Luke commendeth in this place the faith of the men of Antioch by the fruit, because they endeavored to relieve the poverty of that church, from whence they received the gospel, with their abundance; and that did they unrequested. Such earnest care for the brethren doth sufficiently declare how seriously they worshipped Christ, the head of all. Luke doth signify that the fame of that church was spread abroad, when he saith that there came excellent men thither from Jerusalem. But forasmuch as the word prophet is taken divers ways in the New Testament as we may learn by the former Epistle to the Corinthians, those are called prophets in this place who were endued with the gift of prophesying, as the four daughters of Philip shall have the same title given them hereafter. And forasmuch as the foretelling of the famine is attributed to Agabus alone, we may hereby gather that this was granted to every one by a certain measure to know things to come.

And in these days - While Barnabas and Saul were at Antioch.
Came prophets - The word "prophet" denotes properly "one who foretells future events." See the notes on Matthew 7:15. It is sometimes used in the New Testament to denote simply "religious teachers, instructors sent from God, without particular reference to future events." To teach the people in the doctrines of religion was a part of the prophetic office, and this idea was only sometimes denoted by the use of the word. See Romans 12:6; 1-Corinthians 12:10, 1-Corinthians 12:28; 1-Corinthians 13:2, 1-Corinthians 13:8; 1-Corinthians 14:3, 1-Corinthians 14:5,1-Corinthians 14:24. These prophets seem to have been endowed in a remarkable manner with the knowledge of future events; with the power of explaining mysteries; and in some cases with the power of speaking foreign languages. In this case, it seems that one of them at least had the power of foretelling future events.

Came prophets from Jerusalem - Though the term prophet is used in the New Testament simply to signify a teacher, (see the note on Genesis 20:7, where the subject is largely explained), yet here it evidently means also such as are under Divine inspiration, and foretold future events. This was certainly the case with Agabus, Acts 11:28, though, perhaps, his ordinary character was that of a teacher or preacher. It seems from various scriptures, Romans 12:4, etc., 1-Corinthians 13:2-14:40, that the prophets of the New Testament were
1. Teachers or preachers in general.
2. Persons who, on special occasions, were under the influence of the Divine Spirit, and then foretold certain future events.
3. Persons who recited hymns to the honor of God in the public assemblies of the Christians.
4. Persons who prayed in those assemblies, having sometimes the gift of tongues, at other times not.
From Ephesians 2:20; Ephesians 3:5, we learn that the prophets of the Christian Church were inferior to the apostles; but, from Ephesians 4:11, we see that they were superior to all other teachers, even to evangelists and pastors.

(7) And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch.
(7) God punishes his Church when he punishes the wicked, in his scourges and plagues which he sends upon the earth, in such a way that he nonetheless conveniently provides for it.

And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem to Antioch., That is, some time in that year that Saul and Barnabas were at Antioch, there came from Jerusalem thither some Christian prophets; for such there were in the Christian church, who had not only a gift of expounding the more mysterious prophecies of the Old Testament, but also of foretelling things to come; see Acts 13:1.

BY OCCASION OF A FAMINE BARNABAS AND SAUL RETURN TO JERUSALEM WITH A CONTRIBUTION FOR THE RELIEF OF THEIR SUFFERING BRETHREN. (Acts 11:27-30)
came prophets from Jerusalem--inspired teachers, a class we shall afterwards frequently meet with, who sometimes, but not necessarily, foretold future events. They are classed next to apostles (1-Corinthians 12:28-29; Ephesians 4:11).

In these days. While Saul was at Antioch.
Came prophets. See note on Acts 2:17.
One of them named Agabus. Also named in Acts 21:10. He had the prophetic gift.
Should be a great dearth. A famine.
Throughout all the world. This expression in the Scriptures often means the Jewish world.
In the days of Claudius Cesar. Josephus (Antiquities, 20:2, 6) describes a great famine that prevailed in Palestine in the reign of Claudius CÃ&brvbr;sar, beginning about the close of A. D. 44, and lasting three or four years. Food had to be imported by the benevolent persons from Egypt and Cyprus, yet many perished.