The New John Gill Exposition of the Entire Bible Acts 11:26
And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch…
That he might be useful in directing, and assisting in settling this
new and numerous church; in the establishing the members of it, and
in putting them into Gospel order, and in a method to secure and
maintain peace, especially as they might consist both of Jews and
Gentiles; and none so proper to be concerned in such a work as the
apostle of the Gentiles.
And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves
with the church;
preaching the Gospel, and administering the
ordinances to them, during that time, at proper seasons. For here
being a number of converts, they were embodied together in a
church state, very probably by the direction and assistance of
Barnabas, who was sent to them from the church at Jerusalem, and in
which he might be assisted by Saul: the first bishop, or pastor of
this church, was Evodius, as Ignatius observes unto them F11;
Remember Evodius, your worthy and blessed pastor, who was first
ordained over you by the apostles; and Ignatius himself was the
next, of whom Origen speaking, says F12, that he was the second
bishop of Antioch after Peter, who in persecution fought with beasts
at Rome; next to him was Heron, after him Cornelius, then, Eros; to
whom succeeded Theophilus, who wrote three books to Autolycus, in
vindication of the Christian religion, which are now extant, in the
times of the emperor Aurelius Verus, about the year of Christ 171. He
was succeeded by Maximinus F13 about the year 179, under Marcus
Antoninus; and after him was Serapion, about the tenth year of the
emperor Commodus, and of Christ 192; and about the year 214,
Asclepiades succeeded in his room; next to him was Philetus, in the
year 220, and then Zebennus in the year 231; next succeeded Babylas,
the famous martyr, who suffered under Decius, and then followed
Demetrianus, or Demetrius, about the year 255; and after him was the
famous heretic Samosatenus, who was excommunicated from this church for
his blasphemy against the Son of God; and Domnus, the son of
Demetriauus, was put into his room, about the year 270; after him was
Timaeus, in the year 274; and then Cyrillus, about the year 283: and
these were the bishops or pastors of this church in the three first
centuries F14.
And taught much people;
besides the church, and with success, as to
enlighten, convince, convert, comfort, and establish:
and the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch;
before
they were called among themselves, the disciples, brethren,
believers, the church… and by others the Nazarenes, and
Galilaeans: whether this name of Christians, which comes from Christ,
and signifies anointed ones, was given by their enemies, or their
friends, by others, or themselves, is not certain, though it is most
likely the latter; and it may be they hit upon this general
appellation, upon the union of the Jews and Gentiles in one Gospel
church state, and so happily buried the distinction of Jews and
Gentiles, or those of the circumcision that believed, and those of
the uncircumcision. Luke is particular in relating the affairs of
this church, he being himself a native of this place. John of
Antioch F15 gives an account of this matter in these words;
``at the beginning of the reign of Claudius Caesar, ten
years after Jesus Christ, our Lord and God, was ascended
up into heaven, Evodus, the first after the Apostle Peter,
being chosen bishop of Antioch, the great city of Syria,
became a patriarch, and under him they were called
Christians: for this same bishop, Evodus, conferring with
them, put this name upon them, whereas before the
Christians were called Nazarenes and Galilaeans.''
Epiphanius says F16, the disciples were called Jessaeans before they
took the name of Christians first at Antioch: they were called
Jessaeans, says he, I think, because of Jesse, seeing David was of
Jesse, and Mary of David: and so the Scripture was fulfilled, in
which the Lord says to David, of the fruit of thy body will I set
upon thy throne…--Or else, they were called Jessaeans from
the name of Jesus our Lord; and refers the reader to a book of
Philo's, written by him, concerning the Jessaeans, whom Epiphanitius
takes to be Christians; but those that Philo F17 treats of were not
Jessaeans, but Essaeans, and seem to be the same with the Essenes,
who were not Christians, but a sect of the Jews. Nor do we ever find
that the Christians were called by this name.
FOOTNOTES:
F11 Epist ad Antiochenos, p. 86.
F12 Homil. 6. in Luc. fol. 96. 1.
F13 Euseb. Eccl. Hist. l. 4. c. 20, 24.
F14 Ib. l. 5. c 22. & 1. 6. c. 39, 44, 46. & l. 7. c. 14, 27, 32.
F15 Apud Gregory's Notes… p. 155.
F16 Contra Haeres. l. 1. Haeres. 29.
F17 Quod omnis probus liber, p. 876. De vita contemplativa, p. 889.
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Copyright Statement
The New John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible Modernised and adapted for the computer by Larry Pierce of Online Bible. All Rightes Reserved, Larry Pierce, Winterbourne, Ontario.
A printed copy of this work can be ordered from: The Baptist Standard Bearer, 1 Iron Oaks Dr, Paris, AR, 72855
Bibliography Information
Gill, John. "Commentary on Acts 11:26". "The New John Gill Exposition of the Entire Bible". <http://www.studylight.org/com/geb/view.cgi?book=ac&chapter=011&verse=026>. 1999.
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