Acts 13: In Pisidian Antioch
13 After setting sail from Paphos, Paul and his companions came to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem. 14 And from Perga, they traveled inland to Pisidian Antioch, where they entered the synagogue on the Sabbath and sat down. 15 After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue leaders sent word to them: “Brothers, if you have a word of encouragement for the people, please speak.”
16 Paul stood up, motioned with his hand, and began to speak: “Men of Israel and you Gentiles who fear God, listen to me! 17 The God of the people of Israel chose our fathers. He made them into a great people during their stay in Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He led them out of that land. 18 He endured their conduct for about forty years in the wilderness. 19 And having vanquished seven nations in Canaan, He gave their land to His people as an inheritance. 20 All this took about 450 years.
After this, God gave them judges until the time of Samuel the prophet. 21 Then the people asked for a king, and God gave them forty years under Saul son of Kish, from the tribe of Benjamin. 22 After removing Saul, He raised up David as their king and testified about him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse a man after My own heart; he will carry out My will in its entirety.’
23 From the descendants of this man, God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as He promised. 24 Before the arrival of Jesus, John preached a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 25 As John was completing his course, he said, ‘Who do you suppose I am? I am not that One. But He is coming after me whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.’
26 Brothers, children of Abraham, and you Gentiles who fear God, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent. 27 The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning Him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath. 28 And though they found no ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have Him executed.
29 When they had carried out all that was written about Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb. 30 But God raised Him from the dead, 31 and for many days He was seen by those who had accompanied Him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now His witnesses to our people.
32 And now we proclaim to you the good news: What God promised our fathers 33 He has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm:
‘You are My Son; today I have become Your Father.’
34 In fact, God raised Him from the dead, never to see decay. As He has said:
‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David.’
35 So also, He says in another Psalm: ‘You will not let Your Holy One see decay.’
36 For when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep. His body was buried with his fathers and saw decay. 37 But the One whom God raised from the dead did not see decay.
38 Therefore let it be known to you, brothers, that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. 39 Through Him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses. 40 Watch out, then, that what was spoken by the prophets does not happen to you:
41 ‘Look, you scoffers, wonder and perish! For I am doing a work in your days that you would never believe, even if someone told you.’”
WOOF! Well, never let it be said that Paul plays to an audience. Starting with Moses, Paul uses Scripture to graphically demonstrates that Jesus is really the Messiah. Paul even rebukes his hearers; yet, people are so enthralled that they beg him to continue the message on the next Sabbath.
A Light for the Gentiles (Isaiah 49:1–6)
42 As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people urged them to continue this message on the next Sabbath. 43 After the synagogue was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.
44 On the following Sabbath, nearly the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. 45 But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy, and they blasphemously contradicted what Paul was saying.
46 Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “It was necessary to speak the word of God to you first. But since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. 47 For this is what the Lord has commanded us:
‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”
48 When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and glorified the word of the Lord, and all who were appointed for eternal life believed. 49 And the word of the Lord spread throughout that region.
50 The Jews, however, incited the religious women of prominence and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and drove them out of their district. 51 So they shook the dust off their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium. 52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
Some of the Jews have listened to Paul and have chosen to follow Jesus; however, the religious leaders incite the religious women of prominence-after all, these women would lose their social standing if everybody follows Jesus. And the leading men of the city will also lose status and possibly business. Meanwhile, Gentiles who have spent centuries suffering as second class citizens, are thrilled. God loves them! Jesus has died for them! This news is the greatest thing they have ever heard.
The prominent citizens drive Paul and Barnabas out of the district. As the two men are leaving, they do something symbolic; they shake the dust off their feet in protest against those who have persecuted them. Those forcing Paul and Barnabas to leave likely don’t even notice this act, but it’s very significant. When Jesus was sending the disciples out to minister, he ordered them to shake the dust off their feet if any town refused to receive them. Jesus even warned that it would be even worse for that town than it had been for Sodom and Gomorrah.
Matthew 10:11-15 11 Whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy there and stay at his house until you move on. 12 As you enter the home, greet its occupants. 13 If the home is worthy, let your peace rest on it; but if it is not, let your peace return to you. 14 And if anyone will not welcome you or heed your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. 15 Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.
Does this poor reception hurt Paul and Barnabas? No. Paul and Barnabas are full of joy and the Holy Spirit. But what happens to Pisidian Antioch? Today, Pisidian Antioch is an open-air archaeological site in central Turkey in the Turkish Lakes region. Interestingly enough, the site includes St. Paul’s Church, one of the earliest recorded church buildings, plus the remnants of a Byzantine basilica. Evidently, at some point a sufficient number of citizens became Christians and erected these buildings.
Do we as believers ever have the right to shake the dust of a place off our shoes? This is a tough question without any easy answer. We are prone to rush to judgement while God is far more merciful that we are. In this story, Paul and Barnabas do everything they can to speak the truth but also to minister in love. Only when the local residents drive them completely out of the district do they take a final dramatic step. We must be careful to avoid becoming angry or bitter and running away from a difficult situation. Only God knows human hearts and only God can tell when such a drastic step is necessary. May we remain close to God, allowing Him to be the One who says whether we stay or go.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to trust Your guidance as we speak Your Word to those around us. Give us holy boldness but also help us to speak the truth in love. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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