Acts 14: miraculous signs, but who gets the glory?
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| The temple of Zeus in Athens Credit: jandenouden | Pixabay |
When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, ‘The gods have come down to us in human form!’ Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker. The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them.
But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: ‘Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human, like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them.
Acts 14:11-15
As we reach Acts 14 we are on the final leg of Paul and Barnabas's first missionary journey. They've divided the crowds everywhere they go, with some rejecting the word and others accepting it joyfully, but now they face something new: people worshipping them?
The people of Lystra mistook Paul and Barnabas for the Greek gods of Hermes and Zeus, partly on account of the miraculous signs they performed - which the Holy Spirit empowered them to do in order to confirm that their message was from God. We may think this story has little relevance to us, may even be tempted to look down on the naivety of the people or find it slightly amusing (indeed, the scene of an outsider being treated as a god because they have some different knowledge or technology is commonly used in story-telling, including comedy, as a satirical response to religion). We can imagine a modern-day Paul and Barnabas, sitting in a bar in Antioch with friends having returned from their journey, saying: listen guys, funny story when we were in Lystra...
But this was not Paul and Barnabas's reaction - far from it: '..when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: ‘Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human, like you.' (Acts 14:14-15). They were deeply distressed (as evident by the tearing of their clothes - a sign of grief), and were desperate to correct the misunderstanding, because they knew that salvation was not found in Zeus or Hermes, and indeed neither could salvation be found in Paul or Barnabas - whatever names they were called or signs they performed, but only in Jesus Christ.
And what of us? Do we not sometimes worship the vessel rather than the message it contains, by imposing on it our own ideas of what should be worshipped? There's two slightly different ways in which I think the actions of the inhabitants of Lystra are reflected down the ages.
Firstly, there is the worship of the messenger, or the vessel through which it is delivered. Of course, the image that springs to mind here is of Christian leaders who develop a cult-like following - either intentionally or unintentionally, but the application is far wider: individuals we may admire, the church itself, books written about Christianity. There is, of course, a balance to be sought between this and respecting the wisdom of those God has given gifts of teaching and leadership, but no one should be beyond reproach, and all our equal in the eyes of God. But most importantly, we must recognise that none of these people can save us.
Secondly, however, there is the fact that the people of Lystra interpreted the signs that they saw according to their view of salvation. Many today may look at the Bible, or certain (good) actions of the church or individual Christians, but not worship God as a result, but their own gods. Today's gods do not have names like Hermes or Zeus, but names like feminism, political reform, social justice and action, health, wealth and happiness, and education. Just as Hermes and Zeus were only shadowy and distorted copies of certain characteristics of the Lord God (namely his supernatural power and authority over the heavens and the earth), the gods of today are but feeble human copies of the word of God. And because they are human copies of good things from God, they sneak their way into our churches and lives.
So when we read of Jesus breaking the boundaries of society and treating women as equals, we should not then turn to feminism and sing its praises, believing that we can find salvation in the dismantling of the patriarchy. When we read of how God tells us to provide for the poor and weak and share our possessions, we should not then turn to solving social inequality for our salvation. It is in Jesus Christ that justice will be done to address the inequalities we face in this world, and in whom all will be satisfied. It is in him that men and women will both be honoured for the different and glorious ways in which they are made, rather than suffering due to the relationship breakdown and violent rule of men described in Genesis 3. Not all these things will come to full fruition before Jesus returns and makes everything new, but they will come in God's kingdom.
Finally, we must be on our guard regarding the way people view us - giving praises to God for the ways in which he uses us, in the same way as Paul and Barnabas did. When people see us reflecting the fruit of the Holy Spirit, to what do they attribute it? Clean, healthy living? Education and employment? A particular human worldview or discipline? We may be unable to stop people from believing what they are determined to believe, as Paul and Barnabas found, but we must try, as Peter says, to 'always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have' (1 Peter 3:15). There are many false gods out there ready to take the credit for what is the Lord's - but none of them will give true salvation.
Next: Acts 15: The council at Jerusalem
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