Resistance, Honor, and Joy

Acts 13:50–52 (NASB95) 

50But the Jews incited the devout women of prominence and the leading men of the city, and instigated a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district. 51But they shook off the dust of their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium. 52And the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. 

Paul’s opponents react with fierce resistance that is as much a product of their elite social influence as it is of their religious fervor. The local authorities and leading citizens—those who, in Paul’s day, set the standards of honor and shame—used their authority to incite the public’s rejection of the Gospel message. Their mobilization against Paul’s ministry was not merely an individual outburst of dissent; it was deeply rooted in a system in which social reputation and traditional honor were paramount. In such a culture, the act of shaking the dust from their feet, a symbolic gesture of final separation, communicated their refusal to be associated with a movement they deemed shameful. This decisive rejection of the apostolic message by the local elite and prominent figures forced the community to confront the unsettling tension between established customs and the new, radical proclamation of salvation in Jesus. 

Yet, in stark contrast to the despair of rejection, the believers were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit. Their exuberance highlights a powerful truth: while human systems of honor and shame strive to contain and control, God’s mission overcomes such boundaries. What may appear as a setback triggered by elite opposition instead testifies to the unstoppable spread of God’s Word—one that continually draws people out of the confines of traditional status and into a new community centered on Jesus. 

Even today, we encounter forms of elite resistance when transformative truth challenges long-standing cultural norms. Modern society, much like Paul’s day, is influenced by systems of honor and shame—whether on social media, in corporate hierarchies, or within political power structures. In our ministries, we are called to recognize and navigate these dynamics, understanding that public opinion can both embrace and reject the Gospel. Let us be encouraged by the joyful perseverance of the early believers: when influential bodies or charismatic leaders lead a resistance against truth, our mission is all the more vital. By standing boldly for the message of Jesus, we transform rejection into testimony, inviting a wider community into the liberating embrace of God’s unconditional love.