Note 2 at Acts 11:28: Agabus was a prophet who came to Antioch during the time that Saul and Barnabas were there teaching the disciples. He prophesied that there would be a worldwide famine, which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar. History records a great famine in the fourth year of Claudius, which would have been A.D. 45 (see note 3 at this verse). This would place the event recorded here, sometime shortly prior to that time. This same Agabus met Paul in Caesarea many years later, and prophesied that Paul would be bound and turned over to the Gentiles (Acts 21:10-12), which also came to pass (Acts 22:33).

Note 3 at Acts 11:28: There were four Roman emperors referred to as Caesar in the New Testament.. Caesar was a family name of the Julian clan in Rome and can be traced back to 501 B.C.. The name did not gain preeminence until Julius Caesar became of the greatest generals of all time and dictator of Rome. Julius Caesar was assassinated around 44 B.C. and his will requested that his grandnephew Octavius, or Augustus, use his name of Caesar.

At first Augustus Caesar shared the throne of Rome with Mark Antony and Lepidus. Augustus eventually became sole ruler of Rome and was given the title of emperor. It was Augustus Caesar who issued the decree for all the world to be taxed that caused Joseph and Mary to go to Bethlehem where Jesus was born (Lk. 2:1-7). Augustus allowed daily sacrifice in the temple at his expense. Caesarea Philippi and Caesarea by the Sea were built in his honor by Herod (see note 3 at Lk. 3:1, p. 70). He died at 67 years of age around A.D. 14.

The second Caesar mentioned in scripture is Tiberius. He was the adopted son of Augustus and was referred to in Matthew 22:17; Mark 12:14; Luke 3:1; 20:22; John 19:12. The city of Tiberias, on the sea of Galilee, was built by Herod Antipas (see note 3 at Lk. 3:1, p. 70) for him. Tiberius died in A.D. 37 at 79 years of age.

The third Caesar in scripture, which is mentioned in this reference, was Claudius. He succeeded Caesar Caligula in A.D. 41 to become Rome's fourth Caesar and died in A.D. 54 at 64 years of age after his wife Agrippina poisoned him.

The fourth Caesar mentioned in scripture is Nero. Nero is referred to in Acts 17:7; 25:8, 10-12, 21; 26:32; 27:24; 28:19; and Philippians 4:22. He was the adopted son of Claudius Caesar. He was known for his cruelty, which included poisoning his stepbrother Britannicus to obtain the throne, and blaming the burning of Rome on followers of Christ, with subsequent mass slaughter of Christians. He was deserted by his troops and committed suicide in A.D. 68 at 32 years of age.

Seven other Roman emperors, who are not mentioned in scripture and had no relation to the original Julius Caesar, were called by the name Caesar, so that it came to symbolize the Roman civil power in general.