Paul has just concluded a beautiful sermon in a synagogue at Pisidian Antioch. Large numbers of Gentiles in the area will want to hear the gospel next, but this is when Paul and Barnabas will face opposition from some of the Jews. It is at this point that Paul recognizes that God has called him to be an apostle to the Gentiles. Certainly he will share the gospel with anyone who wants to hear it, but the particular ministry given to him by God will be to those outside the nation of Israel.
"As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people invited them to speak further about these things on the next Sabbath." (Acts 13:42) The KJV renders verse 42 like this, "And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath." The members of the synagogue are made up of those who are Jews by birth and those Gentiles who have converted to Judaism. The Gentiles who have just heard the gospel are thinking to themselves, "I have family members and friends and neighbors who need to heart this! I want to hear it again myself! If Paul and Barnabas will return next week I will invite everyone I know to come and hear them." So they invite Paul and Barnabas to preach the message again the next week when even more people can be present.
"When the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked with them and urged them to continue in the grace of God." (Acts 13:43) Quite a few of those who grew up in the Jewish faith find the gospel so compelling that they don't want Paul and Barnabas to leave. They, like the Gentiles, want to know more. This is what happens to anyone whose heart is being captured by the love of Christ. Just a little of Him will never do. The person who is falling in love with the Savior wants to know Him more and more and more. The person who is in Christ will always want to know Him more.
The fame of the gospel message spreads. There is a deep hunger in the hearts of these people at Pisidian Antioch. They are not satisfied with continuing on with life as they have always known it. They want something better. They've heard they can have something better and more fulfilling in Christ. "On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy. They began to contradict what Paul was saying and heaped abuse on him." (Acts 13:44-45) Not all the Jews oppose Paul's words, just as not all the Jews opposed the words of Jesus. But the Jewish religious leaders in the region are used to being the only authority when it comes to God, so many of them are moved to jealousy when they see almost the entire city hanging on the words of Paul. Jealousy is what motivated the religious leaders at Jerusalem to deliver Jesus to Pilate (Matthew 27:18) and it is jealousy that motivates some of them at Pisidian Antioch to heckle Paul as he preaches and to argue with him and blaspheme the name of Jesus.
"Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: 'We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. For this is what the Lord has commanded us: 'I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.'" (Acts 13:46-47) The gospel had to be preached to the Jews first, for they are Jesus' own countrymen. It was to the Jews that God made the promise of the Messiah, it was to the Jews that the Messiah came, and it was to the Jews first that the Messiah was preached. If Israel, by and large, had accepted the gospel message, it would have been slow to get to the Gentiles if it ever made it to the Gentiles at all. The Gentiles would have been left outside the door, bowing to their pagan idols and sacrificing to gods who don't exist. But because the apostles and preachers and teachers of the gospel so often find their message rejected by Israel, they take it to the Gentiles where it is eagerly accepted. Paul quotes Isaiah 49:6 which clearly demonstrates that God always intended the Gentiles to hear the gospel and come to the faith and be a "chosen people" in Christ. Some of Paul's hearers can't accept such teaching. They don't want the Gentiles to be a chosen people or to be equals with them in the grace of God. But the Gentiles are overjoyed when they hear his words.
"When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed." (Acts 13:48) Everyone in the crowd who is willing to hear and accept the gospel receives salvation in Christ. These Gentiles are thrilled to know that God loves them as much as He loves anyone else, that Christ died for them as much as He died for anyone else, and that salvation is as available to them as it is to anyone else. I too am glad the gospel came to the Gentiles, for I am of Gentile heritage and I might never have heard of the Lord Jesus Christ if men like Paul and Barnabas weren't willing to preach the gospel to the nations outside of Israel.
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