Acts 14:22
strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse doesn't just say they encouraged people to stay in the faith; it emphasizes that this journey requires facing "many tribulations" as the path into God's kingdom. The use of "we" here is a subtle hint that the speaker, Paul, isn't just generalizing; he's including himself in this shared experience of hardship as the normal way of following Christ.
After facing opposition and even a stoning in Lystra, Paul and Barnabas are returning to the cities they visited on their first missionary journey. They are not just passing through, but deliberately going back to strengthen the new believers, to encourage them to remain steadfast in their faith despite the difficulties they have already encountered and will undoubtedly face in the future. This verse captures the essence of their pastoral care, reminding the disciples that suffering is an expected part of entering God's kingdom.
The word 'confirming' might sound like a church ceremony, but what did it really mean for these early disciples?
Paul and Barnabas weren't performing a religious rite. The Greek word used here, 'epistērizontes,' means to establish, to make firm, or to encourage. Think of it like reinforcing the foundation of a building or giving a friend a pep talk when they're feeling shaky. These new believers were facing challenges and opposition, so the apostles returned to shore up their spiritual resolve and deepen their understanding of the gospel. It was about solidifying their inner strength and commitment, not about an outward ritual.
What does it mean to 'continue in the faith,' especially when faced with hardship?
The 'faith' here isn't just a feeling of trust; it encompasses the core truths and teachings of the gospel. Paul and Barnabas urged the disciples to remain steadfast in what they believed about Jesus, his death, and his resurrection. This meant holding firm to the objective truths of Christianity, even when the world pushed back. It's a call to persistent belief and unwavering commitment to the message of salvation.
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Why did the apostles insist that 'many tribulations' are a necessary path to God's kingdom?
This is a crucial, often uncomfortable, truth. Paul and Barnabas weren't sugarcoating the Christian life. They taught that hardship, opposition, and suffering are not unexpected detours but an expected part of the journey to God's kingdom. This wasn't a fatalistic view, but a realistic one. Trials serve to refine our faith, wean us from the world, and help us identify with Christ's suffering. It's the way God often works to mature His people and prepare them for eternal glory.
Understand the original words
pistis · Greek Noun
The body of truth revealed by God, specifically the message of the gospel; the object of faith to which Christians must hold fast.
thlipsis · Greek Noun
Affliction, distress, or persecution suffered by believers, often as a result of their commitment to Christ; it is viewed in Scripture as an expected part of the Christian walk in a fallen world.
basileia · Greek Noun
The sovereign rule and reign of God, manifested in the life of the believer and fully realized in the future age; it is the ultimate goal and inheritance of those who belong to Christ.
This verse highlights the apostles' commitment to not only evangelize but also to nurture new believers, preparing them for the inevitable struggles that come with following Christ, a message honed by their own perilous journeys.
c. AD 46-48— this verse
First Missionary Journey
Paul and Barnabas travel through Cyprus and Asia Minor, facing opposition and persecution but also seeing many converted to Christianity.
c. AD 49
Jerusalem Council
A major conference of apostles and elders debated whether Gentile converts needed to follow Jewish law, establishing key principles for the early church.
c. AD 50-52
Second Missionary Journey
Paul, accompanied by Silas, travels extensively through Asia Minor and Greece, establishing churches and facing continued challenges.
c. AD 53-57
Third Missionary Journey
Paul spends a significant amount of time in Ephesus and other regions, further strengthening churches and confronting opposition.
c. AD 60-62
Paul's Imprisonment in Rome
Paul is under house arrest in Rome, yet continues to write letters and teach, demonstrating resilience amidst hardship.
Jesus himself taught that persecution and suffering are not unexpected hindrances but rather a mark of those who belong to the kingdom of heaven, mirroring the disciples' expectation in Acts.
Romans 5:3-5This passage explains the spiritual benefit of suffering, showing how trials develop perseverance, character, and hope, which is crucial for enduring faith as Paul and Barnabas encouraged.
2 Timothy 3:12Paul reiterates this core teaching to Timothy, emphasizing that suffering for Christ is a universal experience for all who live godly lives, directly echoing the message delivered in Acts 14.
1 Peter 4:12-13Peter instructs believers not to be surprised by fiery trials, but to rejoice as they share in the sufferings of Christ, aligning with the apostles' message of strengthening disciples through hardship.
John 16:33Jesus promised his disciples that in the world they would have trouble, but he urged them to take heart because he has overcome the world, providing the ultimate encouragement for continuing in faith amidst tribulation.
ellicottActs 14:22: "Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God."
(22) Confirming the souls of the disciples. —Better, perhaps, strengthening, so as to avoid the more definite associations connected with the other term. In Acts 18:23 , the word is so rendered. It is not the same as that used by later writers for the ecclesiastical rite of Confirmation. Exhorting them to continue in the faith…
barnesActs 14:22: "Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God."
Confirming - "strengthening" ἐπιστηρίζοντες epistērizontes. The expression "to confirm" as in some churches a technical signification, denoting "to admit to the full privileges of a Christian by the imposition of hands" (Johnson). It is scarcely necessary to say that the word here refers to no such rite. It has no relation…
The verse doesn't just say they encouraged people to stay in the faith; it emphasizes that this journey requires facing "many tribulations" as the path into God's kingdom. The use of "we" here is a subtle hint that the speaker, Paul, isn't just generalizing; he's including himself in this shared experience of hardship as the normal way of following Christ.
After facing opposition and even a stoning in Lystra, Paul and Barnabas are returning to the cities they visited on their first missionary journey. They are not just passing through, but deliberately going back to strengthen the new believers, to encourage them to remain steadfast in their faith despite the difficulties they have already encountered and will undoubtedly face in the future. This verse captures the essence of their pastoral care, reminding the disciples that suffering is an expected part of entering God's kingdom.
After facing opposition and even a stoning in Lystra, Paul and Barnabas are returning to the cities they visited on their first missionary journey. They are not just passing through, but deliberately going back to strengthen the new believers, to encourage them to remain steadfast in their faith despite the difficulties they have already encountered and will undoubtedly face in the future. This verse captures the essence of their pastoral care, reminding the disciples that suffering is an expected part of entering God's kingdom.
"strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God." — The verse doesn't just say they encouraged people to stay in the faith; it emphasizes that this journey requires facing "many tribulations" as the path into God's kingdom. The use of "we" here is…
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