Acts 14 Study Notes

14:1 The familiar pattern of evangelization took place in Iconium: Barnabas and Paul began in the synagogue. A great number of Jews and Greeks believed. The Greeks were likely God-fearers (10:2).

14:2-7 Paul and Barnabas ministered boldly until they discovered that both the Gentiles and Jews had formed a plot to stone them. They left Iconium more from prudence than fear of risk.

14:8-13 Here is another test of what motivated the apostles. The town was set to deify Paul and Barnabas because of the healing of the man lame from birth. Lystra apparently shared in the region’s mythological tradition that said the Greek gods Zeus and Hermes (their Roman counterparts were Jupiter and Mercury) had once visited earth. The city had ongoing devotion to these gods. It is not clear why Barnabas was equated with Zeus and Paul with Hermes. Possibly Paul, who served as the major speaker, was equated with Hermes because Hermes was the messenger god. Another possibility is that Barnabas may have been a more imposing figure than Paul (see 2Co 10:10) and thus was equated with Zeus, leader of the Greek pantheon. In any event, how would they respond to such ego-feeding praise?

14:14 That the apostles tore their robes indicates not just refusal to be worshiped as gods, but abject horror at the idea. Did they preach Christ out of selfish motives? Obviously not.

14:15-18 This speech, delivered by both Barnabas and Paul to a pagan audience (rather than Jews or God-fearers), is Paul’s second missionary speech in Acts. It drew upon natural theology, which is knowledge of God that can be derived from creation. This approach was appropriate for a group of pagans who thought of their gods as part of nature. Paul also used this approach in his Areopagus speech (17:16-32) with an audience of pagan philosophers, and in Rm 1:18-32.

14:15 Paul and Barnabas cited Ex 20:11 and Ps 146:6 about God creating heaven, the earth, the sea, and everything in them. This placed the natural order within the realm of God’s creative power.

14:17 God’s constant witness occurs in the working of nature, including the rain cycle, weather, and the production of food.

14:19 Having refused the people’s worship, the apostles soon tasted their wrath instead. Agitators traveled from Antioch (about one hundred miles away) and Iconium to catalyze the about-face at Lystra. So seriously did unbelieving Jews take the threat from Christian growth that they followed Paul from town to town, seeking to thwart his missions work (see note at 17:13). In this case, they stoned Paul to death. Or so they believed.

14:20 Did Paul literally rise from the dead? Probably not, since Luke does not explicitly say so. The mob apparently jumped to conclusions once Paul fell under the hail of stones (v. 19). Paul recovered and reentered Lystra, presumably without being spotted. He left the next day but returned to Lystra soon afterward (v. 21). This was likely made possible by the Jews from Antioch and Iconium returning home.

14:21-22 After evangelizing Derbe (v. 20), Paul and Barnabas began their return journey to their home base of Antioch of Syria, stopping by each of the towns they had visited along the way (Lystra . . . Iconium, and Antioch of Pisidia). Their purpose was to strengthen the hearts of the disciples and be sure that they understood that many hardships come to those who seek the kingdom of God. Paul himself bore witness to this truth (2Co 11:23-27). Most of the churches Paul and Barnabas founded on this first missionary journey were in the Roman province of Galatia. These were probably the churches to which Paul addressed his letter to the Galatians.

14:23 Elders in these early Pauline churches were apparently appointed by Paul and Barnabas to establish the first stages of church leadership (see note at 11:30). These practiced official oversight and responsibility within the church (see note at 20:17).

14:24-28 They visited the churches where they had ministered plus some additional towns (Attalia, Perga). They had performed their assigned tasks by the grace of God. This ends the first missionary journey.