Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius). So the disciples determined, every one according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers living in Judea. And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.
prophets - "This is the first mention of [NT] 'prophets'. The title is given to Barnabas and others in Acts 13:1. Cf. also Acts 15:32; 21:10; 1 Cor 12:28-29; 14:32, 37; Eph 2:20; 3:5; 4:11 ... The word means 'an interpreter, of God's message', chiefly by forth-telling, but sometimes also by fore-telling, though the latter sense is subsidiary. The special function of the prophet was that of exhortation, instruction, and edification by means of the declaration of God's message to His people. In Eph. 4:11, prophets are ranked next to apostles in the orders of the ministry. In the case of Agabus, of course, definite predictions were uttered, but these were rather the abnormal than the normal characteristic of a [NT] prophet's office." (Walker)
great famine - Josephus reports that a famine occurred ca A.D. 46
over all the world - "That is, 'over all the civilized (or Roman) world'. We have evidence from Suetonius, Dion Cassius, Tacitus, and Eusebius to the effect that, in the reign of Claudius Caesar, there was famine in various parts of the empire (Italy, Greece, etc.). As regards Palestine, the harvest seems to have failed largely in A.D. 45, and entirely in A.D. 46, with the result that, in the latter year, a severe famine set in. Josephus (Antiq. 20:2. 5; 22:5. 2) describes its severity and mentions the fact that Queen Helena (mother of Izates, king of Adiabene in Syria), who went to Jerusalem as a royal proselyte in A.D. 45, was there through the famine and distributed corn and figs which she imported for the purpose from Egypt and Cyprus." (Walker)
send relief to the brothers living in Judea - "... while the Greek word ge is used to denote either earth or land, the word oikoumene is consistently used to denote the inhabited earth and never one particular country, much less could the phrase 'all the world' refer to one particular country. But then the question remains: Why did the believers at Antioch determine to send relief to those of one particular country? The answer to this question is a dispensational one. first it must be noted that the relief was to be provided, not for all the people of Judaea, but for 'the brethren which dwelt in Judaea.' This was not only because it was proper for these Antioch Christians to care for their brethren first, but because the believers in Judaea were to feel the effects of the famine and the accompanying high prices far more keenly than others, whether in Judaea or anywhere else. These Judaean believers, it must be remembered, had sold their houses and lands and had brought the proceeds to the apostles for distribution among the needy, in conformity with the standards of the kingdom which they had hoped soon to see established on earth. Not some, but all who followed Messiah had done this (Acts 2:44-45; 4:34-35) 'neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common' (Acts 4:32). Even Peter could truthfully say to the lame man at the temple: 'Silver and gold have I none' (Acts 3:6) ... But now the crisis had passed in Israel. The nation had refused the offer of mercy from the risen, glorified Christ. She had threatened, beaten and imprisoned His highest representatives. She had stoned Stephen and waged war upon the Church at Jerusalem. Now, in infinite grace, God had responded by saving Saul, the chief blasphemer and persecutor, and by saving Gentiles notwithstanding Israel's refusal to become the channel of blessing. But while this was indeed the unfolding of a gracious purpose, it must not be forgotten that this new program meant the (temporary) setting aside of Israel, the postponement (from man's viewpoint) of Messiah's reign, and the withdrawal of kingdom blessings which the Jewish believers had already begun to enjoy. Whereas not one of the Pentecostal believers had lacked heretofore, they were now bound to be the first to lack, having already disposed of their property. And this was only the beginning. Through the following years, not only the church at Antioch, but 'the churches of Galatia' (1 Cor 16:1-3) 'the churches of Macedonia' (2 Cor 8:1-4) the churches at Achaia (2 Cor 9:2) and perhaps others, including even Rome, a long list of Gentile congregations, were to send material help to 'the poor saints ... at Jerusalem' (Rom 15:26). Indeed, it was one of the specific agreements between the heads of the Jewish and Gentile churches at the great Jerusalem council, that the Gentile believers should 'remember the poor' of the Judaean church (Gal 2:10). That the Jewish leaders referred to their poor is self-evident. They would have had no reason to ask for a promise that the Gentile church help its own poor or the poor in general. All this indicates that the kingdom program was being gradually set aside and that the new dispensation had already begun to dawn. The careful reader will note that the believers at Antioch did not have 'all things common.' They contributed, 'every man according to his ability,' to the need of the Judaean saints. They belonged to the new dispensation and their giving sets the pattern for our giving under the dispensation of grace (1 Tim 5:8) ... this repeated material aid from so many Gentile churches, in such a time of need, was well calculated to touch the hearts of the Jewish believers and make them ready for the great revelation that before God they were one in Christ with the Gentile believers (1 Cor 12:13; 2 Cor 5:16-17; Gal 3:26-28; etc.). The raising up of Paul, the conversion of Cornelius' household and these Gentiles at Antioch, in spite of Israel's rejection of Christ, and now this offering sent from Antioch to the saints at Jerusalem were the beginnings of the historical breaking down of the middle wall of partition, made possible through the Cross." (Stam)
prophets - "This is the first mention of [NT] 'prophets'. The title is given to Barnabas and others in Acts 13:1. Cf. also Acts 15:32; 21:10; 1 Cor 12:28-29; 14:32, 37; Eph 2:20; 3:5; 4:11 ... The word means 'an interpreter, of God's message', chiefly by forth-telling, but sometimes also by fore-telling, though the latter sense is subsidiary. The special function of the prophet was that of exhortation, instruction, and edification by means of the declaration of God's message to His people. In Eph. 4:11, prophets are ranked next to apostles in the orders of the ministry. In the case of Agabus, of course, definite predictions were uttered, but these were rather the abnormal than the normal characteristic of a [NT] prophet's office." (Walker)
great famine - Josephus reports that a famine occurred ca A.D. 46
over all the world - "That is, 'over all the civilized (or Roman) world'. We have evidence from Suetonius, Dion Cassius, Tacitus, and Eusebius to the effect that, in the reign of Claudius Caesar, there was famine in various parts of the empire (Italy, Greece, etc.). As regards Palestine, the harvest seems to have failed largely in A.D. 45, and entirely in A.D. 46, with the result that, in the latter year, a severe famine set in. Josephus (Antiq. 20:2. 5; 22:5. 2) describes its severity and mentions the fact that Queen Helena (mother of Izates, king of Adiabene in Syria), who went to Jerusalem as a royal proselyte in A.D. 45, was there through the famine and distributed corn and figs which she imported for the purpose from Egypt and Cyprus." (Walker)
send relief to the brothers living in Judea - "... while the Greek word ge is used to denote either earth or land, the word oikoumene is consistently used to denote the inhabited earth and never one particular country, much less could the phrase 'all the world' refer to one particular country. But then the question remains: Why did the believers at Antioch determine to send relief to those of one particular country? The answer to this question is a dispensational one. first it must be noted that the relief was to be provided, not for all the people of Judaea, but for 'the brethren which dwelt in Judaea.' This was not only because it was proper for these Antioch Christians to care for their brethren first, but because the believers in Judaea were to feel the effects of the famine and the accompanying high prices far more keenly than others, whether in Judaea or anywhere else. These Judaean believers, it must be remembered, had sold their houses and lands and had brought the proceeds to the apostles for distribution among the needy, in conformity with the standards of the kingdom which they had hoped soon to see established on earth. Not some, but all who followed Messiah had done this (Acts 2:44-45; 4:34-35) 'neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common' (Acts 4:32). Even Peter could truthfully say to the lame man at the temple: 'Silver and gold have I none' (Acts 3:6) ... But now the crisis had passed in Israel. The nation had refused the offer of mercy from the risen, glorified Christ. She had threatened, beaten and imprisoned His highest representatives. She had stoned Stephen and waged war upon the Church at Jerusalem. Now, in infinite grace, God had responded by saving Saul, the chief blasphemer and persecutor, and by saving Gentiles notwithstanding Israel's refusal to become the channel of blessing. But while this was indeed the unfolding of a gracious purpose, it must not be forgotten that this new program meant the (temporary) setting aside of Israel, the postponement (from man's viewpoint) of Messiah's reign, and the withdrawal of kingdom blessings which the Jewish believers had already begun to enjoy. Whereas not one of the Pentecostal believers had lacked heretofore, they were now bound to be the first to lack, having already disposed of their property. And this was only the beginning. Through the following years, not only the church at Antioch, but 'the churches of Galatia' (1 Cor 16:1-3) 'the churches of Macedonia' (2 Cor 8:1-4) the churches at Achaia (2 Cor 9:2) and perhaps others, including even Rome, a long list of Gentile congregations, were to send material help to 'the poor saints ... at Jerusalem' (Rom 15:26). Indeed, it was one of the specific agreements between the heads of the Jewish and Gentile churches at the great Jerusalem council, that the Gentile believers should 'remember the poor' of the Judaean church (Gal 2:10). That the Jewish leaders referred to their poor is self-evident. They would have had no reason to ask for a promise that the Gentile church help its own poor or the poor in general. All this indicates that the kingdom program was being gradually set aside and that the new dispensation had already begun to dawn. The careful reader will note that the believers at Antioch did not have 'all things common.' They contributed, 'every man according to his ability,' to the need of the Judaean saints. They belonged to the new dispensation and their giving sets the pattern for our giving under the dispensation of grace (1 Tim 5:8) ... this repeated material aid from so many Gentile churches, in such a time of need, was well calculated to touch the hearts of the Jewish believers and make them ready for the great revelation that before God they were one in Christ with the Gentile believers (1 Cor 12:13; 2 Cor 5:16-17; Gal 3:26-28; etc.). The raising up of Paul, the conversion of Cornelius' household and these Gentiles at Antioch, in spite of Israel's rejection of Christ, and now this offering sent from Antioch to the saints at Jerusalem were the beginnings of the historical breaking down of the middle wall of partition, made possible through the Cross." (Stam)
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