In contrast to the larger and more prominent cities of the mission
journeys of Paul, Lystra was a much smaller city. After the unwanted
attention of the mobs of Iconium, Paul was perhaps looking for a safe
haven in this young Roman colony, established in only 6 BCE. Though
a Gentile and largely Latin speaking colony, the dialect was beyond
the comprehension of Paul and Barnabas (Acts 14:11). Some scholars
suggest that the team stayed in the home of Timothy during the visit
on this journey (cp. Acts. 16:1).
When a cripple was healed
and began to walk the crowd at Lystra began to venerate the Apostle
and his companion, believing them to be gods in human form. After
numerous attempts to persuade them otherwise, Paul eventually found
a forum to preach to them. During the time of Paul’s visit, some of
the Jewish community of Antioch and Iconium began to stir the town
against Paul. Eventually, the tide of public opinion turned, and they
stoned Paul, leaving him for dead outside the city. The following
day, Paul arose from the stoning and went southeast on to Derbe.
Lystra (probably the hometown of Timothy) served as a market town of
Lycaonia in south central modern-day Turkey. Paul preached here on
his first missionary journey (Acts 14:6-22). After he healed a lame
man, the superstitious citizens immediately assumed that he was Hermes
(messenger of Zeus) and Barnabas was Zeus himself (same as the Roman
god Jupiter). There was a temple to Zeus near the gates of the city,
and a statue of Hermes dedicated to Zeus was found here as well.