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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Act_14:19-23
19But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having won over the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. 20But while the disciples stood around him, he got up and entered the city. The next day he went away with Barnabas to Derbe. 21After they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, 22strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, "Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God." 23When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
Act_14:19 Jewish opposition in the cities where Paul had preached united in recurrent attacks on him (cf. 2Co_4:7-15; 2Co_6:3-10; 2Co_11:23-30). Notice that the attack was focused on Paul, not Barnabas. Notice also the fickleness of the pagan crowd. Paul and Barnabas are honored as gods one moment and stoned the next!
▣ "they stoned Paul" This was not a resuscitation miracle, but an account of Paul's physical stamina and bravery (cf. Act_14:20-21). 2Co_11:25 and Gal_6:17 also refer to this same event. The stoning planned in Act_14:5 now became a reality!
Act_14:20 "while the disciples stood around him" Although it is not specifically stated, I think this was a prayer meeting to which God wondrously responded. Notice how persecution continued to be the mechanism/motivation for the spread of the gospel (i.e., a new city).
Act_14:21 "After they had preached the gospel to that city" This refers to Derbe (cf. Act_14:20). This city was also in the Lycaonian part of the Roman province of Galatia. This was as far eastward as Paul and Barnabas traveled on this missionary journey.
This city also wonderfully responded to the gospel and many were saved.
▣ "they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch" Apparently they did not preach publicly on this return visit, but were privately organizing and encouraging the believers (cf. Act_14:22-23).
Act_14:22 This verse is a summary of Paul's discipleship message. Notice it is focused on (1) perseverance and (2) tribulation. Believers are matured through trials (cf. Rom_5:3-4; Rom_8:17-18; 1Th_3:3; 2Ti_3:12; Jas_1:2-4; 1Pe_4:12-16).
▣ "strengthening" This term is used several times in the Septuagint in the sense of "to cause to rest on" or "to be established." Luke uses this term several times to describe Paul's follow-up discipleship ministry (cf. Act_14:22; Act_15:32; Act_15:41; Act_18:23).
▣ "the souls of the disciples" The term soul (psuchç) is used in the sense of the person or their mental activities. This is not the Greek concept of every person having an immortal soul, but the Hebrew concept of soul (nephesh, BDB 659, KB 711-713, cf. Gen_2:7) as a way of referring to a human being (cf. Act_2:41; Act_3:23; Act_7:14; Act_14:2; Act_14:22; Act_15:24; Act_27:37).
▣ "encouraging them to continue in the faith" See hyperlink following.
hyperlink
▣ "the kingdom of God" This is a difficult phrase to interpret. Jesus used it often in connection to His own ministry. However, the Apostles obviously misunderstood its significance (cf. Act_1:3; Act_1:6). In Acts it is almost synonymous with the gospel (cf. Act_8:12; Act_19:8; Act_20:25; Act_28:23; Act_28:31). However, in Act_14:22 it takes on eschatological implications. It is this "already" (cf. Mat_12:28; Luk_16:16) vs. "not yet" (cf. Mat_24:14; Mat_24:30; Mat_24:36-37; Mat_25:30-31; 2Pe_1:11) tension which characterizes this age. See Special Topic at Act_2:17. The Kingdom has come in Jesus Christ (i.e., First Coming), but its consummation is future (i.e., Second Coming).
Act_14:23 "they had appointed elders" The term "elders" (presbuteros) is synonymous with the terms "bishop" (episkopos) and "pastors" (poimenos) in the NT (cf. Act_20:17; Act_20:28 and Tit_1:5; Tit_1:7). The term "elder" has a Jewish background (cf. Girdlestone, Synonyms of the Old Testament, pp. 244-246 and Frank Stagg, New Testament Theology, pp. 262-264), while the term "bishop" or "overseer" has a Greek city-state background. There are only two church officers listed in the NT: pastors and deacons (cf. Php_1:1).
The term "appoint" can mean "elect by the show of hands" (cf. 2Co_8:19 and Louw and Nida, Greek-English Lexicon, pp. 363, 484). The term is later used of "ordination" by the early church fathers. The real issue is how does "elect by vote" fit this context? A vote by these new churches seems inappropriate (although the church in Jerusalem voted for the Seven in Acts 6 and the church votes to affirm Paul's ministry to the Gentiles in Acts 15).
F. F. Bruce, Answers to Questions, p. 79 says, "originally indicated appointment or election by a show of hands (literally by stretching out the hand), it had lost this specific force by New Testament times and had come to mean simply 'appoint,' no matter by what procedure." One cannot advocate or reject an ecclesiastical polity by the use of this term in the NT.
Notice that Paul instructs Titus to also appoint "elders" on Crete, but to Timothy in Ephesus Paul says let the church select persons with certain qualifications (cf. 1 Timothy 3). In new areas leaders were appointed, but in established areas leadership traits had a chance to be manifested and be affirmed by the local church.
Notice that Paul's missionary strategy is to establish local churches who will continue the task of evangelism and discipleship in their area (cf. Mat_28:19-20). This is God's method for reaching the entire world (i.e., local churches)!
▣ "church" See Special Topic at Act_5:11.
▣ "having prayed with fasting" This may be purposefully parallel to Act_13:2-3. Paul had experienced the Spirit's power and direction at Antioch. He continued this same spiritual pattern. They had to prepare themselves for God to reveal His will. See hyperlink at Act_13:2.
▣ "in whom they had believed" This is a pluperfect active indicative, which denotes a settled action in past time. These new elders had believed for a period of time and had proved to be faithful exhibiting leadership qualities.
This grammatical construction of eis connected to pisteuô (cf. Act_10:43) is characteristic of John's writings, but is also present in Paul's (cf. Rom_10:14; Gal_2:16; Php_1:29) and Peter (cf. 1Pe_1:8). See the important Special Topics at Act_3:16; Act_6:5.
▣ "they commended them to the Lord" This does not refer to some type of ordination. The same verb is used in Act_14:26 of Paul and Barnabas, while in Act_20:32 for those who were already elders. Ordination is helpful in that it emphasizes the truth that God calls people into leadership roles. It is a negative and unbiblical if it makes a distinction between believers. All believers are called and gifted for ministry (cf. Eph_4:11-12). There is no clergy-laity distinction in the NT.