Acts 11:25-26 Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul:… I. WHAT. All that the name has come to mean was quite unintended by the Antiochenes. But the question now is not what these ancient people meant, but what, after nineteen centuries of Christian literature and life, it has come to mean. Undoubtedly it comprehends — 1. Faith in Christ. 2. Love to Christ. 3. Imitation of Christ. 4. Union with Christ, with all the effects which flow from these, such as obedience to Christ's will, loyalty to Christ's cause, fellowship with Christ's people, profession of Christ's principles, and the blessed hope of being with Christ forever. Without each of these in a greater or less degree no man is entitled to the Christian name. II. WHERE. At Antioch. 1. An unlikely place, one would think. Why should the worshippers of physical beauty, the slaves of lust, the devotees of gain, the priests of a false religion, and the teachers and disciples of an agnostic philosophy care a straw about the followers of a crucified Jew whose teachings ran counter to all their desires, practices, traditions, and disbeliefs, much less trouble to give them a new name? But experience should teach us that people are not so indifferent as they seem. With every motive to ignore the Christianity of today, people are earnestly noting and talking about it. 2. Really a most likely place. Here Christianity stood out in marked contrast to all the Antiochenes had ever known. It was a new thing. Its positive belief, purity, charity, brotherhood, stood in contrast with the prevalent scepticism, iniquity, and selfishness of the place. Light cannot but be seen in darkness, and of all places Christianity must have been most conspicuous at Antioch. It compelled attention, and the symptom of this attention was the name Christian. 3. The best place. No city in the world except Rome and Alexandria afforded such facilities for the dissemination of the knowledge of this name. Antioch was the Liverpool of the age. Let once a religious movement get well rooted in the great northern port, and all the world will soon hear of it. III. BY WHOM. 1. Perhaps by matter of fact men who wanted a word which they could use in current conversation and be universally understood when talking of this new movement. Just as when a name was required to describe the followers of Aristotle or Plato in ancient, and of Luther and Pusey in modern times, the convenient designations were Aristotelians, etc. 2. Perhaps by wits and scoffers, who gladly availed themselves of the opportunity of fixing the name of a crucified malefactor on fanatics whose tenets were only worthy of laughter or scorn. 3. Perhaps by admirers who saw a resemblance between the disciples and all that was known of Christ. IV. WHEN. When a new name was required to describe a new thing. Up till now all Christians were Jews, but even now there were such characteristics that marked them off from the rest of their race that a separate designation was required. When, however, Greeks came into the fold a distinctive name became imperative, and one was found which covered both Jew and Greek. V. WHY. Because the disciples were — 1. Consecrated to Christ. 2. Always talking about Christ. 3. Ever seeking to secure disciples for Christ. VI. WITH WHAT RESULTS. The name — 1. Gradually superseded every other name. 2. Still towers above every other name. All genuine Christians are glad to subordinate denominational distinctions. 3. Will eventually be the only name. (J. W. Burn.) Parallel Verses KJV: Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul: |
    |