What does Acts 14:2 mean?

The second stop made by Paul and Barnabas in the province of Galatia feels like a rerun of the first. In Pisidian Antioch, they went to the local Jewish synagogue and showed how Jesus of Nazareth fit the prophecies of the Jewish Messiah as given in our Old Testament. Many of the Jews and the God-worshiping Gentiles believed them and followed Jesus. The synagogue leaders, however, rejected their message and incited the city's influential Gentiles to drive them out of town (Acts 13:13–52).

The same thing seems to be happening in Iconium. The passage doesn't describe what Paul teaches in the synagogue, but it's probably similar to his message in Pisidian Antioch. Many of the Jews and God-fearing Gentiles believe (Acts 14:1), but those who don't engage in a false information campaign. Undeterred, Paul and Barnabas respond by staying and teaching more, and God affirms their decision by allowing them to perform miracles to validate their words. Eventually, a group of people will threaten to stone them, and the two leave and travel to Lystra (Acts 14:3–7).

This reaction is the exact opposite of what God intended. The Abrahamic covenant was that the descendants of Abraham would bless the world (Genesis 12:3). They do this by providing the Messiah who died and rose again to offer the world forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with God. When Paul travels, he goes to the synagogue first because Jesus is for the Jews first (Romans 1:16) who are then supposed to share Him with the Gentiles (Acts 1:8). But like the Sanhedrin who pushed Pilate to crucify Jesus (Mark 15:6–15), the leaders of local synagogues fall to jealousy (see Acts 13:44–45; 17:5). God's purpose for the Jews was to share the Messiah. Instead, they held tight to the power and influence they had in their insular communities. Fortunately, early Jewish Christians like Paul did spread Jesus' message to Gentiles.