8 And in Lystra a certain man without strength in his feet was sitting, a cripple from his mother’s womb, who had never walked. 9 This man heard Paul speaking. Paul, observing him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed, 10 said with a loud voice, “Stand up straight on your feet!” And he leaped and walked. 11 Now when the people saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” 12 And Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. 13 Then the priest of Zeus, whose temple was in front of their city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, intending to sacrifice with the multitudes.
14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their clothes and ran in among the multitude, crying out 15 and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them, 16 who in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways. 17 Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.” 18 And with these sayings they could scarcely restrain the multitudes from sacrificing to them.
19 Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there; and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. 20 However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city. And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.
Acts 14:8-20
As we prepare for our journey, I am sending out devotionals about the first missionary journey, in which Paul visits places we won’t go to but I hope this prepares us in visiting Athens, Greece and Turkey.
If these devotionals are helpful to you, reply back to me if you don’t mind, because a little bit of affirmation every once in a while never hurts anyone … but as we will see in today’s reading with Paul and Barnabus getting mistaken as being the gods Zeus and Hermes, too much affirmation can hurt … a lot!
In our previous devotional we saw the boldness of Paul and Barnabas. N.T. Wright says in his 2018 book Paul—A Biography that the controversial apostle was high maintenance as a friend, but also high value.
“He will say boo to every goose within earshot and all the swans as well … He tells the ship owner where he should and shouldn’t spend the winter and then says ‘I told you so” when it all goes horribly wrong … As a companion, he must have been exhilarating when things were going well and exasperating when they weren’t.”
Not only did he and Barnabas continue in boldness, he for the first but not the last time suffers physical harm for the gospel. But with persecution, they find success. God allowed the two missionaries to find a grandmother in Derbe named Lois who came to Christ, along with her daughter, Eunice. Oh, yes, Lois also had a grandson, likely just a teenager then, and she made sure that they all grew strong in their faith. That teenaged grandson’s name was Timothy.
I believe Paul found Eunice and Lois and Timothy the first time because decades later, Paul reminds Timothy what he went through.
10 But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, 11 persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. 12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.... 14 But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
(2 Timothy 3)
What I find so amazing and powerful about the opposition that the missionary duo faced is that they were able to shake the dust off their feet and go on FILLED with joy and FILLED with the Holy Spirit. Hardships and struggles are not signs we are outside of God’s will, they are His signals that we are in good company, right along with Christ.
--If we face opposition, rejoice because you are about to find a Timothy.--
Jesus is recorded as commanding four times in three synoptic gospels to shake the dust off the feet (see Luke 10:10-11 and Matthew 10:14, Mark 6:11, Luke 9:5). Clement of Alexandria (who lived from 150 to 215 A.D.) said that Barnabas could have been part of the 70 who were “sent out” (in Greek “apostle”) in Luke 10:1. Paul and Barnabas are called apostles in Acts 14:4. An apostle was one who was “sent out” as a witness of Christ and, according to Acts 1:22, “a witness with us of His resurrection.”
In Acts 4:36, we see that Barnabas’ real name is Joses and while that was a common name, one of the several Marys who were at the tomb was called “Mary, mother of Joses” (Mark 15:40). If Barnabas is the same as Joses whose mother was at Christ’s burial, Clement of Alexandria could very well be correct that Barnabas was part of the original 70 “sent out ones” of Christ and indeed be an “apostle” who was commissioned by Jesus Himself. No wonder Barnabas and Paul were so bold.
When we spend time reading of the Old and New Testament saints, we too will grow bold despite opposition.
