Acts 14:1-7- Paul & Barnabas at Iconium

Leaving Pisidian Antioch, Paul and Barnabas journeyed to Iconium. As usual, they went to the Jewish synagogue. Although they had indicated in Acts 13:46 that they were turning to the Gentiles, yet here the first thing they did, was to go to the Jewish synagogue. They seemed to contradict themselves.

Yes, they did say that they would turn to the Gentiles, but that statement did not say that they would rule out the Jews. Anyway, the synagogue was a good place to start. People present would have sufficient knowledge of the Old Testament that Paul could connect to Christ. Furthermore, there would also be the Gentile proselytes, the God-fearers, who were attracted to Israel’s monotheistic belief.

Verse 1 suggests that Paul and Barnabas were articulate, and the manner they spoke attracted good responses, that both Jews and Greeks believed what they had said. However, there were also some antagonistic Jews who did not believe. These stirred up the mind of the Gentiles and embittered them against those who believed.

What happened did not deter them from preaching. Instead of cowering in fear, they remained committed to the task, speaking out boldly.  They did that by relying on the Lord.  Fearlessly, they shared the word of grace. The Lord attested to their preaching by granting signs and wonders through their hands. The wonders of miracles were not to satisfy the curiosity of the people, but to authenticate the divine nature of the Gospel.

Before long, division began to appear among the people of the city. There were those that sided with the Jews and there were also those that sided with the apostles. Here Luke acknowledges both Paul and Barnabas as apostles. In a broader sense this word means one who is sent forth. Truly, both were sent forth from the church in Antioch.

The opposition began to take the form of a mob. There were plans and intentions by the opposition to lynch and stone them. This plot came to their knowledge, so they were forced to leave Iconium. They fled to Lystra and Derbe, both these were cities of Lycaonia. And there they were not deterred by what had happened at Iconium, they kept preaching the Gospel.    

How many people would have been discouraged and totally gave up in despair, but not Paul and Barnabas. They held through. There were no challenges greater than their love for their Lord. They just moved on when one place refused to accept their message. The key is found in this phrase in verse 3, “…speaking boldly, with reliance upon the Lord.”

Like them, we must not let opposition derail us. People we seek to reach for Christ may resist the message. There may even be those who persist in it, hoping to discourage us.  But God is ever present to help us advance in our assigned task. If God is for us, who can overcome us.