What is the significance of Antioch in the Bible?

Antioch, the ancient capital of the Seleucidae, was founded by Seleucus Nicator about B.C. 300. It was a city only second to Jerusalem in the early history of the church. What Jerusalem had hitherto been to the Jews, Antioch now became to the Gentiles. It was a central point. From this time it occupied a most important place in the propagation of Christianity among the heathen. Here the first Gentile church was planted. (Acts 11:20-21) Here the disciples of Christ were first called Christians. (Acts 11:26) And here our apostle commenced his public ministerial work.

This is memorable in the annals of the church as the city where the disciples were first called Christians, Where an assembly of Gentiles was gathered, and from which Paul and his companions went forth on their missionary journeys, and to which they twice returned. It formed a centre for their labours among the Gentiles, outside the Jewish influence which prevailed at Jerusalem; yet the church in this city maintained its fellowship with the assembly at Jerusalem and elsewhere. Acts 6:5; Acts 11:19-30; Acts 13:1; Acts 14:26; Acts 15:22-35; Acts 18:22; Gal. 2:11.

Those who lived at Antioch were, on the other hand, mostly Gentiles. In Acts 11:19-30, we read the story of the way the gospel first came to Antioch. You remember Saul helped to kill Stephen, and after Stephen's death, Saul, and no doubt others, persecuted the Christians in Jerusalem very fiercely. On account of this many of the Christians were scattered abroad, and travelled to different places; one of these places was Antioch. At first they preached the good news only to the Jews, but "some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed and turned unto the Lord. Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the assembly which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch. Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord. Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul: and when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the assembly, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch." Acts 11:19-26.

In this way Antioch became the chief center for the Gentile Christians, just as Jerusalem was the chief center for the Jewish Christians. In Acts 13:1 we read of the prophets and teachers at Antioch, and we see some of these were Jews, but some were almost certainly Gentiles. Paul and Barnabas are mentioned in these verses, and we can understand the very warm love that must have grown up between Paul and the assembly at Antioch. You will remember Paul and Barnabas went out from Antioch on their first missionary journey, and they returned again to this city.

Antioch, instead of Jerusalem, now became a centre of evangelisation, independent of apostolic authority, yet without breaking the unity of the Spirit by forming a separate church. Barnabas and Saul are separated to the work by the Holy Spirit, and with John Mark take a missionary journey.

In the book of Acts we read that Paul made three missionary journeys through these parts. In the first of these journeys (see Acts 13 and 14), Paul and Barnabas were sent forth by the Holy Ghost from Antioch, that city in North Syria where the disciples were first called "Christians" (Acts 11:26). Antioch in Syria was the chief city for the Gentile Christians, just as Jerusalem was for the Jewish Christians. From Antioch Paul and Barnabas went by ship to the large island of Cyprus. This was the native home of Barnabas. They preached the gospel through this island, and took a ship to Antioch in Pisidia. We must remember this is not the same city as Antioch in Syria. Both received their names from a great general named Antiochus.

The purpose of this paper is to focus on a Scriptural situation where the Galatian error is the central consideration: the council of Jerusalem (Acts 15). In order properly to understand the council of Acts 15 it is necessary to look at the two assemblies concerned, in Antioch and in Jerusalem. The assembly in Antioch was a predominantly GENTILE assembly. We read of its formation and growth in Acts 11: 19-26. Following the stoning of Stephen (Acts 7) there was a persecution with scattering of the saints to Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, the Word going to none but the Jews. But some of them, from Cyprus and Cyrene (North Africa), when they came to Antioch, preached also to the Gentiles; and the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord. The news of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem and they sent Barnabas, and when he came to Antioch, he saw the grace of God and was glad. We cannot pause and admire the features which came to light in this man. "He was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord". May we not say, "praise the Lord and Lord, raise up some more like him in our day!" Well, Barnabas took account of the work, remembered Saul with whom he had already had dealings (Acts 9: 27) and departed to Tarsus, which is not far away, and when he had found him he brought him to Antioch. This set in motion twelve months of most successful teaching and the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch (Acts 11: 16). This is not quite the end of this story. It was in Antioch that the Holy Ghost said, "Separate Me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them". Paul's first missionary journey began and ended in Antioch. In summary then we can say that Antioch was a predominantly GENTILE assembly with the Apostle Paul, apostle of the uncircumcision, held in high esteem and affection.

The results were astonishing: the hand of the Lord was With them, and a great number were turned to the Lord. This was certainly the sovereign power of the Spirit of God at work. No doubt these workers realized intuitively that the gospel was of such a character as to include Gentiles, though they had not yet been given such instruction; and the Spirit of God fully justified their faith in this matter. At Antioch then a work began larger than that at Caesarea, an assembly formed largely of Gentiles, though with Jewish believers included Here therefore is illustrated for the first time the unity of both Jewish and Gentile believers in the church of God.

And now the men of Antioch, hearing those who had visited their city speak of the Christ, of whom doubtless those earnest labourers loved to discourse, surnamed all confessors of the Lord Jesus - Christians. But never in the New Testament do believers so term themselves: Acts 26:28 and 1 Peter 4:16, the only other places where the term occurs, show what others called them, and they knew it. Greeks at Antioch, then, thus first named them - a testimony to the truth which the converts proclaimed, and of Him of whom they evidently spoke. Christ was in their hearts. Christ was on their lips. Christians they were therefore surnamed. Happy times were these! Much people were now being taught by Barnabas and Saul. Evidently the work deepened and spread.

Next we find Barnabas stirred up to another and a characteristic enterprise. He had before this delivered Saul from the effects of undue anxiety and distrust in the minds of the disciples. He would have Saul to return good for what I may venture to call a measure of evil towards him. As there was need in the church at Antioch, he goes and finds him. He had a conviction that this was the instrument the Lord would use for good. Thus we see that, while we have the angel of the Lord in certain cases, the Spirit of the Lord expressly in others, we have also simply the holy judgment of the gracious heart. This is all quite right. It is not to be treated as mere human arrangement. It was not only right, but recorded of God that we might see and profit by it. Barnabas was quite justified in seeking Saul. "And it came to pass that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch." The place once so famous for its nicknames was now to give a name that will never perish — a name of incalculable sweetness and blessing, connecting Christ as it does with those that are His. It was, no doubt, a Gentile title. There would be no particular force in giving it to Jews, for all Jews professed to be looking for Christ. What a wonderful change for these poor Gentiles to know Christ for themselves, and to be called after Christ! All was ordered of God.

In Acts 11 we read of Barnabas seeking and finding Saul of Tarsus, and bringing him to Antioch, “And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch” (Acts 11:25-26). The name Christian seems to have been given to the disciples of the Lord by those found in Antioch, and has been accepted by the Holy Spirit as a proper designation of those who are followers of the rejected Christ of God. Those who were called Christians were true disciples of the Lord, those who formed the church of God in Antioch.