237. PAUL AND BARNABAS TURN TO THE GENTILES

"Lo, we turn to the Gentiles."

Saul of Tarsus was a man especially called of God to take the Gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15). Some years had passed since his dramatic conversion on the way to Damascus, during which time he had become fully instructed in the understanding of the great plan of salvation in Jesus Christ. He had just completed a year of service to the ecclesia at Antioch and after taking a famine-relief collection to Jerusalem, he returned in readiness for the first preaching campaign. Returning with him were Barnabas and his nephew John Mark (a convert of Peter). All was ready for the call to go forth and preach the Gospel.

Acts 13

THE SELECTION OF PAUL AND BARNABAS (verses 1-3).

Antioch in Syria had become an important centre for the preaching of the gospel amongst the Gentiles. Apart from Barnabas and Saul, a number of other prophets and teachers were there, and the time had come for action on a wider scale. In those days of Spirit-gifted men, the Holy Spirit spake by one of them that Barnabas and Saul should go forth to preach: "separate Me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them".

So with the blessing of the ecclesia upon them and their own fasting and prayer, they set forth on their mission. What a huge task they faced! The world was steeped in immoral Gentile pagan worship. There were groups of Jews and converts to the Jewish religion who blindly followed the traditions of the Scribes and Pharisees. Amongst so many people there were little groups of followers of Christ. These small groups needed strengthening in the Faith and the Gospel preaching needed extending.

PREACHING THE TRUTH IN CYPRUS (verses 4-12).

Leaving Antioch, they travelled on foot to a port called Seleucia. From there they took ship and sailed to a large island called Cyprus, the birth place of Barnabas. No doubt he would enjoy the opportunity to take the "good news" unto his friends and relatives. The party left the ship at Salamis, where they commenced their preaching in the synagogues of the Jews, travelling on foot throughout the island until they came to Paphos, the capital, where Sergius Paulus, the Roman governor of the island, earnestly desired to hear from them the Word of God. He became extremely interested, much to the annoyance of a certain Jew, a false prophet named Bar-Jesus (also called Elymas the sorcerer). He knew that if Sergius Paulus believed the Gospel, the governor would not be influenced by his magic anymore.

So he began to contradict Saul only to be told by Saul that he was the "enemy of all righteousness" and fixing his eyes on the wicked Elymas, Saul declared that he would be blind for a season. He who had read the sun and the stars and who had tried to "blind" the governor to the Truth would now be blind himself, not seeing the sun for a season. The governor was astonished; but he recognised in what he saw, the evident hand of God and believed that the Truth was far more powerful than sorcery.

It is at this stage that Saul became known as Paul, and it appears, Paul took over the role of leader of the party.

IN GALATIA (verse 13).

Leaving Paphos by ship, the party came to Perga in Pamphylia, and there John Mark unfortunately left the work and returned to Jerusalem.

Whilst in this area, the apostle Paul apparently became quite ill (see Paul's comments in Gal. 4:13-14). It may well have been a form of malaria which leaves a person shaking and feeling very weak. Many of us in similar circumstances would seek the comfort of home, but Paul pressed on up to the more mountainous and healthier region of Galatia. He journeyed to Antioch of Pisidia, a distance of some 160 km north of Perga. To make matters worse the road was both difficult and dangerous, the area being thick with robbers (cf. 2 Cor. 11:26).

AT THE SYNAGOGUE IN ANTIOCH (verses 14-41).

Upon arriving in Antioch, Paul was quick to find the synagogue and on the first sabbath day, he and Barnabas entered and sat down. After the prayers and the reading from the Law and the Prophets, they were invited to address the assembly. Paul recognised two groups in the audience, (a) "men of Israel" — the Jews, and (b) "ye that fear God" — Gentile proselytes to the Jewish faith. Paul called upon both to "give audience".

Using the reading of the Law and the Prophets as a basis for his address, Paul showed them that, from the beginning, God's work with His people Israel was like that of a Father who tried to raise up obedient children, but whose children had repeatedly rebelled against Him.

First God had chosen the fathers and multiplied the people in Egypt (v.17). Then, "He bare them as a nursing father in the wilderness" (v.18). He drove out the seven Canaanitish nations for them and for 450 years until Samuel, He raised up deliverers (vv. 19-20). Then they rejected God by desiring a king, and got what they desired — Saul, a man of self-will. But God removed him and gave them David, a good king who would fulfil God's will (vv. 21-22).

Finally he had shown great mercy in fulfilling the promises to David in giving Jesus to be the Saviour of the world (v.23) of whom John the Bap­tist had given witness (vv. 24-25). But even Jesus was slain by the Jews in fulfillment of the words of the prophets (vv. 26-29). However, God raised him from the dead as had been promised in the Psalms and Isaiah (vv. 33-37). Now through Jesus (the saviour raised up by God), all men could be forgiven of their sins (vv. 38-39). But Paul left them with a stern warning of judgment from God if they followed their fathers example and did not heed the word of God concerning His Son (vv. 40-41).

THE DOOR OF TRUTH OPENED TO THE GENTILES (verses 42-52).

Many of the Jews and proselytes were very impressed. They had heard nothing like it before. The Gentiles in particular were excited about the new teaching and wanted to hear more. So the next sabbath saw almost all the people of Antioch coming to hear Paul. When the Jews, however, saw how many Gentiles were attracted to the new teaching, they became jealous and stirred up trouble, continually blaspheming and contradicting the words of Paul. They were angry at his words, for he had not only blamed their elders in Jerusalem for the murder of the Son of God, but had shown that the true and only way of salvation was outside the Law of Moses. Then Paul and Barnabas rose up and told them how God had first sent His servants to the Jews but "seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles" (vv. 46, 47). To justify this action they quoted from Isa. 49:6, "I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth". The Gentiles, hearing this, glorified God and a great many believed and were baptised.

As a consequence, the Gospel spread throughout the region but not without the Jews raising a great persecution against Paul and Barnabas. They convinced the leaders of the city that they should remove Paul and Barnabas. Being forced to leave, they moved on to Iconium, but without disappointment for "the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit" (v.52). God had richly blessed their first stage of the journey through Galatia, that many should believe the Gospel. Through Paul as a chosen vessel, God had brought a light of Truth to many Gentiles. In this work Paul was truly an Ambassador of Christ.

LESSONS FOR US:

Paul and Barnabas were given a difficult mission of spreading the Gospel message throughout the world. Despite those who refused the Gospel, like Elymas and those who persecuted them at Antioch, they kept on with their work. They were determined not to let such obstacles, which would seem too overwhelming for most of us, hinder the progress of the Gospel. Let us not be turned aside from our preparations to accept the salvation offered by the risen Lord Jesus. Let us not be upset by any who would laugh and scorn our love for the things of God, but rather be encouraged by the faith and courage of men like Paul and Barnabas. Let us always be sure that we are eager to listen to the Word of God, to be "glad and glorify the word of the Lord" in our lives. We can be like those Gentiles at Antioch who were attracted to the light of that wonderful salvation in the risen Lord, believed and were baptised.

REFERENCE LIBRARY.

"The Story of the Bible" (H. P. Mansfield)—Vol. 13, pp. 104-109

"Paul the Apostle" (W. H. Boulton)—pp. 38-52

"The Letter to the Galatians" (John Carter)—Introduction

PARAGRAPH QUESTIONS:

1. Describe what happened when Paul met Sergius Paulus and Elymas.

2. How did the people of Antioch in Pisidia react to the preaching of Paul?

ESSAY QUESTIONS:

1. Describe the preaching work of Paul and Barnabas on the island of Cyprus (including their meeting with Sergius Paulus and Elymus).

2. Summarise briefly Paul's address in the synagogue at Antioch in Pisidia.

3. Explain why Paul and Barnabas said, "Lo, we turn to the Gentiles".