To whom is it that the God of salvation sent “the word of salvation”? He sent it to all sinners that hear it. It is a word that suits the case of sinners; and, therefore, it is sent to them. If it be inquired, for what purpose is it sent to sinners?… It is sent as a word of pardon to the condemned sinner. Hence may every condemned sinner take hold of it, saying, This word is sent to me. It is sent as a word of peace to the rebellious sinner.
It is sent as a word of life to the dead. It is a word of liberty to the captives, of healing for the diseased, of cleansing to the polluted. It is a word of direction to the bewildered, and of refreshment to the weary. It is sent as a comforting word to the disconsolate; and as a drawing word and a strengthening word to the soul destitute of strength. It is sent, in short, as a word of salvation, and all sorts of salvation and redemption to the lost soul, saying, “Christ came to seek and to save that which was lost.”
—Condensed from Ralph Erskine
C.H. Spurgeon[1]
The first 12 chapters in Acts focus on Peter and from chapter 13 on, the focus is on Paul. Peter’s focus was on the Jewish church in Jerusalem and then it was expanded to the gentile church. The word had gone out to a gentile nation and God used Peter to form a link from the Jewish church in Jerusalem to the gentile church based in Antioch. Peter had become a wanted man having escaped jail twice. He seemed to disappear from the scene after the angel broke him out of jail. We know Peter was still active in the church, Luke just doesn’t speak of him any further. Paul’s ministry becomes the focus.
Acts 13:1-3
At the end of chapter 12 we saw Barnabas and Saul return from Judea from delivering the gift to the church there. They brought Mark back with them but he was not yet considered a prophet or teacher, most likely because of his youth. Some suggest Simeon is actually Simon the Cyrene who carried the cross of Christ, but we don't know. This Simeon was called Niger, meaning dark complexion, many presume his from North Africa. Lucius was there and Manaen. Manaen was interesting because he grew up with Herod (the ‘brought up with’ could be translated foster brother or close friend). This is the Herod that beheaded John the Baptist and presided over one of Jesus' trials. Herod's life seems to have gone one direction while we see Manaen's life going another.
Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem to Antioch. Now the Holy Spirit said they were to be separated for His work. The word used means "set apart". Throughout Paul's letters he notes that he was "set apart" three times:
At his birth he was set apart (Gal. 1:15)
At his conversion (Romans 1:1)
At Antioch (Acts 13:2).
This is the beginning of the first missionary journey.
It was while they were ministering to the Lord and fasting that this message came. This might be something any of us could consider as we are seeking the Lord’s direction. ‘Ministering to the Lord’ is the idea of serving in leadership as priests had previously done. They prayed, preached and taught. These guys fasted, prayed, received their direction from the Lord, laid hands on the Paul and Barnabas and sent them away.
We have to at least make note that the Holy Spirit spoke to them. They heard from Him together, in a way they knew they were to embark on this incredible journey. This happened during this time of fasting, prayer and ministry as they had their hearts and minds set on serving the Lord on His terms. It is a yielded heart that the Lord can speak to and use.
Acts 13:4-5
The first missionary journey began as the Holy Spirit sent these men out. Imagine how exciting an adventure that would be. Imagine how fear might try to creep in as you face so much unknown.
- Seleucia (means white light): This was a nearby seaport; a port city for Antioch, 16 miles away.
- Cyprus (home of Barnabas); the island nation in the Mediterranean; about 230 miles from Antioch.
- Salamis – Major commercial seaport on East end of Cyprus; tradition says that it was here Barnabas would be martyred in 61AD. His tomb is in a nearby monastery.
In Salamis there was a large Jewish population. They went to the synagogue and preached the word of God. The John referenced here is John Mark.
Paul, Barnabas and Mark preached through the whole island, from Selucia to Paphos which is the capital. Paphos would be the seat of the Roman government as well as the home base for many pagan religions. Paphos means boiling hot; suffering. Paphos is on the West coast of Cypress. This city was famous for its temple that was originally dedicated to the Syrian goddess Astarte. According to Tacitus (Roman senator and historian), Astarte was worshiped with ancient Phoenician rites involving anointing of a conical (meteorite?) stone. They believed this to be the stone of heaven. Many pagan religions and cults have their own beliefs and stories regarding the stone of heaven. The Greeks identified Astarte with Aphrodite, claiming she sprang from the sea. We see a very similar thing the cube at mecca that is worshiped in Islam.
Acts 13:6-12
We probably can’t imagine what kind of resistance these men faced in their attempt to spread the gospel. In Paphos, the missionary team encountered a sorcerer, a man claiming to perform magic spells or harness evil forces to perform unnatural works. There are some varying opinions around Bar-Jesus. Is this the name of the sorcerer or another man? The encounter is around the sorcerer. Bar-Jesus means ‘son of Jesus’. He was a phone fore-teller. Paul called him the son of the devil. He for sure was not a son of Jesus. The idea of a magician or sorcerer didn’t originally carry negative connotations. It was originally a mixture of science and superstition including astrology, divination and the occult. However, this guy was clearly an obstacle to the gospel and did all in his power to keep the proconsul from hearing.
Sergius was an important man. A Roman proconsul was responsible for an entire province. He worked for, and answered to, the Roman Senate. Sergius, whom Luke considered an intelligent man, had this sorcerer with him. When Luke calls him 'intelligent' he is saying he has the ability to see things for what they are and make wise judgments. I would ask why he has this sorcerer following him around. Yet, when he heard about these men teaching God's word, he called for them. Sergius wanted to hear the logos.
What could Barnabas and Saul have for this high-ranking Roman official? Apparently, this man was seeking something, understanding that something was wrong or missing. Had this man thought about death and judgment? The Holy Spirit had been working on this man and preparing him for this moment. This isn't a coincidental meeting. God put Paul, Barnabas and Mark right there at the right place and time. Nor is it a coincidence that the sorcerer is there, Satan place him there to sway this man toward darkness. It is likely that the sorcerer exposed him to another world, a spiritual world; one that left him dry and lifeless in his spirit?
Paul experienced this same darkness. It was a darkness representative of the perverse and wicked life he led. This mist and darkness was a visible manifestation of his spiritual condition; he lived in the dark, not being able to see clearly, blinded of the truth. This man wasn't just an unbeliever, he was an enemy of the gospel working to deliver people to hell. Paul confronts this obstacle straightaway – not in his power – but in the power of the Lord. God moved through Paul to quiet this guy for a time.
This dark mist sounds like this man is encapsulated in some dark cloud. We can only imagine what this guy might look like and what others are seeing. He is no longer concerned with Sergius but worrying about finding someone to lead him around.
The Proconsul was watching all that was going on. He saw a great contrast. In Paul he saw a man of courage and conviction, unwilling to back down from what he believed when challenged.
He saw the power of God at work as He heard the word of God. This was a life changing light to him as his sins were forgiven. This light and life was in contrast to the darkness and emptiness, guilt and shame he had been walking in. The blind sorcerer was an example of that life.
Acts 13:13-15
The mission team moves on from Pahpos to Perga in Pamphylia. Perga was a major city in the Roman province of Pamphylia, in Asia Minor; 200 miles across the Mediterranean from Cypress (southern coast of modern Turkey). We don't know much about what happened there. What we do know is that there was a temple of Artemis there. Artemis was a Greek goddess and we'll see her temples plenty more in the missionary journeys. She shows up particularly strong in Ephesus where she is also called Diana. The pagan religions were alive and well. And we do know that Christianity didn't really take in Perga, no church or evidence of a church was found there. This isn't a failure of this missionary team. They did what they were called to do. The results are left up to God. These people apparently rejected Christ.
As they were ministering in Perga John Mark left and went back to Jerusalem. We don't know why but Paul wasn’t happy about it – see 15:38. This created some tension between Paul and Barnabas.
From Perga they went north about 100 miles to Pisidian Antioch where they went to the synagogue. After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, Paul was invited to speak. This is Paul's method that is repeated often on his missionary journey's. He took the gospel to the Jews first and then the gentiles.
Acts 13:16-19
We see Paul develop the pattern of entering a town and going first to the synagogue. The invitation for a visitor to speak was very normal. Paul, never to miss an opportunity, began his sermon to the Jews by talking to them about the God they knew, the God of the people of Israel. He went through the history so they understood he was talking about the Old Testament God of their understanding. He invited all those who fear God to listen; all in the synagogue would claim that. He laid out their history from God bringing them out of Egypt into the land.
Acts 13:20-25
He then moved the ages of the judges and then the time when King Saul ruled. He then spoke about David, the man after God’s heart. Up to that point the Jews there would have had no trouble agreeing with Paul. Then, Paul told them of a descendent of David, the Promised One was the Messiah, Jesus Christ. This would have been a moment when folks began to get uncomfortable.
Paul said John the Baptist was the one who was sent to prepare the way. The worthiness of Jesus is displayed by John’s testimony that he wasn't worthy to loose the sandal strap of Jesus. There was no lower job than to remove the sandal of another. This was for the lowest of servants to do. Yet John found himself unworthy even to touch His feet.
Acts 13:26-35
Paul addressed his words the Jews and those who fear God (gentiles) among them. Jesus came and fulfilled the prophecies that the Jews read every Sabbath. Yet, they didn't hear the voices of the prophets or the messiah as He stood before them. They had no just cause by crucified Jesus. But God raised Him up and He was seen by many. Those people were now His witnesses, giving testimony of what they saw and heard. The glad tidings of verse 32 is the good news of salvation.
Paul then uses passages from the Old Testament that would be familiar to them.
- Psalm 2:7 - it's God declaring His son. These folks would have known this Psalm and heard it many times. Paul is linking this Psalm to Jesus and declaring that God has kept His promise. He has brought them a savior, the messiah they had long awaited.
- Isaiah 55:3 - this passage is an invitation from God to 'come'. It’s an invitation to the descendant of David who would bring blessings and salvation to His people. Again, all the folks would recognize this as messianic.
- Psalm 16:10 - from a passage speaking of messiah's victory. God would not leave his Holy One in the grave.
Acts 13:36-41
Psalm 16 was a Michtam of David. His hope was in the Lord, but he wasn’t the ‘Holy One’ that would not see corruption. Paul knows it was not about David, but about Jesus.
The quotation of verse 41 is from Habakkuk 1:5. The context of the quote is that the prophet asked God how long he should cry out to Him when God didn’t hear. He’d cry, “violence!” and God wouldn’t save. God showed him iniquity, trouble, plundering, violence, strife and contention. The law was weak, justice wasn’t served. Wickedness seemed to be winning. Paul quotes God’s answer to Habakkuk:
41 ‘Behold, you despisers,
Marvel and perish!
For I work a work in your days,
A work which you will by no means believe,
Though one were to declare it to you.’ ”
**Note: the quote doesn’t match Habakkuk 1:5 because Paul would have been quoting the Septuagint.
Paul was warning them of their spiritual blindness and their proclivity to unbelief! These Jews knew the Law of Moses. Their life was full of work and doing this and that in an attempt to cover their sin. But the law could do nothing to save them. No one was forgiven by the law. The law could only bring condemnation and deliver them to a savior. Through Jesus everyone who believes is freed from the law. This would have shocked the Jews who were listening.
Acts 13:42-47
The Gentiles responded immediately to the Word of God and wanted more. Devout proselytes were gentiles who had become full proselytes with the final act of circumcision. These men, along with many Jews were persuaded by Paul.
To those Jews, trusting in Jesus wasn't abandoning all that they had believed to this point in their life. They knew the grace of God, to trust in Jesus was simply a completion of what they already knew. He's the same God that gave the law. For them to continue in grace is to recognize the law had done its work and that Jesus was their salvation.
News traveled fast, everyone wanted more and on the next Sabbath the town showed up. There are some indications that the city had a population of 100,000 or so. Luke my have been using hyperbole in saying nearly the whole city came together. Whether it was the whole city or an extremely large crowd, these folks came to hear the word of God. The Jews let envy come between themselves and their eternity. It appears they were envious of the response; one they had never seen. In addition, there was a large gentile population that had responded. They chose to contradict and blaspheme in opposition, rather than swallow their pride. Barnabas was such a peacemaker; it was likely Paul pointed out that God made provision for their rebellion and hard hearts. He acknowledged their rejection of everlasting life and said he would take the good news to the gentiles. If these Jew weren’t mad enough already, this had to make them furious. The Jews despised the Gentiles and if Jesus came to save them, then they wanted no part in Him.
Paul took the passage of the suffering servant, applied it to Jesus and extended the work of Christ to His apostles – in this case himself and Barnabas.
As a believer in Christ, we must know the grace that brought salvation but we should continue in grace as a sanctified believer. We never graduate from the cross, we simply draw nearer to it. We run back to it when we fail. And what do we find? We find an empty cross, blood stains and a slightly used tomb. Since we will always war with sin, we'll never get tired of that remedy of sin. God's grace is sufficient in every circumstance and sufficient in its abundance.
Acts 13:48-52
The Gentiles glorified the word. Their eyes were wide open. Previously, all they had known was to access the Living God as a proselyte to Judaism. They were thrilled in the grace of God.
The Jews were incited against Paul and Barnabas for their teaching. This started a persecution against them that led to them being driven out of town. They shook the dust off their sandals in protest. The Jews despised the gentile so much as to shake the gentile dust off their shoes so as not to bring it in Israel. The protest by Paul and Barnabas showed the Jews of Antioch that they were no better than the heathen gentiles. They shook this unbelieving dust off their shoes and moved on. They would have taken this as a slap in the face. Paul and Barnabas move on the Iconium.
Iconium was just 50 miles or so east along the trade routes. This was an agricultural community that was famous at that time for wheat fields, apricot and plum orchards.
And the gospel continued to spread to the ends of the earth.
©2008, 2014, 2021 Doug Ford, Calvary Chapel Sweetwater
[1] Spurgeon, C. H. (1992). “To You.” In A. Bryant (Ed.), Sermon outlines for evangelistic services (p. 54). Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications.
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