📖 Biblical Definition
Port city of Antioch in Syria, about sixteen miles from Antioch at the mouth of the Orontes River on the Mediterranean. Founded by Seleucus I Nicator (one of Alexander the Great's generals and the founder of the Seleucid dynasty) and named for him. Seleucia is briefly mentioned in Acts as the departure point of Paul and Barnabas's first missionary journey: So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus (Acts 13:4). The narrative context is significant. The Antioch church had received the prophetic word from the Holy Ghost: Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them (Acts 13:2). After fasting and prayer, the church laid hands on Barnabas and Saul and sent them away. They went from Antioch to its port at Seleucia, embarked there, and sailed to Cyprus. Seleucia is therefore the historical launching-point of the formal Pauline missionary enterprise that would over the next decades plant churches throughout Asia Minor and Greece, write much of the NT, and define the early church's Gentile mission. The patriarchal-Reformed reader notes the precision of the Acts narrative: the historical port from which the first apostolic missionary journey departed is named and located, anchoring the early church's mission in concrete geography and history.
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
Port city of Antioch in Syria; departure point of Paul and Barnabas's first missionary journey (Acts 13:4); historical launching-point of formal Pauline missionary enterprise.
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SELEUCIA, proper n. (NT place; Greek Seleukeia) Port city of Antioch in Syria, about 16 miles from Antioch at the mouth of the Orontes River on the Mediterranean. Founded by Seleucus I Nicator (one of Alexander's generals, founder of the Seleucid dynasty). Departure point of Paul and Barnabas's first missionary journey: So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus (Acts 13:4). Historical launching-point of the formal Pauline missionary enterprise.
📖 Key Scripture
Acts 13:1-3 — "Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger... As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away."
Acts 13:4 — "So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus."
Acts 14:26 — "And thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled."
Romans 15:20 — "Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
No major postmodern redefinition. Seleucia is a precise historical waypoint in Acts; the recovery is the appreciation of its role as the launching-point of formal Pauline mission.
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Seleucia as a place name does not undergo lexical corruption. The principal contemporary recovery is the appreciation of Seleucia as the historical launching-point of the formal Pauline missionary enterprise. The patriarchal-Reformed reader notes the precision of the Acts geography: the Antioch church set apart Barnabas and Saul under the Holy Spirit's prophetic word; they went to Antioch's port at Seleucia; embarked there; sailed to Cyprus. The historical specificity anchors the early church's mission in concrete geographical reality. Seleucia is the first of many concrete waypoints in the Acts missionary geography that the careful Bible reader can trace.
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
Acts 13:4; Antioch's port; founded by Seleucus I Nicator; launching-point of first Pauline journey.
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['Greek', 'G4581', 'Seleukeia', 'Seleucia']
['Greek', '—', 'Seleukos', 'Seleucus I Nicator']
['Greek', '—', 'Antiocheia', 'Antioch (the mother city)']
Usage
"Seleucia: port city of Antioch in Syria."
"Departure point of Paul and Barnabas's first missionary journey (Acts 13:4)."
"Historical launching-point of formal Pauline mission."