The Chosen Key Word in this Chapter is “Gentiles” it comes from the Greek Word “ethnos” which means “nation, Gentile.”
The church at Antioch sends out its first official missionaries, and the gospel begins reaching new territory. Welcome to Bible Life Basics Chapter Reviews, I am Chris and this is Acts 13.
While the church at Antioch worships and fasts, the Holy Ghost instructs them to “separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.” After fasting and praying further, they lay hands on them and send them off. Traveling to Cyprus, they encounter a sorcerer named Elymas who tries to turn a Roman deputy away from the faith, and Saul, now called Paul, rebukes him sharply, and Elymas is struck blind, astonishing the deputy, who believes because of what he witnesses.
Traveling to Antioch in Pisidia, Paul preaches in the synagogue, recounting Israel’s history from Egypt through David, and declaring that through this Jesus, “the forgiveness of sins” is preached, and that everyone who believes is justified from everything the law of Moses could not accomplish. Many Jews and devout converts follow Paul and Barnabas, but the following week, jealous of the crowds gathering, some Jews contradict and blaspheme against Paul’s message.
Paul and Barnabas respond boldly that since the Jewish leaders reject the word, they will now turn to the Gentiles instead, “for so hath the Lord commanded us… that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.” The Gentiles rejoice greatly at this news and glorify God’s word, and many believe, spreading the word throughout that entire region. Stirred up by jealous opposition, however, Paul and Barnabas are eventually expelled from that region, and shake the dust off their feet as a testimony against the city, moving on to Iconium, filled with joy and the Holy Ghost despite the rejection they faced.
Paul and Barnabas’s response to rejection, turning intentionally toward the Gentiles rather than growing discouraged or bitter, marks a genuine turning point in the entire book of Acts. Closed doors, this chapter suggests, often simply redirect the gospel’s path rather than actually stopping its progress.
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