John Kilgallen, «Hostility to Paul in Pisidian Antioch (Acts 13,45) — Why?», Vol. 84 (2003) 1-15

Throughout Acts 13–14 Luke brings to the reader’s knowledge opponents of Paul who are called " the Jews" . The present essay attempts to clarify the meaning of this short-hand identification of Paul’s Jewish opponents. It seems best to understand these particular Jews in the light of zealotry which has its roots in centuries of vigorous defense of Jewish religious convictions.

pagan and even certain Jewish attack; consider: "Mattathias saw him (a Jew who had come forward to offer sacrifice to idols) kai e)zh/lwsen; his heart was moved and his just fury was aroused...e)zh/lwsen tw=| nomw=| kaqw_j Fineej...and he shouted in a great voice in the city, ‘Pa=j o( zhlw=n tw=| nomw=| kai_ i(stw=n diaqh/khn e)celqe/tw o)pi/sw mou’" (1 Macc 2,24-27). At the end of his life, Mattathias’ last words included those which are a refrain of his earlier shout, "And now children, zhlw/sate tw=| nomw=| kai_ do/te ta_j yuxa_j u(mw=n u(pe_r diaqh/khj pate/rwn h(mw=n kai_ mnh/sqhte ta_ e!rga tw=n pate_rwn..." (1 Macc 2,50-51).

        The concern of Mattathias is clear — to preserve the Law³² and the Covenant of Yahweh, which the sinful, ignorant and insensitive meant to destroy. "Thew were joined by a group of Hasideans, valiant Israelites, all devout followers of the Law" (1 Macc 2,42). Most pertinent for our Antioch episode are the striking words, "They saved the Law from the hands of the Gentiles (kai_ a)ntela/bonto tou= no/mou e)k xeiro_j tw=n e)qnw=n)" (I Macc 2,48).

        Given the notable stories which recount the preservation of Israel’s instruments of identity, the Law and the Covenant and worship of the true God, against the attacks of ta_ e!qnh, it seems reasonable to understand the zh=loj of Acts 13,45 as a description of those who are roused to ardor and jealousy as they see their religion threatened by the offer of those ‘holy things entrusted to David for Israel’ to the pagans³³. It is in this context that there stands forth, for all to see, ‘the Jews’, those Jews (and, possibly, Godfearers) who see, in this ‘gathering of the Gentiles to hear the word of the Lord’ in Antioch, the destruction of their religion.

        I repeat, it is not that these Jews (now ‘the Jews’) deny the Gentiles approach to Yahweh; the welcome existence of the Godfearers attests to Jewish good will toward Gentiles. It is, however, unacceptable to hear it suggested that ‘everyone who believes (in Jesus) will be justified by God’. Not all Jews thought Paul and Barnabas wrong. Not all Jews who thought Paul and Barnabas wrong were filled with zh=loj; and often, Acts 13–14 notes, those who did think Paul and Barnabas were wrong had to be aroused by those who were characterized by zh=loj.

        The great difference between Old Testament examples of Jewish zeal and this example of zeal at Acts 13,45 flows from authorial influence over the texts. The authors of the Old Testament knew