At that time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch, 28 and one of them named Agabus stood up and predicted by the Spirit that there would be a severe famine all over the world, and it happened under Claudius. 29 So the disciples determined that, according to ability, each should send relief to the brothers who lived in Judea. 30 This they did, sending it to the presbyters in care of Barnabas and Saul.
Prophets in the early Church were individuals who received and conveyed messages from God, often offering guidance, encouragement, or predictions about future events. The gift of prophecy was an essential aspect of early Christian leadership, and these prophets served as key figures in establishing the faith in various communities. Some prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch, a significant center for the early Christian Church growing rapidly and including Jewish and Gentile believers. The visit of the prophets from Jerusalem to Antioch likely reflected the close ties between the Jerusalem Church, the spiritual heart of Christianity where many of the apostles resided, and this emerging Christian center.
One of the prophets, Agabus, made a divinely inspired prophecy about a coming famine throughout the Roman Empire, the known world at that time. Agabus made his prophecy before the onset of a series of documented famines that took place during the reign of Emperor Claudius (A.D. 41-54) In response to Agabus' prophecy, the disciples in Antioch decided to send relief to the Christian community in Judea, anticipating the coming famine. Each disciple contributed based on his ability, and the relief was sent through Barnabas and Saul, trusted leaders in the Church, to the presbyters (elders) of the Judean community. This indicated unity between the missionary outreach in Antioch and the mother Church in Jerusalem.
Heavenly Father, as Your Spirit guided the prophets and moved the hearts of the disciples to care for those in need, we also ask that You fill us with compassion and generosity. Help us to respond to the needs of others with love, trusting in Your provision and strengthening the bonds of our Christian family. This we pray through Christ our Lord Amen!
References
- McSorley, Joseph. An Outline History of the Church by Centuries (From St. Peter to Pius XII). 2nd ed., B. Herder Book Co., 1944.
- Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
- Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
- Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Prentice Hall, 1990.
- Charpentier, Etienne. How to Read the Old Testament. Translated by John Bowden, 1981.
- Komonchak, Joseph, et al., editors. The New Dictionary of Theology.
- McKenzie, John. Dictionary of the Bible. Collier Books, 1965.
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