Acts 14:20, commentary and pictures

After being stoned at Lystra and dragged outside the city as dead, Paul rose up while the faithful disciples stood mourning around him and went back into the city that same day, leaving with Barnabas for Derbe the next day. His rising was a miracle of God preserving his life because his work was not done, seeming to the disciples like a resurrection from the dead. His restoration brought them joy, confirmed their faith in Christ and set the signet of Heaven upon their change of belief. His leaving the day after was in obedience to Christ's direction to flee persecution from one city to another, yet he afterward returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch to confirm the converts and bind off the work securely. The verse thus gives the pattern for missionary labor now, to advance place by place saving souls with no boundaries set, then revisit the churches planted while ever enlarging the circle of influence to all parts of the globe.

Stoning and Recovery

At Lystra Paul was stoned after Jews from Antioch persuaded the fickle idolaters who had once honored him as a god that he and Barnabas were deceivers, turning them against him by falsehood and misrepresentation. Facing a furious mob he was bruised, battered, fainting and apparently dead, dragged insensible through the city gates and thrown beneath the walls outside the city and left for dead. As he lay there the martyrdom of Stephen and his own cruel part in it were vivid in his mind.

As his body lay apparently lifeless, the newly converted disciples who had remained steadfast, loyal and true despite Jewish misrepresentation, persecution, false accusations, unreasoning opposition and cruel persecution gathered sorrowfully around him. At the risk of danger, scorn and reproach they stood lamenting and mourning over him as dead, supposing him dead. Among those standing beside his apparently lifeless body was the young convert Timothy, an eyewitness of Paul's sufferings.

While they stood round about him he suddenly lifted his head and rose to his feet with the praise of God upon his lips, bruised and covered with blood. The Lord preserved the life of His servant because his work was not done, a miracle of God and of divine power preserving his life. To the disciples it seemed like a resurrection from the dead.

His unexpected restoration brought the disciples joy and inexpressible gladness and praise to God, and showed that the attack had not stopped his work. It confirmed their faith in Christ and in the doctrine preached by the apostles, strengthened the faith of the newly converted, and set the signet of God and of Heaven upon their change of belief. In rising, Paul rejoiced because he had been permitted to suffer for the sake of Christ, and praised Jesus for allowing him to suffer for His name. He spoke words of courage to his brethren and offered thanksgiving to God, for opposition and persecution did not turn him from serving Christ, and his faith, strengthened by effort and made pure through sacrifice, upheld him in hardship.

Timothy, having seen him arise, afterward became a prominent worker for Christ sharing the apostle's trials and joys in pioneer service in difficult fields. Having risen, Paul went back into the city that same day despite the danger. He later returned again to Lystra to look after the results of his work and care for the converts there.

Departure and Missionary Pattern

After rising he went back into the city that same day, and the next day he departed with Barnabas from Lystra to Derbe. He entered the city first and then left it for Derbe with Barnabas. His leaving the day after the stoning was in obedience to Christ's direction, When they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another, to flee persecution by going from one city to another.

At Derbe their labors in preaching the gospel were blessed and many souls were led to receive Christ as the Saviour. Many were taught there and many embraced the truth and accepted it. That leaving did not abandon the former fields, for afterward they returned again to Lystra and to Iconium and Antioch to revisit the churches planted. They came to strengthen and encourage the believing brethren exposed to reproach and bitter opposition, to confirm souls and exhort continuance in the faith through much tribulation, and to bind off the work securely so it would not ravel out, then returning to the sending base.

This is the pattern for missionary labor to be carried out now, to visit every place where an entrance can be gained and to advance place by place with success in saving souls to Jesus Christ, with no boundaries set to the sphere of labor. After a large territory is worked the churches planted are to be visited again to confirm souls and exhort continuance in the faith through much tribulation, and then return is made to the sending place. The moves are to be ever-advancing to extend the truth to all parts of the globe and to enlarge the circle of influence, ever meditating advancement and educating more workers for further conquests for Christ in fulfillment of the commission to teach all nations. Laborers together with God in the last days will meet experiences similar to the stoning, yet like Paul they are to rise and move on.