Daily Thoughts from Acts: The New Church Paradigm (Acts 11:19-30)

Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.

Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius).  So the disciples determined, every one according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers living in Judea. And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.  (Acts 11:19-30 ESV)

Even with Peter’s experience preaching to and opening the doors of the church to Gentiles there is little outreach to Gentiles being made by those who are scattered in the persecution.  But some do reach out to Gentiles as they preach in Antioch, a city in the northernmost part of Israel.  The Jerusalem church, those left despite the persecution, hear of this fruitful outreach and send Barnabas to oversee this work. Had Barnabas remembered Paul’s testimony of Jesus telling him that he would preach to Gentiles?  In any case, Barnabas trusts Paul to help him with it and Tarsus, Paul’s city, was not terribly far away.  So Saul/Paul comes out of his semi-exile in his hometown and begins to minister in Antioch.

We are not to suppose that Paul had been idle during his time in Cilicia (modern day Turkey), where Tarsus was located.  But Luke doesn’t include any glimpse of what work he was doing there.  He seems aptly suited, however, for this work among Jewish and Gentile converts and especially in evangelism to Gentiles.  Antioch is the new paradigm of the church that includes Gentiles.

This church receives the moniker “Christians” (followers of Christ) from the people in Antioch.  They become aware of the famine to come in Judea through a prophecy, so they pre-emptively gather money for this southern part of Israel, and send the monetary relief through trusted carriers, Paul and Barnabas.  They send it to the elders of the church in Jerusalem.  These are now the leaders in that first church.  The apostles are scattered from Jerusalem, it seems, and are planting churches elsewhere.

There is something reminiscent of those early days in Jerusalem where Barnabas and others were selling land and otherwise sharing their wealth with those in the church who were poor.  They were making sure everyone’s needs were met.  They loved and trusted each other that much.  And now this Jerusalem church is being buttressed by a church that ultimately was derived from the Jerusalem church but that is a very different make-up.  Paul sees that the Gentiles have been spiritually blessed by the Jews and are now financially blessing them in return.  This becomes his message throughout his ministry and his future fundraising efforts (Romans 15:26-27).

We also see here the valuable precaution of the church in Antioch to send money with two people who are trusted, but who nevertheless will have accountability with the money and no basis for anyone questioning that they gave over the entire amount.  Many a good person has been tempted by money and with lack of accountability has given in to temptation to misappropriate it.