And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be great famine throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar.
All Commentaries on Acts 11:28 Go To Acts 11
John Chrysostom
AD 407
By the Spirit, it says: for, that they may not imagine that this was the reason why the famine came, (namely) because Christianity had come in, because the demons were departed, the Holy Ghost foretells it: this, however, was nothing wonderful, for in fact Christ predicted it. Not this was the reason, else this must have been the case from the beginning: but it was because of the evils done to the Apostles— and God had borne long with them; but, when they pressed upon them, a great famine ensues, betokening to the Jews the coming woes. If it was because of them, in any wise it ought to have stopped (there), when it did exist. What harm had the Gentiles done, that they should have their share in the evils? They ought rather to have been marked as approved (εὐδοκιμἥσαι), because they were doing their part, were slaying, punishing, taking vengeance, persecuting on every side. And mark also at what time the famine comes: precisely when the Gentiles were thenceforth added to the Church. But if, as you say, it was because of the evils (done by the Jews), these ought to have been exempted. How so? Christ, forestalling this objection, said, You shall have tribulation. John 16:33 (It is) just as if you should say, They ought not to have been scourged either. Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judea.
