the word of the Lord, and many of them believed, to their everlasting salvation. And the word of God was spread throughout that whole country; but the opposition of the Jews increasing in proportion to the progress of the faith of Christ, a great disturbance was raised against the apostles among the aristocracy of the city, who favored the Jews, and more especially among the women of high family, who were proselytes; and the result of the commotion was, that the apostles were driven out of the city. Paul and Barnabas, in conformity to the original injunction of Jesus to the twelve, shook off the dust of their feet, as an expressive testimony against them,—and turning eastward, came to another city, named Iconium, in Lycaonia, the most eastern province of Phrygia.
Lycaonia is a province of Asia Minor, accounted the southern part of Cappadocia,
having Isauria on the west, Armenia Minor on the east, and Cilicia on the south. Its
chief cities are all mentioned in this chapter xlv. viz., Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe.
They spake in the Lycaonian tongue, v. 10, which is generally understood to have
been a corrupt Greek, intermingled with many Syriac words.—Horne's Intro.
Iconium was the capital of Lycaonia, and is mentioned by the
Grecian and Roman writers, before and after the apostolic times,
as a place of some importance; but nothing definite is known of
its size and character. It appears, at any rate, from the apostolic
record, that this flourishing city was one of the numerous centers
of the Jewish population, that filled so much of Asia Minor; and
here, according to their custom, the apostles made their first communication
of the gospel, in the Jewish synagogue. Entering
this place of worship, they spoke with such effect, that a great
number both of Greeks and Jews were thoroughly convinced of
the truth of the Christian doctrine, and professed their faith in Jesus.
But, as usual, there was in Iconium a great residue of bigoted
adherents to the Mosaic faith, who could appreciate neither
the true scope of the ancient dispensation, nor the perfection of
gospel truth; and a set of these fellows undertook to make trouble
for the apostles, in the same way that it had been done at the Pisidian
Antioch. Not having power or influence enough among
themselves to effect any great mischief, they were obliged to resort
to the expedient of exciting the ill-will of the Gentile inhabitants
and rulers of the city, against the objects of their mischievous
designs,—and in this instance were successful, inasmuch as
"they made their minds disaffected against the brethren." But
in spite of all this opposition, thus powerfully manifested, "long
time they abode there, speaking boldly in the Lord," who did not
fail to give them the ever-promised support of his presence, but
