Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Acts 13:1

"Now there were at Antioch, in the church that was [there], prophets and teachers, Barnabas, and Symeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen the foster-brother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul." — Acts 13:1 (ASV)

At Antioch there were five “prophets and teachers” in the church. The Greek suggests that Barnabas, Simeon, and Lucius were prophets, and Manaen and Saul were teachers—with prophecy here understood to include “forthtelling” as well as “foretelling” and teaching having to do with showing OT relationships and implications. We know Barnabas was a Levite from Cyprus who resided in Jerusalem and became a leading figure in the Jerusalem church (4:36–37; 9:27; 11:22–30). He was, as Luke tells us, “a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith” (11:24) and undoubtedly served as a channel for the truth of the Gospel direct from the Jerusalem congregation. Simeon Niger (meaning “black”) may have come from Africa; he was possibly the Simon from Cyrene of Lk 23:26. As for Lucius and Manaen, we know nothing certain apart from this verse. Lucius of Cyrene was frequently identified in the postapostolic period with Luke the evangelist and author of Acts; but this is not likely, for Luke refrains from identifying himself with Paul’s missionary journeys, except through the occasional use of the pronoun “we.” Manaen is identified as one “who had been brought up with” (GK 5343; lit., a “foster brother” or “intimate friend”) Herod the Tetrarch. This suggests that he had been raised as an adopted brother or close companion of Herod Antipas. As for Saul, we know him from 7:58–8:3; 9:1–30; and 11:25–30.