No — the Bible never calls the Jewish believers in Jerusalem Christians; that name was first given to the believers at Antioch.
Acts 11:26 records that the disciples were first called Christians at Antioch. Les Feldick points out that even though the Jerusalem church had been active for about twelve years, the Word of God never refers to those Jewish believers as Christians. They had believed Jesus was the Messiah of Israel, but they were still under the Judaistic umbrella — whereas the mixed assembly at Antioch was presented with Paul's gospel of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection.
Acts 11:26 — This verse explicitly states that the disciples were first called Christians at Antioch, which is the biblical basis for distinguishing the Antioch believers from the Jerusalem believers.
The book of Acts records that after Barnabas found Saul and brought him to Antioch, they met with the church there for a whole year and taught many people. It is at that point that the Scripture says, "the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch" (Acts 11:26). Earlier in the same chapter, the Scripture says that men from Cyprus and Cyrene came to Antioch and spoke to the Greeks, preaching the Lord Jesus, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord (Acts 11:20-21). The biblical record consistently places the origin of the name "Christians" at Antioch, not Jerusalem.
Les Feldick emphasizes that the Jerusalem church had already been in existence for about twelve years before the events of Acts 11, yet the Bible never calls those Jewish believers Christians. He explains that they were still under the Judaistic umbrella, believing only that Jesus was the Messiah of Israel, while the believers at Antioch were being presented with Paul's gospel — that Christ died for their sins, His blood was shed, and He was raised from the dead. For Les, this is why the Bible reserves the name "Christians" for the mixed Jewish-Gentile assembly at Antioch and never applies it to the earlier Jerusalem believers.
Acts 11:26 places the first use of the name at Antioch. Les Feldick emphasizes this repeatedly, noting that Acts 11 says the Gentile believers up at Antioch were first called Christians. He challenges anyone to find anywhere in the Word of God where the Jewish believers at Jerusalem are called Christians, and he refuses to apply the title to them.
Les Feldick teaches that the Jerusalem believers were Jewish believers under the covenant promises, like John the Baptist's followers and those saved at Pentecost, and were still practicing the law and worshiping at the temple. They had believed that Jesus was the Messiah of Israel. The Antioch believers, by contrast, were presented with Paul's gospel of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection — and it was that group that first bore the name Christians.
When word reached Jerusalem that Gentiles were turning to God without becoming proselytes to Judaism, the Jerusalem believers were shaken and sent men to Antioch to investigate. Some of these men insisted that unless the Gentile believers were circumcised after the manner of Moses, they could not be saved (Acts 15:1). Les Feldick explains that the Jerusalem believers were still law-keeping and had the mentality that no one should go to the Gentiles unless they had the King and the Kingdom.
Gentiles Believing at Antioch
Les describes how Gentiles at Antioch were being approached with the Lord Jesus and many believed, which led the Jerusalem assembly to send Barnabas to investigate.
Jerusalem Believers Never Called Christians
Les explicitly states that the Bible never calls the Jewish believers at Jerusalem and Judea Christians; they only believed Jesus was Israel's Messiah, while the Antioch believers were presented with Paul's gospel of His death, burial, and resurrection.
Christians First Called at Antioch
Les challenges readers to find any biblical reference to the Jerusalem Jewish believers as Christians, and he notes that Acts 11 says the Gentile believers at Antioch were first called Christians.
Jewish Believers Under Covenant Promises
Les groups the Jerusalem believers with John the Baptist's followers and Pentecost believers, saying a person cannot be called a Christian without being saved by the gospel of grace.
Jerusalem Believers Within Judaism
Les explains that the Jerusalem believers were still within Judaism, practicing the law and temple worship, while being a set-aside group who recognized their Messiah.
Antioch First Called Christians and Jerusalem Reaction
Les reminds that Antioch was where believers were first called Christians, and the Jerusalem believers were shaken when Gentiles were brought into relationship with their God, sending men who demanded circumcision.
Jerusalem Believers Still Law-Keeping
Les explains that even believing Jews in Jerusalem were still law-keeping and held the mentality that no one should go to Gentiles except with the King and Kingdom.
Jerusalem Believers Object to Gentile Salvation Without the Law
Les describes the Jerusalem believers as shook up that Paul was claiming Gentiles as saved without keeping the law, and false brethren came to spy out their liberty from the law in Christ.
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.
Shows that Gentiles in Antioch were being preached the Lord Jesus, setting the stage for the mixed assembly.
Acts 11:21: And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.
Confirms that many in Antioch believed and turned to the Lord, the context in which the name Christian later appears.
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.
Records the first time the disciples were called Christians, at Antioch, not Jerusalem.
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.
Shows the Jerusalem Jewish believers' insistence on law-keeping for Gentile believers, a key difference from the Antioch believers.
No. The Bible never applies the term 'Christians' to the Jewish believers at Jerusalem and Judea. Acts 11:26 says the disciples were first called Christians at Antioch.
Antioch. Acts 11:26 records that 'the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.' Les Feldick notes this took place among the mixed Jewish-Gentile assembly there.
Because they were Jewish believers under the covenant promises, still practicing law and temple worship, and had only believed Jesus was the Messiah of Israel. The name 'Christians' belongs to those who were saved through Paul's gospel of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection.
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