Acts 13:46Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Thus they intended to go to the Gentiles. Yet see that even in this resolve a measure was observed, as was fitting.

If Peter made a defense, then all the more did they need a defense, because no one had invited them there.

By the word "first" he expressed that it was necessary to preach also to them. By the word "necessary" he showed that it was also required for these.

"But since you reject it," he does not say, "Woe to you," or, "You will be punished," but, "We turn to the Gentiles."

Do you see how full of great meekness this resolve is? Yet look also at the apostles’ resolve.

"It was necessary," it says, "that the word of God should be spoken to you first. But since you reject it." Nothing insulting is said.

The Jews acted in the same way toward the prophets. "We will not," they said, "we will not listen to you" (1 Kgdms 8:19; Jer 44:16).

"But since you reject it," he says, not us, because your insult does not concern us.

So that no one might think that they judged themselves unworthy out of reverence, Paul first said, "You reject it," and then, "We turn to the Gentiles."

These words are filled with great meekness. He did not say, "We are leaving you," in order to show that it was possible to return here again.

This departure does not take place because of your insult, but because we have been commanded so. The Gentiles must hear the word of God.

Yet it depends not on us, but on you, that they will have to hear it before you.

But Paul and Barnabas already had examples of activity toward the Gentiles in Peter (chapter 10) and in the Antiochian preachers (Acts 11:20). Therefore they freely and boldly proclaimed this thought here, having in view also their being sent by the Holy Spirit to the Gentiles (vv. 1-4).

Justifying this intention, to turn with the preaching of Christ to the Gentiles, the apostles point out that this preaching had first to be offered to the Jews. But since they themselves reject it, the preachers must turn with it to the Gentiles.

"It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first," that is, the teaching about Christ, the Savior of the world, or the gospel teaching in general. This was necessary both by the clear command of the Lord Himself (Acts 1:8; Acts 3:26; Rom 1:16), and in general according to the divine plan for the salvation of the human race.

According to this plan, the Hebrew people in particular were prepared to receive the Messiah. From this people and among this people the Messiah appeared.

"But since you reject it," not believing the preaching about Christ, "and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life," the gift of which to all mankind is the very purpose of the Messiah’s coming, and which is given only by Him and reached only by faith in Him, "behold, we turn" with it "to the Gentiles."

They can attain eternal life apart from the Jewish law (v. 39), if they believe in Christ, Whom we preach to them.

"These words are filled with great meekness. He did not say, 'We are leaving you,' in order to show that it was possible to return here again. This departure does not take place because of your insult, but because we have been commanded so.

The Gentiles must hear the word of God. Yet it depends not on us, but on you, that they will have to hear it before you" (Chrysostom).

According to the explanation of Saint John Chrysostom, the Apostles spoke to the Jews as if saying: "The Gentiles must hear the word of God. Yet it depends not on us, but on you, that they will have to hear it before you. The teaching of the Lord had to be preached first to you (see Acts 1:8; 3:26; Rom 1:16). But since you refuse to hear us, then, in fulfillment of another decree of God spoken about the Messiah through the prophet Isaiah, we shall enlighten the Gentiles and order salvation for them to the ends of the earth."

And again a blow was dealt to envy. The Jews did not wish to see the conversion of their fellow citizens. Yet they had to hear that the conversion of people throughout the whole world to Christ was being prepared.

"Do you see," says Saint John Chrysostom, "how, because of the Jews' resistance, they extended their preaching farther and turned still more to the Gentiles, having justified themselves and made themselves free from accusations before their own kinsmen?"

"We turn to the Gentiles." He does not say, "We leave you," but speaks in such a way as to allow the possibility of his return to Antioch.

The expression "with boldness" is worthy of note. This boldness is mentioned because, although Jesus Christ Himself commanded them to preach to the whole world (see Mt 28:19), this was not yet a universally recognized matter.

For this reason, there were various perplexities concerning preaching among the Gentiles (see Acts 11:2-3, 15). At the same time, it must be said that Paul and Barnabas were not unaware of cases of the Gentiles' conversion (see Acts 10; Acts 11:20).

Therefore their boldness was, so to speak, firm and resolute.

The malicious attitude of the Jews toward the word of salvation gives the Apostles occasion to declare boldly, with confidence, as is proper to true ministers of the Word (see Prov 1:21), that they now turn with this word of salvation to the Gentiles.

They declare that they are now Apostles of the Gentiles (see Rom 11:13). In justifying this declaration, the Apostle Paul here expresses the same thoughts about the Jews and their relation to salvation that later received full development in the Epistle to the Romans (see Rom 10:19-21).

"According to the divine decree concerning the salvation of the human race, you were the first who had to hear the word of God and receive salvation (verse 26), so as to spread it to the ends of the earth. But since you reject this word of life (see Acts 5:20), and by this make yourselves unworthy of eternal life, whose bestowal is the purpose of the Messiah's coming, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. For from eternity God appointed the Messiah to be a light for the Gentiles and salvation to the end of the earth. As proof of this thought, the Apostle cites the words from the book of the prophet Isaiah (49:6). These words also serve the Apostles as a commandment to preach among the Gentiles, because the words of God would not have been fulfilled if their preaching had not taken place."