Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Acts 13:4

"So they, being sent forth by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus." — Acts 13:4 (ASV)

Luke now begins the account of the missioners’ outreach to Cyprus, Pamphylia, and the southern portion of Galatia. While the church confirms in its own experience the divine will, identifies itself with God’s purposes and those whom he has called for specific tasks, and releases them from their duties for wider service (cf. v.3), it is God who by his Spirit is in charge of events and sends out his missioners. Thus, being “sent on their way by the Holy Spirit,” they went down to Seleucia on the Mediterranean and sailed from there to the island of Cyprus. Just why they thought of going to Cyprus first in carrying out their mandate we don’t know. But Barnabas was from Cyprus (4:36); and knowing generally the will of God, he and Saul were ready to move from the known to the unknown. Seleucia was the port city of Antioch of Syria, some sixteen miles west of Antioch and four or five miles northeast of the mouth of the Orontes River. It was founded by Seleucus I Nicator, the first king of the Seleucid dynasty, about 300 B. C. in conjunction with the founding of Antioch. Cyprus was an island of great importance from very early times, being situated on the shipping lanes between Syria, Asia Minor, and Greece. In 57 B. C. it was annexed by Rome from Egypt and in 55 B. C. incorporated into the province of Cilicia. In 27 B. C. it became a separate province governed on behalf of the emperor Augustus by an imperial legate. In 22 B. C. Augustus relinquished its control to the senate, and, like other senatorial provinces, it was administered by a proconsul.