Paul and Barnabas complete their first missionary journey in this chapter. The fervor with which they deliver the gospel is so telling. There is real danger. In Iconium, in the face of the reaction by some to the success of their teaching, “spoke in such a way that a large group of both Jews and Greeks believed”, those who didn’t believe stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds. The response: “So they stayed there for a considerable time, speaking out courageously for the Lord …” When they are finally chased out of Iconium, they head to Lystra and Derbe, where “ There they continued to proclaim the good news.” Nothing was stopping them from preaching the good news.
Isn’t it interesting to think that had Paul not encountered Jesus on the way to Damascus, he might have been the poisoning and stirring the crowds against whoever else came sharing the gospel.
It’s Friday, love to hear your thoughts.
This is one of my favorite parts of Acts. I like to try to picture this scene in my head: After Paul healed a man, the people thought Paul and Barnabas were gods, “The gods have come down to us in human form!” (v. 11). Paul immediately set them straight, “We too are only human” (v. 14) and used it as an opportunity to share the good news. Paul sets a good example for us to follow.
Sarah’s comment left on the old website.
As a cross-cultural worker, I find myself relating to this passage differently than I had in the past. Were Paul and Barnabas discouraged? Everywhere they went, people rejected their message and tried to kill them. When they performed miracles, people interpreted their message through the lens of their own false religion. Yes, there were believers in these areas but I wonder how many and clearly they didn’t influence the majority of the towns. And at the end, P & B returned home and stayed with the believers a long time. I suspect they needed to be cared for.
Appreciate your insights, Sarah.