“Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, say it.” So Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said: “Men of Israel and you who fear God, listen ….(God said) I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart who will do all my will.’ Of this man’s offspring God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as He promised….
Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses…..As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people invited them to speak further about these things on the next Sabbath…..On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what was spoken by Paul, reviling him. And Paul and Barnabas spoke out, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we are turning to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us, saying,
“I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.”
Acts 13:13-52
It was called “New Rome” or “Caesar’s Colony”. And rightly so, for Pisidian Antioch was mirrored to reflect devotion to the emperor. With a prominent temple centrally located, dedicated to his worship, it had Roman architecture as well as its style of government. It was the home of Sergius Paulus, whom Paul and Barnabas had led to Christ in Cyprus.
After their ship had docked at the port of Perga en route to the New Rome, one member of their mission team had a change of heart and returned to Jerusalem. It was Barnabas’ nephew, John Mark. We are not told why, but we can hazard a guess. Barnabas and Paul had a call on their lives: “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”, the Holy Spirit had said. John Mark had no such call. It was a chance to go with his Uncle Barnabas and see family in Cyprus! Sounds like fun! It was a rude awakening to find it was real work! I am not cut out for this! But happenstance is no match for the sovereign nature of God. The story is not over for our young man, John Mark, as we shall see!
Paul had come with a letter of recommendation from Sergius Paulus to the aristocracy there. He vouched for their character and would not make waves. N. T. Wright describes in his book, Paul:
“Caesar and Rome were the central focus of worship, a worship that would bind together the city and the region and give it security by
linking it so obviously to its ultimate patron.”
Julius Caesar had given the Jewish people the privilege, unique among all people groups, of not being required to worship the Roman gods.
With this backdrop, with this tenuous status quo, Paul stood up at their invitation, in their synagogue, to give them a word of “encouragement “. And in a masterful rehearsal of Israel’s history, beginning with Moses, the years in the wilderness, and King David, “a man after God’s own heart”: “From the descendant of this man, according to promise, God brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus….Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you that fear God, to us has been sent the message of this salvation. ….because they did not recognize him nor understand the utterances of the prophets …fulfilled them by condemning him. And though they found in him no guilt worthy of death, they asked Pilate to have him executed…..But God raised him from the dead…. Let it be known ti you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.”
As they went out, the people begged that these things might be told them the next Sabbath. Well, the next Sabbath, almost the whole city turned out to hear the word of the Lord from these strangers. But when the Jews saw the crowds, they began to contradict Paul and revile him. Then the pair spoke out boldly: “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles!
And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing. Outraged, the Jews drove Paul and Barnabas from the city. But the disciples shook the dust from their feet and went on to Iconium, with joy!
Questions To Think About:
Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses…..As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people invited them to speak further about these things on the next Sabbath…..On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what was spoken by Paul, reviling him. And Paul and Barnabas spoke out, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we are turning to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us, saying,
“I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.”
Acts 13:13-52
It was called “New Rome” or “Caesar’s Colony”. And rightly so, for Pisidian Antioch was mirrored to reflect devotion to the emperor. With a prominent temple centrally located, dedicated to his worship, it had Roman architecture as well as its style of government. It was the home of Sergius Paulus, whom Paul and Barnabas had led to Christ in Cyprus.
After their ship had docked at the port of Perga en route to the New Rome, one member of their mission team had a change of heart and returned to Jerusalem. It was Barnabas’ nephew, John Mark. We are not told why, but we can hazard a guess. Barnabas and Paul had a call on their lives: “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”, the Holy Spirit had said. John Mark had no such call. It was a chance to go with his Uncle Barnabas and see family in Cyprus! Sounds like fun! It was a rude awakening to find it was real work! I am not cut out for this! But happenstance is no match for the sovereign nature of God. The story is not over for our young man, John Mark, as we shall see!
Paul had come with a letter of recommendation from Sergius Paulus to the aristocracy there. He vouched for their character and would not make waves. N. T. Wright describes in his book, Paul:
“Caesar and Rome were the central focus of worship, a worship that would bind together the city and the region and give it security by
linking it so obviously to its ultimate patron.”
Julius Caesar had given the Jewish people the privilege, unique among all people groups, of not being required to worship the Roman gods.
With this backdrop, with this tenuous status quo, Paul stood up at their invitation, in their synagogue, to give them a word of “encouragement “. And in a masterful rehearsal of Israel’s history, beginning with Moses, the years in the wilderness, and King David, “a man after God’s own heart”: “From the descendant of this man, according to promise, God brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus….Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you that fear God, to us has been sent the message of this salvation. ….because they did not recognize him nor understand the utterances of the prophets …fulfilled them by condemning him. And though they found in him no guilt worthy of death, they asked Pilate to have him executed…..But God raised him from the dead…. Let it be known ti you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.”
As they went out, the people begged that these things might be told them the next Sabbath. Well, the next Sabbath, almost the whole city turned out to hear the word of the Lord from these strangers. But when the Jews saw the crowds, they began to contradict Paul and revile him. Then the pair spoke out boldly: “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles!
And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing. Outraged, the Jews drove Paul and Barnabas from the city. But the disciples shook the dust from their feet and went on to Iconium, with joy!
Questions To Think About:
- The leaders of the synagogue asked, “If you have any word of encouragement…say it.” When you see a need or opportunity to speak truth into someone’s life, do you actively step up like Paul, or do you wait for a more comfortable moment?
- Pisidian Antioch was a “New Rome” deeply devoted to the emperor. In what ways does your current cultural environment pressure you to bow to modern “emperors” (such as status, wealth, or political ideologies) rather than Christ?
- Reaching the “ends of the earth” started with a single step onto a ship for Paul and Barnabas. What is the immediate, practical “next step” God is asking you to take this week to expand His kingdom in your local community?
- John Mark’s story isn’t over. Where in your life have you prematurely quit or failed, and how does this story give you hope that God is still writing your next chapter?
- Paul boldly declared that because the initial hearers thrust the word of God aside, they were turning to the Gentiles. How do you discern when to stop pouring energy into people who reject your message and instead pivot to those who are hungry for it?
Posted in The Ends of the Earth