Acts 11

Acts 11:1

Verse 1

The Gentiles; the Roman centurion and his friends.

Acts 11:2

Verse 2

They that were of the circumcision; the apostles and brethren, who were Jews.

Acts 11:3

Verse 3

To men uncircumcised; to Gentiles. This complaint shows that the descent of the Holy Ghost upon the apostles and brethren at the day of Pentecost and afterwards, however powerful its influence, was not the means of removing all their erroneous conceptions, or of communicating to them at once even all the fundamental principles of Christian truth. A divine and infallible inspiration can only be claimed for the early Christians as authors,–that is, so far as they were commissioned to write the sacred books of the New Testament for posterity. In their administration of the affairs of the church in their own day, they acted according to their own judgment; and, though they were divinely enlightened and guided in a great degree, still they often erred. We ought to be greatly influenced by their example; but there cannot be claimed for it any absolute divine authority. It is only the Scriptures as writings, which have any claim to be considered as inspired.

Acts 11:15

Verse 15

At the beginning; at the day of Pentecost.

Acts 11:16

Verse 16

Acts 1:5.

Acts 11:19

Verse 19

Phenice; Phenicia, a country north of Galilee.–Cyprus; a large island in the Mediterranean.–Antioch; a very wealth and populous city, in Syria, which became, from this time, one of the most important centres of operation occupied by the Christians.

Acts 11:20

Verse 20

Grecians. It is supposed that Gentile Greeks, not Grecian Jews, are meant here, and that this fact is mentioned to show the progress of the new principle in respect to preaching the gospel to the Gentiles.

Acts 11:22

Verse 22

Barnabas. He was originally a Levite of Cyprus. (Acts 4:36.)

Acts 11:25

Verse 25

To Tarsus; whither Saul had gone, as related in Acts 9:30.

Acts 11:26

Verse 26

Called Christians; by their enemies. The sacred writers themselves never employ the term to designate the followers of Christ, excepting that Peter uses it in one instance, in a connection which allows it to be considered a term of reproach. (1 Peter 4:16.)

Acts 11:28

Verse 28

Claudius Cesar; a Roman emperor.

Acts 11:29

Verse 29

According a to his ability. This expression shows conclusively that there was no community of goods, at least in this branch of the church.

Acts 11:30

Verse 30

Elders; the leading members.