THE FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY OF THE APOSTLE PAUL Having grown in Antioch, the Church became a center for the ministry of St. Paul and St. Barnabas and their party, where the Church started to set forth to testify to the Lord Christ at that time. The Church of Antioch became like a mother to ministry to the Church of the Gentiles in many countries. 1- Antioch, a center for the work of preaching 1 2- Barnabas and Saul separated for the work of preaching 2– 3 3- Beginning of the first trip 4– 5 4- Bar-Jesus opposing the work of preaching 6– 12 5- A sermon in Antioch Pisidia 13– 41 6- Heading to the Gentiles 42– 49 7- The Jews stirring up persecution against the two apostles 50– 52 1- ANTIOCH, A CENTER FOR THE WORK OF PREACHING “Now in the church that was at Antioch, there were certain prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who has been brought up with Herod the Tetrarch, and Saul” (Acts 13: 1). One of the blessings of the persecution raised by the Jews against the church in Jerusalem, after the stoning of St. Stephen, was that many have set forth to Antioch. Those of Jewish origin preached the word there, only to the Jews (Acts 11: 19); whereas, those of Hellenist culture, those from Cyprus and Cyrene, preached it to the Greeks there “The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord” (Acts 11: 21). The ministry of the two apostles: Barnabas and Saul of Tarsus continued there for a whole year kindling the hearts of many for ministry. The church so flared with the Spirit. Therefore, the soul of Paul (Saul of Tarsus) had relief in making Antioch the center of his ministry, from it he started his missionary journeys, and to it he returned. St. Luke says that the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch (Acts 11: 26). Although the church embraced those of circumcision and those of un-circumcision, but because of its growth, the unbelievers realized that it cannot be considered anymore a sect of Judaism, but an independent religion, even though it depends upon the prophecies of the Old Testament and holds fast to the books of the Torah and counts the fathers of the Jews and their prophets as their fathers and prophets and God’s promises and covenants as their own. The world started to realize that; That is why King Agrippa says to St. Paul, ”You almost persuade me to become a Christian” (Acts 26: 28). The Evangelist St. Luke presents a living portrait of the activity of the church and its flourishing in Antioch. Prophets and teachers were ministering there; he mentioned a list of five names, with Barnabas on its top, having been the oldest in faith, beside his flaring zeal that drew Saul of Tarsus to minister with him1. The prophets who came from Jerusalem to Antioch (Acts 11: 28) were visitors wandering to minister to the name of the Lord; whereas, those mentioned here were 1 Igino Giordani. St. Paul, Apostle and Martyr. Translated by C. Maranzana, 1961: 25. 576 permanent members of the church. The role of a prophet in the New Testament was to speak in the name of the Holy Spirit; whereas, that of the teacher was to interpret what is said by the Holy Spirit in the Holy Book and what the prophet utters by the Spirit. The goal of both was for the believers to enjoy the presence of the Lord Christ, the Teacher, who perpetually dwells in His church, to live in Him, and He in her. Simeon who was called Niger: Simeon is a Jewish name, and the title ‘Niger’ is Latin, on account of his dark complexion. He most probably was Simon the Cyrenian, father of Alexander and Rophus (Mark 15: 21). Lucius of Cyrene: previously spoken of (Acts 11: 21). He is not the one mentioned in (Rom 16: 21). He was one of the Hellenist proselytes, who had an active role in the church of Antioch, together with those who came from Cyprus. Some people thought that Lucius and Luke are the one and the same person, because ‘Lucius’ is the Latin version of the Greek word ‘Luke’; yet, several scholars rejected this view, especially that the name ‘Luke’ was so common, that the Evangelist did not have to mention it in its Greek version. Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the Tetrarch: Manaen is the lighter pronunciation of the Hebrew name ‘Menahem’, meaning the (comforter). Herod was Antipas the son of Herod the Great, to whom Pilate sent the Lord Christ to be tried, who reigned over Galilee and Peraeus, as a Tetrarch, between the years 4 BC and 39 AD. Manaen, the pious prophet of Antioch, is most probably one of the spiritual Asinians. He was brought up in the palace of Herod the Great, together with his son Antipas. He, according to Eusebius1, prophesied to Herod the Great, that he would be a king. He was revered by Herod the Great, and to him was referred the acquaintance of St. Luke with Herod and his family, and that group of prophets, teachers, and the prominent members of the church of Antioch. It is strange that the son of Herod the Great, the killer of John the Baptist has been educated and brought up together with Manaen, the pious prophet and teacher. Saul is mentioned at the end of the list of the prophets and teachers, as he, at that time, did not reach up to their stature and rank, according to the seniority in the church. 2- BARNABAS AND SAUL SEPARATED FOR THE WORK OF PREACHING “As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, ‘now separate for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work I have called them” (Acts 13: 2). The missionary journeys of the apostle Paul started by the proclamation of the Holy Spirit, not to Saul, or to Barnabas, but to the church assembled together in the spirit of prayer and fasting. The word ‘minister’ in Greek came meaning celebrate the Liturgy (Litorgoton), namely, practice the liturgy of the Eucharist. It refers to the public unpaid ministry, for honoring the king. In this context, it refers to the ministry of prayer by offering thanksgiving and praise in the celebration of the divine sacrifice. “The Holy Spirit said” Most probably through one of the prophets gathering for prayer and fasting, who seriously dedicated their hearts to ministry and testimony. “Separate” Means the dedication to the work of the Holy Spirit, the leader of the movement of testimony to Jesus Christ. What is amazing is that the Spirit said, “Separate for Me”, and not “for the Lord Jesus”, as He and the Only-begotten Son are one in 1 Eusebius. H.E. 15.10.5. 577 essence with the same authority and power; and the preaching is to the account of the Holy Trinity. The call came personally by name, to open the first way to preaching to the Gentile world. "But the Holy Spirit is not pronounced by the tongue; but He is a Living Spirit, who gives wisdom of speech, Himself speaking and discoursing. Do you see the Spirit living, separating, calling, and with authority sending forth?" 1. St. Cyril of Jerusalem In a sermon by St. John Chrysostom on (1 Tim 1: 1), he clarifies that it is the Holy Spirit who said, “Separate for Me Barnabas and Saul” (Acts 13: 1). While it was the Lord Christ who called and sent him, saying, “Depart, for I will send you far to the Gentiles” (Acts 22: 21). In some other place, He says, “You must be brought before Caesar” (Acts 27: 24). And the apostle counts all those commands as issued from God the Father. Here St. John Chrysostom confirms the unity of work of the Holy Trinity2. In the introduction, the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the church is well noticed, being the true Leader who offers her Himself and grants her the divine capabilities, to become the icon of her heavenly Groom, the Lord Christ. “The Spirit searches all things” (1 Cor 2: 10), ”He will teach you all things” (John 14: 26), “He blows where (He) wishes, and where (He) goes” (John 3: 8), “Guides” (Ps 14: 2), “Speaks” (Acts 13: 2), “Sends” (Acts 13: 4), “Separates” (Acts 13: 2), “Inspires” (John 16: 3), “Brings to remembrance” (John 14: 26), “Gives life” (John 6: 63), or rather is the very Light and Life; That makes Temples (1 Cor 3: 16), “Deifies us” 3 (1 Cor 3: 16), “Guides you into all truth” (John 16: 13) so as even to anticipate Baptism (Acts 10: 47), yet after Baptism to be sought as a separate gift; distributes the spiritual gifts (1 Cor 12: 11), And “Gives some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers” (Eph 4: 11) 4. St. Gregory Nazianzen “Then having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away” (Acts 13: 3). St. John Chrysostom says that Saul was anointed in Antioch where he was ministering5. St. Luke presents the first rite of anointment in the church. The call came first from the Holy Spirit, after praying, fasting and a true longing for the growth of ministry and the testimony to the Lord Christ. The Holy Spirit designated the names, being the One who searches the hearts; then the laying of hands came in harmony with the will of the Holy Spirit. The role of the church is to realize this will, for all to live in the fellowship and unity of the Spirit. Here is a living portrait of the anointment by laying the hands, after the Holy Spirit calls certain persons to preaching work, through the Liturgy of the Eucharist and practicing a special fasting. 1 Lect. Catech. 16.13-14. 2 Cf. Hom. On 1Tim. Hom. 1.1. 3 The fathers do not interpret the term "deify" that man becomes God; but he enjoys superior characteristics given to him by the Divine grace. 4Oration 31, On the Holy Spirit, 29. 5Hom. On Acts. Hom. 27. 578 The anointment was consummated while they were fasting. Fasting has occupied a special position in the life of the early church, being a living sign that refers to the preoccupation of the church with the heavenly banquet and that she practices her daily life, of eating, drinking and sleeping, for the necessity, not for any physical lust or enjoyment. ”Let us seek meats to nourish, not things to ruin us; seek meats for food, not occasions of diseases, of diseases both of soul and body: seek food which has comfort, not luxury which is full of discomfort" 1. St. John Chrysostom 3- The Beginning OF THE FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY “So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus” (Acts 13: 4). Here, the first missionary journey of the apostle Paul starts: Seleucia was on the coast of Phoenicia facing Cyprus, the famous port of Antioch, also called Pieria. It was 16 miles east of Antioch, and 5 miles north of where the river Orentus flows. It was established by Seleucius Necatur, the first of the Seleucian kings in the year 301 BC. When they landed in Cyprus, they also landed at the city facing it on the eastern coast, the city of Salamis. It is amazing how Saul the Pharisee would have surely kept himself from going to Cyprus, that the poems were written describing its corruption, having been the favorite island of the goddess Venus, And now here is Saul the Christian, called to set forth to confront every corruption in it and to set, together with its people, a temple for the Holy Spirit of God. As though he was flying, St. Paul traveled on land and sea, in Greece, in the Barbarian regions and all over every country under heaven. His journeys were never in vain, as wherever he went, he uprooted the thorns of sins, planted the seeds of piety everywhere, wiped the wrong away, introduced the truth to people, transformed them into heavenly creatures And above everything, from devils to angels2. St. John Chrysostom They did not stay long in Seleucia, as its people have already benefited much from the ministry in Antioch where the two saints Paul and Barnabas stayed a whole year. “And when they arrived in Salamis they preached the word of God in the Synagogues of the Jews. They also had John as their assistant” (Acts 13: 5). Salamis is a Greek city on the eastern coast of Cyprus. It was the capital, the center of the government and the leading center of commerce in the eastern section of the island; whereas, Paphos was the capital of the west and of more importance. Salamis was the goal of the Jews, with several Synagogues. In St. Paul's preaching journeys, he always had in his heart to go first to the synagogues and to start with the Jews in his preaching of the gospel of Christ, although his eyes were always concentrated on the Gentiles who happen to be there, who were known as those fearing God, or the ‘devout’. 1Hom. On Acts. Hom. 27. 2De Laudibus S. Pauli, Hom. 5 PG 50.474. 579 “They had John as their assistant”: Some believe that the term ‘assistant’ here refers to his duty of baptizing the believers; whereas, others believe that it refers to the ministry of teaching the Catechumens. Having St. John Mark as a companion provided the two saints with a rich source of the accurate information that came in the Book of Acts, as the first meetings of the early church in Jerusalem were held in the upper room of his mother’s house (Acts 12: 12). 4- Bar-Jesus opposing the work of preaching “Now when they had gone through the island to Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar-Jesus” (Acts 13: 6). Paphos: was the capital of western Cyprus, where the Greeks gathered. The old Paphos was 7 miles south-east of the new one, and in both of them, they only worshipped the Greek goddess Paphian, also known as Aphrodite and Venus, the goddess of beauty and love. Bar-Jesus: His name also means ‘Elymas’ the sorcerer, as he claimed to know the unknown. He was most probably an Arab Jew, who kept the name that refers to his claimed talent, knowledge and authority. “Who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man called for Barnabus and Saul, and sought to hear the word of God” (Acts 13: 7). Sergius Paulus the Proconsul: Referring to the official records of Rome, his name was mentioned as ‘The Guardian of the Tiber’ –a river in Italy -, that led some to believe that, after ending his term as the governor of the Tiber, he was transferred to Cyprus and that he was of Roman origin. Having been a learned man and a Roman philosopher, he found in the Jews scholars in the numerous synagogues of Cyprus his chance to increase his knowledge of the Jewish religion and of God. From whence came his friendship with Elymas the sorcerer, by whose sorcery he was deceived. Hearing about the arrival of Barnabas and Paul and their exalted teachings, the Proconsul sought to hear them, something that provoked Elymas the sorcerer against them. As the Proconsul was a wise man, with a heart kindling with the need for true and constructive knowledge caring for his own salvation, he did not need long talks, but sought the two apostles to hear from them the word of God. He did not see yet any miracle or sign done by the two apostles, but he was drawn by their teachings. But with the fierce opposition by Elymas the sorcerer, the apostle had to strike him with blindness, in order to open up his insight and that of the Proconsul to the secrets of God, to get in touch with the true light, instead of the darkness in which the sorcerer was living and to which he was drawing the Proconsul. “But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith” (Acts 13: 8). He was also called ‘Magus’, although he did not belong to the Magi, the astrologers, but was a deceitful sorcerer and a false prophet, with no relationship to God. “Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him” (Acts 13: 9). In the old days, a person usually carried three names: the first called ‘Praenomen’; the second called ‘Nomen’; and the third called ‘Logomen’, the Surname or the Nickname in English, that designates the person. 580 Saul was the original name; then the alternative name ‘Paul’ was added to it. St. John Chrysostom believes that the new name was given to him through laying the hand, but he was called Paul only after his encounter with the governor Lucius Sergius Paul. St Jerome believes that the name Paul was given to Saul as a memorandum of the governor's acceptance of faith. Lightfoot believes that Saul was given that name on the day of his circumcision, as it was the custom of the Jews, that he used among the Hebrews; whereas, he used the name Paul among the Gentiles1. St. Augustine2 believes that Saul was named after Saul the arrogant king, as a reference to his self esteem. But later on, he chose to be called ‘Paul’, meaning (the least), to give us an example in humility. “For I am the least of the apostles” (1 Cor 15: 9). Why is the one used to be called ‘Saul’ in the Book of Acts is now called ‘Paul’? In the Holy Book, there are names of several men and women in the Old Testament changed: for example, Abram changed to Abraham (Gen 17: 5); Sarai changed to Sarah (Gen 17: 15); and Jacob changed to Israel (Gen 32: 28, 35: 10). In the New Testament as well, Simon changed to Peter (Mark 3: 16); the sons of Zebedee were called ‘Boanerges, that is (sons of thunder) (Mark 3: 17), yet that was according to a divine command, that did not happen in Paul’s case. Some believe that the apostle adopted the name of the governor of Cyprus, who accepted the Christian faith (Acts 3: 4-12), as a reference of his spiritual conquest over Governor Paul, according to the old custom of some rulers who used to add to their names, the names of those they conquered, like Parthicus, referring to the conquest over the Parthians and Gothicus, referring to the conquest over the Gothics. Such view should not be disregarded altogether, although there are not many similar cases in the Holy Book. So another solution should be sought. As a matter of fact, there are in the Holy Books many persons with two or more different names: Solomon the prophet who was called ‘Jedidiah” (2 Sam 12: 25); Zedekiah who was called ‘Mataniah’ (2 kings 24: 17); Uzziah who was called ‘Azariah’ (2 kings 15: 32); and many others in the books of Judges, Samuel, and kings. Even in the gospels, there are several examples of that custom, as for example Levi who was called ‘Matthew’ (Luke 5: 27) and Lebbaeus whose surname was ‘Thaddaeus (Matt 10: 3). It is obvious that the authors of the gospels did not mention the names of the apostles falsely, but it was the old custom for a person to carry two or more names. That applies to Paul, who was called ‘Saul’, the name given to him by his father, while preaching among his own people. But when he wrote statutes and commandments to the Greeks and other Gentiles, he was called ‘Paul’3. Scholar Origen “And said, ‘O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord” (Acts 13: 10). “O son of the devil”: He is not Bar-Jesus, namely, (son of Jesus), but (son of the devil), as he practiced the works of his father. The word ‘Devil’ means the (deceitful); and the word ‘Satan’ means the (adversary) or the (Opponent). He is calling the sorcerer 1 I. Giordani. St. Paul, Apostle and Martyr. p. 26. 2 Sermons on N.T. Lessons, 27.3. 3 Comm. On the Epistle of the Romans (1.1). 581 by the name he chose through his behavior. Having perverted the righteousness of God, namely, the Light and walked by the spirit of darkness, he got a verdict of blindness, so that he would realize his inner blindness and darkness, in the hope that he would confess and repent, longing to the true light and the true knowledge, without deceit. Having refused to enjoy the rays of the sun of righteousness, he was deprived of seeing the regular sun. St. Luke, as a physician, describes how the eyes of the sorcerer were covered by mist, that utterly interfered with the reception of light by his eyes. “And now, indeed, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind not seeing the sun for a time’, and immediately a dark mist fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand” (Acts 13: 11). “And now, indeed, the hand of the Lord is upon you”: It was not vengeance then, but healing: for it is as though he said: "It is not I that do it, but the hand of God." Mark how unassuming! No "light," as in the case of Paul, "shone round about him." "You shall be blind" he says, "not seeing the Sun for a time" that he may give him opportunity for repentance: for we nowhere find them wishing to be made conspicuous by the more stern (exercise of their authority), even though it was against enemies that this was put forth: in respect of those of their own body (they used severity), and with good reason, but in dealing with those without, not so; that (the obedience of faith) might not seem to be matter of compulsion and fear" 1. "It was the sign by which he was himself converted, and by this he would fain convert this man. As also that expression, "for a time," puts it not as an act of punishing, but as meant for his conversion: had it been for punishment, he would have made him lastingly blind, but now it is not so, but "for a time" (and this), that he may gain the proconsul" 2. "But, oh that love of rule! Oh, that lust of vainglory! how it does overturn and ruin everything; makes people stand up against their own, against each other's salvation; renders them blind indeed, and dark, insomuch that they have even to seek for some to lead them by the hand!" 3. "How then might we be rid of it? Think of those who (for the sake of glory) have spent countless sums, and now are none the better for it: think of the dead, what glory they got, and (now) this glory is nowhere abiding, but all perished and come to nothing: think how it is only a name, and has nothing real in it. Let us flee this passion. To one thing alone let us look, to the praise which is from God, to the being accepted of Him, to the commendation from our common Master; that, having passed through our present life virtuously, we may obtain the promised blessings together with them that love Him, through the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Ghost, be glory, might, honor, now and ever, world without end. Amen"4. St. John Chrysostom 1Hom. On Acts. Hom. 28. 2Hom. On Acts. Hom. 28. 3Hom. On Acts. Hom. 28. 4Hom. On Acts. Hom. 28. 582 “What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness” (1 Cor 4: 21)? By the rod, St. Paul means the power of the Lord’s Spirit that he used against Elymas the sorcerer1. Severian, Bishop of Gabala “Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had been done, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord” (Acts 13: 12). According to historical records, the proconsul Sergius Paulus was baptized together with his family and in the following generation, some of his family members became Christians, like his daughter and her son Kaios Caristanius Fronto, who was a member of a famous family in Antioch Pisidia. 5- A SERMON IN ANTIOCH PISIDIA “Now when Paul and his party set sail from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia, and John departing from them, returned to Jerusalem” (Acts 13: 13). "But observe, how they do not linger there, as (they might have been tempted to do) now that the proconsul was a believer, nor are enervated by being courted and honored, but immediately keep on with their work, and set out for the country on the opposite coast"2. St. John Chrysostom They set sail north to the costs of Asia Minor facing northern Cyprus, the province of Pamphylia. Some believe that here the true character of Barnabas the pious preacher became prominent. When the apostle Paul received an exalted grace, he gave him priority, although he was older in age and senior in faith and ministry, he considered himself as one of Paul’s party, not the leader. He joyfully chose for himself the last place, when he saw the grace and talents that God granted to the apostle Paul. Perga was the capital of the province of Pamphylia. Because it is not a port, they landed in the port of Atalia, the port of Perga, known nowadays as Antalia, and from it they set forth to Perga, 12 miles away. Pamphylia was Between Tarsus and the sea coast in Asia Minor, bordered on its west side by Lycia and on its east by Cilicia. Between the years 43 BC and 68 AD, it used to be called the province of Pamphylia Cilicia. Some believe that the apostle Paul was infected with Malaria (a thorn in the flesh). And some believe that because St. Mark was sick, he insisted on returning to Jerusalem. And because they set sail from the easternmost reach of Cyprus to its westernmost reach, about 400 miles across a rough and difficult terrain, among a strange kind of people, opposed by even the Jews, the young Mark could not bear the effort. Yet he came to travel equally difficult terrain between Libya and Egypt and walked until his sandals were torn at Alexandria, for the sake of testimony to the truth, and preaching the gospel of Christ. “But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down” (Acts 13: 14). Here, he is telling about the two apostles, Barnabas and Paul, because in the Greek language, there are no grammatical rules for the dual (two persons). 1 Severian of Gabala. Pauline Comm. From the Greek Church. 2Hom. On Acts. Hom. 28. 583 They crossed over the mountain series of Tarsus that separate between Perga and Antioch, that became the capital of the Greater Pisidia, hence called ‘Antioch Pisidia’. It was the most modern city, a military center, located on a high plateau (3600 feet above sea level). Emperor Augustus transformed it into a Roman colony, and called it ‘Colonial Caesarea’. The apostle Paul cared much for the entry of faith into the Roman colonies, like Olestra, Philippe, and Corinth in Greece. Those colonies were densely dwelt by the Jews and hence had a great number of synagogues. In Antioch Pisidia, the Jews could establish a sort of independent colony for themselves. “And after the reading of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the Synagogue sent to them, saying, ‘Men and brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say on’” (Acts 13: 15). “After the reading of the law and the prophets”: The Jews used to divide the holy books into three divisions: The law, including the Pentateuch (the five books of Moses); the Prophets, the books of Joshua, Judges, the two books of Samuel, the first and second books of kings, and all the prophets with the exception of the book of Daniel; and the third division, called the Hagiographer (the holy writings), that embraces: Job, the Psalms, the Proverbs, the Song of Songs, Ecclesiastes, Ruth, the Lamentations, Esther, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, and the first and second Chronicles. This last division was called the ‘Psalms’, as the Book of Psalms was the first of its books. Reading the law has been a very old tradition, then some of the prophets were added to it. After Antioch Epiphanies burnt the law and banned its reading, the Jews chose certain parts of the prophets, which they saw very close to the law, to be read instead of the law. And when they resumed reading the law, they kept on reading the prophets together with the law. The phrase that came here refers to the chosen parts of the law and the prophets to be read in synagogues, counting the reading of the part as though all the books were read (Matt 5: 17; Luke 16: 29). The third division was not being read in the synagogues1. Entering into the synagogue on a Sabbath day, they sat down in the row of the Rabbis, with the intention of hinting to the rulers of the synagogue that they were capable of preaching. The order of prayers in the Synagogues during the first Christian century was as follows: Reading of the candles, namely, “Listen O Israel, the Lord your God is One God” A prayer by the chief of the synagogue A reading in the law, beside a reading in the prophets, if it was a Sabbath or a feast. A sermon given by someone capable in the synagogue, chosen by the rulers of the synagogue. The rulers of the synagogue: In the New Testament, it comes in the pleural tense, as it is in the present text; and it also came in the singular tense, as for example in (Mark 5: 35-36, 38; Luke 8: 41, 49). This is explained by some that in cities where there was a huge Jewish congregation, there were more than one ruler of the Synagogue; whereas, in small congregations, there was only one ruler. The ruler of a synagogue used 1 James N. Freeman. Manners and Customs of the Bible. N.J, 1972: 443. 584 to occupy the third position after the high priest and the chief priest, supported by a testimony from the Sanhedrin that he enjoys the qualifications required for that position. He used to be responsible for the supervision of everything concerning the worship. Some believe that the rulers of the local synagogues represented the Sanhedrin1. “Then Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said, ‘Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen” (Acts 13: 16). The apostle Paul used to have the priority in talking, probably because of his talent and ability to preach. The Lord Christ used to preach in the temple while sitting (Matt 26: 25; Luke 4: 20); whereas, the apostles most probably did that while standing. The apostle Paul here addresses the Jews, the Gentile proselytes, and those called devout, who always received the word of salvation more readily than the Jews themselves. Fr. Theodoret Bishop of Cyrus believes that those who came to the law from the Gentiles were called ‘those who fear God’2. “The God of this people Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He brought them out of it” (Acts 13: 17). St. Paul started his sermon by commending them as those who fear God, calling the God of all mankind “their Father”, as though He was their own, demonstrating God’s goodness to them. The apostle Paul used in his talks to the Jews to start with a short reference to the work of God with the people of Israel, in order to draw them to the word, feeling that he is faithful in caring for the unity of the people and for keeping straight the faith provided to the fathers. This sermon concentrated on choosing Israel from the nations, for the Messiah to come from it, He whom the fathers and the prophets longed to see, And on the fact that the history of God’s people with all its details was nothing but a preparation for His coming. He started by choosing the fathers, then moved to God’s support for the people in the land of Egypt, lifting up their heads in their land of sojourn; and finally, having fallen in bondage and forced labor, He, with an uplifted arm, brought them out of it (Exod 6: 2, 136: 11). It is to be noticed that he did not refer to the virtues of their fathers, but concentrated on God’s role in choosing them, ordaining their affairs, and providing them with prophecies. It is God’s work, who sent His only-begotten Son to save them. “Now for about forty years, He put up with their ways in the wilderness” (Acts 13: 18). St. Paul quoted from the book of Deuteronomy (1: 31), how Israel in the wilderness was simulated to a troublesome kid, whose father cared for him carrying him on his arms. “And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He distributed their lands to them by allotment” (Acts 13: 19). 1 James N. Freeman. Manners and Customs of the Bible. N.J, p. 443-444. 2 Comment. On Ps. 22. 585 Having brought them into the Promised Land, He destroyed for their sake seven nations (Deut 7: 1) and distributed their lands among their tribes by allotment. “After that He gave them judges for about four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet” (Acts 13: 20). This figure (about 450 years) conforms with the estimation of the Historian Josephus, who counts 592 years from the exodus of the people of Israel to the building of the temple,1 which are: 40 years in the wilderness + 25 years, the time of Joshua, according to Josephus' record,2 + 45 years of Judges +40 years of the reign of Saul + 40 years the reign of David (1 kings 2: 11) + 4 years of Solomon’s preparations for building the temple = 599 years. The difference of seven years led Paul to say “about”. “And afterward they asked for a king, so God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years” (Acts 13: 21). St. Paul gives 40 years as an estimation of the duration of Saul’s rein (conforming to that of the Historian Josephus in his sixth book, xiv.9), Yet Josephus gave another estimation of 20 years for Saul’ reign3. To explain that controversy, some believe that Josephus here talks about Saul’s reign after his complete independence, after the death of the prophet Samuel. “And when he had removed him, he raised up for them David as a king, to whom also he gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who will do all my will” (Acts 13: 22). He rejected Saul because his heart was not straightforward, and set David, who was a man after His own heart and who did all His will. St. Paul moves from choosing David as a king, to setting a divine promise of an eternal kingdom for the Son of David, according to what came in (Ps 89: 19.37), to consummate the divine salvation. What God presented to Israel through David the king was a shadow of what the Son of David presents to the world. Thus, the apostle Paul brought them over from the era of the fathers up to the coming of the eternal King, the Savior of the world. He directed the sight of his listeners to that Shepherd, of whom the prophets spoke (Exod 34: 23-24). "Now by the heart is denoted the desire, to which David was well-pleasing through the uprightness of his character"4. "He (David) did not avenge himself upon his foes by war, he did not oppose force of arms to those that laid wait for him, but after the pattern of the Lord, Whose name and Whose meekness alike he foreshadowed, when he was betrayed he entreated (God), when he was in danger he sang psalms, when he incurred hatred he rejoiced; and for tills cause he was found a man after God's own heart"5. Hilary bishop of Poitiers “From this man’s seed, according to the promise, God raised up for Israel a Savior – Jesus” (Acts 13: 23). 1 Antiq. 8.1; 10.8.5. 2 Antiq. 6.2.9. 3 Antiq. 10.8.4. 4 on the Trinity. 12.9. 5On Ps. 53 (54), 1. 586 "Observe how he twines (the thread of) his discourse (alternately) from things present, from the prophets. Thus, “From this man’s seed, according to the promise”. The name of David was dear to them; well then, is it not (a thing to be desired) that a son of his, he says, should be their king? - Then he adduces John: then again the prophets, where he says, "By condemning they fulfilled," and gain, "All that was written:" then the Apostles as witnesses of the Resurrection: then David bearing witness. For neither the Old Testament proofs seemed so cogent when taken by themselves as they are in this way, nor yet the latter testimonies apart from the former: wherefore he makes them mutually confirm each other"1. St. John Chrysostom “After John has first preached, before His coming, the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel” (Acts 13: 24). In order that his listeners would not doubt that Jesus Christ is the Savior Son of David, he quoted the testimony of John the Baptist who revealed His person, that he came to prepare the way for Him, and that John was not worthy to loose His feet. Among his audience were probably some people who heard of John the Baptist, encountered him, or believed in him as a true prophet. “And as John was finishing his course, he said, ‘Who do you think I am? I am not He, but behold, there comes one after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to loose. Men and brethren, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to you the word of this salvation has been sent” (Acts 13: 25, 26). St. Paul incites the feelings of the devout Jews by saying, “Men and brethren, sons of the family of Abraham”, He brilliantly binds their sonhood to Abraham to the realization of the promise through them. What he tells them is a realization of the divine promise to their father that he so long anticipated and rejoiced. “To you the word of salvation has been sent”: In the versions of Alexandria, Sinai, and the Vatican, it came as “To us”, adding himself to them, to enjoy together with them the realization of the promise, as it is a right for all the sons of Abraham. The apostle came to them carrying the word of salvation, to enjoy it together with them. “For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they did not know Him, or even the voices of the prophets which are read every Sabbath have fulfilled them in condemning Him” (Acts 13: 27). “They did not know Him”, or according to some, “they failed to know Him”. If they failed to realize that salvation, they are without excuse, as they have the books of the prophets in their hands, read every Sabbath in the synagogues. They should have recognized the Savior. On the other hand, their opposition to Him fulfilled the prophecies. On all occasions we find them (the apostles) making a great point of showing this, that the blessing is peculiarly theirs, that they may not flee (from Christ), as thinking they had nothing to do with Him, because they had crucified Him."Because they knew Him not," he says: so that the sin was one of ignorance. See how he gently makes an apology even on behalf of those (crucifiers). And not only this: but he adds also, that thus it must be. And how so? "By condemning Him, they fulfilled the voices of the prophets"2. 1Hom. On Acts. Hom. 29. 2Hom. On Acts. Hom. 29. 587 St. John Chrysostom “And though they found no cause for death in Him, they asked Pilate that he should be put to death” (Acts 13: 28). So as not to assume that those who crucified Him had an excuse, that they did not know Him, the apostle Paul confirms that although the prophets kept incessantly crying out to them to recognize Him, they did not listen to them. On another hand, “although they found no cause for death in Him, they asked Pilate that He should be put to death”. If the prophecies have been fulfilled in Him, yet that does not justify what they did, but provides them with a chance to reconsider their position and to return to Him in repentance. Pilate the Gentile, who was not aware of the prophecies, testified against them, by finding no cause for death in Him (John 19: 4, 6); whereas, they, who should have preached Him, asked instead that he should be put to death (John 19: 7). “When they have fulfilled all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the tree, and laid Him in a tomb” (Acts 13: 29). Those who sought His death (John 19: 31) took Him down. And if someone should think that it was Joseph of Ramah and Necodemus who did that, they were members of the Sanhedrin, as though they were representing it. “Laid Him in a tomb”: In this there was a certain evidence of His true death. The death and burial of the Lord Christ represent an integral part of the Creed of faith, inseparable from His crucifixion and resurrection. The apostle Paul delivered those facts bound together for the fulfillment of salvation, “For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scripture” (1 Cor 15: 3). “But God raised Him from the dead” (Acts 13: 30). The Jews condemned Him to death, But God the Father raised Him from the dead. That resurrection is the definite proof that He is the Son of the Holy Father (Rom 1: 2-4). “He was seen for many days by those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are His witnesses to the people” (Acts 13: 31). His apparitions after His resurrection are strong evidences and living testimony to His resurrection. Those who lived with Him and loved Him, having seen Him dead and buried, enjoyed the joy of His resurrection, to testify to Him, that the joy of all His believers would be complete (1 John 1: 3-4). “And we declare to you glad tidings – that promise which was made to the fathers” (Acts 13: 32). After this historical Theological parade, St. Paul moved to the actual presence, As that divine promise is presented to every listener, that, if he believed, he would enjoy the resurrection of Christ in his life. The promise that God set since the time of the fathers and along the generations had been fulfilled, for the present generation to enjoy. “God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has risen up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm: ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You’” (Acts 13: 33). When something like scales fell from the eyes of Saul of Tarsus, he arose and got baptized and started preaching what he has seen concerning Christ: “That He is the Son of God” (Acts 9: 18-20). This dogma is the subject of the preaching of the apostle Paul, 588 confirmed by His resurrection from the dead (Rom 1: 1-4). His sonhood to God the Father was connected to all events of salvation: In His incarnation, the angel said, “He will be called the Son of God” (Luke 1: 35); In His Baptism, the Father said, “You are My beloved Son, In you I am well pleased” (Luke 3: 21-22); In His transfiguration, the Father said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matt 3: 17); and in His resurrection, the apostle says, “And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead” (Rom 1: 4). His resurrection clearly and practically confirmed what the angel testified on the day of His birth; what God the Father publicly proclaimed on the day of His baptism and to His disciples on the day of His transfiguration. This resurrection is not a strange thing for the people of God, as the prophet David has previously revealed in his psalms. This eternal sonhood touches our life and our salvation, enjoying in the onlybegotten Son raised from the dead, the grace of sonhood, through the work of His Holy Spirit, Who has His role in all the events of salvation. “And that He raised Him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, He has spoken thus: ‘I will give You the sure mercies of David’” (Acts 13: 34). Having been raised from the dead on the third day, no corruption has come to Him, as testified by the prophet David, and through the actual facts, He would never die again, and would see no corruption. Lazarus was raised from the dead by the command of our Lord Christ, but he eventually died and saw corruption. The Lord will never return to the tomb as a dead, where death reigns, as death has no authority over Him, after He accepted it once through His own will for our sake. “Therefore He also said in another psalm: ‘You will not allow Your Holy One to see corruption” (Acts 13: 35). This apostolic teaching concentrated on the resurrection of the Lord Christ, fulfilling (Ps 16: 9-11). This is what the apostle Peter proclaimed on the day of the Pentecost and what the apostle Paul presents here. This teaching is set upon the speech of the Lord of Glory Jesus with the two disciples who were heading to Emmuas (Luke 24: 26-27). “For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and saw corruption” (Acts 13: 26). The apostle confirms to the Jews that what the prophet David uttered was not realized in his person, as he died and his tomb is set there, to testify to that. What he said concerns the anticipated Messiah that was practically realized in the Person of Jesus. “But He whom God raised up saw no corruption. Therefore, let it be known to you, brethren that through this man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins” (Acts 13: 37-38). What was not realized in the person of the prophet David has been realized in the Person of the Son of David, who alone is capable of setting a new covenant and granting the forgiveness of sins. Although David was a good man of God, the secret of his goodness was God’s grace on him. He was incapable of enjoying glory and of giving glory to the sons of his nation. Through the counsel of God, David enjoyed the kingdom, so also did his sons, But they failed to keep the kingdom intact, because of the corruption that infiltrated into the royal household, as well as into the people. There was an urgent need for “the Son of 589 David”, the Forgiver of sins and Savior of souls from corruption, to set the perpetual spiritual kingdom of David. “And by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the Law of Moses” (Acts 13: 39). If the Lord Christ was crucified for our sins, the resurrection confirmed the acceptance of the sacrifice, for us to gain the forgiveness and to enjoy the justification of Christ, a justification that the law could not give to anyone. By the resurrection, the divine reconciliation has been realized; and the Holy Spirit of God dwelt in the church and became her leader. That is why the church, through the apostles of Christ, got the breath of the Spirit, to hear the Messianic promise: “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them, if you retain the sins of any, they are retained” (John 20: 23). The resurrection revealed the truth of the unique sacrifice of Christ, that it is a living, active sacrifice, capable of abolishing sin and destructing death. Although it was realized through history, it leads the believers to what is beyond history, works perpetually and brings us over to eternity. "He who was buried forgives sins, yea, more than the Law (has power to do). And (observe), he does not say, from which you would not but, “from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses”1. St. John Chrysostom “Beware therefore, lest what had been spoken in the prophets come upon you: Behold, you despisers, Marvel and perish, For I work a work in your days, a work which you by no means believe, though one were to declare it to you” (Acts 13: 40-41). The apostle quotes that serious prophetic warning uttered by the prophet (Hab 1: 5), in about the year 600 BC, on the tongue of God: That if the people persisted on rebellion, the horrible nation of the Chaldeans would destroy Israel and all the nations around it. This was realized, when the kingdom of Assyria captivated Israel; and having not benefited from the lesson, Judah was captivated by the kingdom of Babylon and both were joined in captivity. God described the rulers of His people, slothful in truth and rebellious, as “scornful” (Isa 28: 14) an as “mockers” (Isa 28: 22). And here He calls those who reject the Lord Christ, and oppose His salvation work, as being “despisers”, who do not care for the catastrophe to dwell upon them as it did over Israel and Judah, in the old days, through the allowance of God, “For I will work a work in your days, which you would not believe, though it were told you” (Hab 1: 5). The amazing and strange work of God bears two meanings: on one hand, the slothful fall under the divine wrath, and who can bear it? On the other hand, the amazing and strange work of God has been realized through the incarnation of the divine Word, for man’s sake, His willing acceptance of the cross, and His resurrection, to grant man the power of His resurrection. Things that the slothful cannot believe, as they do not enjoy the grace of faith. By this warning, the apostle Paul ended his sermon, that they should not be slothful in believing in the Lord Christ the Savior of the world. He has indeed allowed the Assyrians and the Babylonians to captivate the rebellious of His people and allowed them to fall into the captivity of him, whom they accepted to be a father to them – the devil. He 1Hom. On Acts. Hom. 30. 590 would not draw them by force to faith; but rejecting the Sun of righteousness, they fall under the bitterness of darkness. 6- HEADING TO THE GENTILES “And when the Jews went out of the Synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath” (Acts 13: 42). In those Synagogues, the Jews had the priority to enter and exit. That is why the Jews went out first; whereas, the Proselytes from the Gentiles begged Paul to come back the next Sabbath, to give them more of those joyful evangelic news. The hearts of some Jews did not move to receive the word of salvation. They only came to practice the formalities of worship to ease their conscience; whereas, many of the Proselytes from the Gentiles have opened their hearts to enjoy the joyful word of God. And as the prophet says, “Your words were found, and I ate them, and your word was to me, the joy and rejoicing of my heart” (Jer 15: 16). Believing in Jesus according to the Jews was a proclamation of the failure of the Mosaic Law to justify and to forgive sins. The hearts of the Jews everywhere were aflame with longing for the mountains of Judah, the enjoyment of Jerusalem the city of God and His temple. Those kept quiet when they heard the words of the apostle Paul. His words were indeed convincing and supported by prophecies; and his eyes were aflame with the fire of the appealing Spirit. Yet, he was uttering a new thing, with daring that they were not used to hear. They heard that they were captives to a dangerous enemy and in need of enjoying an inner freedom; that they were sinners and in need of a Divine Savior. It is a serious accusation that they did not expect a Jew to dare say it, to seek the setting of a new kingdom for Israel and to justify the work of a crucified. The Jews rejected that serious speech. Yet the word of God would not be in vain, but would draw the hearts which are keen on their salvation and bring them over to the joy of the kingdom. This is the work of the word with those faithful in seeking the truth; whereas, the wicked would say together with the Thessalonians: “These who have turned the world upside down have come here too” (Acts 17: 6); and with those Ephesians: “Moreover you see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but throughout almost all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people” (Acts 19: 26). “Now when the congregation had broken up, many of the Jews and devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God” (Acts 13: 43). The word “broken up” bears the meaning of forcibly evacuating the Synagogue, almost driving everyone out. The rulers of the Synagogue, feeling the probable serious effect of Paul’s words over the members, hastened to end the session. Yet those who were touched by the preaching of the gospel, of the Jews and the Gentiles, surrounded the two apostles, with their hearts flaring with the love of the gospel and the enjoyment of the knowledge of the divine truth. Some believe that the word ‘proselyte’ here does not necessarily mean Gentiles converted to Judaism and were circumcised, but some of them were influenced by the Jews, believed in the One God and rejected the pagan worship with all its abominations, yet without getting circumcised. The Jews allowed them to attend the meetings and partake of the worship, but felt superiority over them. “And the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God” (Acts 13: 44). 591 It is obvious that those who joined the two apostles were mostly proselytes; whereas, the Jews have rejected the word and even opposed it. Almost the whole city came together on the next Sabbath to hear the word of God. “And when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and contradicting and blaspheming, they opposed the things spoken by Paul” (Acts 13: 45). The Jews could not stand that attitude; they were filled with envy, and counted it as their duty to cry out together with the Jews of Jerusalem: “Crucify Him, Crucify Him!” disregarding what Pilate said, “I find no fault in Him at all”. If the multitudes in Jerusalem insisted on crucifying Jesus the Just, the multitude of Jews here insisted on crucifying His name. They could not stand preaching His name. Besides that multitude which reveals the success of the mission of the two apostles and consequently the failure of those in the Synagogue; they counted St. Paul's speech as an insult directed against the Mosaic Law before the proselytes and a deprivation of the Jews as a unique nation in its worship of God, of its privileges. Moreover, the words of the apostle called for the equality between the Jews and the Gentiles, something that the Jewish mentality could not accept. Saul of Tarsus was previously an opponent to the gospel truth and a blasphemer; and now the multitudes of the Jews “contradicting and blaspheming, are opposing the things spoken by Paul”. St. Paul looked at them with compassion, seeing that they were falling into what he has formerly done, saying, “Although I was formerly a blasphemer, and an insolent man, but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief” (1 Tim 1: 13). He was crying out in his heart: ‘When will those obtain mercy, as I did? When will the scales fall off their eyes, to see together with me what I see of the splendor of the Sun of righteousness?' “Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said. ‘It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first, but since you reject it, and judge yourself unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles” (Acts 13: 46). Here, the apostle Paul proclaims his preaching system, having put in his heart, since he enjoyed the Sacrament of Enlightenment, to begin everywhere preaching the joyful news to the Jews, being the legal heirs of the divine promises; and from whom the prophets and the Messiah Himself emerged; Then after that he would set forth to the Gentiles beside the few Jews who accept the faith. By this the apostle praise together with Simon the elder, carrying in his heart the infant Jesus, saying, “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word, for my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel” (Luke 2: 29-32). St. John Chrysostom believes that the apostle Paul did not say, ‘We forsake you’, but said, “We turn to the Gentiles”, as though he leaves the door of hope open before them; in case they were ready to receive the word, he would return to preach them. Even in his rebuke, he was gentle1. In the praise of Simon the elder (Luke 2: 29-32), he started by the Gentiles, then followed them by Israel, as many of the Gentiles together with few of the Jews, responded to the work of the Lord Christ. Yet the Lord Christ came first to the Jews, then to the Gentiles, having said to the Samaritan woman, “Salvation is of the Jews” (John 4: 22). 1Hom. On Acts. Hom. 30. 592 And as the apostle Paul says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first, and also for the Greek” (Rom 1: 16), “Through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles” (Rom 11: 11), “But when they opposed him and blasphemed, he took his garments and said to them, ‘Your blood is upon your own heads, I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles” (Acts 18: 6). "The true passing over then into Babylon, which was then prefigured in the time of Jeremiah, took place in the spiritual dispensation of the time of the Lord's Incarnation. But what does Jeremiah say of these Babylonians, to those who were passing over to them? “For in its peace, you will have peace” (Jer 29: 7 LXX). When Israel then passed over also into Babylon by Christ and the Apostles, that is, when the Gospel came unto the Gentiles, they have received the peace of Christ, and have left off persecuting the Christians"1. "See then, the tree (the Jews) has withered away (Matt21: 19), ; and Christ has been removed unto the Gentiles, the mountain into the sea"2. St. Augustine Since you rejected Christ, and did not prepare a place fitting for setting the altar of the Lord on it, He would set it on the land of the Gentiles, that is, in the hearts of all the people. That is why the apostle says, “For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are” (1 Cor. 3: 17)3. ‘Gehzi’ may symbolize the Jewish people. They were infected with the leprosy of sin, as the Gentiles got rid of it. Finally, the miserable Jews proclaimed this during the passion of Christ, when they said, “His blood be on us and on our children” (Matt 27: 25). They were then worthy to be covered with the leprosy of sin, when they, with wicked lips, cried out, “Away with Him, away with Him! Crucify Him” (John 19: 15). Leprosy got into them, when grace crossed over to us. When the teaching of the apostles crossed over to the Gentiles, leprosy got into the miserable Jews4. Fr. Caesarius, Bishop of Arles Thus, it is obvious that the natural order of things should be as follows: The Jews were supposed to enter first and then those of the Gentiles; but as the Jews did not believe, this order got reversed, Because of their disbelief and fall, those came first. St. John Chrysostom "For this also did Jeremiah prophesy, that the Lord commanded them to go into Babylon: and whatever other prophets told the people not to go into Babylon, them he reproved as false prophets (Jer 27: 14-15). Jeremiah then on the part of God threatened those who would not go into Babylon, whereas to them who should go he promised rest there, and a sort of happiness in the cultivation of their vines, and planting of their gardens, and the abundance of their fruits. How then do the people of Israel, not now in figure but in verity, pass over unto Babylon? Whence came the Apostles? Were they not of the nation of the Jews? Whence came Paul himself? For he says, “For I 1 Sermons on N.T. Lessons, 1.14 2 Sermons on N.T. Lessons, 39.2. 3 Sermon 122.1. 4 Sermon 129.3. 593 also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin” (Rom 11: 1). Many of the Jews then believed in the Lord; from them were the Apostles chosen; of them were the more than five hundred brethren, to whom it was vouchsafed to see the Lord after His resurrection (1 Cor 15: 6); of them were the hundred and twenty in the house, when the Holy Ghost came down (Acts 1: 15). But what does the Apostle say in the Acts of the Apostles, when the Jews refused the word of truth? “It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first, but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles” (Acts 13: 46). The true passing over then into Babylon, which was then prefigured in the time of Jeremiah, took place in the spiritual dispensation of the time of the Lord's Incarnation. But what does Jeremiah say of these Babylonians, to those who were passing over to them? "For in their peace shall be your peace" (Jer 29: 7). That now in the secure quiet of peace, the Churches might be built up, and peoples planted in the garden of God, and that all nations might bring forth fruit in faith, and hope, and love, which is in Christ"1. St. Augustine Notice with me what was written about that people: “I had put her away, and given her a certificate of divorce” (Jer 3: 8). God has divorced that people and given it a certificate of divorce. In the Law of Moses, it came that the woman who displeases her husband, because of her unfitting behavior, would take the certificate of her divorce and go; and the man who forsook her is allowed to take another woman. Now observe, those who received a certificate of divorce had been forsaken for the same reason. Where are the prophets among them? Where are the signs among them (Ps 74: 9)? Where are God’s proclamations? Where are the rites, the temple and the sacrifices? They had been driven away and given the certificate of divorce. Now, we – Judah –returned to the Lord. We are Judah, As the Savior came from the tree of Judah, as it was proclaimed (Heb 7: 14) 2. Now the situation is reversed, as it is said to those from Israel: “You shall call Me “My Father”, and not turn away from Me’ Surely, as a wife treacherously departs from her husband, so you have dealt treacherously with Me, O house of Israel’” (Jer 3: 19, 20). When this was said from the beginning concerning Israel; and the people of Israel heard that they walked wickedly and forgot their holy God (Jer 3: 21 LXX). Then the Holy Spirit put the word before us, we, who were from the pagan nations, and said to us, “Return, you backsliding children, and I will heal your backsliding” (Jer 3: 22). “For we ourselves who were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another, but when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy, He saved us 1 Sermons on N.T. Lessons, 1.14. 2Hom. On Jeremiah. Hom. 4.2. 594 through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly” (Titus 3: 3-5) 1. Scholar Origen God's work did not stop because of the disbelief of the Jews, as He is the eternal life for His believers, which He promised to grant it to those who believe in Christ. Those who did not believe have deprived themselves of the reward, without harming the rest. By saying this, the apostle Paul commends the believing Jews, as it was not their fault that many of their own race rejected the faith2. Ambrosiaster Those who did not believe could not stand in the way of His blessings3. Fr. Theodoret, Bishop of Cyrus “For so the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have set You to be a light to the Gentiles, that You should be for salvation to the ends of the earth” (Acts 13: 47). The goal of the persistent quotations by the apostle Paul from the prophets is to confirm that what he preached is not something new, but has its roots in the law and the prophets. The ordination of the gospel has its foundation in the Old Testament. The apostle Paul quoted this verse from the prophet Isaiah: “I will also give you as a light to the Gentiles, that You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth” (Isa 49: 6). The Lord Christ came as the ‘Light of the world’ (John 8: 12). He shone in the hearts of His disciples, and set them ‘A light to the world’ (Matt 5: 14). They do not bear their own light, but the flame of Christ inside them, to shine in the midst of the darkness of the pagan world. The prophecy revealed the Person of Christ, that He is the Light and the Savior, who shines on the depths, to grant wisdom, understanding, and knowledge of the secrets of God’s love that embraces all mankind, to the ends of the earth, not limited to a particular people or generation. “Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed” (Acts 13: 48). Having presented prophetic testimonies from the Old Testament that was in their hands, they could not oppose his reason, but they were filled with jealousy and rage and started to oppose and blaspheme with no reason. Whereas, the Gentiles “were glad and glorified the word of the Lord” and received faith. The Gentiles realized that they were in God’s mind, subject of His love since the old days, and that what the apostle reveals represents a divine plan that God revealed to His prophets in the days of the law, when the Jews assumed that they, and not any one else, were the subject of God’s care and salvation. What was realized then was a consummation of the divine promises. These joyful promises became an offense to the Jews and a source of Joy to the Gentiles. The word ‘appointed’ here, in Greek, means (Written), as the names of the true believers are written in heaven (Luke 10: 20). The first to use this way was the prophet Moses who said, “If you forgive their sin – but if not, I pray, blot me out of Your book which You have written” (Exod 32: 32). Our names were written in the book of life, not 1Hom. On Jeremiah. Hom. 5.1 2 Comm. On Paul’s Epistles (Rom. 3.3). 3 Interpretation of Rom. (3.3). 595 to commit us to salvation, or as some assume that it is a kind of compulsory judgment, But God wrote them through His previous knowledge since the foundation of the world. “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren” (Rom 8: 29). “And the word of the Lord was being spread throughout all the region” (Acts 13: 49). By ‘the region’, he means the whole province of Galatia (Acts 16: 6). The word ‘spread’ reveals that the testimony or the preaching of the gospel was not confined to the two apostles Paul and Barnabas, but the hearts of believers flared for the preaching work among their relatives and friends; everyone arose to testify to the gospel of Christ. 7- THE JEWS STIRRING UP PERSECUTION AGAINST THE TWO APOSTLES “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 13: 50). As it was not possible for the Jews to ban the two apostles from testifying to the Lord Christ in a Gentile city, governed by the Roman State, they resorted to women who converted to the Jewish faith and some Jewish proselytes, to stir up persecution against the two apostles. The Jews worked secretly and managed to expel them. As the devout Jewish women had their prominent position in ministry, the Jews who were against Paul and Barnabas provoked them, beside some chief men of the city, to persecute them. Those devout women among the Jews had no such role in Antioch Pisidia, but in the majority of Jewish societies in and out of Jerusalem. That situation was probably inherited by the Church, as in the days of the Lord Christ, women carried out the responsibility of serving and spending on Him and had an honorable stand during the crucifixion, the burial and the resurrection, by which they preceded the apostles and the disciples. “But they shook off the dust from their feet against them, and came to Iconium” (Acts 13: 51). Being expelled, they obeyed the commandment of the Lord: “And whoever will not receive you and hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the Day of Judgment than for that city” (Matt 10: 14-15). Iconium, in the days of the apostle Paul, was the capital of Lekonia, affiliated to the region of Frigia, the Turkish city of Konia, 20 miles far from the Mediterranean coast. “And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 13: 52). It is wonderful, that whenever there is affliction, the Holy Spirit would fill the souls of believers with heavenly joy. Every movement of persecution is accompanied by the work of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter of the souls and the hearts. "The teachers were suffering persecution, and the disciples rejoiced"1. St. John Chrysostom 1Hom. On Acts. Hom. 30. 596 AN INSPIRATION FROM THE BOOK OF ACTS 13 YOUR HOLY SPIRIT IS THE GUIDE OF MY JOURNEY As Jerusalem, the city of God, was stirred up against Your church; Your people set forth to preach among the Gentiles. Antioch became the great city of God. There, Your fiery Spirit flared the hearts of many. Barnabas and Paul set forth to work diligently in Your vine. Your Holy Spirit chose Barnabas and Saul, And separated them to work among the Gentiles. He is the One, who searches the hearts, And the Grantor of the word and the Truth, The Drawer of souls, to enjoy the riches of Your grace. By the silent Spirit, Your church managed, To gain the wisdom of the Spirit, and chose faithful ministers. The two set forth, accompanied by John Mark. They flew to a unique preaching journey. They were like angels of God. They transformed men into angels. They forced their way into Cyprus, the beloved city of Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty, To set in it children beloved by God. Instead of corruption, the island transformed into holiness. Let the arrogant Saul of Tarsus inside me die, And set in me Paul the humble, The least among all. You raise the humble and bring down the dignified. Grant me, O Lord, the spirit of St. Paul and let me enjoy his wisdom, To consummate Your plan in me. Let the devil oppose me with all his hosts. You are the Sun of righteousness, before whom the darkness cannot stand. Your divine hand destroys every evil, And reveals every blindness of insight, In order to settle kingdom of light, And to shine with Your light on the souls that the enemy captivated by his darkness. Let Your Holy Spirit grant me wisdom, So as not to utter my own words, But testify to Your amazing works.
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