Acts 11:24

For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord. FOR HE WAS A GOOD MAN, AND FULL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND OF FAITH. The sense of "good" here is evidently 'large-hearted' (cf. ), 'liberal-minded,' rising above narrow Jewish sectarianism; while in virtue of the fullness of the Holy Spirit he clearly discerned and had entire sympathy with the grace of God in these Gentile converts, and in the exercise of his "fulness of faith," he shook himself free from those traditional trammels which might have warped his judgment and blunted his courage. AND MUCH PEOPLE WAS ADDED UNTO THE LORD - such an increase of disciples at that important capital being a divine seal set upon the beautiful spirit displayed by both parties. Did Barnabas now return to Jerusalem, leaving the work at Antioch in...

24._For he was a good man. _Barnabas is commended with the commendation of the Holy Ghost; yet we must know that there was respect had not so much of him as of us. For all those are condemned of ungodliness and malice who envy other men’s labors, and are grieved when they see the same have good success. Also we must note the epithet used in the description of a _good man, full of the Holy Ghost, full of faith. _For after that he had said that he was an upright and good man, he showed from what fountain this goodness did flow; that, abandoning the affections of the flesh, he did, with all his heart, embrace godliness, having the Spirit to be his guide. But why doth he separate faith from the Spirit, whose gift it is? I answer, that it is not named severally, as if it were a diverse thing, but it is rather set forth as a principal token, whereby it might appear that Barnabas was full of t...

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 11:24. _FOR HE WAS A GOOD MAN_] Here is a proper character of a minister of the Gospel. 1. _He is a good man_: his _bad heart_ is changed; his _evil_ _dispositions_ rooted out; and the mind that was in Christ implanted in him. 2. _He is full of the Holy Ghost_. He is holy, because the Spirit of holiness dwells in him: he has not a few transient visitations or drawings from that Spirit; it is a _resident_ in his soul, and it fills his heart. It is _light_ in his _understanding_; it is _discrimination_ in his _judgment_; it is _fixed purpose_ and _determination_ in righteousness in his _will_; it is _purity_, it is love, joy, peace, gentleness, goodness, meekness, temperance, and fidelity in his _affections_ and _passions_. In a word, it has sovereign sway in his heart

FOR HE WAS A GOOD MAN - This is given as a reason why he was so eminently successful. It is not said that he was a man of distinguished talents or learning; that he was a splendid or an imposing preacher; but simply that he was a man of an amiable, kind, and benevolent disposition - a pious, humble man of God. We should not undervalue talent, eloquence, or learning in the ministry, but we may remark that humble piety will often do more in the conversion of souls than the most splendid talents. No endowments can be a substitute for this. The real power of a minister is concentrated in this, and without this his ministry will be barrenness and a curse. There is nothing on the earth so mighty as goodness. If a man wished to make the most of his powers, the true secret would be found in employing them for a good object, and suffering them to be wholly under the direction of benevolence. John...

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

FOR HE WAS A GOOD MAN,.... He had the grace of God wrought in his soul, and did good works; he was very kind, and generous, and charitable; he sold what land he had, and gave the money to the apostles, for the use of the community, Acts 4:37 AND FULL OF THE HOLY GHOST, AND OF FAITH; he was full of the several graces of the Spirit, and particularly of faith; and he was full of the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, and of the faith of miracles; he was full of the doctrine of faith, and of spiritual gifts for the preaching of it: the same character is given of Stephen, Acts 6:5 AND MUCH PEOPLE WAS ADDED UNTO THE LORD; by the means of Barnabas, through his ministry, and the exercise of those gifts he was full of; so the Arabic version, "and he drew a large multitude to the Lord"....

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

ANOTHER ACCOUNT OF THE EARLY GENTILE MISSION. ANTIOCH. This connects with Acts 8:2. It was the Hellenists at Jerusalem, whose mouthpiece Stephen was, who were driven away at his death. There, they were scattered over Judæ a and Samaria; here, they go further, to Cyprus and Antioch, but preach to Jews only. Some of them, however, men of Cyprus, as Barnabas was, and of Cyrene in N. Africa (_cf._ Lucius of Cyrene, Acts 13:1) took the further step, when they came to Antioch, of addressing the Greeks, not the Hellenists as in AV (Græ cians, _cf._ RVm Grecian Jews), which would mean the Greek-speaking Jews, but the Greeks who were not Jews (p. 768). To them they preached the Lord Jesus. The title Lord is used here with accuracy. It is not much used in Ac. where the history is on Jewish ground; other titles were there th

PETER ON HIS DEFENCE (Acts 11:1-10)...