Acts 14:22

Confirming. Rather, “strengthening.” This does not mean the ecclesiastical rite of confirmation common in later times. Paul’s action here is in harmony with Jesus’ charge to Peter, “When thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren” (Luke 22:32). This Paul could do by warnings and exhortations drawn from his own trials and his deliverance from them.

The faith. Probably to be understood here as the objective expression of faith, that is, in what was believed and taught. This sense of the word “faith,” meaning a “body of belief,” appears in later apostolic literature (see 2 Tim 4:7; Jude 3, 20), and is probably used similarly here.

That we. In Greek the word hoti, “that,” often introduces a direct quotation, serving much as quotation marks in English. Thus the words, “we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God,” apparently are a direct quotation of what Paul said to the churches on this visit. The use by Luke of the pronoun “we” has been taken by some to indicate that he also was present to hear these sermons. However, as he gives no further indication of being a party to Paul’s travels until the Second Missionary Journey at Troas (ch. 16:10), it is probably best to understand by the word “we” that this is a direct quotation of Paul’s words and that Paul identified himself with his hearers as he spoke. Surely he could point to his own tribulations as illustrations of the truth of his message!

Much tribulation. Rather, “many tribulations.” In Paul’s second epistle to Timothy, the chosen disciple of Lystra (see Acts 16:1-3), is a touching reference to tribulation. He refers to the persecution he endured at Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra, and states the axiom that “all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12; cf. Rev. 1:9; 7:14).

The kingdom of God. See on ch. 1:6. This phrase, familiar in the Gospels, occurs early and often in the recorded teaching of Paul (Rom. 14:17; 1 Cor. 4:20; 6:9; Col. 4:11; 2 Thess. 1:5). For Paul it is an actual kingdom, and Christ is King.