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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Act_13:44-47
44The next Sabbath nearly the whole city assembled to hear the word of the Lord. 45But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began contradicting the things spoken by Paul, and were blaspheming. 46Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, "It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first; since you repudiate it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. 47For so the Lord has commanded us, 'I have placed You as a light for the Gentiles, That You may bring salvation to the end of the earth.'"
Act_13:44 Paul's message had an obvious impact. This is also hyperbole. Not everyone in the city attended.
NASB, NRSV,
TEV "the word of the Lord"
NKJV, NJB,
REB"the word of God"
There is a Greek manuscript variant at this point.
1. Lord is in MSS P74, à , A, B2
2. God is in MSS B, C, E
The UBS4 puts "Lord" in the text, but rates it "C" (difficulty deciding). As with so many variants, this does not change the sense of the text. The gospel is a divine revelation about Jesus, the Messiah/Christ.
Act_13:45 "when the Jews saw the crowd. . .jealousy" Whether it was the large turnout or the large number of Gentiles in the crowd that caused the jealousy is uncertain in this context. Jealousy is attributed to Jewish leadership both in Jerusalem and the Diaspora. (cf. Mat_27:18; Mar_15:10; Act_17:5).
Later in Romans Paul develops the theological problem of Jewish unbelief (cf. Romans 9-11). He asserts that God has temporarily blinded Israel so that the Gentiles might be saved. However, God will use the salvation of the Gentiles as a means (i.e., jealousy) to cause Israel to respond to Christ, so that all believers will be united through the gospel (cf. Eph_2:11 to Eph_3:13).
The problem is when does this occur? The same question could be asked of Zec_12:10. Is this prophecy related to the early church, which was made up of believing Jews, or to a future period? Jealousy is meant for a redemptive purpose (cf. Rom_10:19; Rom_11:11; Rom_11:14), but the jealousy in this text causes unbelief!
▣ "they were fill with jealousy" See note at Act_3:10.
▣ "were blaspheming" As these Jews defended their traditions and attacked Paul's preaching, they themselves were guilty of blasphemy. There is no middle ground here. Either Judaism or Christianity is a true reflection of God's will. They are exclusive!
Act_13:46 "spoke out boldly" This is one of the signs in Acts of being Spirit-filled.
▣ "'It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first'" This was the pattern of early missionary preaching. The Jews had priority (cf. Romans 9-11), but God had included Gentiles. Those in the synagogue knew their OT and could check the prophecies. Acts has a series of texts on this concept and pattern (cf. Act_3:26; Act_9:20; Act_13:5; Act_13:14; Act_16:13; Act_17:2; Act_17:10; Act_17:17).
▣ "'you repudiate it'" This is a strong verb (present middle indicative) used several times in the Septuagint. Its basic meaning is "to thrust away." It was used of the Israelites in Stephen's sermon (cf. Act_7:39). It is also used by Paul in Rom_11:1-2 to assert that God has not rejected His people, but they have rejected His Son, His only means of salvation, His full revelation.
▣ "'judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life'" It is difficult to hold the concept of predestination, which is emphasized so often in Acts, with the concept of mandated individual personal response. No one can come to faith without the drawing of the Spirit (cf. Joh_6:44; Joh_6:65), but we are judged by whether we respond or not. By their rejection of Paul's preaching of the gospel, they revealed their true selves (cf. Joh_3:17-21). The blame for lack of response cannot be placed on God. He has provided a way, His Son, but He is the only way! It is the myster of "unbelief"!
▣ "we are turning to the Gentiles" This becomes a regular pattern of gospel proclamation (cf. Act_18:6; Act_22:21; Act_26:20; Act_28:28; Rom_1:16).
Act_13:47 This is a quote from Isa_49:6 (cf. Isa_42:6) from the Septuagint. Simeon used this quote at the blessing of Jesus in Luk_2:32 to affirm His Messianic task of universal redemption (see Special Topic at Act_1:8). It is even possible that the "light" in the context refers to Paul and Barnabas' preaching of the gospel to these Gentiles (cf. "Use of the Old Testament in the New," by Darrell Boch, p. 97 in Foundations for Biblical Interpretation, Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1994). Now Paul uses it to show the universal proclamation of the universal gospel!
The ending phrase, "to the end of the earth," may be an allusion to Act_1:8. It highlights the universality of the gospel.