What is the meaning of Acts 14:14?

But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul found out about this

– “This” refers to the crowd at Lystra calling them “gods” and preparing sacrifices after the cripple was healed (Acts 14:11-13).

– The apostles remain alert to the people’s reactions; discernment keeps them from unwittingly sharing God’s glory (Isaiah 42:8; John 5:44).

– Their title “apostles” highlights delegated authority, yet they instantly refuse any status that detracts from Christ (1 Corinthians 1:13; 1 Peter 5:2-4).

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they tore their clothes

– Tearing garments in Scripture signals horror at blasphemy or deep grief—e.g., Hezekiah (2 Kings 19:1), Ezra (Ezra 9:3), and the high priest (Matthew 26:65).

– By this visible act, Barnabas and Paul proclaim, “We reject divine honors; only the Lord is worthy” (Exodus 20:3).

– The gesture confronts idolatry unequivocally, modeling intolerance for any worship that supplants God (Acts 10:25-26).

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and rushed into the crowd

– They do not retreat; they engage. Love drives immediate action to rescue people from false worship (Jude 22-23).

– Boldness mirrors earlier scenes where the apostles step toward danger to testify (Acts 4:29-31; Acts 5:20).

– Rushing “into” shows pastoral urgency: shepherds move toward sheep in peril, not away (John 10:12-13).

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shouting

– Volume underscores seriousness; silence would imply consent.

– Their cry, recorded in verses 15-17, redirects the crowd to “the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them” (Acts 14:15).

– Like Elijah on Carmel (1 Kings 18:30-39) and John the Baptist (John 1:29), they confront error publicly so that truth may be plainly heard.

– The content centers on:

• God’s creative authority (Genesis 1:1).

• Humanity’s accountability (Romans 1:20-23).

• The call to “turn from worthless things” (Acts 14:15), echoing 1 Thessalonians 1:9.

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summary

Barnabas and Paul’s reaction in Acts 14:14 models how believers guard God’s glory: discern error quickly, grieve over blasphemy, move toward those misled, and declare truth without hesitation. Their actions teach that any honor belonging to the Lord alone must never be shared, and faithful witnesses respond with both passion and urgency whenever people are tempted to exalt anything—or anyone—above the living God.