Acts 13:1

An alternative outline of Acts makes just two divisions in it, the first twelve chapters, and the rest of Acts beginning here, with the first section containing material related to the apostle Peter, and the last division having material especially related to the apostle Paul. This is quite logical, in fact; for from this chapter until the end of it, Acts presents the missionary efforts of the inimitable Paul.

Acts 13 records the beginning of what is usually called Paul's first missionary journey. First, there was the formal commission which sent Barnabas and Saul on their way (Acts 13:1-3); then there is the account of their efforts on the island of Cyprus (Acts 13:4-12); next is the record of John Mark's defection and the movement of Paul into Asia Minor (Acts 13:13-16); then follows the record of Paul's address in Antioch of Pisidia (Acts 13:17-43); and the record of still another sermon in the same city on the sabbath day one week later (Acts 13:44-52).

Now there were in Antioch, in the church that was there, prophets and teachers, Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen the foster-brother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. (Acts 13:1)

The group of men whose names appear here were very important, due to their being not only teachers but "prophets," both of these designations belonging to the whole group mentioned here, concerning whom Dummelow said:

The gift of prophecy especially distinguished the apostolic from the sub-apostolic and later ages. It was widely diffused, being exercised by private Christians. ... It generally took the form of inspired exhortation or instruction, but was sometimes predictive .... Friendly relations existed between Antioch and Jerusalem, the latter church sending accredited prophets and teachers to Antioch to aid in the work of evangelization.[1]

The men named in this verse were official prophets, having the gift in its fullest extent; and they were regarded, along with the apostles, as being the foundation upon which the church was built (Ephesians 2:20). The chief product of Christian prophecy is the inspired New Testament.

Barnabas ... heads the list here. He was the uncle of John Mark who wrote the gospel and a brother of Mary whose home was the scene of Peter's reunion with the church mentioned in the last chapter. Further comment on Barnabas is given under Acts 9:27.

Boles, following the exegesis of Alford, Meyer and others, thought that the placement of the Greek particle indicates that the first three of this list were prophets and the last two teachers;[2] but the name of Saul, which occurs last, happens to be the name of the greatest of the New Testament prophets; and therefore it is more accurate to view all five of these as both prophets and teachers.

Simeon that was called Niger ... If the phrase "of Cyrene" may be understood as a modifier of both Simeon and Lucius (next named), it would add probability to the supposition that this man is the same as the Simon who bore the cross of Jesus and was the father of Alexander and Rufus (Mark 15:21). "Niger" means "black"; but there is no greater necessity for making this term a description of Simeon's physical appearance than there is for alleging that Shirley Temple Black is BLACK, this being one of the commonest names in history.

Lucius of Cyrene ... This person has "by some been falsely identified with St. Luke."[3]

Foster-brother of Herod ... The Greek word thus rendered is not found elsewhere in the New Testament; and the meaning is somewhat ambiguous, scholars listing no less than three possible meanings: (1) Manaen's mother had been Herod's wet-nurse; (2) Manaen had been brought up as Herod's foster-brother;[4] (3) Manaen had been a playmate of Herod.[5] In any event, a very close connection with the tetrarch Herod is indicated.

And Saul ... Luke's placement of this name last emphasizes the relative importance of these men at the beginning of the first missionary journey, enabling us to see more clearly the dramatic rise of Paul as the greatest missionary of New Testament times, or of all times.

[1] J. R. Dummelow, Commentary on the Holy Bible (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1937), p. 833.

[2] H. Leo Boles, Commentary on Acts (Nashville: Gospel Advocate Company, 1953), p. 199.

[3] A. C. Hervey, The Pulpit Commentary, Acts (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishers, 1950), p. 401.

[4] J. R. Dummelow, op. cit., p. 834.

[5] A. C. Hervey, op. cit., p. 401.