Now at Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet. He was crippled from birth and had never walked. He listened to Paul speaking. And Paul, looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well, said in a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he sprang up and began walking. And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds. But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.” Even with these words they scarcely restrained the people from offering sacrifice to them.
seeing that he had faith to be made well - "It is not strange that he should gather from Paul's words that he might be healed, for we must remember that Israel had not yet been completely set aside, hence the Pentecostal era had not yet drawn to a close. The apostle would naturally tell his hearers of what had so recently come to pass: how Christ had come to earth as Israel's Messiah, what wonders He had wrought and how He had been rejected, even after having been raised from the dead and having worked still greater miracles from His exile in heaven — all of this, of course, as a preliminary to his special message of salvation by grace through faith. Thus, perceiving the man's desire and his faith to be healed, the apostle addressed him personally, saying in a loud voice: 'Stand upright on thy feet.' And immediately he leaped to his feet and walked." (Stam)
they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian - "Though they had evidently understood Paul, speaking in Greek, they now did what is so natural when excitement runs high: they raised their voices and reverted to the use of their native tongue ... In their heathen blindness they supposed, rather, that Paul and Barnabas were gods come down to them in the likeness of men. This is what they were exclaiming to each other 'in the speech of Lycoania,' as they called Barnabas 'Jupiter', the supposed father of gods and men,' and Paul 'Mercurius', the supposed messenger of the gods,' because he was the chief speaker.' It is clear from Verses 14,15 that Paul and Barnabas did not understand what the Lystrians were saying. Had they understood it they would, of course, have objected immediately, nor, probably, would the worship of Verse 13 have been attempted. As it was, the apostles were very evidently surprised when the Lystrians sought to offer sacrifices to them." (Stam)
The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men! - "The pagan peoples of that age commonly believed that their gods visited the earth from time to time in human guise. In particular, they had a well-known myth that Jupiter [Gk 'Zeus'] and Mercury [Gk 'Hermes'] had visited, in human form, an old Phrygian peasant woman named Baucis and her husband Philemon who, though ignorant of the nature of their guests, entertained them so hospitably that they received special boons and honours from the gratified deities. Lystra was not far away from the locality in which the scene of this myth was cast, and no doubt the superstitious Lystrians thought that Paul and Barnabas were the old deities returned to earth again to confer special boons on men." (Walker)
Zeus - The chief god of the Greek Pantheon.
"The chief god in the Graeco-Roman pantheon. He was regarded as the great father and lord of all, gods and men alike. In some respects, he corresponds with the Hindu god Brahma; in others, with Indra. Like the former, he is represented as originator of all; like the latter, as presiding over the other 'devas' and as holding a thunderbolt. He is pictured as the majestic appearance, with a flowing beard. The Lystrians probably likened Barnabas to him because of his more venerable mien and his comparative silence. The greater was regarded as acting through the lesser." (Walker)
Hermes - "The patron god of orators. In two Greek legends connected with Lystra (and familiar to Paul's listeners), Zeus and Hermes had 'become like men' and come down." (Ryrie)
"Son of Zeus, and the messenger and interpreter of the gods, especially of Zeus. He was the patron deity of orators, merchants, etc. He was regarded as the inventor of speech. To the pagans of Lystra, St. Paul, on account of his activity in preaching, etc., appeared to be Barnabas' spokesman and interpreter." (Walker)
We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news - "We find in Scripture people dealt with as they were, and there is that kind of an appeal to the conscience which was adopted to their peculiar state. The discourse in the synagogue was founded on the Jewish scriptures, here to these men of Lycaonia there is no allusion to the Old Testament whatever, but a plain reference to what all see and know—the heavens above them and the seasons that God was pleased from old to assign round about them, and that continual supply of the fruits of His natural bounty of which the most callous can scarce be insensible." (W. Kelly)
In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways - "'In times past,' says the apostle, the true God, 'suffered all nations to walk in their own ways' (Ver. 16). The word nations here (Gk 'Ethnos') is generally translated 'Gentiles' or 'heathen', as distinguished from the Jews, and refers to the nations outside of covenant relationship with God: all nations except Israel. It certainly does not include Israel here, for they were given the Law and commanded to walk in God's way. It was the Gentiles who, since Babel, had been given over to a reprobate mind, since 'they did not like to retain God in their knowledge' (Rom 1:28). But this was 'in times past,' says the apostle. 'Now we call upon you to turn from these vanities to God.' Could there be a stronger testimony to the fact that God had again begun to work among the Gentiles? (Cf. Acts 17:30). Indeed, all the while God had, through creation, continued to bear witness to the Gentiles of His 'eternal power and Godhead,' providing for them and filling their hearts with food and gladness, so that they were 'without excuse' for indulging in 'these vanities' (Vers. 16,17; Cf. Rom 1:19,20) and should now without delay, turn to God (Cf. 1 Thes 1:9)." (Stam)
satisfying your hearts with food and gladness - "This beautiful figure of speech describes the feeling of well-being that results from being well fed. And in a remarkable combination of tact and power of argument he links himself and Barnabas with them in this. 'Filling our hearts,' he says, 'with food and gladness.' This would be most apt to win them and at the same time deter them from worshipping him and Barnabas." (Stam)
seeing that he had faith to be made well - "It is not strange that he should gather from Paul's words that he might be healed, for we must remember that Israel had not yet been completely set aside, hence the Pentecostal era had not yet drawn to a close. The apostle would naturally tell his hearers of what had so recently come to pass: how Christ had come to earth as Israel's Messiah, what wonders He had wrought and how He had been rejected, even after having been raised from the dead and having worked still greater miracles from His exile in heaven — all of this, of course, as a preliminary to his special message of salvation by grace through faith. Thus, perceiving the man's desire and his faith to be healed, the apostle addressed him personally, saying in a loud voice: 'Stand upright on thy feet.' And immediately he leaped to his feet and walked." (Stam)
they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian - "Though they had evidently understood Paul, speaking in Greek, they now did what is so natural when excitement runs high: they raised their voices and reverted to the use of their native tongue ... In their heathen blindness they supposed, rather, that Paul and Barnabas were gods come down to them in the likeness of men. This is what they were exclaiming to each other 'in the speech of Lycoania,' as they called Barnabas 'Jupiter', the supposed father of gods and men,' and Paul 'Mercurius', the supposed messenger of the gods,' because he was the chief speaker.' It is clear from Verses 14,15 that Paul and Barnabas did not understand what the Lystrians were saying. Had they understood it they would, of course, have objected immediately, nor, probably, would the worship of Verse 13 have been attempted. As it was, the apostles were very evidently surprised when the Lystrians sought to offer sacrifices to them." (Stam)
The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men! - "The pagan peoples of that age commonly believed that their gods visited the earth from time to time in human guise. In particular, they had a well-known myth that Jupiter [Gk 'Zeus'] and Mercury [Gk 'Hermes'] had visited, in human form, an old Phrygian peasant woman named Baucis and her husband Philemon who, though ignorant of the nature of their guests, entertained them so hospitably that they received special boons and honours from the gratified deities. Lystra was not far away from the locality in which the scene of this myth was cast, and no doubt the superstitious Lystrians thought that Paul and Barnabas were the old deities returned to earth again to confer special boons on men." (Walker)
Zeus - The chief god of the Greek Pantheon.
"The chief god in the Graeco-Roman pantheon. He was regarded as the great father and lord of all, gods and men alike. In some respects, he corresponds with the Hindu god Brahma; in others, with Indra. Like the former, he is represented as originator of all; like the latter, as presiding over the other 'devas' and as holding a thunderbolt. He is pictured as the majestic appearance, with a flowing beard. The Lystrians probably likened Barnabas to him because of his more venerable mien and his comparative silence. The greater was regarded as acting through the lesser." (Walker)
Hermes - "The patron god of orators. In two Greek legends connected with Lystra (and familiar to Paul's listeners), Zeus and Hermes had 'become like men' and come down." (Ryrie)
"Son of Zeus, and the messenger and interpreter of the gods, especially of Zeus. He was the patron deity of orators, merchants, etc. He was regarded as the inventor of speech. To the pagans of Lystra, St. Paul, on account of his activity in preaching, etc., appeared to be Barnabas' spokesman and interpreter." (Walker)
We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news - "We find in Scripture people dealt with as they were, and there is that kind of an appeal to the conscience which was adopted to their peculiar state. The discourse in the synagogue was founded on the Jewish scriptures, here to these men of Lycaonia there is no allusion to the Old Testament whatever, but a plain reference to what all see and know—the heavens above them and the seasons that God was pleased from old to assign round about them, and that continual supply of the fruits of His natural bounty of which the most callous can scarce be insensible." (W. Kelly)
In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways - "'In times past,' says the apostle, the true God, 'suffered all nations to walk in their own ways' (Ver. 16). The word nations here (Gk 'Ethnos') is generally translated 'Gentiles' or 'heathen', as distinguished from the Jews, and refers to the nations outside of covenant relationship with God: all nations except Israel. It certainly does not include Israel here, for they were given the Law and commanded to walk in God's way. It was the Gentiles who, since Babel, had been given over to a reprobate mind, since 'they did not like to retain God in their knowledge' (Rom 1:28). But this was 'in times past,' says the apostle. 'Now we call upon you to turn from these vanities to God.' Could there be a stronger testimony to the fact that God had again begun to work among the Gentiles? (Cf. Acts 17:30). Indeed, all the while God had, through creation, continued to bear witness to the Gentiles of His 'eternal power and Godhead,' providing for them and filling their hearts with food and gladness, so that they were 'without excuse' for indulging in 'these vanities' (Vers. 16,17; Cf. Rom 1:19,20) and should now without delay, turn to God (Cf. 1 Thes 1:9)." (Stam)
satisfying your hearts with food and gladness - "This beautiful figure of speech describes the feeling of well-being that results from being well fed. And in a remarkable combination of tact and power of argument he links himself and Barnabas with them in this. 'Filling our hearts,' he says, 'with food and gladness.' This would be most apt to win them and at the same time deter them from worshipping him and Barnabas." (Stam)
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