Tweet
In Syria the Antioch church commissions Paul and Barnabas (13:1–3)
Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
Background material
Note: This occurs about A.D. 44. This a puzzling list of men who are prophets and teachers in the Church in Antioch of Syria -– present day Turkey.
We know Barnabas or ought to know much about him if one does regular Bible study.
Lucius is a Latin name meaning bright or light. He was with Paul when he wrote the Epistle to the Romans from Corinth in about A.D. 58 during the third missionary journey. This is fourteen (14) years after he placed his hands on Paul to send him out to spread the gospel.
Both geographical areas of Niger and Cyrene are in Africa. Cyrene is present day Libya on the Mediterranean Sea and the landlocked country of Niger is on the southwest border of Libya. There is only speculation on how Lucius and Simeon, men from Africa, came to be prophets or teachers in the congregation in Antioch –only eleven to fifteen years after the resurrection. Never think the Bible records all the history.
Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch is an enormous puzzle. Herod Antipas is his name. Tetrarch his governing title. He was the youngest son of Herod the Great by his Samaritan wife, Malthace. The exact date of his birth can not be ascertained, but it must certainly have occurred before 20 B.C. He died in exile about the year 39. So, he was dead when Luke is recording the Book of Acts. Manaen, his life long friend, was likely age sixty to seventy in A.D. 44.
Antipas, like most of the other members of his family, was educated at Rome, and kept in close touch with the imperial court. It is puzzling, Manaen as a lifelong friend Herod would have been with him in Rome close to the imperial court and close to him in his rule as tetrarch of Galilee.
Herod was "tetrarch" of Galilee and Perea from 4 BCE to 39 CE. Herod the Great was the tetrarch's dad, who was "King" over a large swath of Palestine from 40 to 4 BCE. Herod the tetrarch is mentioned (Luke 3:19-20; 9:7-9; 13:31-33; 23:6-12). In A. D. 39, Herod was actually fired from his job as tetrarch when he sailed to Rome in order to request a promotion to king. The Romans basically denied his request. edit: Not just denied but sent into exile.
In Luke's gospel Herod the tetrach is a villain. . He arrests and beheads John the Baptist (Luke 3:20; 9:9) for being an outspoken critic of the tetrarch. And he directs this same animosity toward Jesus, whom he seeks "to kill" (Luke 13:31). Finally, when he meets Jesus in Jerusalem, he tops it all off by mocking Jesus, dressing him up in royal attire and returning him to Pilate (Luke 23:6-12).
It's worth mentioning, since the situation is different in Mark's gospel, where Herod is portrayed as a somewhat fearful and conflicted ruler who's easily manipulated by others (check out Mark 6:14-29).
In Luke, Herod's criminal record is quite thick. Knowing that the Devil is in charge of appointing rulers in the Roman world (see Luke 4:5-7), it's no wonder Herod is presented as an evil ruler.
Luke 4:5-7 ESV
5 And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, 6 and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. 7 If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.”
Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
Background material
Note: This occurs about A.D. 44. This a puzzling list of men who are prophets and teachers in the Church in Antioch of Syria -– present day Turkey.
We know Barnabas or ought to know much about him if one does regular Bible study.
Lucius is a Latin name meaning bright or light. He was with Paul when he wrote the Epistle to the Romans from Corinth in about A.D. 58 during the third missionary journey. This is fourteen (14) years after he placed his hands on Paul to send him out to spread the gospel.
Both geographical areas of Niger and Cyrene are in Africa. Cyrene is present day Libya on the Mediterranean Sea and the landlocked country of Niger is on the southwest border of Libya. There is only speculation on how Lucius and Simeon, men from Africa, came to be prophets or teachers in the congregation in Antioch –only eleven to fifteen years after the resurrection. Never think the Bible records all the history.
Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch is an enormous puzzle. Herod Antipas is his name. Tetrarch his governing title. He was the youngest son of Herod the Great by his Samaritan wife, Malthace. The exact date of his birth can not be ascertained, but it must certainly have occurred before 20 B.C. He died in exile about the year 39. So, he was dead when Luke is recording the Book of Acts. Manaen, his life long friend, was likely age sixty to seventy in A.D. 44.
Antipas, like most of the other members of his family, was educated at Rome, and kept in close touch with the imperial court. It is puzzling, Manaen as a lifelong friend Herod would have been with him in Rome close to the imperial court and close to him in his rule as tetrarch of Galilee.
Herod was "tetrarch" of Galilee and Perea from 4 BCE to 39 CE. Herod the Great was the tetrarch's dad, who was "King" over a large swath of Palestine from 40 to 4 BCE. Herod the tetrarch is mentioned (Luke 3:19-20; 9:7-9; 13:31-33; 23:6-12). In A. D. 39, Herod was actually fired from his job as tetrarch when he sailed to Rome in order to request a promotion to king. The Romans basically denied his request. edit: Not just denied but sent into exile.
In Luke's gospel Herod the tetrach is a villain. . He arrests and beheads John the Baptist (Luke 3:20; 9:9) for being an outspoken critic of the tetrarch. And he directs this same animosity toward Jesus, whom he seeks "to kill" (Luke 13:31). Finally, when he meets Jesus in Jerusalem, he tops it all off by mocking Jesus, dressing him up in royal attire and returning him to Pilate (Luke 23:6-12).
It's worth mentioning, since the situation is different in Mark's gospel, where Herod is portrayed as a somewhat fearful and conflicted ruler who's easily manipulated by others (check out Mark 6:14-29).
In Luke, Herod's criminal record is quite thick. Knowing that the Devil is in charge of appointing rulers in the Roman world (see Luke 4:5-7), it's no wonder Herod is presented as an evil ruler.
Luke 4:5-7 ESV
5 And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, 6 and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. 7 If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.”
Comment