 The city of Lystra in the first century followed Greek mythology. To them, the king of all their gods was Zeus and the spokesman of their gods was Hermes. The community was so entrenched in Greek mythology that when Paul and Barnabas preached there and also healed a cripple, the people identified Barnabas as Zeus and Paul as Hermes (Acts 14:5-13). Some men would have exploited the people’s ignorance, but not Paul and Barnabas. They ran into the crowd, tearing at their own clothes and rebuking the people in Jesus’ name. They did not compromise the truth for even a single moment. Still, the people wanted to treat them as gods until some time later when they changed their minds about Paul and Barnabas, stoned Paul to death and dragged his body out of their city. But Paul was not dead. He recovered, then went back into Lystra to be with the few believers there (Acts 14:14-20). We wonder why Muslims act as they do. We are embarrassed by apostate Christians who act as they do. From the first century until today, there have been people who let their traditions and emotions blind them to truth and then persecute those who live by the truth. Without respect for truth, men become ignorant, violent, murderous beasts and enemies of Jesus and his church. Rick Cunningham
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