Commentary on Acts 14:1-4

By Bob Myhan

¹Now it happened in Iconium that they went together to the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude both of the Jews and of the Greeks believed.

The initial results of preaching the gospel in Iconium were far better. Had it not been for the venomous Jews, there probably would have been even more success here. The Greeks spoken of here were doubtless “worshipping proselytes” or “God-fearers,” who worshiped in the synagogues with the Jews but, like Cornelius, had not fully converted to Judaism. There do not seem to have been any miracles performed by Paul at first, probably because “a great multitude both of the Jews and of the Greeks” believed due to the strength of the message itself.

²But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren.

The unconverted Gentiles had their minds “poisoned … against the brethren” by the unbelieving Jews. This is the same tactic tried by Elymas the sorcerer on the island of Cyprus.

³Therefore they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who was bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.

Because of the opposition, however, there was a need not only for the apostles to speak boldly but for the Lord to begin “bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands,” that is by the hands of Paul and Barnabas. This would have the dual effect of staving off defections from among the believers and adding even more to their number.

⁴But the multitude of the city was divided: part sided with the Jews, and part with the apostles.

 The Lord said that He came to bring a sword, rather than peace.

"Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to 'set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law'; and 'a man's enemies will be those of his own household.' He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.” (Matt. 10:34-37)

Jesus certainly came to make it possible for men to be at peace with God but He did not come to establish peace within the nation of Israel between the righteous and unrighteous. Many, today, mistakenly think that He came to do just that—to establish a geo-political kingdom with Jerusalem and worship according to the Law of Moses at its center. While it is true that a kingdom which would include both Jews and Gentiles was prophesied, it was to be a spiritual kingdom not a political one.

The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of the LORD'S house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And all nations shall flow to it. Many people shall come and say, "Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths." For out of Zion shall go forth the law, And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. (Isa. 2:1-3)

"And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, Who shall stand as a banner to the people; For the Gentiles shall seek Him, And His resting place shall be glorious." (Isa. 11:10)

Thus, those who have a love of the truth and those who do not will ever be divided, here and hereafter. And those who do not have a love of the truth will be given strong delusion to believe a lie that they all might be damned.

The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (2 Thess. 2:9-12)

Therefore, those in Iconium who had a love of truth obeyed the gospel and continued with the apostles, while those who did not stood with the unconverted Jews in opposition to the truth. This, of course, is the case wherever and whenever the gospel has been preached and will continue until the day the Lord returns.

We must ever remember that “the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable,” etc. (James 3:17). We cannot afford to seek peace at the cost of purity. (See also Jer. 6:14; 8:11)

(To be continued)

A Study of the Holy Spirit (Part 16)

By Bob Myhan 

If “the gift of the Holy Spirit” in Acts 2:38 IS the Holy Spirit, it is NOT received immediately at baptism. (Acts 8:14-17; 19:1-6) If it is some miraculous gift of the Holy Spirit it is NOT for all Christians throughout the church age. We know this because miraculous gifts, except for the apostles and those in the home of Cornelius, were always given by the Holy Spirit via the laying on of an apostle’s hands (Acts 8:14-17; 19:1-6; 1 Cor. 12:4-11) and the apostles have long been dead. Besides this, the Bible teaches that miraculous spiritual gifts—such as speaking in tongues and prophesying—would cease to operate with the completed revelation of the New Testament.

Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. (1 Cor. 13:8-13)

In contrast to love, which is eternal, miraculous spiritual gifts were temporal. That is, they were only for the duration of the revelation and confirmation of  the New Testament, the fullness of the gospel. Since the apostles could not be everywhere at once to deliver the gospel personally, they laid their hands on Christians to impart miraculous spiritual gifts, such as tongues, prophecy, miraculous knowledge, miraculous wisdom and others. But that which was revealed through the gifts was partial not complete. Notice the following.

Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge. But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. (1 Cor. 14:29-31)

While the Holy Spirit reminded the apostles of all that Jesus had said to them, and guided them into all truth, those on whom they laid hands only received partial revelations or only had partial wisdom and knowledge. But once the apostles and others had put the gospel into a permanent written form, the partial revelations, partial knowledge, prophesying, tongue-speaking, etc. ceased.  

(To be continued)