Antioch

Antioch

An´tee-ahk

Syrian, a city (modern Antakya in Turkey) located on the Orontes River in the northwestern corner of the Roman province of Syria. Nicolaus of Antioch became one of the seven Hellenist leaders in Jerusalem (Acts 6:5), and Christianity was brought to Antioch ca. 40 CE by Hellenists who fled from Jerusalem after the martyrdom of Stephen (Acts 11:19-20). The term “Christian” was first applied to believers in Antioch, probably because they broke with Judaism by admitting Gentiles to the community without requiring circumcision (Acts 11:26). Barnabas brought Saul (Paul) from Tarsus to Antioch, where “for an entire year they met with the church” (Acts 11:22-26). Later, Paul publicly rebuked Peter at Antioch for hypocrisy (Gal 2:11-21).