The Church in Syrian Antioch

The gospel spread from Jerusalem to Antioch, a major cosmopolitan city in the Roman empire, and a blended Jewish-Gentile church was founded that sent missionaries abroad.

Because of the persecution against the church triggered by Stephen’s death, Jesus-followers scattered all over Judea, Samaria, and beyond. Some traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch (480 kilometers from Jerusalem!) telling their fellow Jews about Jesus as they went. Antioch was a major commercial hub for the Roman world with a population estimated as high as 500,000. Although the city had a large Jewish community (40,000?), it had a rich blend of cultures, including Greek, Syrian, Phoenician, Arab, Persian, Indian, and Egyptian people. It’s no wonder then that some of the scattered believers, citizens of Cyprus and North Africa, began sharing the message of Messiah Jesus with Greeks in Antioch. God blessed their efforts: quite a number of Greeks believed and turned to the Master.

When the Jerusalem church got wind of this, they sent Barnabas to Antioch to check it out. Now his real name was Joseph, but the church leaders called him Barnabas (“encouraging one”) because he was always encouraging people. He had been part of the Jerusalem church from the very beginning and had sold his land and given the money to help other church members. When Barnabas arrived in Antioch, he saw that this was all part of God’s plan; His grace was drawing people of different ethnicities to Himself. He encouraged them (There he goes again!), urging the believers to continue steadfast in their purpose of sharing Jesus with others. Barnabas himself worked with them, being enthusiastic and confident in the Holy Spirit, and the new church grew tremendously.

Barnabas must have enjoyed leading this new, flourishing church. But he knew he could use some help reaching people in this city rich in ethnic diversity. He had met Saul a few years back and remembered that he had disputed successfully with Greeks; God had used him to bring them to Jesus. He knew that Saul was from Tarsus, which wasn’t that far from Antioch. So he went to Tarsus to find Saul and invite him to join them in the ministry at Antioch. The two of them ended up working together in Antioch for an entire year, meeting with the church and teaching many people. Changed lives attracted attention so people in Antioch began calling the followers Christians (“little Christs”) for the very first time. What a validation of their ministry!

About this time some prophets came to Antioch from Jerusalem. One of them, Agabus, warned by the Spirit’s leading that a severe famine was about to devastate the world. (The famine occurred during Claudius’ reign.) So the Christians decided each would send whatever they could to help their fellow believers in Judea. Barnabas and Saul were sent to deliver the collection to the Jerusalem church. After they had delivered the relief offering, they returned to Antioch bringing John Mark with them.

By this time the church had grown strong and had a diverse, multiethnic leadership team: Barnabas, a native of Cyprus, a Jew from the tribe of Levi; Simeon, most likely from Africa, nicknamed Niger or “Blackie”; Lucius, a native of Cyrene in Northern Africa; Manaen, probably Galilean, brought up in the royal court with King Herod; Saul, native of Tarsus (a city in present-day Turkey), a Jew from the tribe of Benjamin, a highly educated Pharisee.

These men were worshiping the LORD God and fasting—seeking God’s guidance—and then it came. The Holy Spirit directed them to commission Barnabas and Saul for a unique work. So, right then and there in the middle of their intense praying and fasting, their yearning to be obedient, they laid their hands on them. They commissioned them for missionary service and sent them off on their new assignment which had come directly from the Holy Spirit.

(To be continued.)