Acts #17: Is the Apostle Paul a true apostle? (Patrice Berger)

Key verses

Acts 14

15 We too are human beings of the same nature as you, and we bring you good news by calling you to renounce these insubstantial idols and turn to the living God who made heaven, earth, sea ​​and everything in it.

Acts 1

21 So a man must be chosen from among those

• who accompanied us all the time the Lord Jesus lived with us,
• 22 from the baptism of John until the day He was taken up from among us.

He will be associated with us as a witness of His resurrection.

Ephesians 2

20 You have been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the cornerstone

Acts 14

16 In past generations he let all nations go their own way. 17 However, he has not ceased to bear witness to what he is by the good that he does: he sends you rains and fertile seasons from heaven, he fills you with food and fills your heart with joy. »

Acts 14

22b “It is through many difficulties that we must enter the kingdom of God.”

From the Apostle Peter to the Apostle Paul

As I indicated previously, chapter 13 is the occasion of a changeover: it will be more and more of Saul who will be designated by one of his other first names – more Roman – Paul.

Paul, the apostle of the extension of the gospel

He is the apostle who will be God’s instrument for the extension of the gospel, as Christ told him:

Acts 13

47 Indeed, this is the command that the Lord has given us:

I have appointed you to be the light of the nations, to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.”

Apostle?

But must not an apostle have been with Jesus from the beginning of His ministry until His ascension?

Acts 1 (designation of the twelfth apostle to replace Judas)

21 So a man must be chosen from among those

• who accompanied us all the time the Lord Jesus lived with us,
• 22 from the baptism of John until the day He was taken up from among us.

He will be associated with us as a witness of His resurrection.

This is not the case for the appointed apostle Paul

Apostle = base of the structuring of the Church of Christ

This question is all the more important since the foundation of the teaching transmitted by the apostles is the basis of what Jesus desires for His Church.

Ephesians 2

20 You have been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the cornerstone.

Paul was truly an apostle.

Value of his epistles

So we must be certain that the apostle Paul is indeed an apostle in the same way as the 11+1 disciples who became apostles, especially since the majority of the founding epistles for our faith are written by the apostle Paul.

Paul will have to defend his apostolate

Several times moreover, the apostle Paul, in his epistles, is obliged to argue to defend his position as an apostle ( 2 Corinthians 12.12 & 6. 4-10, so this is an important subject.

Significance of Chapters 13 and 14 of Acts

This is the main interest of these chapters 13 and 14.

We already know that Saul had a special encounter with Jesus when He stopped him on the road to Damascus (Acts chapter 9).

But what chapters 13 and 14 show us is that, ultimately,

Christ empowers Paul to do the same things as Peter, which demonstrates his ministry as an apostle.

Acts chapter 13

• They are both evangelists. (Peter, Acts 2 and 3… and Paul, Acts 13 and 14…).
• Paul bears witness to the gospel before the authorities of the day.
• The two are confronted by someone visibly connected to the occult world where Peter and Paul flaunt their authority over the occult world ( Acts 8:18-24 and 13:6-12).
• Both expound the gospel to a Jewish audience and we have their speeches adapted to this background in Acts (Peter, Acts 2, 3, 4…; Paul, Acts 13 ).
• Both face acceptance, rejection and opposition to the gospel.

In chapter 14 that we are going to read, we also have similarities that Luke (the writer of this book) and the Holy Spirit have scrupulously recorded so that we can see the identical trajectories:

• of Peter, an apostle after having been a guarantor disciple witnessing the blossoming of the gospel;
• of Paul, an apostle appointed and reserved by Christ for the extension of the gospel.

I invite you to pick them up as you read.

If you are two or with your neighbour, you can even take the maps that are at the end of most paper Bibles to follow the journey of Paul and Barnabas.

Acts – Chapter 14

1 At Iconium likewise, Paul and Barnabas entered the synagogue of the Jews, and they spoke in such a way that a great crowd of Jews and Gentiles believed.

2 But the Jews who remained unbelieving excited the spirit of the Gentiles and provoked their enmity against the brethren.

3 So Paul and Barnabas stayed a long time in Iconium;

they spoke boldly, leaning on the Lord who bore witness to the word of his grace by allowing miraculous signs and wonders to be done through them.

4 The population of the city was divided: some were on the side of the Jews, others on the side of the apostles. 5 While the Gentiles and the Jews, with their leaders, were preparing to beat them and stone them, 6 Paul and Barnabas, being warned of the situation, took refuge in the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra, Derbe and in the surrounding area. 7 There also they announced the good news.

8 In Lystra a man who was impotent in his feet was sitting; he was crippled from birth and had never walked. 9 He was listening to Paul speak. The latter fixed his gaze on him and, seeing that he had the faith to be saved, 10 he said to him in a loud voice, “Stand up straight on your feet!” He jumped up and started to walk.

11 Seeing what Paul had done, the crowd began to say aloud in Lycaonian, “The gods have come down to us in human form.” 12 They called Barnabas Zeus, and Paul Hermes, because it was he who spoke. 13 The priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought bulls with garlands to the gates. He wanted, like the crowd, to offer a sacrifice. 14 When they heard of this, the apostles Barnabas and Paul tore their clothes and rushed towards the crowd 15 crying out, “Why are you doing this? We too are human beings of the same nature as you, and we bring you good news by calling you to renounce these insubstantial idols and turn to the living God who made the sky, the earth, the sea and everything in it.

The legend of Philemon and Baucis

Zeus was the main god of the Greeks (the Roman Jupiter).

Hermes, the god of commerce, his messenger (Mercury among the Romans)

The legend of Philemon and Baucis claimed that these two deities (Zeus and Hermes) had passed through the region, long ago, unrecognized – except by an old couple: Philemon and Baucis. The house of the latter had been transformed into a temple and they themselves had become its priest and priestess. The others saw their homes destroyed. The legend was noted by the Latin poet Ovid (43 BC to 17 AD) in his Metamorphoses (8626). The inhabitants of Lystra did not want to renew this misadventure; hence their eagerness to offer sacrifice to the supposed gods. They worshipped Zeus, whom they considered the guardian god of their city. They had erected a temple for him outside the city. Hermes, the son of Zeus and Maia, was the patron of orators as well as the god of fertility and fortune.

Encyclopedia of Biblical Difficulties, Gospels and Acts, A. Kuen, Emmaüs Edition, p. 691-692

Acts – Chapter 14

16 In past generations he let all nations go their own way. 17 However, he has not ceased to bear witness to what he is by the good that he does: he sends you rains and fertile seasons from heaven, he fills you with food and fills your heart with joy. » 18 With these words they could hardly prevent the crowd from offering them a sacrifice.

19 Then the Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and went over to the crowd. After stoning Paul, they dragged him out of town, thinking he was dead. 20 However, when the disciples surrounded him, he got up and went into the city. The next day he left for Derbe with Barnabas. 21 After evangelizing that city and making a number of disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch. 22 They strengthened the spirit of the disciples, encouraged them to persevere in the faith, and said, “It is through many difficulties that we must enter the kingdom of God.” 23 They appointed elders in each church and, after having prayed and fasted, they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed. 24 Then passing through Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia. 25 They spoke the word in Perge, and then they went down to Attalia. 26 From there they embarked for Antioch, their point of departure, where they had been entrusted to the grace of God for the task that they had just accomplished.

27 After their arrival, Paul and Barnabas called the church together and told all that God had done with them and how he had opened the door of faith to Gentiles. 28 They stayed with the disciples long enough.

What are the similarities between Peter and Paul?

Performing a miracle on someone crippled from birth

Signs and wonders support the preaching of the Gospel.

In particular, the crippled from birth (Acts 14: 8-10) reminds us of something experienced with Peter in the temple in Jerusalem (Acts 3: 1-10).

It is clearly a miracle that someone who had never walked could make his muscles and joints work: it is a doctor who writes this, not an enlightened neophyte and he writes it twice!

Peter and Paul were taken for gods

Paul must defend himself and deny that he is not a god among men (incidentally, there is only Christ, so we understand the horror of such an assumption), and Peter must do the same with Cornelius (Acts 10:25-26).

They also preach to the pagans

They bear witness to the gospel to a pagan audience (Peter, Acts 10 and Paul, Acts 14 …).

Persecution due to the proclamation of the gospel

Paul suffers for the proclamation of the gospel and Peter too

(Peter and others, whipped, Acts 5:40, Paul, stoned, Acts 14 ).

Missionary talks to their sending churches

Accounts of gospel acceptance given to their sending churches:

• Peter in Jerusalem, in Samaria, Acts 8: 14 and 25, back from Cornelius, Acts 11.
• Paul in Antioch, Acts 13:1-3 and Acts 14:26-27.

Other similarities

Later, in the continuation of our reading of the books of Acts, we will see other similarities:

The shadow of Peter and the handkerchiefs of Paul

That the radiance that Christ gives to Peter and Paul allows amazing spectacular things.

• The shadow of Peter and the linens and handkerchiefs of Paul heal the physically or occultly ill ( Acts 5: 15 and 19: 12).

Resurrection

They both resurrect someone (not their resurrection) (Acts 9: 38-41 and 20: 9-12).

Escape

Peter and Paul are dramatically and providentially delivered from imprisonment (Acts 12:1-11 and 16:26-29).

Through Christ, Paul does like Peter

Paul demonstrates the same signs of an apostle as Peter, if he can do it, it is that it is Christ who allows it and it is the same thing as during the ministry of Jesus.

Paul is truly an apostle

Paul is indeed an apostle in all dimensions and he is also the apostle who launches the influence of the Gospel throughout the Mediterranean basin.

Same authority for his biblical writings

It is with the same authority of an apostle that he writes, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the epistles which are in our Bibles. We can therefore read them with the same depth as the other writings of the other apostles.

Epistle Reading Challenge

As such, since we can read the epistles seriously, I offer you a challenge for this week:

That of reading entirely, in one go, an epistle of the apostle Paul one day of this week, in one go, in order to benefit from the general idea of ​​the whole epistle.

The idea of ​​this challenge is not to impose a constraint but a precious moment, to do this, choose the right epistle length.

For those who are retired, you can go on longer epistles, there is no reason to deprive yourself; for those who have a busy schedule (at the end of August, beginning of September, there is the start of the school year for pupils, parents and teachers!), there are shorter ones and even very short ones that you can read.

Good reading!

Continue building

To continue to rejoice in what God has desired to show us through this chapter, so that we too may radiate from him, I would like to make four remarks.

                     The first one

In the Face of Difficulties, Live Wisely

Paul and Barnabas, while willing to endure the consequences of rejecting the gospel, are not fanatical in the face of the opposition and aggressive hostility of those who oppose the Gospel.

• They move away several times wisely to testify elsewhere, even if it means coming back afterwards to see the local churches when things have calmed down.

Pseudo-spiritual stubbornness

They could have insisted on spiritualism: “God will save us”.

God can do it, He has the ability and He has demonstrated it to them on one or the other occasion.

But God also invites us to wisdom (To Think and act with and according to Him).

Same for us

This wisdom can also inspire us in our lives now.

For example, we don’t have to compel God to feed us manna, we don’t have to compel the Lord to dramatically heal us when there are more usual possibilities.

Most commonly, God provides the means for feeding and healing in His grace.

And God calls on our wisdom to act accordingly in the face of these possibilities.

Barnabas and Paul had the opportunity to go further, yet they acted wisely.

The Christian and the Flood

You may be familiar with this fictional story of “a Christian” in a house as a flood is coming:

The firefighters arrive with their truck to say to evacuate and the Christian replies:

“There is no need because my God will protect me and save me ”.

A few hours later, the water is indeed at the Christian’s house, it arrives at the level of the first floor and the firefighters arrive with a ladder to evacuate them the Christian responds:

• “ There is no need for my God will protect me and save me ”.

A few hours later, the water is still rising, and it reaches the level of the roof our Christian is sitting on the chimney the firefighters arrive with a helicopter to hoist him up. And our Christian responds:

• “  There is no need because my God will protect me and save me ”.  

Unfortunately, the water rises and the Christian drowns.

He arrives in heaven and he reproaches God.

“Lord, I showed you unfailing faith and I trusted you to save me from this situation”.

And God to answer him:

“I took it into account, but three times you refused the help I sent you with the fire brigade”.

It’s fictional, but I like it!

Spiritual and wisdom go hand in hand

To be spiritual is also to behave wisely and not like crazy people.

An injunction from God

Besides, God invites us to wisdom:

“Think and act with and according to Him”

It is the invitation of the book of Ecclesiastes, for example.

Commentary on the Book of Ecclesiastes: I recommend this biblical commentary on the book of Ecclesiastes because it is super grounded and documented (and at the same time hyper-accessible!), written by my friend the Doctor of Divinity Woody Lewis and to which I also modestly contributed with enormous pleasure.

Ecclesiastes, Living Wisely, Woody Lewis, Key Edition

The second

Placing elders in new churches

We observe that Barnabas and Paul lead the placement of elders in these new communities.

Local church leaders

The elders (not necessarily by age) are responsible for these new local churches.

Corroborated by the Epistles

If we continue to read the New Testament, especially in the epistles, we see that this is the structure required to lead the life of the assembly.

Life attitude expected of elders

The recommendations for this particular service are clear and logical.

• A mature Disciple of Christ should be an example and not a counter-example, so have a normal family testimony, a normal social testimony, and a testimony of life and character consistent with what God expects of a leader fit to teach the Word of God

• They are not perfect

While knowing that like many believers, the elders are sinners pardoned and saved by Christ and that they are always advancing from progress to progress.

Useful references:

1 Timothy 3:1-7

Titus 1:5-9

The third

Link of “missionaries”, sent from the local church

Missionary and a local sending church

Already earlier, we observed the strong bond between the local church and Paul and Barnabas, in their God-given mission to witness the gospel in the Mediterranean basin. Acts 13:1-3

Report after the mission

This connection is real and nurtured by the account that Paul and Barnabas give on their return from their tours of the cities mentioned in chapters 13 and 14. Acts 14: 26-27

Source of Inspiration

There is perhaps something to remember in the way we can live our relationships with missionaries.

Observing the epistles

It is also up to us to observe in our reading of the epistles

the links that Paul maintains with the churches from which he leaves to witness further.

The fourth

Understand the second part of the verse

22b “It is through many difficulties that we must enter the kingdom of God.”

Suffering meritorious for salvation?

A quick read might suggest that suffering makes one deserve eternal life, and that you have to go through a lot of hardship.

As if these difficulties and sufferings of life were meritorious

Of course, it’s a wrong suggestion

These verses are for disciples

Already, let’s take a good look at verses 21 and 22, there is a question of disciples (obviously of Christ). So they are Christ’s, already saved, joint heirs with Christ.

Eternity is a fact acquired by Christ their saviour.

Verse 22 speaks of encouragement to persevere, it doesn’t speak of making moves to be accepted by God. We could grasp this verse by paraphrasing it thus:

“ We have to go through many trials and suffering before entering the kingdom of God.”

“So be courageous friends, persevere, the outcome is certain and is worth it. (That’s me adding!).

Perseverance is a characteristic trait that shows a burst of the strength of our faith in Christ.

John 16:33 ; 2 Timothy 2:3 and 3:12; James 1:2-4 ; 1 Peter 5:10

All credit goes to God

It is from Him that we draw the strength of perseverance and there is nothing meritorious about it.

All credit for salvation belongs to God through Jesus Christ:

• everything is done,
• we can add nothing, especially we who are bearers of sin,
• our perseverance is an echo of gratitude for what Christ has already acquired for us.

All credit goes to God and that is why we praise him today during this service.