Acts 13 is a natural division in
the Book of Acts. Acts is divided into two parts, the first part running to the
end of chapter 12, and the second from chapter 13 to the end of the book. Up to
chapter 12 the major area of the working of God was centered in Jerusalem and the nation of Israel . Up to this point Luke has
dealt primarily with the renewed offer of the Kingdom to the nation Israel .[1]
Now a major transition is seen. The ministry unto Israel becomes less and less, while
the outreach to the Gentiles becomes prominent. Peter and the Twelve are no
longer the center of attention. Paul is the new apostle of the Gentiles and his
message of Grace becomes the center of attention. The rejection of the gospel of the
kingdom by Israel becomes
explicit—“since you [Israel Israel Asia Minor . Marshall points out the importance of the
event saying, “…it describes the first
piece of planned ‘overseas mission’ carried out by representatives of a
particular church, rather than by solitary individuals, and begun by a
deliberate church decision, inspired by the Spirit, rather than somewhat more
casually as a result of persecution.”[3]
[1] J. Sidow Baxter, Grasp of the Bible, 307-311.
[2] It is the author’s view is that this is not
the same as the times of the Gentiles,
which began in the days of Daniel. The
fullness of the Gentiles is the present dispensation of Grace (or the
Mystery) which will end at the rapture of the Church. At that point God will resume
his dealing with Israel and
all Israel
[3] Marshall, Acts, 228.
Our anti-Judaism is not baseless.
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