simply
speak of Him within an environment we are familiar with. Paul and
Barnabas "knew the ropes" of synagogues, and would now speak to their
own people.
Verse 16. "Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said, ‘Men of
Israel, and you who fear God, listen:’"
Paul was the one who stood up, not Barnabas. Each of these men were
useful in the sight of God. Both were men of faith. But it was Paul who
was being sent specifically as an apostle to the Roman world. Those in
the audience were predominantly Jews, but this was a Roman province.
Paul would be the key speaker.
The "Men of Israel" were those who had been born Jews but had been
"scattered" (see commentary on Hosea 1:4) out of their native land. The
others "you who fear God" were converts to Judaism. Paul motioned with
his hand, exhorting them to "LISTEN" – and you can be sure they were
doing just that. God had not picked a man who would be LIKED – He had
picked a faithful man who would be HEARD.
Verse 17. "The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made
the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with an
uplifted arm He led them out from it."
The verses that follow are typical of many of the sermons given to
Jewish audiences by leaders of the early Church. A direct line was
simply drawn between the "fathers" (in this verse Moses) and Jesus
Christ. This was precisely the approach of Stephen in Acts Chapter 7.
Such a line from the "fathers" to Christ does perfectly exist, and we
must never "divorce" the Old Testament from the New. The "Old"
and the New Testaments both come from the same Lord.
Note that God, directly and through Moses, led them out of Egypt with
mighty power. This is precisely the same with Jesus Christ. The people
Israel became slaves in Egypt, like you and I became slaves to sin. God
delivered them from the Egyptians, and in Christ, we are delivered also.
In each case, a people had gone into slavery, and in each case, God
delivered them with an "uplifted arm."
Verse 18. "For a period of about forty years He put up with them in
the wilderness."
Moses and God endured the conduct and attitudes of the nation
Israel, during the 40-years they were in the wilderness. They weren’t
unique, because, even though we tend to think highly of ourselves, we,
the people of God, are often an exasperation to Him. Moses was vexed
with that people, and so was the Lord. The Lord is patient with us, but
we tend to be just like Israel, in that we run "every which way" after
some doctrine or person (just like the rebellious children who made us
wonder why we ever had them).
Verse 19. "When He had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan,
He distributed their land as an inheritance all of which took about four
hundred and fifty years."
Though His people tend to be such that "He put up with them" (verse
18), God gives much – He blesses His people. Our focus has often been on
what we don’t have. "If only (we) had… (insert your name and your
situation). We have a serious case of the "if onlys" but God blesses His
people anyway – Just like He did with the nation Israel.
Here Paul places the 450 years when Israel conquered Palestine (in
the power of God), into one verse. I wonder how many "nations" of
difficulties God has destroyed in your life, to get you to the
place you are today? Our focus is often on our income, our
health, our happiness, etc., but God destroys "nations" of demons
who are leagued against us to destroy our faith. It is the gift of faith
in Him that is our victory in Christ Jesus.
Verse 20. "After these things He gave them judges until Samuel the
prophet."
As we read the Book of Judges, we find a series of leaders of the
nation Israel, called "Judges" by the people. Included were a bunch of
odd characters, like Gideon and Sampson. And then came Samuel (1 Samuel
1 and forward), a wonderful man; an example to the people of that
nation (Israel). Though they weren’t quite like a nation in those years
– more like a bunch of feudal states that came together from
time-to-time. When they came together, it was under one of the "judges"
mentioned in this verse.
Verse 21. "Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son
of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years."
A good man (Samuel) can have bad sons and Samuel’s boys were a mess.
He appointed them (Joel and Abijah) to be judges over Israel when he
became old (1 Samuel 8:1), but the sons "did not walk in his ways; they
turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice"
(1 Samuel 8:3). The people were fed up with all of this and "all the
elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah …
(saying) … make for us a king…" (1 Samuel 8:4-5).
What they did sounds very reasonable but they made the mistake we all
make – they wanted something out of frustration and did not seek the
Lord in prayer. Samuel was "displeased" (1 Samuel 8:6) and "prayed to
the Lord." All this had hurt his feelings but God comforted him: "They
have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I (God) should
not rule over them" (1 Samuel 8:7). They would now get their king but he
would be a very bad man, who would outwardly be a religious Jew, but he
was a hypocrite before God, a bad king who was to mislead the people for
40-years.
Verse 22. "After He had removed him, He raised up David to be their
king, concerning whom He also testified and said, ‘I have found David
the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My will.’"
Notice that "AFTER" Saul had been removed, David was raised up by God
to be their king. Actually, David was anointed as king by Samuel, while
Saul was still on the throne. David’s anointing is reflected in 1 Samuel
16:13, but Saul did not become a suicide until 1 Samuel 31:4. From God’s
perspective, the authority was lifted from Saul and given to David, many
years before the man actually left the throne. You’ll see this often,
that the power of God will leave a man LONG before he is out of public
view.
The contrast between David and Saul is wonderful. They were both
religious men. They were both sinners. They made mistakes. Each was a
brave man in his own way. But for all his flaws, David was a man of God.
The "Spirit of the Lord was upon David" from the day of his anointing (1
Samuel 16:13) but I think Saul did not even know what that meant. In
spite of all the times David fell, his HEART was to do the will of God.
And God loved him for it.
Verse 23. "From the descendants of this man, according to promise,
God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus,"
It is essential to our understanding of Jesus Christ that He fulfills
the Old Testament prophesies about the Messiah. One of those prophesies
is that He would be the human descendent of King David. A specific
instance is Isaiah 11:1, where we see that Messiah would be "from the
stem of Jesse" (David’s father). Peter (in Acts 2:30), cited Psalm
132:11, where it was reported that God promised, "I will set upon your
(David’s) throne the fruit of your body." The Holy Spirit through Peter,
made sure (Acts 2:30) we would understand that this prophesy was about
Jesus the Savior; not Solomon the king.
The God-man Jesus, is indeed a king, but He is also so much more. Our
religious leaders are fallible and our politicians make mistakes. Some
of them are good leaders, but none of them can save us from our sins or
deliver us from death. O how we need a Savior, and we HAVE Him, in
Christ Jesus, who died that we might become free.
Verse 24. "after John had proclaimed before His coming a baptism of
repentance to all the people of Israel.
This is, of course, John the Baptist, and those who would oppose our
Lord, have to deal with this man. He was very much like an Old Testament
prophet, full of the Holy Spirit and the fire of God. He was also a
cautious man who was extremely careful that no misunderstanding would
occur about him or his ministry. His job was to "make straight" (Luke
3:8 - bring to repentance) those who would soon meet the Messiah. The
words and deeds of John were carefully reported by Matthew, Mark, Luke,
and John the Apostle. He pointed to Jesus Christ and authenticated His
ministry for your life and mine.
Verse 25. "And while John was completing his course, he kept saying,
‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not He. But behold, one is coming
after me the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’"
John the Baptist LISTENED to the Holy Spirit of God. He was able to
resist the suggestions that he might be the Messiah, for two reasons,
the one related to the other: 1) He knew he was not, because the Holy
Spirit had communicated to Him, that ANOTHER would perform that function
in relation to humanity, and 2) He was a genuinely humble man. The
definition of "humility" here is "being yourself." He knew who he was
and who he wasn’t, and you could say about him, "what you see is what
you get" – a simple, genuine man of God.
He knew the Messiah would be SPECIAL – far beyond any man, including
himself. John quotes him as follows (transliterated from John 1:27): "I
am not worthy to even be His servant and unloose His sandals" (as a
servant would, when his master returned home in the evening). When we
recognize, as John did, exactly who Jesus is, we will reasonably WORSHIP
Him, for He is our Savior and our Lord.
Verse 26. "Brethren, sons of Abraham's family, and those among you
who fear God, to us the message of this salvation has been sent."
This is a great, important facet of the good news (gospel) about
Jesus Christ – it is so intensely PERSONAL! – To US the message
is sent! I may read about notable persons and interesting events in a
book or a newspaper. But while they may be fascinating, they have little
to do with me. These were Jewish people ("sons of Abraham’s family"),
and God-fearers (converts to Judaism), who were waiting for the Messiah
to appear. And Paul was pointing out that the Good News of Jesus Christ
was for THEM (and for you). He is here and He’s here for YOU!
Jesus is just that personal for every one of us. Jesus died and rose
again for the sins of the world, not just Israel. These Jews
should have shouted for joy that so much prophesy was fulfilled in this
one Man. Many of them would not understand, but some would, for there
always is a "remnant (among them) according to the election of grace"
(Romans 11:5). God has never "cast away His people" (Romans 121:2), but
there is a "window" of time right now for the "Gentiles" of this world.
We need to turn to Him quickly and be saved (while there is time).
Verse 27. "For those who live in Jerusalem, and their rulers,
recognizing neither Him nor the utterances of the prophets which are
read every Sabbath, fulfilled these by condemning Him."
People are fascinated by evil and quick to make trouble. Yet, out of
the "bent" natures of people (as C. S. Lewis put it), God can bring good
to the world. The human motives in the death sentence of Jesus Christ
were very poor – He had legitimate power from God and the rulers were
jealous of Him. But all they really did was fulfill Scripture and bring
Him to the place where He would die for their sins and ours. David
prophesied hundreds of years before He was born, "the assembly of the
wicked encircled Me, they pierced My hands and My feet" (Psalm 22:16).
Jesus would die for our sins.
Isaiah the Prophet told us that Jesus would be "wounded for our
transgressions, bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement for our
peace (would be) upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed" (Isaiah
53:5). It’s incredible that the leaders of Jesus’ time, just like now,
had read the Law and the Prophets every Sabbath, but did not recognize
their Savior when He appeared. We tend to make similar mistakes when we
value our doctrinal beliefs more than the love of God which is in Christ
Jesus.
Verse 28. "And though they found no ground for putting Him to death,
they asked Pilate that He be executed."
There was no valid reason (in human terms) for the death of the Lord
Jesus. He was innocent and they killed Him. At that time, the Jews had
no power to invoke the death penalty, for they were subject to the Roman
Empire. But that didn’t stop them, because they asked the Roman Governor
(Pilate) to do the job for them.
From God’s point of view, all this had great purpose and meaning for
you and for me. Jesus came "to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself"
(Hebrews 9:26). But an innocent Man was killed and those who caused His
death are guilty of His blood. Actually, we are all guilty, because the
true necessity for His death was our sins. He died for YOUR sin (and
mine). We needed Him and He paid the price.
Verse 29. "When they had carried out all that was written concerning
Him, they took
Him down from the cross and
laid Him in a tomb."
He did not die until they (the Jewish leaders who were against Him)
had carried out all that had been prophesied about Him. Only when those
prophesies were fulfilled, did He die. The people involved did their
dirty work, and then He was taken from the tree and laid in a tomb. But
behind all of these events was the Lord God, offering Jesus as the
sacrifice for our sins. Behind the cross was the love of the Father,
even to the giving of His Son, out of His love for you and for me.
This is true of all human events. When people treat you badly, and
things go terribly wrong, remember that God is behind all events,
orchestrating them for your good and His glory. Trust Him. Your hopes
may be dead, but God, as we see in the next verse, gives life to the
dead.
Verse 30. "But God raised Him from the dead;"
"But God raised Him from the dead." Christ made the claim that He is
your Savior, in many different ways. We have discussed prophesies which
made that claim, hundreds of years before He was born on this planet.
That He has been raised from the dead is your great hope. All humans die
and the rate is currently over a million deaths per month. But "in
Christ, all shall be made alive" (1 Corinthians 15:22).
Death is like an "enemy" to us. No matter how hard we try, and how
sincere we may be, we lose it all in death. Our money, our career, our
marriage – we lose everything when we die. Yet a time is coming when all
Christ’s enemies will be placed "under His feet" and "the last enemy
that will be destroyed is death" (1 Corinthians 15:25-26). We have the
VICTORY (life) in Him who was raised from the dead. As He lives, so
shall we, if we just TRUST in Him.
Verse 31. "and for many days He appeared to those who came up with
Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, the very ones who are now His witnesses
to the people."
What if God the Father had not PUBLICLY raised Christ from the dead?
Jesus had done the work (died for our sins) and could have simply
returned to the Father, who then could have said something like "Good
job, Son," and that would be that. We would then have to muster up faith
in a resurrection for which we had no evidence. But there is evidence,
consisting of considerable eye witness testimony - He is ALIVE!
He was seen often and by many people – those who had walked with Him,
were given the reward of seeing Him raised from death. God understands
our need to have EVIDENCE for what we believe. In a courtroom, a judge
essentially places his faith in the evidence of one side or the other.
"Jesus was seen by Cephas (Peter); then by the twelve (the other
apostles); after that He was seen by over 500 brethren at once" (1
Corinthians 15:5-6). These people told what they saw (the Risen Christ),
which is eye witness testimony given to you and to me. We have ample
evidence for what we believe.
Verse 32. "And we preach to you the good news of the promise made to
the fathers,"
Again, Paul establishes the direct link between "the fathers"
(Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the rest) and Jesus Christ. Israel was
created by God as the "setting" for the Messiah, much like a precious
diamond is placed on black velvet in a jeweler’s shop. And the "good
news" (the Gospel) was first given to the Jews. This "good news" is an
offer of relationship, which is extended to all – our job is to
say "yes" to Him.
The "Promise" is Jesus Christ. Abraham was promised that a "Seed"
would come from his lineage, which was extended through the "fathers" of
that line, through Isaac, Jacob, and Judah. This "Promise" was to come
through David, and eventually came through Mary, the mother of Jesus.
That the "Promise" became a man is very good news, because it is clear
He understands every one of your needs.
Verse 33. "that God has fulfilled this promise to our children in
that He raised up Jesus, as it is also written in the second Psalm, ‘You
are My Son; today I have begotten You.’"
David’s understanding of God and person of the Messiah, is simply
astounding. Here Paul quoted David, who wrote many Psalms, such as this
one: "The Lord said to Me, You are My Son; today I have begotten You"
(Psalm 2:7). Paul, in "our" verse in Acts, relates this as a prophetic
"promise" about the Messiah – He would be the Son of God. And indeed,
Jesus is the "only begotten (unique) Son," as we see in John 3:16.
David made many astonishing references (promises) about the Messiah.
A favorite of mine is Psalm 110:1, where he said "The Lord said to my
Lord, sit at My right hand, until I make Your enemies Your footstool."
David the King, had a Lord, and His Lord also had a Lord – a direct
reference to the trinity. He understood that God is One, and yet God is
more than "One" from a human perspective – They certainly are One in
Love, which is hard for us to understand, for as humans, we often lack
love.
Verse 34 "As for the fact that He raised Him up from the dead, no
longer to return to decay, He has spoken in this way: ‘I will give you
the holy and sure blessings of David.’"
Paul’s sermon at Antioch in Pisidia continues, and it is reminiscent
of the sermon Peter gave us on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2). The Early
Church did not initially have the letters of Paul, but for an
understanding of grace you can hardly top David, and the first
Christians took to him like a duck to water. David also understood
Christ, in ways it is hard for us to comprehend. The Holy Spirit gave
wonderfully to David, and the Early Church understood that gift, very
well.
I spoke to a Hebrew scholar once about the wonderful comprehension
the Lord gave David, and he said "that’s impossible" for the scholar
thought our beliefs "evolved" and the doctrine of the Trinity "hadn’t
been invented yet." Actually, we invented nothing – It is simply that
God REVEALED much to David. The Early Church saw this, as did Isaiah,
when he said "I will make an everlasting covenant with you, according to
the faithful mercies shown to David" (Isaiah 55:3). Isaiah was another
who looked ahead and saw Messiah, Who would die for our sins (Isaiah
53).
Verse 35. "Therefore He also says in another Psalm, ‘You will not
allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.’"
This is a quote from the 16th Psalm, where David,
correctly termed a "prophet" by Peter (Acts 2:30), spoke of the Messiah,
hundreds of years before He was born. In that same sermon, Peter quoted
this precise verse (Psalm 16:27), and related it, as Paul does, to Jesus
Christ.
Jesus did not decay in the tomb. He was dead ("Christ DIED for our
sins" – 1 Corinthians 15:3), and He awaited the bodily resurrection
which came on the third day. The Father permitted the death but further
mortification was not allowed. His enemies were allowed their moment of
pleasure at His death, but now He is ALIVE, and his enemies (unless they
turned to Him) are dead in their sins. He did not decay – but they did.
Verse 36. "For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his
own generation, fell
asleep, and was laid
among his fathers and underwent decay;"
It could be that a reader might get confused and think the Scriptures
in Psalm 16, referred not to Christ but instead to David. And some have
indeed taught that David referred to himself. Lest we make that error,
Paul carefully reminds us that King David indeed did die, but unlike the
One spoken of in that Psalm, David actually did suffer the decay of
death. If they dug him up, his flesh would be gone, and only the bones
would be left, unless they also had turned to dust over the millennia.
Psalm 16 is about our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Verse 37. "but He whom God raised did not undergo decay."
The Lord Jesus is Risen from the dead. He did indeed die and
performed that act for a purpose – He died for our sins. As part of that
process, it was not necessary that His body experience the decay of
death, while in the tomb. He fulfilled the purpose of His death while on
the cross, and any "decay" was unnecessary.
There is a quasi-legal term, called "efficiency gain." A legal test
of whether some act you might have committed made sense or not, is a
determination of whether or not there was some kind of "efficiency gain"
in what you did. In other words, would a reasonable man, in your place,
do the same thing? Nothing happened to our Lord except what was
permitted in order to benefit you and me. No decay occurred, because it
was unnecessary and not needed.
Verse 38. "Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through
Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you,"
People are often puzzled by the death on the cross of the Lord Jesus.
And there are those who ask legitimately what it means – they simply do
not understand. The answer is right here in this verse and the next one.
We are sinners in the sight of God. He is holy (set apart from all sin)
and we are not. The differences between us, to use a divorce court term,
are "irreconcilable". But Jesus died on the cross that we might receive
forgiveness for our sin. We are joined to God through our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ.
When my daughter was little, I agreed to watch a dog for the summer,
while the owner traveled to Europe. The first evening, the dog jumped on
my daughter and began to tear her face – over 50-stitches were needed to
put my little girl back together. That dog was permanently gone from our
lives that night! No matter how much he wagged his little tail, he was
gone! In the sight of God, we are just like that dog and something must
HAPPEN to restore us to Him. Something HAS happened. We are FORGIVEN in
Christ Jesus and God RECEIVES that forgiveness (and us with it) because
of His Son.
Verse 39. "and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all
things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses."
Down inside of us is a nagging understanding that something is wrong
– wrong with the world, wrong with my country, my family – wrong with
me! We tried to live good lives and often we arrange our thinking so
that we think we did. A "clever" move by a lot of people is to 1) avoid
the blame by 2) blaming someone else. But way down deep, we know we are
not free from sin.
The Law of Moses defines sin. As Paul told us in Romans 7, "thou
shalt not covet" is a "killer", because all of us have likely wanted
something that was not ours, at some time or another. And Jesus revealed
to us that the one who is angry is in danger of judgement (Matthew
5:21-22). Further, the one who simply looks with longing at a woman (or
man) has "already committed adultery with her in her heart" (Matthew
5:28). There is no way to the Law, but if you BELIEVE in Jesus, you are
set free from the Law and from all things.
Verse 40. "Therefore take heed, so that the thing spoken of in the
Prophets may not come upon you:"
There are plenty of candidates in the Old Testament for the "thing
spoken of" in this verse. But let’s take the worst possible one for this
verse, which I define as "punishment without remedy" (no hope that
things will ever get any better). Take a look at Isaiah 66:24, where the
Lord discusses those "who have transgressed against Me. For their worm
shall not die, and their fire shall not be quenched." Their judgment is
unending.
This was presented also during the ministry of Jesus, when He used
similar terms: "their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched"
(Mark 9:48), and He relates this phrase to being "cast into hell" (Mark
9:47). We really have two choices. We can try to be right with God
through living a good life (obeying the Law of Moses), or by trusting in
Christ. In Acts 13:39, we have seen that human righteousness will not
succeed – You can only be set free by placing your faith in Jesus
Christ. There is no other way.
Verse 41. "Behold, you scoffers, and marvel, and perish; for I am
accomplishing a work in your days, a work which you will never believe,
though someone should describe it to you.’"
There was nobody in Scripture quite as surprised at the actions of
God, as Habakkuk the Prophet. Paul quotes him (Habakkuk 1:5) here in
Acts 13:41. Habakkuk had been praying for RIGHTEOUSNESS to come to his
people, and God answered him by the words of this verse. God would send
the fierce and ungodly CHALDEANS to judge that nation. Habakkuk was
horrified (surprised by God) but finally he was simply able to TRUST in
the decision of the Lord. There was no other way – If there was a
"gentle" method to save the people, God would use it – but the people
had not turned when He was gentle.
The analogy being made is this: We are surprised by the cross
of Jesus Christ. It is not what we expected that God would do. Many of
us thought of ourselves as pretty "good" people, but the cross declares
us ALL to be sinners, in danger of hell-fire. And it only allows us to
be justified through FAITH – there is no other way. C. S. Lewis said
that if you got rid of the "cabbage leaves" and "storks" and simply
explained the truth of the reproductive process to a small child, they
would likely not believe you – it is "too preposterous to be received."
And yet it is true – just like the cross of Jesus Christ.
Verse 42. "As Paul and Barnabas were going out, the people kept
begging that these things might be spoken to them the next Sabbath."
The people of the synagogue had been caught by surprise. They heard
the TRUTH of the words of Paul, and felt the TUG of the Holy Spirit
inside. The Scriptures Paul used were appropriate – they KNEW it inside
themselves. That’s the way of it for every one of us. I remember the
night I received Christ. It wasn’t the words of the preacher, it was the
reality of the Holy Spirit Who was tugging at my "heart" to go forward.
I didn’t want to go, but I went, because He drew me. They begged Paul
and Barnabas to return on the very next Saturday and speak to them
again.
Verse 43. "Now when the meeting of the synagogue had broken up, many
of the Jews
and of the God-fearing
proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, were
urging them to continue in the grace of God."
We are saved by the grace of God. In opposition to that grace is the
Law. Not that the Law is "bad" by any means – the Law is good. But the
purpose of the Law is to reveal to us that we are sinners, whereas the
grace of God (expressed with perfect eloquence through Christ’s death on
the cross) is to save us from sin. Many of the Jews and the
"God-fearers" (converts to Judaism) followed Paul and Barnabas for some
distance.
And what advice did they give? What is the last word that you and I
need to hear? It is that we must "continue in the grace of God." Grace
is the "unmerited favor" of God. And if we attempt to MERIT His favor,
through some actions of our own, we will fail. Yes, God wants us to live
godly lives – but it is HIS strength, not our own, which is to
accomplish that purpose.
Verse 44. "The next Sabbath nearly the whole city assembled to hear
the word of the Lord."
As mentioned previously, the Holy Spirit really knows how to draw a
crowd. I remember Stanley Johnson, from years ago. This kindly little
man could walk into a room, recite the same verses we all know, and
within 15- or 20-minutes, everyone within that room would be bowing
their heads and receiving Christ as Savior and Lord. Stanley was a
wonderful person, but it wasn’t Stanley who drew the people – it was the
Holy Spirit in him Who did that work.
Just like with Paul and Barnabas. Yes, they were faithful, and yes,
they quoted Scripture, and yes, they were eloquent and convincing – but
it was the Holy Spirit of God who drew "nearly the whole city" to hear
them. We must never forget that it is GOD who brings these things to
pass, and we are simply His workmen, carrying out that which He does so
well. There is a REST to be had by trusting in Him, instead of thinking
we have to somehow act "for Him" (to act in our strength "for Him" is to
act for ourselves).
Verse 45. "But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with
jealousy and began
contradicting the things
spoken by Paul, and were blaspheming."
This "jealousy" is based in the "coveting" Paul was troubled by in
Romans 7, and has been discussed in this chapter (the commentary on
verse 39). Not all of the Jews went down this road, but a significant
number of them began contradicting Paul, and crossed a terrible line –
they were blaspheming God. "Blasphemy" is essentially "slander", in
which the innocent words or actions of a person are twisted and made to
seem bad. The Person who was being slandered at this time, was God
Himself.
When we speak the words of God, we are simply His agents, doing the
work He has assigned us to do. When someone comes against us, and speaks
evil about us, their words are actually against God Himself. David the
King never did any harm to King Saul – he kept referring to Saul as
"God’s anointed" and would not hurt him. The person who speaks to us in
the name of God, is special to Him, and we should be very slow to say or
do anything against that person.
Verse 46. "Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, ‘It was
necessary that the word
of God be spoken to
you first; since you repudiate it and judge yourselves unworthy of
eternal life, behold, we are turning to the
Gentiles.’"
Paul and Barnabas had been called by God to speak to the Jews first.
They went to the synagogues before they went to the Gentiles, because He
had drawn them to do just that. Yes, they felt comfortable in the
familiar setting of the synagogue, but it was the Holy Spirit who
brought them there. This is what is meant by the phrase "it was
necessary" in this verse.
When we insist on good works (and repudiate His way of faith) as the
means of salvation, we judge ourselves as unworthy of eternal life.
Everyone understands there are "rules" in life, and if we don’t follow
them, we can end up in jail! God has a "rule" that is absolutely
essential for us all: We are to trust in His Son, as the way in which we
may become acceptable to Him. It is not our works but His (Christ’s),
that make the difference. By receiving Him, we receive what He has done.
Otherwise, we remain "unworthy" in the sight of God.
Verse 47. "For so the Lord has commanded us, "I have placed you as a
light for the gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the end of the
earth.’"
This verse is a quote from the Prophet Isaiah, a Book that clearly
speaks of our Lord. In Isaiah 42:6, it is said of Him, "I will appoint
You as a covenant to the people, as a light to the nations (Gentiles),
to open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the dungeon, and those
who dwell in darkness from the prison." Isaiah 49:6 also speaks of Him –
"I will make You a light of the nations (Gentiles), so that My salvation
may reach to the end of the earth."
The greatest blindness we can experience is to refuse to "see"
(receive) the Lord. The real dungeon for us all, is when we choose to
remain in the darkness of our own self-centeredness. Jesus is truly the
"light of the world" (John 8:12). We also are "the light of the world"
(Matthew 5:14), but that is only true when we REFLECT the light
He puts into us. We are given His light, that we may share with
those who are in need.
Verse 48. "When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and
glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to
eternal life believed."
The Jews had taken the grace of God and turned it into a system of
laws only they could understand. They were supposed to tell the world of
Jehovah God, but instead they turned themselves into some kind of elite
group. The Gentiles of that time and place knew this and were dejected,
because they thought they could only be "God-fearers" (converts to
Judaism) and never be "sons" of the living God.
Paul’s words elated them, because they now understood Jesus died for
all mankind, Jew and Gentile alike. There is NO ONE "higher" or "lower"
in Christ (Galatians 3:28-29). He died for us all, and all of us, male
or female, Jew or Greek, slave or free, "are Abraham’s offspring, heirs
according to the promise." All of us should be like those Gentiles:
"rejoicing and glorifying the Word of the Lord." And more than anything
else, we should TRUST in the Son of God.
Verse 49. "And the word of the Lord was being spread through the
whole region."
"Good news travels fast" we used to say, and the "Word of the Lord"
is certainly good news. Those who don’t think it is good news, simply do
not understand. And it pleases the enemy when we do not understand. We
often do not recognize that there is a war going on all around us. The
Lord God wants us to have a wholesome faith in His Son, and the enemy
drags many into unbelief.
This "war" is more significant than all the wars that have raged
throughout human history. In physical war, our bodies can be killed, and
that is serious. In this "war of the soul," the stakes are much higher,
because to "lose" in this war, is to be cast into hell. In this analogy,
men like Barnabas and Paul are like circuit riders, carrying messages
that can turn the tide – We must be like them; willing to tell the news
that will spread the Word of the Lord into the whole region God has
assigned – to you and to me.
Verse 50. "But the Jews incited the devout women of prominence and
the leading men of the city, and instigated a persecution against Paul
and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district."
The enemy (Satan) stirs up persecution against those who do the work
of the Lord. In this case, leading people of "prominence" were stirred
up against Paul and Barnabas. Satan used as his agents, religious Jews,
who brought persecution against the work of the Lord. Paul and Barnabas
were expelled from the region. The enemy should be seen as an aggressor,
for he certainly is.
But the Lord can be aggressive too, and He is very much like that, in
His work of instilling faith in the hearts of those here on earth. The
enemy’s efforts are largely defensive, trying as he does, to stop the
inroads of faith into the darkness of the hearts of men. Paul and
Barnabas were gone, but the "Word of the Lord was being spread through
the whole region" (verse 49) and those men of God (Paul and Barnabas)
were being sent forth to do the work in another place.
Verse 51. "But they shook off the dust of their feet in protest
against them and went to Iconium."
When the Lord sent out the twelve, He told them (Matthew 10:14),
"Whoever will not receive you, nor hear your words, when you depart from
that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet". When my children
were little and they would fall, I would tell them something like, "It’s
OK, just get up and dust yourself off, and try again." These men of God
had been rejected (see verse 50) would now try again.
And off they went, overland from Antioch in Pisidia, east and
somewhat south, for a distance of about 75 miles, to the thriving city
of Iconium. At that time, it was one of the chief cities in the southern
part of the Roman province of Galatia. 75-miles doesn’t sound like much
for the driver of a car, but for Paul and Barnabas, it took at least
several days to get there.
Verse 52. "And the disciples were continually filled with joy and
with the Holy Spirit."
You would think they might be sad and angry about what happened to
them in Antioch. Essentially, they had been "run out of town on a rail"
(verse 50), but here they were, "filled with joy." Actually, it’s
"filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit," for
you can’t truly have the one without the Other.
Jesus told His disciples, "therefore you now have sorrow (He was
leaving them), but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice,
and your joy no one will take from you" (John 16:22). He would go away
from them (to the cross) but they would see Him again and be filled with
joy. It’s only the presence of God in your life that will make you glad.
There is no other way. That is precisely what was being expressed in
this verse – the Lord was WITH them(!) and therefore, they were filled
with joy.
Ron
Beckham, Pastor
Friday Study Ministries
www.fridaystudy.org
Ron@fridaystudy.org
