Commentary on Acts 15.30-41; 16.1

By Bob Myhan

³⁰So when they were sent off, they came to Antioch; and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the letter. ³¹When they had read it, they rejoiced over its encouragement.

Notice that, when they read the letter, the members of the church at Antioch “rejoiced over its encouragement.” Yet, the letter nowhere specifically or directly stated that they need not submit to the Jewish rite of circumcision. But such was certainly implied.

As far as anyone knows or can know, this is the first inspired epistle of the New Testament age. While the letter was inspired, it did not contain new information. In fact, most of the epistles consist primarily of implications of the facts of the gospel. Such and such is true, therefore, you have such and such an obligation.

³²Now Judas and Silas, themselves being prophets also, exhorted and strengthened the brethren with many words. ³³And after they had stayed there for a time, they were sent back with greetings from the brethren to the apostles. ³⁴However, it seemed good to Silas to remain there. ³⁵Paul and Barnabas also remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.

The Judas mentioned here is not the remaining apostle with that name but “Judas who was also named Barsabas” (v. 22). If he were an apostle he would not be here identified as a prophet. We have here the two most important duties of a prophet. They “exhorted and strengthened the brethren with many words.” As pointed out, a prophet was not so much a foreteller as forth teller—he told forth the word of God or, in the inspired words of Paul, “he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men” (1 Cor. 14.3). It is not known how long Judas stayed but Silas did not return to Jerusalem with him.

The “many others” most likely included “Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch” (Acts 13.1).

 ³⁶Then after some days Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us now go back and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they are doing." ³⁷Now Barnabas was determined to take with them John called Mark. ³⁸But Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work. ³⁹Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus; ⁴⁰but Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brethren to the grace of God. ⁴¹And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

Paul suggested a second journey to visit the churches established by them on their first journey. Barnabas wanted to take his nephew, John Mark, but Paul did not. Since they could not agree on this, they decided to part company with Barnabas taking John Mark by way of Cyprus and Paul taking Silas through Syria to Cilicia. This decision gave the senior member of each team the opportunity to visit his homeland at the beginning of his trip. Both, however, went for the chief aim of “strengthening the churches.”

Chapter Sixteen

¹Then he came to Derbe and Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a certain Jewish woman who believed, but his father was Greek.

It is interesting that we are never told by Luke about anything that occurred in the province of Cilicia, though this is at least the second time Paul has visited since his conversion (see Acts 9.28-30). It is certain he preached there for the brethren in that city were addressed in the letter from Jerusalem (15.23) and Luke has just mentioned churches in that province (15.41).

At any rate, Derbe was the furthest point on the first journey. So it makes sense that it be the first place to visit on this second journey to that same region, after Cilicia. Lystra was where Paul had been stoned and left for dead by the unbelieving Jews from Antioch in Pisidia and Iconium. After recovering, he and Barnabas had gone to Derbe and begun their return.

Here we are introduced to a promising young man, whose mother and grandmother were both saints (2 Tim. 1.5). The only thing we are told about his father is that he was Greek.

 (To be continued)

A Study of the Holy Spirit (Part 26)

By Bob Myhan 

Jesus cast out demons in Galilee (Matt. 12.22; Luke 11.14), Capernaum (Mark 1.21-27), Gadara (Luke 8.26-39) and near Caesarea Philippi (Mark 9.14-29). Though He said, in Galilee, that it was by the Spirit of God that He cast out demons, this does not mean that Jesus Himself did not have the authority or power. It only means that they worked together in this as well as in all other things accomplished by God. Each member of the Godhead has a unique role in the various aspects of the eternal purpose. The Father plans, the Son executes and the Holy Spirit completes. Both during the ministry of Jesus on earth and after He went back to heaven, the Holy Spirit acted by the authority of Jesus (John 14.26; 15.26-27; 16.7-15). We are not told how each miracle occurred, except that Jesus commanded it and it was done. (Compare with Gen. 1.3-31)

The apostles were also given authority to cast out demons (Mt. 10.1), as were the seventy (Luke 10.1, 9, 17) and Phillip the evangelist (Acts 8.5-7). Every time Jesus commanded demons to leave the body they had possessed, the demons complied. The apostles failed only one time in an attempt to cast out a demon.

And when He came to the disciples, He saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them. Immediately, when they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him. And He asked the scribes, "What are you discussing with them?" Then one of the crowd answered and said, "Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit. And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not." (Mark 9.14-18)

Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?" So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting." (Mt. 17.19-21)

Apparently, this demon was stubborn and would not come out due to the deficiency of faith on the part of the apostles, which in turn was caused by insufficient attention to “prayer and fasting.” Their unbelief must have manifested itself in a failure to speak with sufficient authority.

The only other failure recorded was that of “seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest,” who were not given the authority to do so. The result was disastrous for the seven (Acts 19.13-16).