The Book of Acts Chapter 13
Originally posted Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Acts Chapter 13:1-3 Barnabas
and Saul Commissioned
As
another sign of the shifting nature of the Church, we return to Antioch. In 11:22 we learned that the
Jerusalem Church had sent Barnabas to Antioch after hearing that a successful
mission field had begun as a result of the scattering of disciples
when Stephen was killed. That was followed by the work of evangelists from
Cyprus and Cyrene among the Gentiles. As the community grew, Barnabas fetched
Saul to participate in the work of teaching and preaching. Among those in the
Antiochene community were other teachers and prophets. Besides Barnabas and
Saul there is a black man, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius from North
Africa and Manaean, a member of Herod Antipas' court. During the group's
time of worship and fasting the prophets among them are led to choose Barnabas
and Saul for the special work of preaching the message of Jesus beyond Antioch.
Through the laying on of hands they pass God's authority to the two
evangelists, now Apostles, and send them on their way.
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Background Note:
In
this passage the two disciples are back in Antioch. Its placement
here, immediately following Barnabas and Saul's completion of their
Antioch mission and returning to Jerusalem from so great a distance, is
strange. This indicates that Luke has used a prior event,
one that has already taken place in Antioch. This becomes evident
when we note that one of the named prophet/teachers, Manaean, is a member
of Herod Antipas' court. Luke has moved the passage to its
present location to emphasize the actual impact of Peter leaving Jerusalem
and the introduction of James, the brother of Jesus, as the leader in
Jerusalem. As we will see in the following passages relating to the work of
Barnabas and Saul, the commissioning of this team is a dramatic break from the
centrality of Jerusalem as the single authority over all believer communities.
The Church of Antioch now "ordains" its own Apostles on its
own authority as directed by the Holy Spirit. It is the prelude to a
divided Church, one essentially Jewish Christian the other essentially Gentile
Christian.
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Acts 13:4-12 The Apostles
Preach in Cyprus
We
now begin the first missionary journey of Saul and Barnabas, accompanied by
John Mark as an assistant. They set sail from Seleucia, Antioch's seaport,
sailing to Salamis, the main seaport on the northeastern edge of
Cyprus. As will be the usual pattern, the evangelists will make their
first effort in the local Synagogues (vs. 5). From Salamis they travel throughout the Island, presumably
stopping wherever they find a Synagogue, until they reach Paphos, the other
major seaport, on the southwest corner of Cyprus. Paphos is the
residence of the Roman Proconsul Sergius Paulus (served as
Governor 47-48 CE). The date provides us with an historical time
stamp, approximately five years after the death of James the Apostle.
The
Proconsul summoned Barnabas and Saul to hear whatever word of God they could
bring to him. We notice that he wanted to hear the word. This was not curiosity
and his desire implies he has a limited knowledge of Christianity,
probably hearing of it indirectly from the reported activity
of Cyprian evangelists. In his company was a magician, a false Jewish
prophet, named Elymas Bar Jesus (son of Joshua). The description of the scene
indicates that Sergius was a God Fearer and Elymas was his spiritual mentor in
Judaism. Out of his own self interests he vigorously argued
against Saul's attempt to convert Sergius to Christianity.
Saul excoriates him with a number of choice epithets for his attempts at
"making crooked the straight paths of the Lord," In Saul's view,
Elymas is promoting his form of Judaism as a crooked path to
salvation while disparaging Jesus' straight path. The scene ends
with Saul invoking the "Hand of the Lord" against Elymas causing him
to become temporarily blind. The result is unexpected. Sergius becomes a
believer, not based on the blinding of Elymas but because of Saul's "teaching
about the Lord."
We
might have overlooked an important change that occurs in this passage. Luke
begins to use the name Paul instead of Saul. It is as clear a signal as we will
have that this mission that Paul and Barnabas have begun will be to
the Gentiles. His Hebrew name is a sign of his past life. He is now Paul, a
sign of his new life.
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Background note:
Luke
writes that Sergius was an intelligent man meaning he was well educated, as any
Proconsul would be. He would have been appointed by the Roman Senate
to Cyprus as an especially important Province. In the Roman
Republic, before the beginning of the Empire, there were two Consuls
elected to serve for one year. After their year it was usual that they would be
appointed as a Governor or Proconsul to an important Roman Province.
With the beginning the Roman Empire under Augustus Caesar, the Emperor
became the "Consul" of all provinces but would
occasionally install favorites as Proconsuls, provincial Governors.
Proconsuls were also appointed as Governors by the Senate. In either
case being selected for such a post was a high honor. Luke has
used Sergius' conversion as an example of Christianity's inroads into all
levels of roman society.
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Acts Chapter 13:13-52 Paul
and Barnabas in Antioch of Pisidia
The
next part of the missionary journey was to Asia Minor (Turkey), sailing from
Paphos to Perga, the capital of the southern Province of Pamphylia. Luke
reports that John Mark left the two Apostles and returned to his Mother's home
in Jerusalem while Paul and Barnabas proceeded north to Antioch in the Pisidian
district.
When
asked on the Sabbath to speak as a guest in the Synagogue, Paul traced
the salvation history of Israel, from slavery in Egypt to Canaan, to the
time of the Judges, to King Saul and finally to David. Of David's
posterity, Paul says, God brought Jesus to Israel as a savior, as
announced beforehand by John the Baptist. This message of salvation has
been sent not only to [you] descendents of Abraham but also to all [you]
God Fearers. But Jerusalem rejected him and had Pilate kill him on their
behalf. Yet God raised him, uncorrupted, from the grave and it is through him
that forgiveness and freedom from sin is proclaimed, something the law of Moses
cannot promise.
So
far the reception of Paul's words seemed positive. Some listeners asked
them to return the following Sabbath and tell them more. Others, Jews and
Proselytes, who apparently were on the edge of belief, followed the two
Apostles who encouraged them to "continue in the grace of God,"
being open to the Spirit's leading.
On
the next Sabbath the crowd had swelled with many of the townspeople
joining the Jews, wanting to hear what Paul had to say, wanting to hear
the word of the Lord. At first the Synagogue leaders were amazed that so
many Gentiles were there. There amazement turned to jealousy as they realized
what might happen if this new belief took hold. They could lose standing in the
community. They could lose the financial support of the Gentile God Fearers.
They tried to refute what Paul had spoken, to tell the people Paul did not
understand the Scripture; he was not being truthful about God.
Paul
and Barnabas were ready for this demonstration of envy. In a
direct response with the sting of finality, the great chasm between
Judaism and Christianity is opened. That which was first spoken to you
descendents of the families of Abraham you have rejected, proving your
unworthiness of eternal life. We will turn to the Gentiles thereby fulfilling
Isaiah's words, "I have given you for a covenant for a light for
the Gentiles (Isa. 42:6 LXX)."
This was good news to the ears of the Gentile proselytes and God fearers. They
heard words of their inclusion in God's salvation; that eternal life was open
to all who turned to God and many became believers.
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Background Notes:
(1) The extended scene of
Paul addressing the Synagogue will establish two realities of Paul's future.
The Jews will be characterized as a hindrance to the spreading of the Gospel to
the Gentiles and they will be the instigators of much of what Paul
will suffer. Even so, as Luke reports, Paul will consistently use the Synagogue
as his starting point. Part of his reason is easy to understand. Paul was a
Jew, with strong Jewish roots. His training in the Scriptures was a valuable
tool for understanding Jesus in the context of Torah and the prophetic
tradition. It also helped him solidify what, in his mind, was wrong with
Judaism insofar as it became a hindrance to belief in Jesus. This passage is a
good example of Paul's use of the Old Testament as a means of pointing to
Jesus. There also is another, perhaps greater, reason to be found in the
aim of his mission to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles. He knew where the most
receptive Gentiles would be found: as God fearers connected to the Synagogue.
They already knew the great saga of Israel, the Patriarchs, the Law
and the Prophets. They had no historical allegiances to protect. They also
understood such concepts as Lord, divinity and sons of the gods. After all,
their Emperor was a divine son of a god. Proselytes - Gentiles converts to
Judaism, and God Fearers, not converted but attached, were a ready made
audience for Paul. In effect Paul knew he could enter the sheep fold and steal
some sheep. As we read in 13:48-50,
it was not until Gentiles began to respond with belief to Paul's and
Barnabas' message of eternal life through Jesus that the Synagogue
officials stirred up violence against them.
(2) Vs. 48b reads, "as many as had been destined for eternal life became
believers." We have read a similar mention of what sounds like
predestination, that some are predestined to receive eternal life and
some are not. Not only does such a doctrine defy logic, particularly our
understanding of free will, it is not consistent with Jesus' words, taken as a
whole, or the New Testament as a whole. Luke (and Jesus) is clear that
anyone (he has included Gentiles!) who turns to God through repentance is
"destined" for inclusion in God's Kingdom. It is the act of one's
free will, albeit urged by prevenient grace, to choose, not some cosmic
lottery that is determinative.
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