The city of Antioch in Syria
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Read Acts 11:22-30; then 12:25 -14:28. Also read Bruce, pages 126-147, and 160-172. Consult a map of Paul’s First Missionary Journey and memorize the key cities in order.
Then answer the following questions (four pages).
1. What is significant about the city of Antioch in Syria?
2. Describe the leadership of the church that emerged in Antioch, and explain how Barnabas and Paul came to be missionaries?
3. Who was John Mark? Tell everything you can discover about him.
4. Summarize their encounter with bar-Jesus on Cyprus.
5. Summarize Paul’s sermon in the synagogue of Pisidian Antioch.
6. Explain what happened in Lystra. Who opposed Paul, and how did it end?
7. When arriving in a new city, Paul typically began by visiting the local Jewish synagogue and preaching there. Explain why he would do that.
Sample Solution
The city of Antioch in Syria is significant for several reasons. First, it was a major hub of trade and commerce at the time of Paul’s first missionary journey, making it a strategic location to spread the message of Christianity. Second, it was an important center for Jewish culture and religious worship which allowed Paul to connect with his fellow Jews and establish relationships with non-believers who might be open to hearing about his faith. Finally, Antioch was also a multicultural city where Greek, Roman and other cultures intersected which meant that Paul could expand his reach beyond the Judeo-Christian world by appealing to people from different cultures.
In Derbe, Paul witnessed two major events during his first missionary journey. The first event occurred when he encountered Timothy who became one of Paul’s most loyal companions after being converted out of paganism (Acts 14:5–20). This marked an important milestone as Timothy served as a faithful evangelist alongside Paul throughout much of his ministry. The second event happened when they encountered opposition while preaching in the Synagogue (Acts 14:1–7), forcing them to flee outside the city walls where they continued their mission amongst Gentiles instead (Acts 14:8–18).
Throughout Paul’s first missionary journey God affirmed His plan by performing various signs and wonders through him and Barnabas (e.g., Acts 13:6-12; 14:3). These miracles provided evidence that their message was from God Himself thus strengthening their credibility amongst potential converts which helped them gain more followers for Christ (Bruce 160-172). In addition, these acts also proved that Jesus had been resurrected from death just as He promised so this further solidified His divinity amongst those who followed Him (Acts 11:22-30; 12:25 -14:28).