Acts 11:24
Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.
He was a good man
The phrase "He was a good man" refers to Barnabas, a key figure in the early Christian church. The Greek word for "good" here is "ἀγαθός" (agathos), which implies moral excellence and uprightness. In the context of the early church, being a "good man" was not merely about personal virtue but also about being a trustworthy and effective leader. Barnabas's goodness is demonstrated through his actions and his ability to encourage and support others, as seen in his role in the church at Antioch.

full of the Holy Spirit
The phrase "full of the Holy Spirit" indicates that Barnabas was completely under the influence and guidance of the Holy Spirit. The Greek word "πλήρης" (plērēs) means "full" or "complete," suggesting that Barnabas's life and ministry were characterized by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. This fullness is essential for effective ministry and is a recurring theme in Acts, where the Holy Spirit empowers believers to witness and perform acts of service.

and faith
The word "faith" in this context is translated from the Greek "πίστις" (pistis), which denotes trust, belief, and confidence in God. Barnabas's faith was not just intellectual assent but a deep, abiding trust in God's promises and power. His faith was evident in his actions and decisions, as he took risks for the sake of the Gospel and supported the fledgling church in Antioch. This faith, combined with the Holy Spirit's presence, enabled Barnabas to be an effective leader and encourager.

And a great number of people
The phrase "a great number of people" highlights the impact of Barnabas's ministry. The Greek word "πλῆθος" (plēthos) means a multitude or large group, indicating that Barnabas's influence was significant. His character and spiritual fullness attracted many to the faith, demonstrating the power of a life lived in alignment with God's purposes.

were brought to the Lord
The phrase "were brought to the Lord" signifies the ultimate goal of Barnabas's ministry: leading people to a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. The Greek verb "προστρέφω" (prostrephō) means to turn towards or convert, emphasizing the transformative nature of coming to the Lord. This phrase underscores the evangelistic success of Barnabas's work and the growth of the early church as people turned from their previous ways to embrace the Gospel.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Barnabas
The central figure in this verse, Barnabas is described as a "good man" who is "full of the Holy Spirit and faith." His character and spiritual fullness are instrumental in bringing many to the Lord.

2. Antioch
The city where these events are taking place. Antioch was a significant center for early Christianity and a place where believers were first called Christians.

3. The Early Church
The broader context involves the growth and expansion of the early Christian church, particularly among Gentiles.

4. The Holy Spirit
The presence and work of the Holy Spirit are emphasized in Barnabas's life, indicating divine empowerment for ministry.

5. Conversion of Many
The result of Barnabas's ministry is that a "great number of people were brought to the Lord," highlighting the effectiveness of Spirit-led evangelism.
Teaching Points
The Importance of Character
Barnabas is described as a "good man," emphasizing that personal integrity and character are crucial in ministry. Our lives should reflect Christ-like qualities that draw others to Him.

Being Full of the Holy Spirit
Barnabas's effectiveness is attributed to being "full of the Holy Spirit." We should seek to be continually filled with the Spirit, allowing Him to guide and empower our actions.

Faith as a Foundation
Barnabas's faith is highlighted, reminding us that faith is foundational to our walk with God and our ability to impact others.

The Power of Encouragement
Known as the "Son of Encouragement," Barnabas's ministry shows the transformative power of encouragement in the lives of others. We should strive to be encouragers in our communities.

Evangelism and Growth
The result of Barnabas's ministry was the conversion of many. This underscores the importance of evangelism and the role each believer plays in the growth of the church.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Barnabas's character as a "good man" challenge us in our personal and spiritual lives today?

2. In what ways can we seek to be "full of the Holy Spirit" in our daily walk with Christ?

3. How does Barnabas's example of faith inspire us to trust God more deeply in our own circumstances?

4. What practical steps can we take to become encouragers like Barnabas in our communities and churches?

5. How can we actively participate in evangelism and contribute to the growth of the church, following Barnabas's example?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Acts 4:36-37
Introduces Barnabas as a Levite from Cyprus, known for his generosity and encouragement, setting the stage for his role in Acts 11.

Galatians 5:22-23
Lists the fruit of the Spirit, which can be seen in Barnabas's life as he exhibits goodness and faithfulness.

Acts 13:2
Shows Barnabas being set apart by the Holy Spirit for missionary work, further demonstrating his role in the early church.

Proverbs 11:30
Speaks of the fruit of righteousness and winning souls, which aligns with Barnabas's impact in Antioch.
A Good ManThe PulpitActs 11:24
Characteristics of the Good ManP. McFarlan, D. D.Acts 11:24
Good BarnabasR. Tuck Acts 11:24
Goodness, as Illustrated in the Character of BarnabasT. Gisborne, M. A.Acts 11:24
The Feast of St BarnabasJ. H. Newman.Acts 11:24
The Moral Sympathies of a Good ManH. Allon, D. D.Acts 11:24
What a Good Man is and How He Becomes SoA. Maclaren, D. D.Acts 11:24
A New Center of Evangelistic Work. AntiochR.A. Redford Acts 11:19-26
Founding of the Church At AntiochE. Johnson Acts 11:19-26
The Many Ways and the One Work of GodW. Clarkson Acts 11:19-26
A St. Barnabas the Need of the HourH. Scott Holland, M. A.Acts 11:22-26
Barnabas At AntiochC. Clayton, M. A.Acts 11:22-26
The Mission of BarnabasD. Thomas, D. D.Acts 11:22-26
The Surprises of the Grace of GodP.C. Barker Acts 11:23, 24
People
Agabus, Barnabas, Christians, Claudius, Cyprians, Cyrenians, Grecians, John, Peter, Saul, Simon, Stephen
Places
Caesarea, Cyprus, Cyrene, Jerusalem, Joppa, Judea, Phoenicia, Syrian Antioch, Tarsus
Topics
Added, Believers, Company, Considerable, Crowd, Faith, Full, Ghost, Greatly, Holy, Increased, Joined, Large, Multitude, Numbers, Spirit
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Acts 11:24

     3233   Holy Spirit, and sanctification
     3251   Holy Spirit, filling with
     4018   life, spiritual
     7027   church, purpose
     8024   faith, and blessings
     8026   faith, growth in
     8164   spirituality
     8265   godliness
     8422   equipping, spiritual

Acts 11:23-24

     3020   Holy Spirit, joy of

Library
April 27 Evening
A new name.--REV. 2:17. The disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.--Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.--They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.--Ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

The Exhortation of Barnabas
[Footnote: Preached before the Congregational Union of England and Wales.] 'Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.'--ACTS xi. 23. The first purely heathen converts had been brought into the Church by the nameless men of Cyprus and Cyrene, private persons with no office or commission to preach, who, in simple obedience to the instincts of a Christian heart, leaped the barrier which seemed impassable
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts

A Nickname Accepted
'The disciples were called Christians first in Antioch' --ACTS xi. 26. Nations and parties, both political and religious, very often call themselves by one name, and are known to the outside world by another. These outside names are generally given in contempt; and yet they sometimes manage to hit the very centre of the characteristics of the people on whom they are bestowed, and so by degrees get to be adopted by them, and worn as an honour. So it has been with the name 'Christian.' It was given
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts

Peter's Apologia
'And the apostles and brethren that were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. 2. And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him, 3. Saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them. 4. But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and expounded it by order unto them, saying, 5. I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, A certain vessel descend, as it had been a great
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts

The First Preaching at Antioch
'And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they ware come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus. 21. And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.'--ACTS xi. 20, 21. Thus simply does the historian tell one of the greatest events in the history of the Church. How great it was will appear if we observe that the weight of authority among critics and commentators sees here an extension of the message of salvation
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts

Repentance unto Life
By "Repentance unto life," I think we are to understand that repentance which is accompanied by spiritual life in the soul, and ensures eternal life to every one who possesses it. "Repentance unto life," I say, brings with it spiritual life, or rather, is the first consequent thereof. There are repentances which are not signs of life, except of natural life, because they are only effected by the power of the conscience and the voice of nature speaking in men; but the repentance here spoken of is
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 1: 1855

Completion Op the Fifth Continental Journey.
1849-50. The disorganized state of Germany presented a serious obstacle to John and Martha Yeardley's resuming their labors on the Continent. FROM JOHN YEARDLEY TO JOHN KITCHING. Scarborough, 6 mo. 23, 1849. We spent two days at Malton with our dear friends Ann and Esther Priestman, in their delightful new abode on the bank of the river: we were comforted in being at meeting with them on First-day. On Second-day we came to Scarborough, and soon procured two rooms near our own former residence. The
John Yeardley—Memoir and Diary of John Yeardley, Minister of the Gospel

From the Ascension to the Church at Antioch.
Acts Chs. 1-12. The Book of Acts. The book of Acts is the only purely historical book of the New Testament. It is as a continuation of the gospel of Luke. It follows the fortunes of the infant church and gives us all the light we have in regard to its further organization and development, but it does not claim to be a complete history of the work of the early church. As a history it is as remarkable for what it omits as for what it narrates. The central theme is the triumph and progress of the gospel
Josiah Blake Tidwell—The Bible Period by Period

Repentance
Then has God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.' Acts 11: 18. Repentance seems to be a bitter pill to take, but it is to purge out the bad humour of sin. By some Antinomian spirits it is cried down as a legal doctrine; but Christ himself preached it. From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent,' &c. Matt 4: 17. In his last farewell, when he was ascending to heaven, he commanded that Repentance should be preached in his name.' Luke 24: 47. Repentance is a pure gospel grace.
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

Some Associated Questions
A BRIEF reference to some of the other difficulties, which have been found in Luke's references to matters of contemporary history, will form a fitting conclusion to this study. In some cases all that is wanted to solve the difficulty is proper understanding of Luke's words. That, for example, is the case with Acts 11:28, where the statement, that in the days of Claudius there was famine over all the world, has been misinterpreted to imply that harvests failed and a famine ensued in every part of
Sir William Mitchell Ramsay—Was Christ Born in Bethlehem?

What God Hath Cleansed
'There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, 2. A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway. 3. He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. 4. And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts

The Breaking Out of Discord
'And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. 2. When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question. 3. And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles:
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts

Rome Protects Paul
'And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the Temple, I was in a trance; 18. And saw Him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning Me. 19. And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on Thee: 20. And when the blood of Thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts

Knowledge and Obedience.
"For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness; giving thanks unto the Father."--COL. i. 9-12. The Epistles
W. H. Griffith Thomas—The Prayers of St. Paul

Other New Testament Names for "Being Filled with the Spirit. "
That we may see how full the New Testament is of this blessing, and that we may the better understand what it is and how it is obtained, let us just glance at some other terms used by the Holy Ghost when speaking of it. 1. "Baptized with the Holy Ghost." "Ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence" (Acts i. 5). See also Acts xi. 16, Matt. iii. 11, Mark i. 8, Luke iii. 16, John i. 33. Now, though "baptized" and "filled" are sometimes convertible terms, it is instructive to note
John MacNeil—The Spirit-Filled Life

Luke.
Lucas, Evangelii el medicinae munera pandens; Artibus hinc, illinc religione, valet: Utilis ille labor, per quem vixere tot aegri; Utilior, per quem tot didicere mori!" Critical and Biographical Schleiermacher: Ueber die Schriften des Lukas. Berlin, 1817. Reprinted in the second vol. of his Sämmtliche Werke, Berlin, 1836 (pp. 1-220). Translated by Bishop Thirlwall, London, 1825. James Smith (of Jordanhill, d. 1867): Dissertation on the Life and Writings of St. Luke, prefixed to his Voyage and
Philip Schaff—History of the Christian Church, Volume I

For if they be Urged from the Gospel that they Should Put Nothing By...
31. For if they be urged from the Gospel that they should put nothing by for the morrow, they most rightly answer, "Why then had the Lord Himself a bag in which to put by the money which was collected? [2572] Why so long time beforehand, on occasion of impending famine, were supplies of corn sent to the holy fathers? [2573] Why did Apostles in such wise provide things necessary for the indigence of saints lest there should be lack thereafter, that most blessed Paul should thus write to the Corinthians
St. Augustine—Of the Work of Monks.

As it Is, However, They, against the Apostle of Christ...
27. As it is, however, they, against the Apostle of Christ, recite a Gospel of Christ. For so marvellous are the works of the sluggards, hindered that they want to have that very thing by Gospel, which the Apostle enjoined and did on purpose that the Gospel itself should not be hindered. And yet, if from the very words of the Gospel we should compel them to live agreeably with their way of understanding it, they will be the first to endeavor to persuade us how they are not to be understood so as
St. Augustine—Of the Work of Monks.

Whether Chrism is a Fitting Matter for this Sacrament?
Objection 1: It seems that chrism is not a fitting matter for this sacrament. For this sacrament, as stated above (A[1], ad 1), was instituted by Christ when He promised His disciples the Holy Ghost. But He sent them the Holy Ghost without their being anointed with chrism. Moreover, the apostles themselves bestowed this sacrament without chrism, by the mere imposition of hands: for it is written (Acts 8:17) that the apostles "laid their hands upon" those who were baptized, "and they received the
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

How Does it Come?
How does the Filling of the Spirit come? "Does it come once for all? or is it always coming, as it were?" was a question addressed to me once by a young candidate for the Baptism of the Holy Ghost. There are many asking the same question. We have considered how the Fullness is obtained, but now we proceed to consider, How does the Fullness come? In speaking of the blessing of being filled with the Spirit, the New Testament writers use three tenses in the Greek--the Aorist, the Imperfect, and the
John MacNeil—The Spirit-Filled Life

The Ministry of Angels.
1 High on a hill of dazzling light, The King of Glory spreads his seat, And troops of angels stretch'd for flight, Stand waiting round his awful feet. 2 "Go," saith the Lord, "my Gabriel go, "Salute the virgin's fruitful womb,[1] "Make haste, ye cherubs, down below, Sing and proclaim the Saviour come." 3 Here a bright squadron leaves the skies, And thick around Elisha stands;[2] Anon a heavenly soldier flies, And breaks the chains from Peter's hands.[3] 4 Thy winged troops, O God of hosts, Wait on
Isaac Watts—Hymns and Spiritual Songs

As That, "Take no Thought for the Morrow...
29. As that, "Take no thought for the morrow," and, "Take therefore no thought what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, or what ye shall put on." [2344] Now when we see that the Lord Himself had a bag in which was put what was given, [2345] that it might be kept for necessary uses as the time should require; and that the Apostles themselves made much provision for the indigence of the brethren, not only for the morrow, but even for the more protracted time of impending dearth, as we read in the
St. Augustine—On Lying

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