The life of Apostle Paul by Clint Davison
Teacher
Lesson Summary
In this class, teacher Clint Davison continued the study of Apostle Paul's first missionary journey, specifically examining events in Iconium and Lystra. The lesson began by reviewing the established pattern Paul followed: entering Jewish synagogues, preaching to both Jews and Gentiles, seeing many believe, and then being opposed by unbelieving Jewish leaders who stirred up the community against him. In Iconium, a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed Paul's message, but unbelieving Jews poisoned the minds of others, eventually forcing Paul and Barnabas to flee to Lystra. The most significant event covered was Paul's healing of a crippled man in Lystra, which led to an extraordinary cultural misunderstanding. The people, viewing this miracle through their pagan worldview, concluded that Paul and Barnabas were gods—specifically Zeus and Hermes—and attempted to offer sacrifices to them. Paul and Barnabas immediately rejected this worship, tearing their clothes in distress and clarifying that they were merely men like their audience. Paul's response revealed important principles: he emphasized that they were witnessing God's work, not divine visitation; he appealed to God's natural revelation through creation, provision of rain, and seasons; and he called people to turn from vain idols to the living God. Davison highlighted how Paul's apologetic approach was audience-specific—using Jewish history with Jewish audiences and God's natural revelation with pagan Gentiles—while maintaining consistent core truths about God's existence and the gospel.
Key Scriptures
Now Iconium, they entered together into a Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed right there. But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands. But the people of the city were divided. Some sided with the Jews and some with the apostles. When an attempt was made by both Gentiles and Jews with their rulers to mistreat them and to stone them, they learned of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Likonia.
Now at Lystra, there was a man sitting who could not use his feet. He was crippled from birth and had never walked. He listened to Paul speaking and Paul looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well, said in a loud voice, stand upright on your feet. And he sprang up and began walking. And when the crowd saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lyconian, the gods have come down to us and the likenesses of men. Barnabas, they called Zeus and Paul Hermes because he was the chief speaker.
The apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd. Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men of like nature with you and bring you good news that you should turn from these vain things to a living God who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.