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Preaching of Paul and Barnabas in Iconium, Lystra and Derbe (1–7). The healing of the lame man in Lystra and the attempt of the pagans to sacrifice to the apostles (8–18). Persecution of the apostles, return journey through the newly founded communities and return to Syrian Antioch (19–28) Acts 14:1. At Iconium they entered the Jewish synagogue together and spoke in such a way that a great multitude of Jews and Greeks believed. The “Greeks” who believed undoubtedly mean proselytes—pagans converted to Judaism, as opposed to the “Gentiles” mentioned below (v. 2), who united with the unbelieving Jews against the apostles. Acts 14:2. And the unbelieving Jews aroused and irritated the hearts of the pagans against their brothers. “Annoyed”, i.e. they slandered the apostles, accused them of many things, portrayed these simple-hearted ones as treacherous...” (Chrysostom). “Against the brothers”, i.e. not only against the apostles, but also in general against the newly converted followers of Christ, most of whom were natural Jews, therefore, brothers in the flesh - the persecutors (Rom. 9:3). Acts 14:3. However, they stayed here for quite some time, boldly acting in the Lord, who, as a testimony to the word of His grace, performed signs and wonders with their hands. "Acting Boldly in the Lord". “This is boldness,” says the blessed one. Theophylact, “came from the devotion of the apostles to the work of preaching, and the fact that those who listened to them believed was a consequence of miracles, but this was facilitated somewhat and by the very boldness of the apostles.” Acts 14:4. Meanwhile, the people in the city were divided: some were on the side of the Jews, and others on the side of the Apostles. "The people in the city are divided". This division seems to be the reason why the incitement of the Gentiles by the Jews until time remained ineffective. Acts 14:5. When the pagans and Jews with their leaders rushed against them to shame and stone them, “The Jews with their leaders” - cf. Acts 13 - probably with the arch-synagogue and the elders who formed the council under it. In the desire “to be stoned,” it is revealed both that the main leaders of the attack on the apostles were Jews, and that the guilt of the apostles was subsumed under the crime of Blasphemy, for which the Jews were subject to this type of execution. Acts 14:6. They, having learned about this, [withdrew to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and their environs, Acts 14:7. and there they preached the gospel. "To the Lycaonian cities, Lystra and Derbe". "Lykaonia" - not so much politically as ethnographically, constituted a special region of Asia Minor, with the cities - "Lyster oi" - southeast of Iconium, and "Derviei" - southeast of Lystra. Acts 14:8. In Lystra a certain man, who could not use his legs, sat lame from his mother's womb, and had never walked. Acts 14:9. He listened to Paul speak, who, looking at him and seeing that he had faith to receive healing, “Seeing that he had faith” - seeing with the discerning gaze of the God-enlightened apostle. Acts 14:10. He said with a loud voice: I say to you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ: stand upright on your feet. And he immediately jumped up and began to walk. Acts 14:11. When the people saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying in Lycaonian: The gods have come down to us in human form. "Speaking Lycaonian". It is difficult to say what kind of Lycaonian dialect this is: some consider it a dialect related to Assyrian, others - identical to Cappadocian, and still others - corrupted Greek. Acts 14:12. And they called Barnabas Zeus, and Paul Hermias, because he was the ruler of the word. “And they called Barnabas Zeus, and Paul Hermias.” Why exactly these gods were seen by the people in Barnabas and Paul is explained partly by the local Phrygian tale about the appearance of precisely these gods in human form (in Ovid, Metamorph, VIII), partly by the fact that there was a church or idol of Zeus near the city, and Ermias, as an eloquent interpreter of the gods, was considered obliged to accompany Zeus when he descended from Olympus to mortals. A hint of this latter is also given by the writer himself, according to whom Paul was considered Ermios, “because he was in command in the word”... It is possible that the very outward appearance of the apostles had its own meaning here: Paul, as a young man (Acts 7:58), distinguished by the liveliness of his character, reflected in all his speeches and actions, could easily be identified with Ermios, who was represented as gentle, lively, handsome young men, while Barnabas, with his sedateness, could well have reminded the pagans of “Zeus a” (Chrysostom: “It seems to me that Barnabas also had a respectable appearance”). Acts 14:13. The priest of the idol of Zeus, who was in front of their city, bringing oxen to the gate and bringing wreaths, wanted to make a sacrifice together with the people. “Wreaths” - to decorate sacrificial oxen with them, which was usually done to greatly please the gods. Acts 14:14. But the Apostles Barnabas and Paul, hearing about this, tore their clothes and, rushing into the people, said loudly: “They tore their clothes” - as a sign of deep sorrow and contrition for such blindness of the people. Acts 14:15. men! why are you doing this? And we are men like you, and we preach the gospel to you, that you should turn from these false things to the living God, who created the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them, Acts 14:16. Who in past generations suffered all nations to walk in their own ways, Acts 14:17. although He did not cease to testify about Himself with good deeds, giving us rains and fruitful times from heaven and filling our hearts with food and joy. The apostles prove the absurdity of the pagans deifying them, generally assure them of the falsity of the pagan gods, instead of which they point out to the pagans the One Living God, the Creator of all, who, although he allowed all peoples to have false paths of life, did not deprive them of the opportunity to know the true path (cf. Rom. 1:20, 11:13-36) “Without forcing free will,” says the blessed one. Theophylact, - The Lord allowed all people to walk at their own discretion; but He Himself constantly performed such deeds from which they, as rational beings, could understand the Creator...." Acts 14:18. And, saying this, they barely convinced the people not to make sacrifices to them and everyone to go home. While they stayed there and taught, "Barely convinced". The people were so excited by what had happened and so strong was their confidence that before their eyes there were gods, not people. Acts 14:19. Some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and, when the Apostles preached boldly, they convinced the people to leave them, saying: they say nothing true, but they all lie. And, rousing the people, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, considering him dead. “Some Jews came” - from among those who did not believe and were hostile to Paul and Barnabas (Acts 13:50 and Acts 14:5). “By beating Paul,” and not Barnabas, probably because he, as the ruler of the word (Acts 14:12), was the most dangerous and hated enemy of the Jews. The apostle mentions this, probably stoning, in 2 Corinthians 11:25. Such is the amazing variability and pliability of the masses of the people to the evil speech of instigators. Only now were they ready to honor the apostles as gods, and now they are capable of dealing with them as inveterate villains. It is impossible not to pay tribute here to the amazing ability of the instigators to such a drastic revolution in popular feelings and movements. Acts 14:20. When the disciples gathered around him, he got up and went into the city, and the next day he withdrew with Barnabas to Derbe. “The disciples gathered around him” - obviously with the intention of burying him or generally seeing what was wrong with him, in what condition was he? “He got up and went into the city.” Without a doubt, this strengthening of Paul’s bodily strength was a miraculous action, although the writer hints about this only covertly - with a short and strong expression - “he got up and went”! Also noteworthy here is the firmness of the spirit of the apostle, fearlessly returning again to the city where he had just been exposed to mortal danger. Acts 14:21. Having preached the Gospel to this city and having acquired quite a number of disciples, they returned through Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, Acts 14:22. strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to remain in faith and teaching that through many sorrows we must enter the Kingdom of God. From “Dervi and”, after a successful sermon, the apostles undertake a return journey to “Antioch” in Syria, through all the previously visited places (Acts 13, etc.), strengthening the believers in their readiness to maintain the faith of Christ, despite all persecutions, sorrows and trials, which constitute for believers the surest path to the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 7:14). Acts 14:23. Having ordained them elders for each church, they prayed with fasting and commended them to the Lord in whom they believed. “Having ordained elders for them...” - primates and leaders of each community, who, thanks to this, received a strong external organization. Ordination, i.e. The laying on of hands (Acts 6:2–6) indicated the importance of the ministry of the elder and the grace-filled consecration to this ministry (see Acts 11:30). “They prayed with fasting,” as they did on all important occasions (Acts 13, etc.). “They betrayed them” – i.e. newly converted Christians, together with their newly installed primates, to “the Lord,” i.e. His mercy, favor and protection. Acts 14:24. Then, passing through Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia, Acts 14:25. and having preached the word of the Lord in Perga, they went down to Attalia; Acts 14:26. and from there they sailed to Antioch, from where they were committed to the grace of God for the work, which they completed. Through Pisidia and Pamphylia the apostles returned to Perga - the first city they arrived in when they landed on the shores of Asia Minor (Acts 13:13, approx.). “They went down to Attalia” - a seaside city in Pamphylia, southeast of Perga, at the confluence of the river. Cataract. The city is named after Attalus Philadelphus, king of Pergamon, by whom it was built. From here the apostles arrived through Seleucia to Syrian Antioch, from where they set out on their first apostolic journey by the will of “the grace of God.” Acts 14:27. Arriving there and gathering the church, they told everything that God had done with them and how He opened the door of faith to the pagans. Acts 14:28. And they stayed there for a considerable time with the disciples. “Gathering the church”, i.e. Antioch Christian Society, “told everything that God had done to them.” The apostles’ humble confession of the power of God, which itself did everything in them, and not they. “Opened the door of faith” - a figurative expression of the acceptance of the pagans into the bosom of the Church of Christ (1 Cor. 16:9; 2 Cor. 2:12; Col. 4:3). “They said” - “Through this,” says Chrysostom, “a great thing is being accomplished. Finally, it was necessary to preach freely to the pagans; That’s why they come to announce it, so that they can know about it, for it happened that then those who had forbidden to talk with the pagans also came.” This ends the story of the first apostolic journey to the pagans of the great Apostle of Languages ​​- Paul and Barnabas. The writer does not say how long this first journey of Paul lasted. We must assume that about two years. You might be interested in: