(Suggested Reading: Chapter 14)
The first mission would appear to be divided into two parts—Chapter 13, which is really a closing testimony to the Jews in Gentile lands, and which incorporates much of what Peter and Stephen had testified to them in Jerusalem—and Chapter 14 which is direct testimony to the Gentiles. This is signaled by the phrase “and it came to pass” at the start of Chapter 14 and also by the last “signs and wonders” performed in the Acts. We do not know what these “signs and wonders” were but they were evidently extraordinary manifestations of divine power exceeding even the special miracles which Paul wrought later—19:11.
Having rejected the testimony given to them in the 13th Chapter, the Jews now try to prevent the Gentiles from receiving the blessing of the gospel. This is an important, and an adverse step. There is a marked difference between refusing the gospel for oneself and becoming an opponent of its proclamation. From now on the Jews become public enemies of the truth. “But the multitude of the city was divided, and part held with the Jews and part with the Apostles.” The opposition of the Jews now goes a step further with plans to stone the Apostles. Made aware of this they leave Iconium, where there had been much blessing—for cities of refuge—Lystra and Derbe— “and there they preached the gospel.”
Derbe was a frontier town—a rough military outpost. Lystra, on the other hand, was a quiet, sequestered spot, in a valley watered by two streams, apart from the main roads, and secluded from trade. The soil was fertile, the vegetation green and luxurious. An ideal retreat, one might think, and that is all. But here, of all places, the Lord works mightily. Paul heals a certain man in Lystra, impotent in his feet, lame from his mother’s womb, who had never walked. “And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, the gods are come down to us in the likeness of men.”
Jupiter and Mercury
Satan sought to capitalize on the local pagan traditions in this part of the world. He had attempted violence against the Apostles (v 5); now he turns to deceit and corruption. Let us remember that sin manifests itself in three forms of lawlessness—violence, deceit, and corruption.
Much light is shed on the background of this story in the writings of those respected commentators, Conybeare and Howson— “it was a common belief among the ancients that the gods occasionally visited the earth in the form of men. Such a belief with regard to Jupiter, ‘the father of gods and men’ would be natural in any rural district, but nowhere should we be prepared to find traces of it more than at Lystra, for Lystra . . . was under the tutelage of Jupiter, and tutelary divinities were imagined to haunt the cities under their protection, though elsewhere invisible. The temple of Jupiter was a conspicuous object in front of the city gates; what wonder if the citizens should be prone to believe that their ‘Jupiter who was before the city’ would willingly visit his favorite people? Again, the expeditions of Jupiter were usually represented as attended by Mercury. He was the companion, the messenger, the servant of the gods. Thus the notion of these two divinities appearing together in Lycaonia is quite in conformity with what we know of the popular belief. But their appearance in that particular district would be welcomed with more than usual credulity. Those who are acquainted with the literature of the Roman poets are familiar with a beautiful tradition of Jupiter and Mercury visiting in human form these very regions in the interior of Asia Minor . . . and now arose a great tumult of voices from the crowd . . . they exclaimed that the gods had again visited them in the likeness of men . . . that Jupiter and Mercury were again in Lycaonia—that the persuasive speaker was Mercury and his companion Jupiter. They identified Paul with Mercury because his eloquence corresponded with one of that divinity’s attributes. Paul was the ‘chief speaker’, and Mercury was the god of eloquence. And if it be asked why they identified Barnabas with Jupiter, it is evidently a sufficient reason to say that these two divinities were always represented as companions in their terrestrial expeditions.”1
In all this we see a contest between God and the devil. Satan tried to use the power of God to give stature to his gods of stone. God, on the other hand, allowed the apparent similarities of Paul and Barnabas to Mercury and Jupiter develop so as to arrange a confrontation with the pagan beliefs in Lystra and uproot them.
The Apostles Address the People of Lystra
The devil makes the first move. His priest of Jupiter brings oxen and garlands to the gates. He is arranging a special sacrifice for “the gods.” But God intervenes. Paul and Barnabas are truly ambassadors for Christ and so when they are aware of the intentions of the priest of Jupiter they rend their clothes, and run in among the people. Then they speak to them. They were of one mind, for the entire record is in the plural. Here there is no reference to the Old Testament Scriptures, as in the synagogues. They simply refer to nature to show that there is a God, as Paul did later to the cultivated heathen at Athens. They disclaim anything for themselves, saying “we also are men of like passions with you.” This statement summarizes the believer’s testimony to the world. Although we are the sons of God and heirs of eternal glory, we are also “men of like passions” with our fellow men. When God saved us, He did not take away our old nature but gave us a new one. This is the crux of the believer’s testimony, that although “men of like passions” he does not give way to his fallen flesh as other men do, but lives in the good of the new life God has given him. “And with these sayings they barely stopped the crowds from sacrificing to them.” Unquestionably their restraint was resented by the people and the priest of Jupiter. The Jews, coming later, knew how to fan the embers into flame. But the apostles do not flinch in their testimony.
The Signs of Healing on the Two Lame Men in Acts
There is a most remarkable symmetry throughout the Acts, a balancing of Peter’s activities with Paul’s, Paul’s with Barnabas’ etc. In verse 15, Paul speaks of “the living God” an expression of Peter’s Mat. 16:16. This beautiful balance of things shows up again in the signs performed on behalf of the two lame men in Acts. These are more easily understood if we think of the man at Lystra as a figure of the Gentile during the Church period, healed by the ministry of Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, and of the man at the beautiful gate of the temple as a figure of the Jew of the future day healed by Peter. the Apostle to the Jews. Because there is no difference, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, the man at Jerusalem and the man at Lystra are both lame from their mothers’ wombs. But the man at Lystra heard Paul speak and Paul saw that he had faith. Now “faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God” —Rom. 10:1717So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17). The man at the beautiful gate of the temple, however, was a beggar. He lacked faith and looked only for mercy. This is the position the Jew finds himself in after the rapture of the Church. Since the guilt of crucifying their Messiah still rests on that nation, they can but beg for mercy. The Psalms, which describe the position of the godly Jewish remnant of the future day, are full of this theme. But to the man at Lystra Paul says with a loud voice— “stand up erect on your feet” and he sprang up and walked. This miracle reminds us of the man at the beautiful gate of the temple. Peter said to him “in the Name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, rise up and walk.” The Jews can only rise up and walk when they confess that Jesus of Nazareth is their Messiah. Then they will enter the temple that will be rebuilt in their land in the future “walking and leaping and praising God.” At that miracle public testimony to the lame man’s new power followed “and all the people saw him walking and praising God and they recognized him.” So will it be when the whole world will worship at the Temple of the Lord. Then the world will know that God has healed His ancient people.
Paul healed the Gentiles—like the lame man at Lystra. But the mighty signs that Paul and the other Apostles did were turned into abominable idolatry, not by the priest of Jupiter, but by the priests of Rome. Indeed, what happened at Lystra was a foreshadowing of this. God well knew that Satan would continue his attempts to turn miracles into objects of idolatry. It was for this very reason that in the Old Testament He had the brazen serpent destroyed lest it be worshipped as an idol—2 Ki. 18:44He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brazen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan. (2 Kings 18:4)—and personally buried the body of Moses lest his grave become a shrine—Deut. 34:66And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Beth-peor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day. (Deuteronomy 34:6).
There is a simple principle which is a key, not only to the figures of the two lame men we have just considered, but to much of the imagery of Acts. This principle is that, because Acts is a book of history, and history has its roots in the past and its branches in the future, any acts of Peter, the Apostle to the Jews, are likely to reflect the future history of Israel, and any acts of Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, are likely to reflect future events in the Church.
Paul Is Stoned
The Jews from Iconium had planned to stone Paul but he escaped them. Now they come to Lystra in league with the Jews from Antioch. God allows them to accomplish their purpose this time. They stone Paul and draw him out of the city, supposing that he is dead. His new converts encircle his body, hoping no doubt to retrieve it for burial. But the next day he has recovered enough to depart with Barnabas to Derbe. This incident is unquestionably supernatural. No man could naturally survive such a stoning, let alone make such a swift departure to another town.
Here again we find a remarkable link with Stephen if the general view of what took place at the stoning is correct. Before Stephen was stoned, he looked up stedfastly into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus, and exclaimed “behold I see the heavens opened!” The general view of this incident is that this was when Paul experienced what he writes about in 2 Cor. 12:2-42I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. 3And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) 4How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. (2 Corinthians 12:2‑4)— “I know a man in Christ, fourteen years ago, (whether in the body I know not or out of the body I know not, God knows) such an one caught up to the third heaven. And I know such a man (whether in the body or out of the body I know not, God knows) that he was caught up into Paradise and heard unspeakable things said, which it is not allowed to man to utter.”
The Closing Phase of the First Mission
At Derbe events take a new turn. The gospel is not only preached there but they “taught many.” They retrace their steps to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch. But the emphasis now is less on evangelization than on establishing their converts in the truth . . . “confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.” The latter warning is needed to this day. We do not take kindly to hostility when our conduct does not warrant it. So Peter writes “beloved think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you. But as you share in Christ’s sufferings rejoice; that when His glory shall be revealed you may be glad with exceeding joy” —1 Pet. 4:12, 1312Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 13But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. (1 Peter 4:12‑13).
And so they pass throughout Pisidia and come to Pamphylia. They preach the Word in Perga. This they had not done at the start of the mission. Perga was where John Mark had defected from the work. A root of bitterness had sprung up from that action, and many were later to be defiled by it. But for the present the people of Perga hear the Word of God which had been denied them at the beginning. In spite of the hardships which John Mark may have feared, the Lord had borne His two servants on eagles’ wings. They go down into Attalia and from there sail to Antioch “from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work they had fulfilled.” How blessed to finish a work! “This man began to build and was not able to finish” is a warning to all. To finish well we must continue. “If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son and in the Father” 1 John 2:2424Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. (1 John 2:24).
Then as good stewards of the manifold grace of God they give an account of their ministry. “And when they were come, and had gathered the Church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. And they stayed there a long time with the disciples.”
A closing word is needed to explain why Barnabas and Saul are called apostles—14:14. The word apostle means ‘sent one.’ All apostles were sent out by one of the Persons in the Godhead. Jesus was an Apostle—Heb. 3:11Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; (Hebrews 3:1)—and we know He was sent out by God the Father. The twelve apostles were sent out by Jesus the Son of God. Due to the defection of Judas these became the eleven—the twelfth being chosen after Jesus returned to heaven—1:26. The Holy Spirit sent out Barnabas and Saul—13:2. To claim to be an apostle is a grave sin because we have shown they were all sent out by different Persons of the Godhead. And for different reasons. Jesus was sent to be the Savior—the twelve to be witnesses of His death and resurrection—Paul and Barnabas to preach the gospel of the glory of the blessed God, thus completing the chain. And so those who falsely claimed to be apostles were tried by the early Church—Rev. 2:22I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: (Revelation 2:2).
In the first mission Paul, who already was an apostle, was linked to Barnabas, another Apostle, in the ministry. In the second mission the Apostle Paul is linked to Silas, who was a prophet.