The Acts of the Apostles
Acts 14
Chapter XIV · Vol. IV, pp. 279–281
1 Paul and Barnabas are persecuted from Iconium. 8 At Lystra Paul healeth a cripple, whereupon they are reputed as gods. 19 Paul is stoned. 21 They pass through divers churches, confirming the disciples in faith and patience. 26 Returning to Antioch, they report what God had done with them.
1 AND it came to pass in Iconium,1 that they went both together ainto the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that ba great multitude, both of the Jews and also of the Greeks,2 believed.
* Iconium was situated in the province of Lycaonia, in Asia Minor, about 100 miles east of Antioch. The cities were connected by a great military road which is carried across the mountain chain. The population of Iconium was mixed—consisting of novelty-seeking Greeks, an influential Jewish colony, a few Roman officials, and a few of the aboriginal inhabitants of the country. This fact explains the reception the apostles met with.—P.
1 See note * in first column.
a Mat.10.27. ch.13.46,5,14;17.1,2,10;18.4,6,7,19;3.20.
b Ge.49.10. Is.11.10. ch.13.48.
2 The Greeks. The best educated, the most inquisitive and acute class of the Gentiles.—C.
2 Butc the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles,3 and made their minds evil-affected against the brethren.
3 Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, bwhich gave testimony unto the word of his grace, cand granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands.
4 Butg the multitude of the city was divided: and part held with the Jews, and part with the apostles.
5 And hwhen there was an assault made both of the Gentiles, and also of the Jews with their rulers, to use them despitefully, and to stone them,
6 Theyi were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about:4
i Mat.10.17,23. ch.8.1.
4 Lystra lay about 20 miles south, and Derbe about 50 east of Iconium. The intervening country is an upland plain or steppe, encompassed by dark mountain groups and ranges. The plain is in general bare and dry. Lystra and Derbe were small and unimportant towns, and their inhabitants consisted mainly of rude and ignorant idolaters.—P.
8 And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, kbeing a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked:
9 The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had lfaith5 to be healed,
l Mat.9.22,28,29. Mar.9.23,24.
5 Without referring to the miraculous gift of 'discerning spirits,' the apostle might read in the countenance of the impotent man that he believed the testimony concerning Jesus, and consequently that, if healed, he would continue to 'adorn the gospel of God his Saviour,'—a matter of great importance, as involving the credit of the Christian religion in the persons and characters of its witnesses.—C.
11 And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, oThe gods are come down to us in the likeness of men.Cited in WCF 2.1
o ch.8.10;28.6.
12 And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker.
13 Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city,6 brought oxen and garlands7 unto the gates, and pwould have done sacrifice with the people.
6 In front of the city gate stood a temple of Jupiter. It may have been at that spot the apostles were addressing the people when the poor cripple was cured. It is a common practice at the present day in the East for the poor and the lame to sit near the doors of churches, mosques, and temples.—P.
7 Garlands were placed upon the horns of the sacrificial victims.—C.
14 Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they qrent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out,
q Mat.26.65. Ge.37.29,34. Is.36.22;37.1.
15 And saying, Sirs, rwhy do ye these things? We also are men sof like passions8 with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these tvanities unto the uliving God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:Cited in WCF 2.1 · HC 26, 27
s ch.10.26. Ja.5.17.
8 Like passions. Not like dispositions, but alike liable to sickness and death, and therefore not gods.—C.
t 1 Co.8.4. 1 Sa.12.21. 1 Ki.16.13. Is.44.9-20. Je.10.14,15;14.22. Am.2.4. Jn.2.8. Ro.1.21. Ep.4.17.
u 1 Th.1.9. Je.10.10. Jn.5.26. ch.4.24. Ex.20.11. Ro.1.20. Je.32.17. Zec.12.1. ch.17.25. Ge.1.1. Ps.33.6;146.6;124.8. Re.14.7.
16 Whov in times past suffered all nations9 to walk in their own ways.Cited in WLC 93 · WCF 5.4 · HC 27
17 Neverthelessx he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.Cited in HC 27, 125
18 And with these sayings yscarce restrained they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them.
A.M. cir. 4050. A.D. cir. 46.
y Je.13.23,27. Is.48.4.
19 And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people,1 and,z having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing ahe had been dead.
1 By what false representations they 'persuaded the people' does not appear. The account, however, is most valuable, as an instance of the instability of a mere populace, and the vanity of every profession that is not founded in a deep-seated conviction that Jesus is the Christ, the only and all-sufficient Saviour of sinners.—C.
z 2 Co.11.25. ch.7.58;13.45. 2 Ti.3.11. He.13.12.
20 Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.
21 Andb when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many,2 they returned again to cLystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch,3
b Lu.2.10,11. Mar.16.15. Mat.28.19,20.
2 Gr. discipled many.
c ver.1,6;ch.13.14,51. 2 Ti.3.11.
3 Derbe was thus the extreme point of Paul's first missionary journey. Having reached it, he turned back and retraced his footsteps as far as Attalia on the sea-coast, and from it he sailed direct to Seleucia.—P.
22 Confirmingd the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them eto continue in the faith, and that we must gthrough much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
d ch.15.32,41;18.23.
e ch.11.23;13.43. Col.1.23. Jude 3,20,21.
g Mat.10.38;16.24. Lu.22.28,29;24.26. Ro.8.17. 2 Ti.2.11,12;3.12.
23 And when they4 had ordained5 them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.
4 Tit.1.5. 1 Ti.4.14. ch.6.6;1.26;13.3;20.32. 1 Co.3.6. The words may imply that Paul and Barnabas led and directed in the elections.
5 The original, translated ordained, occurs but once again in a cognate form (2 Co.8.19), and there it is unquestionable that it implies and declares election by the church, by holding up, or forth, their hands, as the composition of the word signifies. That it does not signify the act of ordination by imposition of hands, though that may have immediately preceded, seems to be granted by all commentators, even by those who would confine the election exclusively to Paul and Barnabas, and totally deny all electoral right in the Christian people.—C.
25 And when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down into Attalia:6
6 Attalia, a seaport in Pamphylia.—C.
26 And thence sailed to Antioch,7 from whence they had been irecommended to the grace of God for the work which they jfulfilled.
27 And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they krehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had lopened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.
28 And there they abode long time with the disciples.
Notes
Reflections.—God plainly testifies his own being, life, patience, goodness, power, and wisdom, to the heathen world in the works of creation and providence. And even while, by their perverse manners, they abuse the light of their consciences, he graciously gives them the necessaries and delights of outward life. Surely even these his common favours should attract their love to him. And, alas! great is their sin and misery who, being left to their own lusts and imaginations, put vanity and devils as objects of worship in his place. Infinite is the mercy that now the door of faith is opened to the Gentiles; the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ is preached to them. But, alas! while some believe it, others rage against and oppose it. Yea, while heathens believe and are healed, Jews oppose and are hardened, to their eternal ruin. And great is the unanimity of wicked men against Jesus Christ and his faithful ministers.—Inconstant and worthless is the applause of the multitude. To-day they admire preachers as gods; to-morrow they persecute and murder them as miscreants. But God's testimony to his word, in external and internal operations, is sufficient to overcome all opposition. With wisdom, care, and love, he forms his people into a church; and by their own choice provides them pastors and teachers after his own heart, for their further edification and establishment, and in compassion to the snares and troubles through which they must pass into the heavenly state. In the most solemn manner, by prayer and fasting, ought ministers to be set apart to their work. And with pleasure and hope, labour and diligence, should they spend and be spent in the conversion of sinners and edification of saints. And though they ought to avoid suffering as far as can be done without sin, yet none must ever deter them from the faithful execution of their office. Till their testimony be finished God will help them in life; nor will upright disciples ever disown them on account of reproach or danger.