Lucius Λούκιος
Prophet and teacher in the church at Antioch.
Who is Lucius in the Bible?
Lucius of Cyrene was a prophet and teacher in the church at Antioch, mentioned alongside Barnabas and Paul in Acts 13:1. As a leader in the Antioch church, he participated in the significant moment when the Holy Spirit called Paul and Barnabas to missionary work, and he laid hands on them to commission them for their first missionary journey. His origins in Cyrene, a city in North Africa, suggest the early church included leaders from diverse geographical backgrounds. Lucius represents the vital role of prophets and teachers in the apostolic church who discerned God's direction and equipped missionaries for spreading the gospel to the Gentiles.
Biography
Lucius of Cyrene is mentioned in Act.13.1 as one of the prophets and teachers in the church at Antioch, alongside Barnabas, Simeon (called Niger), Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch), and Saul (later known as Paul). Cyrene was a city in modern-day Libya, North Africa, indicating that Lucius may have been of African origin. As a prophet and teacher, Lucius would have been involved in proclaiming God's word and instructing the believers in Antioch. It was during a time of worship and fasting that the Holy Spirit called Barnabas and Saul to be set apart for the work of spreading the gospel to the Gentiles. Lucius, along with the other leaders, laid their hands on Barnabas and Saul and sent them off on their first missionary journey, which marked a significant expansion of the early Christian church. Additionally, Lucius is mentioned in Rom.16.21 as a companion of Paul who sends greetings to the church in Rome, further indicating his involvement in the ministry of the early church.
In Scripture
2 biblical books ; 2 with study contentActs 1 verse
- Acts 13:1
"Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch), and Saul."
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Romans 1 verse
- Romans 16:21
"Timothy, my fellow worker, sends you greetings, as do Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my fellow countrymen."
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Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Named | Greek | Λούκιος |
Lucius (1)
raenomen only of the consul is given, there has been much discussion as to the person intended. The weight of probability has been assigned to Lucius Calpurnius Piso, who was one of the consuls in 139-138 BC, the fact of his praenomen being Cneius and not Lucius being explained by an error in transcription and the fragmentary character of the documents. The authority of the Romans not being as yet thoroughly established in Asia, they were naturally anxious to form alliances with the kings of Egypt and with the Jews to keep Syria in check. The imperfections that are generally admitted in the transcription of the Roman letter are not such as in any serious degree to invalidate the authority of the narrative in 1 Maccabees.
J. Hutchison
(1) In the church at Antioch which sent out Barnabas and Saul as its missionaries were several prophets and teachers, among whom was Lucius of Cyrene (<ref osisRef="Bi