Acts unworthy of God–seeking men

יְשַׁעְיָהוּ (Isaiah) 49:6  וַיֹּאמֶר נָקֵל מִֽהְיוֹתְךָ לִי עֶבֶד לְהָקִים אֶת־שִׁבְטֵי יַעֲקֹב ונצירי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְהָשִׁיב וּנְתַתִּיךָ לְאוֹר גּוֹיִם לִֽהְיוֹת יְשׁוּעָתִי עַד־קְצֵה הָאָֽרֶץ׃ ס

Who has believed our message?

Acts 13: in Pisidian Antioch

This scene unfolds on a second Sabbath when Saul of Tarsus and Joseph of Cypress have been invited back to share their GOOD NEWS of Israel's Messiah at the synagogue of Pisidian Antioch. 

On the the previous Sabbath:

When the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas..

Acts 13:43a – of Paul and Barnabas – NIV

NOW (on this next Sabbath in Antioch)

Antioch in the direction of Pisidia

Reminder: Antioch is not a Jewish city but a Roman one. 
Some facts:

• During the reign of Emperor Augustus, the Romans established eight colonies in Pisidia, but only Antioch was honoured with the title of Caesarea.
• Roman legions were stationed near the city, and their veterans were given land in the area. Later, the city was awarded the title Socia Romanorum that is Loyal Ally of Rome.
• the road known as Via Sebaste.. connected Antioch with Perge on the Mediterranean coast.
• a branch of this road leading to Iconium (now Konya) and Lystra was added.
  • source

First Century Antioch in the direction of Pisidia (third largest city in the Roman Empire) 
- a place with a small synagogue, several temples of gods of Rome and Greece and a theatre where crowds could hear an orator, a Roman politician or go to town for various entertainment.

Luke does not tell us where Paul and Barnabas were at this point.

Perhaps just outside the synagogue (for there would not have been enough room for the crowds inside.) As was his later habit Paul and their disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ may have walked to a large public square or even the city’s large theatre.

Click for pictures of the archeological site.

Acts of the unworthy chosen

⁴⁵ When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy.

Contradicting the Word of God

They began to contradict what Paul was saying and heaped abuse on him.

To the Jew first

Numbers 16:

28 And Moses said: “By this you shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works, for I have not done them of my own will..” 31 Now it came to pass, as he finished speaking all these words, that the ground split apart under them, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the men with Korah, with all their goods.. 34 Then all Israel who were around them fled at their cry, for they said, “Lest the earth swallow us up also!” And a fire came out from the Lord and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering incense.

“Remember these things, O Jacob,

And Israel, for you are My servant;

I have formed you, you are My servant;

O Israel, you will not be forgotten by Me.

“I have wiped out your transgressions like a thick cloud
And your sins like a cloud.

Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.”

Isaiah 44:21-22 LSB

He says, “It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant
To raise up the tribes of Jacob and to cause the preserved ones of Israel to return;

I will also give You as a light of the nations
So that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

Isaiah 49:6

And a Light to the Gentiles

Romans and Greeks drawn to Pisidian Antioch by the Lord God to hear the Good News of redemption preached by Paul to a remnant of Israel in the synagogues.

The light of the Gospel now shines in the Roman world as fulfillment of Scripture well-known to the Jews.

Psalm 67:

excerpt

אֱלֹהִים יְחָנֵּנוּ וִֽיבָרְכֵנו יָאֵר פָּנָיו אִתָּנוּ סֶֽלָה׃

God be gracious to us and bless us,
And cause His face to shine upon us— Selah.

That Your way may be known on the earth,
Your salvation among all nations.

Let the nations be glad and sing for joy;
For You will judge the peoples with uprightness
And lead the nations on the earth. Selah.

Let the peoples praise You, O God;

Let all the peoples praise You.

God blesses us,
That all the ends of the earth may fear Him.

I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;

To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

Prophesy of Isaiah 42:6-7 King James Version

Isaiah 60:

“Arise, shine, for your light has come,

And the glory of Yahweh has risen upon you.

“For behold, darkness will cover the earth
And dense gloom the peoples;

But Yahweh will rise upon you,

And His glory will appear upon you.

“Nations will come to your light,

And kings to the brightness of your rising.

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And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.

Isaiah 60:3 KJV

The Apostle Paul has just preached:

For the Lord has commanded us

Acts of the Apostles 13:

47 “For so the Lord has commanded us,
‘I HAVE PLACED YOU AS A LIGHT FOR THE GENTILES,

THAT YOU MAY BRING SALVATION TO THE END OF THE EARTH.’

Of course the reaction of the local Romans and Greeks would be joy at this Gospel.

And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.

And the word of the Lord was being spread through the whole region.

Certainly this is also Good News to the faithful worshipers of the Lord who have waited for the Messiah, the Christ who saves and fulfills the promises of God.

Lift up thine eyes round about, and see:

all they gather themselves together, they come to thee:

thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side.

.. the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee.

Isaiah 60:4,5b KJV

But the Jews..

Ἰουδαῖος

Remember: Saul of Tarsus and Joseph of Cypress are also Jews who have greeted their brothers in the synagogue as ‘brothers.’

MANY disciples of The Way of Jesus the Messiah are Jews who have turned from the darkness of their former disobedience to follow the Lord our God.

BUT, the GOSPEL is only Good News to those who will accept it –– to those who will turn from their sin —

Jew, Roman, Greek — European, African, American —

the Gospel is Good News ONLY to those willing to follow Jesus Christ our Savior and Redeemer as Lord.

And like today MANY will oppose the Gospel of Jesus Christ — Jew, Gentile or so-called ‘christian.’

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But the Jews stirred up the devout and prominent women and the chief men of the city, raised up persecution against Paul and Barnabas,

and expelled them from their region.

Acts of the Apostles 13:30 NKJV

ὅριον

Unworthy of Grace

Does this sound at all familiar?

Just as Saul of Tarsus had persecuted disciples of The Way and pursued them beyond the district of Judea, so too some Jews of Pisidian Antioch continue to refuse the grace of their Redeemer.

Yet even the Lord Jesus had encountered such opposition.

And when He came to the other side, into the region of the Gadarenes, two men who were demon-possessed met Him as they were coming out of the tombs. They were so extremely violent that no one could pass by that way. And behold, they cried out, saying,

“What do we have to do with You, Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?” ..

And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw Him, they pleaded with Him to leave their region.

Gospel of Matthew 8:34 LSB [Mat 8:28-34]

“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles had occurred in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

Gospel of Matthew 11:21 LSB – The rebuke of Christ Jesus to the Jews unworthy of grace

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“And any place that does not receive you or listen to you, as you go out from there, shake the dust off the soles of your feet for a testimony against them.”

Gospel of Mark 6:11 – Instruction of Jesus to the Twelve

Acts of Paul and Barnabas leaving Pisidian Antioch

13:51

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Acts of the Apostles and disciples: To be continued in Iconium…