Acts 13:45Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

See how malice is struck down when it wishes to strike others. The opposition of those Jews served only for the greater glory of these apostles. Yet earlier they themselves had asked them to speak. "Contradicting and blaspheming." O shamelessness! Where they ought to have agreed with them, they contradicted. And why did the Jews not contradict earlier? Because the preachers had been silent until then. Do you see how they were always governed by passion? They not only contradicted, but also blasphemed. Malice never knows any limit.

"When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with envy." So great is the intolerance of envy. Many people are utterly weakened and die because they see others held in honor. Such people are capable of resisting not only man, but even the will of God.

The report of the new gospel teaching spread throughout the whole city before the following Sabbath. Gentiles, in a great crowd, rushed to the synagogue, as did the Jews.

This sight alone was enough to arouse anger in the Jews. They were filled with a high opinion of themselves as the chosen people, and they nourished contempt for everything Gentile.

Therefore this present preaching was not received with the same goodwill and calm as the first. Paul was interrupted by contradictions and mockery.

In response, he observed that since they did not wish to receive the proclaimed salvation and were turning away from it of themselves, the preachers were free to turn to the Gentiles, who showed greater disposition toward the Gospel.

From Paphos Paul and his companions sailed to the peninsula of Asia Minor and came to Perga in Pamphylia. John Mark returned from there to Jerusalem, while Paul, with his other companions, continued the journey and went deeper into the interior regions of Asia Minor. He came to Antioch of Pisidia.

Here the preaching of the Apostle Paul concerning Christ made a powerful impression on the inhabitants of the city and turned 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).

But this success immediately awakened envy among the Jews. They openly came out against the apostle and, during the preaching, opposed him in every way. They did not shrink from every kind of slander.

"The Jews were filled with envy" (cf. Acts 5:17 and note). These were the Jews whom the grace of God had not touched (v. 43), and who did not believe Paul’s preaching about Christ.

It is noteworthy that here only Jews are mentioned, and not proselytes together with them.

Seeing that almost the whole city was gathering to hear Paul, they were filled with envy toward the great preacher, who had such influence on the masses of the people.

They did not believe in Christ, Whom Paul preached, and they were zealous for gaining proselytes (cf. Mt 23:15). They feared that Paul would draw away these crowds who were gathering to hear him. He might turn from the Jewish faith not only Gentiles who could become proselytes, but also Jews by birth.

The apostles’ preaching in Antioch of Pisidia on the following Sabbath did not take place in the synagogue. So great a multitude had gathered to hear them that the rulers of the synagogue were stirred to such envy against them that they contradicted the apostles in everything, especially Paul. They even fell into abuse and blasphemous slander.

"O shamelessness!" Saint John Chrysostom exclaims about this. "They contradict what they ought to have agreed with."

"So great is the intolerance of envy! Many are utterly exhausted and die because they see others in honor. Such people are able to resist not only man, but even the will of God."