Wednesdays are for the New Testament
5/15/24
Bruce, F.F. (1988). "Iconium, Lystra, Derbe (14:1-28)." In The Book of Acts (Revised). (269-281). William B. Eerdmans Publishing,
Acts 14:1-7 describes the work of Paul and Barnabas in Iconium. Bruce observes that they followed their normal pattern of going first to the synagogue, where many believed, but some did not accept them (Bruce 1988, p. 270). This was also a normal pattern. In Iconium, the Jewish authorities sought to turn both Jews and Gentiles, along with city officials against the apostles. While they did this, Paul and Barnabas continued their preaching (v. 3). Bruce notes that in Galatians 3:5 Paul refers to bringing the power of the gospel and seeing mighty works done in Iconium, all on account of divine grace (Bruce 1988, p. 271). This work created a sharp division between those who believed and those who rejected the apostolic message. In verses 4-6 we find that the mob was prepared to stone Paul and Barnabas, but they learned of the plot beforehand and escaped from Iconium, leaving converts behind. Paul and Barnabas then went to other parts of Lycaonia. Bruce describes the geopolitical situation of Lycaonia at the time of Paul and Barnabas. It was divided between Galatian territory in the west and an eastern part under Antiochus IV. As we often learn upon study of history and geography, the biblical account does correctly identify places, in this case, Iconium as a Phrygian city at the time (Bruce 1988, p. 272).
In verses 8-13 Paul and Barnabas have moved on to Lystra, where Paul heals a lame man. Bruce notes, "The genuine and apparently incurable nature of the man's disability is emphasized by repetition: he had, we are told, no strength in his feet; he was a cripple from birth; he had never walked" (Bruce 1988, p. 273). Despite this very serious condition, in verses 9-10 Paul saw that the man "had faith to be made well." Bruce observes faith often emphasized as necessary for receiving either physical or spiritual healing. The two regularly occur together. The cure of the man amazed the people. Verses 11-12 point out that the crowd speaks a Lycaonian language, different from the Phrygian language. Bruce notes that though Paul and Barnabas would not have understood the language, they could tell it was a different language than the Phrygian language used in Iconium. This also prevented Paul and Barnabas from knowing what was happening until the people began trying to honor them as Zeus and Hermes (Bruce 1988, p. 274). Bruce notes the legend of Philemon and Baucis, who unwittingly played host to Zeus and Hermes (but with Roman names) and were rewarded for the act, came from this region. Bruce suggests that "Barnabas may have been identified with Zeus because of his more dignified bearing; Paul, the more animated of the two, was called Hermes 'because he was the leading speaker'" (Bruce 1988, p. 274). The people, therefore, prepared to make offerings to the apostles.
When Paul and Barnabas realized what was happening, they refused the actions forcefully (Acts 14:14-18). Bruce observes that in verses 4 and 14, Paul and Barnabas are called "apostles," though they are not called that in other passages in Acts (Bruce 1988, p. 275). The apostles are ordinary humans, not gods of any sort. Bruce considers that "[t]he summary which Luke proceeds to give of their expostulation provides us with one of the two examples in Acts of the preaching of the gospel to purely pagan audiences - to people who, unlike the Gentiles who attended synagogue worship, had no acquaintance with the God of Israel or with the Hebrew prophets" (Bruce 1988, p. 276). The other example is in Acts 17:22-31. Though the language used largely reflects the Old Testament, the apostles considered that the pagans would be able to understand, having been told that there is truly only one God. They could then build on that conceptual foundation. Bruce observes that God's natural revelation through seasons, food, and the like, should have dispelled some of the ignorance shown by the pagan world. However, they ultimately needed the clear proclamation of the gospel, which arrived with Paul and Barnabas (Bruce 1988, p. 277). With difficulty, Paul and Barnabas managed to stop the sacrifices from happening.
Acts 14:19-23 describes another difficult turn of events in Lystra, as Jews from Antioch and Iconium arrived to discourage the missionary activity (Bruce 1988, p. 277). Bruce suggests that the Jews who arrived probably were informed and dependent on a Jewish community in Lystra, which had a coalition with Pisidian Antioch (Bruce 1988, p. 278). Bruce further suggests that the Lystrans would have been offended because "they had been made to look foolish" in the attempted sacrifice. Therefore, they threw stones at Paul, dragged him out of the city, and left him for dead (Bruce 1988, p. 279). After this event, in verse 20, Paul and Barnabas went toward Derbe, about 60 miles from Lystra. Derbe was near the frontier of the province. Bruce notes that Paul and Baranabas, after planting a church in Derbe, went back the way they had come. There may have been a change of government in Lystra, Iconium, and Pisidian Antioch, but regardless, Bruce observes the apostles must have had a great deal of courage to go there again so soon. Verse 22 shows them encouraging the churches which had been planted there. The gospel is shown as spreading. In verse 23 leaders were appointed out of the Christians gathered in the communities. Bruce observes that though the churches were young and the leaders had not been Christians for long, they were still recognized as elders and leaders in the churches (Bruce 1988, p. 280).
From Pisidian Antioch, Paul and Barnabas returned to Antioch on the Orontes in Acts 14:24-28. This brought them back to the place from which they had been sent about a year earlier (Bruce 1988, pp. 280-281).