A STUDY GUIDE ACTS 13:43-52
1. A Study Guide
a) A study guide of Acts of the Apostles. It is intended to be expository — to explain and bring out the meaning of the original text. You may use this for your personal bible study or even group bible study.
2. Acts 13:43-52
a) The verses describe how Paul and Barnabas are persecuted in Antioch Pisidia, and driven out of the city.
#1) Acts 13:43-45
43 Now when the meeting of the synagogue had broken up, many of the Jews and of the God-fearing proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, were urging them to continue in the grace of God.
44 The next Sabbath nearly the whole city assembled to hear the word of the Lord. 45 But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began contradicting the things spoken by Paul, and were blaspheming.
i) Devout proselytes. A proselyte is a Gentile convert to Judaism who would renounce paganism and idolatry, be circumcised (if a man), keep the law of Moses, and worship in the synagogue every Sabbath —becoming a Jew though not of Jewish descent. Jesus said to the Jewish leaders of his day, "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, for you compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, you make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves" (Matthew 23:15).
ii) Receiving or rejecting. Paul’s message in the synagogue (Acts 13:13-41) polarized the Jewish religious community. Many followed Paul and Barnabas, eager to hear more, and a huge crowd turned out the next Sabbath to listen. The rest, however, opposed Paul and Barnabas, unreasonably contradicting their teaching.
iii) Blasphemed. We might expect some of the Jews to contradict the gospel, but we would not expect them to blaspheme, even though angry and jealous. They regarded blasphemy as a sin worthy of death (Matthew 26:64-66). Perhaps Luke is not referring to blasphemy against God as such, but rather to insulting Paul and Barnabas. However I think Luke might well be thinking of blasphemy against God —in the person of Jesus. The Jewish opponents of Christ would be likely to say blasphemous things against Jesus, but they wouldn't think it blasphemy, because they didn't believe that Jesus was the Messiah and the Son of God.
#2) Acts 13:46-47
46 Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first; since you repudiate it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. 47 For so the Lord has commanded us,
‘I have placed You as a light for the Gentiles,
That You may bring salvation to the end of the earth.’”
i) To the Jew first. Jews were now living all over the world. They had meeting places called synagogues where their local congregations met and were administered. It was Paul’s practice, when he came to preach in a city, to first go to the synagogues. There he would hope to preach the gospel to the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles. One of Paul’s mottos was, "to the Jew first and also to the Greek" (Romans 1:16, Romans 2:9-10). He saw this practice as "necessary" (Acts 13:46).
ii) You thrust God’s word from you. Paul lays blame upon these jealous Jews. They were able to accept the gospel; their own scriptures spoke of Jesus Christ; but they thrust the message from them. This made them fully responsible for any judgment against them that they were not made worthy of eternal life. Pilate once asked a Jewish mob of the same ilk, "What shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?" (Matthew 27:22). They wanted him crucified.
iii) Behold we turn to the Gentiles. Paul had done what was necessary for the Jewish community in Antioch. Now he could reach out to the pagan Gentiles and bring to them the light of the gospel. This mission had already been acknowledged by Peter and the apostles in Jerusalem, because of the experience with Cornelius. Peter said, "In every nation, the one who fears God and does what is right is accepted with God" (Acts 10:34-35). The point is that this can be true without having to become a Jewish proselyte. A Gentile would need to renounce paganism and idolatry certainly. But being circumcised; keeping the law of Moses; and worshiping in the synagogue every Sabbath; these were not required of the Gentile Christian. That, however, was to cause Christianity’s first serious controversy.
iv) Salvation to the uttermost parts of the earth. Paul quotes from Isaiah 49:6. However this is also the great commission: "Go therefore, and make disciples of every nation..." (Matthew 28:19). "You will be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the uttermost parts of the earth" (Acts 1:8).
#3) Acts 13:48-49
48 When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed. 49 And the word of the Lord was being spread through the whole region.
i) Glorified the word of God. The Gentiles were overjoyed that they could have salvation and life without the yoke of the Jewish law being laid on their necks. This gospel spread rapidly.
#4) Acts 13:50-52
50 But the Jews incited the devout women of prominence and the leading men of the city, and instigated a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district. 51 But they shook off the dust of their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium. 52 And the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
i) Stirred up persecution. Although Paul and Barnabas were now not preaching to the Jews but to the pagans, the Jewish leaders still perceived that they were suffering losses. Many Jews and proselytes would be delighted to take salvation to the Gentiles and to desert the synagogues in favor of the Christian assemblies. So the Jewish leaders used their influence in the city to have Paul and Barnabas driven out. The city officials would be more than happy to avoid a commotion or uprising —for which the Roman rulers would punish the city chiefs. So they forced Paul and Barnabas to leave town. Paul and Barnabas turned this persecution into opportunity: the work in Antioch can go on without them, because nobody could kick the Spirit of Jesus out of town! There are other towns anyway, so they went to Iconium.
ii) Shook the dust off their feet. This was what Jesus had told his disciples to do when a city rejected them (Matthew 10:14-15). It was a symbolic act, as though to say, “We will leave this town; we are free of obligation to you now; and we won't carry with us any burden from you; not even the dust from your road that has got on our feet and sandals.”
a) A study guide of Acts of the Apostles. It is intended to be expository — to explain and bring out the meaning of the original text. You may use this for your personal bible study or even group bible study.
2. Acts 13:43-52
a) The verses describe how Paul and Barnabas are persecuted in Antioch Pisidia, and driven out of the city.
#1) Acts 13:43-45
43 Now when the meeting of the synagogue had broken up, many of the Jews and of the God-fearing proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, were urging them to continue in the grace of God.
44 The next Sabbath nearly the whole city assembled to hear the word of the Lord. 45 But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began contradicting the things spoken by Paul, and were blaspheming.
i) Devout proselytes. A proselyte is a Gentile convert to Judaism who would renounce paganism and idolatry, be circumcised (if a man), keep the law of Moses, and worship in the synagogue every Sabbath —becoming a Jew though not of Jewish descent. Jesus said to the Jewish leaders of his day, "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, for you compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, you make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves" (Matthew 23:15).
ii) Receiving or rejecting. Paul’s message in the synagogue (Acts 13:13-41) polarized the Jewish religious community. Many followed Paul and Barnabas, eager to hear more, and a huge crowd turned out the next Sabbath to listen. The rest, however, opposed Paul and Barnabas, unreasonably contradicting their teaching.
iii) Blasphemed. We might expect some of the Jews to contradict the gospel, but we would not expect them to blaspheme, even though angry and jealous. They regarded blasphemy as a sin worthy of death (Matthew 26:64-66). Perhaps Luke is not referring to blasphemy against God as such, but rather to insulting Paul and Barnabas. However I think Luke might well be thinking of blasphemy against God —in the person of Jesus. The Jewish opponents of Christ would be likely to say blasphemous things against Jesus, but they wouldn't think it blasphemy, because they didn't believe that Jesus was the Messiah and the Son of God.
#2) Acts 13:46-47
46 Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first; since you repudiate it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. 47 For so the Lord has commanded us,
‘I have placed You as a light for the Gentiles,
That You may bring salvation to the end of the earth.’”
i) To the Jew first. Jews were now living all over the world. They had meeting places called synagogues where their local congregations met and were administered. It was Paul’s practice, when he came to preach in a city, to first go to the synagogues. There he would hope to preach the gospel to the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles. One of Paul’s mottos was, "to the Jew first and also to the Greek" (Romans 1:16, Romans 2:9-10). He saw this practice as "necessary" (Acts 13:46).
ii) You thrust God’s word from you. Paul lays blame upon these jealous Jews. They were able to accept the gospel; their own scriptures spoke of Jesus Christ; but they thrust the message from them. This made them fully responsible for any judgment against them that they were not made worthy of eternal life. Pilate once asked a Jewish mob of the same ilk, "What shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?" (Matthew 27:22). They wanted him crucified.
iii) Behold we turn to the Gentiles. Paul had done what was necessary for the Jewish community in Antioch. Now he could reach out to the pagan Gentiles and bring to them the light of the gospel. This mission had already been acknowledged by Peter and the apostles in Jerusalem, because of the experience with Cornelius. Peter said, "In every nation, the one who fears God and does what is right is accepted with God" (Acts 10:34-35). The point is that this can be true without having to become a Jewish proselyte. A Gentile would need to renounce paganism and idolatry certainly. But being circumcised; keeping the law of Moses; and worshiping in the synagogue every Sabbath; these were not required of the Gentile Christian. That, however, was to cause Christianity’s first serious controversy.
iv) Salvation to the uttermost parts of the earth. Paul quotes from Isaiah 49:6. However this is also the great commission: "Go therefore, and make disciples of every nation..." (Matthew 28:19). "You will be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the uttermost parts of the earth" (Acts 1:8).
#3) Acts 13:48-49
48 When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed. 49 And the word of the Lord was being spread through the whole region.
i) Glorified the word of God. The Gentiles were overjoyed that they could have salvation and life without the yoke of the Jewish law being laid on their necks. This gospel spread rapidly.
#4) Acts 13:50-5250 But the Jews incited the devout women of prominence and the leading men of the city, and instigated a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district. 51 But they shook off the dust of their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium. 52 And the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
i) Stirred up persecution. Although Paul and Barnabas were now not preaching to the Jews but to the pagans, the Jewish leaders still perceived that they were suffering losses. Many Jews and proselytes would be delighted to take salvation to the Gentiles and to desert the synagogues in favor of the Christian assemblies. So the Jewish leaders used their influence in the city to have Paul and Barnabas driven out. The city officials would be more than happy to avoid a commotion or uprising —for which the Roman rulers would punish the city chiefs. So they forced Paul and Barnabas to leave town. Paul and Barnabas turned this persecution into opportunity: the work in Antioch can go on without them, because nobody could kick the Spirit of Jesus out of town! There are other towns anyway, so they went to Iconium.
ii) Shook the dust off their feet. This was what Jesus had told his disciples to do when a city rejected them (Matthew 10:14-15). It was a symbolic act, as though to say, “We will leave this town; we are free of obligation to you now; and we won't carry with us any burden from you; not even the dust from your road that has got on our feet and sandals.”
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