Dramatic Success at Antioch

This chapter is based on Acts 11:19-26; 13:1-3. 

After persecution had driven the disciples from Jerusalem, the gospel message spread rapidly. Many small gatherings of believers formed in important centers. Some disciples “traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word,” usually just to the Hebrew and Greek Jews found in nearly all the cities of the world. 4TC 80.2

In Antioch, the major city of Syria, the people received the gospel gladly. Extensive commerce brought many people of various nationalities to the city. People thought well of Antioch be cause of its healthful location, beautiful surroundings, wealth, culture, and refinement. It had become a city of luxury and vice. 4TC 80.3

In Antioch disciples from Cyprus and Cyrene taught the gospel publicly. Their earnest labors bore fruit. “A great number believed and turned to the Lord.” 4TC 81.1

News of this came to the church in Jerusalem, and “they sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch.” Barnabas saw the work that had already been accomplished, and he “was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord.” Many were added to the believers there. As the work developed, Barnabas felt the need of help. He went to Tarsus to seek for Paul, who had been working in “the regions of Syria and Cilicia,” preaching “the faith which he once tried to destroy” (Galatians 1:21, 23). Barnabas persuaded him to return with him. 4TC 81.2

In the populous city of Antioch, Paul’s learning and zeal exerted a powerful influence, and he proved to be just the help that Barnabas needed. For a year the two worked together, bringing a knowledge of the world’s Redeemer to many people. 4TC 81.3

The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. People called them that because Christ was the theme of their preaching and their conversation. They never stopped telling people about His teachings and miracles of healing. With quivering lips and tearful eyes they spoke of His betrayal, trial, and execution, the torture His enemies inflicted on Him, and the Godlike pity with which He prayed for those who persecuted Him. His resurrection, ascension, and work as Mediator for fallen humanity were topics on which they loved to dwell. Well might the heathen call them Christians! 4TC 81.4

The Beautiful Name God Gave the Believers

God gave them the name of Christian, a royal name given to all who join themselves to Christ. Of this name James wrote later, “Do not the rich ... blaspheme that noble name by which you are called?” (James 2:6, 7). And Peter declared, “If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you” (1 Peter 4:14). 4TC 81.5

Living among a people who seemed not to care much about things of eternal value, the believers at Antioch tried to get the attention of the honest in heart. In their humble ministry in the various walks of life, they bore testimony every day to their faith in Christ. 4TC 82.1

Today God intends that chosen, talented workers be stationed in important centers of population. It is also His purpose that church members living in these cities use their God-given talents in working to draw others to Christ. Such workers will find that many who never could have been reached in any other way are ready to respond to intelligent personal effort. 4TC 82.2

God is calling on ministers, physicians, nurses, literature workers, and other consecrated, talented church members who know the Word of God and the power of His grace to consider the needs of the unwarned cities. We must use every possible means to put today’s opportunities to wise use. 4TC 82.3

Working with Barnabas strengthened Paul’s conviction that the Lord had called him to work for the Gentile world. When he was converted, the Lord told him that he was to minister to the Gentiles, “to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me” (Acts 26:18). The angel had said to Ananias, “He is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel” (Acts 9:15). 4TC 82.4

So the Lord had given Paul his commission to enter the mission field of the Gentile world, to make known “the mystery” that had been “kept secret since the world began” (Romans 16:25), “that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, of which,” says Paul, “I became a minister. ... To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ” (Ephesians 3:6-8). 4TC 82.5

Neither Paul nor Barnabas had yet been formally ordained to gospel ministry, but God was about to entrust them with a difficult task for which they would need every advantage that the church could provide them. 4TC 83.1

The Meaning of Gospel Ordination

“Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen ..., and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them’” (Acts 13:1, 2, NRSV). These apostles, whom the church solemnly dedicated to God by fasting and prayer and laying on of hands, were authorized not only to teach the truth but to perform the rite of baptism and to organize churches. 4TC 83.2

They were now to proclaim the gospel among the Gentiles with vigor, and the church was to be strengthened by a great harvest of new Christians. The apostles taught that “the middle wall of separation” (Ephesians 2:14) that had separated the Jewish and the Gentile world was broken down in Christ. This would naturally subject them to the charge of heresy, and many believing Jews would question their authority as ministers of the gospel. In order to put their work above challenge, God instructed the church to set them apart publicly to the work of the ministry, recognizing their divine appointment to carry the good news of the gospel to the Gentiles. 4TC 83.3

Both Paul and Barnabas had already received their commission from God Himself, and laying on of hands gave them no new qualification. It was understood as a form of designation to an appointed office. By this means the church set its seal of approval on the work of God. 4TC 83.4

To the Jew this form was significant. When a father blessed his children, he laid his hands reverently on their heads. When an animal was devoted to sacrifice, the priest laid his hand on the head of the victim. When the ministers in Antioch laid their hands on Paul and Barnabas, by that action they asked God to pour His blessing on the chosen apostles in their appointed work. 4TC 83.5

In later years, people attached too much importance to laying on of hands, as if a power came instantly on those who received such ordination. But in the setting apart of these two apostles, there is no record that virtue came on them merely by laying on of hands. 4TC 84.1

Years before, when God first revealed to Paul His plans concerning Him, He brought him into contact with the newly organized church. Furthermore, God did not leave the church at Damascus in darkness regarding the converted Pharisee. And now the Holy Spirit again gave the church the work of ordaining Paul and his fellow worker. 4TC 84.2

God Recognizes and Honors Church Organization

God has made His church a channel of light. He does not give an experience to one of His servants that is contrary to the experience of the church itself. Neither does He give one individual a knowledge of His will for the entire church while leaving the church in darkness. He puts His servants in close connection with His church so that they may have less confidence in themselves and greater confidence in others whom He is leading. 4TC 84.3

Those who constantly lean toward individual independence seem unable to realize that independence of spirit will likely lead people to have too much confidence in themselves rather than to respect the counsel and judgment of their fellow church members, especially of those in the offices God has appointed for leadership. God has granted His church special authority that no one can rightly disregard, for anyone who does this despises the voice of God. 4TC 84.4

Satan tries to separate such people from those God has used to build up and extend His work. Any worker in the Lord’s cause who passes these by and thinks that his light must come through no other channel than directly from God is in danger of being deceived by the enemy and overthrown. The Lord intends that all believers should maintain a close relationship—Christian should be united to Christian and church to church, every agency under the Holy Spirit. All believers will be united in an organized effort to give to the world the good news of God’s grace. 4TC 84.5

Paul believed that his ordination marked a new epoch in his life. He would later date the beginning of his apostleship to this time. 4TC 85.1

While the light was shining brightly at Antioch, the apostles were carrying on important work in Jerusalem. Every year, many Jews from all lands came to worship at the temple. Some of these devout pilgrims were earnest students of the prophecies, longing for the Messiah to come. The apostles preached Christ with unflinching courage, though they knew they were placing their lives in danger. Many people became converts to the faith, and when they returned home, they scattered seeds of truth through all nations and among all classes of people. 4TC 85.2

Peter, James, and John felt confident that God had appointed them to preach Christ among their countrymen at home. Faithfully and wisely they testified about what they had seen and heard, appealing to the “more sure word of prophecy” (2 Peter 1:19, KJV) to persuade “the house of Israel ... that God has made this Jesus ... both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36). 4TC 85.3