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RETURN TO LYSTRA, ICONIUM, AND ANTIOCH (21-23)

After preaching in Derbe, Paul and Barnabas return to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch to
strengthen and exhort the disciples and encourage them to continue in the faith. They also
appoint elders in every church and, after praying and fasting, commended them to the Lord.

Act 14:21 And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they
returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch,

The word about Paul and the gospel has already spread throughout Galatia, and the people in
the next city are ready to receive the gospel and hear the teaching of the Word.

Two words are mentioned in this verse that should be noted: preached and taught. Preaching
is for the unbelievers. It is how they hear the gospel. Teaching is for believers, the disciples,
and they heard the Word.

Not only have the next cities heard about Paul’s resurrection, the word about what happened
spreads back to the cities where Paul and Barnabas have received so much persecution. It was
probably during this time when people regretted what had happened and would have “plucked
out” their eyes and given them to Paul (Galatians 4:15). After having been stoned, Paul
probably wasn’t a pretty sight!

However, Paul isn’t deterred by what has just happened; he continues to preach and teach
despite his physical condition. In 2 Corinthians 11:24-27, Paul describes more about his
sufferings during this time.

TEACHING THE WORD

Act 14:22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith,
and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

Through the teaching of the Word, the souls of the disciples are grounded and established. The
soul is stabilized by the Word. Confirmation is for the present. Exhortation is for the future.
Paul is unable to remain with them, and he wants them to be spiritually self-sustaining.

The “kingdom of God” is a reference to the spiritual walk of faith God wants all of us to obtain.
It is comparable to the land of Canaan in the Old Testament. The life of faith is a goal every
believer should attain to and it comes to us through knowledge of the Word of God. It also
comes through much tribulation from the religious crowd. This crowd has always opposed the
truth from the time of the prophets, to Jesus, and to the apostles of the New Testament. This is
true for all believers. Satan will always oppose the deeper walk, but God gives us the strength
and power to overcome.

14:21-22 Suffering, Tribulation, CONFLICT AND THE KINGDOM. Paul not only taught the
joy and peace of the kingdom of God (Romans 14:17), it’s power (1 Corinthians 4:20),
and its present authority to cause the believer to triumph over evil (2 Timothy 4:18;