God sovereignly moved the gospel work outward to the Gentiles, so the Jewish believers at Antioch began preaching to Greeks, and many believed.
The believers scattered from Jerusalem had been preaching to none but Jews. But at Antioch, Les explains, God was working even without the preachers realizing it, causing Greeks — that is, Gentiles — to be interested in their message. So they spoke to the Greeks, preaching the Lord Jesus, and the hand of the Lord was with them as many believed and turned to the Lord.
Acts 11:19-23 — This passage records the moment when Jewish believers scattered to Antioch first preached to Greeks, with many believing and turning to the Lord.
Acts 11:19-23 records that the believers who were scattered abroad from the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, Cyprus, and Antioch, 'preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only' (Acts 11:19). But when some of these, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, came to Antioch, 'they spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus' (Acts 11:20). The Scripture then states that 'the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord' (Acts 11:21). When tidings of these things reached the church at Jerusalem, they sent Barnabas to go as far as Antioch (Acts 11:22). When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and exhorted them all that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord (Acts 11:23). Scripture presents this as God's own work — His hand was with them as the message went to the Greeks.
Les emphasizes that even after Pentecost, the apostles stayed in Jerusalem, and the believing Jews who were scattered by persecution preached to nobody but Jews. They had no idea that God was going to go to a Gentile — that was anathema to them (Clip 3). Along the way, these scattered believers migrated north to Antioch in Syria, about twelve to thirteen years after Pentecost and beyond Saul's conversion (Clip 0). Les then highlights the unique wording of Acts 11:20. The King James Version says 'Grecians,' but he points out that Grecians were Jews living in Greece or speaking the Greek language — speaking to them would not have been unusual. 'But Greeks speaks of what? Gentiles.' This is the key: the preachers were now approaching Gentiles. Les shows that God was sovereignly doing this — He had brought these Jews to Antioch and was causing Greeks to be interested enough to listen, without the Jewish believers even realizing what was going on (Clip 1). The result, Les notes, was that the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord — still without the death, burial, and resurrection message, which they did not yet understand (Clip 2). When the Jerusalem assembly heard about it, they were troubled — 'This is our business' — and sent Barnabas to check it out. Barnabas saw the grace of God and was glad, and much people were added to the Lord, including Greeks (Clips 2, 5). Les situates this as the beginning of the transition out of Judaism, as God began moving from dealing with the nation of Israel to going to the Gentiles (Clip 5). He also explains why this was so difficult for the Jews: for almost two thousand years God had been proving to them that they were His separated people, and it took them a long time to get that out of their system (Clip 7).
Les explains the distinction between the two terms. Grecians were Jews who were living in Greece, or at least speaking the Greek language — so it was not unusual for Jewish believers to speak to them. Greeks, however, were Gentiles. When Acts 11:20 (KJV) says the men of Cyprus and Cyrene 'spake unto the Grecians,' Les teaches that the reference is to Greeks, that is, Gentiles, which is what makes the event unprecedented.
When tidings of the Greeks believing came to the assembly at Jerusalem, the Jewish believers were shaken up — in their thinking, this was their business, and Gentiles had no place in it. So they sent Barnabas to go as far as Antioch and check the whole thing out. Les notes that Barnabas was special: unlike most Jews, when he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and much people were added to the Lord, including Greeks.
Les explains that for almost two thousand years, God had been telling Israel and proving to them that they were different — His separated people. So the thought of going to pagan Gentiles was upsetting to them. The believers who were scattered had no idea God was going to go to a Gentile; it was anathema to them. That is also why, later, even Peter struggled with it when his fellow Jews came up from Jerusalem, as recorded in Galatians 2.
The Scattering and Their Arrival at Antioch
Les sets the scene: the believers scattered from Jerusalem preached everywhere, but to none except the Jew only, and by this point (12-13 years after Pentecost, beyond Saul's conversion) they were migrating up to Antioch.
The Grecian/Greek Distinction and God's Sovereignty
Les shows that the KJV's 'Grecians' here means Greeks, that is, Gentiles, and that God sovereignly caused these Greeks to be interested in the Jewish believers' message without the preachers even realizing what was happening.
Preaching the Lord Jesus to Greeks and the Jerusalem Reaction
The Jewish believers approached the Greeks, preached the Lord Jesus, and the Lord was with them as a great number believed and turned to the Lord. The Jerusalem assembly was troubled and sent Barnabas to Antioch, who saw the grace of God and was glad.
No Idea God Would Go to the Gentiles
Les stresses that even the scattered believing Jews preached to nobody but Jews; they had no idea God would go to a Gentile, and the very idea was anathema to them.
Paul's Pattern: To the Jew First, Also to the Greek
Les later shows Paul's practice of going to the Jew first and also to the Greek, and that after Israel's continued rejection, Paul declared that henceforth he would go to the Gentiles.
Transition Out of Judaism Toward the Gentiles
Les explains that at Antioch, God began for the first time to generate interest among Gentiles, and the Jerusalem church, shaken up, sent Barnabas to check what was happening.
The Jerusalem Church's Alarm Over Gentile Believers
Les shows how the believers at Jerusalem were shaken up when they heard Gentiles were being brought into a relationship with God, and later sent men insisting that Gentiles must be circumcised to be saved.
Two Thousand Years of Separation
Les explains why Jews found the idea of going to pagan Gentiles so upsetting: God had spent almost two thousand years proving that Israel was His separated people, and even Peter struggled to let that go.
Acts 11:19: Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only.
Shows that the scattered believers preached only to Jews before the events at Antioch.
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.
Records the key event — the KJV reads 'Grecians,' which Les explains refers to Greeks, that is, Gentiles.
Acts 11:21: And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.
Shows the divine result of preaching to the Greeks — many believed.
Acts 11:22: Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch.
Shows the Jerusalem church's response to Greeks believing.
Acts 11:23: Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.
Shows Barnabas confirming the work as genuine grace.
Les explains that even the believing Jews scattered by persecution preached to nobody but Jews. They had no idea that God was going to go to a Gentile — that was anathema to them (Clip 3).
The King James Version reads 'Grecians' in Acts 11:20. Les teaches that while Grecians were Jews living in Greece or speaking Greek, the word here refers to Greeks — that is, Gentiles — which is why this preaching was a major change (Clip 1).
They were troubled — 'This is our business' — and sent Barnabas to Antioch to check the whole thing out. Barnabas saw the grace of God and was glad, and much people were added to the Lord (Clips 2, 5).
Watch the Teaching: Why the First Christians Were NOT in Jerusalem (Acts 11)