Syrian Antioch (Antakya)
Acts 11:19-27;13:1;14:26,15:22-35,Gal. 2:11, II Tim. 3:11
After the death of Alexander the Great, Seleucus I Nicator in about
300 BCE founded this city. Choosing a site fifteen miles inland on
the Orontes River, Seleucus named the site after a family name,
passed from his father to his son. The site was designed to be
serviced by a nearb
y
port at the rivers mouth, and is located where the Taurus and
Lebanon mountains converge.
The historian Strabo (contemporary of St. Paul) mentions that the
city was about the same size as Alexandria, or slightly smaller.
Diodorus of Sicily states that number to be near 300,000 freedmen.
This important crossroad city had grown in both size and importance,
and was the capitol of the Roman province of Syria by time of St.
Paul.
Josephus says that Antioch was considered the third most important
city of the Empire, after Rome and Alexandria (Wars 3:2.4). He also
comments on a large Jewish community that lived there and converted
many Greeks to proselytes of Judaism (War 7:3.3). The combination of
sea trade and desert trade on a constant east west flow, along with
the political power seat placed
there
made the citys growth unrestrained.
To the east, the Euphrates basin lead to the Parthian Empire with
its coveted spice trades. To the south, the Via Maris passed through
Judea to Egypt. The luxury of the city gave rise to its reputation
as morally lax, and it was later chastised by the Roman satirical
poet Juvenal (C2 CE) thus: Obscene Orontes, diving underground
conveys the his wealth to Tibers hungry shores and fattens Italy
with foreign whores!
Two significant earthquakes preceded the years leading up to the
visit by St. Paul, and some speculate this may have made people more
receptive to the message of St. Paul. During the reign of Caligula
(37-41 CE) and then Claudius (41-54 CE) the disastrous destruction
caused the
city
to be rebuilt, and perhaps to be more open to spiritual warnings.
In the New Testament, Antioch was one of the most prominent cities
in the movement of early followers of Jesus. Some were no doubt
converted at Pentecost, like Nicolas of Antioch (Acts 6:5) who was
appointed to aid the church in Jerusalem. Many, however were likely
first acquainted with the faith through those who fled persecution
after the stoning of Stephen (Acts 11:19).
Upon hearing of the growing community of faith in Antioch, St.
Barnabas was dispatched from Jerusalem to check out the new
community forming there (Acts 11:23ff). This mission was the
catalyst for St. Barnabas to search out Saul of Tarsus, and enlist
his aid in accompanying him on this mission. St. Paul followed St.
Barnabas and stayed on at Antioch to preach the Gospel for
the
next year.
The first group of believers called by their Greek term Christians
was at Antioch (Acts 11:26). This was the sending church for St.
Paul and St. Barnabas s Mission Journeys to Asia Minor, Macedonia
and Achaia (Acts 13:2; 14:26; 15:25). This church felt the brunt of
the dispute over Gentile born converts to Christianity that was
resolved in the Jerusalem Council (Gal. 2:11-21; Acts 15).
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