Now at Iconium they entered together into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed. But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands. But the people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews and some with the apostles. When an attempt was made by both Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to mistreat them and to stone them, they learned of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding country, and there they continued to preach the gospel.
they entered together into the Jewish synagogue - "Yet we do not believe that Paul's only purpose in going to the Jewish synagogues first was that he might contact the Jews. It must be remembered that before Israel was set aside by God the favored nation still exerted considerable influence, spiritually, upon the Gentiles. Hence, in the synagogues Paul would also find those Gentiles who had at least come to recognize the true. God. These would naturally be most open to the Word of God and the message of grace and, if won to the truth, would give him a nucleus of believers around which to build. It is intimated that there were Gentiles present in the synagogue at Pisidian Antioch, from which Paul and Barnabas had just come, and it is definitely stated that Greeks as well as Jews were present in this one in Iconium." (Stam)
the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles - "Nearly all the persecutions of the Acts originated in the hostility of the Jews. Probably the case of Demetrius (Acts 19:24) is an exception." (Stam)
speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace - "This boldness consisted in a direct—though not yet complete—proclamation of the gospel of God's grace through Christ as compared with the Judaism, or even the Christo-Judaism, of the believers at Jerusalem (Cf. Acts 13:38-39; 21:20). That this is so is evident from the declaration that the Lord 'gave testimony unto the word of His grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands.' But, it may be asked, why would the Lord give testimony to 'the word of His grace' by signs and wonders? We believe the answer is three-fold, centering around the fact that God was only beginning to make the message of grace known. First, miraculous signs were the credentials of apostleship (2 Cor 12:12). Second, these signs were wrought primarily for the sake of the Jews who would recognize them as a proof of divine endorsement (1 Cor 1:22; Acts 15:12). Third, they were wrought, while Israel's kingdom hopes had not yet been officially withdrawn, to 'make the Gentiles obedient' (Rom 15:18-19). This last is no contradiction to 1 Cor 1:22, for there, in contrast to the Jews, which require a sign, it is said that the 'Greeks seek after wisdom.' The Greeks were the highest type Gentiles, intellectually." (Stam)
signs and wonders - These confirmed the truthfulness of their message (2 Cor 12:12).
Lycaonia - "The name of a large country consisting chiefly of a level plain, which had formerly been included in the Seleucid empire. At the period before us, it consisted of two distinct parts, the eastern one being attached to the Native State of Antiochus king of Commagene, whicl the western one was Galatia. We may compare it to such a country as Rajputana, a small protion of which, Ajmere-Merwara is directly under British rule, while the rest consists of Feudatory States. It was in the Roman part of Lycaonia that Paul and Barnabas preached, and in which the cities Lystra and Derbe were situated. It was bounded on the north by Galatia proper; on the west by Phrygia and Pisidia; on the east by Cappadocia; and on the south by mountain spurs jutting out from Mt. Taurus." (Walker)
Lystra - About 20 mi (32 km) from Iconium.
"A city about eighteen miles SSW of Iconium. We know nothing of it till the founding of a Roman colony there by Augustus 6 B.C., as a defence against the brigands who infected the Taurus range to the south. As a 'colony', its government and organization were Latin. Otherwise, in its more remote situation, as the narrative shews, it was distinctly less Graecized and civilized than either Pisidian Antioch or Iconium." (Walker)
Derbe - "A frontier city of the Galatian province, on the main road leading southeast from Mystra. Very little is known of the its history. It was about thirty miles distant from Lystra." (Walker)
surrounding country - "We have here another of those 'regions' into which south Galatia was divided by the Roman administrators. It was termed, officially, 'Galatica Lycaonia', after the province of Galatia to which it was attached. Popularly, however, it seems to have been known as the "Galatic region', a name given to it by the inhabitants of that part of Lycaonia included in the client-State of Commagene. Thus, in travelling from Iconium to Lystra, the missionaries passed from 'the Phrygian region' into 'the Galatic region' of Roman Lycaonia. The latter began a few miles south and east of Iconium." (Walker)
they continued to preach the gospel - "It is touching to see these truly great men forced to flee for their lives, but thrilling and inspiring to see them immediately preaching the gospel in another place! Such courage comes from more than a sense of duty. Paul himself says it comes from an overwhelming appreciation of the love of Christ. 'For the love of Christ constraineth us.'" (Stam)
they entered together into the Jewish synagogue - "Yet we do not believe that Paul's only purpose in going to the Jewish synagogues first was that he might contact the Jews. It must be remembered that before Israel was set aside by God the favored nation still exerted considerable influence, spiritually, upon the Gentiles. Hence, in the synagogues Paul would also find those Gentiles who had at least come to recognize the true. God. These would naturally be most open to the Word of God and the message of grace and, if won to the truth, would give him a nucleus of believers around which to build. It is intimated that there were Gentiles present in the synagogue at Pisidian Antioch, from which Paul and Barnabas had just come, and it is definitely stated that Greeks as well as Jews were present in this one in Iconium." (Stam)
the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles - "Nearly all the persecutions of the Acts originated in the hostility of the Jews. Probably the case of Demetrius (Acts 19:24) is an exception." (Stam)
speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace - "This boldness consisted in a direct—though not yet complete—proclamation of the gospel of God's grace through Christ as compared with the Judaism, or even the Christo-Judaism, of the believers at Jerusalem (Cf. Acts 13:38-39; 21:20). That this is so is evident from the declaration that the Lord 'gave testimony unto the word of His grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands.' But, it may be asked, why would the Lord give testimony to 'the word of His grace' by signs and wonders? We believe the answer is three-fold, centering around the fact that God was only beginning to make the message of grace known. First, miraculous signs were the credentials of apostleship (2 Cor 12:12). Second, these signs were wrought primarily for the sake of the Jews who would recognize them as a proof of divine endorsement (1 Cor 1:22; Acts 15:12). Third, they were wrought, while Israel's kingdom hopes had not yet been officially withdrawn, to 'make the Gentiles obedient' (Rom 15:18-19). This last is no contradiction to 1 Cor 1:22, for there, in contrast to the Jews, which require a sign, it is said that the 'Greeks seek after wisdom.' The Greeks were the highest type Gentiles, intellectually." (Stam)
signs and wonders - These confirmed the truthfulness of their message (2 Cor 12:12).
Lycaonia - "The name of a large country consisting chiefly of a level plain, which had formerly been included in the Seleucid empire. At the period before us, it consisted of two distinct parts, the eastern one being attached to the Native State of Antiochus king of Commagene, whicl the western one was Galatia. We may compare it to such a country as Rajputana, a small protion of which, Ajmere-Merwara is directly under British rule, while the rest consists of Feudatory States. It was in the Roman part of Lycaonia that Paul and Barnabas preached, and in which the cities Lystra and Derbe were situated. It was bounded on the north by Galatia proper; on the west by Phrygia and Pisidia; on the east by Cappadocia; and on the south by mountain spurs jutting out from Mt. Taurus." (Walker)
Lystra - About 20 mi (32 km) from Iconium.
"A city about eighteen miles SSW of Iconium. We know nothing of it till the founding of a Roman colony there by Augustus 6 B.C., as a defence against the brigands who infected the Taurus range to the south. As a 'colony', its government and organization were Latin. Otherwise, in its more remote situation, as the narrative shews, it was distinctly less Graecized and civilized than either Pisidian Antioch or Iconium." (Walker)
Derbe - "A frontier city of the Galatian province, on the main road leading southeast from Mystra. Very little is known of the its history. It was about thirty miles distant from Lystra." (Walker)
surrounding country - "We have here another of those 'regions' into which south Galatia was divided by the Roman administrators. It was termed, officially, 'Galatica Lycaonia', after the province of Galatia to which it was attached. Popularly, however, it seems to have been known as the "Galatic region', a name given to it by the inhabitants of that part of Lycaonia included in the client-State of Commagene. Thus, in travelling from Iconium to Lystra, the missionaries passed from 'the Phrygian region' into 'the Galatic region' of Roman Lycaonia. The latter began a few miles south and east of Iconium." (Walker)
they continued to preach the gospel - "It is touching to see these truly great men forced to flee for their lives, but thrilling and inspiring to see them immediately preaching the gospel in another place! Such courage comes from more than a sense of duty. Paul himself says it comes from an overwhelming appreciation of the love of Christ. 'For the love of Christ constraineth us.'" (Stam)
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