BIBLE STUDY LESSON 03

SERIES V --- JOURNEYS FOR YESHUA

MISSIONARY ADVENTURES

THE FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY: ICONIUM, LYSTRA AND DERBE

From Acts 14

When Paul and Barnabas arrived in Iconium, they followed the same method they had used at Pisidian Antioch. First, they went to the local synagogue, where they preached the Gospel with such power that many Jews and Gentiles believed. But the unbelieving Jews stirred up trouble, turning many Gentiles against Paul and Barnabas. However, the two men remained at Iconium for quite some time, preaching fearlessly with great confidence in Adonai, Who confirmed that they were His messengers by working miracles through them. Before long, the city divided into two groups -- those who sided with the unbelieving Jews, and those who sided with the two apostles. The situation got out of hand when a band of people, including Gentiles, Jews, and Jewish leaders planned to attack Paul and Barnabas and kill them. The two left Iconium immediately, realizing they would be killed if they stayed, and headed for the Lycaonium towns of Lystra and Derbe and the territory surrounding these two towns. There they preached the Gospel as they had done at Pisidian Antioch and Iconium. While they were preaching at Lystra one day, Paul noticed a man who had been crippled since birth. Paul noticed also that the man was listening intently, and that he had the faith to be healed. [Stand up on your feet!] Paul called to him in a loud voice. The man believed and was immediately healed, so that he jumped up and walked. There was quite a stir among the people who had seen that. They began shouting in their native language, [They’re gods! They’re gods!] They thought that Barnabas was the Greek god Jupiter, or Zeus, and that Paul was Mercury, or Hermes, for they recognized that Paul was the chief speaker. As soon as the priest in charge of the temple of Jupiter, which was at the edge of town, heard what had happened, he rushed before Paul and Barnabas with wreaths and oxen and made plans to sacrifice to them. Paul and Barnabas tore their clothing in distress, ran among the people and shouted, [Stop this! We’re just men as you are. We’re here to bring you the Good News about Yeshua, and to help you turn away from these worthless things to the Elohiym Who made heaven, earth and sea, and all they contain. At one time He let the nations go their own ways, even though they could always see His goodness in the gifts He gave, such as rain and fruitful harvests, with good food and the joy it brought.] Although Paul had clearly shown that YHVH was the One Whom they should worship, the people still wanted to sacrifice to them. But some of the troublemakers arrived from Antioch and Iconium and stirred up the crowd. Before long, the people who had tried to worship the apostles turned against them and stoned Paul, dragging him out of the city when they thought they had killed him. When the believers gathered around Paul, he got up and returned to the city. But the next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe. There were many in that city who believed when they heard the apostles preach. Leaving Derbe, Paul and Barnabas made their way back through Lystra, Iconium and Pisidian Antioch, strengthening those who had become believers and encouraging them to remain faithful. [There are many persecutions on the way to the Kingdom of YHVH,] the apostles reminded them. With prayer and fasting the apostles appointed elders in each church, committing them to Adonai in Whom they believed. Traveling through Pisidia to Pamphylia, they returned once more to Perga, where they preached about Yeshua. From there they went to the seaport of Attalia and sailed to Antioch, where the believers had committed them to Adonai. When they arrived at Antioch, Paul and Barnabas called the believers together and told them what Adonai had done especially in making the Gospel available to the Gentiles. There they remained for quite some time with the believers.

COMMENTARY

MAJOR GODS OF GREECE AND ROME

Before the Romans became masters of a great empire, they were a small tribe of farmers and herdsmen. They worshiped the forces of nature and gave names to the powers controlling the earth, sea and sky. These early Romans had no temples or statues. Their gods were faceless powers without human personalities. As the Romans grew stronger, they began to conquer surrounding countries. After each victory, the gods of the defeated people were invited to join the Roman cause. The statues and temples of the adopted gods soon inspired the Romans to picture their own gods in human form. The conquered Greeks had the greatest influence on the religion of the Romans. The Romans adopted the Greek myths and identified their own deities with the gods on Mount Olympus. Zeus was the supreme ruler of the Greek gods on Mount Olympus. Statues and paintings show him in the form of a great king armed with bolts of lightning. Zeus was a powerful weather god. The Romans believed that he was the same god they called Jupiter. Zeus’ wife was named Hera in Greek mythology, but the Romans knew her as Juno. She was the special goddess of women, but many kings and nobles worshiped her as well. Greek artists portrayed her as a tall and stately matron, wearing a crown and carrying the sceptre of a queen. Ares, the Greek god of war, was the son of Zeus and Hera. The Romans called him Mars. According to their tradition, Mars was the father of Romulus, the founder of Rome. They celebrated his festival during March, the month named in his honour. Zeus’ brother, Poseidon, was the Greek god of the sea. He lived in an underwater palace and travelled the oceans in a chariot drawn by a team of seahorses. In Greek art he carries a trident, the three-pronged spear of a fisherman. The Romans identified him with their own sea god, Neptune. Hermes, the messenger of the gods, was also the son of Zeus. The Romans gave him the name of Mercury. He was the protector of travellers and the patron god of merchants and thieves. Statues and paintings show him as a young man with wings on his helmet and his sandals. He carries a messenger’s staff called a {caduceus.} Aphrodite was the Greek goddess of love. Not even Zeus could resist her. She had the power to make both men and gods fall in love. The Romans, who called her Venus, honoured her as the mother of their race. Demeter was the great fertility goddess whose blessing on the earth produced abundant crops. In Greek her name meant {Mother Earth,} but the Romans called her Ceres {our word [cereal] comes from her name}. Although she was the sister of Zeus and one of the twelve gods of Olympus, she preferred to live on earth among the farmers and herdsmen who worshiped her. Hephaestus, the Greek god of fire and metalworking, is better known by his Roman name, Vulcan. He was the son of Hera and the husband of beautiful Aphrodite. But Vulcan was no match for his wife. The other gods often teased him because he was lame and ugly. He made thunderbolts for Zeus in his forge on Mount Olympus. Apollo was such a graceful and gifted god that the Romans could not find any god of their own to compare with him. He was the patron of prophecy, medicine, music and the arts. In addition, he was the protector of herdsmen and a sun god. Caesar Augustus chose Apollo as his favourite god and built a temple in his honour in Rome.