“Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.”
My Notes
What Does Acts 13:41 Mean?
Paul concludes his synagogue sermon by quoting Habakkuk 1:5: "Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you." God is doing something so unprecedented that even when it's explained, people won't believe it.
In Habakkuk's context, the unbelievable work was God using Babylon to judge Israel. In Paul's context, the unbelievable work is God raising Jesus from the dead and offering salvation to Gentiles through a crucified Messiah. Both times, God's work exceeds the categories of the audience.
"Though a man declare it unto you" — the declaration is available. The explanation is offered. The preaching is done. And still they won't believe. Not because the evidence is insufficient. Because the work is so far outside their expectations that their paradigm can't accommodate it.
Reflection Questions
- 1.What might God be doing in your generation that you're dismissing because it doesn't fit your expectations?
- 2.Why does unbelief persist even when the work is declared and explained — what blocks reception?
- 3.Where are your paradigms too small for what God is actually doing?
- 4.How do you stay open to God's 'unbelievable work' rather than despising it?
Devotional
God is doing something you won't believe. Even when someone explains it to you. Even when the evidence is right in front of you. You still won't believe it.
Paul ends his sermon with a warning from Habakkuk: God's work in your generation is so unprecedented, so outside your categories, that you'll despise it rather than receive it. Not because you lack information. Because you lack imagination. The work is too big for your framework.
In Habakkuk's day, the unbelievable work was God using a pagan empire as His instrument. In Paul's day, the unbelievable work was a crucified Messiah and a gospel for Gentiles. Both were explained. Both were declared by a man standing right in front of them. Both were rejected because the audience couldn't stretch their paradigm far enough.
"Ye shall in no wise believe" — this is a prediction, not just a warning. Some people in the room will hear the best news in history and walk away. Not because they're stupid. Because the news exceeds their capacity to receive it. Their categories are too small. Their expectations are too narrow. Their God is too manageable.
God is doing something in your days. Right now. And it might be the very thing you're dismissing because it doesn't fit what you expected. The work you can't believe might be the work God is actually doing.
Don't let your small categories reject God's big work.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
And the next sabbath day,.... The same which is before called the "sabbath between", which was between the first and…
Behold, ye despisers - Hebrew, “Behold, ye among the pagan.” The change from this expression to “ye despisers” was made…
Behold, ye despisers - There is a remarkable difference here between the Hebrew text in Habakkuk, and that in the…
Perga in Pamphylia was a noted place, especially for a temple there erected to the goddess Diana, yet nothing at all is…
Behold ye despisers This is the rendering of the LXX. and some other versions. The Hebrew text gives, as A. V., "Behold,…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture