Session 2
Acts 13:42-52
Memory Verse: Acts 13:47
In Acts 2, Peter preached a miraculous sermon at Pentecost. In some ways, Paul’s sermon in the synagogue of Pisidian Antioch paralleled Peter’s sermon. Paul preached to a crowd of Jews and Gentiles, but his sincere desire for both groups was that they would hear the gospel and embrace the salvation provided by Jesus the Messiah.
We still live in a confused culture with so many voices trying to lead people down one path or another. In this chaotic context, Jesus calls Christians to share His gospel with anyone who will listen. Some will reject Jesus, while others will accept their newfound faith.
This week consider specific obstacles you have faced in sharing the gospel. Pray for God’s power and boldness as you seek to touch the hearts of those who will hear the gospel’s message. Ask Him to help you convey the urgency of fulfilling this task with the adults in your Bible study group.
Time management experts encourage balance between vocation and avocation. Vocation is what we do for a living; avocation involves an interest or hobby. People whose identity is tied to their vocation experience an identity crisis when they lose their job. Those who live to play sports may go into depression if an injury ends their ability to play. But a person who understands his life’s purpose as sharing Jesus can find opportunities to fulfill his life goal whether on the job, enjoying recreation, or just going about life. (PSG, p. 19)
Following the accounts of the missionaries’ experiences in Paphos (Acts 13:4-12), Acts 13 continues with the narrative of events among the Jewish population in Pisidian Antioch. In Acts, Luke included a significant number of speeches that make up about a third of the book. Nine speeches are credited to Paul during his missionary journeys, including the one in this passage.
While many of Paul’s speeches tended to follow different paths, the three messages to Jews remained consistent. First, Paul explained that Jesus was the Messiah, the One promised in the law and the prophets. Next, he leaned into numerous Old Testament passages to validate his claims about Jesus. Finally, he emphasized the importance of Jesus’s resurrection.
Luke’s inclusion of many of Paul’s speeches reflected his stated purpose of providing believers with the confidence to trust that the history and theology of the Gospel of Luke and Acts were true and provided a solid foundation for faith.
Upon completion of their ministry in Paphos, Paul and Barnabas set sail for Perga on their way to Pisidian Antioch. Perga had been a colony of the Greeks, but by the first century, it was located within the Roman territory of Galatia. John Mark, a relative of Barnabas who had started out on the mission, did not continue. Leaving Paul and Barnabas, he returned to Jerusalem. There has been conjecture about John Mark’s departure, though Luke did not address the reasons.
One of the most important speeches Paul gave took place at the synagogue in Antioch of Pisidia-a different city from the Antioch in which Paul and Barnabas were commissioned. This city had a large Jewish population, and the synagogue served as the central location for their religious, social, and civic lives. Consequently, as was their custom, Paul and Barnabas visited the synagogue on the Sabbath.
A Sabbath service would begin with prayers and readings from the Scriptures. The readings were followed by a sermon from a congregant. On this day, the synagogue leaders asked Paul and Barnabas to share.
Paul’s sermon presented a history lesson of God’s selection of the Jews and His promises to them. The sermon also proclaimed the fulfillment of the messianic prophecies in Jesus. Finally, Paul concluded in the customary style of applying the sermon to individual persons-a call to action.
Paul’s sermon elicited mixed reactions. He was invited to speak again on the following Sabbath, an event that drew “the whole town.” But it also drew harsh opposition from jealous Jews. They insulted Paul and contradicted his message. In response, Paul began focusing on the Gentiles.
As you read Acts 13:13-52, note the different responses to the gospel. How did Paul and Barnabas respond to rejection? (PSG, p. 20)
Distribute hymnals or copies of the lyrics to the hymn “I’ll Tell the World That I’m a Christian” (Baptist Hymnal 2008, No. 368). Lead the group to sing or read the lyrics. Ask: Which line of the lyrics best describes how you share the gospel?
EXPLORE THE TEXT
42 As they were leaving, the people urged them to speak about these matters the following Sabbath. 43 After the synagogue had been dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who were speaking with them and urging them to continue in the grace of God. 44 The following Sabbath almost the whole town assembled to hear the word of the Lord. 45 But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what Paul was saying, insulting him.
(v. 42) People urged: Paul and Barnabas had continued on to Pisidian Antioch, where Paul preached in the city’s Jewish synagogue. In his sermon, he had pointed to Jesus as the Messiah, a message that would have resonated with most Jews. Intrigued, they urged Paul to speak again on the following Sabbath. The Greek wording suggests coming alongside someone, making an appeal or issuing an exhortation. This invitation was presented in the strongest of terms.
(v. 43) Devout converts: Many who had attended the service continued to talk with Paul and Barnabas afterward. Of course, this group included ethnic Jews who were regular attenders, but it also included devout converts to Judaism. These would have been Gentiles who had rejected pagan religions and embraced the practices of the Jewish faith. It is not clear how long these converts had been practicing Judaism, but Paul’s message about the Messiah caught their attention.
(v. 43) Grace of God: Jewish faith was based on the law of Moses. As Paul well knew, obedience to the law is what defined a truly righteous person in the eyes of most Jews. But he also understood the paradigm shift that Jesus had created when He came to earth.
Instead of following the rules and regulations of the law, Jesus taught the early believers to emphasize the power of God’s grace. Salvation is not something to be earned through good works. It is a gracious gift of God (Eph. 2:8-9) provided to those who place their faith and trust in the finished work of Christ on the cross.
(v. 44) Almost the whole town: Apparently, word of Paul’s second appearance at the synagogue spread rapidly and drew a crowd. As a predominantly Gentile city, the Jews in the synagogue may have been outnumbered by non-Jews who had come to hear Paul speak. The apostle’s earlier sermon had convinced God-fearing Gentiles that the offer of salvation was open to everyone, regardless of religious or ethnic background. This would have encouraged many more Gentiles to come to the synagogue for Paul’s next message.
(v. 45) Filled with jealousy: Seeing the large number of Gentiles created a tense jealousy in the hearts of ethnic Jews in the synagogue. As a result, the situation deteriorated rapidly. Rather than an orderly meeting, devout Jews initiated a verbal attack on Paul. They began to contradict his words and followed that up by insulting him.
The Greek wording emphasizes the hostility with which these Jews argued against Paul and the gospel. Their attacks likely crossed a line into blasphemy. For the Jews, the shift from a measure of curiosity to active persecution was abrupt and violent because of the presence of Gentiles.
EXPLORE THE TEXT
46 Paul and Barnabas boldly replied, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first. Since you reject it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we are turning to the Gentiles. 47 For this is what the Lord has commanded us: I have made you a light for the Gentiles to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.”
48 When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and honored the word of the Lord, and all who had been appointed to eternal life believed.
(v. 46) Boldly: The Greek wording here suggests a freedom and confidence in the missionaries’ tone and attitude. Rather than cowering from the insults and opposition, they stood taller in the face of persecution. Paul and Barnabas refused to back down from the gospel or their calling.
(v. 46) Spoken to you first: The Jewish leaders may have been confused by the response of Paul and Barnabas. The missionaries appeared to agree that the proclamation of the Messiah and salvation should be given to the Jews first. Throughout Israel’s history, God’s messages went to His people first and foremost. Truly, it was necessary for the Jews to be the first to be offered any covenant with God. As the Jewish Messiah that had been prophesied, the message had to be presented to the Jews first.
Reject . . . unworthy
As when Jesus was tried and crucified, the Jews were rejecting the One God sent to meet their deepest needs. The Greek word translated reject means to push away or throw aside. It implies putting space between yourself and something offensive or repulsive.
By refusing God’s gift, the Jews counted themselves as unworthy of eternal life. Eternal life relates to partnership in the kingdom of God, but the Jews were eliminating themselves from such participation with God and His plan. The Greek word for “unworthy” suggests assigning weight or value. It is the image of coming up short and being undeserving.
(v. 47) Light for the Gentiles: Paul expressed God’s command by quoting Isaiah 49:6, known as the second Servant Song. The Jewish nation was identified as the servant of God and the verse emphasized God’s expectation that His people would spread His word throughout the world. They were called to be a light for the Gentiles. Historically, Israel had been disobedient and did not follow God’s plan. Despite some initial interest and enthusiasm, this generation of Jews in Pisidian Antioch was following the same pattern.
In contrast, Paul and Barnabas embraced their role as minister to the Gentiles. Paul’s understanding of his calling was established during his encounter with Jesus on the Damascus Road. It was within this call that Paul was commissioned to preach Jesus to the Gentiles. He and Barnabas were more than willing to obey God’s command and to share Christ’s message of salvation with Gentiles.
(v. 48) Rejoiced: The Jews were unmoved by the words of Paul and Barnabas. The Gentiles, though, had a significantly different reaction. As if in a witness to God’s work, the Gentiles rejoiced because of the conversion they experienced. The Gentiles recognized that it was not by their own doing. While the Jews had rejected the gospel message, the Gentiles honored the word.
(v. 48) Appointed: The original wording was often used in military contexts. It could mean placing a soldier at a particular rank or placing units in a certain order. The term had come to mean something that had been determined, assigned, or set in place.
In the context of Pisidian Antioch, the gospel message had been offered to all because all needed to hear the truth. However, only those who accepted Paul’s message under the leadership of the Holy Spirit were appointed to eternal life. The positive response of the Gentiles bore witness that they were accepted as God’s people.
EXPLORE THE TEXT
49 The word of the Lord spread through the whole region. 50 But the Jews incited the prominent God-fearing women and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and expelled them from their district. 51 But Paul and Barnabas shook the dust off their feet against them and went to Iconium. 52 And the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.
(v. 49) The whole region: The news of Paul’s sermon traveled across the area surrounding Pisidian Antioch. As directed in Acts 1:8, the message of the Messiah reached across much of Asia Minor and Galatia. The spread of the word of the Lord into these neighboring locales meant that Paul and Barnabas could more freely travel to the places the Holy Spirit directed.
(v. 50) God-fearing women: The term is not clear in its meaning. Some scholars suggest these were Gentile God-fearers who held influence in the city. Others think they were the Jewish wives of city leaders who urged their spouses to act against Paul and Barnabas. Either way, they posed a significant threat to the missionaries’ work.
(v. 50) Persecution: Two common themes in Luke’s writing are the expansion of the gospel message and the resulting persecution. Both are present in verses 49-50. The Jewish persecution increased, as did the number of Gentile converts.
Persecution in Acts
While the early church initially enjoyed the favor of many in Jerusalem, that respect eventually was replaced by persecution. This culminated in the attacks on the apostles and the deaths of Stephen and James. As the gospel’s reach expanded, the suffering followed. Yet, throughout Acts, Luke demonstrated how persecution usually resulted in the spread of the gospel. For more on this, study the following verses and reflect on how God used hard times to make a difference for His kingdom: Acts 4:3-4,23-31; 5:18-28; 8:1-4; and 11:19-21. Consider where you have seen suffering promote growth in the church or in your own life. Ask God to help you view and accept persecution from His perspective moving forward.
(v. 51) Shook the dust off their feet: The goal of the persecutors was to force Paul and Barnabas to leave their district (v. 50). The little word but reveals how God was sovereign over the whole situation. The missionaries were not forced out. They left as the Holy Spirit directed.
But, as they left, they performed a symbolic act directed against the opponents of the gospel. Just as Jesus had instructed the disciples to shake the dust from their feet when leaving a town where they were not welcomed (Matt. 10:14), Paul and Barnabas shook the dust off their feet against the city leaders. To put this action in context, entering the Jewish temple with dust on the feet rendered a person unclean. Also, when Jews journeyed across Gentile territory, they shook the Gentile dust from their feet as they entered Israel. In Pisidian Antioch, though, Paul and Barnabas shook off the dust of a Jewish community that would not accept their message of the Messiah.
(v. 51) Iconium: After leaving Pisidian Antioch, Paul and Barnabas journeyed about ninety miles southeast to Iconium. It was located where the modern Turkish city of Konya now stands.
As with many cities Paul and Barnabas visited, some people in the city worshiped false gods, while others practiced Judaism. The proximity of Iconium to several smaller cities-as well as its distance from Pisidian Antioch-made it a convenient place to begin the missionaries’ ministry in southern Asia Minor.
(v. 52) Filled with joy: The new believers in Pisidian Antioch could have been disheartened when the missionaries left. They also could also have been persecuted as Paul and Barnabas had been. Still, these believers experienced joy. Their overwhelming faith was far more important than any persecution they endured. This joy was rooted in the Holy Spirit.
Reinforce the session by emailing or texting the group during the week. Encourage them to be persistent as they share their faith. Remind them to read and reflect on the second set of questions under “Apply the Text” as directed. Urge them to meet with another adult in the Bible study to discuss these questions. Let them know that volunteers will have a time to share their thoughts when you meet again.
God’s Purpose of Grace
Election is the gracious purpose of God, according to which He regenerates, justifies, sanctifies, and glorifies sinners. It is consistent with the free agency of man, and comprehends all the means in connection with the end. (See John 1:12-13; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14.)
Memorize a verse that is meaningful to you.
Memorize Acts 13:47 in your preferred Bible translation. Summarize the verse in your own words, substituting the name of a person for whom God has made you a light. If there are multiple persons looking to you for a light, write the verse for each person. After writing the verse, list some ways you can be a light to bring salvation to each person. As you memorize the verse, recite it with your substituted name. Pray that the Holy Spirit will show you how to be a light and give you the opportunity to show the light to others.