Relztrah
Puritan Board Freshman
Acts 11:23 When he [Barnabas] came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose.
The NIV 1978 uses the phrase "evidence of the grace of God" although later editions and other translations don't use the word evidence. But still I wonder, just what was it that he witnessed? Raw numbers of believers increasing? Acts of mercy to the poor? Christians speaking in tongues like they did at Cornelius's house? Can we in fact know?
Matthew Henry writes:
When he came, and had seen the grace of God, the tokens of God's good-will to the people of Antioch and the evidences of his good work among them, he was glad. He took time to make his observations, and not only in their public worship, but in their common conversations and in their families, he saw the grace of God among them.
This was a new church so Barnabas wasn't comparing their growth from his visit the previous year. But there must have been something visible, something tangible, something quantifiable that he saw in the church at Antioch. Or am I reading too much into the passage? There was obviously room for further growth because Barnabas finds Paul and takes him to Antioch where they spend a whole year teaching. (What I would give to have been in that Sunday School class!)
Of course the application that I am making is this: If an outsider comes to my church, does he see a similar grace of God at work? Or does he leave thinking, what a nice group of people. Pretty much the same reaction he will have at a Rotary Club meeting.
The NIV 1978 uses the phrase "evidence of the grace of God" although later editions and other translations don't use the word evidence. But still I wonder, just what was it that he witnessed? Raw numbers of believers increasing? Acts of mercy to the poor? Christians speaking in tongues like they did at Cornelius's house? Can we in fact know?
Matthew Henry writes:
When he came, and had seen the grace of God, the tokens of God's good-will to the people of Antioch and the evidences of his good work among them, he was glad. He took time to make his observations, and not only in their public worship, but in their common conversations and in their families, he saw the grace of God among them.
This was a new church so Barnabas wasn't comparing their growth from his visit the previous year. But there must have been something visible, something tangible, something quantifiable that he saw in the church at Antioch. Or am I reading too much into the passage? There was obviously room for further growth because Barnabas finds Paul and takes him to Antioch where they spend a whole year teaching. (What I would give to have been in that Sunday School class!)
Of course the application that I am making is this: If an outsider comes to my church, does he see a similar grace of God at work? Or does he leave thinking, what a nice group of people. Pretty much the same reaction he will have at a Rotary Club meeting.