Bible Study series: Acts 14:1-7. We’re still on Paul’s first missionary journey. This post describes the lives of the first generation of Christians.
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I also translate to learn. The translations are mine, unless otherwise noted. If you would like to see many others, please click on this link:
At the link to the original post, next, I write more commentary and dig a little deeper into the Greek. I also offer a section titled Observations for Discipleship at the end. Check it out!
In this post, links are provided in the commentary section for further study.
Let’s begin.
Scripture: Acts 14:1-7
1 It happened in Iconium in the usual way: they went into the synagogue of the Jews and spoke in a such way that a large crowd of both Jews and Greeks believed. 2 But Jews who were not persuaded stirred up and made the minds of the Gentiles turn against the brothers and sisters. 3 And so they spent a long time boldly proclaiming the Lord who attested to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to happen through their hands. 4 The population of the town was divided: those with the Jews and those with the apostles. 5 And there was an impulse of both the Gentiles and the Jews with their leaders to assault and stone them. 6 Realizing this, they fled to the towns of Lycaonian Lystra and Derbe and environs, 7 where they continued to preach the good news. (Acts 14:1-7)
Comments:
Throughout this chapter, you can look up all these towns online with Bible maps. Go for it!
1:
“In the usual way”: it comes from the phrase that literally says. “according to itself.”
“they went into synagogue”: Yes, Paul was called to the Gentiles (Gal. 2:7-10), but Jesus spoke to him from heaven that he was also called to the Jews (Acts 9:15), and the Jews get to hear the gospel first (Rom. 1:16).
“in a way”: The NIV says “so effectively.” Yes, and may we see more preaching that wins entire towns! But one gets the impression from Paul’s recorded sermons in Acts and letters that he does not shriek and freak and scream. He had no electronic public announcement system to project his voice, so he had to talk loudly (v. 14), but his last teaching in the synagogue was orderly and logical argumentation (Acts 13:16-42), backed by the anointing of the Spirit. He was effective enough that a large number of both Jews and Greeks believed. That’s the power of the Spirit.
“believed”: We must have saving faith by trusting in Jesus and his finished work on the cross. Remember the true acronym:
F-A-I-T-H
=
Forsaking All, I Trust Him
Here it is connected to “saved.”
Word Study on Faith and Faithfulness
Note that these people believed. Faith coming from the heart can bring salvation. There is no need to over-analyze verse with an overlay of the “order of salvation” or the theology that says a man must be born again before he can believe for salvation and other such things. Instead, they heard the gospel and believed it. It is the power of God for salvation (Rom. 1:16).
2:
“not persuaded”: it comes from the verb that could be translated “disbelieved,” and the outcome of unbelief is disobedience. Yes, faith and obedience (acting on faith) are linked. I went with “not persuaded.”
“minds”: it comes from the noun psuchē (pronounced psoo-khay, and the “p” in ps- is also pronounced). It can be translated as “soul.” As Renewalists generally believe, the soul is made up of the mind, will and emotions. It is entirely possible to have one’s mind or soul poisoned or embittered. The mind needs to be renewed. Please see Rom. 12:1-2 for how to do this. Also, think on these things listed in the epistle to the Philippians: “Things that true; things that are honorable; things that are righteous; things that are holy; things that are lovely; things that are praiseworthy; if there is any virtue and if there is any praise—think on these things” (Phil. 4:8).
It is so important to think right because all battles start in the mind. Don’t let it turn bad.
As for whether we are two or three parts, see my posts:
Word Study on Spirit, Soul, and Body
Is Humankind Two or Three Parts?
“brothers and sisters”: Here it is addressing the converted Christian believers, not the generic Jewish community. In this verse, it is an expressive word denoting close fellowship and kindred spirits. They were part of the Christian community.
3:
This verse is a good one for the Renewal Movement, so let’s spend some time here. It sets the atmosphere as supernatural, so we can interpret the entire chapter in that way, when Luke omits some details.
“boldly proclaiming”: As I noted in the previous chapter, Paul had been an over-zealous Pharisee, and now his zeal was channeled and tempered by the Spirit towards preaching Jesus. Paul and Barnabas were emboldened and did not cower in fear.
Please, please, don’t shrink away when you encounter opposition. Jesus was bold when the Pharisees and teachers of the law challenged him. He answered their questions and challenged them right back (Mark 2:6; 2:16; 7:1-5; 8:31; 9:14; 10:33; 11:18, 27-28; 14:1, etc.). People over-interpret his silence before his accusers during his trial (Matt. 27:12-14; Mark 14:60-61; 15:4-5; John 19:8-9). These interpreters don’t take into account that he was destined to give up his life, although he could have asked the Father for twelve legions of angels (Matt. 26:53).
If you find yourself timid before opposition, you can pray every day for the inner strength and anointing and power to stand and not to flag or fold during satanic and broken human attacks. I pray this almost every day, and it works!
You know the Spirit is flowing through you when you have boldness. God has not given you a spirit of fear or timidity (2 Tim. 1:7).
“attested”: it comes from the verb that can also mean “bear witness to” or “testify.” Here it can be expansively translated as “backing up” his word. In these contexts it always means witnessing or testifying through the power of the Spirit.
“grace”: It comes from the Greek noun charis (pronounced khah-rees) and has these meanings, depending on the context: graciousness, attractiveness; favor, gracious care, help or goodwill, practical application of goodwill; a gracious deed or gift, benefaction. In some contexts, it means “exceptional effects produced by divine grace,” in other words, empowerment to accomplish a task. In this case it means his ability to do wonders and great signs. God gave him the grace and power to accomplish them.
Here is a quick definition. God’s grace means he gladly shows his unmerited goodness or love to those who have forfeited it and are by nature under a sentence of condemnation.
Good news! We do not have to suffer condemnation for our past sins because God hands us his grace.
“signs and wonders”: As noted, this puts the entire chapter on a supernatural footing. So now we can interpret the chapter through that lens.
“signs”: In the singular it is mostly translated as “sign” or “miraculous sign.” A sign points towards the loving God who wants to heal and redeem broken humanity, both in soul and body. Signs are indicators of God breaking into his world, to help people and announce that he is here to save and rescue them and put things right.
“wonders”: It is often translated as “wonders” and is always in the plural. Only once does it appear without “signs,” in Acts 2:19, where wonders will appear in the sky. Wonders inspire awe and worship of God through Christ who performs the wonders. The purpose is to patch up and restore broken humanity. They testify that God in his kingdom power is here to save and rescue people.
For nearly all the references of those two words and a developed theology of them, please click on this link:
What Are Signs and Wonders and Miracles?
“through their hands”: Renewalists believe that God works miracles through believers’ hands. In the OT, the ritual of laying on of hands had these functions: it ordained Levites (Num. 8:10); it ordained leaders (Num. 27:18, 22-23); it transferred guilt to the sacrificial animal (Lev. 16:20-21).
In the NT, laying on of hands transfers healing (Mark 6:5l; Luke 4:40; Acts 28:8); it transfers the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:17; 9:17; 19:6); it ordains missionaries (Acts 13:3); it ordains church leaders (Acts 6:6; 1 Tim. 4:14; 2 Tim. 1:6).
From those verses, Renewalists believe these things about laying on of hands: (1) hands can be the conduit of the presence and power of God; (2) public acknowledgement that the leaders or friends are close to and support the receiver of the hands; (3) the leaders or friends identify with the receiver; (4) combining all three, it means commissioning. Here it means the fourth.
Further, Renewalists believe those four points because they have seen it happen with their own eyes. And it starts and ends with God, not the human vessel. Here it is the first purpose.
4:
The multitudes were divided. The Greek verb is the source of our modern word “schism.” Here is a relevant verse: “the word of God is living and energetic, sharper above any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides the soul and spirit, joints and marrow (Heb. 4:12). Another verse: “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword” (Matt. 10:34). He goes on to say that his gospel will cause family division (not a literal sword; cf. Luke 12:51).
Here in v. 4, the town was divided. Truth does that. Don’t be afraid of opposition and division when you preach the gospel. And don’t worship your family so much that you never receive the gospel and Jesus in your heart. He may call you to leave them behind, either throughout your life if you are in danger, or for a season.
“apostles”: here Paul and Barnabas are called apostles, when the term is normally reserved for the twelve. But the term is expanded here.
Check Out What Two Genuine Apostles Did and How They Lived: Close Look at Acts 13-14
5:
“impulse” It comes from the noun that means a “psychological state or strong tendency, impulse, inclination, desire” (BDAG). (Yes, we get our word hormone from this stem.) It is used only here and in Jas. 3:4 (“pilot”); the verb is usually translated as “rushed” (Matt. 4:32; // Mark. 5:13; // Like 8:33; Acts 7:37; 19:29). Translations like the NIV and the NAS translate the noun here as “plot.”
“with their leaders”: The Gentiles had their city leaders, as described in Acts 13:50. Inscriptions and literary references demonstrate beyond doubt that the leading women were rich in their own right and power, without being subjected to male guardians or tutors. They handled their own money. They contributed to public works from their own wealth in this or that town, and the town in turn honored them with inscriptions. They also occupied high local political offices. The same is true of men, too. As for the Jewish leaders, they led the synagogue and read from the Torah (first five books of the Bible) and the prophets (Acts 13:15). They saw the threat to Judaism that Paul’s gospel posed. It would wreck the full force of the law of Moses and hence Judaism.
6:
Fleeing is sometimes a viable option. Jesus said to do this during persecution (Matt. 10:23). Paul said he had to flee Jerusalem because people there would not accept his testimony (Acts 22:17-18). Wisdom and prudence to leave danger and not seek martyrdom is sometimes the best policy.
7:
“preaching the good news”: it is in the present tense, so Parsons and Culy went with “continued to.” I followed their translation. “Preaching or spreading or announcing or proclaiming the good news” is traditional and better, however.
Keener: “Signs do not guarantee belief; they merely make the message impossible to ignore, usually demanding faith or rejection. Yet they appear important for the gospel breaking into new regions (Rom. 15:18-19; 2 Cor 12:12)” (p. 349).
GrowApp for Acts 14:1-7
1. After your success, opponents may go on the attack. After you were saved, how did your ex-friends or family attack you and hold you back?
2. Never forget that Christians around the globe are being persecuted. Join a mailing list about this and then pray for them.
RELATED
The Historical Reliability of the Book of Acts
Book of Acts and Paul’s Epistles: Match Made in Heaven?
SOURCES
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