Acts 11:25-30

The church in Antioch establishes the church in Jerusalem

Barnabas journeys north for about 160km to the city of Tarsus, to find Paul.

The saints in Antioch receive a new label. The Gentiles initially would have seen the followers of Jesus as a kind of splinter group within Judaism, since they were made of Jews. But now, Gentiles are following Jesus. So they make a new name for this group. They are Christians.

Collecting donations for Jerusalem frames Paul’s ministry.

Jerusalem ministered to the church in Antioch by sending Barnabas. Now, the Antioch church ministers to Jerusalem by providing financial aid.

Barnabas once helped to bring Paul into the church. Now, Paul assists Barnabas to build the church in Antioch.

Paul had been at Damascus for about 3 years before going up to Jerusalem (Acts 9:23; Gal. 1:18). After this, Paul goes back to his hometown of Tarsus for an unknown length of time. But Barnabas journeys from Antioch to Tarsus, to find Paul, and brings him to Antioch. By this point in time, about 10 years have passed by since Paul went to Tarsus.

Tarsus was more than 100 miles north of Antioch.

The title “Christian” was based on how people used to identify with political parties. Those who supported Herod were called Herodians. Those who supported Pompei were called the Pompeians. And so forth. But here, the citizens of Antioch were calling them Christians, probably to ridicule them for believing in Christ as their king. If Herod gained political victory, the Herodians were glorified. If Pompei was successful, the Pompeians were glorified. Is Christ victorious?

The people of Antioch were known for making fun of people. “Christian” was probably a name intended to ridicule the followers of Jesus. But as time went on, the followers of Jesus welcomed the title.

1 Peter 4:16 ESV

16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.

Written records on papyri show that grain prices skyrocketed during this famine.

The significance is that the saints in Antioch act in advance through faith in the prophecy.

The point here is this. The unity of two estranged people groups through the Gospel, through having a mutual King. They provide for each other at cost to themselves. The Jewish Christians sent Barnabas, one of their best leaders, to Antioch. And the Gentile Christians in Antioch sent financial aid back to Jerusalem, even though the famine would probably affect them as well.