Catholic Commentary on Acts 14

"We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God." (Acts 14:22)

Signs and Stones

At Iconium, Paul and Barnabas speak so effectively in the synagogue that a great number of Jews and Gentiles believe. But the unbelieving Jews stir up trouble and eventually there is a plot to stone them, so they move on to Lystra and Derbe. At Lystra, Paul heals a man who has been lame from birth. The crowd, seeing what Paul has done, begins shouting in the Lycaonian language: the gods have come down to us in human form. They call Barnabas Zeus and Paul Hermes, and the priest of Zeus brings bulls and wreaths to the city gates to offer sacrifice to them. Paul and Barnabas tear their clothes in distress and rush into the crowd, insisting that they are ordinary human beings bringing good news, calling the people to turn from worthless idols to the living God who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them.

Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium arrive, win the crowd over, and stone Paul. They drag him outside the city thinking he is dead. But when the disciples gather around him he gets up and goes back into the city. The same crowd that wanted to worship him as a god has just tried to kill him. Paul is entirely undisturbed. He and Barnabas move on to Derbe the next day.

Strengthening the Disciples

On their return journey, Paul and Barnabas revisit each city where they have preached, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them with the word that has become a summary of the missionary theology of Acts: We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God. They appoint elders in each church with prayer and fasting and commit them to the Lord in whom they have put their trust. The Catechism cites the appointment of elders on the missionary journey as an early expression of the Church's hierarchical structure, the framework that makes the local community accountable to the wider body (CCC 1576).

Living the Word

Brothers and sisters, we must go through many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God. Paul said this to new believers immediately after being stoned and left for dead. He was not speaking theoretically. The pattern of the Cross, suffering leading to glory, is not an exception in the Christian life. It is the norm. Do not be surprised by the hardships. Be prepared for them. They are the road, not the obstacle.

Prayer

Lord God, you called Paul and Barnabas through stoning and opposition and the confusion of those who wanted to worship them, and they pressed on. Give us their perseverance through every hardship on the road to your Kingdom. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

14
Paul and Barnabas at Iconium
1 At Iconium, Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue, where they spoke so well that a great number of Jews and Greeks believed. 2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. 3 So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who affirmed the message of His grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders.
 
4 The people of the city were divided. Some sided with the Jews, and others with the apostles. 5 But when the Gentiles and Jews, together with their rulers, set out to mistreat and stone them, 6 they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding region, 7 where they continued to preach the gospel.
The Visit to Lystra and Derbe
 
8 In Lystra there sat a man crippled in his feet, who was lame from birth and had never walked. 9 This man was listening to the words of Paul, who looked intently at him and saw that he had faith to be healed. 10 In a loud voice Paul called out, “Stand up on your feet!” And the man jumped up and began to walk.
 
11 When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices in the Lycaonian language: “The gods have come down to us in human form!” 12 Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. 13 The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates, hoping to offer a sacrifice along with the crowds.
 
14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul found out about this, they tore their clothes and rushed into the crowd, shouting, 15 “Men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human like you. We are bringing you good news that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them. 16 In past generations, He let all nations go their own way. 17 Yet He has not left Himself without testimony to His goodness: He gives you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness.”
 
18 Even with these words, Paul and Barnabas could hardly stop the crowds from sacrificing to them.
 
19 Then some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and won over the crowds. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, presuming he was dead. 20 But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. And the next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.
Strengthening the Disciples
 
21 They preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples and encouraging them to continue in the faith. “We must endure many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.
 
23 Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church, praying and fasting as they entrusted them to the Lord, in whom they had believed.
 
24 After passing through Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia. 25 And when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia.
 
26 From Attalia they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work they had just completed. 27 When they arrived, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them, and how He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. 28 And they spent a long time there with the disciples.

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