Acts 14

Acts 14:1-7 . MEETING WITH SIMILAR SUCCESS AND SIMILAR OPPOSITION AT ICONIUM, PAUL AND BARNABAS FLEE FOR THEIR LIVES TO LYSTRA AND DERBE, AND PREACH THERE.

"After this detailed account of Paul's labors at Pisidian Antioch, Luke subjoins only brief notices of his further labors, partly because from the nature of the case his discourses must have embraced nearly the same topics, and partly because the consequences that resulted assumed quite a similar shape" [OLSHAUSEN].

1. they went both together into the synagogue--Though Paul was now the prominent speaker and actor, yet in everything Barnabas went along with him.
a . . . multitude . . . of the Greeks believed--meaning probably the religious proselytes, as opposed to "the Gentiles" mentioned Acts 14:2 .

3. Long time therefore abode they--because in spite of opposition they were meeting with so much success.
speaking boldly in the Lord--rather, "in dependence on the Lord," that is, on their glorified Head.
who gave testimony to the word of his grace--a notable definition of the Gospel, whose whole burden is GRACE.
and granted--"granting," that is, who confirmed the Gospel by granting miraculous attestation to it. (The "and" is wanting in the best manuscripts).

5. an assault made . . . to stone them--rather here, "an impetuous movement" with a view to stoning them: for in 2 Corinthians 11:25 , Paul says, "Once I was stoned," and that was at Lystra, as expressly related in Acts 14:19 . (PALEY'S remarks--Horæ Paulinæ--on this singular coincidence between the Epistle and the history are very striking).
fled--(See Matthew 10:23 ).

6. unto Lystra and Derbe--the one some twenty miles to the south, the other some sixty miles to the east of Iconium, somewhere near the bases of what are called the Black Mountains and the roots of Mount Taurus; but their exact position has not yet been discovered.

Acts 14:8-21 . AT LYSTRA PAUL HEALING A CRIPPLE, THE PEOPLE ARE SCARCE RESTRAINED FROM SACRIFICING TO THEM AS GODS, BUT AFTERWARDS, THEIR MINDS BEING POISONED, THEY STONE PAUL, LEAVING HIM FOR DEAD--WITHDRAWING TO DERBE, THEY PREACH AND TEACH THERE.

There being no mention of the synagogue at Lystra, it is probable there were too few Jews there to form one.

8-10. there sat there a certain man . . . a cripple from his mother's womb . . . The same heard Paul speak--in the open air and ( Acts 14:11 ) to a crowd of people.

9. who steadfastly beholding him--as he did Elymas the sorcerer when about to work a miracle on him.
and perceiving that he had faith to be healed--Paul may have been led by the sight of this cripple to dwell on the Saviour's miracles of healing, and His present power; and perceiving from the eagerness with which the patient drank in his words, that he was prepared to put his own case into the Redeemer's hands, the Spirit of the glorified Physician came all upon Paul, and "with a loud voice" he bade him "stand upright upon his feet." The effect was instantaneous--he sprang to his feet "and walked."

11-13. in the speech of Lycaonia--whether a corruption of the Greek tongue, which was well enough understood in this region, or the remains of some older tongue, is not known.
The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men--the language of an unsophisticated people. But "that which was a superstition in Lycaonia, and for which the whole "creation" groaned, became a reality at Bethlehem" [WEBSTER and WILKINSON].

12. they called Barnabas, Jupiter--the father of the gods, from his commanding mien (CHRYSOSTOM thinks).
and Paul, Mercurius--the god of eloquence and the messenger and attendant of Jupiter, in the heathen mythology.

13. the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city--that is, whose temple stood
before their city, brought oxen and garlands--to crown the victims and decorate, as on festive occasions, the porches.

14-18. when . . . Barnabas and Paul heard--Barnabas is put first here, apparently as having been styled the "Jupiter" of the company.
they rent their clothes and ran in--rather (according to the true reading), "ran forth."
among the people, crying out . . . Sirs, why do ye these things?--This was something more than that abhorrence of idolatry which took possession of the Jews as a nation from the time of the Babylonish captivity: it was that delicate sensibility to everything which affects the honor of God which Christianity, giving us in God a reconciled Father, alone can produce; making the Christian instinctively feel himself to be wounded in all dishonor done to God, and filling him with mingled horror and grief when such gross insults as this are offered to him.