The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed,
At Lystra a man crippled from birth who had never walked listened as Paul spoke. Paul looked steadily at him with sympathy and hope and discerned that trust was rising in him to be made whole. As he heard of Christ's healing works the first conception of faith in the true God formed in him, a confidence that the risen Christ remained his Friend and Healer with even greater power than on earth. That trust took hold of the command to stand upright, and strength came in the act of obeying, so he stood and walked and leaped in complete health. The cure was public and undeniable, yet the people misread it as proof the gods had come down, and Paul restrained their worship by declaring himself only a man pointing them to the living Creator and His Son the great Healer.
Healing at Lystra
At Lystra a man crippled from birth, who had never walked, heard Paul speak. As he listened Paul steadfastly beheld him, noticing his eyes fastened upon him. With sympathy and hope Paul perceived and discerned that he had faith to be healed.
Paul had been recounting Christ's works in healing the afflicted and preaching Jesus as healer. As the man listened he received and believed the words, and the first conception of faith in the true God formed in his mind. That faith was trust that the risen Christ, though ascended to heaven, remained his Friend and Physician and Healer, with even more power than when upon earth.
That faith grasped and obeyed Paul's command to stand upright. Strength came with the effort of acting in faith. So he who had only been able to sit stood for the first time in his life and walked and leaped and rejoiced in perfect health and strength, as though he had never known infirmity, a complete miracle performed through Paul.
Response and Opposition
The healing was real and complete, done before the eyes of the people and so widely known that there was no room to doubt it. It astonished and stirred those who saw it as proof that supernatural power attended the apostles. The Lycaonians at Lystra wrongly concluded that the gods had come down in the likeness of men. They identified the apostles as Mercury and Jupiter and called Paul a god, and attempted to offer sacrifice to them. The miracle did not make Paul and Barnabas divine.
Paul was grieved and restrained the idol-worshiping people with much persuasion and careful explanation. He told them he and his fellow laborer were only men and representatives of the God of heaven and of His Son the great Healer. He directed minds to worship the living God who made heaven and earth and the sea and all things therein as the only object worthy of adoration. Opposing Jews from Antioch and Iconium followed Paul and Barnabas to Lystra in envy. They falsely denied that God had any part in the miracle and claimed it was done through demons whom the apostles served.
The same hostile charge had been made against the Saviour when He was accused of casting out devils through the prince of devils and denounced as a deceiver. The same unreasoning wrath was now turned upon His apostles. The fickle, excitable people of Lystra, whose faith was not anchored in the true God, were turned by false reports and falsehoods from readiness to worship Paul and Barnabas to bitterness and hate. They came to regard them as worse than murderers who ought to be put out of the world, and those ready to worship them stoned Paul and drew him out of the city supposing him dead. As the disciples stood about him mourning, Paul rose up to their joy and went with them into the city.
Despite the persecution and furious mob he later returned to care for the converts there. The response of the people of Lystra in calling Paul a god after a remarkable event is compared with the later episode at Melita.
Pattern for Gospel Workers
Acts 14:9 belongs to the record of how Paul and Barnabas labored that those preparing to be laborers together with God in these last days must study and become familiar with. The chapter containing it shows God's appointed way for enlarging the circle of influence and increasing missionaries. That way is visiting every place where entrance can be gained with success in saving souls to Christ, working a large territory, then revisiting the churches planted, and returning to the place from which they were sent. The same way of work is to be carried on now, and present laborers will realize similar experiences to those recorded in the chapter, including opposition, suffering, and entering the kingdom through much tribulation.
Paul's work with the cripple who heard him speak shows him as a soul-winner who stayed firmly connected with Christ wherever he was. Whether before Pharisees or Roman authorities, with rich or poor, learned or ignorant, with the cripple at Lystra or with convicted sinners in a Macedonian dungeon, he presented the truth as it is in Christ. He did not reveal smartness as a theologian with words as little understood as Greek. To the cripple and among people in every circumstance he lifted up Christ as the One who hates sin and loves the sinner. He lifted Him up as the One who bore our sins and has full power and authority to give His righteousness and impart it to us.
Hearts cannot fail to be touched by the story of the atonement. Those who keep the heart under the control of the Holy Spirit will sow seed that springs up to eternal life. The episode to which the verse belongs shows Paul continuing to serve Christ despite opposition and persecution, even in the face of a furious mob.
At Lystra a man crippled from birth who had never walked listened as Paul spoke. Paul looked steadily at him with sympathy and hope and discerned that trust was rising in him to be made whole. As he heard of Christ's healing works the first conception of faith in the true God formed in him, a confidence that the risen Christ remained his Friend and Healer with even greater power than on earth. That trust took hold of the command to stand upright, and strength came in the act of obeying, so he stood and walked and leaped in complete health. The cure was public and undeniable, yet the people misread it as proof the gods had come down, and Paul restrained their worship by declaring himself only a man pointing them to the living Creator and His Son the great Healer.
Healing at Lystra
At Lystra a man crippled from birth, who had never walked, heard Paul speak. As he listened Paul steadfastly beheld him, noticing his eyes fastened upon him. With sympathy and hope Paul perceived and discerned that he had faith to be healed.
Paul had been recounting Christ's works in healing the afflicted and preaching Jesus as healer. As the man listened he received and believed the words, and the first conception of faith in the true God formed in his mind. That faith was trust that the risen Christ, though ascended to heaven, remained his Friend and Physician and Healer, with even more power than when upon earth.
That faith grasped and obeyed Paul's command to stand upright. Strength came with the effort of acting in faith. So he who had only been able to sit stood for the first time in his life and walked and leaped and rejoiced in perfect health and strength, as though he had never known infirmity, a complete miracle performed through Paul.
Response and Opposition
The healing was real and complete, done before the eyes of the people and so widely known that there was no room to doubt it. It astonished and stirred those who saw it as proof that supernatural power attended the apostles. The Lycaonians at Lystra wrongly concluded that the gods had come down in the likeness of men. They identified the apostles as Mercury and Jupiter and called Paul a god, and attempted to offer sacrifice to them. The miracle did not make Paul and Barnabas divine.
Paul was grieved and restrained the idol-worshiping people with much persuasion and careful explanation. He told them he and his fellow laborer were only men and representatives of the God of heaven and of His Son the great Healer. He directed minds to worship the living God who made heaven and earth and the sea and all things therein as the only object worthy of adoration. Opposing Jews from Antioch and Iconium followed Paul and Barnabas to Lystra in envy. They falsely denied that God had any part in the miracle and claimed it was done through demons whom the apostles served.
The same hostile charge had been made against the Saviour when He was accused of casting out devils through the prince of devils and denounced as a deceiver. The same unreasoning wrath was now turned upon His apostles. The fickle, excitable people of Lystra, whose faith was not anchored in the true God, were turned by false reports and falsehoods from readiness to worship Paul and Barnabas to bitterness and hate. They came to regard them as worse than murderers who ought to be put out of the world, and those ready to worship them stoned Paul and drew him out of the city supposing him dead. As the disciples stood about him mourning, Paul rose up to their joy and went with them into the city.
Despite the persecution and furious mob he later returned to care for the converts there. The response of the people of Lystra in calling Paul a god after a remarkable event is compared with the later episode at Melita.
Pattern for Gospel Workers
Acts 14:9 belongs to the record of how Paul and Barnabas labored that those preparing to be laborers together with God in these last days must study and become familiar with. The chapter containing it shows God's appointed way for enlarging the circle of influence and increasing missionaries. That way is visiting every place where entrance can be gained with success in saving souls to Christ, working a large territory, then revisiting the churches planted, and returning to the place from which they were sent. The same way of work is to be carried on now, and present laborers will realize similar experiences to those recorded in the chapter, including opposition, suffering, and entering the kingdom through much tribulation.
Paul's work with the cripple who heard him speak shows him as a soul-winner who stayed firmly connected with Christ wherever he was. Whether before Pharisees or Roman authorities, with rich or poor, learned or ignorant, with the cripple at Lystra or with convicted sinners in a Macedonian dungeon, he presented the truth as it is in Christ. He did not reveal smartness as a theologian with words as little understood as Greek. To the cripple and among people in every circumstance he lifted up Christ as the One who hates sin and loves the sinner. He lifted Him up as the One who bore our sins and has full power and authority to give His righteousness and impart it to us.
Hearts cannot fail to be touched by the story of the atonement. Those who keep the heart under the control of the Holy Spirit will sow seed that springs up to eternal life. The episode to which the verse belongs shows Paul continuing to serve Christ despite opposition and persecution, even in the face of a furious mob.