Reference: Christian
Easton
the name given by the Greeks or Romans, probably in reproach, to the followers of Jesus. It was first used at Antioch. The names by which the disciples were known among themselves were "brethren," "the faithful," "elect," "saints," "believers." But as distinguishing them from the multitude without, the name "Christian" came into use, and was universally accepted. This name occurs but three times in the New Testament (Ac 11:26; 26:28; 1Pe 4:16).
See Verses Found in Dictionary
and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it came to pass a whole year for them to be assembled in the congregation, and to teach a considerable multitude, and to call the disciples Christians, first at Antioch.
And Agrippa said to Paul, By a little thou persuade me to become a Christian.
Fausets
The name first given at Antioch to Christ's followers. In the New Testament it only occurs in 1Pe 4:16; Ac 11:26; 26:27-28. Their name among themselves was "brethren," "disciples," "those of the way" (Ac 6:1,3; 9:2), "saints" (Ro 1:7). The Jews, since they denied that Jesus is the Christ, would never originate the name "Christians," but called them "Nazarenes" (Ac 24:5). The Gentiles confounded them with the Jews, and thought them to be a Jewish sect. But a new epoch arose in the church's development when, at Antioch, idolatrous Gentiles (not merely Jewish proselytes from the Gentiles, as the eunuch, a circumcised proselyte, and Cornelius, an uncircumcised proselyte of the gate) were converted.
Then the Gentiles needed a new name to designate people who were Jews, neither by birth nor religion. And the people of Antioch were famous for their readiness in giving names: Partisans of Christ, Christiani, as Caesariani, partisans of Caesar; a Latin name, as Antioch had become a Latin city. But the name was divinely ordered (as chreematizoo always expresses, Ac 11:26), as the new name to mark the new era, namely, that of the church's gospel missions to the Gentiles. The rarity of its use in the New Testament marks its early date, when as yet it was a name of reproach and hardly much recognized among the disciples. So in our age "Methodist," a term originally given in reproach, has gradually come to be adopted by Wesley's disciples themselves. Blunt well says: "if the Acts were a fiction, is it possible that this unobtrusive evidence of the progress of a name would have been found in it?"
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Now in those days, the disciples being multiplied, there developed a murmuring of the Hellenists against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily assistance.
Now in those days, the disciples being multiplied, there developed a murmuring of the Hellenists against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily assistance.
Therefore, brothers, seek ye out seven men from you being well reported, full of Holy Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint over this need.
Therefore, brothers, seek ye out seven men from you being well reported, full of Holy Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint over this need.
he requested letters from him for Damascus, to the synagogues, so that if he found any who were of the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
he requested letters from him for Damascus, to the synagogues, so that if he found any who were of the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it came to pass a whole year for them to be assembled in the congregation, and to teach a considerable multitude, and to call the disciples Christians, first at Antioch.
and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it came to pass a whole year for them to be assembled in the congregation, and to teach a considerable multitude, and to call the disciples Christians, first at Antioch.
and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it came to pass a whole year for them to be assembled in the congregation, and to teach a considerable multitude, and to call the disciples Christians, first at Antioch.
and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it came to pass a whole year for them to be assembled in the congregation, and to teach a considerable multitude, and to call the disciples Christians, first at Antioch.
For we have found this man a plague, who even instigates sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes,
For we have found this man a plague, who even instigates sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes,
King Agrippa, do thou believe the prophets? I know that thou believe.
King Agrippa, do thou believe the prophets? I know that thou believe. And Agrippa said to Paul, By a little thou persuade me to become a Christian.
And Agrippa said to Paul, By a little thou persuade me to become a Christian.
To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, to the called, to the sanctified: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, to the called, to the sanctified: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
But if as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this regard.
But if as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this regard.
Hastings
This name, from very early times the distinctive title of the followers of Jesus Christ, occurs only thrice in NT (Ac 11:26; 26:28; 1Pe 4:16).
1. Time and place of origin.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And Nathanael said to him, What good can be from Nazareth? Philip says to him, Come and see.
And more who believe were added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women,
he requested letters from him for Damascus, to the synagogues, so that if he found any who were of the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
But Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how many evil things he did to thy sanctified at Jerusalem.
But when the brothers knew it, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him away to Tarsus.
And some of them were men, Cyprians and Cyrenians, who, having come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching good-news, the Lord Jesus.
and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it came to pass a whole year for them to be assembled in the congregation, and to teach a considerable multitude, and to call the disciples Christians, first at Antioch.
and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it came to pass a whole year for them to be assembled in the congregation, and to teach a considerable multitude, and to call the disciples Christians, first at Antioch.
and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it came to pass a whole year for them to be assembled in the congregation, and to teach a considerable multitude, and to call the disciples Christians, first at Antioch.
and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it came to pass a whole year for them to be assembled in the congregation, and to teach a considerable multitude, and to call the disciples Christians, first at Antioch.
Now there were some men from the congregation that was in Antioch, prophets and teachers, including Barnabas, and Simeon called Niger, and Lucius the Cyrenian, and Manaen reared with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
and from there they sailed to Antioch, from where they were delivered to the grace of God for the work that they fulfilled.
And certain men, who came down from Judea, taught the brothers, Unless ye will be circumcised in the custom of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
Then it was decided by the apostles and the elders, with the whole assembly, to send men chosen from them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers,
But Paul and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching good-news, the word of the Lord, with many others also.
But when Paul was going to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, If therefore indeed it were some crime or evil reckless deed, O ye Jews, I would have tolerated you according to the matter. But if it is an issue about a word and names and the law from you, look ye yourselves, for I do not intend to be a judge of these things.
And after coming down to Caesarea, having gone up and greeted the church, he went down to Antioch.
But when some were hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the multitude, having withdrawn from them, he separated the disciples, discoursing daily in the school of a certain Tyrannus.
For we have found this man a plague, who even instigates sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes,
For we have found this man a plague, who even instigates sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes,
But this I confess to thee, that according to the Way that they call a sect, so serve I the paternal God, believing all things written according to the law and the prophets,
And Agrippa said to Paul, By a little thou persuade me to become a Christian.
And Agrippa said to Paul, By a little thou persuade me to become a Christian.
And Agrippa said to Paul, By a little thou persuade me to become a Christian.
And Agrippa said to Paul, By a little thou persuade me to become a Christian.
But we think it worthy to hear from thee what thou think. For indeed about this sect, it is known to us that everywhere it is spoken against.
Who will accuse against the chosen of God? God is he who makes righteous.
sharing for the needs of the sanctified, pursuing love for strangers.
Put on therefore, as chosen men of God, holy and beloved, bowels of compassion, kindness, humility, mildness, longsuffering,
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the chosen who are sojourners of the Dispersion of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
if indeed ye have tasted that the Lord is excellent.
Blessed are ye if ye are reviled for the name of Christ, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. From them he is indeed blasphemed, but from you he is glorified. For let not any man of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil-doer, or as a busybody. read more. But if as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this regard.
But if as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this regard.
Morish
A title first applied to professed believers at Antioch. Ac 11:26. Agrippa used it when addressing Paul. Ac 26:28. Peter accepts it, saying that to suffer as a 'Christian ' is a cause of thanksgiving. 1Pe 4:16.
It was not long, alas! before the outward profession of Christ became separated from true faith in Him in the great mass who were recognised as Christians in the world, and in practice they became anything but followers of Christ, as both scripture and history show. To learn what Christianity is according to God, we must turn, not to the great professing body, but to the scriptures, which testify clearly of the declension which was even then begun.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it came to pass a whole year for them to be assembled in the congregation, and to teach a considerable multitude, and to call the disciples Christians, first at Antioch.
And Agrippa said to Paul, By a little thou persuade me to become a Christian.
But if as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this regard.
Smith
Christian.
The disciples, we are told,
were first called Christians at Antioch on the Orontes, somewhere about A.D. 43. They were known to each other as, and were among themselves called, brethren,
disciples,
believers,
saints,
The name "Christian," which, in the only other cases where it appears in the New Testament,
is used contemptuously, could not have been applied by the early disciples to themselves, but was imposed upon them by the Gentile world. There is no reason to suppose that the name "Christian" of itself was intended as a term of scurrility or abuse, though it would naturally be used with contempt.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And more who believe were added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women,
And when Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he attempted to join with the disciples, and they all feared him, not believing that he is a disciple.
and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it came to pass a whole year for them to be assembled in the congregation, and to teach a considerable multitude, and to call the disciples Christians, first at Antioch.
And the disciples, as any man prospered, determined, each of them regarding aid, to send to the brothers who dwell in Judea,
And certain men, who came down from Judea, taught the brothers, Unless ye will be circumcised in the custom of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
after writing by their hand these things:The apostles, and the elders, and the brothers, to those down in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, to the brothers of the Gentiles, greeting.
And Agrippa said to Paul, By a little thou persuade me to become a Christian.
And he who searches the hearts knows what is the mentality of the Spirit, because he appeals to God for the sanctified.
But now I am going to Jerusalem serving the sanctified.
Watsons
CHRISTIAN, a follower of the religion of Christ. It is probable that the name Christian, like that of Nazarenes and Galileans, was given to the disciples of our Lord in reproach or contempt. What confirms this opinion is, that the people of Antioch in Syria, Ac 11:26, where they were first called Christians, are observed by Zosimus, Procopius, and Zonaras, to have been remarkable for their scurrilous jesting. Some have indeed thought that this name was given by the disciples to themselves; others, that it was imposed on them by divine authority; in either of which cases surely we should have met with it in the subsequent history of the Acts, and in the Apostolic Epistles, all of which were written some years after; whereas it is found in but two more places in the New Testament, Ac 26:28, where a Jew is the speaker, and in 1Pe 4:16, where reference appears to be made to the name as imposed upon them by their enemies. The word used, Ac 11:26, signifies simply to be called or named, and when Doddridge and a few others take it to imply a divine appointment, they disregard the usus loquendi [established acceptation of the term] which gives no support to that opinion. The words of Tacitus, when speaking of the Christians persecuted by Nero, are remarkable, "vulgus Christianos appellabat," "the vulgar called them Christians." Epiphanius says, that they were called Jesseans, either from Jesse, the father of David, or, which is much more probable, from the name of Jesus, whose disciples they were. They were denominated Christians, A.D. 42 or 43; and though the name was first given reproachfully, they gloried in it, as expressing their adherence to Christ, and they soon generally assumed it.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it came to pass a whole year for them to be assembled in the congregation, and to teach a considerable multitude, and to call the disciples Christians, first at Antioch.
and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it came to pass a whole year for them to be assembled in the congregation, and to teach a considerable multitude, and to call the disciples Christians, first at Antioch.
And Agrippa said to Paul, By a little thou persuade me to become a Christian.
But if as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this regard.