They preached the lord jesus when they arrived in antioch acts 11. And in these days prophets came from jerusalem to antioch. Early in the history of the church, the gospel spread to antioch. The outline of new testament preaching in greek, kerygma is seen in the sermons in acts.
Apr 02, 2020 antioch of syria played a significant role in the book of acts and the earliest developments in the spread of christianity. Third, the incident points out what we already know about paul from galatians 1he is not under the authority of the jerusalem church. The first major event of paul was his first missionary journey, when he left antioch got, n. The first antioch mentioned in the book of acts is the large city in syria acts 11.
The gospel was publicly taught in antioch by certain disciples from cyprus and cyrene, who came preaching the lord jesus. Its narrative supplies a bridge connecting the life and ministry of jesus to the life of the church and the witness of the earliest believers. Who is agabus in the book of acts and what can we learn from. Antioch of syria the third largest city of the roman empire. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. While there are some areas of great detail of the acts of the apostles, many times you must use cross references to the gospels of matthew, mark, luke and john as well as some other epistles in the new testament to get the full picture of what was. Oct 05, 2015 by acts 18, the center of gentile mission shifts from antioch to ephesus. This city was theplace where the disciples were first called christians acts 11. Antioch of syria played a significant role in the book of acts and the earliest developments in the spread of christianity. Many christian leaders have called singapore the antioch of asia. The book of acts provides a detailed, orderly, eyewitness account of the birth and growth of the early church and the spread of the gospel immediately after the resurrection of jesus christ. Acts is the thirteenth chapter of the acts of the apostles in the new testament of the christian bible.
The church in antioch now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out. On a side note, years later saul by then known as paul and agabus will meet. Antioch in the book of acts antioch was an important city in early christian formation and was where the term christian was coined. The book of acts tells how the multiethnic, international. As you mentioned, two of these antioch s are in the new testament. Antioch stood 25km up river from its seaport selucia, where the crontes river entered the great sea. Acts 15 niv bible certain people came down from judea to. The book of acts does not mention anything about a similar christian presence in alexandria, egypt even though the city had a large population of hellenistic jews. The acts of the apostlesthe gospel message in antioch wikisource. Barnabas and saul paul visit this new community in which believers are first called christians. The subject of my message today is the church at antioch. They sent out barnabas to go as far as antioch, acts 11. A model for our churches the bible teachers commentary acts. The book containing this chapter is anonymous but early christian tradition uniformly affirmed that luke composed this book as well as the gospel of luke.
It might appropriately be called some of the acts of some of the apostles since it does not try to describe all of the acts of all the apostles. The book of acts is an adventure thrill ride from start to finish, but we tend to skip over a lot of the incredibly compelling details. Revival came, and the church became a strong missionary center. In john 20, jesuss disciples had an altogether unique experience thats been repeated hundreds of millions of times across the earth throughout the ages. Luke wrote, and the hand of the lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the lord acts 11. Jesus came into the world in fulfillment of the scriptures, died on the cross for. Acts 17 begins with paul arriving at thessalonica where there was a synagogue. Luke uses that source to fashion his picture that makes all missions subordinate to. A bible exposition of the antioch church model on acts. Acts and the gospel of luke make up a twopart work, luke acts, by the same anonymous author, usually dated to around 8090 ad. The book of acts provides a bridge for the writings of the nt. Since another group of selfdeclared christians from judea was preaching a different message, at least some of the hearers in the antioch church would have been unsure which side to believe. The nickname stuck, just as jesus people or jesus freaks was the description that came out of the jesus movement in the 1970s.
The last mention of saul in the book of acts prior to his move to antioch in about 45 c. By that, they mean that our citystate has a very strategic role to play in the evangelisation of the entire region. And the disciples were first called christians in antioch acts 11. A strong church of christ was established there, and this is where the disciples were first called christians acts 11. Situated in the northwest corner of syria and about twenty miles from the sea, antioch was, for anyone traveling northward, a gateway to asia minor. Agabus prophesied in the two instances he appears in the book of acts. Acts of the apostles executable outline study resources. Pauls mission is responsible for planting many churches in the lycus valley by the end of the first century. While antiochene chrisitians sponsored pauls outreach to gentiles, the book of acts portrays the city and paul as subservient to the longstanding influence and traditions of the jerusalembased leadership. Here are some supplementary notes about the two antiochs, one in syria and the other in pisidia, both mentioned in the book of acts. Aug 31, 2015 deep into hellenized territory, we enter the third catalytic movement in the book of acts first being jerusalem, second being judea and samaria. And the disciples were called christians first in antioch. Stay connected amidst social distancing receive weekly bible studies to share with family and friends.
Luke emphasized what was being preached throughout the book of acts. Antioch of syria the most wicked city in the roman empire. In the book of acts, we discover how gods multiethnic, international church grew through persecution and missionary journeys throughout the world. Rather, the focus is clearly on some of the acts or deeds of mostly peter the key figure in. So for a full year they met together with the church and taught large numbers of people. In this chapter, paul and barnabas were appointed with the task of clarifying the old jewish laws of circumcision acts 15 got, n. Meanwhile apolos also preached mightily at ephesus and showed from the scriptures that jesus was the christ. The other answers, o, these are the people who are always talking about christos, the christpeople, the christians the book of acts eerdmans, p. In acts, two cities by the name of antioch are mentioned, antioch of syria and antioch of pisidia. The beginning verses of acts make it clear that acts is a sequel of the story started in luke and written to the same man named theophilus, generally a title ascribed to highranking roman officials. The citys geographical, military, and economic location benefited its occupants, particularly such features as the spice trade, the silk road, and the royal road.
Pauls activities and teachings recorded in the book of acts. Luke was from antioch but traveled with paul all over southern europe and the middle east. The disciples were first called christians at antioch. Sep 11, 2019 the book of acts does not mention anything about a similar christian presence in alexandria, egypt even though the city had a large population of hellenistic jews. As you mentioned, two of these antiochs are in the new testament. Tradition holds that the first gentile church was founded in antioch, acts 11. When news of this reached the ears of the church in jerusalem, they sent barnabas to antioch. Do you know which city in the world is known as the antioch of asia. Church of antioch news newspapers books scholar jstor july 2007 learn how and when to remove this template message. It is used more than sixty times in the septuagint, the greek old testament, and describes people being scattered abroad and dispersed among other nations. The new testament distinguishes between preaching and teaching.
Initially, the message is shared only among jews, but luke is quick to tell us that greeks are. One can go back in the book of acts to earlier chapters, such as chapter 11, and read verse 19, now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about stephen, traveled as far as phenice and cyprus and antioch, preaching the word to none but unto jews only. As a second volume to lukes gospel, it joins what jesus began to do and to teach 1. It is used more than sixty times in the septuagint, the greek old testament, and describes people being. While antiochene chrisitians sponsored pauls outreach to gentiles, the book of acts portrays the city and paul as subservient to the longstanding influence and traditions of the jerusalembased leadership, especially peter. Serve as pauls starting point for his three missionary journeys ac. Antioch was founded near the end of the fourth century bc by seleucus i nicator, one of alexander the greats generals. Paul spent a lot of time in antioch prior to his 1st missionary journey acts 11.
Actus apostolorum, often referred to simply as acts, or formally the book of acts, is the fifth book of the new testament. Send paul and barnabas to jerusalem to resolve the issue of circumcision ac 15. The first part, the gospel of luke, tells how god fulfilled his plan for the worlds salvation through the life, death, and. Deep into hellenized territory, we enter the third catalytic movement in the book of acts first being jerusalem, second being judea and samaria. The city was home to many diaspora jews those deported through captivity who had chosen to remain living outside israel but maintain their jewish faith. There are several observations about the church at antioch that will be a great blessing to us. In the book of acts we often read of men journeying between antioch and jerusalem.
It records the first missionary journey of paul and barnabas to cyprus and pisidia. From antioch, a great new missionary effort reached out to the gentile world acts 11. Barnabas, simeon called niger, lucius the cyrenian, manaen a close friend of herod the tetrarch from childhood and saul. Persecution sparks growth in antioch watchtower online library. Sermons from acts the church in antioch of syria 11. Syrian antioch was the worlds third greatest city, bettered only by rome and alexandria. We will see later in the book of acts that in many cities where paul took the gospel, the jews started riots. Antioch was a very significant town, because from there the church launched its major missionary offensives to. Antioch was an important city in early christian formation and was where the term christian was coined.
Antioch of syria was located at the head of the orontes river about twenty kilometers inland, east of the mediterranean sea and although it was inland it was possible to navigate by boat along the river from the sea to antioch. In acts, two cities by the name of antioch are mentioned, antioch of syria. T he book of acts in the bible, written around 6263 a. What the diverse church in antioch can teach us today.
That at least two of the christians mentioned in acts are from north africa is perhaps a hint some hellenists moved to antioch rather than egypt. It was by no means a short trip, for the distance was about three hundred miles. By acts 18, the center of gentile mission shifts from antioch to ephesus. Theres never been much contention about the authorship of acts. Lets take a look at some of the most intriguing things in acts and develop a new appreciation for this fascinating book. The acts of the apostles, often referred to simply as acts, or formally the book of acts, is the fifth book of the new testament. Persecution sparks growth in antioch watchtower online.