Simeon who was called Niger

Info

• coworker prophet
• Home:: Antioch (possibly from Africa)
• Other Locales:: None recorded
• References:: Acts 13:1

Notes

• Called “Niger” (Latin for “black”), suggesting African descent
• One of the prophets and teachers at Antioch

Summary

Simeon called Niger appears once in Acts 13:1, listed among the “prophets and teachers” in the Antioch Church alongside Barnabas, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, and Paul.

His Latin cognomen “Niger” means “black” and refers to his physical appearance, a dark complexion indicating African descent. Some scholars speculate that Simeon Niger is the same person as Simon of Cyrene, the African man who carried Jesus’s cross (Mark 15:21, Luke 23:26). Cyrene was a major North African city (modern Libya), and both “Simeon” and “Simon” are variant forms of the same Semitic name. If this identification is correct, though it remains speculative, the man who bore Christ’s cross became a prophet and teacher in the church that launched the Gentile mission. Mark notes that Simon of Cyrene was “the father of Alexander and Rufus” (Mark 15:21), apparently known figures in the early church.

Simeon Niger’s presence in the Antioch leadership team was significant. The Antioch Church’s leadership was remarkably diverse: a North African (Simeon), a Cyrenian Jew (Lucius), a Cypriot Levite (Barnabas), a Herodian courtier (Manaen), and a Pharisaic tent-maker (Paul). This ethnic, cultural, and social diversity shaped the community that the Holy Spirit chose as the launching point for the worldwide Gentile mission (Acts 13:2-3).

References

• wrightChallengeActsRediscovering2024 - Wright’s study of Acts as theological history, covering Simeon Niger’s role in Acts 13:1.
• polhillActs1992 - Polhill’s Acts commentary covering Simeon Niger in Acts 13:1.
• paoActsIsaianicNew2002 - Pao’s study of Acts through the lens of Isaiah’s new exodus, providing theological context for Simeon Niger’s narrative in Acts 13:1.
• addisonActsMovementGod2023 - Addison examines the Acts narrative as a movement model, including Simeon Niger’s contribution in Acts 13:1.
• Acts 13:1 Commentaries - BibleHub
• Simeon Niger - Wikipedia