UNTIL the martyrdom of Stephen, Jerusalem was the scene of all that took place in the church of Christ. We are not told that the apostles carried their message beyond the Holy City, even into the country parts of Judea; still less did they, in those early days of their ministry, fulfill their mission to "go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." But the great persecution in Jerusalem, in which Saul of Tarsus played so terrible a part, drove the disciples of Christ into distant parts of Judea and Samaria, and also to the northern regions of Syria. Through the preaching of Philip the evangelist, Samaria "received the word of God"; and when Peter and John, sent by the apostles at Jerusalem, prayed for and laid their hands on these despised people, they received the Holy Ghost. The apostles, before they returned, preached the gospel in many of the villages. Still, with this exception, the gospel was as yet preached to Jews only, and it needed that Peter should receive a divine revelation to show him that God's grace was not only for the chosen race. After which he could say to the Gentile Cornelius, "God hath showed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.”
This Roman captain, in charge of a troop of horse at Cæsarea, was one who feared God, and was accustomed to go to the temple or synagogue at the hour of prayer. Yet he was counted "unclean" by the Jews. For they not only refused to have anything to do with Gentiles, as "the uncircumcised;" they held that those who ate unclean animals became themselves unclean, therefore they would on no account eat or drink with Gentiles. The law concerning meats being so binding, we cannot be surprised that when tidings came to Jerusalem that a Gentile family at Cæsarea had been the home of the apostle Peter, there were some who objected, saying to him on his return, "Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them.”
It is interesting to notice that, after relating his vision at Joppa, and the lesson it had taught him, Peter specially dwelt upon the fact that the Holy Ghost had fallen upon all those in the house of Cornelius who heard his word concerning Christ—"To Him give all the prophets witness, that through His name whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins"—and we can but mark the unselfish joy with which his message of God's, goodness to those once "strangers and foreigners," but now "fellow-citizens with the saints and of the household of God," was received. "When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.”
But there were other Gentiles whose hearts the Lord opened, others to whose ears the story of His love—not to one nation only, but to "the world,"—came, about this time. News was brought to the church in Jerusalem that at Antioch on the Orontes, a magnificent port in Northern Syria, the "wall of partition" had been broken down, and that, in that heathen city, with its splendid statue of Apollo, its groves and fountains, its chariot races and idol-processions, some disciples, driven thither by the persecution at Jerusalem, had spoken, not to the Jews only, but to the Grecians, "preaching the Lord Jesus.”
This city, the home of fashion and luxury, with its gardens fragrant with roses, and its broad streets paved with white marble, had lately suffered from an earthquake. It may be that in the heart of many a gay pleasure-seeker or busy trader a quiet voice had been heard, and the desire to know something of a "kingdom which cannot be shaken" had been awakened by the sense of insecurity which such a calamity must produce. The climate, we are told, was lovely, and to Antioch on the Orontes the rich Romans would resort, seeking amusement at the theaters and excitement in the games. How wonderful to think that, amid all the bustle and gaiety, God was preparing many hearts to receive the message He would send by His servants, so we read that “a great number believed and turned unto the Lord."
Thus, about the year 44, we find "Christians," the name by which the disciples of Christ, Jews and Gentiles alike, began to be called, assembling at Antioch. Much has been written about the probable origin of this name. It certainly was not given by the persecuting Jews, for they called the followers of Christ, in derision, "the sect of the Nazarenes"; then, although Christ's people spoke much of Him, it is not likely that they called themselves by the Name which was so dear to them, for we find them generally alluding to each other as "brethren,'?" saints," "disciples," "believers." It seems probable, therefore, that the name was given them by the Romans or Greeks in Antioch, a place where the people were noted for their cleverness in inventing nicknames. If this be so, how little did the gay wit who first called some poor follower of Christ "Christian" in mockery, guess what a high honor he conferred upon him! All the magnificence and splendor of that proud, heathen city has long since passed away, but it will never be forgotten that "the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.”
As in thought we accompany Barnabas, sent thither by the church at Jerusalem, on his journey to the northern capital, we hear him exhorting these Gentile believers "that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord." Then we follow him as he goes to Tarsus "to seek Saul," for it is he, the one who had beyond measure persecuted the church of God and wasted it, who is to have the high honor of ministering at Antioch to Christians from among the Gentiles, as the companion of Barnabas, for a whole year. Again we see the assembly of Christians in the heathen city, sending to Jerusalem "by the hands of Barnabas and Saul" that relief which the impending famine in Judea gave them the opportunity of bestowing upon the brethren who dwelt there. We, like Barnabas, "are glad," as we "see the grace of God," in permitting the one who had once hunted down, and persecuted to the death, the disciples at Jerusalem, to be now the bearer of help to them in their necessity.