Acts 13:29Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

See how carefully they did this. See how, moved by the Spirit Himself, he continually preaches concerning the Passion and burial of Christ.

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).

"Taking Him down from the tree, they laid Him in a tomb." The Lord was taken down from the Cross and laid in the tomb not by His enemies, but by Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, who were well disposed toward Him (Jn 19:38 and following). They too were rulers of the people, and one of them was also a resident of Jerusalem. Yet in his brief account, the apostle presents the whole matter as the work of the rulers of the people and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. He does not mention those among them who were disposed toward Christ, but speaks in general terms.

The Apostle here softens the words about the death of Jesus Christ by attributing His killing, as it were, to Pilate. Yet Pilate did this at the request of the Jews, who in turn acted in fulfillment of the prophecies concerning Him. Crucifixion on a cross was considered an especially disgraceful execution. Therefore the Apostle speaks generally of the killing of the Innocent One, of taking Him down from the tree, and of laying Him in a tomb. Men did all this, but God raised Him.