The Journey from Antioch in Pisidia to Derbe – JSS3 Christian Religious Studies Lesson Note (Second Term)

The journey from Antioch in Pisidia to Derbe was part of the first missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas, through four towns in what is now Turkey.

• Derbe: a town in Turkey where Paul preached and gained many disciples.
• Gaius: a disciple from Derbe who later travelled with Paul (Acts 20:4).
• Order of events: Paul went to Derbe after he was stoned in Lystra.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. name the towns Paul and Barnabas visited, in order, from Antioch in Pisidia to Derbe;
2. state why Paul and Barnabas left Iconium;
3. narrate what happened at Lystra, from the healing of the crippled man to the stoning of Paul;
4. explain why the people of Lystra called Paul and Barnabas gods;
5. state the moral lessons from the lesson.

What are the key terms in this lesson?

• Missionary journey: a journey made to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.
• Apostle: a person sent out to preach the gospel, as Paul and Barnabas were.
• Synagogue: the Jewish place of worship and teaching.
• Gentile: a person who is not a Jew.
• Persecution: cruel treatment of people because of their beliefs.

What was the route from Antioch in Pisidia to Derbe?

Paul and Barnabas travelled through four towns in this order: Antioch in Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe.

What happened to Paul and Barnabas in Antioch in Pisidia?

At Antioch in Pisidia, Paul and Barnabas preached in the synagogue and many people believed, but some Jews opposed them.

• Preaching: Paul preached in the synagogue on the Sabbath, and many Jews and converts followed them.
• Large crowd: on the next Sabbath, almost the whole city came to hear the word of God.
• Jealousy: some Jews became jealous and spoke against what Paul taught.
• Turn to the Gentiles: Paul and Barnabas told them they would now preach to the Gentiles.
• Expulsion: the opponents stirred up leading people against them and drove them out of the region.
• Departure: they shook the dust off their feet and went to Iconium.

What happened to Paul and Barnabas in Iconium?

At Iconium, Paul and Barnabas preached in the synagogue and many believed, but unbelieving Jews stirred up the people against them.

• Preaching: they went to the synagogue, as usual, and preached eloquently, performing signs and wonders.
• Believers: many people, both Jews and Gentiles, believed.
• Opposition: the few Jews who did not believe poisoned the minds of the Gentiles and stirred them up for violence.
• Division: the crowd was divided, with some siding with Paul and others against him.
• The plot: their enemies planned to stone Paul and Barnabas.
• Escape: Paul and Barnabas learned of the plot and fled in time to Lystra and Derbe and the nearby region, where they continued to preach.

They knew there would be no giving up in spreading the gospel, despite the difficulties and persecutions they faced.

What happened to Paul and Barnabas in Lystra?

At Lystra, Paul healed a man who had been crippled from birth, was worshipped as a god, and was then stoned.

The healing of the crippled man

1. Paul and Barnabas were preaching in Lystra.
2. They noticed a man who had been crippled from birth, listening to them attentively.
3. Paul saw that the man had faith to be healed.
4. Paul called out with a loud voice, “Stand up!”
5. Immediately, the man jumped to his feet and began walking.

Why did the crowd take them for gods?

The crowd took them for gods because they were amazed by the miracle of healing the crippled man.

• Language: the crowd spoke in their own local language and said the gods had come down in human form.
• Barnabas: they called him Zeus, the Greek god regarded as the chief of the gods.
• Paul: they called him Hermes, the messenger god, because he was the main speaker.
• The priest of Zeus: he brought bulls and wreaths to the city gate to offer sacrifices to the apostles.

How did Paul and Barnabas respond?

1. They learned what the people planned to do.
2. They tore their clothes to show their distress.
3. They ran out to the crowd.
4. They said, “Friends, why are you doing this? We are humans just like you. We have come to bring you good news, to turn you from these worthless things to the living God who made heaven and earth and everything.”

The stoning of Paul

1. Some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium.
2. They won over the crowd and poisoned their minds.
3. They convinced the people to stone Paul.
4. Paul was severely stoned, and the people assumed he was dead.
5. He was dragged out of the town.
6. Other Christians gathered around him and prayed.
7. Paul got up and went back into the town.
8. The next day, Paul and Barnabas departed for Derbe.

What happened at Derbe?

At Derbe, Paul and Barnabas preached the gospel and gained many disciples.

• Preaching: they preached the good news in the town and many people became disciples.
• Gaius: one of the disciples from Derbe, who later travelled with Paul.
• Return visits: they later went back through Lystra, Iconium and Antioch to strengthen the disciples.
• Encouragement: they told the believers to remain in the faith despite hardship.

What are the moral lessons from this journey?

The lessons show how Christians should face opposition and praise.

1. Opposition cannot stop the gospel: persecution did not stop Paul and Barnabas from preaching.
2. Give God the glory: the glory of God should not be shared with man.
3. Be honest and humble: do not feel like a god because you have done great things.
4. Correct wrong praise: caution people when they give you praise that belongs to God.
5. Be persistent: Paul returned to the town after being stoned and kept on with his work.

Evaluation

1. Narrate the incident that preceded the stoning of Paul.
2. Why did Paul and Barnabas leave Iconium?
3. Which names did the people of Lystra give to Barnabas and Paul, and why?
4. What did Paul and Barnabas do when the priest of Zeus brought bulls and wreaths?
5. List the four towns Paul and Barnabas visited, in order, from Antioch in Pisidia.

Assignment

Write a short account of what happened to Paul at Lystra after the Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium. State one moral lesson from it.