“Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out,”
My Notes
What Does Acts 14:14 Mean?
When the people of Lystra attempt to worship Barnabas and Paul as gods (calling them Zeus and Hermes after a miraculous healing), the apostles' reaction is immediate and visceral: they tear their clothes and run into the crowd, crying out. The tearing of garments—the same response to blasphemy that the high priest performed at Jesus' trial—shows that Barnabas and Paul experienced the crowd's worship as a horrifying spiritual violation.
The apostles don't wait for the worship to conclude so they can politely correct the misunderstanding. They tear their clothes and run. The urgency communicates that receiving worship meant for God is an emergency. Not a manageable misunderstanding. An emergency. Every second the crowd worships them is a second of blasphemy that the apostles feel compelled to interrupt immediately.
The response reveals character: people who had the option of being worshiped as gods chose instead to tear their clothes in grief. The same power that had healed the lame man could have been used to build a personal cult. Barnabas and Paul had the charisma, the miraculous gifting, and the popular momentum to become divine figures. They ran from it like it was on fire.
Reflection Questions
- 1.When you receive praise or admiration, do you redirect it to God immediately or let it linger?
- 2.Barnabas and Paul ran from worship. Have you seen leaders accept what belongs to God? What happened?
- 3.The recoil was instant—like touching a hot stove. How sensitive are you to receiving glory that belongs to God?
- 4.If you had the option of being worshiped, would you tear your clothes or hesitate? What does that reveal?
Devotional
The crowd wants to worship them as gods. Zeus and Hermes. Garlands and sacrifices. And Barnabas and Paul tear their clothes and run into the crowd screaming: stop. We're not gods. We're men. Same nature as you. Stop this immediately.
The urgency of their reaction tells you everything about their character. They didn't pause to enjoy it. They didn't let it go on for a moment while they figured out how to handle it gracefully. They tore their clothes—the ancient expression of grief at blasphemy—and physically ran into the crowd to stop the worship. Receiving what belongs to God felt to them like touching a hot stove. The recoil was instant.
Most people, given the option of being worshiped, would at least hesitate. The attention is intoxicating. The admiration is addictive. The power of having people bow to you is one of the strongest temptations a successful person faces. Barnabas and Paul had the miraculous track record to pull it off—they had just healed a man lame from birth. If ever there was a moment to accept divine status, this was it. And they ran from it.
If you're in any position where people attribute to you what belongs to God—if your ministry, your gifting, your success produces worship directed at you instead of through you—Paul and Barnabas' reaction is your template. Don't enjoy it. Don't manage it. Don't redirect it politely over time. Tear your clothes. Run into the crowd. Scream if you have to. Worship that belongs to God, received by a human, is an emergency. Treat it like one.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
Which when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of,.... As they quickly did, such a multitude being about the doors of…
Which, when the apostles - Barnabas is called an apostle because he was sent forth by the church on a particular message…
In these verses we have,
I. A miraculous cure wrought by Paul at Lystra upon a cripple that had been lame from his…
Which when the apostles … heard of As they did first from the clamour and excitement of the would-be worshippers.
ran in…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture