Lead:
Pop quiz: In what city were “Christians” first called “Christians?”
Intro:
Pop quiz: In what city were “Christians” first called “Christians?”
There’s a little bit of a hint in the question itself. Christianity has moved out of the rural areas, and as you’ll hear today, Antioch (in what is now Syria) was a thriving metropolis of about a half million people…and that was a big place a couple thousand years ago. So let’s get to it, and I’ll give you another factoid before we catch today’s Old Testament segment.
Sponsor:
Would you kindly give a shout out somewhere? Like maybe telling someone about the weekly Sunday newsletter that has extras in it? Thanks for spreading the Word.
New covenant:
Passage: Acts 11
Translation: CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Verses: 30
Words: ~699
Wisdom:
Passage: Psalm 124
Translation: CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Verses: 8
Words: ~131
Old covenant:
Passage: 1 Samuel 7-9
Translation: CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Verses: 66
Words: ~1965
Commentary:
11:26. “Christians” occurs in the New Testament only here, as a nickname given by outsiders, and in 1 Peter 4:16, as something like a legal charge. The title is formed on the analogy of adherents to a political party: the “Caesarians,” the “Herodians,” the “Pompeianians” and so forth. Antiochans were known for making fun of people, but Christians in the second century decided to adopt the title with pride. No one would have guessed how long the name would last!(1)
Love you!
-Roger
ForTheHope is a daily audio Bible + apologetics podcast and blog. We’ve got a passion for just keepin’ it real, having conversations like normal people, and living out the love of Jesus better every single day.
Roger Courville, CSP is a globally-recognized expert in digitally-extended communication and connection, an award-winning speaker, award-winning author, and a passionately bad guitarist. Follow him on Twitter -- @RogerCourville and @JoinForTheHope – or his blog: www.forthehope.org.
Sources and resources:
(1) Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993), Ac 11:26.