When the next Sabbath came, an immense throng made its way to the synagogue, and this public demonstration of interest roused the anger of the unbelieving Jews, who uttered terrible blasphemies against the name of Jesus, and tried to silence His Apostles.
But neither St. Paul nor Barnabas was afraid. They told these angry Jews that to them had God's grace first been offered, they had been His own chosen and beloved people, but now, as they would not hear, the Divine message was sent to the Gentiles.
Enmity against the Apostles now ran so high that they were forced to leave the city, and on passing out they shook from their feet the dust of Antioch, as Christ had commanded them to do in such a case.
The Jews perfectly comprehended the meaning of this ceremony. They, when they reached the borders of their own land, were in the habit of carefully wiping from their sandals the smallest particle of dust, so that not so much as a grain of the sacred soil might fall on ground which was unblessed.
When, therefore, they saw Paul and Barnabas pause and shake from their feet the dust of Antioch, they knew that they were regarded as heathen and idolaters—no longer the people beloved of God.
Some hundred miles eastward stood Iconium, and there the Apostles made their way, preaching with such power in the synagogue that great numbers both of Jews and Gentiles believed.
But again the hard-hearted multitude made efforts to raise a persecution against these messengers of Christ, although they were not so violent as the Jews of Antioch, so that, in spite of opposition, the Apostles remained some time in Iconium, performing by God's power many miracles there.