Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Acts 14

Iconium, an ancient Phrygian town, had been transformed by the Greeks into a city-state. Situated in the heart of the high and healthy plateau of southcentral Asia Minor, it was surrounded by fertile plains and verdant forests, with mountains to its north and east. With Augustus’s reorganization of provinces in 25 B. C., Iconium became part of Galatia. But while Rome chose Antioch of Pisidia and Lystra as bastions of its authority in the area, Iconium remained largely Greek in temper and somewhat resistant to Roman influence. Greek was the language of its public documents, and during the NT period it attempted to retain the ethos of the old city-state. The name “Iconium” is probably Phrygian, but a myth was invented to give it a Greek meaning. According to the myth, Prometheus and Athena recreated humankind in the area after a devastating flood by making images of people from the mud and breathing life into them. The Greek for “image” is eikon, hence the name Iconium. Entering Iconium, Paul and Barnabas went to the Jewish synagogue, following the same pattern as they had at Pisidian Antioch. As they proclaimed the Gospel, a great number of both Jews and Gentiles believed. Opposition to the Gospel soon arose, but since this city was governed by Greek jurisprudence, this opposition did not follow the same pattern as in Antioch. Paul and Barnabas were able to stay there for some time.

Iconium, an ancient Phrygian town, had been transformed by the Greeks into a city-state. Situated in the heart of the high and healthy plateau of southcentral Asia Minor, it was surrounded by fertile plains and verdant forests, with mountains to its north and east. With Augustus’s reorganization of provinces in 25 B. C., Iconium became part of Galatia. But while Rome chose Antioch of Pisidia and Lystra as bastions of its authority in the area, Iconium remained largely Greek in temper and somewhat resistant to Roman influence. Greek was the language of its public documents, and during the NT period it attempted to retain the ethos of the old city-state. The name “Iconium” is probably Phrygian, but a myth was invented to give it a Greek meaning. According to the myth, Prometheus and Athena recreated humankind in the area after a devastating flood by making images of people from the mud and breathing life into them. The Greek for “image” is eikon, hence the name Iconium. Entering Iconium, Paul and Barnabas went to the Jewish synagogue, following the same pattern as they had at Pisidian Antioch. As they proclaimed the Gospel, a great number of both Jews and Gentiles believed. Opposition to the Gospel soon arose, but since this city was governed by Greek jurisprudence, this opposition did not follow the same pattern as in Antioch. Paul and Barnabas were able to stay there for some time.

Luke tells us that the apostles ministered for a “considerable time” in the city and preached boldly “for the Lord,” with God confirming “the message of his grace” by “miraculous signs and wonders.” The mention of “the Lord” undoubtedly refers to Jesus the Lord, thus showing the Christocentric nature of the missioners’ preaching. And the couplet “miraculous signs and wonders” (cf. 15:12) places the ministry of Paul and Barnabas directly in line with that of Jesus (cf. 2:22) and the early church (cf. 2:43; 4:30; 5:12; 6:8; 7:36) in fulfillment of prophecy (cf. 2:19). Later when writing his Galatian converts (assuming a “South Galatian” origin for the letter), Paul appeals to these mighty works performed by the Spirit as evidence that the Gospel as he preached it and as they received it was fully approved by God (cf. Galatians 3:4–5).

There was a division among “the people” (GK 4436) of the city regarding the apostles and their message, some siding with the Jews and others with the apostles. Interpreted broadly, “the people” denotes no more than the populace of the city, though it may denote an assembly of prominent citizens that met to conduct the business of a Greek city-state. While no official action seems to have been taken against them, there was a “plot” brewing among some of the Gentiles and Jews to mistreat and stone them. Significant here is Luke’s lumping Barnabas together with Paul in the phrase “with the apostles” (GK 693), While Barnabas was neither one of the Twelve nor a claimant to any special revelation, he was probably one of the 120 (cf. 1:15) and may have been a witness of Jesus’ resurrection. Yet as with most titles of the NT, Luke, like Paul himself (cf. 2 Corinthians 8:23; Galatians 1:19), not only used “apostle” in the restricted sense of a small group of highly honored believers who had a special function within the church but also in the broader sense of messengers of the Gospel.

There was a division among “the people” (GK 4436) of the city regarding the apostles and their message, some siding with the Jews and others with the apostles. Interpreted broadly, “the people” denotes no more than the populace of the city, though it may denote an assembly of prominent citizens that met to conduct the business of a Greek city-state. While no official action seems to have been taken against them, there was a “plot” brewing among some of the Gentiles and Jews to mistreat and stone them. Significant here is Luke’s lumping Barnabas together with Paul in the phrase “with the apostles” (GK 693), While Barnabas was neither one of the Twelve nor a claimant to any special revelation, he was probably one of the 120 (cf. 1:15) and may have been a witness of Jesus’ resurrection. Yet as with most titles of the NT, Luke, like Paul himself (cf. 2 Corinthians 8:23; Galatians 1:19), not only used “apostle” in the restricted sense of a small group of highly honored believers who had a special function within the church but also in the broader sense of messengers of the Gospel.