COMMENTARY

Acts 14:8-18
After a miracle of healing, the people consider Paul and Barnabas to be gods. In this pericope we have Paul's first miracle and his first sermon to pagans. It is very unlike Paul because no mention is made of Jesus and the resurrection, nor the name of Jesus as the power of healing. The account does not say that the faith of the cripple was faith in Jesus, the Healer. Moreover, a miracle usually ends in the people's glorifying God, but here the people give the credit to Paul and Barnabas whom they consider to be Zeus and Hermes descended from heaven. Paul sees their wanting to worship them as gods as blasphemy. In his address he explains that they are fellow humans and calls upon them to forsake their false gods for the true God who created them and provides them …