ACC ~ Acts 14 v1 - 7

OVERVIEW:

Modern commentators see Paul and Barnabas here as good examples of the church under stress. There is a division of opinion over the use of the title apostolos being applied to Paul and Barnabas only at Acts 14:4 and 14 and nowhere else in Acts: did Luke consider them among the apostles or, less likely, did he fail to edit his source here? The actions of Paul and Barnabas, being extensions of the prophesied actions of Christ, meet with the same response that their master experienced from their fellow Jews (AMMONIUS). The eagerness of Paul and Barnabas for the gospel serves them well as God uses them to extend the kingdom (CHRYSOSTOM). The environment, however, grew too hostile so that it was prudent to flee (AMMONIUS).

14:2 | Unbelieving Jews Incited the Gentiles

THE NATIONS CLAMOR. AMMONIUS: They caused an uprising against the faithful. The Jews joined forces with the Greeks so that what was said in the psalm might be fulfilled: “Why do the nations clamor and peoples devise plans in vain?” when, all the while, the faithful, throughout all their exhortations, kept calling them brothers when they said, “My brothers.” And in the same manner, the psalm, speaking for Christ, also prophesied about the Lord as doing and saying this very thing, “I will declare your name to my brothers.” CATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 14.2.

14:3 | The Lord Bore Witness

GOOD WILL AND MIRACLES CAUSE SUCH BOLDNESS. CHRYSOSTOM: Why didn’t the apostles go forth from there? Because they were not driven away, only attacked. “So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.” This caused their boldness; or rather, what caused their boldness was their own good will. It is for this reason that for a long time they worked no miracles. The conversion of the hearers was [the effect] of the signs, though their boldness also contributed somewhat. HOMILIES ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 30.

14:6 | Paul and Barnabas Fled

WHEN THEY PERSECUTE YOU. AMMONIUS: It is not odd that the saints flee from those intending to attack them. Nor, because of this, do they appear to flee from the martyr’s battle. CATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 14.5-7.