2But the Jews who disbelieved stirred up the minds of the Gentiles and embittered them against the brethren. 3Therefore they spent a long time there speaking boldly with reliance upon the Lord, who was testifying to the word of His grace, granting that signs and wonders be done by their hands. 4But the people of the city were divided; and some sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles. 5And when an attempt was made by both the Gentiles and the Jews with their rulers, to mistreat and to stone them, 6they became aware of it and fled to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra and Derbe, and the surrounding region; 7and there they continued to preach the gospel.
In the world of contracts and negotiations, the concept of “right of first refusal” gives someone the first right to enter a transaction with the owner of a property before the owner is allowed to entertain offers from other parties. God is the “owner of grace,” so to speak, and the Jews have the right of first refusal. Before Paul offers the gospel message of grace to the Gentiles, he first offers it to the Jews. Only upon the Jews’ refusal does he turn to the Gentiles (see Rom. 1:16). Not only do the Jews reject the message, but just as in Pisidian Antioch, so also in Iconium, disbelieving Jews fomented opposition against Paul and Barnabas.
This time, in Iconium, they stayed much longer to combat this resistance. The preaching duo were emboldened by the miraculous “signs and wonders done by their hands.” While in their previous stop (Pisidian Antioch), there was no mention of miracles but an extended recitation of Paul’s message, here in Iconium the focus is on the miraculous works they were doing. The writer of Hebrews reflected back on this kind of ministry of the apostles when he wrote:
. . . how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard, God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will. (Heb. 2:3–4, see also 2 Cor. 12:12)
Paul referred back to such occurrences in his own ministry as validation of his apostleship: “The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with all perseverance, by signs and wonders and miracles” (2 Cor. 12:12).
Despite miracles, the unbelieving Jews continued to resist the message of God, and the city became divided, with some (the majority) siding with the Jews’ objections and some sympathetic to the apostles. Physical persecution resulted, with the people throwing stones at them, typical treatment of those considered blasphemers. So, the apostles simply left for other preaching fields.
Lord, whether or not You work miracles, I will remain faithful to Your message.
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