WE have still to trace the movements of those who were driven from Jerusalem by the persecution that arose about Stephen. Philip had been evangelising in Samaria, and on the highway between Jerusalem and Gaza, and in all the cities from Ashdod north to Cesarea. Peter and John had also been on an evangelising tour in many villages of the Samaritans. Peter had further been doing Gospel work in Lydda, throughout Sharon, in Joppa and finally he also came to Cesarea. Phenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, were all visited by other scattered disciples. The men of Cyprus and Cyrene, whose steps we are now to follow, travelled as far as

This city "was founded by Seleucus Nicator three hundred years B.C., and named by him after his father Antiochus. It was on the banks of the Orontes, three hundred miles north of Jerusalem, and about thirty miles from the Mediterranean. It soon became a splendid town. The Syrian kings embellished it. Pompey made it a free city. Herod contributed to its adornment, and the Roman emperors added various structures." "Strabo, in the time of Augustus, describes the city as a Tetrapolis, or union of four cities. The two first were erected by Seleucus Nicator himself ... between mount Silpius and the river, on that wide space of level ground where a few poor inhabitants 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 round an island which, by its thoroughfares and bridges, and its own noble buildings, became part of a magnificent whole." This new city on the island was "built by the second Seleucus and the third Antiochus ... The fourth and last part of the Tetrapolis was built by Antiochus Epiphanes, where Mount Silpius rises abruptly on the south ... At the rugged bases of the mountain, the ground was levelled 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 suburb. 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 can still be traced by the fragments of ruined towers." "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 harbour 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 civilised life of the Empire found some representative." The disciples of Christ not only found a sphere of usefulness in the flourishing city of Antioch, the commercial and political metropolis of Syria, and only second to Rome in importance, but also a suitable opening for the evangelisation of the Gentile world around.

They were the Greek-speaking Jews. The Jews who spoke the language of Palestine were called Hebrews, whereas those Jews who, living among Greeks, spoke the Greek language, were called Hellenists or Grecians. These two sections of the one nation were not always on the most friendly terms. Even in the brotherly fellowship of the same church they were prone to misunderstanding and suspicion, as is seen in the "murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration" (Acts 6:1).

It is in no way remarkable that the travelling disciples should speak the word of the Lord to Grecians. They were Jews. Why not speak to them? Many Grecians were in the Jerusalem church. Why should the historian take note of Grecians being spoken to in Antioch? The Revised Version accounts for it. 'Greeks' is the correct reading, not 'Grecians.' They were not Jews at all, but foreigners. It was therefore a new departure for the men of Cyprus and Cyrene to give the Gospel to those of another nation. Some providential circumstances had transpired, and some causes unknown to us had guided them to overleap Jewish limitations in Antioch, as Peter had done in Cesarea.

It is not possible to ascertain the exact chronology of these events. Were the Greeks in Antioch receiving the Gospel at the same time that Cornelius and his friends were? Was Peter only one of a number who were being led in different places to realise that in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek? In the absence of absolute certainty we cannot do better than take the order in which the different events are recorded in Acts as their probable chronological order. While Peter opened the door of faith and of the kingdom to the Gentiles, others who were not apostles were soon thereafter also bringing in converts from the Gentiles. Though coming after what Peter had done, it may have been entirely independent of it. Those who were speaking to the Greeks in Antioch may not have known of Peter's work in Cesarea. But they had the best of all encouragement in their work and corroboration of it. Working with them was

The hand is that by which we work. The hand of the Lord denotes His presence and working. He was co-operating with the disciples of His Son in Antioch, and thereby showing His approval of their work. Or, more probably, it was the hand of the Lord Jesus that was at work. It was happening to them as it is written of the apostles: "they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following" (Mark 16:20).

It is said that the hand of the Lord was with John the Baptist when he was a child. He "grew and waxed strong in spirit" (Luke 1:66,80). A contrast is seen in the hand of the Lord being upon Elymas the sorcerer, striking him with blindness (Acts 13:11). It was a blessing to the nobles of the children of Israel that God laid not His hand upon them (Ex. 24:11). The hand of the Lord was upon Ezekiel so as not to be shaken off (Ezek. 1:3; 3:14).

With the hand of the Lord in blissful co-operation, while the disciples were setting forth the attractive claims of the Lord Jesus, the effect was sure to be notable. "A great number believed, and turned unto the Lord." Their belief was followed by turning to walk in the heaven-illumined path. They were a contrast to those who believed, but did not confess (John 12:42-43).

How they turned to the Lord is not here explained. But we need not be in doubt. The missionaries in Antioch had gone from Jerusalem. They were in the Jewish capital until driven away by the iron hand of persecution. They had been under apostolic instruction in the city which was the cradle of Christianity, and now that they were planting the cause of Christ three hundred miles away in a city which immediately became a second great centre of evangelisation, what else could they teach than what they had learned? They would tell the same facts about Jesus of Nazareth as had been told on the day of Pentecost; and they would give the same commands to inquirers as Peter then gave. How to turn to the Lord - by what act of obedience they were to turn - would be explained as Peter had explained it. The Gentiles in Antioch would turn to the Lord as the thousands of Jews in Jerusalem had done; they would repent and be baptised upon the name of Jesus Christ.

We are led to the same conclusion by another route. Luke has on several occasions given examples of believers turning to the Lord. He now takes it for granted that his readers know what is meant by turning to the Lord. He leaves us to recall the details which he has previously given. We have seen from these previous examples that believers repented and were immersed, invoking at the same time the divine name. Thus also in Antioch they received remission of sins; thus they became converts, or turned to the Lord.

The mother church had a maternal interest in the establishing of the cause elsewhere. The news from Antioch, that a great number of Greeks having believed had turned to the Lord, would be a special source of interest in Jerusalem. After what had happened in Cesarea the report from Antioch would not be so startling; but the interest in it was evinced by the sending of

His name was Joses or Joseph. Barnabas was a name given to him by the apostles. It means son of consolation or exhortation. He probably excelled in exhorting, and by that means imparted consolation to many. He was a Levite, and a native of Cyprus, the island to which some of the speakers in Antioch belonged. He had possessed a field, but sold it, and brought the price thereof to the apostles for distribution among the needy (Acts 4:36-37). "He was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith". Such a one was well fitted for the conciliatory work which was likely to be required in a church where, for the first time, Jews and Greeks were received together; and his known character was a sufficient guarantee to the most scrupulous Jews. Barnabas was sent from Jerusalem to go as far as Antioch.