“…they were filled with jealousy…” (Acts 13:45)
Bible Reading: Acts 13:42-47
Paul’s synagogue message left its mark on his hearers. Even as they left the building, people asked that he would return the following week to tell them more (Acts 13:42). Others followed him and Barnabas to learn from them immediately (v. 43). A fire had been lit in the city.
So great was the effect of that message that the following Sabbath, “almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord” (v. 44). News of what had happened obviously spread beyond the Jewish community and caught the attention of people enough to make them want to hear the story of Jesus, the Saviour.
What should have been a matter of celebration to devout Jews turned out to be a source of envy! “When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what was spoken by Paul, reviling him” (v. 45). One can’t help but think of the religious leaders in Jesus’ day. It was the same thing – jealousy, or envy – that drove them to resist him and eventually destroy him (Matthew 27:18).
Paul and Barnabas were not intimidated by the opposition. Instead, they spoke boldly and said to those who opposed them, “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. 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’” (vs. 46-7).
Here, we see again a reference to the fact that the gospel was intended “for the Jew first” as the “heirs of the covenant” – those to whom it belonged naturally (Romans 1:17; Acts 3:25). But it was not only for them but for the whole world. We must never forget that the Lord has made us to be a “light” to those around us, and called us to play our part in seeing that light penetrate the whole earth.
But we also see a typical human response to that light – “thrusting it aside,” and that, not because it is untrue and unhelpful, but because it threatens pride. The great obstacle to receiving the good news of forgiveness through faith in Christ is the challenge it presents to our self-centeredness. As we have observed before, it is only as we gain a true sense of our peril that we will ever turn to Christ for salvation. Otherwise, self-will and the love of pleasure will imprison us in lives of continued rebellion.
There is a very sad commentary here on the outcome of unbelief. Paul and Barnabas declare that those who resist the gospel “judge” themselves “unworthy of eternal life” (v. 46). This is the consequence of rejecting the gospel – people exclude themselves from eternal life.
We are reminded by these things to expect opposition to the gospel and unreasonable opposition at that. Sinful hearts will always oppose God’s rule and reject his mercy unless they are changed by his grace.
Closing Thoughts:
- Have you witnessed others reject the gospel out of stubborn pride and self-love?
- What should we do when this happens?