Acts 11:29

"And the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren that dwelt in Judea"The disciples" The Christians in Antioch took this warning seriously. "Every man according to his ability" Compare this statement with the rules governing. collection years later (1 Corinthians 16:1 ff). The above statement is the same thing as giving as you have been prospered. Notice that the O.T. practice of tithing is not the method of giving found among Christians. "Determined to send relief" The giving mentioned here is voluntary. "Now if. man was able, he gave much; if he was not able, he gave the little he could" (Reese p. 424). Some of the Christians in Antioch were from Judea (Acts 11:19) and had been members of the Church in Jerusalem. In addition, men like Barnabas had been sent from Judea to assist them. (Romans 15:27) This collection also demonstrated fellowship or solidarity between congregations which were predominately Gentile and those predominately composed of believers from. Jewish background, indicating that the body of Christ was one. "Brethren that dwelt in Judea" Brethren in the various congregations that existed in Judea (Acts 9:31; Galatians 1:22), of which Jerusalem was just one. Some feel that the brethren in Judea in this verse only refers to the members of the Church in Jerusalem.