Topical Bible: Converts: Jews and Greeks at Antioch

◄ Converts: Jews and Greeks at Antioch ►

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Topical Encyclopedia

The city of Antioch, located in ancient Syria, holds a significant place in early Christian history as a center for the spread of the Gospel among both Jews and Gentiles. The account of the conversion of Jews and Greeks in Antioch is primarily found in the Book of Acts, which details the early church's expansion and the pivotal role Antioch played in the missionary activities of the apostles.

Historical Context

Antioch was one of the largest cities in the Roman Empire and a melting pot of cultures, including a substantial Jewish population. It was known for its commercial prosperity and diverse population, making it an ideal location for the dissemination of new ideas and beliefs. The city's strategic location along trade routes facilitated the movement of people and ideas, contributing to its role as a hub for early Christianity.

Biblical Account

The conversion of Jews and Greeks in Antioch is recorded in Acts 11:19-26. Following the persecution that arose after Stephen's martyrdom, believers were scattered, and some traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch. Initially, they preached the word only to Jews. However, some men from Cyprus and Cyrene began to speak to the Greeks as well, proclaiming the good news about the Lord Jesus.

Acts 11:21 states, "The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord." This passage highlights the divine favor and success of the evangelistic efforts in Antioch, resulting in a significant number of conversions among both Jews and Greeks.

The Role of Barnabas and Saul

The church in Jerusalem, upon hearing of the conversions in Antioch, sent Barnabas to investigate and support the new believers. Acts 11:23-24 describes Barnabas as a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, who encouraged the converts to remain true to the Lord. Recognizing the need for further teaching and leadership, Barnabas sought out Saul (later known as Paul) in Tarsus and brought him to Antioch. Together, they taught a large number of people for an entire year, strengthening the church and establishing a strong foundation for its growth.

Significance of Antioch

Antioch became a pivotal center for the early Christian movement. It was in Antioch that the disciples were first called "Christians" (Acts 11:26), a term that signified their distinct identity as followers of Christ. The church in Antioch also played a crucial role in the missionary journeys of Paul, serving as a base for his outreach to the Gentile world.

The conversion of Jews and Greeks in Antioch exemplifies the breaking down of ethnic and cultural barriers through the Gospel, fulfilling the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations. The diverse and vibrant church in Antioch stands as a testament to the power of the Gospel to unite people from different backgrounds in the worship and service of the one true God.

Nave's Topical Index

Acts 13:43
Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

The Work Awaiting the Worker
... not been able to defend them from the victorious Greeks and Romans ... first sermons
were delivered in synagogues, their first converts were Jews and proselytes ...
/.../stalker/the life of st paul/chapter v the work awaiting.htm

Jewish Rejecters and Gentile Receivers
... that may have led to this presence of Greeks in the ... The Jews were again the
mischief-makers, and, with the ... brunt of the attack; that is, the converts, not Paul ...
/.../jewish rejecters and gentile receivers.htm

The Propagation of Christianity.
... a public letter from Jerusalem to the Gentile converts in Antioch ... Thessalonica: in
which city, "some of the Jews believed, and of the devout Greeks a great ...
/.../paley/evidences of christianity/chapter ix the propagation of.htm

The Conversion of Apollos, his Character, and the Ministry of Paul ...
... left behind him, however, in this great city his two Corinthian converts, Aquila
and ... in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks." [121:1 ...
/.../killen/the ancient church/chapter viii the conversion of.htm

Jew and Gentile
... The Gentiles, and especially the Greeks, were extremely licentious ... The Jews therefore
held it as highly proper that ... be enjoined on the Gentile converts as a ...
/.../white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 19 jew and gentile.htm

Acts XVIII
... The beating which the Greeks gave him was a riotous proceeding, which ... Apollos mightily
convinced the Jews in Achaia; whereas Paul's converts had been ...
/.../mcgarvey/a commentary on acts of the apostles/acts xviii.htm

Second Missionary Journey
... commercial center, the inhabitants being Greeks, Romans, and ... and reasoned with the
assembled Jews about Jesus ... some graphic pictures of the converts and their ...
/.../sell/bible studies in the life of paul/study iv second missionary journey.htm

The Apostle of the Gentiles.
... he wrote his two Epistles to his Thessalonian converts, about the time ... tumult arose
against him for having, as the Jews fancied, brought Greeks into the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/yonge/the chosen people/lesson xxii the apostle of.htm

Homilies of St. John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople, on ...
... The [converts] too from the Gentiles were more than the Jews because they ... Among the
other nations indeed, when there were both Jews and Greeks, such was ...
/.../homilies of st john chrysostom.htm

Preaching among the Heathen
... the Jews and also of the Greeks believed." But ... where the apostles labored, "the
unbelieving Jews stirred up ... minds were open to conviction, and converts to the ...
/.../white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 18 preaching among the.htm