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Acts 13:23-52

After the conversion of the governor of Cyprus, Paul, Barnabas, and John Mark continued on their first
missionary journey together. They sailed to Asia Minor, but shortly after reaching the first major city, John
Mark left them, and returned to Jerusalem, perhaps finding himself unequal to the challenge of the Gentile
mission fields – a failure that the Lord would use to build more faith into John Mark’s life.

Paul and Barnabas continued on from coastal Perga and headed inland, passing through the Taurus
mountains to Pisidian Antioch, into the lake region of Phrygia, in the Roman province of Galatia. On the
Sabbath day, they proceeded to the synagogue, where they were invited to speak a word of exhortation to
the assembly – not unlike a sermon, based on the readings of Scripture that day.

It was Paul who addressed the assembly, which was a mixture of Jews and God-fearers – Gentiles who
worshipped the God of Israel. (Although proselytes are not mentioned – Gentile converts to Judaism, who
had been circumcised and were members of the synagogue – we learn later that they were in attendance
also).

Paul’s address, inspired by the Holy Spirit, took the form of a historical retrospective of the nation of Israel,
in which he emphasized God’s loving and gracious dealings with His nation, culminating in His most
gracious dealing of all – the sending of His own Son to be their Savior.

What we will see today is that Paul will weave the actual events that transpired in the life of Jesus right into
the history of the nation up to the present day, as Paul shows Jesus to be the fulfillment of their Scriptures
concerning their Messiah.

Paul had spoken about how God had chosen the forefathers of the nation – Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob –
who had each one entered into an eternal covenant with Him, based on the Coming Christ. God had grown
His nation up in Egypt, then brought them out and planted them in the land of Canaan – the land that God
had apportioned for them. There they were ruled over by the LORD’s judges, then by Saul, a king of the
people’s asking, and then by David, a man after God’s own heart.

Now, Paul had been moving in this direction for a reason: he would now speak about a specific Seed of
David, whom all the Jews knew would be their Messiah – the Son of David, whose throne would be
established forever. Paul would introduce Jesus as being that Seed.

We had seen last week that Paul expanded a text in the OT which says, “The LORD has sought for Himself a
man after His own heart” (1 Sam 13:14). Look back at verse 22 in Acts chapter 13 – Paul said, “I have
found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will”.

So Paul personalized it as the LORD’s words (for Samuel actually spoke the words to Saul), and Paul added
that this man would do all the LORD’s will. We recognized that this last part, which could not be true of
David, actually pointed to the particular Seed of David of whom that would be true – the Messiah.

And Paul added something else. In the original OT text, the person whom the LORD found was not named –
it says, “the LORD sought for Himself a man after His own heart”. Paul named the man, who was well-
known by then – David, the son of Jesse.

David’s name means “beloved”, and Jesse means “of him who is”. So the man was the Beloved; the Son of
Him who is – the I who am – that is, the Beloved Son of Jehovah God. You can see how the names point to
the Messiah as well – to David’s Seed, the Beloved Son, in whom the Father is well pleased (Mt 3:17), who
would do all His will (Jn 8:29).
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Having focused his audience on David and His Seed, the Son of David, Israel’s Messiah, Paul then
disclosed His identity.

v. 23 Now, what promise would Paul have been referring to, that was made by God, and recorded in the
OT, concerning David’s Seed, who would be raised up as Israel’s Savior? It would be a promise that was
made to David himself. Turn to the book of second Samuel.

At this time, the LORD had given David rest from all his enemies all around in the land, and David had
brought the Ark of the Covenant up to Jerusalem, and had pitched a tabernacle for it there.

David desired to build the LORD a permanent house; but through the prophet Nathan, the LORD told David
that He, the LORD, would build David a house - a dynasty - and that it would establish the throne of his
kingdom forever. This would be through one particular Seed of David.

[2 Samuel 7:12-17]

v. 12 So after David is dead, the LORD would set up his Seed after him. The word “set up” in the Hebrew
means to raise up, as in our text in Acts; “God raised up for Israel a Savior”. The LORD would establish the
kingdom of a particular Seed of David.

v. 13 This Seed would be a King, who would have an everlasting kingdom; He would build His kingdom
of those who took the name of the LORD for their own; that is, those who submitted themselves to the LORD
would be his subjects; the LORD’s people.

v. 14 The LORD would be the Father of this Seed. This Son of David would also be the Son of God.

There is an alternate translation of the second part of the verse which makes more sense. It reads, “For
iniquity committed, I will chasten Him with the rod due to men, and the stripes due to the children of men”.

This perfectly reflects the description of Messiah in Isaiah 53: “He was wounded for our transgressions, He
was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and with His stripes we are
healed. All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD has
laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Is 53:5-6).

So this son of David, who is the Son of God, would take the penalty of the sins of the people upon Himself,
so that the people could be healed of sin-sickness, and have peace with God. This Seed will be not only a
King, but a Deliverer, a Savior – and what will He save His people from? Their sins.

v. 15-16 Here is an assurance to David – a promise to him - that the LORD would always be with this Seed
of David, and so His throne would be an everlasting throne. A forever king, of a forever kingdom – the
Seed of David, the Son of God, the Savior of His people. Who is this Seed? Israel’s Messiah. Would
Paul’s audience have known that? All Jews – and all Gentiles that followed the God of Israel – all of them
knew that.

Remember that, in His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Jesus presented Himself to the Jews as the King of
Israel, and what was their response? They recognized Him as the King as prophesied by Zechariah (9:9),
and welcomed Him with “Hosanna [that is, “Save now”] to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in
the name of the LORD” (Mt 21:9; from Ps 118:25-26).
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Israel knew that their king, their Messiah, would be the Son of David – and they were all waiting for Him;
He was the hope and consolation of Israel. Paul was there to tell these people that their Savior had come –
He was Jesus. His very name would have spoken to these men of who He is: “Jehovah is Salvation”.

[Return to Acts] Now Paul began to introduce his audience to Jesus. It is likely that what Luke has
recorded here is just a summary of what Paul said, but the Holy Spirit ensured that the most essential facts
are recorded: that Jesus died for our sins, according to the Scriptures; and that He was buried, and that He
rose again, according to the Scriptures; and that He was seen (1 Cor 15:3-8). But first, Paul will tell them
of the one who came before Jesus, to herald the arrival of the Savior.

v. 24-26 This account of John the Baptist may have been heard by Paul from that delegation that the
Pharisees had sent out from Jerusalem to check out John; to question him as to who he was (Jn 1:19-27).
Paul might have also heard it from one of the other disciples.

What’s interesting here is that it appears Paul was making the assumption that his audience knew of John
the Baptist – which they likely did. There had not been a prophet in Israel for 400 years; for 400 years, the
LORD had been silent to His people. There was nothing left to say, until it was time for Jesus to come (Heb
1:1-2).

Then came John, going before Jesus in the spirit and power of Elijah – the fiery prophet of God – to make
ready a people prepared for the Lord (Lk 1:17). As John had said of himself, he was, in accordance with
Isaiah, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Make straight the way of the LORD’” (Jn 1:23).

It was for John to plow deeply into those hardened hearts of Israel, to bring about a recognition of their sin,
and a godly sorrow concerning it – so that their hearts were ready to receive the One who could save them
from their sin – Jesus. Mark wrote that all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem went out to hear
John in the wilderness; and many were baptized by him, confessing their sins (Mk 1:4).

Surely all the Jews, even in these dispersed lands, heard that there was a prophet once again in Israel. And
Paul recounted John’s famous statement – this great and fiery prophet was as the lowliest servant in
comparison to the One who was coming after him – the One who Paul proclaimed had now come. He is
the subject of “the word of this salvation” which Paul was preaching to the residents of Pisidian Antioch –
to Jews – the sons of Abraham – and Gentiles – proselytes and God-fearers - who were both listening that
day.

v. 27-28 Paul, having introduced his audience to Jesus, now told them that those in Jerusalem – the very
heart of the nation – did not recognize Jesus to be their Messiah; they were ignorant of who He really was.
This was true for the majority of those in Jerusalem.

Why? Why didn’t they recognize Him? Because they had preconceived notions of what their Messiah
would look like; would act like; and would do for them.

They were expecting one in royal attire, befitting a king – but Jesus was clothed in humility. They were
expecting one who radiated glory and power; but Jesus had emptied Himself of self when He came to the
earth; He came in the form of a servant (Phil 2:7). They were expecting one who would immediately
establish his kingdom, and bring them peace and prosperity; but Jesus first had to die for them.

He who knew no sin had to be made sin for them, that they might become the righteousness of God – in
Him (2 Cor 5:21); for there can be no peace, without righteousness.
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But what of their Scriptures? Of all the prophecies concerning Messiah? Anything that did not conform to
their preconceived notions of what their Messiah would be like was simply explained away, or ignored.

“He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were
our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him” (Is 53:3); He would be rejected by His
people.

“Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against Me” (Ps
41:9); He would be betrayed by one close to Him.

“His visage was marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men” (Is 52:14); He
would suffer horrible physical abuse.

“In return for My love they are My accusers, but I give myself to prayer” (Ps 109:4); He would pray for
His enemies.

“The LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Is 53:6). He would take the penalty due to men for their
sin.

“He was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgressions of My people He was stricken” (Is 53:8);
He would die in their stead.

“He poured out His soul unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors” (Is 53:12); He would
freely choose to lay down His life, and would be put to death along with those who were truly guilty of sin.

In praying for His enemies before His death, Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what
they do” (Lk 23:34). There were certain rulers who knew exactly who Jesus was, and sought His death
because they perceived Him to be a threat to their power over the people (Mt 21:33-46). Although Jesus
was innocent of any wrongdoing, they trumped up charges against Him, and coerced Pilate into putting
Him to death.

But others of the rulers, and virtually all of the people, simply went along with the few rulers who were
seeking the death of Jesus; they were truly ignorant that Jesus was indeed their own Messiah, who had
come to save them. In their ignorance, they unwittingly fulfilled each one of the prophecies which foretold
how he must suffer and die.

v. 29 The word “tree” actually has the more general meaning of “wood” – it is anything made out of wood
– a tree, a stake, a gallows, a cross. This word is equivalent to that which is found in a passage in
Deuteronomy chapter 21. Turn back to it.

[Deuteronomy 21:22, 23] This does not speak of being put to death by some form of hanging; a man who
had committed a sin deserving death was first to be put to death, presumably by stoning, burning or the
sword.

Then, if it was decided to hang the body on a tree or stake, presumably as a further shame on the one who
was put to death, the body must not be allowed to hang there indefinitely, but was to be buried that same
day. God considered one who is hung as accursed; the body must be buried, or its presence would defile
the land – the land that God gave His people, the land of the living.
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Paul made specific reference to the death of Jesus on a tree, or cross, and His burial to show that even this
was in accordance with the Scriptures. Later he would write, “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the
Law, having become a curse for us - for it is written, ‘cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree’.” (Gal 3:13).
The Sinless One took the curse of sin upon Himself. Through His death, sin was put away, so that we
would no longer be defiled by sin.

For those listening to Paul that day, the thought of their Messiah being put to death, specifically on a cross,
would be revolting – it was considered the most shameful death. Perhaps they had never even recognized
from their Scriptures that Messiah was to die at all – just like their brethren in Jerusalem.

But some might have considered Psalm 22, which vividly describes the agony of one dying in just such a
way – only to be delivered, after death, by God. The next statement by Paul would shed light on just how
such a thing was possible.

v. 30-31 Here is the central, pivotal point of Paul’s address: God raised Jesus from the dead – an
unprecedented miracle. Paul had carefully laid out how Jesus had died, and the surety of His death – He
had been laid in a tomb. That underscored the reality of His death, and likewise the reality of His being
raised from the dead – as He was seen alive again.

Paul wanted these men to know that the raising up of Jesus was not some story that had been invented –
that there were many, many witnesses who saw Jesus after He was raised from the dead – over 500 of them
(1 Cor 15:6), and did so over a period of many days – forty, in fact (Acts 1:3). Such a witness gave
considerable weight to the reality of Jesus’ resurrection, as it could readily be confirmed, if desired.

By this, Paul’s listeners could come to the conclusion that the Jews in Jerusalem had been wrong to put
Jesus to death, for God overturned their sentence of death – by raising Him from the dead. And Paul’s
listeners could further conclude that Jesus, then, must be who He claimed to be – He was indeed Israel’s
Messiah.

Paul went on to show how the resurrection of Jesus from the dead fulfilled OT prophecies concerning
Messiah.

v. 32-33 So Paul had good news for these listeners – God had raised up Jesus. Now as we proceed
through the next few statements of Paul, we need to recognize that He is using the term “raised up” in two
different ways: to indicate that God raised up Jesus, established Him, as Israel’s Messiah; and that God
raised up Jesus from the dead.

In verse 30, we can clearly see that Paul was referring to the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. But in
verse 33, based on the context, Paul was referring to God raising up Jesus to be the Messiah, the King of
Israel – just as Paul had said back in verse 23 – “God raised up for Israel a Savior – Jesus”. That was how
Paul introduced his listeners to Jesus, and it is also the summary statement of all he said concerning Him,
which Paul will now support with Scripture.

The promise, then, to which Paul was referring in verse 32 was the promise God made to David, as we saw
in Second Samuel chapter 7 – that God would raise up a Savior for Israel, who would be David’s Seed,
who would have an everlasting kingdom – the promise of Israel’s Messiah. The first reference Paul cites in
support of this is a verse from Psalm 2. Let’s take a look at the whole psalm, to get a perspective on the
verse that Paul was quoting.
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This is a Messianic psalm that David wrote, which prophesies of the end times, when the nations of earth
will unite in rebellion against the LORD and His Christ – His Anointed One – Israel’s Messiah.

[Psalm 2]

This psalm is written in a typical Hebrew literary form, where each idea is expressed by parallel sets of
phrases. At the center of the psalm, the key idea is emphasized in that it is not in this parallel form, which
sets it off as the focal point of the psalm.

v. 1 You can see the beginning of the parallel forms. The nations are the sea of humanity, which is
frothing with its agitated thinking - thinking which is against God.

v. 2-3 The kings and rulers are uniting in their opposition against Jehovah and against His Anointed One -
the Messiah. They want to cast off the cords of His authority over them - they want to be without any
restraints. They want to have their own will be done.

v. 4-5 This is just laughable to Jehovah. The creation intends to free themselves of their Creator, and put
themselves in control? Really. It is ridiculous - but it is also rebellion, and this incurs the wrath of the
LORD.

v. 6-7 These two verses are not in the parallel form. This is the center of the psalm, the focal point.
Jehovah will overrule this united opposition; He has decreed that His Son, the Messiah, whom He has
begotten from the dead, will rule as His Anointed King over the earth, from Jerusalem. When did He
decree this? In eternity past – before He even created the world.

v. 8-9 The parallel form resumes. Jehovah will give His Son - His King - the nations as His inheritance.
When Jesus sets up His kingdom on the earth, He will rule with absolute righteousness; no rebellion will be
tolerated.

v. 10-12 The nations will have their choice - to submit to the Son, or be destroyed.

As mentioned, this psalm is prophetic of the period during the Great Tribulation, when the nations of the
earth will unite under the man of sin against God and His Christ, who will then return in His Second
Coming to the earth as the King of kings and Lord of lords.

At that time, Jesus will cleanse the earth of His enemies, and set up His kingdom on the earth. But Paul’s
listeners may have recognized in this psalm the rulers and people of Jerusalem uniting with Pilate to put
Jesus to death, only to have God raise Him up again – as His Anointed King.

The center of Psalm 2 marks Jehovah’s proclamation of a new dimension of relationship with His Son,
upon the Son’s completion of His work on earth, as He is begotten out of death, and lifted to the right hand
of the Father, to receive His inheritance.

Paul cited the middle of the Psalm to make a very particular point to his audience – that it is no less than
Jehovah’s Son who was prophesied to be begotten – in this context, birthed out of death, the Father giving
life to His body. It is the Son of God who is Israel’s Messiah. He is the first born from the dead (Col 1:18),
to be God’s Anointed King.

[Return to Acts]
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Paul continued to show that Jesus was the fulfillment of prophecies concerning the Messiah.

v. 34 The use of the word “corruption” in this verse refers to death, as the cause of corruption. God raised
Jesus from the dead, and He would never return to death; He is alive forevermore.

Paul then quotes a verse from the prophecies of Isaiah (55:3). “Sure mercies” refers to the promise made to
David; the mercy or favor shown to David by promising to him a successor that would establish His throne
forever. Who else could do this but Jesus, who had risen from the dead, never more to die? He will rule
and reign forever, in fulfillment of the promise to David.

Paul cites yet another psalm.

v. 35-37 The quote in verse 35 is from Psalm 16, which we did in great detail back in Acts chapter 2, since
Peter cited this psalm also as proof that Jesus is the Messiah. We are not going to go through the psalm in
detail again here, but we note that Paul is using it as Peter did: the psalm is all about Messiah, and His
dependence on Jehovah to preserve Him; and Jehovah did, preserving Him right through death – into
everlasting Life, in a glorified body.

The quote brings out that the body of God’s Holy One, His Messiah, would see no corruption; it would not
decompose in the grave. Although the one who penned those words, David, saw corruption, the One about
whom he wrote, Jesus, saw no corruption – God raised Him up. Death had no hold on the Sinless One;
there was nothing to corrupt. The resurrection of Jesus was the fulfillment of this prophecy concerning
Messiah.

Having shown that Jesus was a fulfillment of the Scriptures concerning Messiah, Paul refocused his
audience on the fact that Jesus is the promised Seed of David - the Savior that God raised up for Israel, who
would save His people from their sins.

v. 38-39 Paul made it personal now. Note that there is no call to Israel as a nation; the time for that is
past. The call was to both Jew and Gentile; and the call was to them as individuals now.

Those in Jerusalem had rejected Jesus as their Messiah, their Savior – they had put Him to death – but God
raised Him from the dead, to live forevermore. Now these listeners had heard the good news about this
Man, Jesus.

As the Lamb of God who had taken away the sins of the world (Jn 1:29), Jesus offered forgiveness of sins
to any man who would place his faith in Jesus. By believing into Jesus, a man would be justified; freed
from all charges of sin and guilt – something the Law of Moses could never do for him.

So what about them? Would they admit that they could not keep the Law perfectly, and therefore were
guilty of all of it? Were they willing to acknowledge that they were sinners, in need of a Savior? Would
they humble themselves before Jesus, whom Paul had shown to be their Savior, their Messiah - God’s
Anointed King?

Paul issued a warning to them, if they would not.

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v. 40-41 Here Paul quoted the prophet Habakkuk, who in this passage was warning those in the kingdom
of Judah of the coming Babylonian invasion – and that they must not despise the warning. The theme here
is judgment upon those who will not believe God – which was Paul’s point to his listeners. It is remarkable
that the Lord would soon use the Romans of Paul’s day in the same way that He used the Babylonians in
Habakkuk’s day; to judge and disperse His nation.

v. 42-43 We can see that there were many who were drawn by what Paul said – both Jews and proselytes –
those Gentile converts to Judaism. They wanted to know more, and Paul and Barnabas told them more,
encouraging them to persevere – to keep on coming, to keep on believing - that they might pass from death
to Life everlasting. And apparently, the Gentiles in the assembly – these were most likely the proselytes,
who were members of the synagogue - they asked that Paul and Barnabas be allowed to return to the
synagogue, to preach some more.

Now, the rulers politely agreed to this; but note that they dismissed the congregation at this time (the
congregation “broke up”), instead of allowing Paul and Barnabas to follow up on the strong interest of
many in their assembly. This may well reflect that the rulers of the synagogue had some misgivings about
what they had heard, and wished to discuss it among themselves, as well as curb the level of interest, at
least temporarily.

It didn’t help.

v. 44-45 Word got out concerning the two men from Jerusalem with their marvelous message, and
virtually the whole city came to hear the word of God. Now, most of the Jews in the city would have been
regular attendees of the synagogue, so the “whole city” would refer principally to Gentiles.

Imagine the scene – the regulars at the synagogue come in, only to find their meeting place thronged by
rank outsiders, who have come to hear some popular visiting speaker – eager to give a favorable hearing to
a message that many, probably most, of the Jews in the synagogue had already dismissed in their minds as
unbelievable. The rulers of the synagogue would have found this especially difficult to bear.

This caused the unbelieving Jews to harden their hearts the more to the message; they had no use for a
salvation that was open to Gentiles on the same terms as the Jews – for the gospel is for whomsoever
believes. So the crowd aroused the Jews’ indignation – and opposition.

It is likely that the blasphemy of the Jews was slander of the character of Jesus; to speak of Him with
contempt and scorn; that is to say, to follow their leaders in Jerusalem, down the path that leads to
destruction.

Undoubtedly, this would have caused a tumult in the synagogue, so that Paul and Barnabas were unable to
speak there, but they did manage to get a few words in.

v. 46-47 Without restraint, Paul and Barnabas issued God’s judgment on the unbelieving Jews of the
synagogue. They were privileged to hear the gospel first, as members of the nation that God had made for
Himself; but they proved themselves to be undeserving of the gift, in that they declined to accept it. By
their conduct, they had passed sentence on themselves – they were unworthy of everlasting life.

The gospel produces an effect wherever it is preached. These Jews heard the gospel, and proceeded to
harden their hearts against it. Since that soil proved to be stony and impenetrable, the disciples would turn
to the fertile field of the Gentiles in this region to sow the word.
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Paul and Barnabas indicated that this was also in accordance with Scripture, quoting Isaiah chapter 49,
which contains one of the Servant Songs – the Servant of Jehovah – the Messiah.

In this prophecy, we learn that Israel was to be God’s Servant, but they were disobedient to Him, and so the
Servant’s mission found its completion in the Messiah, who would restore Israel to the Lord, as well as be a
light to the Gentiles – Messiah would be God’s salvation to the ends of the earth (Is 49:3-6). Now Paul and
Barnabas take up the Servant’s mission, to bring the light of the gospel to the Gentiles – they are the light-
bearers, as Israel was to have been.

Well, this was good news to these Gentiles.

v. 48-49 The Gentiles rejoiced, receiving the word as a message from God to them. Those that believed
into Jesus received His Life, Life everlasting – as many as the Lord had appointed.

The word “appointed” here refers to being enrolled, and relates to names being put into the book of life. In
His foreknowledge, God already has everyone who will believe written in. They freely chose to believe; but
God already knew what they would choose, and so already had their names in the heavenly record.

Meanwhile, the word of the Lord kept spreading.

v. 50-52 The unbelieving Jews pulled some strings with city hall, and got Paul and Barnabas driven out of
the city. It’s amazing – those who will not receive the truth will actively devote themselves toward making
sure no one else is able to; they deny men the freedom to choose for themselves.

Well, they may have seen to it that Paul and Barnabas were expelled, but they could not expel the light –
for there were those Jews and Gentiles who had believed the truth, and received the light. Eventually, they
would become the light-bearers to their fellows in Pisidian Antioch.

Meanwhile, Paul and Barnabas went to Iconium, shaking the dust off their feet from Pisidian Antioch. This
was a symbolic gesture which Jesus had commended to his disciples when they left an inhospitable place –
meant that the community against which it was directed was doomed to destruction – a destruction so
thorough that it extended to its very dust, which must therefore be removed (Lk 10:10-12).

This, of course, referred only to the community of unbelievers in Pisidian Antioch. For the new little
community of believers there, they were filled with joy, and the Holy Spirit, for they had received the
marvelous gift of God – His Son, their Messiah, Jesus – and He was now their Life.

Next week: Read chapter 14; Acts 3; 2 Cor 12:1-10.