"Acts 13-28: " A Pentecostal Commentary

by Matthew N O Sadiku

Overview

Every serious student of the Bible desires to understand the text, discover the biblical principles, and apply the truths to his/her life. This commentary is designed to help students, pastors, and Bible teachers understand Acts in a simple manner. Working from the popular New International Version (NIV), the author provides helpful commentary on the text verse-by-verse.
This verse-by-verse commentary is different from others in two respects. First, it is brief while some commentaries are unnecessarily wordy and verbose. Second, it is Pentecostal in outlook. This implies that we generally adhere to the doctrine of biblical inerrancy and adopt a literalist approach to the interpretation of the Bible.
The gospel of Luke along with Acts forms a two-volume history. The book of Acts fills the gap between the gospels and the epistles. Acts is evidently an important book for the church since it teaches much about the nature, growth, and purpose of the church.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781490776446
Publisher:	Trafford Publishing
Publication date:	09/30/2016
Pages:	216
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.46(d)

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ACTS 13 â" 28: A Pentecostal Commentary

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By Matthew N. O. Sadiku

Trafford Publishing

Copyright © 2017 Dr. Matthew N. O. Sadiku
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4907-7644-6

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CHAPTER 1

FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY

Acts 13:1-12

Paul and Barnabas Commissioned

Verses 1-3: Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." 3 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.

1 Luke now moves to the final stage of the witness as outlined by Jesus: witness to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. In Acts 11:27, we are told that some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch, the capital of Syria. Barnabas and Saul were two of those prophets and teachers in Antioch. The other three men (Simeon, Lucius, and Manaen) were not known. Some have suggested that Simeon was nicknamed Niger (Latin for black) because he was a black man. The church was apparently heterogeneous.

Prophets receive revelations from God and foretell the future. The gift of prophecy is the special ability God gives individuals to receive messages from Him and communicate them to His people. Teachers edify and establish believers in the truth. They provide a clear understanding of the Word of God. The gift of teaching is the special ability God gives to individuals to communicate information in such a way that others may learn.

Prophets and teachers are two of the five key offices in the church (Ephesians 4:11). The church at Antioch was a gifted and Spirit-filled church. "A Spirit-filled church may be defined simply as one whose members walk in obedience to the will of God."

2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." A message like this usually comes through a prophet. The message came when they were worshiping and fasting as a group. Jesus expected His disciples to fast (Matthew 6:17). Fasting enables us to do without legitimate things such as food and focus on prayer. It weakens the flesh and strengthens the spirit. Isaiah 58:4-14 tells us what a fasting ought to be. Unfortunately, fasting is much neglected by the church in our time.

3 Barnabas and Saul were set apart, as the Spirit demanded. After the church had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. "The church's prayer was accompanied by fasting, both when the church received the message and when they sent off the missionary team (13:2-3)."

The laying on of hands signified identification and unity in purpose. God did the commissioning through the church, through the laying on of hands. God chose the two best men who were actively involved in ministering and committed them to the task of evangelizing the Gentiles. They were the backbone of the local church at Antioch and they would be sorely missed.

Evangelism in Cyprus

Verses 4-7: The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. 5 When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper. 6 They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus, 7 who was an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God.

4 The two of them, Barnabas and Saul, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went from Antioch down to Seleucia in Syria and sailed from there to Cyprus. It is the Holy Spirit who is responsible for sending out His servants. Cyprus was an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It was the home of Barnabas (Acts 4:36) and that might account for the reason they started the missionary outreach there. They stayed there for a while.

5 They arrived at Salamis, which was a port city in Cyprus. They proclaimed the Word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John Mark was with them as their helper. As an assistant, Mark was possibly responsible for instructing the new converts and taking care of practical needs. The missionaries established a strategy or pattern they would generally follow in all their missionary outreach. They first went to the synagogue, seeking out people of their own kind.

6 They traveled through the whole island of Cyprus until they came to Paphos, which was a port city and the Roman capital of Cyprus. There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus. Bar-Jesus means "Son of Jesus." Ironically, he opposed God's salvation through Jesus. He also called himself Elymas (v. 8), which means "the enlightened one." This false prophet was a practitioner of magic and the occult. He performed magic to deceive people. Saul and Barnabas encountered this false prophet in Paphos, just as Philip and Peter did in Samaria.

7 Bar-Jesus was an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. Th e proconsul or governor of Cyprus was an intelligent man, indicating that he had sound understanding. He decided to hear the gospel firsthand. He sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the Word of God. He wanted to know more about the new teaching sweeping across Cyprus.

Opposition of Bar-Jesus

Verses 8-12: But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith. 9 Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said, 10 "You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? 11 Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind for a time, not even able to see the light of the sun." Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand. 12 When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.

8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith. He was afraid that the governor Sergius Paulus might be converted and then he would lose his status. He recognized the threat the gospel would have on his influence. Leading someone to Christ involves engaging in a battle against the forces of the enemy. In this case, Saul and Barnabas battled against Elymas for the soul of the governor.

9 Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas. This is the first place in the NT we find the familiar name Paul. Many Jews often had both Jewish and Roman names. Saul in Hebrew means "appointed one," while the Roman name Paul means "little one." As the apostle to the Gentiles started the Gentile phase of his ministry, he would have to go by the Roman name. He was filled with the Holy Spirit indicating that He controlled his ministry from start to finish.

Elymas had been the Roman governor's mentor up to this time. He understood that if the governor believed in Christ, there would be no need for a sorcerer. When Elymas tried to counteract Paul's witness to the governor, Paul fixed his gaze on Elymas, the sorcerer. He would soon expose his wicked ways without apology and without fear

10,11 Saul said to Elymas, "You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind for a time, not even able to see the light of the sun." Paul regarded Elymas as the enemy of righteousness. He accused him of perverting the truth of God and being the enemy of goodness and truth. Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand. As Paul indicated, the blindness was only temporary. Perhaps the blindness would lead Elymas to repentance and salvation.

12 When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed. In other words, when the governor saw Elymas smitten with blindness, he realized that God was with Paul. He was amazed at the teaching about the Lord. The teaching was with signs following. The miracle was all it took to convince the proconsul. "The truth and the power of Christ are united and complement one another. We are responsible for proclaiming the truth, but the manifestation of the power is in God's hand."

CHAPTER 2

AT PISIDIAN ANTIOCH — PART 1

Acts 13:13-41

Arrival in Pisidian Antioch

Verses 13-15: From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem. 14 From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch. On the Sabbath they entered the synagogue and sat down. 15 After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the leaders of the synagogue sent word to them, saying, "Brothers, if you have a word of exhortation for the people, please speak."

13 Having completed their ministry in Paphos in Cyprus, Paul and his companions sailed toward the mainland. They arrived at the city port of Perga in Pamphylia, which was located on the southern coast of Asia Minor. Perga is known today as Antalya.

Here in Perga Paul and Barnabas suffered a setback — John Mark left them to return to Jerusalem. We are not told the reason Mark left Paul and Barnabas. Perhaps the missionary lifestyle was too harsh for him. At this point in his life, he was a victim of his own idealistic expectations. God gave Mark another chance. Later Paul would write, "Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry" (2 Timothy 4:11).

14 From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch, about one hundred miles north of Perga. This Antioch was located in Asia Minor and should not be confused with Antioch in Syria, where Paul and Barnabas started their missionary journey. The area around Antioch was known as Galatia. As usual, on the Sabbath they entered the synagogue and sat down. Since Paul was a trained rabbi, he could be sure of a warm reception in any synagogue.

15 After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the leaders of the synagogue sent word to them, saying, "Brothers, if you have a word of exhortation for the people, please speak." "The Law and the Prophets" refers to the Scripture. The leaders of the synagogue acknowledged the presence of Paul and Barnabas and referred to them as "brothers." They wanted them to address the congregation if they had something to say. Of course, Paul always had something to say. He had the message of the gospel to present. The opportunity to preach Christ had come.

The History of Israel

Verses 16-22: Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand and said: "Fellow Israelites and you Gentiles who worship God, listen to me! 17 The God of the people of Israel chose our ancestors; he made the people prosper during their stay in Egypt; with mighty power he led them out of that country; 18 for about forty years he endured their conduct in the wilderness; 19 and he overthrew seven nations in Canaan, giving their land to his people as their inheritance. 20 All this took about 450 years. "After this, God gave them judges until the time of Samuel the prophet. 21 Then the people asked for a king, and he gave them Saul son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, who ruled forty years. 22 After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: 'I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.'

16 Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand and said: "Fellow Israelites and you Gentiles who worship God, listen to me!" Paul's audience consisted of Jews and God-fearing Gentiles, who were eager to hear the Word. He asked them to pay attention to what he was about to say. This is the first recorded message of Paul. The message is similar to those given by Peter (Acts 2:14-36; 3:12-26) and Stephen (Acts 7:2-53).

17 "The God of the people of Israel chose our ancestors; he made the people prosper during their stay in Egypt; with mighty power he led them out of that country." In total control of history, God chose Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and made an unconditional covenant with them. Jacob and his entire family went to Egypt during the famine. At the appropriate time, God led them out of Egypt.

18 After the Exodus, God endured their conduct in the wilderness for forty years. He put up with their unfaithfulness and constant rebellion. The people walked in idolatry, disobedience, and murmuring. God patiently tolerated Israel during their wilderness wandering as a father bears with a wayward son. He gave them the law through Moses. He fed them with manna. He eventually brought a new generation of Israelites into the Promised Land.

19 God overthrew seven nations in Canaan, giving their land to His people as their inheritance. Deuteronomy 7:1 provides the list of people from seven nations: the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorities, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. These nations were larger and stronger than Israel. It was not by Israel's power that they conquered the land. It was God who gave them Canaan.

20 All this took about 450 years — 400 years of captivity in Egypt, 40 years of wilderness wandering, and 10 years conquering the land. "After this, God gave them judges until the time of Samuel the prophet." God responded to the needs of the people by appointing judges. Samuel was the last judge and the first prophet.

21 Then the people asked for a king. There was nothing wrong in their asking for a king. What was wrong was their motive — they wanted to be like other nations. They rejected God as their King. God gave them Saul son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, who ruled forty years. This is the only place in the Bible where the period of Saul's reign is mentioned. Saul's dynasty was cut short with his death because of his disobedience.

22 After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: "I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do." David was a man after God's own heart because he desired to do God's will. Although David was far from being perfect, He embodied all the ideal characteristics of a great king — a shepherd, a soldier, a statesman, and a psalmist.

The Promised Messiah

Verses 23-25: "From this man's descendants God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as he promised. 24 Before the coming of Jesus, John preached repentance and baptism to all the people of Israel. 25 As John was completing his work, he said: 'Who do you suppose I am? I am not the one you are looking for. But there is one coming after me whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.'

23 From this man's descendants God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as He promised. The Messiah was to be the descendant of David and Jesus was. The fulfillment of OT prophecies about the Messiah proves that Jesus was Israel's long-promised Messiah. Jesus was not only the Messiah, He was the Savior. We all need a Savior from the power of sin and Jesus is the only Savior.

24 Before Jesus started His ministry, John the Baptist cleared the way for Jesus. John was His forerunner and the last OT prophet. The essence of his ministry was preparing for the coming of Christ. He preached repentance and baptism to all the people of Israel. John called the people of Israel to repent and be ready for the coming Messiah. John's message was for all people because everyone needed to repent.

25 John's ministry was known in Antioch. As John was completing his work, he said: "Who do you suppose I am? I am not the one you are looking for. But there is one coming after me whose sandals I am not worthy to untie." John corrected the false assumption that he was the Messiah. He considered himself unworthy to untie Messiah's sandals. He pointed people away from himself to Christ.

Universal Opportunity

Verses 26-29: "Fellow children of Abraham and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent. 27 The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath. 28 Though they found no proper ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him executed. 29 When they had carried out all that was written about him, they took him down from the cross and laid him in a tomb.

26 "Fellow children of Abraham and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent." All Jews prided themselves in being the children of Abraham, the friend of God. God's salvation in the person of Jesus had come to the Jews and God-fearers in Pisidian Antioch. He had made a universal offer of peace and reconciliation freely and equally to both Jews and Gentiles. Paul appealed for them to have faith in Jesus Christ.

27 The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath. Paul blamed the death of Jesus on the Jews in Jerusalem who were involved. For three-and-a-half years, Jesus visited Jerusalem again and again and performed miracle upon miracle. Yet they did not recognize Him. They read the OT prophecies in their synagogue week after week. Yet they did not know Him.

The question that is often asked is: If Jesus is the Messiah as He claimed to be, why didn't the religious leaders recognize Him? The answer is that their hearts were hardened. Their hardening of hearts and their condemnation of Jesus serve to fulfill prophecies.

28 Though they found no proper ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have Him executed. They hated Him without cause. They could not pass a death sentence without the cooperation of the Roman governor Pilate. Even the pagan Roman governor could not find fault with Him (John 18:28, KJV). He was forced by the Jews to crucify Jesus. He gave in to their demands.

29 When they had carried out all that was written about Him, they took Him down from the cross and laid Him in a tomb. Although victims of crucifixion were usually buried in mass grave, Jesus was given a decent burial in a tomb to fulfill Isaiah 53:9. Joseph of Arimathea along with Nicodemus were responsible for the burial (John 19:38, 39). God had sent His only Son. They had killed Him and buried Him. They had done their worst to Him.

The Resurrection of Christ

Verses 30-37:But God raised him from the dead, 31 and for many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to our people. 32 "We tell you the good news: What God promised our ancestors 33 he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm: "'You are my son; today I have become your father.' 34 God raised him from the dead so that he will never be subject to decay. As God has said, "'I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David.' 35 So it is also stated elsewhere: "'You will not let your holy one see decay.' 36 "Now when David had served God's purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his ancestors and his body decayed. 37 But the one whom God raised from the dead did not see decay.

30 While men did their worst by killing and burying Jesus in the tomb, the tomb was not the end of the story. God raised Him from the dead. The greatest proof that Jesus is the Messiah is His resurrection. Jesus Himself foretold it and the religious leaders dreaded to see His words come true. To make sure that He did not rise from the dead, they sealed the tomb and put soldiers there. But Jesus rose from the dead anyway. His resurrection is the heart of the gospel. "For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ must still be dead. And if he is still dead, then all our preaching is useless and your trust in God is empty, worthless, hopeless" (1 Corinthians 15:13,14, TLB).

31 "For many days He was seen by those who had traveled with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to our people." The evidence of the resurrection was provided by the witnesses. For about forty days after His resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples and friends from Galilee on different occasions. On one occasion more than 500 witnesses saw Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:6). Christ's resurrection did not happen in a corner, rather there were hundreds of eye witnesses.

32,33 Paul and Barnabas jointly brought them the gospel. "We tell you the good news: What God promised our ancestors he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm: 'You are my son; today I have become your father."' God affirms that God fulfilled the promise made by raising up Jesus. The fathers had patiently waited for the promise, but it was their children who lived to see it. Paul found a convincing proof of Jesus' deity in Psalm 2:7. All quotations were from the LXX.

(Continues...)

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Excerpted from ACTS 13 â" 28: A Pentecostal Commentary by Matthew N. O. Sadiku. Copyright © 2017 Dr. Matthew N. O. Sadiku. Excerpted by permission of Trafford Publishing.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

Contents

Preface, xi,
1. First Missionary Journey: (13:1-12), 1,
2. At Pisidian Antioch – Part 1: (13:13-41), 6,
3. At Pisidian Antioch – Part 2: (13:42-52), 15,
4. Conflict In Iconium: (14:1-7), 19,
5. Ministry in Lystra: (14:8-20), 22,
6. Return to Antioch: (14:21-28), 27,
7. The Jerusalem Council - Part 1: (15:1-21), 30,
8. The Jerusalem Council - Part 2: (15:22-41), 37,
9. Paul in Macedonia: (16:1-15), 43,
10. Paul and Silas in Prison: (16:16-40), 49,
11. In thessalonica and Berea: (17:1-15), 56,
12. Paul in Athens: (17:16-34), 61,
13. Paul in Corinth: (18:1-17), 68,
14. Paul in Transition: (18:18-28), 74,
15. Paul in Ephesus: (19:1-22), 79,
16. Riot in Ephesus: (19:23-41), 86,
17. Paul's Journey from Ephesus to Miletus: (20:1-16), 92,
18. Paul's Farewell Address: (20:17-38), 97,
19. Return to Jerusalem: (21:1-16), 105,
20. Paul in Jerusalem: (21:17-20), 110,
21. Paul's Defense: (22:1-21), 118,
22. Paul, the Roman Citizen: (22:22-29), 124,
23. Paul Before the Sanhedrin: (22:30-23:11), 127,
24. The Plot to Kill Paul: (23:12-22), 132,
25. Paul Transferred to Caesarea: (23:23-35), 136,
26. Paul Before Felix: (24:1-21), 140,
27. Felix Postpones Making a Decision: (24:22-27), 146,
28. Paul Before Festus: (25:1-12), 149,
29. Paul Before Agrippa – Part 1: (25:13-2), 153,
30. Paul Before Agrippa – Part 2: (26:1-23), 158,
31. Paul Before Agrippa – Part3: (26:24-32), 166,
32. Paul's Journey to Rome – Part 1: (27:1-12), 169,
33. Paul's Journey to Rome – Part 2: (27:13-26), 173,
34. Paul's Journey to Rome – Part 3: (27:27-44), 178,
35. Paul's Journey to Rome – Part 4: (28:1-10), 184,
36. Paul Arrives in Rome: (28:11-16), 188,
37. Paul Preaches in Rome: (28:17-32), 190,
Selected Bibliography, 197,
Index, 199,