Acts 11:19-26 - Corps Notes - May 11, 1976
Publication Date: 5-11-1976
On Ephesians 4:25 where I want to begin tonight, or where we will begin tonight , the first part of what the Research Team gave me is the work that Walter Cummins published in our wonderful Way Magazine on "The Spoken Word." Also, as we cover Ephesians 4:28 tonight, I had all the information in front of me from another article that Walter Cummins has in the... has had in the Magazine. The first article on Ephesians 4:25 is entitled "The Spoken Word." The one on Ephesians 4:28 is "Workers for God." Both of these pieces of work by Walter are absolutely superb. And I believe that they should appear and will appear in our research journal GMIR whenever we begin publishing that. {GMIR Aramaic word meaning ' to perfect, accomplish , mature, complete, arithmetically to be divisible without any remainder.}
And I noticed again that some of the things that were stated are just so beautifully and logically presented, I'm truly thankful for, not only Walter, but the whole Research Department. I think our Biblical Research Department is just second to none. And it' s even going to be better by God' s mercy and grace next year and in years to come than it is at this time. And right now I do not believe that our Biblical Research Department needs to take a back seat for any academic institution or work in the world.
And I thought today, I have never... I've never thought of Walter Cummins in any other capacity than to be my assistant. I know Vince Finnegan, you know, on the books is my assistant. And that' s great. But I've never thought of Walter Cummins in any other capacity for so many years as always being my assistant. And I think he' s just the most wonderful person that any president could have as his assistant. And also to be chairmen of the Department of Greek, and then the coordinator of the Biblical research of The Way International. For any one man to have that position and that responsibility is an awesome reality and I'm real proud of Walter and real thankful for him. But I am also thankful for the rest of our wonderful men and women in the Research Department.
I would like for the Corps all over the country to go to the Magazine and find "The Spoken_Word," that's the title of it, dealing with Ephesians 4:25 and other scriptures, and before the next Corps meeting next week, you endeavor to master that great piece of work by Walter Cummins. It's just, you know, the spoken Word. Over fifty Greek words are used in the New Testament in connection with the faculties of utterance. Over fifty. And then he takes the most important ones and he lists them and it' s just. .. it' s just a piece of research work that you should really as a Corps master in your heart and in your life.
Ephesians 4:25 in the King James reads, Wherefore put away lyin g, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another.
The ' putting away' was interesting to me again because of the Greek word aniko, a-n-i-k-o.
And this word is ' the putting away,' this word ' put away,' aniko, is the same root word as in 4:22, where we use the word ' rest,' meaning ' to rest.' Is that right? Yep, that is right. I taught you that,
didn't I? Did I or didn't I? Doesn't look right to me. It is the same root. What chapter am I missing? Am I missing anything? I don't know. Right now I'm screwed up, ha ha. First time today. You check the word again and I'll do that, too and see what I'm missing here.
But a-n-i-k-o is the word for ' putting away from you. ' To put away. And it' s the same root as the word ' rest.' I don't know where the word appears, but it's got to be in there.
Now, that word ' speak,' every man speak. That word ' speak ' is from the Greek word
laleo, l-a-l-e-long-o. And that' s where Walter' s article on "The Spoken Word"_c omes in because that is.. .he uses that word laleo in here, which I teach in Corinthians when I teach the Foundational Class. And he says the word is employed 24 times in I Corinthians chapter 14. I had forgotten that.
This word is truly significant. I couldn' t quite understand it Research Department, what you said on page 26B 16, where you defined it ' to make vocal utterance,' ' to babble,' 'to talk,' 'to exercise the faculty of speech without reference to the words spoken.' I just wondered if there might not be another word that could be substituted or utilized at this point. I know that Zachariah 8:16 is the quotation that is used here, or spoken of. And that Zachariah 8:16 adds force to what is said by using a quote, a quotation. That' s why my question to the Research Department is, How can it be without reference to what is spoken if it is truth plus the quotation of the Word of God that's given. It doesn't quite fit for me.
'With his neighbor' has to be a believing neighbor. This 'speak truth with his neighbor' is a figure of speech gnome, g-n-o-m-e, which simply is a citation. And that' s a citation from Zachariah 8:16.
There are a series of figures of speech, Corps, in chapter four which just put the 00mph, the highlight, to the particular things that are set whereby you put off the old man. This phrase here 'speak every man truth with his neighbor' is one of them. The other one appears in verse 26, 'be angry and sin not.' ' Steal no more' is another one. 'Corrupt communication' is the fourth one. 'Grieve not the holy spirit' is the fifth one. ' All bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, evil speaking' is the sixth. And then ' be kind' and so forth, is the seventh.
You see, the last phrase in that verse, in King James, For we' re members one of what? [Another] And it' s relative to the neighbor. Now you just look at that. Wherefore put away lying, speak every man truth with his what? [Neighbor] For we are members one of another. That doesn't mean just a neighbor who lives next door, but it has to be a believing neighbor because we are members one of what? [Another]. You could not be a member ' one of another' ifhe was an unbeliever. That's how I know this is going to work. This tells me that the neighbor is a believer. And this ' we' re members one of another' continues the imagery of the Body of Christ.
The literal according to usage of this verse is as follows: Wherefore put away the lie... and I believe in my heart, before I go on with the literal that until man is born again, it's all a lie anyways. And that' s why I believe that this translation will fit in the light of that knowledge. Because when a man is not born again, his whole life is just a lie. Now you're born again, and that ' s why I think the text states it ' wherefore put away the lie,' the life you' ve been living , the screwed up life you have lived outside of God. It' s been just a life of a lie. It' s not truth. It' s just the opposite of truth and that's my reason for translating it this way... Wherefore put away the lie.
You've got to go with that translation. You have no other text to go by both from Aramaic and Greek it's 'lie.' Not 'lying.' If the Research Department has anything to share in the light of that, I'd be blessed to hear, but you' ve heard my reasons for translating it, Research Department, this way.
Now since they're born again, their whole life is changed, so the life of lying, and living a lie, and being a lie, and being false, is to be put away.
And every man... this is the translation ... and everyone, everyone. The word ' man' you could use because it's an inclusive noun, but I prefer to use the word ' one.'
Wherefore put away the lie and everyone speak the truth with his neighbor for we are members one of another. That is literal according to usage.
Now for the expanded according to understanding. It's not bad. Because of this... What we coughing for? Everybody sick?...Because of this... and the reason I went in the expanded along this line is because verse 24 last week told us that we are created by God in righteousness and in true purity, through holiness. Twenty four.
That's why 25, Wherefore ... 'wherefore' can be translated 'because of this.' Because of this what? Being created in righteousness and truly pure. See it's an inside job.
Because of this being created in righteousness and truly pure by the grace and the love of
God.. .Because of this being created in righteousness and truly pure, you put away, completely lay to rest the lie that you have been and were living and each one of you speak the truth using a quotation from the Word with his believing neighbor for we are members one of another in the Body of the Church.
Robinson {Edward} said, he translated, 'speak every man truth with his neighbor' and he said it's from Zachariah 8:16 which adds force to what is said by using a quote. That's why I translated that. I think that' s great. It adds force to what is said. If you're speaking to someone, it adds force to what you say by using a quote, a quotation from God's Word. In other words, ' you share the Word with them.' That' s why I went with that translation. I want to give it to you again in this sense.
Speak the truth using a quotation from the Word, which means 'share the Word.' Quote the Word to them. Tell them what the Word says, with his believing neighbor. Why? For we are members one of another in the Body of the Church. This verse is just mind blowing.
Here, you have a born-again believer neighbor who needs to grow up a little more. So what do you do? Each one speak the truth to that neighbor, that believer, using the Word, quoting the Word because we' re members one of another in the Body of the Church. It's a real positive thing to do.
Verse 26 in King James reads, Be angry.. .ha ha... we like that one, don't we. Be ye angry and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath.
Here is a verse of Scripture that' s very, very difficult for most people. And it' s not too easy for us either. But I think we are able to share the truth of the greatness of this and it's been burning in my heart for a long time to do this with our people.
Everybody has problems with ' how can you be angry and not sin?' You know, how can raise hell with something and not be sinful in doing it? Teed off and not be sinful. And how can you go... and what does it mean 'don't let the sun go down upon your wrath?' See.
In the context, here, verses 26 and 27 deal with your believing neighbor, specifically. Then the Greek word for ' anger' which is from the root orge, o-r-g-long-e means 'anger together with the desire of revenge .' That' s bad. That' s a heavy. The Hebrew word means ' to kill, and all the tumults of passion that terminate in killing.' So it's a real heavy word when it said ' be angry.'
And the way I believe it's used in God' s Word, ' be ye angry' means ' it's a long time anger with your believing neighbor until a change has ensued.' The desire to... of revenge is a change. And I, knowing the Word in the light of the new birth, it's where a change finally comes about. Until that time, you just, long-term, you just stay put witnessing the Word, sharing the Word. You do not dislike the believing neighbor; you simply dislike that he is not fully accepting the Word and walking on it. So it' s a long-term anger until a change has ensued. You just stay faithful.
I don't know what else to do with those words. It is a righteous anger. Yet it is a righteous anger without sin.
Among the scholars, there is a disagreement on these words. Well, I don't know about my being a scholar; that I don' t anything about being about. But it's simple to me because righteous anger is commanded by God's Word when it says ' be ye angry.' Well, the scholars can fight about it. I don' t care. It' s a command. Not just permitted to get teed once in a while when somebody' s off of God' s Word, a believer is off of God's Word. You' re always teed off righteously at any believer, born-again believer, who is off of God' s Word. And for those of us in the Way Ministry, it' s been a lifetime.
Get into it with them on... Oh what subject do you want to talk about? Baptism? Food? One God? See. All that stuff.
The Aramaic is accurate in the words ' and sin not.' It literally translates ' and you will not sin.' Again, this ' be angry and sin not' is that figure gnome. Quotation. A citation from the Old Testament. It' s from Psalm 4:4. But in King James, Psalm 4:4, it's translated 'stand in awe.' The real sense of the Hebrew is ' one of admonition;' sin not. Where we' re admonished to not sin. Sin not.
' Let not the sun go down on your wrath. ' Ha ha. That again is beautiful. People went to bed when the sun went down, when it got dark. That's when they went to bed. So what that simply is saying, ha ha, ' don't go to bed teed off.' Don' t let the sun go down on your wrath. In other words, go to bed; don' t go to bed mad. ' When you go to bed' is what it means. Let not the sun go down when you go to bed. And they went to bed when the sun went down. When it got dark, they went to bed, see.
' Upon your wrath.' And the word ' wrath' here is basically ' irritation.' Ha ha. Previously when I taught Ephesians, I made mention of this fact, ' don' t let righteous anger shake you, wondering if it was right on. When you go to bed, go to sleep.'
Now, this is what we have done with it in the literal, ha ha, according to usage. I got more papers up here than Carter has liver pills, or something. Then, I can' t find my... whatever it is I take off of it.
Okay, verse 26. You be righteously angry.. .this is literal according to usage.. .and you will not be sinning. Don't go to bed even with a momentary irritation, ha ha.
I don't think you get nearly as much fun out of this as I do. It's neat. It's absolutely scrumptious, see. At the opening, is that heavy word, remember? Anger. So it's a real heavy time. So what he is saying, in the heavy time, when your standing on God' s Word and sharing that with the believing neighbor, you' re righteously angry... you're not sinning. And you don't even go to bed with a momentary irritation. In other Words, when you go to bed, thank God the day is over. Say your last prayer and start snoring.
Boy, that would save a lot of sleeping pills, wouldn' t it? Practicing that principle. Boy, oh boy, what a tremendous Word. And hardly anybody understands verse 26. They argue about it, but they don' t get the understanding.
Now this is the expanded one according to understanding, I hope. And again, I would like to just lay some things before the Corps, and especially before the Research Department. I translated the first part of verse 26, You always stay angry with an all-out desire to have them to change which anger will not be sin on your part.
Then I have another translation of that first part of it: You be righteously angry, 'teed off' with sin... 'Teed off' I put in quotes. But don't you sin by acting ' holier than thou' vaunting yourself by acting so righteously like you never sin.
I do not know which one of those two the Research Department feels would be the better. The last part of the phrase that I translated which would go with both of these that I have given you here on the expanded one for understanding. This, the last part, goes with that first one and with the second ... also.. .even if it is only a momentary irritation. When you go to bed, go to sleep. That's what I did with it.
Now, verse 27. King James says, Neither (or neither) give place to the Devil. The word 'place' is simply a portion, a part. No believer will give full place to the Devil, but he may be giving a part, a portion. He' ll mark off a spot, ' this is Devil' s permission over here, over here, no permission, you know. And you really give the Devil a portion or a spot if you stew about it after you go to bed and you toss and you tum and can' t sleep.
This word 'the Devil,' ' the Devil' in the Aramaic is a very interesting and exciting Word to me and it blesses my heart. It' s a compound word where the first part means ' to eat' or ' to devour.' The latter
' to slander' or ' to accuse. ' So when I got to translating this, literally according to usage, verse 27 reads: Do not give any portion or space or an opportunity to the Devil. So I used those three words synonymously: portion, space, opportunity. Do not give any portion or space or an opportunity to the Devil.
The expanded according to understanding: And you will not give a toehold, an opportunity or an occasion for the Devil to eat you. Ha ha. I get more fun than you ever will out of working this stuff, huh.
You see, and to me, that communicates to my understanding. John 10:10. The thief cometh not but for to what? [Steal, kill, and destroy] Right. To eat you out. To beat you. And that's why that Aramaic word, on the word ' Devil' really thrilled me.
And that ' s why I put it into the expanded translation: And you will not give a ' toehold.' Now, at L.E.A.D., you know how important it is to get a what? [Toehold] Ha ha. And when you' re really climbing in, you' re blessed for a toehold. How thankful you are when you get a foothold. Now the adversary can never get a foothold in a believer' s life until he first has a toehold. That's why I translated it that way.
Do not give... and you will not give a toehold ... shave all the rocks off... an opportunity or an occasion for the Devil to eat you. And that' s exactly what he likes to do to believers.
Now we go to verse 28. King James says, Let him that stole steal not more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. And here again, is another great work that I believe should be in our research journal GMIR, Walter' s work on " Workers for God."
It' s just tremendous where he... you know... he just goes into God' s men are called many things in the Word. They' re called: fellow workers, ministers, or servants, slaves, fellow slaves, partners, messengers, soldiers, fellow soldiers, athletes, fellow athletes, stewards, ambassadors, witnesses, all of those. And he covers them so beautifully. And I love very much how he covered the word ' slave,' because it' s a much stronger word than to be a minister, or to be a servant. It is to be one who is branded, marked out, sold out. And baby, from that day on, there are no ifs, and' s, or but' s. You never budge on it. You are branded. Most believers are never branded. They may be servants, they may be ministers, but they are not branded. When you' re branded, you stay faithful. You do not budge. You do not change. You stay put. If all hell breaks loose, you still live the believing Word.
I think the prophet once said, If I was in the midst of hell, God I know you' d be there. (Psalm 139:8) He' d be there. That' s the doulos. That, of course, is just a tremendous piece of work.
And the other great part that I think... and this is a second piece that I want the Corps to master before next Wednesday night, " Workers for God," the work on ' witness.' You see, it's the same word basically that's translated ' martyr,' see. And we got a lot of those canonized. That's not at all what a witness is. A witness is a living example, not a dead one. The word 'martyr' simply means that you lay down your life in witnessing. And boy, when you put the doulos together with ' witness,' then you' ve got power for abundant living. It's just a fantastic work by Walter and I' m real grateful that it was published. Because once it' s in print, people can take a look at it if they want to.
I'd like a cup of coffee, please.
Now, we are in verse 28. The Aramaic translation is ' and he who was stealing.' I understand it from the English, ' let him that stole,' past tense. The Aramaic is real simple, real strong. ' And he, the one who is born again, who was, past tense, stealing.'
Thank you.
His whole life was one of those before he was born again.
Whenever you bring a cup of coffee to a right-hand man, you put the handle to the right. When you serve a cup of coffee to a left-hand man, you put it on the left-hand side and put the handle to the left. Corps principle number seven or something, ha ha. Mrs. Wierwille would say, Well, be thankful you even get a cup of coffee. [Laughter] Ah, you're wonderful.
See, ' let him who stole, steal no more.' 'Stole and steal,' that' s a figure of speech and is polyptoton p-o-l-y-p-t-o-t-o-n. It' s a repetition of the same root word in different parts of speech or reflections. But, that's not earth shaking right now in my heart.
You see, in some Eastern culture, it was not considered a sin or a shame to steal because that's the way they lived, the only way they lived. Somebody told me... or not only told me, one of our people, but it was in a national magazine, that the basic culture of Russia today is to steal. And in some respects I can understand this. If you don't have anything and you're starving to death and there' s a loaf of bread you can get a hold of... steal the dam thing. I understand that.
So this verse is really sharp, really sharp. Let him who stole, even though that man previously considered it the way to live and there was no shame in it, no sin in it. He said, Well, let that fellow who stole, steal no more. Something has happened on the inside of that man. Something that happened, where He is able to meet all of our need according to His riches in glory. Christ in you, the hope of glory. More than conquerors.
A record in the Old Testament, I forget where it is, but it's in there, that it' s never, you never need to borrow or steal bread or... what is that in the Old Testament? Begging bread. One person stand and tell me. {Psalm 37:25, I have been young and now am old; yet have I seen the righteous forsaken, nor His seed begging bread.} Psalm 27:25 who? {Psalm 37:25} 37:25. All the years, he's never seen the righteous to have to do what? {Beg bread} Beg bread.
First of all, I wish the Christian world could hear this. Secondly, I wish our government in the United States could understand it. The Word says, If you don't work, you don' t eat. A lot of that stuff. Well, what we've been doing is stealing from the people who are willing to work to give to the people who don' t want to work. That's a bunch of crap. That's stealing. That's why this verse is so hot in my soul tonight. Let him who stole, quit stealing, dang it. See.
Many years ago I was really knocked for a loop along some of this line in India, from Dr. Williams. I think he loved India maybe like I love the United States, I don' t know. Because only a man knows how much he loves his own country, I guess.
But... as we were traveling together, he said to me, Dr. Wierwille, I hear you have whores in the United States.
You know, I never had given it a thought. I just took it for granted. [Laughter] And I said, yeah. He said, Why does a rich country like the United States have whores?
And I said, I don't know.
And he said, I can't understand it. Cannot your women make enough money to live? Yeah, but they figure that' s cheaper and more pleasurable or something, I don' t know. And he said, Well, I think it's sinful that the United States has whores.
And I said, What do you mean?
And he said to me, why, I can understand India. He said we don' t enough food, we don' t have enough of anything hardly for a lot of people. And we have whores because that' s the only way they can continue to live physically.
And I thought to myself, well boy, that' s slapping me in the face good. And I took it as a wonderful lesson. There is no excuse in the United States for any women being a whore because she doesn' t need to get screwed and paid for it in order to get money so she can live. There's plenty of work available and if there isn' t she ought to get born again, then there' s a guarantee of work. ..other work, available. I tell you, when you' re honest, some of these men in other countries have some real logic behind their thinking. How would you have liked to have handled that? I just simply admitted, Well, I think we' re wrong in the United States. But I said, I think you' re wrong in India, too, because no reason to have whores here if you get them born again.
So I don' t know. But this verse today as I worked the final working on this verse 28 is when my heart really went back and burned with that truth that Dr. Williams had stated. Because in many Eastern cultures, it was not considered as sin or as shame to steal, if it was a matter of livelihood. You sometimes wonder who will live in the greatest condemnation before God and justice and judgment when the time comes.
For in most of what are called poor countries even, there is sufficient money, food, and other things for the people to live if those in positions of authority were not so selfish and egotistical, and want it for themselves , and let the rest of the world die... or a country die.
The word ' labor' in verse 28 is the word which literally means ' hard work resulting in fatigue.' That's how I felt coming from the woods last night. And I didn' t do anything. It was just hard work being there with the rest of you. Today I got so tired of being with some, I came home. Ah, you' re wonderful.
' Working with his hands' is an Eastern cultural type of thing. Today in our culture, you could have it, you know, the truth is working with your mind or working with your hand, whatever you' re working at. But in Eastern culture, every son was to be trained to work with his hands, even if he was the son of a king. Had to learn a trade, a profession of business.
Jesus Christ was a saddle maker. He made them to ride, I guess, what do you want? Tennessee Walkers , or? See. I think not only did he do that, Paul did it, too, you know. Someday I'm going to find a...or Walter, or some of those, are going to find me a manuscript to prove it. .. and a wonderful carpenter by trade. Many times doing carpentry work and being a saddle maker were sort of in the same household, because building carpentry and having saddles to use for their business and carrying on, were very, very closely aligned. Well, I won' t argue the point, but I wish we' d keep looking.
II Thessalonians.. .Do your hands ever get so dry you can hardly hold anything? Golly, mine are so dry tonight, I wonder why? II Thessalonians, chapter 3:10... this we commanded you that if any would not work, neither should he what? [Eat] Right. Even unemployment is no excuse for stealing. He just doesn' t eat. Goes and gets work. Boy, when I first saw the greatness of these principles many years ago, and then of course, I uniquely by God' s grace, inculcated that into our W.O.W. program and very dynamically in the Corps leadership.
Acts 11:19-26
May 11, 1976
Go to Acts chapter 11 please. Acts 11:18 ended up with that great truth, “to the Gentiles also God
had granted repentance unto life.”
Acts 11:19
“now” – delete
“they which were” – they indeed therefore
“upon” – because of
“arose about” – followed after
“Stephen” – i.e. – his death
“preaching the word” - You noticed wherever they went they preached the Word. The persecution
was there and yet they continued to do what? Preach the Word. Persecution killed some of them, but
in the blood of the believers--seemed like every time one was killed, four rose up to believe. I believe
it was in last week’s issue of Newsweek, or one of those magazines, in the religious section there was
an article about the persecution. I think it’s either Jehovah’s Witnesses or Seventh Day Adventists, in
one of the black countries in Africa. It mentioned the thousands of them that had been killed,
executed. Yet in spite of all that, the growth of that particular denomination is phenomenal in that
country.
Here the persecution drove them out. They went to Cyprus. These islands and areas play a
tremendous part in the outreach of God’s Word in the first century. But they preached the Word.
“to none but unto the Jews only” - They still had a hang up. They shouldn’t have had it but they did.
They’re just human beings; just like you and I have hang ups. It takes us sometimes a long time till
the Word of God, which we know in our mind, really begins to live in our actions, in our outreach, in
our real believing and moving; till we’re really convinced in the innermost part of our being that,
that’s it. That’s what occurred to them, too.
Acts 11:21
“hand of the Lord” - figure of speech – condescensio - the Lord was fighting for them; the Lord was
working with them and for them.
“a great number believed” - I think the words “great number” is “crowds” in the text. I forget exactly.
Just a great number; just like, “crowds believed and turned unto the Lord.”
Acts 11:22
“tidings” - I believe in the critical Greek text it’s the word logos. Any of you have a Greek text with
you? Isn’t that significant? The different usages of the word logos; in John 1:1--“In the beginning
was the logos. The logos was with God and the logos...” See, here it’s the word logos and it’s
translated “tidings.”
“of” - concerning
200
Look at the usage of the word logos, which is the Holy Spirit’s privilege, people. You use the word
“bank.” What do you mean? A money place? What about the side of a river? It’s also a bank, right?
How about ‘banking’ on this statement? These are different usages of a word that we as human
beings use, right? Then by the same logic, why can’t people give God that same privilege? He could
have holy men of God by way of the holy spirit use the same words with different usages and
different meanings. Well, He does. That is why you have to read the Word not only in the word itself
but its context; how it’s used. “Tidings” - I understand that. The word “tidings” sort of communicates
to me as a translation of the word logos; “tidings,” or “the word”, “the news.” Maybe news would fit
your head well.
“came unto” - was heard by
“the ears of the church” - this means the people, the body, heard about the things that had occurred at
Antioch. This must have been exciting news to them because we read that they preached the Word to
none but unto the Jews only, and yet people from Cyprus and Cyrene came to Antioch. They went to
Antioch first. There was a man who bore the cross named what? Simon of Cyrene. The Word from
Cyrene went to Antioch. I often wonder whether Simon could have been there. They carried the
Word to Antioch. (references to: Acts 11:20)
Now they heard this in Jerusalem, and this must have really disturbed them somewhat. Not
negatively, necessarily, but just alarmed them. And so they sent forth Barnabas. Barnabas was a
prophet in Jerusalem. It’s neat that they sent him because Barnabas was a native of Cyprus. And
Cyprians and the Cyrenians were the ones who carried the Word to Antioch. So they sent forth
Barnabas as far as Antioch.
“that he should go” - delete
Acts 11:23
“seen the grace of God” - How’s that? That the Gentiles are fellow heirs and of the same what body.
They had preached to Jews only en route. But the people from Cyprus, from Cyrene, they went to
Antioch. There they spoke the Word to Greeks. You and I would refer to them as Gentiles. And when
Barnabas came, he saw the grace of God. How do you think Barnabas recognized that it was the
grace of God? It cannot be because they’d given up hog meat. There had to be manifestations. The
manifestations are the only proof in the senses world of the internal reality and presence of Christ
within, operated by their free will, by the people’s free will and according to the Word. That’s what
Barnabas saw. It doesn’t say that in that verse. I know that, but you got to know the depth of the
Word in order to see it. Barnabas came and saw the grace of God; that God had saved these Gentiles,
these Greeks, and they were speaking in tongues. That’s how he knew God had saved them. And he
called it the grace of God. He came and had seen the grace of God; people getting saved.
“was glad” - He was what? Glad. Even though a lot of the people had not yet gone beyond preaching
the Word to Jews only, Barnabas coming to Antioch saw that these people had the same Christ in
them that they had in Jerusalem. And he saw the grace of God, and he was glad. Isn’t that wonderful?
“exhorted” - was exhorting – Do you know what it means? To encourage toward a more worthy
endeavor. Barnabas did this. He was a prophet of God, a man of God exhorting them all. This I
understand, too. They were Gentiles in background; very little knowledge of the true God. So what
was Barnabas really doing? He was exhorting them all, encouraging them toward a more worthy
endeavor. He was most likely saying, “Look, fellows, clean up a little. Cut your long hair. You know
and when you come to the meetings don’t wear your shorts with all the holes in the back or front.” I
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understand this really beautifully because these were Gentiles. They had served pagan gods, idols.
Therefore, he was just encouraging them to get it together a little better. We do the same thing in our
ministry. You see, we don’t mind people if they walk in barefooted without half their clothes on. It
doesn’t bother me any. But if they hang around long enough, we encourage them toward a more
worthy endeavor. In other words, if that’s all you own you’re welcome anytime. But you see, if
you’ve got something neat and nice, whenever you’re working with men and women of God moving
the Word, you ought to put on your best; simply because it makes you feel your best and you got to
be the best. Anything we can do to be God’s best we got to do. That’s what he’s talking about, not
just clothing, but he most likely told him to quit drinking hard liquor all the time, too much of it. It’s
taking people, just like babies, and teaching them so they spiritually grow up. That’s what’s in that
section. “And was exhorting them all”; building them up toward a more worthy endeavor. Isn’t that
beautiful in the Church! Gosh, I love that. Well, what do you think he was exhorting them on? That’s
all it can be; to get their lives in harmony; their walk in harmony with the Word; their talk in
harmony with the Word; that the Word would have preeminence in their day-by-day living. I think
it’s real great.
“purpose” – prothesis - That’s quite a usage of the word “purpose.” Pro means first or before and
thesis - you know when you get a Master’s Degree you write a thesis, or a Doctor’s Degree you write
a dissertation. In philosophy you have a thesis, you have an antithesis, and then you have a synthesis.
The thesis is that basic dynamic truth, that one and only. Now, here he said he was exhorting them all
that, with “purpose” be “one and only” of heart. Be “one and only” of heart. What a tremendous
usage of “purpose.” You have to have a little spiritual depth of perception and understanding of word
usage like thesis-, like the word pro; how it would relate and why they would use a word like this.
It’s singularly significant. He was exhorting them all that with that one singleness of heart and mind -
that’s translated that way in some other place; He uses singleness of heart and mind. That’s what he’s
talking about; that one purpose; Christ in them, the hope of glory.
“cleave” – abide – The word “cleave” is real good.
“cleave unto the Lord.” - The truth of the Word- -cleave unto it. Abide with it.
Acts 11:24
“and full” – both full
“of faith” – in believing
He was a good man. The reason he was a good man was because he was both full of pneuma hagion
and fantastic believing. This is the great long suit of the manifestation of believing. If you’re ever
going to win people to the Lord, you got to believe for them. God will show you that, sure, they’re
believing, but then by the manifestation of believing operating in your life, you got to stay put with
them until you finally get them ‘out of the woods.’
You know great deliverance to people doesn’t come just from teaching the Word (the ‘plain simple
Word’). It comes from operating the principles of that Word, that when you’re teaching it, you’re
believing (the manifestation of believing in operation) that your kids will get it. I do this all the time
when I teach the Corps. I just believe you’re going to get it. And I don’t quit until I feel in my heart
you got it. Now some of you get it that much and some that much, but you’re getting it. That’s the
point. And it’s that manifestation of believing that I just keep operating all the time. I am so
absolutely convinced of God’s Word when I begin to move in God’s Word, that I just believe that
anybody that’s got the guts to sit there and listen me out, I can believe with all of my ability of the
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manifestation, that they are going to get the blessing of that Word. So many times I just pull the stuff
out of you by my manifestation of believing. You do this when you teach in your Twigs. Well, you
ought to; you are the leader of that Twig. You got to believe that everybody in that Twig gets the
retemory in order, gets this in order. You’re responsible to God to operate those manifestations.
That’s what Barnabas did.
“much people” - I think the word here is “crowds.” Isn’t it? Any of you that have Greek texts know
anything about it? - crowds were added - crowds brought to the Lord.
Acts 11:25
Why do you believe Barnabas went to Tarsus? Revelation. That’s right. You see, Saul (or Paul) had
been in Jerusalem previously, right? Who had sort of interceded for Paul and accepted him?
Barnabas. Apparently he saw John and Peter and in the process, of course, Barnabas befriended him
and he learned some things about Paul’s life; revelation God had given him. Now here he is. He sees
the great grace. He is there and he’s teaching, and one night God says to him, “This thing is just
getting a little too big for you, Barney. You go over and find Saul.” I teach in the Power for
Abundant Living foundational class, if you get hungry enough, God will either send somebody to
you or send you to somebody. Whenever the ministry rises and the believers increase, God gets the
people ready. That’s one reason I think you are in the Corps. You better get ready because I know
you’re just not in the Corps so that when you finish the Corps you can forget about the Word of God
and go sit and “hatch” someplace. That’s right. I believe you must be in the Corps because of God’s
great vision of the outreach of the Word in our day and time around the world. And He’s got to have
some qualified people. If you have to go into the wilderness awhile, it’s ok. If you have to go back to
Tarsus awhile, it’s ok.
I do not know what happened in Tarsus when Paul went back there; whether some of those areas
opened up under his teaching then. If they did, they were very nominal because the greater part of its
opening comes after the Antioch record here in the Word. Maybe in those years, Paul didn’t add
great numbers to the Church, but he added a great commitment, a great knowledge of God’s life to
himself. Maybe he just had a little Twig out there and that’s all he was doing in Tarsus because he
wasn’t qualified yet to handle the immensity of the greatness of the Word. God was getting him
ready. That’s why in the early part of Saul’s ministry he did a lot of experiential teaching; I
experienced it; this is what God did; let me down from a basket, and all the rest of the stuff. When he
gets here in Acts and later on when you see him tie the epistles together; when that thing breaks in
Acts at Antioch, from then on it’s the Word, the Word, the Word and nothing but the Word. And that
old boy’s just right on top of it. So Barnabas goes over to Tarsus by revelation to seek Saul.
Acts 11:26
“he brought him unto Antioch” - What a day that must have been. I can see those two fellows coming
into Antioch and saying, “Well, here she is. We’re gonna take this town, live or die. We’re going to
Twig it to death,” or something.
“And it came to pass” - the following things are all contingent upon this phrase
For one year those two men worked with the body of believers. Imagine Paul working with them for
one year, and Barnabas and other people that were there from Cyprus and Cyrene.
“taught much people” - not only preached the Word but taught them; built them up in the knowledge
of the Word. He taught, taught, taught.
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“the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch” - this occurred at the time when Barnabas and
Saul were there and that word “Christian” was given to the believers by unbelievers in a derogatory
sense; as the people who were followers of Herod were called Herodians. One of the emperors later
on wanted to change the word “Christian” to “Galilean.” As a matter of fact he put on a nice
persecution. He said, “Don’t you call anybody a Christian. If I hear you call anybody a Christian, I’ll
chop your head off. Call them Galileans.” They were called, “followers of the Nazarene”, because no
good thing can come out of Nazareth. Therefore, it was a disgrace. They were called, “the sect of the
Nazarene.” Sect is the word “cult.” “The cult of the Nazarene”, they were called. And here they first
used that name, “Christians”, of these people. They used it, perhaps, in a derogatory sense, but it was
in a greater truth than any of them realized. What they were saying, which they said was a disgrace,
“They have Christ in them. Therefore they’re Christians; Christ-in. Whoever heard of a silly thing
like ‘Christ-in’?” Yet, that’s exactly what they said and they walked like Christ said they ought to
walk. So that which they thought was a derogatory word came to be the greatest word of all time,
perhaps, until our age of the Occidental religion; so-called Christianity, where today to be a
“Christian” is just a word. If you are baptized when you are born in one group, then you are a
“Christian.” If you are immersed in another group, you’re a “Christian.” So today, the meaning of the
word “Christian” is perhaps at the lowest ebb in all history. It would have been better to have it as it
was here in Acts 19, done by the unbelievers, because they said, “Oh, you got Christ in you. Ah! Ah!
Yeah.” That would have been real mean-ingful. Today “everybody” is “Christian.” You can get to be
a “Christian” by paying. You can get to be a “Christian” by signing a certain register. You can get to
be a “Christian” by baptizing, by falling on your nose, by quoting Genesis.
But here these wonderful men held forth the greatness of the Word and the disciples were called
“Christians” first in Antioch of Syria.
Conybeare and Howson have a very nice piece of work on The Life and Epistles of Paul. There is a
record in Conybeare’s works that I want to share with you at this point regarding Antioch and the
significance of its location. It was the gateway to the Near East until Constantinople became the
gateway. So in the first two centuries of Christendom this was one of the great, great cities of all
time. And I’ve asked Pete Coad to read that section for you tonight from Conybeare and Howson on
this part of the Word of God that deals with Antioch and the city of Antioch. So Pete will you come
up here and sit at this microphone and read it please?
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Pete Coad -- The title of this chapter is The name Christian :
It is not likely that they received this name from the Jews. The “Children of Abraham” employed a
term much more expressive of hatred and contempt. They called them “the sect of the Nazarenes.”1
These disciples of Jesus traced their origin to Nazareth in Galilee: and it was a proverb that nothing
good could come from Nazareth2. Besides this, there was a further reason why the Jews would not
have called the disciples of Jesus by the name of “Christians.” The word “Christ” has the same
meaning with “Messiah;” and the Jews, however blinded and prejudiced on this subject, would never
have used so sacred a word to point an expression of mockery and derision; and they could not have
used it in grave and serious earnest to designate those whom they held to be the followers of a false
Messiah, a fictitious Christ. Nor is it likely that the “Christians” gave this name to themselves. In the
Acts of the Apostles, and in their own letters, we find them designating themselves as “brethren,”
“disciples,” “believers,” “saints.”3 Only in two places4 do we find the term “Christians;” and in both
instances it is implied to be a term used by those who are without. There is little doubt that the name
originated with the Gentiles, who began now to see that this new sect was so far distinct from the
Jews, that they might naturally receive a new designation. And the form of the word implies that it
came from the Romans5, and not from the Greeks. The word “Christ” was often heard in the
conversation of believers, as we know it to have been constantly in their letters. “Christ” was the title
of Him whom they avowed as their leader and their chief. They confessed that this Christ had been
crucified; but they asserted that He was risen from the dead, and that He guided them by His invisible
power.
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1Acts 24:5.
2John 1:46. See John 7:41, 52.
3Acts 15:23; 9:26; 5:14; 9:32; Colossians 1:2.
4Acts 26:28, and I Peter 4:16.
5So we read in the Civil Ward of “Marians” and “Pompeians” for the partisans of Marius and Pompey;
and, under the Empire of “Othonians” and “Vitellians” for the partisans of Otho and Vitellius. The word
“Herodians” (Matthew 22:16; Mark 3:6; 12:13) is formed exactly in the same way.
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Thus “Christian” was the name which naturally found its place in the reproachful language of their
enemies1. In the first instance, we have every reason to believe that it was a term of ridicule and
derision.2 And it is remarkable that the people of Antioch were notorious for inventing names of
derision, and for turning their wit into the channels of ridicule.3 In every way there is something very
significant in the place where we first received the name we bear. Not in Jerusalem, the city of the
Old Covenant, the city of the people who were chosen to the exclusion of all others, but in a Heathen
city, the Eastern centre of Greek fashion and Roman luxury; and not till it was shown that the New
Covenant was inclusive of all others; then and there we were first called Christians, and the Church
received from the world its true and honorable name.
In narrating the journeys of St. Paul, it will now be our duty to speak of Antioch, not Jerusalem, as
his point of departure and return. Let us look, more closely than has hitherto been necessary, at its
character, its history, and its appearance. The position which it occupied near the abrupt angle
formed by the coasts of Syria and Asia Minor, and in the opening where the Orontes passes between
the ranges of Lebanon and Taurus, has already been noticed. And we have mentioned the numerous
colony of Jews which Seleucus introduced into his capital, and raised to an equality of civil rights
with the Greeks. There was everything in the situation and circumstances of this city, to make it a
place of concourse for all classes and kinds of people. By its harbor of Seleucia, it was in
communication with all the trade of the Mediterranean and, through the open country behind the
Lebanon, it was conveniently approached by the caravans from Mesopotamia and Arabia. It united
the inland advantages of Aleppo with the maritime opportunities of Smyrna. It was almost an oriental
Rome, in which all the forms of the civilized life of the Empire found some representative. Through
the first two centuries of the Christian era, it was what Constantinople became afterwards, “the Gate
of the East.” And, indeed, the glory of the city of Ignatius was only gradually eclipsed by that of the
city of Chrysostom. That great preacher and commentator himself, who knew them both by familiar
residence, always speaks of Antioch with peculiar reverence4 as the patriarchal city of the Christian
name. There is something curiously prophetic in the stories which are told of the first founding of
this city. Like Romulus on the Palatine, Seleucus is said to have watched the flight of birds from the
summit of Mount Casius. An eagle took a fragment of the flesh of his sacrifice, and carried it to a
point on the seashore, a little to the north of the mouth of the Orontes.
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1It is a Latin derivative from the Greek term for the Messiah of the Jews. It is connected with the office,
not the name, or our Saviour, which harmonizes with the important fact that in the Epistles He is usually
called not “Jesus” but “Christ.” The word “Jesuit” (which, by the way, is rather Greek than Latin) did not
come into the vocabulary of the Church till after the lapse of 1,500 years. It is not a little remarkable that
the word “Jesuit” is a proverbial term of reproach, even in Roman-Catholic countries; while the word
“Christian” is used so proverbially for all that is good, that it has been applied to benevolent actions in
which Jews have participated.
21t is needless to remark that it soon became a title of glory. Julian tried to substitute the term “Galilean”
for “Christian.”
3Apollonius of Tyana was driven out of the city by their insults, and sailed away (like St. Paul) from
Seleucia to Cyprus, where he visited Paphos.
4ln his homilies on St. Matthew he tells the people of Antioch, that though they boasted of their city’s preeminence
in having first enjoyed the Christian name, they were willing enough to be surpassed in
Christian virtue by more homely cities.
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There he founded a city, and called it Seleucia1, after his own name. This was on the 23rd of April.
Again, on the 1st of May, he sacrificed on the hill Silpius; and then repeated the ceremony and
watched the auguries at the city of Antigonia, which his vanquished rival, Antigonus, had begun and
left un-finished. An eagle again decided that this was not to be his own metropolis, and carried the
flesh to the hill Silpius, which is on the south side of the river about the place where it turns from a
northerly to a westerly direction. Five or six thousand Athenians and Macedonians were ordered to
convey the stones and timber of Antigonia down the river; and Antioch was founded by Seleucus,
and called after his father’s name2.
This fable, invented perhaps to give a mythological sanction to what was really an act of sagacious
prudence and princely ambition, is well worth remembering. Seleucus was not slow to recognize the
wisdom of Antigonus in choosing a site for his capital, which should place it: in ready
communication both with the shores of Greece and with his eastern territories on the Tigris and
Euphrates; and he followed the example promptly, and completed his work with sumptuous
magnificence. Few princes have ever lived with so great a passion for the building of cities; and this
is a feature of his character which ought not to be unnoticed in this narrative. Two, at least, of his
cities in Asia Minor have a close connection with the life of St. Paul. These are the Pisidian Antioch3
and the Phrygian Laodicaea4, one called by the name of his father, the other of his mother. He is said
to have built in all nine Seleucias, sixteen Antiochs, and six Laodicaeas. This love of
commemorating the members of his family was conspicuous in his works by the Orontes. Besides
Seleucia and Antioch, he built, in the immediate neighborhood, a Laodicaea in honor of his mother,
and an Apamea in honor of his wife. But by far the most famous of these four cities was the Syrian
Antioch.
We must allude to its edifices and ornaments only so far as they are due to the Greek kings of Syria
and the first five Caesars of Rome.5 If we were to allow our description to wander to the times of
Justinian or the Crusaders, though these are the times of Anitoch’s greatest glory, we should be
trespassing on a period of history which does not belong to us. Strabo, in the time of Augustus,
describes the city as a Tetrapolis, or a union of four cities. The two first were erected by Seleucus
Nicator himself, in the situation already described, between Mount Silpius and the river, on that wide
space of level ground where a few poor habitations still remain by the banks of the Orontes. The river
has gradually changed its course and appearance, as the city has decayed. Once it flowed around an
island which, like the island in the Seine6, by its thoroughfares and bridges, and its own noble
buildings, became part of a magnificent whole.
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1See Acts 13:4.
2Some say that Seleucus called the city after his son.
3Acts 13:14; 14:21; II Timothy 3:11.
4Colossians 4:13, 15, 16. See Revelation 1:13; 3:14.
5ln our larger editions is a plan of the ancient city, adopted (with some modifications) from the plan in the
work mentioned below, n. 5. See a fuller account of Antioch in Dr. Smith’s Dictionary of Geography.
6Julain the Apostate suggests a parallel between Paris and Antioch. See Gibbon’s 19th and 23d chapters.
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But, in Paris, the Old City is on the island; in Antioch, it was the New City, built by the second
Seleucus and the third Antiochus. Its chief features were a palace, and an arch like that of Napoleon.
The fourth and last part of the Tetrapolis was built by Antiochus Epiphanes, where Mount Silpius
rises abruptly on the south. On one of its craggy summits he placed, in the fervor of his Romanizing
mania, a temple dedicated to Jupiter Capitolinus; and on another, a strong citadel, which dwindled to
the Saracen Castle of the first Crusade. At the rugged bases of the mountain, the ground was leveled
for a glorious street, which extended for four miles across the length of the city, and where sheltered
crowds could walk through continuous colonnades from the eastern to the western suburb1, The
whole was surrounded by a wall, which, ascending to the heights and returning to the river, does not
deviate very widely in its course from the wall of the Middle Ages, which still can be traced by the
fragments of ruining towers. This wall is assigned by a Byzantine writer to Tiberius, but it seems
more probable that the Emperor only repaired what Antiochus Epiphanes had built2. Turning now to
the period of the Empire, we find that Antioch had memorials of all the great Romans whose names
have been mentioned as yet in this biography. When Pompey was defeated by Caesar, the
conqueror’s name was perpetuated in this Eastern city by an aqueduct and by baths, and by a basilica
called Caesarium. In the reign of Augustus, Agrippa3 built in all cities of the Empire, and Herod of
Judaea followed the example to the utmost of his power. Both found employment for their
munificence at Antioch. A gay suburb rose under the patronage of the one, and the other contributed
a road and a portico. The reign of Tiberius was less remarkable for great architectural works but the
Syrians by the Orontes had to thank him for many improvements and restorations in their city. Even
the four years of his successor left behind them the aqueduct and the baths of Caligula.
The character of the inhabitants is easily inferred from the influences which presided over the city’s
growth. Its successive enlargement by the Seleucids proves that their numbers rapidly increased from
the first. The population swelled still further, when, instead of the metropolis of the Greek kings of
Syria, it became the residence of Roman governors. The mixed multitude received new and
important additions in the officials who were connected with the details of provincial administration.
Luxurious Romans were attracted by its beautiful climate. New wants continually multiplied the
business of its commerce. Its gardens and houses grew and extended on the north side of the river.
Many are the allusions to Antioch, in the history of those times, as a place of singular pleasure and
enjoyment. Here and there, an elevating thought is associated with its name. Poets have spent their
young days at Antioch4, great generals have died there5, emperors have visited and admired it6.
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1A comparison has been instituted above between Paris and Antioch: and it is hardly possible now (1860)
to revise this paragraph for the press without alluding to the Rue de Rivoli.
2See Muller, Antiq. Antioch. pp. 54 and 81.
3This friend of Augustus and Maecenas must be carefully distinguished from that grandson of Herod who
bore the same name, and whose death is one of the subjects of this chapter. For the works of Herod the
Great at Antioch, See Joseph Ant. 16 5,3; War, 1:21,11.
4See Cic. pro Archia Poeta.
5A11 readers of Tacitus will recognize the allusion. (See Ann. it.72.) It is not possible to write about
Antioch without some allusion to Germanicus and his noble-minded wife. And yet they were the parents
of Caligula.
6For all that long series of emperors whose names are connected with Antioch, see Muller.
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But, for the most part, its population was a worthless rabble of Greeks and Orientals. Their frivolous
amusements of the theatre were the occupation of their life. Their passion for races and the ridiculous
party quarrels1 connected with them were the patterns of those which afterwards became the disgrace
of Byzantium. The oriental element of superstition and imposture was not less active. The Chaldaean
astrologers found their most credulous disciples in Antioch2. Jewish impostors3, sufficiently common
throughout the East, found their best opportunities here. It is probable that no populations have ever
been more abandoned than those of oriental Greek cities under the Roman Empire, and of these cities
Antioch was the greatest and the worst4. If we wish to realize the appearance and reality of the
complicated Heathenism of the first Christian century, we must endeavor to imagine the scene of that
suburb, the famous Daphne5, with its fountains and groves of bay-trees, its bright buildings, its
crowds of licentious votaries, its statue of Apollo, where, under the climate of Syria and the wealthy
patronage of Rome, all that was beautiful in nature and in art had created a sanctuary for a perpetual
festival of vice.
Thus, if any city in the first century, was worthy to be called the Heathen Queen and Metropolis of
the East, that city was Antioch. She was represented, in a famous allegorical statue, as a female
figure, seated on a rock and crowned, with the river Orontes at here feet6. With this image, which art
has made perpetual, we conclude our description. There is no excuse for continuing it to the age of
Vespasian and Titus, when Judaea was taken, and the Western Gate, decorated with the spoils, was
called the “Gate of the Cherubim” 7, or to the Saracen age, when, after many years of Christian
history and Christian mythology, we find the “Gate of St. Paul” placed opposite the “Gate of St.
George,” and when Duke Godfrey pitched his camp between the river and the city wall. And there is
reason to believe that earthquakes, the constant enemy of the people of Antioch, have so altered the
very appearance of its site, that such description would be of little use. As the Vesuvius of Virgil or
Pliny would hardly be recognized in the angry neighbor of modern Naples, so it is more than
probable that the dislocated crags, which still rise above the Orontes, are greatly altered in form from
the fort-crowned heights of Seleucus or Tiberius, Justinian or Tancred.
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1The Blue Faction and the Green Faction were notorious under the reigns of Caligula and Claudius. Both
emperors patronized the letter.
2Chrysostom complains that even Christians, in his day, were led away by this passion for horoscopes.
Juvenal traces the superstitions of Heathen Rom to Antioch. in “Tiberim defluxit Orontes.”
3Compare the cases of Simon Magus (Acts 8), Elymas the Sorcerer (Acts 8), and the Sons of Sceva (Acts
19). We shall have occasion to return to this subject again.
4Ausonius hesitates between Antioch and Alexandria, as to the rank they occupied in eminence and vice.
5Gibbon’s description of Daphne is well known. The sanctuary was on the high ground, four or five miles
to the S. W. of Antioch. See Smith’s Dictionary of the Bible.
6For this celebrated statue of the Genius of Antioch, so constantly represented on coins, see Muller, Antig.
Antioch. pp. 35-41.
7The Byzantine writer Alalas says, that Titus built a theatre at Antioch were a synagogue had been.
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Earthquakes occurred in each of the reigns of Caligula and Claudius1. And it is likely that, when Saul
and Barnabas were engaged in their apostolic work, parts of the city had something like that of the
appearance which still makes Lisbon dreary, new and handsome buildings being raised in close
proximity to the ruins left by the late calamity. It is remarkable how often great physical calamities
are permitted by God to follow in close succession to each other. That age, which, as we have seen,
had been visited by earthquakes, was presently visited by famine. The reign of Claudius, from bad
harvests or from other causes, was a period of general distress and scarcity “over the whole world.”2
In the fourth year of his reign, we are told by Josephus that the famine was so severe, that the price of
food became enormous, and great numbers perished3. At this time it happened that Helena, the
mother of Izates, king of Adiabene, and a recent convert to Judaism, came to worship at Jerusalem.
Moved with compassion for the misery she saw around her, she sent to purchase corn from
Alexandria and figs from Cyprus, for distribution among the poor. Izates himself (who had also
been converted by one who bore the same name4 with him who was baptized St. Paul) shared the
charitable feelings of his mother, and sent large sums of money to Jerusalem.
While this relief came from Assyria, from Cyprus, and from Africa to the Jewish sufferers in Judaea,
God did not suffer His own Christian people, probably the poorest and certainly the most disregarded
in that country, to perish in the general distress. And their relief also came from nearly the same
quarters. While Barnabas and Saul were evangelizing the Syrian capital, and gathering in the harvest,
the first seeds of which had been sown by “men of Cyprus and Cyrene,” certain prophets came down
from Jerusalem to Antioch, and one of them named Agabus announced that a time of famine was at
hand5. The Gentile disciples felt that they were bound by the closest link to those Jewish brethren
whom though they had never seen they loved. “For if the Gentiles had been made partakers of their
spiritual things, their duty was also to minister unto them in carnal things.”6 No time was lost in
preparing for the coming distress. All the members of the Christian community, according to their
means, “determined to send relief.” Saul and Barnabas being chosen to take the contribution to the
elders at Jerusalem7.
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1One earthquake, according to Malalas, occurred on the morning of March 23, in the year 37, and another
soon afterwards,
2Besides the famine in Judaea, we read of three others in the reign of Claudius, one in Greece,
mentioned by Eusebius, and two in Erme, the first mentioned by Dio Cassius, the second by Tacitus.
3Ant. iii. 15, 3, 10 2,5, and 5,2.
4This Anaias was a Jewish merchant, who made proselytes among the women about the court of
Adiabene, and thus obtained influence with the king. (Joseph. Ant. 20 2, 3.)
5Acts 11:29.
6Romans 15:27.
7Acts 11:29, 30.
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Dr. -- Thank you.
The road running through the city of Antioch was how long? Four miles east to west. How far is
Antioch from Seleucia, the seaport? Sixteen miles. The seaport was Seleucia. Antioch was a little
interior, sixteen miles in. One of the greatest libraries of all time, of course, was at Antioch. A lot of
the collections of all the erotic things were there among others.
You marvel when you think of these things because the Word of God moved into those great cities
with all their wickedness. They just took the Word in. And you noticed when the famine came along,
in spite of the fact that the Christians were the despised group, they still had material things to give
and to share. When you work it down in all of its accuracy, you’re going to learn some tremendous
things.
If a slavery system in the United States, communistic system, socialistic system, took over the United
States you would have about half of the productivity you have now. And over a period of time you’d
even lose that.
Land will only give back to people who love it and who believe in it. Nobody gets any better
production out of land than a Christian believer. Have you ever heard the statement about somebody
having a green thumb? Why? You see, if you really love the land, you love flowers or you love
something, it gets blessed. Now it’s already blessed even if it’s the phileo type of love. But when it
becomes the love of God in the renewed mind that we’re thankful for all things; all we do in word
and deed we do heartily as unto the Lord. So when you farm you farm heartily as unto the Lord, that
ground will start giving back super abundance. Any nation that loses the true God cannot have
anything but famine. Check your history. And for God’s sake, let’s hope somebody wakes up. It’s
only in the freedom and the love that’s there. Now as long as the brotherly love is there, it will still
produce, but even brotherly love will never equal the production that’s there when it’s the love of
God in the renewed mind in manifestation on that job; that land.
I don’t know why the scientists don’t start working some of these fields and really get their heads
into it. An automobile will last longer for a believer than an unbeliever. Machinery operates better,
microphones, everything. I think even Kleenex cleans cleaner. It’s all in that Word. But, you see,
we’ve never seen the immensity of the greatness of the love of God in Christ Jesus in a believer when
it says “Christ in you.” For instance, whatever you touch with Christ in you, believingly and with
thanksgiving, will produce. It’s got to. Whatever is cursed by that man who uses the name of God in
vain, that land will always produce less. So he fortifies it for a number of years with more devilish
stuff to keep the production up high. But sooner or later it’s got to drop. And that’s when you get
famine.
Antioch had more money than Emporia had. That’s for sure. There was a time when New York City
had money to burn. Now it has to be financed by the Federal government. New York City financed
by the Federal government! They’ve got a famine. It’s going to get worse. And should the American
taxpayer get tired of paying IRS to finance New York, we’re going to have an interesting time in
New York. They couldn’t live for one week. That’s famine. It’s right at the door. And you know
why? Because they’re not believing God. They are not blessing God. They’re not putting God first. A
wicked city like Antioch and finally they disintegrate and disappear. Their service is gone.
I think it’s quite a record here in Acts, and I think what Pete read to you from Conybeare and
Howson is a very great record of the history and the background. He named the city of Antioch in
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