Paul and Barnabas faced new challenges as they begin to preach in the outskirts of the Roman empire. Many of these people would have been heathens with no Jewish background for Paul to reference. So he begins with nature and the God who created the world.
There was an ancient legend in Lystra that once Zeus and Hermes had come to earth disguised as mortals seeking lodging. After being turned away from a thousand homes, they found refuge in the humble cottage of an elderly couple. In appreciation for the couple's hospitality, the gods transformed the cottage into a beautiful temple with a golden roof and marble columns. All of the houses of the people who had turned them away were destroyed.
When Paul healed the crippled man the people of Lystra thought he was a god and were determined to not make the same mistake again. They thought that Barnabas was Zeus. And since Paul did most of the talking they thought he was Hermes the messenger of the gods.
In the midst of this excitement some Jews arrived. We don't know the exact reason they were in Lystra. But one theory is that they may have been corn merchants. Lystra was known for it's ability to grow corn and it is possible that these Jews may have been in the region to buy corn for the cities of Iconium and Antioch. They were not happy to discover Paul and Barnabas were still preaching and so they created an unruly mob that stones Paul.
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