Acts 11:20

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 11:19-26

We have here an account of the planting and watering of a church at Antioch, the chief city of Syria, reckoned afterwards the third most considerable city of the empire, only Rome and Alexandria being preferred before it, next to whose patriarch that of Antioch took place. It stood where Hamath or Riblah did, which we read of in the Old Testament. It is suggested that Luke, the penman of this history, as well as Theophilus, to whom he dedicates it, was of Antioch, which may be the reason why... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 11:19-21

11:19-21 Those who had been dispersed by the persecution following upon the death of Stephen went through the country as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, but they spoke the word to no one except to Jews. But some of them, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, came to Antioch and spoke to the Greeks too and told them the good news of the Lord Jesus. The Lord's hand was with them; and a great number believed and turned to the Lord. In restrained sentences these few words tell of one of the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 11:20

And some of them were men of Cyprus ,.... That is, some of the preachers, that were scattered abroad, were Jews born at Cyprus: such was Barnabas particularly, Acts 4:36 though he was not among these, as appears from Acts 11:22 "and Cyrene"; such were Simon that carried the cross after Christ, and his sons Alexander and Rufus, Mark 15:21 and others that heard the apostles speak with tongues on the day of Pentecost, Acts 2:10 which when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 11:20

Men of - Cyrene - The metropolis of the Cyrenaica; a country of Africa, bounded on the east by Marmarica, on the west by the Regio Syrtica, on the north by the Mediterranean, and on the south by the Sahara. Cyrene is now called Cairoan. This city, according to Eusebius, was built in the 37th Olympiad, about 630 years before Christ. In consequence of a revolt of its inhabitants, it was destroyed by the Romans; but they afterwards rebuilt it. It was for a long time subject to the Arabs, but is... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 11:20

Verse 20 20.Luke doth at length declare that certain of them brought this treasure even unto the Gentiles. And Luke calleth these Grecians not Ελληνες, but Ελληνισται. Therefore, some say that those came of the Jews, yet did they inhabit Greece; which I do not allow. For seeing the Jews, whom he mentioned a little before, were partly of Cyprus, they must needs be reckoned in that number, because the Jews count Cyprus a part of Greece. But Luke distinguisheth them from those, whom he calleth... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 11:1-28

The mystery. The beginning and the close of this chapter refer to events of precisely similar character, which took place almost simultaneously, at all events without any concert or communication, in Palestine and in Syria; the reception of the Word of God by Gentiles, and their admission into the Church of God. It is difficult for us, after the lapse of eighteen centuries and a half, during which this has been the rule of the kingdom of heaven, to realize the startling strangeness of such... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 11:19-26

The many ways and the one work of God. It is interesting to see how God works in many ways toward one end, and how, from the first day of the Christian era, he has been acting on the world and on the Church, making all things to move toward one glorious issue. I. THE MANY WAYS OF GOD 'S WORKING . We may be reminded: 1. How he defeats his enemies. "They which were scattered abroad upon the persecution … traveled … preaching the Word, " etc. ( Acts 11:19 ). If the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 11:19-26

Founding of the Church at Antioch. I. THE SECONDARY CAUSES OF THE FOUNDATION . Christians had been dispersed by the persecution. And thus there went a stream of believers through Phoenicia, Cyprus, and the district of Antioch, charged with the Divine message, living seminaries of the word of love. Persecution, in breaking up communities, diffuses their spiritual contents, as when the box of precious unguent is broken a sweet perfume is diffused abroad. As a rule, these... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 11:19-26

A new center of evangelistic work. Antioch. Another hold upon the Gentile world. More important than Caesarea. Next to Alexandria. Intellectual culture; commercial. A sphere prepared for Saul. I. THE MINISTRY EMPLOYED . Lay agency. Persecution compelling the Church to enlarge its borders. The circumstances opening the door to the Gentiles. Probably little success among Jews. The multitudes of Greeks at Antioch. The Greek mind prepared for inquiry. The state of the heathen world... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 11:20

But there were some of them … who for and some of them were.., which, A.V.; the Greeks also for the Grecians, A.V. and T.R. This last is a most important variation of reading— ἑλλῆνας , Greeks for ἑλληνίστας , Grecians, i.e. Grecian Jews, or Hellenists. It is supported, however, by strong authority of manuscripts, versions, and Fathers, and is accepted by Grotius, Witsius, Griesbach, Lachman, Tischendorf, Meyer, Conybeare and Howson, Alford, Westcott, Bishop Lightfoot, and... read more

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