The Gentile Beachhead:
The Establishment of the First Christian Church of
Antioch
Acts 11:19-30
19 Now
they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen
travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to
none but unto the Jews only. 20 And some of them were men of Cyprus
and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians,
preaching the Lord Jesus. 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them:
and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord. 22 Then
tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in
Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch. 23
Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them
all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. 24
For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people
was added unto the Lord. 25 Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to
seek Saul: 26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto
Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with
the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians
first in Antioch. 27 And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem
unto Antioch. 28 And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and
signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the
world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar. 29 Then
the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief
unto the brethren which dwelt in Judaea: 30 Which also they did, and
sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.
Introduction:
Review:
Peter with Cornelius and his
household in Caesarea
Peter in Jerusalem
“Beachhead”:[1]
The Beachhead at Dunkirk -
the
site of the retreat and evacuation from a continent
(26
MAY - 4 JUN 1940)
The Beachhead at Normandy -
the
site where the invasion of a continent gains a foothold
(6
JUN 1944)
Outline:
I. The Hand Of The Lord Was With Them (11:19-21)
- The Expansion
(Explosion) of the Church
II. Cleave Unto The Lord With Purpose of Heart
(11:22-24)
-
The Exhortation (Encouragement) to the Church
III. The Disciples Were Called Christians First In
Antioch (11:25-26)
-
The Edification (Exposition) of the Church
IV. Send Relief Unto The Brethren (11:27-30)
-
The Extension (Endowment) of the Church
I. The Hand Of The Lord Was With Them
(11:19-21)
- The
Expansion (Explosion) of the Church
19 Now
they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen
travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to
none but unto the Jews only. 20 And some of them were men of Cyprus
and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians,
preaching the Lord Jesus. 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them:
and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.
1. The Early Evangelism Limited to Jews
(11:19)
2. The Initial Evangelism of Gentiles at Antioch (11:20)
3. The Effective Evangelism by God’s Grace
(11:21)
1. The Early
Evangelism Limited to Jews (11:19)
Now they which were scattered abroad
upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and
Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only.
This connects directly back to Acts 8.
Acts 8:4 - Therefore
they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.
Consider the geographical extension, and then the
difference that the Gentile Pentecost is now going to make on this
discrimination in evangelism!
Phenice = Phoenicia, coastal area including at least four
major cities north of Palestine, in what is modern Lebanon and portions of
Syria
Cyprus = island in eastern Mediterranean
2. The Initial Evangelism
of Gentiles at Antioch (11:20)
And some of them were men of Cyprus and
Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians,
preaching the Lord Jesus.
Cyrene = capital city of Cyrenaica in what is modern
Libya
Acts 4:36 - And
Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted,
The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus,
Acts 2:10 - Phrygia,
and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers
of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
Acts 6:9 - Then
there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the
Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of
Asia, disputing with Stephen.
Acts 13:1 - Now
there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as
Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen,
which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
Mk. 15:21 - And
they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the
father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross.
What is the significance of the fact that these were
Cyprians and Cyrenians?
The significance of Antioch as the “beachhead” for the launching
of the great missionary journeys throughout the Roman Empire cannot be overemphasized.
“From here onwards we have a
narrative with Syrian Antioch as its centre of interest, containing three
episodes, (1) the evanglelization of Antioch (xi. 19-26), (2) the famine-relief
delegation to Judaea (xi. 27-30 and, after an interlude, xii. 25), (3) the
first missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas, based on Antioch (xiii. 1-xiv.
28).”[2]
“Antioch on the Orontes, a chief
centre of the Jewish diaspora, now to become the metropolis of Gentile
Christianity.”[3]
“Antioch, the capital city of the Roman province of Syria, had grown
rapidly to become the third largest city in the Empire (after Rome and
Alexandria) with a population estimated at around 500,000.”[4]
3. The Effective
Evangelism by God’s Grace (11:21)
And the hand of the Lord was with them:
and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.
The first must come first. There is a direct cause and effect
relationship going on here.
Notice the connection between faith and repentance - they
believed and turned!
On the anthropomorphism “the hand of the Lord” (cp. “the
finger” and “the arm” elsewhere) as a figure of speech for the blessing of God’s
power see the following:
Lk. 1:66 - And all they that heard them laid them up in
their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the
Lord was with him.
1 Chron. 4:10 - And Jabez called on the God of Israel,
saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that
thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it
may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.
Ex. 9:3 - Behold, the hand of the LORD is upon thy cattle
which is in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon
the oxen, and upon the sheep: there shall be a very grievous murrain.
1 Sam. 5:3, 6, 9 - 3
And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon was fallen
upon his face to the earth before the ark of the LORD. And they took Dagon, and
set him in his place again.
6 But the hand of
the LORD was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and he destroyed them, and smote them
with emerods, even Ashdod and the coasts thereof.
9 And it was so,
that, after they had carried it about, the hand of the LORD was against the
city with a very great destruction: and he smote the men of the city, both
small and great, and they had emerods in their secret parts.
2 Sam. 3:12 (LXX) - And
Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, Whose is the land? saying
also, Make thy league with me, and, behold, my hand shall be with thee, to
bring about all Israel unto thee.
Is. 59:1 - Behold,
the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy,
that it cannot hear:
Is. 66:14 - And
when ye see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like
an herb: and the hand of the LORD shall be known toward his servants, and his
indignation toward his enemies.
Ezek. 1:3 - The
word of the LORD came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in
the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the LORD was
there upon him.
Mt. 12:28 - But
if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto
you.
and the parallel synoptic passage in Lk. 11:20 - But if I with the finger of God cast out
devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.
Acts 4:30 - By
stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by
the name of thy holy child Jesus.
Acts 7:50 - Hath
not my hand made all these things?
Acts 13:11 - And
now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not
seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a
darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.
II. Cleave Unto The Lord With Purpose of Heart
(11:22-24)
- The
Exhortation (Encouragement) to the Church
22 Then tidings of these things
came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth
Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch. 23 Who, when he came,
and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with
purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. 24 For he was a
good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added
unto the Lord.
1. The Grace of
God is Visible (11:22-23c)
2. The Grace of
God is Joyous (11:23d)
3. The Grace of
God is Contagious (11:23e-24)
1. The Grace of
God is Visible (11:22-23c)
Then tidings of these things came unto
the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas,
that he should go as far as Antioch. 23 Who, when he came, and had
seen the grace of God,
On Barnabas:
“A better man could not have
been chosen for this delicate work…”[5]
“…no other man is described by
Luke as good in Acts…”[6]
What does the grace of God look like?
Is. 5:9 - In mine
ears said the LORD of hosts, Of a truth many houses shall be desolate, even
great and fair, without inhabitant.
Gen. 20:8 - Therefore
Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all
these things in their ears: and the men were sore afraid.
Acts 5:11 - And
great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.
Acts 9:31 - Then
had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were
edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy
Ghost, were multiplied.
Ps. 9:38 (Symmachus; 10:17 ET)
- LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their
heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:
Acts 13:43 - Now
when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes
followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue
in the grace of God.
2. The Grace of
God is Joyous (11:23d)
was glad
3. The Grace of
God is Contagious (11:23e-24)
and exhorted them all, that with
purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. 24 For he was a
good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added
unto the Lord.
Modern translations have vacillated over how to translate
the clause at the end of verse 23[7],
and in some cases have dropped the ball in communicating the true force of the
original.
New American Standard Bible - “with resolute heart to
remain true to the Lord”
English Standard Version - “to remain faithful to the
Lord with steadfast purpose”
Holman Christian Standard Bible - “to remain true to the
Lord with a firm resolve of the heart”
New Interntional Version - “to remain true to the Lord
with all their hearts”
Modern Language Bible (New Berkeley Version) - “to remain
loyal to the Lord with steady hearts”
One modern translation in particular really “flattens”
the force of this expression:
New Living Translation - “to stay true to the Lord”
The New English Bible may be recommended as coming as
close as any modern translation does to what Barnabas, in these words in the
original, was seeking to communicate to the new Gentile Christians at Antioch: “to hold fast to the Lord with resolute
hearts”.
A picture comes to mind with these words, that of Mary
clinging to Christ in John 20:11-18, perhaps at his feet with her arms wrapped
around his ankles. “Mary not only spoke to Him, but she grasped His feet and
held on to Him. This was a natural gesture: now that she had found Him, she did
not want to lose Him.”[8]
See also Matthew 28:9, “And as they went to tell his disciples, behold,
Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they
came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.”
Are you a centrifugal[9]
or a centripetal[10]
Christian? Are you always pushing the
limits of what is tolerable for believers, living on the “edge” as it were,
close to crossing the line, on the fringe?
Or are you driven to the center, closer to Christ, attracted as an iron
filing to a strong magnet?
The counsel of this good and godly man was in essence to
persevere by closeness to Christ, and the effect of his exhortation was the
spread of the Gospel and the growth of the church.
III. The Disciples Were Called Christians First
In Antioch (11:25-26) - The
Edification (Exposition) of the Church
25 Then departed Barnabas to
Tarsus, for to seek Saul: 26 And when he had found him, he brought
him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled
themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were
called Christians first in Antioch.
1. The Search
Party (11:25-26a)
2. The Tag-Team
Seminary (11:26b-e)
3. The Distinct
Designation (11:26f)
1. The Search
Party (11:25-26a)
Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for
to seek Saul: 26 And when he had found him,
Does this geographical extentsion of his travels from
Antioch to Tarsus contradict his commission from the Jerusalem Church (see
verse 22)?
This is the first mention of Saul since Acts 9!
Why would Barnabas do this?
“He evidently knew that Saul was
just the man required for this work at Antioch.”[11]
2. The Tag-Team
Seminary (11:26b-e)
he brought him unto Antioch. And it
came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church,[12] and
taught much people.
The First One-Year Bible Institute - cp. Word of Life
3. The Distinct
Designation (11:26f)
And the disciples were called
Christians first in Antioch.
Acts 26:28 - Then
Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.
1 Pet. 4:16 - et
if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify
God on this behalf.
Acts 2:47 - Praising
God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church
daily such as should be saved.
Acts 6:1 - And in
those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a
murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were
neglected in the daily ministration.
Acts 9:13 - Then
Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath
done to thy saints at Jerusalem:
Acts 9:30 - Which
when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth
to Tarsus.
Acts 10:45 - And
they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with
Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy
Ghost.
Acts 24:5 - For
we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all
the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes:
Acts 27:3 - And
the next day we touched at Sidon. And Julius courteously entreated Paul, and
gave him liberty to go unto his friends to refresh himself.
IV. Send Relief Unto The Brethren (11:27-30)
- The Extension
(Endowment) of the Church
27 And in these days came prophets
from Jerusalem unto Antioch. 28 And there stood up one of them named
Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth
throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar. 29
Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send
relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judaea: 30 Which also they
did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.
1. The Prophecy of
a Historic Famine (11:27-28)
2. The Provision
of a Willing Relief (11:29)
3. The
Presentation by a Credible Pair (11:30)
1. The Prophecy
of a Historic Famine (11:27-28)
27 And
in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch. 28 And
there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there
should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days
of Claudius Caesar.
Acts 1:15 - And
in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the
number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,)
Acts 6:1 - And in
those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring
of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the
daily ministration.
2. The
Provision of a Willing Relief (11:29)
Then the disciples, every man according
to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in
Judaea:
3. The Presentation
by a Credible Pair (11:30)
Which also they did, and sent it
to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.
Conclusion:
I. The Hand Of The
Lord Was With Them (11:19-21)
- The Expansion (Explosion) of the
Church
1. The Early
Evangelism Limited to Jews (11:19)
2. The Initial
Evangelism of Gentiles at
Antioch (11:20)
3. The Effective
Evangelism by God’s Grace (11:21)
II. Cleave Unto
The Lord With Purpose of Heart (11:22-24)
- The
Exhortation (Encouragement) to the Church
1. The Grace of God is Visible (11:22-23c)
2. The Grace of God is Joyous (11:23d)
3. The Grace of God is Contagious (11:23e-24)
III. The Disciples
Were Called Christians First In Antioch (11:25-26)
- The
Edification (Exposition) of the Church
1. The Search Party (11:25-26a)
2. The Tag-Team Seminary (11:26b-e)
3. The Distinct Designation (11:26f)
IV. Send Relief
Unto The Brethren (11:27-30)
- The
Extension (Endowment) of the Church
1. The Prophecy of a Historic Famine (11:27-28)
2. The Provision of a Willing Relief (11:29)
3. The Presentation by a Credible Pair (11:30)
[Sermon preached 16
MAR 2014 by Pastor John T. “Jack” Jeffery at Wayside Gospel Chapel, Greentown,
PA.]
Resources:
G. K. Beale and D. A. Carson, eds., Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old
Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2007), pp. 513-606.
Darrell L. Bock, Acts, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, eds. Robert W.
Yarbrough and Robert H. Stein (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2007).
F. F. Bruce, The
Acts of the Apostles: The Greek Text with Introduction and Commentary, 2nd
ed. (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1951, 1952).
I. Howard Marshall, Acts: An Introduction And
Commentary, Vol. 5 in Tyndale New
Testament Commentaries, gen. ed. Leon Morris (Downers Grove, IL:
InterVarsity Press, 1980; 2008 reprint).
David G. Peterson, The Acts of the Apostles, The Pillar New Testament Commentaries,
gen. ed. D. A. Carson (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2009).
John B. Polhill, Acts, Vol. 26 in The New American Commentary, gen. ed.
David S. Dockery (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, Publishers, 1992).
Eckhard J. Schnabel, Acts, Vol. 5 in the Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament,
gen. ed. Clinton E. Arnold (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2012).
William H. Willimon, Acts, in Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching,
series ed. James Luther Mays, New Testament ed. Paul J. Achtemeier (Louisville,
KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2010).
[1] See Merriam-Webster at http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beachhead
[accessed 17 MAR 2014]; and The Free
Dictionary at http://www.thefreedictionary.com/beachhead
[accessed 17 MAR 2014].
[2] F. F. Bruce, The Acts of the Apostles: The Greek
Text with Introduction and Commentary, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids: Wm. B.
Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1951, 1952), pg. 234.
[3] Op. cit., pg. 235.
[4] I. Howard Marshall, Acts: An Introduction And
Commentary, Vol. 5 in Tyndale New
Testament Commentaries, gen. ed. Leon Morris (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity
Press, 1980; 2008 reprint), pg. 212.
[5] Bruce, op. cit., pg. 236.
[6] Marshall, op. cit., pg. 214.
[7] τῇ προθέσει τῆς καρδίας προσμένειν τῷ κυρίῳ. On the infinitive προσμένειν see especially:
Colin Brown, “Remain”, in The New
International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, gen. ed. Colin Brown,
English ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1978; trans. from Germ.
original, Theologisches Begriffslexikon
Zum Neuen Testament, 1971 by Theologischer Verlag Rolf Brockhaus,
Wuppertal), 3:223-229, esp. 228; Friedrich Hauck, “μένω, ἐμ-, παρα-, περι-, προσμένω, μονή, ὑπομένω, ὑπομονή”, in Theological Dictionary of the New Testament,
10 vols., ed. Gerhard Kittel, trans. Geoffrey W. Bromiley, eds. Geoffrey W.
Bromiley and Gerhard Friedrich (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.,
1967; from Theologisches Worterbuch zum
Neuen Testament, W. Kohlhammer Verlag, Stuttgart, Germany), IV:574-588,
esp. 579; and Johannes P. Louw and Eugene A. Nida, eds., Greek-English
Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains, 2nd ed., 2 vols.
(New York: United Bible Societies, 1988, 1989), I:656, §68.11; I:729, §85.59.
Cross references where
this verb is found in the New Testament are Mt. 15:32 (Mk. 8:2); Acts 13:43; 18:18;
1 Tim. 1:3; and 5:5.
[8] W. W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary
(Wheaton: Victor Books, 1996), s.v.
Jn. 20:11-18. On this see especially D.
A. Carson, The Gospel according to John, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: William B.
Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1991), pp. 641-645; and J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: John 10:31 -
John 21:25, 4 vols. (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, n.d.; 1990 reprint ed.),
4:377-383, s.v. “Notes John xx 11-18” on vs. 17.
[9] “Centrifugal
force (from Latin centrum, meaning "center", and fugere,
meaning "to flee") is the apparent force that draws a rotating
body away from the center of rotation. It is caused by the inertia of the body as the body's path is continually redirected.”
Source: Wikipedia
at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centrifugal_force
[accessed 17 MAR 2014].
[10] Isaac Newton's
description was: "A centripetal force is that by which bodies are drawn or
impelled, or in any way tend, towards a point as to a centre.” Isaac Newton,
The Principia: Mathematical Principles Of Natural Philosophy (Snowball, 2010), pg. 10. Source:
Wikipedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centripetal_force
[accessed 17 MAR 2014].
[11] Op. cit., pg. 237.
[12] “The first use of ekklhsia in Ac. for a community other than
the original Jerusalem church either in its pristine unity… or in dispersion….Henceforth
in Ac. the word is regularly used of individual communities of Christians.”
Bruce, op. cit., pg. 238.
