Acts 14:19-20
And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who
persuaded the people, and having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing
he had been dead. Howbeit,
as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the
city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.
From my study of the scriptures, not
just this passage but the entire Bible rightly divided, in every instance where
someone was stoned, they died. Here are
just a few examples:
Numbers
15:36
And all the
congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and
he died; as the Lord commanded
Moses.
1 Kings
12:18a
Then king Rehoboam sent
Adoram, who was over the tribute; and all Israel stoned him with stones,
that he died.
1 Kings
21:14
Then they sent to
Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead.
Acts
7:59-60
And they stoned
Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And
he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their
charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep [died].
I
believe that when Paul was stoned and then rose up, it was a miracle of God in
order to magnify Paul’s office.
Romans
11:13
For I speak to you
Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine
office:
When
God the Holy Spirit writes that verse through the apostle, he wants to magnify,
not Paul the man but, his apostleship.
He was sent to the Gentiles by Jesus Christ.
Galatians
2:8-9
(For he that wrought
effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was
mighty in me [Paul] toward the Gentiles:) And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be
pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and
Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen
[Gentiles], and they unto the circumcision.
1 Timothy
2:7
Whereunto I am ordained
a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a
teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.
Watch
what happens in Acts 14:20..
Howbeit, as the
disciples stood round about him,
The disciples
were believers—particularly—gentiles, but also Jews – members of the church the
body of Christ.
he rose up,
and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.
Those people who believed that Paul was Christ’s sent one to them watched him die; but
they also witnessed a miracle of God that confirmed Paul’s apostleship. I believe Paul died and in 2 Corinthians he
talks about this unique experience.
2
Corinthians 12:2-4
I knew a man in Christ
above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out
of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third
heaven. And I knew such a man,
(whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) How that he was caught up into paradise,
and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
He heard the angels speak in their tongue.
1
Corinthians 13:1
Though I speak with the
tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding
brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
When
angels speak to men on earth, God gives them the tongues of men. Paul could hear what was taking place in
heaven. I believe that when Paul heard
those unspeakable words, they were spoken in the
heavenly language: tongues of angels.
The
timing of the stoning of Paul in Acts 14:20 seems to fit with when he wrote 2
Corinthians. So I believe he died and
God sent him back. What was the purpose
of this miracle in which God allowed those Christians to see Paul die and then
resurrect?
Romans
15:19
Through mighty signs
and wonders,
(As Paul is out ministering during his apostolic journeys,
God is doing mighty signs and wonders by the power of the Spirit of God, so
that from Jerusalem where he started, and out to Illyricum amongst the gentiles,
Paul fully preaches the gospel.)
by the power of the
Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have
fully preached the gospel of Christ.
It is interesting that early in his
ministry when Paul was preaching the gospel of Christ, God is enabling him to
do mighty signs and wonders in order to strengthen the saints. Today we do not need mighty signs and wonders
from God to be convinced of Paul’s apostleship.
We have his 13 epistles, as well as the books of Acts and 2 Peter in
which Peter tells the little flock of Jewish believers to listen to Paul who
has God’s word.
2 Peter
3:15-16
And account that the
longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul
also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all
his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things
hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as
they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
The book of Acts shows Paul’s
commission and ministry. His 13 epistles
verify that ministry. God doesn’t need a
miracle today to confirm to you and me that Paul is our apostle because we have the complete word of God. But before it was complete, God used those
mighty signs and wonders to not only prove Paul’s apostleship, but also to
strengthen the saints. In addition, Acts
is written to the nation of Israel and the Jews require a sign.
1
Corinthians 1:22a
For the Jews require a
sign,
As the Jews read the book of Acts
they could recognize that Paul was God’s man because of all those miracles that
God did through him.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Footnote:
The
Jews required a visible sign, whereas the Church, the Body of Christ
does not...
2 Corinthians 5:7
(For we walk by faith, not
by sight:)
