SEV Biblia, Chapter 13:1
¶ Había entonces en la Iglesia que estaba en Antioquía, profetas y maestros: Bernab, y Simn el que se llamaba Niger, y Lucio Cireneo, y Manan, que había sido criado con Herodes el tetrarca, y Saulo.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 13:1
Verse 1. Certain prophets and teachers] profhtai kai didaskaloi. It is probable that these were not distinct offices; both might be vested in the same persons. By prophets we are to understand, when the word is taken simply, persons who were frequently inspired to predict future events, and by teachers, persons whose ordinary office was to instruct the people in the Christian doctrine. These also, to be properly qualified for the office, must have been endued with the influence of the Holy Spirit; for, as but a very small portion of the Scriptures of the New Testament could have as yet been given, it was necessary that the teachers should derive much of their own teaching by immediate revelation from God. On prophets and teachers, see the note on chap. xi. 27.
Barnabas] Of whom see before, chap. xi. 22-24.
Simeon-Niger] Or Simeon the Black, either because of his complexion, or his hair. It was on reasons of this kind that surnames, surnoms, name upon name were first imposed. Of this Simeon nothing farther is known.
Lucius of Cyrene] See chap. xi. 20.
Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod] Our margin has given the proper meaning of the original word suntrofov, a foster-brother; i.e. Manaen was the son of the woman who nursed Herod Antipas; and the son, also, whose milk the young Herod shared. Of a person whose name was Manaen or Menahem, and who was in the court of Herod, we read several things in the Jewish writers. They say that this man had the gift of prophecy, and that he told Herod, when he was but a child, that he would be king. When Herod became king he sent for him to his court, and held him in great estimation. It might have been the son of this Menahem of whom St. Luke here speaks. Dr. Lightfoot has shown this to be at least possible.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 1. Now there were in the church that was at Antioch , etc.] This was Antioch in Syria, where was a Gospel church, and where the disciples were first called Christians; from whence Saul and Barnabas had been sent to Jerusalem, with a supply for the poor saints there, in a time of famine, and from whence they were now returned: and here were certain prophets and teachers ; who were both prophets and teachers, though these are sometimes distinguished; who had both a gift of foretelling things to come, as Agabus and others, and of explaining the prophecies of the Old Testament, and of teaching the people evangelic truths; these, at least some of them, came from Jerusalem hither, ( Acts 11:27). As Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger ; the former of these was a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus, who sold his land and brought the money to the apostles; and who was first sent hither by the church at Jerusalem, upon hearing that many in this place believed, and turned to the Lord, ( Acts 4:36,37 11:22) but of the latter no mention is made elsewhere; by his first name he appears to be a Jew, who by the Romans was called Niger; very likely from the blackness of his complexion, for that word signifies black: and so the Ethiopic version interprets it: and Lucius of Cyrene ; who very probably was one of the synagogue of the Cyrenians, and seems manifestly to be one of the men of Cyrene, that went abroad upon the persecution raised at the death of Stephen, ( Acts 6:9 11:19,20) he is said to be bishop of Cyrene; some take him to be the same Lucius mentioned in ( Romans 16:21) and others think he is the same with Luke the Evangelist: and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch : or his foster brother. The Syriac version calls him Manail, and one of Stephenss copies Manael, and the Ethiopic version Manache, and renders what is said of him, the son of king Herods nurse; which accounts for their being brought up, nourished, and suckled together: the name seems to be the same with Menachem, or Menahem, a name frequent with the Jews; there was one of this name, who was very intimate with Herod the great, and was in his service, though before he was vice president of the sanhedrim: the account that is given of him is this f600 : Hillell and Shammai received from them (i.e. from Shemaia and Abtalion, who were presidents before them), but at first there were Hillell and Menahem, but Menahem went out, dlmh tdwb[l , into the service of the king, with fourscore men clad in gold - Menahem was a very wise man, and a sort of a prophet, who delivered out many prophecies; and he told Herod when he was little, that he should reign; and after he was king, he sent for him, and he told him again, that he should reign more than thirty years, and he reigned thirty seven years, and he gave him great riches.
Of this Menahem, and of his going into the kings service, mention is made elsewhere f601 : now though this Menahem cannot be the same with Manaen here, yet this Manaen, as Dr. Lightfoot conjectures, might be the son of him, and called after his name; who might be brought up with the son of Herod the great, here called the tetrarch; and who was Herod Antipas, the same that beheaded John the Baptist: and Saul; who afterwards was called Paul.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-3 - What an assemblage was here! In these names we see that the Lord raise up instruments for his work, from various places and stations in life and zeal for his glory induces men to give up flattering connexions an prospects to promote his cause. It is by the Spirit of Christ that his ministers are made both able and willing for his service, and take from other cares that would hinder in it. Christ's ministers are to be employed in Christ's work, and, under the Spirit's guidance, to act for the glory of God the Father. They are separated to take pains, and no to take state. A blessing upon Barnabas and Saul in their presen undertaking was sought for, and that they might be filled with the Holy Ghost in their work. Whatever means are used, or rules observed, the Holy Ghost alone can fit ministers for their important work, and cal them to it.
Greek Textus Receptus
ησαν 2258 5713 V-IXI-3P δε 1161 CONJ τινες 5100 X-NPM εν 1722 PREP αντιοχεια 490 N-DSF κατα 2596 PREP την 3588 T-ASF ουσαν 5607 5752 V-PXP-ASF εκκλησιαν 1577 N-ASF προφηται 4396 N-NPM και 2532 CONJ διδασκαλοι 1320 N-NPM ο 3588 T-NSM τε 5037 PRT βαρναβας 921 N-NSM και 2532 CONJ συμεων 4826 N-PRI ο 3588 T-NSM καλουμενος 2564 5746 V-PPP-NSM νιγερ 3526 N-PRI και 2532 CONJ λουκιος 3066 N-NSM ο 3588 T-NSM κυρηναιος 2956 N-NSM μαναην 3127 N-PRI τε 5037 PRT ηρωδου 2264 N-GSM του 3588 T-GSM τετραρχου 5076 N-GSM συντροφος 4939 A-NSM και 2532 CONJ σαυλος 4569 N-NSM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
1. Prophets. See on Luke vii. 26.Lucius of Cyrene. Attempts have been made to identify him with Luke the evangelist; but the name Lucas is an abbreviation of Lucanus, and not of Lucius. It is worth noting, however, that, according to Herodotus (iii., 131), the physicians of Cyrene had the reputation of being the second best in Greece, those of Crotona being the best; and that Galen the physician says that Lucius was before him a distinguished physician in Tarsus of Cilicia. From this it has been conjectured that Luke was born and instructed in medicine in Cyrene, and left that place for Tarsus, where he made Paul's acquaintance, and was, perhaps, converted by him (Dr. Howard Crosby, "The New Testament, Old and New Version"). But, apart from the form of the name (see above), the mention of the evangelist's name here is not in accord with his usual practice, since he nowhere mentions his own name, either in the Gospel or in the Acts; and if the present passage were an exception, we should have expected to find his name last in the list of the worthies of Antioch. Of the five here named, four are known to be Jews; and therefore, probably, Lucius was also a Jew from Cyrene, where Jews are known to have abounded. Luke the evangelist, on the contrary, was a Gentile. Nothing certain can be inferred from Rom. xvi. 21, where Lucius is enumerated by Paul among his kinsmen. If suggeneiv, kinsmen, means here, as is claimed by some, countrymen, it would prove Lucius to be a Jew; but the word is commonly used of relatives in the New Testament. In Rom. ix. 3, Paul applies the term to his fellow-countrymen, "my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh, who are Israelites."
Which had been brought up with (suntrofov). Some render foster-brother, as Rev.; others, comrade. The word has both meanings.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
13:1 {In the church that was there} (kata ten ousan ekklesian). Possibly distributed throughout the church (note "in the church" #11:26). Now a strong organization there. Luke here begins the second part of Acts with Antioch as the center of operations, no longer Jerusalem. Paul is now the central figure instead of Peter. Jerusalem had hesitated too long to carry out the command of Jesus to take the gospel to the whole world. That glory will now belong to Antioch. {Prophets and teachers} (profetai kai didaskaloi). All prophets were teachers, but not all teachers were prophets who were for-speakers of God, sometimes fore-speakers like Agabus in #11:28. The double use of te here makes three prophets (Barnabas, Symeon, Lucius) and two teachers (Manaen and Saul). Barnabas heads the list (#11:22) and Saul comes last. Symeon Niger may be the Simon of Cyrene who carried the Savior's cross. Lucius of Cyrene was probably one of the original evangelists (#11:20). The name is one of the forms of Luke, but it is certainly not Luke the Physician. Manaen shows how the gospel was reaching some of the higher classes (home of Herod Antipas). {Foster-brother} (suntrofos). Old word for nourished with or brought up with one _collactaneus_ (Vulgate). These are clearly the outstanding men in the great Greek church in Antioch.
