Acts 14:8
And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had walked: And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had walked:
At Lystra there sat a man powerless in his feet, crippled from birth, who had never walked or stood and could only sit. Because his infirmity was lifelong and well known, his afterward standing and walking was seen as a complete restoration to perfect health and strength, not a recovery from passing sickness, leaving no room for doubt. As he listened to Paul recount Christ's healings he believed, and Paul, discerning his faith, commanded him to stand upright, which he grasped by faith and instantly obeyed, rising for the first time and walking and leaping as though he had never been lame. The cure done openly before them convinced the people that supernatural power attended the apostles, yet Paul refused to be worshiped as a god and directed them to the living God who made heaven and earth as alone to be worshiped. The whole of Acts 14 is thus to be studied as the pattern for laborers together with God in the last days, who lift up Christ as sin-bearer before all classes and sow the story of the atonement under the Holy Spirit unto eternal life.
The Cripple at Lystra
At Lystra sat a certain man impotent in his feet, crippled from his mother's womb, who had never walked and had never stood. He had no use of his feet or limbs and had only ever been able to take a sitting posture. He was unable to walk from birth and could sit but could do nothing else with his feet.
His disability was lifelong and well known in that place. That lifelong condition makes clear that his afterward standing and walking was a complete healing to perfect health and strength, not a recovery from a temporary illness. The cure was complete and left no room for skepticism or doubt.
The verse identifies the setting of the miracle in Acts 14:8-20 during Paul's earlier visit to Lystra with Barnabas. After leaving Jerusalem they went into other cities preaching Jesus and working miracles, with many converted. There he was first honored and then met with hostility after opponents turned the people against him, yet Paul later returned to Lystra to care for the converts there despite that danger.
Healing Through Faith
Paul was recounting the works of Christ in healing the afflicted before the idolatrous assembly when the crippled man fastened his eyes upon him and received and believed his words. Paul discerned his faith, and sympathy went out toward him with hope that the Saviour, though ascended to heaven, is still man's Friend and Physician with even more power than when on earth. The man listened with that believing attention which opened the way for healing.
In that presence Paul commanded him to stand upright on his feet, and the man grasped the words with faith and instantly obeyed. He stood for the first time in his life, and strength came with that effort of faith. He walked and leaped in perfect health and strength as though he had never known infirmity.
Paul worked for this sufferer as one of every kind of person, whether rich or poor, learned or ignorant. He did so by lifting up Christ before him as the One who hates sin and loves the sinner. Christ bore our sins and therefore has full power and authority to impart His righteousness.
Response and Present Pattern
The cure was complete and publicly witnessed, leaving no room for skepticism because the man was well known in the place, and it convinced the Lycaonians that supernatural power attended the apostles. All who saw it were stirred by it, and the people responded by regarding Paul and Barnabas as gods, an idea the apostles rejected. The idol-worshiping people were ready and about to offer sacrifice to the disciples as divine beings.
Paul was grieved and told them that he and his fellow laborer were only men. He told them that God who made heaven and earth and the sea and all things therein must alone be worshiped, thus exalting God before them. This formed in their minds the first knowledge and first idea of faith in the true God and of the worship and honor due Him, though he could scarcely restrain the people.
The miracle and its effect aroused the envy of unbelieving Jews from Antioch and Iconium and other cities, who followed after Paul to Lystra. They came with false reports about the history, faith, character and work of Paul and Barnabas, and filled the people of Lystra, whose faith was not anchored in the true God, with their own bitterness. They falsely denied that God had any part in the healing and claimed it was accomplished through demons served by the apostles, repeating the charge once made against Christ of casting out devils through the prince of devils and denouncing Him as a deceiver. In this way wonder and admiration and readiness to worship the disciples were turned to hate, so that those who had regarded them as divine beings came to regard them as worse than murderers who ought to be put out of the world. Those who had been ready to worship the disciples stoned Paul and drew him out of the city supposing him dead, but as the disciples stood about him mourning, to their joy he rose up and went with them into the city.
Paul stood before the furious mob never ashamed of the cause he advocated. His one great purpose in Christian life was to serve Him whose name had once filled him with contempt, and no opposition or persecution could turn him aside from that purpose, his faith made strong by effort and pure by sacrifice upholding and strengthening him. The whole of Acts 14 is to be studied and become familiar as the pattern for those preparing to be laborers together with God in these last days. In that pattern missionaries visit every place where entrance can be gained for saving souls to Jesus Christ, revisit the churches planted, and realize similar experiences to those of Paul and Barnabas. The story of the atonement touches hearts, and keeping the heart under the control of the Holy Spirit enables sowing seed that will spring up to eternal life.