Lexical Summary
Antiocheia: Antioch
Original Word: Ἀντιόχεια
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: Antiocheia
Pronunciation: an-tee-okh'-i-ah
Phonetic Spelling: (an-tee-okh'-i-ah)
KJV: Antioch
NASB: Antioch
Word Origin: [from Antiochus (a Syrian king)]
1. Antiochia, a place in Syria
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Antioch.
From Antiochus (a Syrian king); Antiochia, a place in Syria -- Antioch.
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom Antiochos (Antiochus, the name of a number of Syrian kings)
DefinitionAntioch, the name of two cities
NASB TranslationAntioch (18).
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 490: ἈντιόχειαἈντιόχεια,
Ἀντιοχείας,
ἡ,
Antioch, the name (derived from various monarchs) of several Asiatic cities, two of which are mentioned in the N. T.;
1. The most celebrated of all, and the capital of Syria, was situated on the river Orontes, founded by Seleucus I (sometimes (cf. Suidas under the word Σέλευκος, col. 3277 b., Gaisf. edition) called) Nicanor (elsewhere (cf. id. col. 2137 b. under the word Κολασσαεύς) son of Nicanor; but commonly Nicator (cf. Appian de rebus Syr., § 57; Spanh. de numis. diss. vii., § 3, vol. i., p. 413)), and named in honor of his father Antiochus. Many ἑλληνισται, Greek-Jews, lived in it; and there those who professed the name of Christ were first called Christians: Acts 11:19ff;
2. A city of Phrygia, but called in Acts 13:14 Antioch of Pisidia (or according to the critical texts the Pisidian Antioch (see Πισίδιος)) because it was on the confines of Pisidia (more exactly ἡ πρός Πισιδία, Strabo 12, p. 577, 8): Acts 14:19, 21; 2 Timothy 3:11. This was founded also by Seleucus Nicator (cf. BB. DD. under the word; Conyb. and Howson, St. Paul, i., 168ff).
Topical Lexicon
Geographical Setting Antioch (Greek Antiocheia) appears in the New Testament as two distinct cities:
• Antioch of Syria, situated on the Orontes River, third-largest city of the Roman Empire and capital of the province of Syria.
• Antioch in Pisidia, a Roman colony on the plateau of Asia Minor, dominating the central road network of Galatia.
Both cities lay on major trade routes, possessed sizable Jewish populations, and enjoyed the status of free cities, factors that explain their readiness to receive apostolic preaching.
Antioch of Syria in Apostolic Mission
Acts 11 introduces Antioch of Syria as the first large-scale Gentile mission field. Persecuted believers from Jerusalem “traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch” (Acts 11:19). In this cosmopolitan center the gospel leaped the ethnic barrier: “Men from Cyprus and Cyrene… began speaking to the Greeks also, proclaiming the good news about the Lord Jesus” (Acts 11:20). Barnabas, sent by Jerusalem, quickly enlisted Saul, and “for a whole year they met with the church and taught great numbers” (Acts 11:26).
The Name Christian and Identity of the Church
Acts 11:26 records a pivotal moment: “The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch”. The label, probably coined by local Gentiles, identified followers of Jesus as a distinct community, neither merely Jewish nor a civic association. Antioch thus shaped early Christian self-understanding and public perception.
Ministry Leadership and Prophetic Activity
The congregation’s leadership blended cultural diversity and varied gifts (Acts 13:1 lists Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, and Saul). Prophets from Jerusalem twice interacted with the church: Agabus foretold famine (Acts 11:27-28), prompting generous relief for Judea (Acts 11:29-30); later Judas Barsabbas and Silas delivered the Jerusalem Council’s decree (Acts 15:22-35). Such traffic underscores Antioch’s recognized authority and its partnership with Jerusalem.
Launching Point for Paul’s Journeys
From Antioch of Syria the Holy Spirit commissioned the first intentional missionary team: “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them” (Acts 13:2). Each of Paul’s three missionary journeys either began (Acts 13:3; 15:35-41; 18:22-23) or ended (Acts 14:26-28; 18:22) in Antioch, confirming the church as Paul’s home base and logistical hub.
The Antioch Incident and the Gospel of Grace
Galatians 2:11-14 recalls Peter’s withdrawal from Gentile table fellowship in Antioch, prompting Paul’s public rebuke. The event highlighted the theological conviction that justification is by faith apart from works of the Law and safeguarded Gentile liberty. Antioch therefore served as the proving ground for gospel inclusivity.
Antioch in Pisidia: A Strategic City in Paul’s First Journey
Acts 13:14 situates Paul and Barnabas in the synagogue of Pisidian Antioch, where Paul preached the resurrection and forgiveness of sins (Acts 13:16-41). The initial response was enthusiastic, but jealousy led to persecution and expulsion (Acts 13:45-50). On the return leg they revisited the city, “strengthening the disciples” (Acts 14:21-23). Pisidian Antioch demonstrated Paul’s synagogue-first strategy, the pattern of Jewish rejection and Gentile acceptance, and the establishment of organized local leadership.
Persecution and Providence
Opponents from Pisidian Antioch later incited violence in Lystra (Acts 14:19), showing how resistance traveled alongside the gospel. Yet the hostility only propelled the mission forward, fulfilling Jesus’ promise that persecution would serve as a platform for witness.
Connection with the Jerusalem Council
Believers from Antioch triggered the council by disputing circumcision (Acts 15:1-2). After deliberation, Jerusalem’s leaders sent an official letter back to Antioch (Acts 15:23), where its public reading “brought rejoicing by its encouragement” (Acts 15:31). The episode cemented doctrinal unity across the early Church.
Later New Testament Echoes
Paul’s summary to Timothy includes “what happened to me in Antioch” (2 Timothy 3:11), a reminder that godly ministry entails perseverance amid adversity. Though Luke does not narrate a final visit, Acts 18:22 hints that Paul “went up and greeted the church, and then went down to Antioch,” marking the close of his second journey and perhaps his last recorded stay.
Theological Importance
1. Missionary Model: Antioch exemplifies a Spirit-directed, culturally diverse, teaching-oriented church that sends and supports missionaries.
2. Unity in Diversity: Jew and Gentile fellowship under one gospel became normative through Antioch’s experience.
3. Doctrinal Clarity: Conflicts resolved in Antioch clarified essential truths—salvation by grace and the universality of the gospel.
4. Generosity: The famine relief offering set a precedent for inter-church compassion.
Applications for Contemporary Ministry
• Cultivate multicultural leadership teams that mirror Antioch’s breadth.
• Anchor mission initiatives in dedicated prayer and fasting (Acts 13:2-3).
• Hold doctrinal fidelity and practical charity together.
• View opposition as an occasion for deeper dependence on God and broader proclamation.
Antioch’s eighteen New Testament references collectively portray a vibrant, outward-looking congregation whose faithful witness shaped the trajectory of Christian history and offers an enduring template for gospel ministry today.
Forms and Transliterations
Αντιοχεια Ἀντιοχείᾳ Αντιοχειαν Ἀντιόχειαν Αντιοχειας Ἀντιοχείας Antiocheia Antiocheíāi Antiocheian Antiócheian Antiocheias Antiocheías
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