Acts 14:8-18
8 In Lystra a man was sitting whose feet were incapacitated. He had been disabled from his mother’s womb, and had never walked.
9 This man was listening to Paul as he spoke. Paul looked at him intently and saw that he had faith to be made well,
10 and he said with a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet!” And the man leaped up and began to walk.
11 When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they raised their voice, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have become like men and have come down to us!”
12 And they began calling Barnabas, Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, since he was the chief speaker.
13 Moreover, the priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds.
14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard about it, they tore their robes and rushed out into the crowd, crying out
15 and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We are also men, of the same nature as you, preaching the gospel to you, to turn from these useless things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything that is in them.
16 In past generations He permitted all the nations to go their own ways;
17 yet He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.”
18 And even by saying these things, only with difficulty did they restrain the crowds from offering sacrifices to them.
Lystra (2)
The response of the crowd
When Paul commanded, “Stand upright on your feet,” the man who had been unable to use his feet from birth stood up and began to walk. The crowd, witnessing this, became ecstatic. “When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they raised their voice, saying in the Lycaonian language, ‘The gods have become like men and have come down to us!’ And they began calling Barnabas, Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, since he was the chief speaker.” (1) The crowd, having witnessed the miracle, became excited, exclaiming, “The gods have become like men and have come down to us.” They shouted in the Lycaonian language, which Paul and Barnabas did not understand. (2) They gave names to Paul and Barnabas: (a) Barnabas was called Zeus, the king of the Greek gods. (b) Paul was called Hermes, the messenger of the gods. (3) Why did the people of Lystra respond this way? The Roman poet Ovid, who lived during the reign of Emperor Augustus, recorded a local legend that may explain their actions. The legend goes as follows: (a) Long ago, Zeus and Hermes visited this region in human form. (b) No one offered them hospitality except for an elderly couple who welcomed them into their home. (c) As a result, the couple’s home was transformed into a temple, while the town was destroyed. (4) The people of Lystra, familiar with this legend, did not want to repeat the mistakes of their ancestors. Therefore, they sought to honor Barnabas as Zeus and Paul as Hermes. At this point, Paul and Barnabas did not yet understand what was happening. “Moreover, the priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds.” The priest of the Zeus temple began preparing sacrifices. (1) The priest intended to offer sacrifices and wreaths before Paul and Barnabas. The people were about to worship Paul and Barnabas as gods. (2) A danger even greater than persecution was unfolding: the focus was shifting away from Christ to the servants proclaiming the gospel of Christ. A true servant of God will genuinely desire to be, “hid in the shadow of the cross,” and will act accordingly. There is nothing more spiritually dangerous than having the spotlight on oneself. Let us earnestly desire that God’s glory be revealed through our lives.
Today's prayer
Heavenly Father, please reveal Your glory through my life. Hide me in the shadow of the cross. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.