In this context, ‘divine, hard determinism’ means the people had no choice but to believe and be saved. God ‘appointed’ them to eternal life. In other words, are Calvinists right to use this verse as one of their most important prooftexts? (I updated this post.)
As usual, I write to learn without being dogmatic on such issues. (I am dogmatic on other issues, like the Lordship of Christ.)
In any case, here in Acts it seems that v. 48 teaches that the Gentiles who believed had been appointed to eternal life, regardless of their free will and their faith. God acted on them as if they had no choice after they heard the gospel. It seems to support hard, divine determinism (heavy predestination) with minimal or no human choice.
But what does v. 48 really say in context?
The translation is mine, but if you would like to see many others, please go to biblegateway.com. If you don’t read Greek, ignore the left column.
Broader context: Beginning in v. 16, Paul is preaching a wonderful sermon in the synagogue in the city of Pisidian Antioch, during his and Barnabas’ first missionary journey. Yet, to reduce the word count in this post, let’s begin with v. 38 to provide the more immediate context of v. 48.
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Greek Text |
My Translation |
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38 γνωστὸν οὖν ἔστω ὑμῖν, ἄνδρες ἀδελφοί, ὅτι διὰ τούτου ὑμῖν ἄφεσις ἁμαρτιῶν καταγγέλλεται, [καὶ] ἀπὸ πάντων ὧν οὐκ ἠδυνήθητε ἐν νόμῳ Μωϋσέως δικαιωθῆναι, 39 ἐν τούτῳ πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων δικαιοῦται. 40 βλέπετε οὖν μὴ ἐπέλθῃ τὸ εἰρημένον ἐν τοῖς προφήταις· 41 ἴδετε, οἱ καταφρονηταί, 42 Ἐξιόντων δὲ αὐτῶν παρεκάλουν εἰς τὸ μεταξὺ σάββατον λαληθῆναι αὐτοῖς τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα. 43 λυθείσης δὲ τῆς συναγωγῆς ἠκολούθησαν πολλοὶ τῶν Ἰουδαίων καὶ τῶν σεβομένων προσηλύτων τῷ Παύλῳ καὶ τῷ Βαρναβᾷ, οἵτινες προσλαλοῦντες αὐτοῖς ἔπειθον αὐτοὺς προσμένειν τῇ χάριτι τοῦ θεοῦ. 44 Τῷ δὲ ἐρχομένῳ σαββάτῳ σχεδὸν πᾶσα ἡ πόλις συνήχθη ἀκοῦσαι τὸν λόγον τοῦ κυρίου. 45 ἰδόντες δὲ οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι τοὺς ὄχλους ἐπλήσθησαν ζήλου καὶ ἀντέλεγον τοῖς ὑπὸ Παύλου λαλουμένοις βλασφημοῦντες. 46 παρρησιασάμενοί τε ὁ Παῦλος καὶ ὁ Βαρναβᾶς εἶπαν· ὑμῖν ἦν ἀναγκαῖον πρῶτον λαληθῆναι τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ· ἐπειδὴ ἀπωθεῖσθε αὐτὸν καὶ οὐκ ἀξίους κρίνετε ἑαυτοὺς τῆς αἰωνίου ζωῆς, ἰδοὺ στρεφόμεθα εἰς τὰ ἔθνη. 47 οὕτως γὰρ ἐντέταλται ἡμῖν ὁ κύριος· τέθεικά σε εἰς φῶς ἐθνῶν 48 Ἀκούοντα δὲ τὰ ἔθνη ἔχαιρον καὶ ἐδόξαζον τὸν λόγον τοῦ κυρίου καὶ ἐπίστευσαν ὅσοι ἦσαν τεταγμένοι εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον· 49 διεφέρετο δὲ ὁ λόγος τοῦ κυρίου δι’ ὅλης τῆς χώρας. 50 οἱ δὲ Ἰουδαῖοι παρώτρυναν τὰς σεβομένας γυναῖκας τὰς εὐσχήμονας καὶ τοὺς πρώτους τῆς πόλεως καὶ ἐπήγειραν διωγμὸν ἐπὶ τὸν Παῦλον καὶ Βαρναβᾶν καὶ ἐξέβαλον αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ τῶν ὁρίων αὐτῶν. 51 οἱ δὲ ἐκτιναξάμενοι τὸν κονιορτὸν τῶν ποδῶν ἐπ’ αὐτοὺς ἦλθον εἰς Ἰκόνιον, 52 οἵ τε μαθηταὶ ἐπληροῦντο χαρᾶς καὶ πνεύματος ἁγίου. |
38 Men and women and brothers and sisters! Let it therefore be known to you that through this one [Jesus] the forgiveness of sins is announced to you; from all the things you were not able to be justified by the law of Moses, 39 by this one everyone who believes is justified. 40 Watch therefore that what was spoken by the prophets does not come upon you: 41 ‘Look, scoffers! Marvel and vanish! Because I work a work in your days, a work which you shall not believe even if someone were to explain it to you!’” [Hab. 1:5] 42 While they were exiting, they encouraged them to speak these words to them the next Sabbath. 43 After the synagogue was dismissed, many Jews and worshipping proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke with them and urged them to continue in the grace of God. 44 When the Sabbath came, almost the entire town assembled to hear the word of the Lord. 45 When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began speaking in opposition to the things spoken by Paul and were blaspheming. 46 But both Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, “It was necessary to speak the word of God to you first. Since then you reject it and do not judge yourselves worthy of eternal life, look! We are turning to the Gentiles, 47 for the Lord has commanded us in this manner: ‘I have appointed you as a light to the Gentiles, so that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’” [Is. 49:6] 48 When the Gentiles heard, they glorified the word of the Lord, and all who had been appointed to eternal life believed. 49 The word of the Lord spread around throughout the whole region. 50 But the Jews incited God-fearing, prominent women and leading men of the town and provoked persecution against Paul and Barnabas and ejected them from their district. 51 So, after they shook off the dust from their feet at them, they went to Iconium. 52 The disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit. |
Commentary
Let’s begin and end the commentary with v. 48 (to reduce the word count, once again). If you would like to see more commentary, please click on this chapter at my website:
Scroll down to the right verses.
“all who were appointed”: “all” could be translated as “as many as.” But I don’t see this as crucial.
Also, tt is a participle in the perfect tense and passive voice.
“appointed”: it comes from the Greek verb tassō (pronounced as it looks), and its basic meaning, depending on the context, is to “arrange,” “place,” “station,” or “assign,” and secondarily to “order, fix, determine, appoint.”
It is revealing (and for me decisive) that BDAG, considered by many to be the authoritative lexicon of NT Greek, places the verb tassō in the first definition: “to bring about an order of things by arranging, arrange, put in place” (p. 991, bold font removed). The lexicon further clarifies the definition of the verb in the context of Acts 13:48, as follows: “belong to, be classed among those possessing.” The key concept is that people were classed among a group who possess something. What do they possess? (See below.) Also, BDAG says that the verb in this context can mean “devote oneself to service” […] (and the editors reference Xenophon’s Memorabilia and Plato’s Republic.
It was a huge surprise to me that BDAG itself offers a better reference than those classical authors: 1 Corinthians 16:15, which says the household of Stephanus devoted (tassō) themselves to service of (for or with) the Lord’s people. However, this is not the passive voice, but the active with a direct object (devoted themselves to service), so caution is needed in applying 1 Corinthians 16:15 to Acts 13:48, where the verb tassō is in the passive.
However, with that said, maybe the clause in 13:48 could also be translated as “had been devoted” to eternal life. The gospel had worked on them during Paul’s anointed preaching and had made them devoted for eternal life, so they believed, the arrow meaning “leads to”:
The grace-empowered gospel → their hearts open → they believe in Christ
The gospel worked quickly to open the heart and then prompted saving faith. Ephesians 2:8 is actually being lived out in Acts 13. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—” (NIV). The Gentiles responded with saving faith because the grace-empowered gospel is sufficient to prompt such faith.
Therefore the Calvinist must not overinterpret his translation “had been appointed.” The grammar and meaning are more fluid (than I had previously thought).
Let’s expand on BDAG’s insight about the perfect passive participle in Acts 13:48.
Another way of translating the Greek: “… and they believed, as many as had been appointed / [or devoted to] for eternal life.” It is used here in the perfect tense and passive voice; in other words, the Gentiles had been acted on in the past. We should translate it as passive, not as middle voice (“they had appointed themselves” or “they had devoted themselves for” ) because of the verb “to be” (ēsan). None of the numerous English translation at bible gateway uses the middle voice, but always passive (see here). Passive means that action was done to or on the hearers. So how was this action done? It is left vague, grammatically speaking, but it is clear in the larger context. The Spirit-empowered gospel acted on them, as we learned from the preceding verses about Paul’s preaching. They may have also been acted on through their attendance at the synagogue, since these Gentiles were God-fearers and had previously heard Scripture read.
More specifically, they were acted on after Paul and Barnabas arrived and Paul preached, because the gospel went forth via or through the power of the Spirit, in Luke’s pneumatology (see vv. 2, 4, 9, and 51). The gospel soaked the atmosphere. Yet some of the hearers (Jews) rejected or pushed it aside (vv. 46 and 50). Therefore God’s message can be resisted. But on the return visit it seems that perhaps more people received the gospel, if we can read between the lines (Acts 14:21-25). So the people who were now appointed (or who were devoted to) believed during the first visit, but more people will soon believe during the second visit. In Luke’s pneumatology, all of this shows that the Holy Spirit woos and calls the human spirit, with the initiation coming from God. Then the human responds in faith for salvation, and sometimes it takes time.
So if the Spirit-empowered and grace-filled gospel can be considered the unspoken actor of the divine passive of sorts, then so much the better for Paul’s theology. The gospel acted on them behind the scenes.
Verse 39 is important for revealing Paul’s theology: “by this one [Jesus] everyone who believes is justified” (emphasis added). One hears the gospel, believes it, and then is justified. It is not complicated. And so v. 39 is one of the most Pauline verses in the book of Acts in light of his later epistle to Romans, indicating that Paul retold this story to the Christian historian (Luke).
In light of this very Pauline verse, we see a reenacted microcosm of Romans 9, 10, 11 playing out here, in real life and real time. In those chapters, particularly chapter 9 and 11, Paul is dealing with nations as represented by individuals, like Jacob and Esau. Which son of Isaac will bring forth the Messiah? Jacob or Esau? Which people will do this over the centuries? Israel (via Jacob) or Edom (via Esau)? God chose Israel. Here in Acts 13:48, as a class, these Gentiles were appointed (or devoted), while as a class the Jews were not at this time, though on Paul and Barnabas’s return, it seems that maybe more will accept the gospel. God chose the Gentiles as a class this time, which is why Paul quotes Isaiah 49:6.
And in v. 43, many Jews and devout followers of Judaism did believe, just as many Jews believed in Romans 9, 10, 11.
We should therefore be careful about building a universal case of God appointing individuals to eternal life without their receiving the word by faith. (Or perhaps God used the gospel so that they were devoted to eternal life) And we should not believe that God passed over the refusers, although he had power to save them unilaterally. I believe that people have enough free will to resist the message. But not enough free will or will power to on their own to believe the gospel. God used the gospel so that the Gentiles could believe. Gospel first, faith second. “By this one [Jesus] everyone who believes is justified” (v. 39). The ascended Jesus worked in their hearts through the Spirit and the gospel.
in his Acts, Luke returns to this theme of two classes of people, Jews and Gentiles, and their salvation (or their lack of response to the gospel) at the very end of his history:
24 And some were persuaded by what he [Paul] had been saying, while others did not believe. 25 Since they were unharmonious with each other, they departed. Paul spoke one last word:
Well has the Holy Spirit spoken through Isaiah the prophet to your ancestors, 26 saying:
Go to this people and say:
You ever hear and do not understand;
You ever see and do not perceive;
27 For the heart of this people has become dull,
And they hear with ears hard of hearing,
And they close their eyes,
Otherwise, they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their heart
And turn, and I would heal them. [Is. 6:9-10]
28 Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen.” (Acts 28:24-28
Verses 24 and 28 clearly reveal Luke’s soteriology (doctrine of salvation) and teach that the gospel has enough power to persuade people for faith in Christ, but not enough power to coerce them against their will.
Next, any interpretation of 13:48 that says people were unconditionally saved before the foundation of the world goes beyond what this text says. The condition was the people’s openness after hearing the gospel. Their condition was to believe it. Next, any interpretation which says that those who did not respond can never resist God’s grace so they had never been appointed by God goes beyond what the text says. The Jewish leadership was filled with jealousy. They resisted the call of the gospel. God’s grace and gracious invitation can be resisted because their hearts were filled with jealousy. Finally, any interpretation that says the Gentiles were born again before they believed goes beyond the text.
And once you respond to the gospel through your gospel-inspired, Spirit-prompted faith, then of course you were appointed to (or were devoted to) because you belonged to a certain class of people. However, it does not follow that the others were not appointed (or not devoted to) by God, as if God passed them over. Instead, verse 48 all the way to v. 50 merely affirms that the others resisted the call of the gospel because of other internal issues, like jealousy or a stubborn will to hold on to their old religion. Free will is a gift of God, but free will can be burdened by vice and blindness and can resist the gospel call to salvation. In this case the Jews belonged to a class of people who often refused to respond to the gospel in Acts, according to Romans 9 and 11.
The gospel had already gone forth throughout Pisidian Antioch; the gospel had already entered the hearts and minds of Jews and Gentiles, but the Jews resisted it, while the Gentiles accepted it. And even in 13:43, many Jews accepted it, too. We cannot overlook the sufficiency of the Spirit-empowered gospel to effect salvation in the hearers here in this city, as they respond in faith. Once again: “By this one [Jesus] everyone who believes is justified” (v. 39).
Commentator Keener:
This choosing of gentiles balances God choosing Israel in [Acts] 13:17. Most ancient Jewish thinkers found human responsibility (as in Acts 13:46: judge for yourselves) compatible with divine sovereignty (as in 13:48); note the populist Pharisees in Josephus War 2.162-63; Ant. 13.172; 18:13. The eastern patristic emphasis on free will counters wider philosophic determinism (p. 346, note 1332)
Here is 13:17:
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17 ὁ θεὸς τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου Ἰσραὴλ ἐξελέξατο τοὺς πατέρας ἡμῶν καὶ τὸν λαὸν ὕψωσεν ἐν τῇ παροικίᾳ ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτου …. |
17 The God of this people, Israel, chose our ancestors and raised them up during their stay in the land of Egypt. …. |
Note how God chose Israel as a collective or entire nation in their ancient past; yet now the door of choosing Gentiles to become members of the people of God is now open to them here in 13:48. I believe this is what Luke via Paul had in mind. The appointment (or devotion) is more collective than individualistic, as we saw in the paragraph, above, about Romans 9, 10, 11.
Conclusion
I write to learn, so what did I learn?
In my view, people cannot strut into God’s kingdom unassisted by the Spirit-energized word of God in some form (even a dream of Jesus, as Muslims are now getting), but they can reject the Spirit-energized word of God without converting to Christ. They have enough free will to reject it, but not enough free will to accept it without divine wooing or help. And in Pisidian Antioch, Gentiles, belonging to the class of people who responded to the gospel, accepted it through the word and the Spirit. And no doubt the reading of the law and prophets before the two missionaries got there softened and opened their hearts as well. In a sense, they had been “appointed” (or “devoted”) by the Spirit-filled gospel when Paul had preached it.
In my view, Luke is referring to two people groups: Jews and Gentiles. Many Jews resisted (and many accepted), so at this time they did not believe and were not appointed to (or devoted to) eternal life embedded in the gospel message. In contrast, the Gentiles celebrated the message of the Lord (the gospel) because they were appointed to (or devoted to) eternal life. How so? They heard the gospel first, as the context says, and then they believed. As a collective, Gentiles were appointed (or devoted).
But we can also talk about the individuals within the two groups. After all, a few of the Jews seemed to have believed.
In these equations the arrows means “leads to”:
The Spirit + The Gospel → People’s Response with Saving Faith → Salvation
Verse 39 again: “by this one [Jesus] everyone who believes is justified.”
The Spirit + the Gospel → No Response with Saving Faith → No Salvation
The Spirit woos through the word, the gospel. He does not coerce or rape. People then respond with saving faith, which leads to salvation. Or they can resist it if their hearts are closed, as did the Jews at that time. They have libertarian free will in ordinary things of life, but their libertarian free will is not enough to save them. They need saving faith, which is sparked or prompted by grace, which is found in or built into the gospel, which in turn is sufficient to prompt saving faith.
To me, this is so clear from the entire context surrounding 13:48.
Therefore, divine, hard determinism does not adequately explain 13:48 because humans have to open their hearts to the gospel and believe in Christ. To respond, their faith is involved. To have saving faith, the gospel is necessary because it u\is sufficient to stimulates saving faith. Therefore, prevenient (“pre-coming”) grace, is the best explanation to solve the problem posed by Acts 13:48.
Therefore, the context teaches me that the grace-filled gospel acted on them and appointed them to eternal life or devoted them to eternal life. One last time: “By this one [Jesus] everyone who believes is justified” (v. 39).
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SOURCES
Keener, Craig, S. Acts. New Cambridge Bible Commentary. Cambridge UP, 2020.
Marshall, I. Howard. Acts. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Tyndale, 1980.
Parsons, Mikeal C. and Martin M. Culy. Acts. A Handbook on the Greek Text. Baylor, UP, 2003.
Polhill, John B. Acts. New American Commentary. Vol. 26. Broadman and Holman, 1992.
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