Where Justice and Mercy meet

While God brings judgement on Israel’s disobedience and rebellion, He continually recovers them in His grace and mercy. The preaching of the Gospel first to the Jews, who widely reject it, is never wasted. God’s plans do not just survive the attacks of the enemy and the rejection and rebellion of people, they are more firmly established by them. From the rejection of Israel in the time of Moses, the murder of Jesus, the jealousy of the Jews at the power of the Gospel, their rejection of it, all the way to their subsequent jealousy of the gentiles who received it. God uses it all to establish His unbreakable eternal plans.

Scripture

Acts 13:13-52 ESV  Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem,  [14]  but they went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia. And on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down.  [15]  After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent a message to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, say it.”  [16]  So Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said: “Men of Israel and you who fear God, listen.  [17]  The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it.  [18]  And for about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness.  [19]  And after destroying seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance.  [20]  All this took about 450 years. And after that he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet.  [21]  Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years.  [22]  And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’  [23]  Of this man's offspring God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised.  [24]  Before his coming, John had proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.  [25]  And as John was finishing his course, he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but behold, after me one is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’  [26]  “Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to us has been sent the message of this salvation.  [27]  For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not recognize him nor understand the utterances of the prophets, which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him.  [28]  And though they found in him no guilt worthy of death, they asked Pilate to have him executed.  [29]  And when they had carried out all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb.  [30]  But God raised him from the dead,  [31]  and for many days he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people.  [32]  And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers,  [33]  this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm, “‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you.’  [34]  And as for the fact that he raised him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, he has spoken in this way, “‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’  [35]  Therefore he says also in another psalm, “‘You will not let your Holy One see corruption.’  [36]  For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers and saw corruption,  [37]  but he whom God raised up did not see corruption.  [38]  Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you,  [39]  and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.  [40]  Beware, therefore, lest what is said in the Prophets should come about:  [41]  “‘Look, you scoffers, be astounded and perish; for I am doing a work in your days, a work that you will not believe, even if one tells it to you.’”  [42]  As they went out, the people begged that these things might be told them the next Sabbath.  [43]  And after the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who, as they spoke with them, urged them to continue in the grace of God.  [44]  The next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord.  [45]  But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what was spoken by Paul, reviling him.  [46]  And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles.  [47]  For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, “‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”  [48]  And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.  [49]  And the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region.  [50]  But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district.  [51]  But they shook off the dust from their feet against them and went to Iconium.  [52]  And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

Bible Study Questions

Invited to encourage in the synagogue on the Sabbath

God has sent Paul to be an Apostle to the gentiles. The time arrived for the Gospel to be preached outside of Judea and Samaria, to the very ends of the earth. But this expansion still doesn’t mean that the Jews are now excluded. In His faithfulness God ensure that they hear the message first in Antioch of Pisidia. Why do you think this is, and what does it tell us about God and His promises to us?

Acts 13:13-15 ESV  Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem,  [14]  but they went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia. And on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down.  [15]  After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent a message to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, say it.”

Matthew 10:5-7 ESV  These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans,  [6]  but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.  [7]  And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’

Romans 3:1-4 ESV  Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision?  [2]  Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God.  [3]  What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God?  [4]  By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written, “That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged.”

The history of God’s faithfulness to Israel

Paul gives a brief history of Israel which provides the context of the Gospel which is to come, but also reminds the people that God chose them despite their continued repeated failures. It;s a reminder of God’s faithfulness and of Israel’s unfaithfulness. Is Israel unique in their repeated failure and rejection of God? What does this tell us about God’s love for us?

Acts 13:16-22 ESV  So Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said: “Men of Israel and you who fear God, listen.  [17]  The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it.  [18]  And for about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness.  [19]  And after destroying seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance.  [20]  All this took about 450 years. And after that he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet.  [21]  Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years.  [22]  And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’  

Romans 3:21-23 ESV  But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—  [22]  the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:  [23]  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Recognise that God has fulfilled His promise of a Saviour

Paul’s message to the Jewish people culminates in an appeal to recognise that Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah. He later uses the failure of the murderers of Jesus Christ to recognise John the Baptist and Jesus the Messiah as a warning to them not to do the same. He relays to them that Jesus died a perfectly innocent man, and was therefore raised from the dead. Only God can do this.

Acts 13:23-31 ESV  Of this man's offspring God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised.  [24]  Before his coming, John had proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.  [25]  And as John was finishing his course, he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but behold, after me one is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’  [26]  “Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to us has been sent the message of this salvation.  [27]  For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not recognize him nor understand the utterances of the prophets, which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him.  [28]  And though they found in him no guilt worthy of death, they asked Pilate to have him executed.  [29]  And when they had carried out all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb.  [30]  But God raised him from the dead,  [31]  and for many days he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people.  

What they thought would destroy God’s plan became proof that He accomplished it

God loves to turn things around, and use apparent defeat and weakness for glorious victory. One of the great reasons that the Jews rejected Jesus was that He was killed. Paul shows that His death is not a reason to reject His identity but is the greatest evidence to accept it. If Jesus died and turned to dust in the tomb then He wasn’t the Messiah, but if He died and was raised to life according to the prophecies of the Bible, then He most definitely was. The attempt to discredit Jesus became the best evidence that He is Messiah and that forgiveness is through Him alone.

Acts 13:32-39 ESV  And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers,  [33]  this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm, “‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you.’  [34]  And as for the fact that he raised him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, he has spoken in this way, “‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’  [35]  Therefore he says also in another psalm, “‘You will not let your Holy One see corruption.’  [36]  For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers and saw corruption,  [37]  but he whom God raised up did not see corruption.  [38]  Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you,  [39]  and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.  

Don’t let this fulfilled prophesy be true of you

Paul shows how God’s promises always get fulfilled, He is faithful and sovereign. God has made other predictions through the prophets regarding those who will reject Him. What are those predictions and what does Paul urge the hearers of the Gospel to be careful not to do? Were there some who listen to the message?

Acts 13:40-43 ESV  Beware, therefore, lest what is said in the Prophets should come about:  [41]  “‘Look, you scoffers, be astounded and perish; for I am doing a work in your days, a work that you will not believe, even if one tells it to you.’”  [42]  As they went out, the people begged that these things might be told them the next Sabbath.  [43]  And after the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who, as they spoke with them, urged them to continue in the grace of God.  

Jealousy leads to rejection of mercy or it’s acceptance

The Jewish religious leaders were jealous that so many people were listening to the Gospel and so they contradicted and reviled them. This jealousy of human attention robs them of the blessing salvation by God’s grace. Paul then turns to the gentiles, offering them the Gospel. What does Paul hope this turning to the gentiles will do for the Jews?

Acts 13:44-48 ESV  The next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord.  [45]  But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what was spoken by Paul, reviling him.  [46]  And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles.  [47]  For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, “‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”  [48]  And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.

Romans 11:13-15 ESV  Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry  [14]  in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them.  [15]  For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead?

Shaking the dust off their feet

The disciples were harshly rejected by the leading men and women of high standing, yet they filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. How were they able to continue to shake off this rejection and continue their work? What should we focus on when our sharing of the Gospel is rejected?

Acts 13:49-52 ESV  And the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region.  [50]  But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district.  [51]  But they shook off the dust from their feet against them and went to Iconium.  [52]  And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 10:14-15 ESV  And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town.  [15]  Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.