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Warren Wiersbe · Citado em PreceptAustin
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Wiersbe adds that "Faith is not based on miracles, but faith can be bolstered by miracles.” (Bible Exposition Commentary) Jack Andrews agrees commenting "That’s exactly what God was doing through Paul and Barnabas. We need the power of God on us to combat the attack of unbelievers! We can expect nothing less when we serve Jesus. We can expect God to work through the power of the gospel message. We can expect opposition through the poisoning of the gentiles minds." (Expository Sermons) Gangel writes that "All this took place in Galatia, so we can understand this ministry in light of the Galatian letter. There Paul tells us that these mighty works of the Spirit certified that God approved his gospel (Gal. 3:4-5+)." (See Holman New Testament Commentary - Acts - Page 231) Longnecker says signs and wonders "places the ministry of Paul and Barnabas directly in line with that of Jesus (cf. Acts 2:22+) and the early church (cf. Acts 2:43+; Acts 4:30+; Acts 5:12+; Acts 6:8+; Acts 7:36+) in fulfillment of prophecy (cf. Acts 2:19+)-as it does also in Acts 15:12. Later when writing his Galatian converts (assuming a "South Galatian" origin for the letter), Paul appeals to these mighty works performed by the Spirit as evidence that the gospel as he preached it and they received it was fully approved by God (cf. Galatians 3:4-5+)." (Expositor's Bible Commentary) Donald Grey Barnhouse has an interesting note on signs and wonders - These signs and wonders were specially given to the apostles and early Christian church workers because there was no written New Testament as yet. Not a line of the New Testament had been written at this point, and there was no solid authority to which the apostles could point and say, "See, we're preaching truth. You can check it in the Word of God!" There was no completed Word of God. So God enabled the apostles to perform wonders and signs to authenticate their ministry, but these wonders and signs would fade as God's Word came into being. Signs (4592)(semeion from sema = sign) a sign is something that serves as a pointer to aid perception or insight. In the NT a sign speaks of a token which has behind it a particular message to be conveyed. In other words, in John's Gospel (where semeion is most concentrated) the apostle recorded certain miracles not for the wonder (cf "wonders") they produced, but because of the message they taught (Jn 20:31). A sign directs attention away from its unusual nature to the meaning and the significance it points to. It speaks of outward compelling proof of divine authority. In John a sign is generally a "miraculous sign" that points to some deeper spiritual significance in connection with the event (Jn 2:11, 18). Most of the 77 occurrences are found in the Gospels (68/77 with 17 in John's Gospel), Acts and Revelation. In other words, signs are intended to appeal to the understanding and “wonders” more to the imagination. Semeion is common in Acts where it is frequently found in the phrase "signs and wonders" - (Acts 2:43; 4:30; 5:12; 6:8; 7:36; 14:3; 15:12) which is interesting as Luke did not use this phrase in his Gospel. Signs and wonders occurs only twice in connection with false prophets in the Synoptics (Mt 24:24; Mk 13:22) and once in John (John 4:48). So what is the significance of signs and wonders? They can have an eschatological intent, signifying that the new age has dawned (Acts 2:19; cf. Joel 2:28). They are “proofs” of Jesus’ divine authority (Acts 2:22). And most significantly, signs and wonders (including healings and exorcisms cf. Acts 8:6,13) were carried out by the apostles (and others, cf. Stephen in Acts 6:8) as they were enabled by God (Acts 2:43; 4:30; 5:12). The men were merely the "vessels" through which God's power was manifest. And the signs attested to God’s activity among the Gentiles (Acts 15:12). It is notable that wonders is never used by itself but always with signs so the idea seems to be that "mere marvels have no intrinsic value in themselves except as they point beyond themselves to the divine power behind them and so lead to faith." (Polhill - New American Commentary, p. 112). Stated another way, the sign serves to draw the attention or focus away from the wonder or marvel and so that one understands the wonders point to God and His power and authority. Charles Hodge adds that "They are called signs because they are evidences of the exercise of God’s power and proofs of the truth of his declarations, and miracles because of the effect which they produce on the minds of men. Toussaint - Paul referred to these miracles to validate the reality of the gospel among the Galatians (Gal. 3:5) (This, of course, assumes the South Galatian view of the term "Galatia" in that epistle.). (See Bible Knowledge Commentary - Page 391) Wonders (5059) (teras) are similar to signs but appeal to the senses, being recognized as a phenomenon that needs to be explained. Something strange, exceptional, causing the beholder to marvel. Teras refers to “something strange", a phenomena which compels one's attention and causes one to "look again" or causes the beholder to marvel. BDAG says teras is "something that astounds because of transcendent association." Teras is derived from the verb tereo which means to keep, watch and thus conveys the idea of something which due to its extraordinary character is apt to be observed and kept in the memory. It is a miracle regarded as startling, imposing or amazing. Someone has said that signs and wonders are like the "fingerprints" of God, valuable not so much for what they are as for what they indicate of the grace and power of the Doer. Before the full gospel message was recorded in what we now call the New Testament, God often used signs and wonders to authenticate true preaching and teaching. The ministry of the apostles, especially in the earliest days of the church, was accompanied by authenticating miracles. But it is notable that the word wonders was never used alone. The wonders stirred up awe in the people, but they needed a sign to point them to something (SOMEONE) greater than the wonder itself! In other words, wonders were not an end in themselves, but a divine means to God's intended end so that in combination with signs they pointed to the Source. God-centered evangelism must be carried out "in the power of the Spirit of God." God’s work must be done God’s way in God’s power or as Zechariah records "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the LORD of hosts." (Zech 4:6) That signs and wonders do not generate belief is shown in Matthew 8-9 where Jesus performed many acts to confirm Who He was and yet not all were convinced including "the Pharisees (who) were saying, “He casts out the demons by the ruler of the demons.” (Mt 9:34). Larkin has an excellent summary on signs and wonders - Luke's presentation of signs and wonders here gives us criteria for judging claims today. Their true source must be God alone. They must occur at his initiative. Their fruit will not necessarily be an irresistible compulsion, so that all who witness and hear of them will believe. Rather, their true purpose and effect is "establishing the Gospel in its full and genuine authority" (Calvin 1966:3). Far from denigrating the verbal, cognitive appeal of the gospel in favor of the visual, experiential impact of miracle, Luke sees signs and wonders as confirming support to the gospel. These miracles at Iconium place the work of Paul and Barnabas in continuity with the mission of Jesus and "the Twelve" and bear witness to unbelieving Jews that the salvation blessings Israel experienced in the past and hoped for at the end of the age are now not only theirs but also the Gentiles' (Acts 2:22; Acts 5:12; Acts 15:12; Ex 7:3; Ps 135:9; Acts 2:19/Joel 2:30; Gal 3:4-5). (The First Missionary Journey 13:1-14:28) The Holman Apologetics Commentary notes that "God often granted signs and wonders in the book of Acts, so why do things not continue in this same way today as Christians attempt to evangelize the world and bear witness in secular Western societies? The intense and consistent nature of signs and wonders in the book of Acts is not normative, but points to the arrival of a new era. A similar feature of clustered miracles happened at earlier points in biblical history, particularly at the time of the Exodus and the time of Elijah and Elisha. God did things with special intensification in those special periods, as a way of initiating new movements or new epochs of his work. The early church era is the exemplar of this approach. God in his sovereignty can choose to work miracles at any time and place, including today, but in the outworking of his plan there is variation in the intensity of these special signs." (Holman Apologetics Commentary on the Bible) Related Resources: Why do so many people seek after signs and wonders? What was the purpose of the biblical sign gifts? What does the Bible say about demonic/satanic miracles? How can we discern counterfeit miracles? Is cessationism biblical? What is the Latter Rain Movement? Are the miraculous gifts of the Spirit for today? What is the Charismatic movement? God's Purpose for Miracles by John MacArthur Acts 14:4 But the people of the city were divided; and some sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles. KJV Acts 14:4 But the multitude of the city was divided: and part held with the Jews, and part with the apostles. But the people of the city were divided Micah 7:6; Matthew 10:34-36; Luke 2:34; 11:21-23; 12:51-53; John 7:43 and some sided with the Jews, Acts 28:24 and some with the apostles Acts 14:14; 13:2; 1 Corinthians 9:5 THE GOSPEL ALWAYS DIVIDES! The Gospel is divisive! In fact, if we fail to see this effect in at least some of our Gospel presentations, it behooves us to re-think the Gospel we are proclaiming! Jesus is the proverbial "line in the sand," and one can be either for Him or against Him, for He left no option for straddling the fence! In a word Jesus tolerates no "spiritual mugwumps!" Or as Jesus Himself warned "He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me, scatters." (Lk 11:23+, Mt 12:30) This begs a crucial question dear reader - are you with Him or are you playing the fool, acting the part of a "spiritual mugwump?" But - Term of contrast. Clearly their bold speech and the signs and wonders did not impact everyone the same way.
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Wiersbe writes that "The word translated “speak” in Acts 14:9 means ordinary conversation, though it can refer to formal speaking. It is likely that Paul was simply conversing with some of the citizens in the marketplace, telling them about Jesus, and the lame man overheard what he said. The Word produced faith (Ro 10:17) and faith brought healing. (Bible Exposition Commentary) When he had fixed his gaze on him - Paul filled with the Holy Spirit had fixed his gaze on Bar-Jesus (Elymas) the Jewish false prophet in Acts 13:9 and carried out his first miracle of temporarily blinding this man. While Luke does not have the same phrase, there is little doubt that again Paul was filled with the Holy Spirit as he fixed his gaze on the lame man. But this time the "spiritual stare" was for good not for evil! He had fixed his gaze (intently)(816)(atenizo from from atenes = strained from a = intensifies + teino = to stretch, to extend or to strain) means Paul looked intently, staring at the lame man. Ten of the 14 uses of Atenizo are used by Luke in Acts (Acts 1:10; Acts 3:4; Acts 3:12; Acts 6:15; Acts 7:55; Acts 10:4; Acts 11:6; Acts 13:9; Acts 14:9; Acts 23:1) As Gilbrant says "The “fixed stare” often found in contexts with supernatural events (Acts 3:4; 13:9) should not be perceived as some mesmerizing or hypnotizing stare, or some “evil eye.” The term captures the seriousness and the single-mindedness of the person involved." Had we been present, Paul's laser like focus on this lame man would have been abundantly obvious. And had seen that he had faith to be made well - The verb had (echo) is in the present tense indicating this was not just a momentary manifestation of belief. Paul saw something in the lame man's face and manner showed that he believed he could be made well. The verb for made well is sozo (see below) which is used over 100 times in the NT most often translated as save or saved (over 80 times). Sozo refers to spiritual salvation, which is linked to a person’s faith as when the penitent prostitute washed Jesus’ feet with her tears, He told her “Your faith has saved (sozo) you” (Lk 7:50; cf Mk 10:52, Lk 17:19).
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Wiersbe comments "How easy it would have been to accept this worship and try to use the honor as a basis for teaching the people the truth, but that is not the way God’s true servants minister (2 Cor. 4:1–2; 1 Thes. 2:1–5)" (Bible Exposition Commentary) Acts 14:14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their robes and rushed out into the crowd, crying out KJV Acts 14:14 Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it Acts 14:4; 1 Corinthians 9:5,6 they tore their robes and rushed out into the crowd 2 Kings 5:7; 18:37; 19:1,2; Ezra 9:3-5; Jeremiah 36:24; Matthew 26:65 DRAMATIC DISGUST AND RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION When we catch ourselves backsliding into idolatry we need to take quick action like Paul and Barnabas! Literally they "leaped up" (see below). Idols that are allowed to stay can soon become idols that hold sway (it rhymes!). We need to heed the commands from Paul and John Therefore (cf 1 Cor 10:12-13), my beloved, flee (present imperative - keep on fleeing!) from idolatry. (1 Cor 10:14) Little children, guard (aorist imperative - Do it now! Do not delay!) yourselves from idols. (1 John 5:21+) But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it - Luke's second use of apostles in Acts 14 - see comments for Acts 14:4 for discussion of what apostles means in this context. NET Note - This is one of only two places where Luke calls Paul an apostle, and the description here is shared with Barnabas. This is a nontechnical use here, referring to a commissioned messenger. Thomas
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Wiersbe wrote, “Paul’s message was not based on the Old Testament, because this was a pagan Gentile audience. He started with the witness of God in creation. He made it clear that there is but one God who is the living God, giving God, and the forgiving God.” (Bible Exposition Commentary) He did good - God did God because He is good, which thankfully is one of His eternal, immutable attributes. And notice He did good, even to those who did evil towards Him. He...gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons - (cf Ps 147:8; Ps 104:13-15; Mt 5:45)."He sends you rain and good crops." (NLT) God's kindness to all men described in this section is a manifestation of what theologians often refer to as "common grace." He is giving, even to those who do not merit His gifts (which is ALL of us!). Not only is this truth affirmed in the New Testament but also in the Old. Although Paul does not directly quote the OT knowing they are ignorant of those Scriptures, what he does do is speak truth that is clearly alluded to in the OT. The example from Jeremiah is especially poignant... Jer 14:22 ;Are there any among the idols of the nations who give rain? Or can the heavens grant showers? Is it not You, O LORD our God? Therefore we hope in You, For You are the one who has done all these things. In Leviticus 26:4 God tells Israel "I shall give you rains in their season, so that the land will yield its produce and the trees of the field will bear their fruit." In Deut 11:14, 28:12 Moses tells Israel "that He will give the rain for your land in its season, the early and late rain, that you may gather in your grain and your new wine and your oil....The LORD will open for you His good storehouse, the heavens, to give rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hand; and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow." Ps 147:8 Who covers the heavens with clouds, Who provides rain for the earth, Who makes grass to grow on the mountains. Ps 104:13-15 He waters the mountains from His upper chambers; The earth is satisfied with the fruit of His works. 14 He causes the grass to grow for the cattle, And vegetation for the labor of man, So that he may bring forth food from the earth, 15 And wine which makes man’s heart glad, So that he may make his face glisten with oil, And food which sustains man’s heart. Jack Arnold - God is in control of this world and His moral goodness can be seen everywhere. The kindness and goodness of God should lead men to repentance, for all men are dependent upon Him for their very existence. (ED: And God's goodness stands in stark contrast with the harshness of the mythological "gods" the pagans bowed down to and served.) (Acts 14:1-20 Patterns in Evangelism)
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Wiersbe adds that “One minute, Paul was a god to be worshiped; the next minute, he was a criminal to be slain!” (Bible Exposition Commentary) John MacArthur rightly observes that “Their fickleness is reminiscent of the people of Jerusalem who hailed Jesus as the Messiah at the triumphal entry, then a few days later called for His execution.” (Acts 13-28 MacArthur New Testament Commentary - Page 53) One moment they crowd wanted to sacrifice to them, and the next moment they sought to stone them! They were essentially a mob and as Emerson said a mob is “a society of bodies voluntarily bereaving themselves of reason.” Another good description would be herd mentality which describes how people can be influenced by their peers to adopt certain behaviors on a largely emotional, rather than rational, basis. When individuals are affected by mob mentality, they may make different decisions than they would have individually." Swindoll notes that "Execution by stoning was a distinctly Eastern, Semitic punishment, rarely heard of in Greek society. Clearly, the people of Lystra acted as a mob, following the lead of the Jewish instigators." (Insights on Acts) Robertson suggests "The Jews are jubilant this time with memories of Paul's escape at Antioch and Iconium. The pagan mob feel that they have settled accounts for their narrow escape from worshipping two Jewish renegade preachers. It was a good day's work for them all. Luke does not say that Paul was actually dead."
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Wiersbe remarks "It is difficult to understand how they got back into the cities from which they had been expelled, but the Lord opened the doors." (Bible Exposition Commentary)
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Wiersbe adds that the encouraging note that "We must keep in mind that all God plans and performs here is preparation for what He has in store for us in heaven. He is preparing us for the life and service yet to come. Nobody yet knows all that is in store for us in heaven, but we do know that life on earth is a school in which God trains us for our future ministry in eternity. This explains the presence of trials in our lives for they are some of God’s tools and textbooks in the school of Christian experience. (Bible Exposition Commentary) Related Resources: Afflictions-Suffering-Quotes, Devotionals, Illustrations Quotes on affliction ARE YOU IN GOD'S "POUNDER ROOM"? - The Most High God is in control of all the adverse and difficult circumstances of our lives. You may be going through an adverse experience as you read these notes. Let's call it ,for illustration purposes, a "STEINWAY EXPERIENCE" (read on). If you had to name the most famous piano, the one that produced the most beautiful sound in the world which one would you name? Most people would say "Steinway". The Steinway piano has been preferred by keyboard masters such as Rachmaninoff, Horowitz, Cliburn, and Liszt and for good reason. It is a skillfully crafted instrument that produces a phenomenal sound. Steinway pianos are built today the same way they were 140 years ago when Henry Steinway started his business. 200 craftsmen and 12,000 parts are required to produce one of these magnificent instruments. Most crucial is the rim-bending process, where 18 layers of maple are bent around an iron press to create the shape of a Steinway grand. Five coats of lacquer are applied and then hand-rubbed to give the piano its outer glow. The instrument then goes into the "Pounder Room", where each key is pounded 10,000 times to ensure quality and durability. Followers of Jesus Christ, much like the grand Steinway, are being "handcrafted" with all of the steps being watched over and directed by our Most High God, , El Elyon, the One Who is in sovereign control of every detail of this process often referred to as (progressive) "sanctification". We are being pressed and formed and shaped for a divine purpose, that we might "become conformed (molded with an inner and essential and not merely superficial conformity) to the image of His Son" (Ro 8:29-note). We are being polished, sometimes with what seems like excessive "rubbing of affliction", until we "glow." We are then being continually tested in the laboratory of everyday human experience. The process of sanctification is not always pleasant, but we can persevere with hope (absolute assurance of future good), knowing that our lives will increasingly reflect the beauty of holiness to the eternal praise of the Most High God. Amen. Are you going through a Steinway Piano experience? Is the Most High God bending, shaping, or polishing you right now? Can I trust El Elyon Who is in control of circumstances, demonic spirits, life/death, kings & nations? Knowing the truth about His Name El Elyon can I thank Him even in the painful times? Remember that He does not allow trials to provoke us or destroy us but to refine us & ultimately make us more like Jesus…Never forget the grand purpose for which He created you – to give Him glory. THE GREATER THE HEAT, THE PURER THE GOLD - God knew where Job was—in the furnace! But it was a furnace of God's appointment, not because of Job's sin, and God would use Job's affliction to purify him and make him a better man. This is not the only answer to the question, "Why do the righteous suffer?" but it is one of the best, and it can bring the sufferer great encouragement. Scripture often uses the image of a furnace to describe God's purifying ministry through suffering (Isa. 48:10; Deut 4:20; Ps. 66:10). The image is also used in 1 Peter 1:6-7 and 4:12 of believers going through persecution. When God puts His own people into the furnace, He keeps His eye on the clock and His hand on the thermostat. He knows how long and how much. We may question why He does it to begin with, or why He doesn't turn down the heat or even turn it off, but our questions are only evidences of unbelief. Job 23:10 is the answer: "He knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold." Gold does not fear the fire. The furnace can only make the gold purer and brighter. (Pause for Power - Warren Wiersbe) J R Miller - We Grow Best Under Weights - We learn that it is out of struggles that we must get the nobleness and beauty of character after which we are striving. One of the old Scotch martyrs had on his crest the motto, Sub pondere cresco ("I grow under a weight"). On the crest was a palm tree, with weights depending from its fronds. In spite of the weights the tree was straight as an arrow, lifting its crown of graceful foliage high up in the serene air. It is well known that the palm grows best loaded down with weights. Thus this martyr testified that he, like the beautiful tree of the Orient, grew best in his spiritual life under weights. This is the universal law of spiritual growth. There must be resistance, struggle, conflict, or there can be no development of strength. We are inclined to pity those whose lives are scenes of toil and hardship, but God's angels do not pity them if only they are victorious; for in their overcoming they are climbing daily upward towards the holy heights of sainthood. The beatitudes in the Apocalypse are all for overcomers (ED: ALL BELIEVERS ARE OVERCOMERS! - see 1 Jn 5:4-5). Heaven's rewards and crowns lie beyond battle plains. Spiritual life always need opposition. It flourishes most luxuriantly in adverse circumstances. We grow best under weights. We find our richest blessings in the burdens we dread to take up. The Necessity of Tribulation T. Starr King - It would seem to be a great hardship to a lump of iron ore, if it were conscious, that it should have to be melted, separated from its accretions, beaten together into a bar of pure metal, then heated again and cooled suddenly, exposed in this way in quick succession to the most rapid and intense changes of temperature, and hammered furiously while these terrible processes are going on. "Why can not I be left in peace," it might say, "in my condition as ore? I am contented with that form of life." Yet it is only by such processes that it can be promoted in quality from the sluggish state of raw metal, compounded with alloy, to steel. William Arnot - In some of the most delicate manufactures of the country, the web in a rude and unsightly state enters a vessel filled with a certain liquid, passes slowly through, and emerges continuously at the opposite side. As it enters the cloth seems all of one colour, and that dim; as it emerges it glitters in a variety of brilliant hues arranged in cunning figures. The liquid is composed of biting acids; and the reason why the fabric is strained through it is that all the deforming and defiling things which have adhered to it in preceding processes may be discharged, and the figures already secretly imprinted may shine out in their beauty. If it were allowed to remain one minute too long in the bath the fabric would be destroyed; but the manufacturer has so tempered the ingredients and timed the passage that while the impurities are thoroughly discharged the fabric comes out uninjured. In wisdom and love the Lord has mingled the ingredients of our tribulation, and determined its duration, so that none of his should be lost, and so that every grace of the Spirit should be brought out in all its beauty.