Click here to read the passage.
This very short passage will take us back from Antioch to Jerusalem for the next chapter’s narrative. It has been perhaps a year that Barnabas has been shepherding the church in Antioch, with Saul at his side, when prophets arrive from the mother church in Jerusalem. It is interesting that Agabus’ prophecy of a general famine is ‘signified’ through the Spirit, not simply spoken (or as ESV smooths it out, ‘predicted’), but we don’t know what that looked like. In response, the disciples determined a set amount, according to their means, to send as a service to the brothers who lived in Judea. This money was sent with Barnabas and Saul to the elders in Jerusalem.
The famine happened during the reign of Claudius, who was emperor from 41 to 54 AD. There is plenty of extra-biblical evidence of droughts creating famine conditions in Rome, Egypt, Greece, and Judea during these years. It was particularly bad in Judea in 45-48 AD, and the money from the Antioch church would have been a welcome relief.
There are a couple of things to note from this very simple story. Firstly, the prophecy indicated that the famine would affect the entire known world. But the Antioch church did not worry about themselves and their own security – or if they did, there is no evidence of that. They gave money to people far away, most of whom they didn’t know yet were considered brothers (and sisters) in the faith, trusting the elders to do the right thing with their contribution. It is impossible not to be reminded of our very own world situation right now, as we suffer out this coronavirus. The virus is affecting the whole world, including you, wherever you are, and your economy. How many of us have looked to the situation of others worse off than ourselves and set aside money for them? Personally, I stand as one convicted: I have given nothing.
Secondly, each person assessed what they had, and gave a fixed portion of it away to others. As mentioned yesterday, the church in Antioch would have been very diverse, with both wealthy and poor members, both Jews and Gentiles. The text is clear that each person gave according to their own wealth, and that they self-determined that amount. Paul’s instructions regarding giving to the poor in 2 Corinthians 8-9 come flooding into my mind at this point: “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” If this is touching your heart at the moment, I encourage you to read those two chapters.
Prayer: Lord God, you own the cattle on a thousand hills, and I trust you can provide for me. Help me to be a generous steward of the riches that you have given to me. Put it on my heart to care for the poor, whether they are just outside my door, or in another country. Forgive me for any stinginess when it comes to sharing the resources that you have given.
ReadtheWordwithJessica 