Acts 11:20

And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus. AND SOME OF THEM WERE MEN OF CYPRUS AND CYRENE. Cyrene lay on the southern shore of the Mediterranean, between Carthage and Egypt, where Jews were settled in large numbers (see the note at Acts 2:10; and compare Acts 6:9). WHICH, WHEN THEY WERE COME TO ANTIOCH, [ elthontes (G2064)] - not 'come in,' or 'had entered' [ eiselthontes (G1525).-as in the Received Text, the Vulgate and Beza, on very slight authority]. SPAKE UNTO THE GRECIANS ...

20.Luke doth at length declare that certain of them brought this treasure even unto the Gentiles. And Luke calleth these Grecians not Ελληνες, but Ελληνισται. Therefore, some say that those came of the Jews, yet did they inhabit Greece; which I do not allow. For seeing the Jews, whom he mentioned a little before, were partly of Cyprus, they must needs be reckoned in that number, because the Jews count Cyprus a part of Greece. But Luke distinguisheth them from those, whom he calleth afterward Ελληνιστας. Furthermore, forasmuch as he had said that the word was preached at the beginning only to the Jews, and he meant those who, being banished out of their own country, did live in Cyprus and Phenice, correcting as it were this exception, he saith that some of them did teach the Grecians. This contrariety doth cause me to expound it of the Gentiles.

19-24 The first preachers of the gospel at Antioch, were dispersed from Jerusalem by persecution; thus what was meant to hurt the church, was made to work for its good. The wrath of man is made to praise God. What should the ministers of Christ preach, but Christ? Christ, and him crucified? Christ, and him glorified? And their preaching was accompanied with the Divine power. The hand of the Lord was with them, to bring that home to the hearts and consciences of men, which they could but speak to the outward ear. They believed; they were convinced of the truth of the gospel. They turned from a careless, carnal way of living, to live a holy, heavenly, spiritual life. They turned from worshipping God in show and ceremony, to worship him in the Spirit and in truth. They turned to the Lord Jesus, and he became all in all with them. This was the work of conversion wrought upon them, and it mu...

Verse Acts 11:20. _MEN OF - CYRENE_] The metropolis of the Cyrenaica; a country of Africa, bounded on the east by Marmarica, on the west by the Regio Syrtica, on the north by the Mediterranean, and on the south by the Sahara. Cyrene is now called Cairoan. This city, according to Eusebius, was built in the 37th Olympiad, about 630 years before Christ. In consequence of a revolt of its inhabitants, it was destroyed by the Romans; but they afterwards rebuilt it. It was for a long time subject to the _Arabs_, but is now in the hands of the _Turks_. _SPAKE UNTO THE GRECIANS_] ελληνιστας, _The Hellenists_. Who these were, we have already seen Acts 6 and Acts 9:29, viz. Jews living in Greek cities and speak

WERE MEN OF CYPRUS AND CYRENE - Were natives of Cyprus and Cyrene. Cyrene was a province and city of Libya in Africa. It is at present called Cairoan, and is situated in the kingdom of Barca. In Cyprus the Greek language was spoken; and from the vicinity of Cyrene to Alexandria, it is probable that the Greek language was spoken there also. From this circumstance it might have happened that they were led more particularly to address the Grecians who were in Antioch. It is possible, however, that they might have heard of the vision which Peter saw, and felt themselves called on to preach the gospel to the Gentiles. SPAKE UNTO THE GRECIANS - πρὸς τοὺς Ἑλληνιστὰς pros tous Hellēnistas. To the Hellenists. This word usually denotes in the New Testament “those Jews residing in foreign lands, who spoke the Greek language.” See the notes on...

EXPOSITION ACTS 11:1 _Now_ for _and_, A.V.; _the_ _brethren _for brethren, A.V.; _also had_ for _had also_, A.V, We can imagine how rapidly the news of the great revolution would travel to the metropolis of Jewish Christianity, and what a stir it would maim in that community. It does not appear what view James and the other apostles took. ACTS 11:2 THEY THAT WERE OF THE CIRCUMCISION. At first sight this phrase, which was natural enough in Acts 10:45, seems an unnatural one in the then condition of the Church, when all the members of it were "of the circumcision," and there were no Gentile converts

AND SOME OF THEM WERE MEN OF CYPRUS,.... That is, some of the preachers, that were scattered abroad, were Jews born at Cyprus: such was Barnabas particularly, Acts 4:36 though he was not among these, as appears from Acts 11:22 "and Cyrene"; such were Simon that carried the cross after Christ, and his sons Alexander and Rufus, Mark 15:21 and others that heard the apostles speak with tongues on the day of Pentecost, Acts 2:10 WHICH WHEN THEY WERE COME TO ANTIOCH, SPAKE UNTO THE GRECIANS; or Hellenist Jews, who were born and brought up in Greece, and spoke the Greek language; though the Alexandrian copy, and the Syriac version, read "Greeks",

GRECIANS Hellenists, that is, Grecian Jews....

ACTS 11:20 ~Ellhnista,j {C} The textual problems of this verse are compounded by the diversity of views concerning the meaning of ~Ellhnisth,j. This noun, which appears to be a new formation from e`llhni,zein, “to speak Greek” or “to practice Greek ways,” is found nowhere in previous classical Greek literature or in hellenistic-Jewish literature; in the New Testament it occurs only here and in Acts 6:1 and Acts 9:29. According to the prevailing opinion, current since the time of Chrysostom, 215 the...

CHAPTER 11 _ 1. Peter's Defense in Jerusalem (Acts 11:1)._ 2. The Beginning of the Church in Antioch (Acts 11:19). 3. Barnabas sent to Antioch (Acts 11:22). 4. The Prophecy of Agabus (Acts 11:27). Peter silenced the objections of his brethren in Jerusalem by a rehearsal of his experience. Acts 11:19 connects with Acts 8:4. Antioch comes now into prominence as the great Gentile center of Christianity. A great number believed and turned unto the Lord. Then B