AP

Studies in Acts

In Pisidian Antioch (Acts 13:13-52)

Paul and his companions sailed from Paphos to Attalia, a seaport in Pamphylia, on the southern coast of modern Turkey. From there they travelled some twenty-five kilometres further to Perga. At that point John Mark left them to go to Jerusalem. This caused some friction between the brothers (see 15:36–40). The reason could simply have been because he was concerned about his mother, or it could have been a more serious matter. Luke does not tell us.

From Perga, Paul and Barnabas began travelling on foot for more than one hundred fifty kilometres over the Taurus mountains to Antioch in Pisidia. Up mountains, down mountains, along deep ravines. Surely along this pathway they were “in danger from rivers, danger from robbers” (2 Corinthians 11:26). After approximately eight days, they arrived at this Antioch, the regional capital of Pisidia, lying on the Via Sebaste, the Roman imperial highway that ran straight through Asia Minor from Ephesus to the Euphrates.

Pisidia was part of the Roman province of Galatia, where the cities of Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe were also found. To the believers in the “the region of Phrygia and Galatia” (Acts 16:6), Paul would later write his Epistle to the Galatians. In that letter, he tells us about his first preaching in these regions: “I was sick at that time.” Nevertheless, people had received him as an angel sent by God (Galatians 4:13–15).

In Pisidian Antioch, (not to be confused with Syrian Antioch), Paul and Barnabas went to the synagogue. This was a multi-functional building, serving during the week as a school, a social centre, a guesthouse, and on Saturday as a building for worship. They would have found an ample audience there. A visit from two prominent rabbis did not happen every week. Surely not from a rabbi who had studied with Professor Gamaliel at the famous rabbinic school in Jerusalem!

According to the worldwide Jewish liturgy, the Shema (“Hear, O Israel . . .”) had been prayed, and someone had read a passage from the Torah and the Prophets (cf. Acts 13:27; 15:21). Then the synagogue administrator asked them: “Brothers, if you have a word of encouragement for the people, please let us hear it.” The word ‘encouragement’ can also be used as ‘beseeching’ or ‘exhortation’ as in Hebrews 13:22, where the writer refers to it as “only a short letter!” While Jews and God-fearing Gentiles listened attentively, Paul began to speak, very likely in Greek. Both groups of listeners would be familiar with the scriptures. Paul gives them an update relating to the coming of the long-awaited Messiah.

Verses 17-22: He first gives them a short summary of Israel’s history up to the time of David. Entirely in the style of the ancient covenant documents and the preaching of the Old Testament prophets, Paul began with the historical prologue to Jesus’ coming: the gracious goodness that the Lord had shown to Israel already in the patriarchal period. This constituted the foundation upon which rested all of God’s subsequent work of rescuing humanity.

Verses 23: From David he skips over the rest of Old Testament history by saying, “From this man’s descendants God has brought to Israel the Saviour Jesus, as he promised.” If Paul had asked his Jewish and Gentile listeners: “What do you think of the Messiah—whose son is he?” all of them would have answered immediately: “David’s Son” (cf. Matthew 22:42).

Verses 24-25: John the Baptist—about whom the entire synagogue had surely heard—had appeared before Jesus’ arrival as his herald. With the baptism of repentance, which he proclaimed to the people, he had prepared all Israel for the arrival of Messiah Jesus. For apart from repentance there is no salvation (cf. Acts 2:38). This was the first “point” of Paul’s sermon: the historical prologue of Jesus’ coming into the world.

Verses 26-29: Jesus’ ministry in Israel as fulfilment of the prophecies.

Paul now addresses them as “brothers, children of Abraham” and “God-fearing Gentiles.” He summarizes: the “rulers did not recognize him”; sentenced him to death; and thereby fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath. There were no proper grounds for a death sentence, but Pilate cowardly gave in to the mob. Paul emphasized that the rulers had “carried out all that was written about him [Jesus].” This refers especially to his death on a cross and his tomb being with the rich (Deuteronomy 21:22-23; Isaiah 53:9; Psalm 16:9-10; Matthew 27:57-60; Acts 2:25-36; c.f. Galatians 3:13).

Verses 30-38: The Resurrection and its Meaning.

Paul quotes from the scriptures to prove that what happened had been foretold: Jesus died, did not decay, and was raised from the dead. Forgiveness of sins is available to all who believe in the resurrected Jesus.

That is the characteristic difference between Stephen’s overview of Israel’s history in Acts 7 and that of Paul here in Acts 13. Stephen emphasized Israel’s continual infidelity. But Paul shed light on God’s gracious faithfulness, which had recently reached its climax in the sending and raising of Messiah Jesus from the dead.

Verses 39-41: The Application and Warning.

Paul proclaims forgiveness of sins and justification by faith, not possible by the Law of Moses: sins done in ignorance could be forgiven, but sins committed “with a high hand” incurred the full penalty. The warning not to scoff or disbelieve is a quotation from Habakkuk 1:5. The warning seems to have been a self-fulfilling prophecy (see vv. 45-46).

Verses 42-51: The Response.

Paul and Barnabas were invited to come back next Sabbath. After the service, many of the Jews and God-fearers followed them and discussed what they had heard. That was a second opportunity for the missionaries to tell them of “the grace of God.” The people who followed them must have told everyone they knew about this teaching, for the next Sabbath “the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord.” This provoked jealousy among the Jews especially. They never had such a turn-out! So they bad-mouthed them.

Paul and Barnabas proclaimed God’s plan to save the Gentiles if the Jews reject the word of God. They quoted Isaiah 49:6, but they could have quoted very many Psalms and other scriptures that mention “the nations” and the Gentiles. This pleased the Gentiles. As was most often the case, they were more ready to believe than the Jews. The word of the Lord “spread through the whole region.” But the Jews stirred up persecution by means of the elite of the city and managed to get them expelled. In accordance with Jesus’ words, they shook the dust from their feet in protest: “And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them” (Mark 6:11, see also Matthew 10:14 and Luke 9:5). The disciples, i.e., those who had come to believe, were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

Questions:

When Stephen spoke to the Sanhedrin (ch. 7), he emphasized Israel’s unbelief and disobedience. Paul here emphasizes God’s grace, provision, and generosity. Why?

Some people have said that New Testament references to “the Jews” amount to Christian anti-Semitism. How would you answer this accusation?

– Alida Sewell