The next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered together to hear the word of God. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with jealousy, and contradicted what was spoken by Paul in disgusting language. This led to Paul and Barnabas speaking boldly in the following terms, "It was necessary for the word of God to be spoken to you first. But now that you thrust it away from you, judging yourselves unworthy of eternal life, you will note that we now turn to the Gentiles. For indeed the Lord has commanded us (Jews), saying, 'I have set you to be a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the uttermost parts of the earth.'" So when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, glorifying the word of God; and indeed as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. And that is how the word of the Lord spread throughout all that region. At the instigation of the Jews, the pious women of high status and the city's eminent men kept hounding Paul and Barnabas, requiring them to leave their district. But shaking the dust from their feet against them, they went on to Ico'nium. And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
In a Nutshell
After the initial reception, news about Paul and Barnabas and their message drew a large crowd the next Sabbath. Those in control of the synagogue fomented opposition among the powerful people of that city. They had to go but the seed had been planted.
Questions
Consider Isaiah's question: Is it too light a thing that you are my servant to restore Israel? (Isaiah 49:6). What was the historic task of Paul and Barnabas?
You will recall that on the previous Sabbath the rulers of the synagogue had asked Paul and Barnabas to address them. They did so. The people of the synagogue begged them to return the next Sabbath and when they did it brought a double reaction. A very large crowd assembled filling the synagogue. Luke says that "the Jews" were jealous. It was simply jealousy. The message Paul and Barnabas had proclaimed, the fulfilment of the law and the prophets in Jesus of Nazareth, drew a large crowd - almost the entire city was there, but jealousy took hold. It grew ugly.
The first time Paul and Barnabas had been asked to conduct synagogue worship and were given a wonderful reception. Then, after the service "many Jews and devout converts to Judaism" followed them to receive further instruction. But the next week was different. They began to sense the danger they were in. The Gentiles who believed praised God for accepting them through the work of the Jewish Messiah. Paul had told them they were justified, made right, cleansed. In the face of Jewish opposition to his message, he explained how they intended to keep on proclaiming the message to the Gentiles. Many of Jesus' own people were unwilling to believe that He was the fulfilment of their religion. Paul appealed to Isaiah prophet: "It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved of Israel. I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth" (49:6). The Gentiles were overjoyed. But Luke explains that forward movement was not easy. There was always deep opposition. The message of the Son of Man offended the sensibilities of many; it provoked deep reaction and still does. Jesus predicted this, instructing His disciples to "shake the dust off their feet" and move on when they were not welcome. The action was to be decisive; not even their dust was to be taken with them. They must not get themselves entrapped.