After the Stoning

I've read Acts 14 lots of times, but this last time I read it I was struck by 14:20. They devote one sentence to Paul getting up (after everyone thought he was dead), walking back into Lystra, and then walking to Derbe the next day. I kept running through what Barnabas and the disciples would be saying when Paul's trying to follow the Spirit. So I decided to write it out. I omitted Paul's words. The following is probably not even close to how it actually played out, but one verse, two sentences, just seems too short.

Barnabas- “Woah, they just killed Paul.” 

Unnamed Disciple- “Do you think they are going to come after us, too?"

Barnabas- “It looks like they're gone, I hope they don’t come back. Lets go get— lets go see how— Paul’s body, it’s over there. We should go get— I can’t believe this happened….

...

Let's go get his body."

Unnamed Disciple- “Things were going so well here!"

Barnabas- “Yeah, until they called me Zeus! I’d rather they killed us as soon as we arrived! Or… Oh, Paul."

Unnamed Disciple- “Come on, Barnabas, we have to go get him."

Barnabas- “I know, I just, I just need to sit here for a bit. I need, oh, I don’t know what I need. Oh God, what do I need?!"

Unnamed Disciple- “Look, we both need to pray right now, but I’m not positive what these guys do to a body after stoning them, they might come back and take it if we don’t hurry up. I haven’t lived here long enough to know."

Barnabas- “… I know, it's just... Ok, let’s go."

Unnamed Disciple- “Geez, I can’t even look at him, the blood... Should we prepare him for burial."

--

Barnabas-  “He moved!"

Unnamed Disciple- “What? What are you talking about? I didn’t see anythi- He did!"

Barnabas- “Paul! You’re alive! Paul! Oh, praise Jesus!"

Unnamed Disciple- “I can’t believe you lived through that! Barnabas, we have to go take care of him."

Barnabas- “Woah, Paul, maybe you shouldn’t be trying to stand up. You should just lay there for a bit, we’ll take care of you."

Unnamed Disciple- “Yeah, Paul. I really don’t think you should be getting up. You have blood everywhere. Your face is smashed! I really don't think you should be getting up."

Barnabas- “What? You want to go back into Lystra?! Those are the people that just killed you! At least, we all thought they did! Do you seriously want to go back in there?"

Unnamed Disciple- “Oh man, this is crazy. What is it, if they can’t kill you the first time, give them a second chance? I mean, we need to get you back in there sometime, but we could carry you like you're actually dead or something, I don't know about walking!"

Barnabas- “Ok, if that is what Spirit wants. We’ll go back into Lystra, but we really need to get you somewhere we can take care of you."

---

Barnabas- “Paul, you seriously want to head out to Derbe today? That’s like 30 miles! I mean, I know it’s closer to Tarsus, maybe you have know people there or whatever, but you were just STONED yesterday! I thought you were dead! The people who stoned you thought you were dead! Do you really think it is a good idea to leave for Derbe? You’re still bleeding all over!

Man, Paul, I’m trying to listen to the Spirit, too, but look at you! I agree that the Spirit is taking us to Derbe, but can’t we at least wait a day or two to make sure your okay? 

You aren’t going to be talked out this, are you? Have you even got off your bed yet today? Can you even walk?

You think so? Show me.

Okay, so you can walk a little bit, but Derbe is a long way.

Shoot, if you are this determined, maybe you’re right. We gotta at least pray about it at breakfast. Let’s go eat. We don’t have much, but we do have bread, mulsum, and a little meat [Unnamed Disciple] and her husband had left over from last night."

---

Barnabas- “Ok, Paul. I know you’re right, the Spirit is calling us to leave for Derbe today. I guess it will be good to get away from these people for a little, we can come back when things have settled down and the people forget they thought we were Zeus and Hermes.

Alright, you got your bag? I got my stuff. Hey, you know what, you got stoned yesterday, I’ll carry your bag, at least for a little bit.

Thanks for your hospitality, [Unnamed Disciple], you and your oikos truly have been a blessing to Paul and I, even though things got crazy. We pray no harm comes upon you or the new church here because of yesterdays events. We will see you soon! Be strong in our absence, and build upon the foundation that has been laid.

Okay, Paul. Now is your last chance, do feel like you can start to head to Derbe?

Alright, here we go.

Steady now, are you sure you can walk?

Okay, we’ll take a lot of breaks, and I’ll change the dressing on your wounds whenever needed, [Unnamed Disciple] gave me a bunch.

Sometimes, Paul, I don’t think I understand the full scope of what we are doing. People have been trying to kill us for quite some time, and some day they will probably succeed. I thought they succeeded in killing you last night. But we must be on to something big. The Spirit is moving us all over, and we are talking with a lot of people and sharing Christ with them. It’s exciting. But last night, I got really scared when I thought you were dead. I feel like I can't do this without you, and, I would wager, you feel the same. We probably need to trust the Spirit a little more. And maybe later we will feel we can branch off a bit, but right now, I need some serious support and community, because sometimes the words fail me. Oh, yeah. You almost died yesterday, I’ll stop talking, give you a bit of rest. Here’s some shade, let’s take a seat for a while.

--

You know, Paul, I’ve been thinking about yesterday. If there is one thing I could have changed about it, I think I would have liked to be the one they called Hermes. Zeus carries too much responsibility."