Acts 13:27Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

"Not knowing Him," he says. Thus it was a sin of ignorance. See how he gently justifies them. He not only says this, but adds that it had to be so. Their guilt was great if, while constantly hearing, they paid no heed. This is in no way surprising. What was said about Egypt and the wilderness sufficiently shows their ingratitude. But how did they not understand, you will say, when John spoke to them? What is surprising in this, when they did not listen even to the prophets, who often spoke to them? And see: nowhere does he touch on their good deeds, but only on those worthy of condemnation. Precisely what they asked for, the killing of Christ, and obtained, serves for their greatest condemnation.

"Not knowing Him." In some measure he excuses them. They crucified Him, he says, not knowing who He was, for the crime was committed through ignorance.

Paul's sermon in this synagogue gives us the first example of the Apostle's wisdom and skill in acting upon the hearts of his hearers. Wishing to gain their attention and trust, he first points to how God chose them as a people set apart for Himself. Then he briefly reviews all that God did for His people until David, from whose seed the Messiah was to come in fulfillment of the promises. After this preparation, the Apostle turns to the chief purpose of his speech. He speaks of the appearance of the Messiah and of what He accomplished for the salvation of the human race. Paul now said, addressing the Jews and proselytes present, that this preaching of salvation was appointed for them.

From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to the peninsula of Asia Minor and came to Perga in Pamphylia. From there John Mark returned to Jerusalem. Paul, with his other companions, continued the journey and advanced into the inland regions of Asia Minor. He came to Antioch of Pisidia. There the Apostle Paul's preaching about Christ made a powerful impression on the city's inhabitants. It converted many Jews and Gentiles to Christ. Yet the majority of the Jews remained deaf to the apostles' preaching. They even stirred up a disturbance against Paul and Barnabas and drove them out of the city. Therefore the apostles went on farther, shaking off the dust from their feet against them, according to Christ's commandment (Mt 10:14).

For, here the particle is not causal but explanatory. The inhabitants of Jerusalem, and so forth: the event of Jesus Christ's condemnation, death, and burial is briefly depicted. Not knowing Him as their Messiah, not recognizing Him as the Messiah: this is gentle speech, as though excusing the rulers and the people in their crime. It is in the same sense in which the Apostle Peter spoke, and wholly in Christ's loving spirit; see the note on Acts 3:17. Having condemned Him, namely, to death. They fulfilled the prophetic words. Contrary to their own intention and efforts, they fulfilled what God had foreordained from eternity and foretold through His prophets. That is, Christ had to suffer and die; see the note on Acts 3:18. Read every Sabbath: "a goad in the eyes!" What blindness!

In the application of the speech to the hearers, one sees the preacher's special skill in making use of what the facts at hand provide. Speaking of how Christ the Savior was not recognized in Jerusalem, he draws from this the conclusion that salvation has been sent to his hearers. Thus they should make use of what others did not know how to use. It is worth noting that this offer is made respectfully to the hearers, as children of Abraham and heirs of the promises they had received. He also speaks calmly about the inhabitants of Jerusalem, without any condemnation of them. He even gives a certain justification, namely, that they did not know. Moreover, they acted in fulfillment of the prophecies read in the synagogues and therefore known to all, more or less.