Paul Is Stoned
For Preaching
– Acts Fourteen
This missionary journey took Paul and Barnabas to Iconium where
they attended a synagogue service. There they were also again given the
opportunity to speak and a great multitude of Jews and Greeks believed. (Acts
14:1) As had previously been the case the unbelieving Jews stirred up trouble.
(Acts 14:2)
The preaching of these brethren was marked by (1) boldness, and
(2) the working of miracles. They fearlessly proclaimed the word of God's
grace. In this text Barnabas is called an apostle. In Acts
Jesus said that the preaching of the gospel would bring division.
"Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on
earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division." (Luke 12:51) As these men
preached "the multitude of the city was divided: and part held with the
Jews, and part with the apostles." (Acts 14:4) Some even tried to stone
the preachers but they fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia. There they
preached the gospel.
A certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet was healed by the
apostles. The man was healed by simply being
told to "Stand upright
on thy feet."
The miracle resulted in the people saying, "The gods are come down to us
in the likeness of men. And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius,
because he was the chief speaker." The apostles "rent their clothes,
and ran in among the people, crying out, And saying,
Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and
preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God,
which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are
therein." (Acts 14:14-15) One must recognize the true God before he can
find the true Savior.
The unbelieving Jews from
The brethren revisited the churches they had established to (1) Confirm the souls of the disciples, (2) exhort them to continue in the faith, and (3) ordain elders in every church. Continuing in the faith refers to following the complete body of revealed truth. At the end of their journey the brethren gathered the church together and rehearsed all that God had done through them.
Paul
and Barnabas in Iconium – Acts 14:1-7: The missionary journey carried
the brethren to Iconium. There they spoke of the grace of God and His gospel.
They taught the people with power, boldness and courage. The result was that a
great multitude of the Jews and Gentiles believed. The part of the Jews that
continued in unbelief stirred the minds of the people in an evil way against
the apostles.
The missionaries stayed a long time at Iconiun. They did not even
seem discouraged at the treatment that they had received. The
preaching of the gospel cause division. Some agreed with the apostles doctrine and others condemned their doctrine as
false. The unbelievers attempted to stone the apostles as blasphemers. This
caused these brethren to flee to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia. Even in
difficult times they never lost the focus of their purpose. "And there
they preached the gospel." (Acts 14:7)
Paul
and Barnabas in Lystra – Acts 14:8-17: At Lystra the apostles healed a
lame man. He had never walked. This miracle was very much like the one in Acts
3. The man listened to the preaching. As Paul looked at him he observed his
faith. With a loud voice Paul told the man to stand on his feet. He sprung up
directly from his seat, leaped for joy, and walked as well as any man could.
Instead of giving honor to God for the miracle the people said,
"the gods are come down to us in the likeness of
men." Their concept of God was very wrong. They believed that there were
more gods than one. They also believed that the gods sometimes descended to
earth in human form. They gave Barnabas the name Jupiter. Paul was called
Mercurius because he was the chief speaker. The priest of Jupiter brought oxen
and garlands with the people to do sacrifice to the apostles.
This caused Paul and Barnabas to (1) rent their clothes, (2) cry
"why do ye these things?" (3) remind them that they were just men, and (4) challenge them
to turn from the vanities of false gods to the living God. The living God gives
"us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons,
filling our hearts with food and gladness." The other "gods" did
nothing and can do nothing.
Paul is stoned for preaching Christ – Acts 14:18-20: The things
they said concerning themselves, and concerning the living God, His creation of
all things, His goodness toward men barely kept the people from worshipping
them. Certain Jews came down from
The same people that had just before wanted to sacrifice to Paul
as a god now stone him as a deceiver. This shows the fickleness of humanity.
The Jews did the same with Jesus. One day they cried "Hosanna." The
next they were crying "Crucify him, Crucify
him." They stoned Paul and threw him out of the city and left him without
a burial. Paul rose up and went right back to the city to preach. The next day
he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.
Paul and Barnabas Return to
The apostles (1) ordained elders in every church, (2) prayed, (3)
fasted, and (4) commended the brethren to the Lord. (Acts
Now is the time to serve God faithfully. To
become a Christian hear the gospel (Romans