Lexical Summary Kuréné: Cyrene Original Word: Κυρήνη Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Cyrene. Of uncertain derivation; Cyrene, a region of Africa -- Cyrene. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain origin Definition Cyrene, a city in N. Africa NASB Translation Cyrene (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 2957: ΚυρήνηΚυρήνη, Κυρηνης, ἡ, Cyrene, a large and very flourishing city of Libya Cyrenaica or Pentapolitana, about 11 Roman miles from the sea. Among its inhabitants were great numbers of Jews, whom Ptolemy I. had brought thither, and invested with the rights of citizens: Acts 2:10. (BB. DD., under the word). Topical Lexicon Geographical and Cultural Context Cyrene was a prosperous Greek colony founded in the seventh century BC on the northern coast of Africa (modern-day Shahhat, Libya). Situated on the fertile plateau of Cyrenaica and open to Mediterranean trade routes, the city became a center of Hellenistic learning, philosophy, and commerce. Under the Ptolemies it passed peacefully to Roman control in 96 BC, forming, with Crete, a joint province and later becoming part of Africa Proconsularis. A sizable Jewish population flourished there, evidence of which appears in first-century inscriptions, Josephus (Jewish War 2.385; Antiquities 14.103), and Philo (On Providence 2.64). Thus Cyrene epitomized the wider Greco-Roman world into which the gospel would soon advance. Old Testament and Intertestamental Jewish Presence While the Hebrew canon does not mention Cyrene, the Septuagint and the Apocrypha highlight North-African Judean settlements (for example, 2 Maccabees 2:23; 4:29). By the first century AD Cyrenian Jews were affluent, retained strong links with Jerusalem, and maintained their own synagogue in the holy city (Acts 6:9). This diaspora presence set the stage for Cyrenians to encounter Messiah both in Jerusalem and abroad. Cyrene at Pentecost (Acts 2:10) The sole occurrence of the exact noun behind Strong’s number 2957 appears in Acts 2:10. Luke records that among the multilingual crowd who heard the apostles’ Spirit-empowered preaching were visitors from “the parts of Libya near Cyrene”. Their amazement at hearing “the wonders of God” in their own dialects foreshadows the worldwide reach of the gospel and fulfills the promise that repentance and forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed to “all nations” (Luke 24:47). Cyrenian pilgrims, having witnessed the outpouring of the Spirit, presumably carried the message home, becoming seed for later missionary activity in North Africa. Cyrenian Witness in the Ministry of Jesus Though 2957 names the city, the closely related adjective (Strong’s 2958) links Cyrene to the crucifixion narrative. The Synoptic Gospels recount that a passerby, “Simon of Cyrene,” was compelled to carry Jesus’ cross (Matthew 27:32; Mark 15:21; Luke 23:26). Mark adds that Simon was “the father of Alexander and Rufus,” suggesting that his family became well known within the early church (compare Romans 16:13). That a man from distant Cyrene should shoulder the cross illustrates both the burden and privilege of discipleship—“whoever does not carry his cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:27). Cyrenians in the Early Church 1. Opposition to Stephen (Acts 6:9). Members of the “Synagogue of the Freedmen,” including Cyrenians, debated Stephen. Their resistance underscores how intensely the gospel confronted entrenched religious traditions, yet also how widely Jewish communities engaged the new faith. Theological Themes and Significance • Universality of the Gospel: From Pentecost onward, Cyrene represents the inclusion of far-flung peoples within God’s redemptive plan (Isaiah 49:6). Practical Implications for Ministry Today 1. Engage the diaspora: Like first-century Cyrene, modern urban centers host dispersed communities ready for gospel witness. From its single explicit mention in Acts 2:10, Cyrene’s biblical footprint expands into a narrative of participation, perseverance, and proclamation, reminding the church that the gospel’s course often runs through seemingly remote places and unexpected people who have been prepared by God for His global mission. Forms and Transliterations Κυρηνην Κυρήνην Kurenen Kurēnēn Kyrenen Kyrēnēn Kyrḗnen KyrḗnēnLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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