Acts 13:44–46 (ESV)
“The next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what was spoken by Paul, reviling him. And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, ‘It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles.’”
This passage captures a decisive moment in redemptive history — when the gospel began to move beyond Israel to the Gentile world. But why was Paul’s message so effective among the Jews in the first century, while millions of Jews today, even in a city like New York, remain unmoved by the same gospel?
Let’s look at six key observations that shed light on this question.
1. A Message Spoken into Expectation
In Paul’s day, the Jewish people lived under Roman rule, weary and longing for deliverance. They were hungry for redemption, holding onto the promises of God made through Abraham and David. Every Sabbath they heard the prophets read aloud; their hearts burned with anticipation that God would soon act.
When Paul preached Jesus as the promised Messiah — crucified, risen, and reigning — his message met that expectation. He wasn’t introducing a foreign religion but revealing the fulfillment of their deepest hope.
Today, however, that sense of spiritual longing is often absent. Our modern world — Jewish and Gentile alike — is not waiting for redemption but for comfort, security, and success. Paul could proclaim, “The Messiah has come!” to people who were waiting for Him. Today, we often must begin one step earlier — by showing why humanity needs a Messiah at all.
That’s the challenge of our time: to awaken a thirst that has gone dry.
2. The Power Behind the Preaching
What made Paul’s ministry so effective wasn’t persuasive skill alone, but the power of the Holy Spirit.
“My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power.” (1 Corinthians 2:4)
The Spirit opened hearts (Acts 16:14), confirmed the message with miracles, and gave boldness to preach amid opposition.
That same power is still available today. The Holy Spirit remains the constant factor — the unchanging source of conviction, revelation, and transformation.
Yes, Paul had a unique apostolic calling, personally set apart by God. But you’re right — we need more people today who are called, set apart, and Spirit-filled for the difficult task of gospel proclamation in our secularized world. Clever communication will never replace spiritual anointing.
The early church prayed, “Lord, grant your servants to speak your word with all boldness” (Acts 4:29). We must pray the same.
3. The Mystery of Israel’s Hardening
Romans 9–11 reveals one of the deepest mysteries in Scripture: Israel’s rejection of the gospel is neither total nor final.
“A partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.” (Romans 11:25)
This means God’s plan is still unfolding. Israel’s blindness opened the door for the Gentiles to come in, but one day, the veil will be lifted and “all Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:26).
This mystery humbles us. It shows that salvation history is not a human strategy but a divine design. The same God who allowed Israel’s eyes to be veiled will one day unveil them again.
As Paul exclaimed at the end of Romans 11:
“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!”
It truly is awesome.
4. The Modern Barriers in Our Time
After the destruction of the Temple in A.D. 70, Judaism was forced to redefine itself. Without sacrifices or a temple, the faith shifted toward Torah study, rabbinic tradition, and synagogue life. This redefinition preserved Jewish identity but diminished the felt need for atonement, which Jesus came to fulfill as the perfect sacrifice.
As you insightfully noted, this shift made the gospel’s message of a “once-for-all sacrifice” seem unnecessary. Add to that the centuries of persecution done in the name of “Christianity,” and many Jewish communities understandably view the gospel with suspicion or pain.
In places like New York City, many Jews are now deeply secularized, identifying culturally rather than spiritually. They are not looking for a Messiah — nor often for any religious answer at all.
So unlike Paul’s audience, modern Jewish people aren’t wrestling with unfulfilled prophecy. They are wrestling with indifference. That’s the new mission field — one that requires both compassion and courage.
5. The Gospel Still Has Power
Despite all these barriers, the gospel is still as powerful in the twenty-first century as it was in the first.
“The word of God is not bound.” (2 Timothy 2:9)
The same Spirit who opened hearts in Pisidian Antioch can open hearts in Manhattan or Brooklyn today. Some Jewish men and women are coming to faith in Jesus — often through reading passages like Isaiah 53, Psalm 22, or Daniel 9, where the Spirit unveils Christ in their Scriptures.
The gospel’s power is timeless. It doesn’t need modernization; it needs Spirit-filled proclamation and lives that bear its fruit.
6. Our Call Today
Paul wrote that Israel’s unbelief would lead to Gentile salvation — and that the salvation of the Gentiles would one day make Israel jealous (Romans 11:11).
That’s a profound mystery: as the nations experience God’s grace, Israel will desire that same intimacy with the God of Abraham through His Messiah. How that plays out exactly, we do not know — but we trust that God’s plan is perfect.
You’re right to emphasize that while we are called to embody the grace of God, we are also commanded to proclaim it. The Great Commission (Matthew 28:18–20) is not a passive calling. “Go and make disciples” is an active command.
Living out the gospel gives our message credibility. Speaking the gospel gives it clarity. Both are essential.
We are not called merely to live attractively before Israel but to bear witness to Jesus before all nations — in word, in truth, and in love.
Conclusion
Paul’s message was effective in the first century because it met a people longing for redemption, and because it was empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Today, many hearts are indifferent or hardened, yet the Spirit and the gospel remain unchanged. Our task is to pray for more laborers, preach with boldness, embody grace with humility, and trust that God’s redemptive plan — for Israel and the nations — is still moving toward its glorious fulfillment in Christ.
The same God who opened the hearts of Jews and Gentiles in Acts 13 is still at work today. The gospel that turned the world upside down then still holds the power to do so now.
Footnote: Portions of the analysis were developed with the assistance of OpenAI, ChatGPT (GPT-5), response to Al Ngu, “Why was Paul’s message effective to the Jews in the 1st century but not today?” October 29, 2025, https://chat.openai.com/. The interpretations and reflections remain the author’s own.
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