The episode in Lystra clearly shows the main danger the Church would have to face when its Jewish component, if it did not disappear entirely, became hardly noticeable. This would happen much later, of course, but the first signs of future problems, as we can see, appeared already in early Christian times...
The episode in Lystra clearly shows the main danger the Church would have to face when its Jewish component, if it did not disappear entirely, became hardly noticeable. This would happen much later, of course, but the first signs of future problems, as we can see, appeared already in early Christian times. The essence of the problem, to put it briefly, came down to the recent pagans' violation of the second commandment of the Decalogue. Or to constant attempts to violate it, which eventually became an unhealthy spiritual tendency in the Church. And the question is not at all something malicious: the second commandment was violated from the best motives. But a violation remained a violation, and the result was the loss of God, the loss of God's presence in the life of individual people and sometimes of whole communities.
In Lystra everything was still very naive and obvious in its naivete, but the essence of the problem was marked out quite clearly. The logic is simple: they heal, therefore they are gods. Pagans were not entirely without spiritual experience, though it was very specific. They fully allowed for appearances of gods. And the form of these gods during their appearance could be the most unexpected. But most often they appeared in human form. Nothing prevents a pagan from seeing a god in the person through whom God's power acts.
Here it is precisely the logic of a pagan who in principle believes in the One, being sure that all gods and spirits are manifestations of His power. And a person can be a manifestation and embodiment of the power of the One. Or of one of the other gods. In this sense a person can be both Zeus and Hermes. It would seem that this is purely pagan naivete. But then we would have to admit that there was enough of it among the people of God too, certainly before the Babylonian exile. The story with the golden calf can be considered archetypal. And this very calf was not at all considered a pagan god, some Egyptian Apis.
They saw in it the God of Moses, the very God who led the people out of Egypt. A symbol? Yes. But one pointing not to Yahweh, but still to Apis: the image has too many associations with Apis, and none with Yahweh. The symbol screened God from view. A simple symbol. What then can be said about a real theophany? About an appearance of God's power? Such an appearance easily and simply screens God from view. Paradoxically, it turns out that fallen man in the fallen world is most easily led away from God precisely by theophany.
By an appearance of God's power. It is enough merely to tear one's gaze away from God and shift it to the effects caused by the action of this power. From Him Himself to the miracles, healings, and resurrections He performs. It is no accident that Jesus always refused "custom-ordered" miracles. And if God's power acts through a person, then seeing a god in that person is the easiest thing in the world. But this becomes a violation of the second commandment: here there is precisely a sacred image which people begin to worship instead of God. Of course, in the history of the Church all this will not be as naive as it was then in Lystra.
But in essence it is often the same, though outwardly more pious. Which saint helps in this or that case? And which icon heals from illness? We should not deceive ourselves: when we frame the question this way, we differ little from those inhabitants of Lystra who took the apostles for Zeus and Hermes. Because only God helps; who assists Him in this and what He uses for such help is of no significance. Otherwise the world for us will be full of gods, but there will be no place in it for God. Nor in our life either.
14
14:1 They so spake - Persecution having increased their strength.
14:9 He had faith to be healed - He felt the power of God in his soul; and thence knew it was sufficient to heal his body also.
14:11 The gods are come down - Which the heathens supposed they frequently did; Jupiter especially. But how amazingly does the prince of darkness blind the minds of them that believe not!The Jews would not own Christ's Godhead, though they saw him work numberless miracles. On the other hand, the heathens seeing mere men work one miracle, were for deifying them immediately.
14:13 The priest of Jupiter - Whose temple and image were just without the gate of the city, brought garlands - To put on the victims, and bulls - The usual offerings to Jupiter.
14:14 They sprang in among the people, crying out - As in a fire, or other sudden and great danger.
14:15 To turn from these vanities - From worshipping any but the true God. He does not deign to call them gods; unto the living God - Not like these dead idols; who made the heaven and the earth, the sea - Each of which they supposed to have its own gods.
14:16 Who in times past - He prevents their objection, "But if these things are so, we should have heard the in from our fathers." Suffered - An awful judgment, all nations - The multitude of them that err does not turn error into truth, to walk in their own ways - The idolatries which they had chosen.
14:17 He left not himself without witness - For the heathens had always from God himself a testimony both of his existence and of his providence; in that he did good - Even by punishments he testifies of himself; but more peculiarly by benefits; giving rain - By which air, earth, and sea, are, as it were, all joined together; from heaven - The seat of God; to which St. Paul probably pointed while he spoke, filling the body with food, the soul with gladness.
14:19 Who persuaded the multitude - Moved with equal ease either to adore or murder him.
14:20 But as the disciples stood round - Probably after sunset. The enraged multitude would scarce have suffered it in the day time: he rose and went into the city - That he should be able to do this, just after he had been left for dead, was a miracle little less than a resurrection from the dead. Especially considering the manner wherein the Jewish malefactors were stoned. The witnesses first threw as large a stone as they could lift, with all possible violence upon his head, which alone was sufficient to dash the skull in pieces. All the people then joined, as long as any motion or token of life remained.
14:23 When they had ordained them presbyters in every Church - Out of those who were themselves but newly converted. So soon can God enable even a babe in Christ to build up others in the common faith: they commended them to the Lord - An expression implying faith in Christ, as well as love to the brethren.
14:25 Perga and Attalia were cities of Pamphylia.
14:26 Recommended to the grace - Or favour, of God, for the work which they had fulfilled - This shows the nature and design of that laying on of hands, which was mentioned Act 13:3.