First, the Received Text Hellenistes, `Greek-speaking Jews'. Almost without exception, this is the reading of B,

D, E, G, H, and the cursive MSS. Supporting this reading is the statement of James in Acts 15:14, `Simeon hath

declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles'. For if these at Antioch were `Gentiles' Peter could hardly have

been called `the first'. To this may be added Peter's own testimony `That the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the

word of the gospel' (Acts 15:7).

While in their sequence in the sacred page verses 19 and 20 of Acts 11 follow the narrative concerning

Cornelius, the events they describe occurred at a much earlier period, when the persecution arose about Stephen.

This was before the conversion of Paul. At first these scattered believers limited their ministry `to Jews only', but

later, certain men from Cyrene and Cyprus evangelized the Greek-speaking Jews, the Grecians. Stephen had been

martyred largely, at the instigation of Hellenistes, or Greek-speaking Jews (Acts 6:9), and it was the same class that

plotted the assassination of Paul after his conversion (Acts 9:29). It would therefore be a signal triumph of the

gospel for a great company of these Greek-speaking Jews to be brought to acknowledge the Lord. The fact that

Barnabas was cognisant of the Grecian plot against the life of the apostle makes it doubly interesting that he should

seek Saul and bring him back from Tarsus to Antioch.

Second, the Revised Text: The margin of the R.V. reminds the reader that while `Greeks' is placed in the text,

many ancient authorities read `Grecian Jews'. The main arguments in favour of the Reviser's reading are (1) The

trend of the narrative rather leads us to expect an added triumph yet it would make no point if these conversions

at Antioch were merely among the Jewish population.

(2) The conversion of a number of Greek-speaking Jews at Antioch would not have excited special notice, nor

necessitated the special mission of Barnabas:

`The entire context, therefore, conclusively proves that Hellenes, "Greeks", is the right reading, and it has

accordingly been received into the text in spite of external evidence against it by all the best editors' (Farrar).

But we should not be content to introduce a reading into the text because of the deductions of commentators.

Our first concern is to ascertain what is written in the Scriptures, and then to seek explanation. If we are to allow

our opinion as to the fitness of a rendering to override evidences, where will it lead us? Our own conclusion is that

the ministry of the dispersion at Antioch did not go so far as the inclusion of the uncircumcised Gentile, and that as

there had already arisen grave troubles at Jerusalem on account of the conversion of the `Grecians', those in

authority made no delay in sending Barnabas, `a good man' (Acts 11:24), and one most likely to conciliate where

friction might occur.

When Barnabas had studied the situation at Antioch, he seems to have felt that the case demanded something

freer and less cramped than any ministry that might be expected to emanate from Jerusalem: someone of the stamp

of the martyred Stephen was needed. Immediately there would come to his mind Saul of Tarsus. Without hesitation

he travelled north, and not without difficulty, as the original indicates he found Saul. Twice, therefore, the Gentile

church is indebted to Barnabas for bringing the apostle Paul forward.

A whole year passed while Paul and Barnabas taught much people. The results seem to have crystallized in the

emergence of the new name of, `Christian'. `And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch' (Acts 11:26).

The word `Christ' is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word `Messiah'. To the Greek mind it meant little or

nothing. We have historical evidence that the Romans mixed up the title `Christos' with `Chrestus', for the decree

expelling the Jews from Rome by Claudius (Acts 18:2) uses the term, and Chrestianus is common in inscriptions. It

is most unlikely that the Jews would have given the title to the hated heretics. To do so would have meant the

dragging of the very name of the Messiah in the mud of the street. The term used by the Jews was `the sect of the

Nazarenes' (Acts 24:5). They were more likely to perpetuate the reproach of the name of Nazareth than give the

hated disciples the honoured name of `Christian'. The word `Christian' is a Greek rendering of a Hebrew word with

a Latin termination, foreshadowing the world-wide movement to be associated with Antioch and the ministry of

Paul. There is abundant evidence that the termination is Roman. We have such names as Cæsariani, Pompeiani,

Ciceroniani, etc., etc.