The book of Acts
Paul and Barnabas in Antioch of Pisidia
Chapter 13:13 to 52
Paul, Barnabas and John Mark sailed north from Paphos, on the island of Cyprus and came to Perga, capital of the province of Pamphylia in southern Turkey.
John Mark left them there and returned to Jerusalem: the Bible does not tell us the reason for this. Paul and Barnabas went inland toward the north to Antioch of Pisidia which is south of Galatia. Antioch of Pisidia was the military and administrative centre of that part of Galatia, Latin was spoken, and Roman soldiers and administrative officials were sent to the entire area from there.
Paul and Barnabas went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day. After the usual reading done from the Old Testament ("the Law and the Prophets") the leaders of the synagogue invited them to give a word of exhortation. Paul took the floor, talked briefly about how God had given origin and directed the nation of Israel until the reign of David, and then presented the Saviour Jesus to them, who God brought to Israel out of the seed of David, according to His promise.
Paul went on recalling the testimony of John (the Baptist), he spoke of the rejection of Jesus by those of Jerusalem and the authorities, thus fulfilling the prophecies, and demanding His death from Pilate. He said that, after fulfilling the prophecies, taking Him down from the tree, they laid Him in the grave, but then God raised him from the dead, being seen for many days by those who had come with Him from Galilee, and now they bore witness of that to them all.
He quoted and explained some prophecies that speak of the coming, death and resurrection of the Messiah, as Psalm 2:7, 16:10, and Isaiah 55:3 and announced the full and free justification of sin, which the law could not provide.
Justification is the judicial decision God took to exempt from sin all sinners who receive His Son as their Lord and personal Saviour. It is a decision of absolute justice because the penalty for their sin, death, was applied on one Person who was innocent of any sin.
Therefore as by the offense of one man, Adam, death came upon him and all his descendants, by the grace of God the death of one righteous man, Jesus Christ, secured eternal life to all who receive Him as their personal Lord and Saviour (Romans 5:10-19).
The Law of Moses could not justify anyone, simply because there was no possibility of sinful man deleting any sin through good works of the law. The law could only condemn him for infractions committed.
Paul finished his exhortation with a solemn warning to those who were tempted to reject the great offer of salvation, which God made to them: they should take care that the wrath from God, Whom they would not believe, did not come upon them as despisers. He was referring to the words of the prophecy of Habakkuk (1:4-7) who, in similar circumstances of incredulity, foresaw the invasion of the Middle East by the Chaldeans (Nebuchadnezzar, etc.), the words of which were fulfilled shortly thereafter.
After the meeting in the synagogue, Paul and Barnabas were invited to speak further about these things on the next Sabbath, and many among them, both Jews and Gentiles converted to Judaism, followed them, talking with them. Paul and Barnabas recommended them to continue in “the grace of God": it is understood here that these people, because of the interest they showed, were accepting the Gospel for themselves, which is God's grace for salvation. They needed to learn more.
So much was their interest that on the next Sabbath “almost the whole city came together to hear the Word of God”. They could hardly all fit inside the synagogue, and probably many, especially Gentiles, would have to stay outside. Possibly Paul spoke to the Jews inside and Barnabas to those outside.
When the Jews saw all that crowd coming to hear these two foreigners, they were filled with envy and opposed them openly, interrupting, blaspheming and contradicting what Paul said. However, Paul and Barnabas had absolute conviction of what they proclaimed, as they were personal witnesses of the resurrection of Christ, and other supernatural things that followed, and knew the Scriptures very well, probably better than any of those Jews of the synagogue.
Confronted with strong opposition, Paul and Barnabas boldly declared that it was necessary to proclaim the message of the Gospel first to the Jews, but because they clearly "did not consider themselves worthy of eternal life" by rejecting it, they would now turn to the Gentiles, for they could not be forced to be silent. They cited the text of Isaiah 49:6 as the authority from God to do so.
This text, i.e. "He says, 'It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, that You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.'” applies to the Messiah, Jesus Christ, and by extension to His apostles and messengers. This is why Paul used it very appropriately before those Jews to justify the preaching of the Gospel to the Gentiles.
The Jews of Antioch in Pisidia did not represent nor could they represent all of his people, and Paul continued to seek first the synagogues to proclaim the Gospel elsewhere. However, the rejection they gave in Antioch was repeated very often. But the Gentiles who heard the words of Paul rejoiced and glorified the word of the Lord. In addition, "as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed" (verse 48).
This statement begs the question: if it were God who appointed them, would this not be a proof of predestination, which is the basis of the doctrine of the Calvinists? Ephesians 1:4 tells us that God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world: in both cases, it is stated that it is the sovereign will of God, since before the foundation of the world, to grant eternal life to all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. These therefore are the elect of God.
The sovereignty of God is absolute, resulting in the salvation of those who deserved eternal damnation but repent and accept the salvation He offers through the death of His Son. This is the measure of His grace. God loves humanity and wants everyone to be saved, but cannot save those who reject the salvation He has provided.
Despite opposition from the Jewish synagogue, the Gospel of Christ spread abroad throughout the entire region, i.e. the Roman province of Pamphylia, which may mean a period of several months during which Paul and Barnabas could preach and teach the Gentiles who were converted.
The Jews, however, were not satisfied with just not having Paul and Barnabas in the synagogue. They had no representatives among the authorities, but there were pious women among them, possibly converted to Judaism. These held high positions in the city (according to historians this was not uncommon in the cities of the Middle East at the time), and they managed to persuade them and the main townsmen that those two missionaries were a bad influence on the people, and urged them to persecute and expel them from their territory.
Just as the Lord Jesus had taught the apostles (Luke 9:5, 10:11), the two "shook the dust off their feet" in protest against them and went to Iconium, a city in the neighbouring province called Phrygia.
However, their testimony and teaching remained, and their disciples continued filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.
R David Jones
13 Now when Paul and his party set sail from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia; and John, departing from them, returned to Jerusalem.
14 But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down.
15 And after the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, "Men and brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say on."
16 Then Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said, "Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen:
17 The God of this people Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He brought them out of it.
18 Now for a time of about forty years He put up with their ways in the wilderness.
19 And when He had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He distributed their land to them by allotment.
20 "After that He gave them judges for about four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet.
21 And afterward they asked for a king; so God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years.
22 And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, 'I HAVE FOUND DAVID THE SON OF JESSE, A MAN AFTER MY OWN HEART, WHO WILL DO ALL MY WILL.'
23 From this man's seed, according to the promise, God raised up for Israel a Savior—Jesus—
24 after John had first preached, before His coming, the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
25 And as John was finishing his course, he said, 'Who do you think I am? I am not He. But behold, there comes One after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to loose.'
26 "Men and brethren, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to you the word of this salvation has been sent.
27 For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they did not know Him, nor even the voices of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath, have fulfilled them in condemning Him.
28 And though they found no cause for death in Him, they asked Pilate that He should be put to death.
29 Now when they had fulfilled all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb.
30 But God raised Him from the dead.
31 He was seen for many days by those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are His witnesses to the people.
32 And we declare to you glad tidings—that promise which was made to the fathers.
33 God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm: 'YOU ARE MY SON, TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU.'
34 And that He raised Him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, He has spoken thus: 'I WILL GIVE YOU THE SURE MERCIES OF DAVID.'
35 Therefore He also says in another Psalm: 'YOU WILL NOT ALLOW YOUR HOLY ONE TO SEE CORRUPTION.'
36 "For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and saw corruption;
37 but He whom God raised up saw no corruption.
38 Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins;
39 and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.
40 Beware therefore, lest what has been spoken in the prophets come upon you:
41 'BEHOLD, YOU DESPISERS, MARVEL AND PERISH! FOR I WORK A WORK IN YOUR DAYS, A WORK WHICH YOU WILL BY NO MEANS BELIEVE, THOUGH ONE WERE TO DECLARE IT TO YOU.' "
42 So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath.
43 Now when the congregation had broken up, many of the Jews and devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.
44 On the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God.
45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy; and contradicting and blaspheming, they opposed the things spoken by Paul.
46 Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, "It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.
47 For so the Lord has commanded us: 'I HAVE SET YOU AS A LIGHT TO THE GENTILES, THAT YOU SHOULD BE FOR SALVATION TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH.' "
48 Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.
49 And the word of the Lord was being spread throughout all the region.
50 But the Jews stirred up the devout and prominent women and the chief men of the city, raised up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region.
51 But they shook off the dust from their feet against them, and came to Iconium.
52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
Acts chapter 13, verses 13 to 52