Bible Commentaries

When Peter went up to Jerusalem. The Jewish Christians who made up the "group" at Jerusalem [who still "kept" the Tradition (Acts 21:20)] and the Samaritan Christians were all circumcised. Cornelius and the other Christians at Caesarea were the first uncircumcised Christians. Some thought Gentiles had to convert to Judaism and be circumcised in addition to obeying Christ. Compare Romans 10:17). Will be saved. (1) Cornelius, a religious Acts 10:24); waiting to hear (Acts 10:33); the Holy Spirit came down on all those who were listening (Acts 10:44); and these same ones were baptized into Christ (Acts 10:47-48).

Just as on us at the beginning. Peter refers back to the birth-day of the church.

But you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. Acts 1:5 and note. Peter calls this: "baptism with the Holy Spirit." Every Christian has the "Holy Spirit as a gift," along with the fruits of this gift (Galatians 5:22-23). The gifts of the Spirit (baptism with the Holy Spirit) were unusual and not every Christian had them. See notes on Acts 8:15 to Acts 17:17. Who was I, then? If God accepted Gentiles, as he showed Peter that he did, how could Peter try to stop what God was doing???

When they heard this. "Facts are stubborn things." Notice they are willing to stop their criticism and praise God!

The believers were scattered. Acts 8:4-5. Phoenicia. A long, fertile area between the mountains of Lebanon and the sea. Tyre and Sidon were cities of this area. Cyprus. A large island in the Mediterranean Sea. Antioch. Capital of the entire province of Syria, including Palestine. Only Rome and Alexandria were more important cities. To Jews only. They were scattered before they knew that God would save Gentiles as well.

Cyrene. A Greek city in North Africa, which had a large Jewish population. Proclaimed the message to Gentiles also. ["Greek" often means "Gentile."] These preachers were Jews who spoke the Greek language. Led by the Spirit, they preached the Good News to these Gentiles (see notes on Acts 10:2); and a great number of them turned to the Lord (compare note on Acts 3:19-20).

So they sent Barnabas to Antioch. Barnabas was a "Greek-speaking Jew" (Acts 4:36), who was the friend of another "Greek-speaking Jew" named Paul (Acts 9:27). He was sent to evaluate what was happening there. And saw how God had blessed the people. This is the first "group" [messianic community, church] outside the borders of Palestine. It soon became the "center of missions" to fill the Gentile world with the Good News of God's act in Christ to set men free!!!

To look for Saul. Compare note on Acts 9:30. Paul is thought to have come to Antioch in 43 A.D. [by the corrected calendar]. An "apostle" was needed at Antioch to "pass on" spiritual gifts and bring "instant maturity" to the community of believers there. Compare notes on 1 Corinthians 12:27-31. First called Christians. The Jews called them "Nazarenes," and "Galileans." They called themselves "disciples," "brothers" [which includes sisters], "God's people" [HAGIOS: saint, chosen, holy (sanctified)]. What spiritual POWER must these disciples have had, to be called "Christians!" Christian means "one who belongs to Christ." See also Acts 26:28; 1 Peter 4:16.

About that time some prophets. See note on Acts 2:17. Named Agabus. We meet him again in Acts 21:10. A great famine. Eusebius writes: "In his reign there was a famine that prevailed over the whole world; an event, indeed, which has been handed down by historians very far from our doctrine; and by which the prediction of the prophet Agabus, recorded in the Acts of the Apostles, respecting the impending famine over the whole world, received its fulfillment." This would be about 46 A.D, and is probably not the famine mentioned by Josephus [or the famine may have started in Palestine about 44 A.D. and lasted for three or four years].

To help their brothers who lived in Judea. This marks the beginning of a new "spirit" which was to radically change the Gentile world! The Gentiles of Antioch "reach out in love" to their Jewish brothers in Judea!