Notes for 11:20,21
It was in Antioch that Christianity was launched on its worldwide mission and where the believers aggressively preached to the Gentiles (non-Jews who did not worship God). Philip had preached in Samaria, but the Samaritans were part Jewish (Acts 8:5); Peter preached to Cornelius, but he already worshiped God (Acts 10:2). Believers who were scattered after the outbreak of persecution in Jerusalem spread the gospel to other Jews in the lands they fled to (Acts 11:19). At this time, the believers began actively sharing the Good News with Gentiles.
Notes for 11:22
With the exception of Jerusalem, Antioch of Syria played a more important role in the early church than any other city. After Rome and Alexandria, Antioch was the largest city in the Roman world. In Antioch, the first Gentile church was founded, and there the believers were first called Christians (Acts 11:26). Antioch was a key city both to Rome and to the early church.
