The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch because that is where the Bible records the name appearing among Gentile believers after Barnabas and Saul brought the grace message there, while the Jewish believers in Jerusalem are never called Christians in Scripture.
Acts 11:26 says that after Barnabas brought Saul to Antioch and they taught the church for a whole year, the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. Les Feldick stresses that the Bible never calls the Jewish believers in Jerusalem Christians — that name is first applied to the Gentile believers at Antioch, where Paul's age-of-grace message took root.
Acts 11:26 — This is the verse that explicitly records the disciples being called Christians first in Antioch, making it the scriptural anchor for the whole answer.
The key verse is Acts 11:26, which says, "And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch." Scripture places the first use of the name "Christians" in Antioch, not in Jerusalem. Acts 11:24 describes Barnabas before this Gentile influx: "For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord." Afterward, when Barnabas saw the large number of Gentiles coming into the assembly, he went to Tarsus to find Saul (Acts 11:25-26). Later, Acts 15:1 records a controversy from Jerusalem regarding these Gentile believers: "And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved." The Bible records the fact that the name first appeared at Antioch without an explicit editorial explanation, but the location is unmistakable.
Les emphasizes a point he says is often overlooked: the Bible never calls the Jewish believers in Jerusalem "Christians," even though many theologians and writers do. He challenges readers to search the Scriptures and see that the name "Christians" is first given to the Gentile believers at Antioch, not the Jewish believers in Jerusalem.
Acts 11:24 describes Barnabas as a good man full of the Holy Ghost and faith. When he saw the sudden influx of Gentiles into the assembly at Antioch, he was moved by the Holy Spirit to go to Tarsus to look for Saul, because Saul had the message for Gentiles. After finding Saul, Barnabas brought him back to Antioch, and they assembled with the church for a whole year, teaching much people.
Les Feldick repeatedly notes that the Bible never refers to the Jewish believers centered in Jerusalem as Christians, even though theologians commonly do. He points to Acts 11:26 as the place where the term first appears, and he shows that it appears among the Gentile believers in Antioch. The earlier Jewish believers, he says, were not in the same category as these Gentiles.
Les teaches that Pentecost was strictly a Jewish holiday with a Jewish message, and the body of Christ became more clearly evident when the gospel went out to Jew and Gentile, especially at Antioch. At Antioch, the believers were first called Christians, and the assembly there included prophets and teachers like Barnabas and Saul. Les identifies this church as the real New Testament church, the body of Christ.
Barnabas Sees the Gentiles Added at Antioch
Les shows that when Barnabas saw the sudden influx of Gentiles into the Antioch assembly, the Holy Spirit moved him to go find Saul, because Saul had the message for the Gentiles.
First Called Christians at Antioch, Not Jerusalem
Les points out that the believers at Antioch were called Christians first, and the Bible never gives that name to the Jewish believers in Jerusalem.
Gentile Christianity Begins to Flower at Antioch
Barnabas brought Saul back to Antioch, which is where Gentile Christianity began to flower and where believers were first called Christians.
The Name Comes With Paul's Age-of-Grace Message
Les explains that the term "Christians" appears after Paul began to expound the age of grace based on Christ's death, burial, and resurrection, and that the earlier Jewish believers are not put in that category by Scripture.
Jerusalem's Reaction to Gentile Salvation
The Jewish believers in Jerusalem were shaken when they learned that Gentiles were being saved without becoming proselytes of Judaism, and men came down to Antioch insisting on circumcision.
The Bible Never Names Jerusalem Believers Christians
Les challenges readers to find any place where the Word of God calls the Jewish believers around Jerusalem Christians, and explains that only the Gentile believers at Antioch are called Christians in Acts 11.
Pentecost's Jewish Message vs. the Antioch Church
Les teaches that Pentecost was a Jewish holiday with a Jewish message and that the body of Christ became distinct when the gospel went out to Jew and Gentile, especially at Antioch.
Antioch as the Real New Testament Church
Les identifies the assembly at Antioch as the real New Testament church, the body of Christ, where prophets and teachers like Barnabas and Saul ministered.
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.
This verse describes Barnabas just before the Gentile influx at Antioch is introduced.
Acts 11:26: And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
This is the exact verse that records the disciples being called Christians first in Antioch.
Acts 15:1: And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
This verse shows the Jerusalem believers challenging the Gentile believers at Antioch over the need for circumcision.
According to Les Feldick, no. He notes that the Bible never refers to the Jewish believers centered at Jerusalem as Christians, even though many theologians do. The first believers called Christians in Scripture are the Gentile believers at Antioch (Acts 11:26).
When Barnabas saw the sudden influx of Gentiles into the church at Antioch, he was moved by the Holy Spirit to go find Saul, because Saul had the message for the Gentiles. After finding him, Barnabas brought him to Antioch, where they taught the church for a whole year.
Les says the Antioch believers were taught the age of grace based on Christ's death, burial, and resurrection, so they were called Christians. The Jerusalem believers, by contrast, were never called Christians in Scripture and were associated with a more Jewish understanding of the Messiah.
Watch the Teaching: Why the First Christians Were NOT in Jerusalem (Acts 11)