Acts Chapter 13 Verses 24-41

Acts 13:24 “When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 25 And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not he. But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose. 26 Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent.

27 For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him. 28 And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain. 29 And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre. 30 But God raised him from the dead:

31 And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people. 32 And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, 33 God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. 34 And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David. 35 Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 36 For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption: 37 But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption. 38 Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.

40 Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets; 41 Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.”

“When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.  And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not he. But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose.  Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent.”  The Jews were also well familiar with John as he was believed to be a prophet by the people.  So Paul begins his discourse by speaking of something that most of the people would have believed and that is the statements of John the Baptist.  Next Paul addresses his comments to those that feareth God and tells them that the word of this salvation is sent to them. 

“For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him.  And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain.  And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre.  But God raised him from the dead:”  Again these facts would have been well known among the people of the Jews except for the last part which is “God raised him from the dead.  The rulers were willingly ignorant of the voices of the prophets which are read every Sabbath day and they fulfilled the scriptures in condemning him and desiring Pilate to slay him. 

“And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people.  And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.”  We notice that Paul is quoting from many Old Testament scriptures as he makes his argument unto the people.  This teaches us that it is profitable and okay to quote many scriptures to prove the scriptural lessons of salvation by grace.  Notice here that Paul cites the verse in the 2^nd Psalm “Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee” to the resurrection of Christ from the dead.  Thus Christ is the only begotten Son and the first born from the dead. 

“And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David.  Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.  For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption: But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption.”  Paul continues his scriptural proof of the resurrection of Christ from the dead in that God would not suffer his Holy One to see corruption.  This is unlike David in that David died and saw corruption. 

“Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.”  Here Paul states the gospel message: that is; that we are justified by the death, burial and resurrection of Christ and forgiven of our sins.  Also, he states that the law of Moses could not justify anyone.

“Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets; Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.”  Paul now gives a statement from the prophets which is a warning to that generation of Jews. 

Verses 42-43

Acts 13:42 “And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath. 43 Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.” 

It is amazing to me how the Lord has a way of opening doors.  I doubt that Paul and Barnabas knew that there would be Gentiles attending the synagogue at the time they were there.  Yet, these Gentiles besought them that they come and preach these words to them the next Sabbath. 

From this meeting in the synagogue there were also many of the Jews and religious proselytes who followed Paul and Barnabas.  These ministers speaking to them persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. 

Verses 44-52

Acts 13:44 “And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God. 45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. 46 Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. 47 For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. 48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. 49 And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region. 50 But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts. 51 But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium. 52 And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.”

“And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.”  This shows us the enthusiasm of those who had previously heard the gospel proclaimed by Paul and Barnabas.  Their zeal was reflected by their having spread the word throughout the entire city and thus almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God.  I wonder what it would be like today, if the Lord’s people in the United States who have known the truth of salvation by grace had that same zeal and were willing to talk about it to their friends and neighbors. 

“But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.”  Again we note that the main persecution against the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ came from the religious people.  They were filled with jealous envy against those things which were spoken by Paul.  While they professed a belief in God, yet their actions contradicted what they claimed to believe.  They were contradicting and blaspheming. 

“Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.”  This pattern of speaking first to the Jews would continue wherever Paul and Barnabas would travel preaching the gospel.  However, when the Jews rejected the gospel, they quickly turned to the Gentiles, who for the most part were rejoicing to hear the gospel. 

“For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.”  They were referencing the passage in the book of Micah: Micah 5:2 “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. 3 Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel. 4 And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.” Also Isaiah 42:6 “I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; 7 To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.”

“And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.”  What a blessing this was that all that were ordained to eternal life believed.  This is not teaching as some propose that those who hear and believed received eternal life by believing.  Nor does it teach that all that are ordained to eternal life will hear the gospel and believe. Rather it teaches just what it said and that is that on that occasion all that were ordained to eternal life when they heard the gospel they believed. 

“And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region.”  That does not say that Paul and Barnabas went throughout the whole region teaching and preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I suspect that many of those who originally heard the gospel began to publish what they heard throughout the whole region.  Wouldn’t it be wonderful if God’s children who have heard and believed the gospel of the grace of Christ should do that today?

“But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.”  This is an example of an exercise in religious hatred being turned into political hatred for the true gospel of Jesus Christ. 

“But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium.”  This is consistent with what the Lord taught the disciples: Matt 10:14 “And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.” 

“And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.”  Unlike those Jews who hated the gospel of Jesus Christ, the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Ghost.