Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Acts 13:44

"And the next sabbath almost the whole city was gathered together to hear the word of God." — Acts 13:44 (ASV)

“Almost the whole city,” Luke says rather hyperbolically, gathered on the following Sabbath to hear “the word of the Lord”—an expression suggesting the Christological content of Paul’s preaching. But “when the Jews saw the crowds,” their initial interest turned to antagonism. Not only was the synagogue being flooded by Gentiles as though it were a common theater or town hall, but, even more, it became clear that Paul and Barnabas were ready to speak directly to Gentiles without first relating them in some way to Judaism. The majority of the Jews, including their leaders, were apparently unwilling to countenance a salvation as open to Gentiles as it was to Jews. So in their opposition “they blasphemed” (NIV: “talked abusively”; GK 1059), because from Luke’s perspective opposition to the Gospel is directed not so much against the messengers as against the content of the message—Jesus himself (cf. 26:11).