In Acts 14 we read of Paul’s healing of a crippled man. Paul was preaching, but his message was not yet well known to many. So, when the man was healed the superstitious Lycaonians assumed Paul and Barnabas were gods. They thought Barnabas was Zeus, and Paul was Hermes since he was the chief speaker.
This indicates clearly the purpose of miracles. They do not identify truth, but do identify that those who perform those miracles are legitimate. Now, since the inhabitants of Lystra had no true knowledge of God or His Son, they did not know what these powers represented. Their ignorance led to supposition. This is always the case. And, since men do not know the things of God without his revelation, their suppositions were without merit. As Paul said about his own people in Romans 10, “For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God” (Romans 10:2-3 ).
The purpose of miracles was not to reveal truth, but to legitimize it. Once the revelation was completed and proved to be from God, the need for miracles ceased! This is why we today look to God’s word and it alone to guide us in the way of righteousness.
But back to the citizens of Lystra. Their misunderstanding reached even to the priest of Zeus, who brought supplies to worship and sacrifice to the two men. We are told that when Barnabas and Paul found out what was happening, “they tore their clothes and ran in among the multitude, crying out and saying, ‘Men, why are you doing these things? We are also men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them” (Act 14:15).
What is significant is that with these words we are told that they “could scarcely restrain the multitudes from sacrificing to them” (18).
Our lesson? Accept the truth, even if it challenges our long held beliefs, traditions or ideas regarding God and His will. It seems easy, it is anything but. It is the reason why men cling to their false doctrines despite them being clearly refuted from God’s actual word.
The next time you hear protestations of “well that’s just your opinion…”, or “well, it seems to me…” or “I know in my heart…” when one is presented clearly with the truth, just remember Lystra. It is the common response of closed minds. May it not be so with you!
