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Acts 14:8–18
“Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them” (v. 15).
Traveling on to Lystra after fleeing Iconium, Paul and Barnabas encountered a lame man who had been “crippled from birth and had never walked” (Acts 14:8). This would give the men a chance to demonstrate the healing power of Jesus Christ in a new place, as we will see shortly. Notably, there is no mention of a synagogue in Lystra, probably because there was not one present, which would mean that there were no Jews there or at least an insufficient number to form a synagogue congregation. Having no synagogue to preach at, Paul and Barnabas ministered directly to gentiles in Lystra from the start.
When Paul saw the crippled man, he looked intently at him and perceived that the man had the faith to believe that the Apostle could heal him (v. 9). This was supernatural knowledge, imparted to the Apostle on that occasion for the sake of creating an opportunity to display God’s power. Paul commanded the man in a loud voice to stand up, and the man did so, his legs healed and his ability to walk restored (v. 10).
Crowds were present when the lame man began to walk again, and they acclaimed Barnabas and Paul as the Greek gods Zeus and Hermes, respectively, having come down to visit men (vv. 11–12). The Greeks told stories of the gods’ visiting them with a loud voice and with intent stares, as Paul did. They identified Barnabas as Zeus, probably because he looked older than Paul, and they thought Paul was Hermes because he was the speaker and Hermes was the herald of the gods. The crowds, in other words, thought Hermes (Paul) was bringing the message of Zeus (Barnabas) to them. Consequently, they attempted to offer sacrifices to the men (v. 13).
Paul and Barnabas responded by tearing their clothes, a Jewish sign of mourning (v. 14; see 2 Kings 19:1; 22:11). Then they declared that the people in Lystra should not give offerings to them, for they were but men, sent to bring the good news of the gospel to them. They focused on establishing the truth of monotheism, appealing to the revelation that God has given of Himself in nature, for salvation in Christ cannot be accurately proclaimed unless people first know that there is only one God, the Holy One of Israel, to whom we owe our praise and thanksgiving (Acts 14:15–17; see Rom. 1:18–23). The crowds, however, persisted in their desire to worship Paul and Barnabas (Acts 14:18).
Coram Deo Living before the face of God
Paul and Barnabas urged the crowds in Lystra to turn from their paganism and worship the “living God” (Acts 14:15). Matthew Henry comments that this means that God “has life in himself, and life for us, and lives for evermore.” To seek our life in any other besides the one true God is futile, for only He has the power of life in Himself, and He alone can grant the fullness of life to men and women.
For further study
- Exodus 20:3
- Daniel 3
- Acts 17:16
- Revelation 22:8–9
The bible in a year
- Nehemiah 12–13
- Acts 4:23–37