In the first reading last Sunday Paul gets thrown out of the town of Antioch in Asia Minor, after preaching in the local synagogue. This Sunday’s first reading recounts the end of Paul’s first journey. In the parts of the journey between these two passages, Paul and Barnabas preach, make converts at the synagogue in Iconium, and anger others who try to stone them.
In Lystra, Paul heals a man who was crippled from birth, leading the people to think Paul is the Greek god Hermes and Barnabas is Zeus. They want to make sacrifices to them, but instead Paul preaches the good news until his enemies from earlier towns arrive, have him stoned, and leave him for dead. His disciples circle around him to save him; he and Barnabas move on to Derbe, the farthest point they reach on their first journey.
Like Jesus and Peter, Paul in his first missionary journey speaks and heals in the Spirit. He finds both new disciples and people who reject his message and seek to kill him. Sunday’s reading begins as Paul and Barnabas turn toward home.
Paul and Barnabas head home.
After Paul and Barnabas had proclaimed the gospel in Derbe and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and then to Antioch, strengthening their disciples and encouraging them to persevere in the faith, saying, “We must suffer many afflictions to enter into the reign of God.” In each church they appointed elders and with prayers and fasting commended them to the Lord, in whom they had put their faith.
Then Paul and Barnabas passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia. After preaching the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia. From there they sailed back to Antioch, where they had first been commended to the grace of God for the work they had completed. After they arrived and the church gathered, they reported all that God had helped them do and that God had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.
Acts 14.21-27
- What keeps you in the Church today?
- Who sustains your community of faith as do the elders Paul appoints?