Acts 14:1 ¶ And it came to
pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews,
and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks
believed. 2 But the unbelieving Jews
stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the
brethren. 3 Long time therefore abode
they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his
grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands. 4 But the multitude of the city was divided:
and part held with the Jews, and part with the apostles. 5 And when 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 They
were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and
unto the region that lieth round about: 7
And there they preached the gospel.
Lystra and Derbe are referred to as cities of Lycaonia,
a large region in the central part of what we call today, Asia Minor, the
country of Turkey. Lycaonia was bordered by Galatia on the north,
Cappadocia on the east, and the west by Phyrgia and Pisida with the Taurus
mountains on the south. From ancient times Greek mercenaries and merchants had
spread out on the Asian mainland as we saw before in our study of the Bible in
the Old Testament. Greek speaking and culture permeated the cities of western
Asia Minor, Turkey today.
There is no small ruckus caused by Paul and company’s preaching in
Iconium so they flee to these cities to preach the gospel.
Acts 14:8 ¶ And there sat a
certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being 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
faith to be healed, 10 Said with a loud
voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked. 11 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. 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, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates,
and would have done sacrifice with the people. 14 Which when the apostles, Barnabas and
Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people,
crying out, 15 And saying, Sirs, why do
ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you
that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven,
and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein: 16 Who in times past suffered all nations to
walk in their own ways. 17 Nevertheless
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.
18 And with these sayings scarce
restrained they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them.
Here is a man who never walked in his entire life who is healed
through Paul. The response of this in this city of Greek culture and religion
was to proclaim Paul and Barnabas as gods.
Jupiter also known as Jove, was the king of the gods whom the
Romans recognized as their version of the Greek Zeus. This will be important
later when Paul is witnessing to the Greeks in Athens. It is interesting that
Barnabas gets that title. Paul, doing most of the talking is called Mercurius,
also known as Mercury. Mercury was also a major god in the Graeco-Roman
religion, a god of, among other things, eloquence, messages, and divination.
His Greek counterpart was Hermes. He was a son of Jupiter/Zeus.
Paul and Barnabas, of course, reject this worship and a sermon is
preached on God’s nature and the need to turn from pagan gods to Him. A very
important point is made in this short passage. God has a witness of Himself,
not just in prophets and evangelists. He has a witness in nature and although
this is lost on modernist Christians today, nature is, next to the Bible and
the hearts and minds of Christians, His greatest witness. Nature reveals God,
not blind forces.
God’s bounty is a witness to all mankind of His mercy and
goodness.
Matthew 5:45 That ye may be
the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise
on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
Luke 6:35 But love ye your
enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall
be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the
unthankful and to the evil.
Paul will make a similar argument when talking to the Greeks in
Athens as he does here in verse 16 with suffered meaning tolerated,
allowed, or permitted as in the English phrase “I suffer fools gladly.”
Acts 17:30 And the times of
this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
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