HKB
With difficulty the Apostles prevented the people from doing sacrifice unto them.
These people, who had been ready to worship the Apostles as gods, were soon led into a contrary extreme: for certain Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, who probably told the people of Lystra, that Paul and Barnabas were only magicians and sorcerers; and that though they had by their wicked arts healed one cripple, they were just as likely to do harm to their fellow creatures as good. These men, "persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead. Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city." The Lord had work for him to do, and now restored him to life. What had now happened, was a warning to Paul to remain no longer at Lystra; "and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe," another city of Lycaonia, not far from Lystra. "And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many," they, trusting in the protection of God, went again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch, to strengthen the faith of those whom they had already converted to Christianity; "confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith"; and showing them that those who would enter into the kingdom of heaven, must expect many troubles upon earth. The Apostles then appointed elders to look after and direct the affairs of every Church, or body of Christians in those towns, and with prayer and fasting, they commended them to the protection and blessing of "the Lord, on whom they believed."
St. Paul and his company then journeyed through Pisidia and Pamphylia: "and when they had preached the word in Perga," the chief city in Pamphylia, "they went down into Attalia," a sea-port to the S. W. of Perga, "and thence sailed to Antioch," in Syria. This ended St. Paul's first Apostolic Journey, which had occupied rather more than one year. At Antioch they had been appointed to their work; and the protection and grace of God had been prayed for to enable them to perform it. They had now accomplished their work, and therefore they "gathered the church together," and told all that they had done, or rather "all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles"--that is, how, by their preaching, God had given to the idolatrous Gentiles an opportunity of becoming true believers, and members of the Church,--an opportunity of which great numbers had gladly taken advantage.
No doubt all the believers in Antioch rejoiced greatly when they heard of the success which had attended the Apostles' preaching; for all who know and love God themselves, are anxious that others should do so also.
St. Paul and St. Barnabas abode for some time with the disciples at Antioch: probably for about two years. Towards the end of this period, the Christians at Antioch were disturbed by the mistaken teaching of certain men who came down from Judæa. These men, who were Jews, had belonged to the sect of the Pharisees, and though now converted to be Christians, they could not yet believe that all the ceremonial part of the Law of Moses was to be entirely done away with: therefore, when they were come to Antioch, they "taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved."