Continued Expansion And God's New Work Among the Greeks (11:19-26).
Meanwhile the work of God has been going on through many unnamed and unsung heroes, and a number of those who had been scattered as a result of the persecution resulting from the death of Stephen are now seen as having gone out through Phoenicia, Cyprus and Syrian Antioch, taking with them ‘the word' concerning Christ. What is described here in such a short space would in fact have taken months, and even years, but it resulted in the next triumph among the Gentiles. It is to be seen as but one among many known missionary activities at that time, mentioned here only because of its work among the Greeks, and to emphasise the continual growth of the church.
The activity described in these verses began at the same time as Philip's ministry in Samaria, but it is placed here in order to present an early example of the move outwards from the Jews to the Gentiles. It is preparing for the full transition from the Jewish Christian outreach to the outreach of Paul and Barnabas.
The Founding and Growth of the Church In Antioch.
The gradual growth of the church in Antioch from small beginnings, and the reciprocal love that was shown by each church to the other, was to Luke a further example of the advance of the work of the Spirit. It is, in abbreviated form, a further illustration of how God's work has advanced and produced its fruit of love and ‘sharing, in the same way as it had in the beginning. It was founded, blossomed, grew, was edified, expanded still more and became a fountain of love flowing out to others, and of mutual fellowship, just as had been true in the earliest days. Its growth may be outlined as follows:
· Some Hellenistic believers arrive in Antioch, and begin to gossip the Gospel. They probably went into the synagogues where they began to talk with their fellow-Jews about the word (Acts 11:19).
· Hearing news of what had happened with Cornelius (for that is surely why this is described at this point) some believers from Cyprus and Cyrene begin to target the God-fearing Greeks in the synagogues and proclaim to them that Jesus is LORD. He is with them and a great number believe and turn to the LORD (Acts 11:20-21).
· The church in Jerusalem hear reports of what is happening and show their love for the church in Antioch by sending Barnabas to them to assist in the work and in order to maintain unity and fellowship between the churches of Antioch and Jerusalem (Acts 11:22).
· Barnabas, the son of encouragement, encourages the new church and calls on them to stick close to the LORD. The Holy Spirit is in the work (he was full of the Holy Spirit) and much people are added to the LORD (Acts 11:23-24).
· Barnabas love for the church is so great that he seeks out Saul to come and assist him in building up the newborn and growing church in the faith, and together they gather with the church and for a whole year teach the people (Acts 11:25-26 a).
· The LORD demonstrates His wholehearted approval of the work in that the disciples are given a new name. (Compare how in Genesis 1-2 the naming of things always reveals God's sovereignty). He arranges that they, as a mixture of Jews and Greeks together, are called ‘Christ-men' or ‘Christians' (Acts 11:26 b). The new multinational church is therefore declared to be due to His sovereign power.
· Such is the love of the Jerusalem church that prophets come from Jerusalem to Antioch to fulfil a ministry in the large and growing church, one of whom predicts a great coming famine (Acts 11:27-28).
· Such is the love of the church in Antioch that on hearing of the coming famine they collect together a fund according as each is able (many would be slaves) so that they may send it to the churches of Judaea (Acts 11:29). They share all things in common. In Old Testament terms the wealth of the Gentiles flows to Jerusalem.
· The fund is sent by the hand of Barnabas and Saul, an indication that the church has now grown sufficiently to do without them for a while and that they are willing to sacrifice them in order to show their love for their brethren in the churches of Judaea (Acts 11:30).
We shall now look at it in detail.