Acts 13 Study Notes

13:27 Though the prophets were read in synagogues every Sabbath, those in Jerusalem did not recognize that these words were fulfilled in Jesus. They instead condemned him, their only hope.

13:28-29 Paul declared that in crucifying Jesus they had carried out all that had been written about him.

13:30-31 The resurrection of Jesus was confirmed by witnesses who had followed him from Galilee to Jerusalem. Luke frequently emphasizes the role of eyewitnesses (1:3; Lk 1:1-4).

13:32-33 Jesus’s resurrection confirmed that God had fulfilled his promise (citing Ps 2:7).

13:34-35 Others who had been raised from the dead would return to decay, for they were still subject to death. Not Jesus. He destroyed “the one holding the power of death” (Heb 2:14).

13:36-37 Paul relied on the same verse, Ps 16:10, that Peter did in his Pentecost sermon (Ac 2:31) to prove the resurrection of Christ.

13:38-39 Through Jesus is offered forgiveness of sins, something the law of Moses can never accomplish (Rm 3:20).

13:40-41 Paul cited Hab 1:5 as a fitting conclusion to his speech. This passage from the prophet referred to the work that God was doing and recognized that some people would scoff and refuse to believe what God was doing, even if it was explained to them.

13:42-43 Whether due to the speech’s novelty or their genuine spiritual hunger, the people wanted to hear more. It was probably in the “downtime” outside the synagogues, in small groups or individual meetings, that Paul and Barnabas accomplished their most effective teaching.

13:44-45 Keen interest sprang up over the gospel message everywhere Paul and Barnabas went, whether for or against. Jesus foretold the opposition the evangelists would face (Mk 13:13).

13:46-47 The NT consistently says the gospel message came first to the Jews (e.g., Mk 7:27), though the Gentiles were anticipated as eventual recipients. Acts shows the same pattern. Early in their missions work, Paul and Barnabas recognized that their duty was to bring the good news to the Jews first. But Jewish rejection of this message warranted their taking it to the Gentiles.

13:48 This verse expresses one of the great enigmatic truths of Scripture: all who had been appointed to eternal life believed. This touches both on God’s election (“appointed”) and the human responsibility to choose (“believed”).

13:49 The whole region was predominantly Gentile. Thus those who were historically “outside” God’s people were coming to overshadow and redefine God’s people.

13:50 Seeing that the gospel was gaining wide acceptance, the Jewish leaders incited both men and women of status to reject Barnabas and Paul. This was a familiar tactic (Mt 27:20).

13:51 They shook the dust off their feet, obeying Jesus’s command to his disciples (Lk 10:11).

13:52 Joy is the outward expression of the work of the Holy Spirit within a believer.