Chapter 16
The Gospel Message in Antioch
[This chapter is based on Acts 11:19-26; 13:1-3.]
After the disciples had been driven from Jerusalem by persecution,
the gospel message spread rapidly through the regions lying beyond the
limits of Palestine; and many small companies of believers were formed
in important centres. Some of the disciples "travelled as far as
Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word." Their
labours were usually confined to the Hebrew and Greek Jews, large
colonies of whom were at this time to be found in nearly all the cities
of the world.
Among the places mentioned where the gospel was gladly received is
Antioch, at that time the metropolis of Syria. The extensive commerce
carried on from that populous centre brought to the city many people of
various nationalities. Besides, Antioch was favourably known as a resort
for lovers of ease and pleasure, because of its healthful situation, its
beautiful surroundings, and the wealth, culture, and refinement to be
found there. In the days of the apostles it had become a city of luxury
and vice.
The gospel was publicly taught in Antioch by certain disciples from
Cyprus and Cyrene, who came "preaching the Lord Jesus."
"The hand of the Lord was with them," and their earnest
labours were productive of fruit. "A great number believed, and
turned unto the Lord."
"Tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which
was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far
as Antioch." Upon arrival in his new field of labour, Barnabas saw
the work that had already been accomplished by divine grace, and he
"was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they
would cleave unto the Lord."
The labours of Barnabas in Antioch were richly blessed, and many were
added to the number of believers there. As the work developed, Barnabas
felt the need of suitable help in order to advance in the opening
providences of God, and he went to Tarsus to seek for Paul, who, after
his departure from Jerusalem some time before, had been labouring in
"the regions of Syria and Cilicia," proclaiming "the
faith which once he destroyed." Galatians 1:21, 23. Barnabas was
successful in finding Paul and in persuading him to return with him as a
companion in ministry.
In the populous city of Antioch, Paul found an excellent field of
labour. His learning, wisdom, and zeal exerted a powerful influence over
the inhabitants and frequenters of that city of culture; and he proved
just the help that Barnabas needed. For a year the two disciples
laboured unitedly in faithful ministry, bringing to many a saving
knowledge of Jesus of Nazareth, the world's Redeemer.
It was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians.
The name was given them because Christ was the main theme of their
preaching, their teaching, and their conversation. Continually they were
recounting the incidents that had occurred during the days of His
earthly ministry, when His disciples were blessed with His personal
presence. Untiringly they dwelt upon His teachings and His miracles of
healing. With quivering lips and tearful eyes they spoke of His agony in
the garden, His betrayal, trial, and execution, the forbearance and
humility with which He had endured the contumely and torture imposed
upon Him by His enemies, and the Godlike pity with which He had prayed
for those who persecuted Him. His resurrection and ascension, and His
work in heaven as the Mediator for fallen man, were topics on which they
rejoiced to dwell. Well might the heathen call them Christians, since
they preached Christ and addressed their prayers to God through Him.
It was God who gave to them the name of Christian. This is a royal
name, given to all who join themselves to Christ. It was of this name
that James wrote later, "Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you
before the judgement seats? Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by
the which ye are called?" James 2:6, 7. And Peter declared,
"If any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let
him glorify God on this behalf." "If ye be reproached for the
name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth
upon you." 1 Peter 4:16, 14.
The believers at Antioch realised that God was willing to work in
their lives "both to will and to do of His good pleasure."
Philippians 2:13. Living, as they were, in the midst of a people who
seemed to care but little for the things of eternal value, they sought
to arrest the attention of the honest in heart, and to bear positive
testimony concerning Him whom they loved and served. In their humble
ministry they learned to depend upon the power of the Holy Spirit to
make effective the word of life. And so, in the various walks of life,
they daily bore testimony of their faith in Christ.
The example of the followers of Christ at Antioch should be an
inspiration to every believer living in the great cities of the world
today. While it is in the order of God that chosen workers of
consecration and talent should be stationed in important centres of
population to lead out in public efforts, it is also His purpose that
the church members living in these cities shall use their God-given
talents in working for souls. There are rich blessings in store for
those who surrender fully to the call of God. As such workers endeavour
to win souls to Jesus, they will find that many who never could have
been reached in any other way are ready to respond to intelligent
personal effort.
The cause of God in the earth today is in need of living
representatives of Bible truth. The ordained ministers alone are not
equal to the task of warning the great cities. God is calling not only
upon ministers, but also upon physicians, nurses, colporteurs, Bible
workers, and other consecrated laymen of varied talent who have a
knowledge of the word of God and who know the power of His grace, to
consider the needs of the unwarned cities. Time is rapidly passing, and
there is much to be done. Every agency must be set in operation, that
present opportunities may be wisely improved.
Paul's labours at Antioch, in association with Barnabas, strengthened
him in his conviction that the Lord had called him to do a special work
for the Gentile world. At the time of Paul's conversion, the Lord had
declared that he was to be made a minister to the Gentiles, "to
open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the
power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and
inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in
Me." Acts 26:18. The angel that appeared to Ananias had said of
Paul, "He is a chosen vessel unto Me, to bear My name before the
Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel." Acts 9:15. And
Paul himself, later in his Christian experience, while praying in the
temple at Jerusalem, had been visited by an angel from heaven, who bade
him, "Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the
Gentiles." Acts 22:21.
Thus the Lord had given Paul his commission to enter the broad
missionary field of the Gentile world. To prepare him for this extensive
and difficult work, God had brought him into close connection with
Himself and had opened before his enraptured vision views of the beauty
and glory of heaven. To him had been given the ministry of making known
"the mystery" which had been "kept secret since the world
began" (Romans 16:25),--"the mystery of His will"
(Ephesians 1:9), "which in other ages was not made known unto the
sons of men, as it is now revealed unto His holy apostles and prophets
by the Spirit; that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same
body, and partakers of His promise in Christ by the gospel:
whereof," declares Paul, "I was made a minister. . . . Unto
me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that
I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which
from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all
things by Jesus Christ: to the intent that now unto the principalities
and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold
wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which He purposed in
Christ Jesus our Lord." Ephesians 3:5-11.
God had abundantly blessed the labours of Paul and Barnabas during
the year they remained with the believers in Antioch. But neither of
them had as yet been formally ordained to the gospel ministry. They had
now reached a point in their Christian experience when God was about to
entrust them with the carrying forward of a difficult missionary
enterprise, in the prosecution of which they would need every advantage
that could be obtained through the agency of the church.
"There were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets
and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius
of Cyrene, and Manaen, . . . and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord,
and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate Me Barnabas and Saul for the
work whereunto I have called them." Before being sent forth as
missionaries to the heathen world, these apostles were solemnly
dedicated to God by fasting and prayer and the laying on of hands. Thus
they were authorised by the church, not only to teach the truth, but to
perform the rite of baptism and to organise churches, being invested
with full ecclesiastical authority.
The Christian church was at this time entering upon an important era.
The work of proclaiming the gospel message among the Gentiles was now to
be prosecuted with vigour; and as a result the church was to be
strengthened by a great ingathering of souls. The apostles who had been
appointed to lead out in this work would be exposed to suspicion,
prejudice, and jealousy. Their teachings concerning the breaking down of
"the middle wall of partition" (Ephesians 2:14) that had so
long separated the Jewish and the Gentile world, would naturally subject
them to the charge of heresy, and their authority as ministers of the
gospel would be questioned by many zealous, believing Jews. God foresaw
the difficulties that His servants would be called to meet, and, in
order that their work should be above challenge, He instructed the
church by revelation to set them apart publicly to the work of the
ministry. Their ordination was a public recognition of their divine
appointment to bear to the Gentiles the glad tidings of the gospel.
Both Paul and Barnabas had already received their commission from God
Himself, and the ceremony of the laying on of hands added no new grace
or virtual qualification. It was an acknowledged form of designation to
an appointed office and a recognition of one's authority in that office.
By it the seal of the church was set upon the work of God.
To the Jew this form was a significant one. When a Jewish father
blessed his children, he laid his hands reverently upon their heads.
When an animal was devoted to sacrifice, the hand of the one invested
with priestly authority was laid upon the head of the victim. And when
the ministers of the church of believers in Antioch laid their hands
upon Paul and Barnabas, they, by that action, asked God to bestow His
blessing upon the chosen apostles in their devotion to the specific work
to which they had been appointed.
At a later date the rite of ordination by the laying on of hands was
greatly abused; unwarrantable importance was attached to the act, as if
a power came at once upon those who received such ordination, which
immediately qualified them for any and all ministerial work. But in the
setting apart of these two apostles, there is no record indicating that
any virtue was imparted by the mere act of laying on of hands. There is
only the simple record of their ordination and of the bearing that it
had on their future work.
The circumstances connected with the separation of Paul and Barnabas
by the Holy Spirit to a definite line of service show clearly that the
Lord works through appointed agencies in His organised church. Years
before, when the divine purpose concerning Paul was first revealed to
him by the Saviour Himself, Paul was immediately afterward brought into
contact with members of the newly organised church at Damascus.
Furthermore, the church at that place was not long left in darkness as
to the personal experience of the converted Pharisee. And now, when the
divine commission given at that time was to be more fully carried out,
the Holy Spirit, again bearing witness concerning Paul as a chosen
vessel to bear the gospel to the Gentiles, laid upon the church the work
of ordaining him and his fellow labourer. As the leaders of the church
in Antioch "ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost
said, Separate Me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called
them."
God has made His church on the earth a channel of light, and through
it He communicates His purposes and His will. He does not give to one of
His servants an experience independent of and contrary to the experience
of the church itself. Neither does He give one man a knowledge of His
will for the entire church while the church--Christ's body --is left in
darkness. In His providence He places His servants in close connection
with His church in order that they may have less confidence in
themselves and greater confidence in others whom He is leading out to
advance His work.
There have ever been in the church those who are constantly inclined
toward individual independence. They seem unable to realise that
independence of spirit is liable to lead the human agent to have too
much confidence in himself and to trust in his own judgement rather than
to respect the counsel and highly esteem the judgement of his brethren,
especially of those in the offices that God has appointed for the
leadership of His people. God has invested His church with special
authority and power which no one can be justified in disregarding and
despising, for he who does this despises the voice of God.
Those who are inclined to regard their individual judgement as
supreme are in grave peril. It is Satan's studied effort to separate
such ones from those who are channels of light, through whom God has
wrought to build up and extend His work in the earth. To neglect or
despise those whom God has appointed to bear the responsibilities of
leadership in connection with the advancement of the truth, is to reject
the means that He has ordained for the help, encouragement, and strength
of His people. For any worker in the Lord's cause to pass these by, and
to think that his light must come through no other channel than directly
from God, is to place himself in a position where he is liable to be
deceived by the enemy and overthrown. The Lord in His wisdom has
arranged that by means of the close relationship that should be
maintained by all believers, Christian shall be united to Christian and
church to church. Thus the human instrumentality will be enabled to
co-operate with the divine. Every agency will be subordinate to the Holy
Spirit, and all the believers will be united in an organised and
well-directed effort to give to the world the glad tidings of the grace
of God.
Paul regarded the occasion of his formal ordination as marking the
beginning of a new and important epoch in his lifework. It was from this
time that he afterward dated the beginning of his apostleship in the
Christian church.
While the light of the gospel was shining brightly at Antioch, an
important work was continued by the apostles who had remained in
Jerusalem. Every year, at the time of the festivals, many Jews from all
lands came to Jerusalem to worship at the temple. Some of these pilgrims
were men of fervent piety and earnest students of the prophecies. They
were looking and longing for the advent of the promised Messiah, the
hope of Israel. While Jerusalem was filled with these strangers, the
apostles preached Christ with unflinching courage, though they knew that
in so doing they were placing their lives in constant jeopardy. The
Spirit of God set its seal upon their labours; many converts to the
faith were made; and these, returning to their homes in different parts
of the world, scattered the seeds of truth through all nations and among
all classes of society.
Prominent among the apostles who engaged in this work were Peter,
James, and John, who felt confident that God had appointed them to
preach Christ among their countrymen at home. Faithfully and wisely they
laboured, testifying of the things they had seen and heard, and
appealing to "a more sure word of prophecy" (2 Peter 1:19), in
an effort to persuade "the house of Israel. . . that God hath made
that same Jesus, whom" the Jews "crucified, both Lord and
Christ" (Acts 2:36). |
