Antioch – a Crossroads Church of the Gospel
And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.
Acts of the Apostles 11:26 ESV – [CLICK HERE for other versions]
‘Christians’ – an all-too-familiar label ‘christians‘ don’t understand
Hundreds of disciples of Jesus Christ were first mocked in Antioch as ‘Christians.’ The Church now claims this defining label as our connection to Christ.
You know this Scripture concerning the label ‘Christians.’ But do you know the significance of Antioch, this place where the church was first called ‘Christians?’
Gentiles and Jews Regenerated in the Holy Spirit
IF you have been following our series in Acts from Luke’s historical account of the first century Church you will have noticed a new testament of the Holy Spirit beyond Jerusalem.
The resurrection of Jesus becomes a New Testament of Good News to the world; grace to gentiles in various places — fellow sinners who now identify in Him and by the power of the Holy Spirit with a regenerated remnant of faithful Jews who worship their Messiah Jesus.
Let us continue in Acts of the Apostles where we left off as Peter defends his actions in Jerusalem.
Acts 11: continued in Antioch
Listen to a very Jewish glance at this same response of Simon Peter to the Jews. (Of course Peter is a jewish disciple of Yeshua [יְהוֹשׁוּעַ].)
17 “If then Hashem gave the same matanah to them as also to us after believing in Moshiach Adoneinu, who then was I to stand in the way of Hashem?”
Gevurot 11:17-30 [LINK to: NASB;KJ21;OJB;SBLGNT]
Orthodox Jewish Bible
Did you get that, you goyim 'christians' who did not know the significance of Antioch in calling you Christians along with our remnant saved by our Messiah? JESUS came in Person, was sacrificed on a gentile Roman Cross and rose from the grave in Body and Spirit for YOU as well! You gentiles are also CHOSEN! Simeon Petros has witnessed this amazing new sign. So from Antioch -- we too proclaim Christ to the Nations and your world as well.
When they heard these things they fell silent.
And they glorified God, saying,
“Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”
Acts of the Apostles 11:18 ESV
This Ancient Roman road connected Antioch and Chalcis.
Diaspora, (Greek: “Dispersion”) Hebrew Galut (Exile)
Seleucus founded a number of new cities during his reign, including Antioch (300 BC), Edessa and Seleucia on the Tigris (c. 305 BC), a foundation that eventually depopulated Babylon. (source: wikipedia)
- The Jews of Israel (Samaria) culturally had changed since its defeat eight centuries Before Christ.
- The Jews of Judah (Judea) also changed culturally when forced east six centuries before Christ.
- Before Rome, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Egypt and especially various Greek empires influenced Jews living throughout the world.
- Kingdoms of Alexander the Great
- 356-323 Before Christ included:
- Macedonia, Egypt, Persia & Asia
Cultural History of 323 BC
This is RECENT HISTORY to the JEWS of every land, including Hasmonean Judea under the rule and control of the powerful military of Rome. The tolerance of culture in Antioch looked back to the golden age of Alexander much in the way as any city in the US would look back to our recent cultural history, including those with similar populations such as: Atlanta, Kansas City, Mesa, Sacramento, Omaha, Colorado Springs, Raleigh and Virginia Beach.
Put your witness as Christians into this parallel context to Antioch:
- AD 40 – Peter in Antioch (AD 2022)
- Jesus earthly ministry (AD 2010’s)
- 323 BC – Death of Alexander (AD 1600’s)
- (The 1600’s in the US include familiar cultural history like: Jamestown VA Colony (of England), Hudson River exploration by Dutch; various wars between European empires and local native nations; several colonies and cities founded; Harvard University founded by a Congregational minister; Salem witch trials by the Puritans)
Antioch, at the crossroads between the nations, stood as the place where Christians could take the Gospel in any direction into all the world.
Talk of Jesus .com
The Church in Antioch
The Cultural Richness of Antioch
ACTS 11:
19 So then those who were scattered because of the persecution that occurred in connection with Stephen made their way to Phoenicia [21st c. Lebanon], [island of] Cyprus, and [in 21st c. Turkey] Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews alone.
20 But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene [coast of 21st c. Libya], who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks [Hellenists or Greek-speaking, racially and culturally gentiles traditionally separated from jews] as well, preaching the good news of the Lord Jesus.
21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord.
The Antioch Blueprint
An Antioch-like church gets involved with people. We must learn how to live with and speak winsomely to unbelievers.
Tony Merida – LOVE YOUR CHURCH + 8 Great Things about being a Church Member
Due to the doctrinal importance of this Antioch model for the Church, I will quote extensively at this juncture from LOVE YOUR CHURCH [also linked above] and CHRIST-CENTERED Exposition - EXALTING JESUS IN ACTS also by Tony Merida. - RH
- Gospel Intelligibility – verse 20
“We don’t read here about ‘Christ Jesus,’ ‘Messiah Jesus,’ or ‘the anointed King Jesus.”
Why? This isn’t a Jewish crowd. This is a Gentile crowd, unfamiliar with the promises that God made.. to send his anointed Messiah King.
Tony Merida – LOVE YOUR CHURCH; p. 146
- The title kurios,Lord, was commonly spoken in Antioch
- The titles Messiah or anointed King (Christ, in Greek) only spoke to Jews familiar with Scripture.
- The Lord’s Sovereignty – verse 21
The Lord Jesus is the hero of the (gospel) message.. and the source of power.. Jesus was building his church right in hedonistic Antioch.
CHRIST-CENTERED Exposition – EXALTING JESUS IN ACTS; p. 159 – Tony Merida
- Accountability – verse 22
22 The news about them reached the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas off to Antioch.
Note that accountability comes before encouragement in the Apostolic model of the Church.
- Encouragement – vs. 22-24
They weren’t Jewish. Antioch had no Apostles to lead them. So the Apostles sent Barnabas, a trusted and faithful disciple of the Apostles’ teaching to Antioch and he could verify the faith of these gentile believers of the Lord Jesus.
23 Then when he arrived and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord; for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and faith.
And considerable numbers were added to the Lord.
- Instruction (Teaching or Doctrine) – vs. 25-27
25 And he left for Tarsus to look for Saul; and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch.
Barnabas, a Levite familiar with priestly Jewish Law and resident of nearby Cypress, seeks out Saul, an expert in Jewish Pharisaical teachings of the Law and Prophets who he had earlier encouraged after Paul encountered the risen Jesus on his way to persecute disciples of The Way in Damascus.
And for an entire year they [Barnabas & Paul] met with the church and taught considerable numbers of people
Acts 11:26b – NASB
Jews discipling Gentiles! In Antioch, a huge hedonistic Roman city!
Teaching is a critical component of disciple making. Listening to music alone will not disciple new believers. Neither will merely attending church services. Christians need to know and learn how to apply Scriptures. Each of us needs faithful instruction in God’s Word.
Tony Merida, Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary, p. 162
ALL came to know that these growing crowds of Antiochians who gathered with Barnabas and Saul spoke of the Lord Jesus. Yet these new gentile disciples came to understand this Lord as the same Christ Jesus, King of the Jews (as Pontius Pilate had said).
- Fruit – v. 26
‘The saints in Antioch so identified with Jesus that fellow Gentile observers called them, “little Christs.”
- Does anyone, my fellow follower of Jesus, call you a ‘little Christ?”
Tony Merida points to this key ‘turning point’ in history: [p.162–3]
The followers of Jesus were so different from the culture around them that citizens had to develop a third classification of people — something new beyond the Jew or Gentile distinction..
The church in Antioch was like an embassy of the kingdom of God.
Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary, p. 163
ACTS 11:26c
..and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.
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