Paul – Barnabas and other Friends
Recalling our journeys with friends
How many friends have you had in this brief journey of your life?
- Who are the first friends YOU remember?
- And where are they NOW?
In the cover photo from my copy of “Friendship” Emerson suggests that we miss much and mostly undervalue those dear souls we briefly encounter in life.
Acts of the apostles’ friends
Barnabas, I remind us here, was also an apostle (one sent out), from the Greek word indicating the authority of a delegate or messenger sent forth with orders.
The mission of apostles sent by the Holy Spirit does not diminish any importance of their individual relationships — men maturing together as brothers of the family of Christ.
The apostle Paul
Chronologically the apostle’s account (from later in Acts) will recall what Luke recorded previously in Acts 9 and illuminates the timeline of Paul’s journeys as I noted last time.
“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day.
Acts of the Apostles 22:3 ESV – Paul recounting his pervious conversion to Christ ~ AD 37
We will return to Paul’s second mission shortly & proceed observantly ahead from our half-verse of Acts 16:1a near the beginning of the apostle’s 2nd missionary journey.
Yet something about the recent split between Paul and Barnabas still bothers me..
39 And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord.
Acts of the Apostles 15:39-40 ESV
What was it about the friendship of Barnabas and Paul breaking up that I found somewhat disturbing?
WHY did these friends separate after this second argument?
- Was it how Barnabas insisted on John Mark joining them — a young man who deserted these friends previously now replacing Paul as Barnabas and now has departed for Cypress with Mark?
- Did the apostle simply expect loyalty to a co-worker in the Gospel?
- Or perhaps loyalty of Barnabas to Paul who had witnessed the risen Christ Jesus?
Recall from earlier, just before their first missionary journey:
So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people.
Acts of the Apostles 11:25-26a ESV
We know that Barnabas had been Paul’s mentor. And now this ‘son of encouragement’ seems to abandon the apostle for a new and younger co-worker in the Gospel?
Did Joseph of Cypress now choose John Mark or perhaps witnessing to his family on Cypress over his long-time disciple and friend Saul of Tarsus?
(‘How dare he,’ we mistakenly think while not considering roles best-known to the Holy Spirit.)
We all question former choices of a friend when something goes amiss in the relationship don’t we? ESPECIALLY when something does NOT go according to plan.
Yet the Apostle knew his Scripture well:
And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Ecclesiastes 4:12 ESV
SO did Paul ask himself,
‘Might I need more than one friend to walk alongside and encourage me on my next journey life?’
Reflections on Friendship
‘What ever happened to ___?’
Not that you want to hear any stories of my missing friends, but this lament of mine for Paul’s loss of the companionship of Barnabas leads me to share such common wonderings. Perhaps my reflections could help us answer unasked questions of our own hearts about the roles of Very Important People in our lives.
SO allow me to answer my own opening QUESTIONS.
- How many friends have you had in this brief journey of your life?
- Who are the first friends YOU remember?
- Where are they NOW?
I would love to hear about YOUR friends in a COMMENT at the end of this post. Reminder that no PRIVATE comment will be posted publically. I may repost your PUBLIC comment as 'anonymous' if you include any identifiable information along with your COMMENT about your friend, mentor or anything else. - RH
- I thank God for more than a handful of close personal relationships over many years with several who at one time I cherished as a close friend, a near brother or a beloved sister.
- Several I first counted as a friend were classmates in school. Others in college. And still other first encounters of a best friend in a new workplace, local neighborhood or a new church. (I have recalled some recently: some in quiet times, others on a visit home with frequent memories recalled at a wedding or funeral.)
- 5 friends who God brought to encourage me include:
- a family friend from our church who mostly journeyed with me from elementary school through high school in the same class
- a boy who moved to our school and became my best friend as we participated in the same things – in and after school, school and community groups, memorable journeys with other friends in the formative years of our early lives.
- a mutual new friend who moved into our town whose affable intellect intrigued us
- another young man whose seat landed alphabetically near mine and whose humor and wit brought joy to my heart. (I later asked this best friend to be the best man at our wedding.)
- a mentor – actually several of a group of older friends in high school connected by mutual activities and interests who were close and valued friends of my earliest journeys toward commencement.
- 5 friends who God brought to encourage me include:
- Mostly, I have lost track of these friends, some with whom I hope to renew an even more glorious friendship in our eternal time together with the risen Christ Jesus. Now most are retired, a few working in places far distant from my everyday mortal life, some I have not and will never see again and others perhaps I might briefly touch before the inevitable failing of the moral flesh.
- I might add that the mentor-friend who gave me the Friendship book married another friend of this mentor group and another played ‘taps’ a few years back at my father’s funeral.
Paul’s friends and Mentors
What was it about the friendship of Barnabas and Paul breaking up that we find somewhat disturbing?
I miss many friends whose paths have parted from my own journey in life.
Certainly as I miss my grade school, high school and college friends of so many years ago, Paul will miss his friend, mentor and fellow apostle Barnabas.
In fact, Paul has had close friends before including teachers such as Gamaliel and Ananias, called by Christ to lead the blind Saul persecutor of disciples to apostles and disciples of Jesus in Damascus, Antioch and Jerusalem.
Gamaliel and Ananias had more importantly been mentors to Saul of Tarsus, but Paul is about to become a friend and mentor to many new disciples of The Way of Jesus Christ.
Will Silas become an equal friend to Paul, even as Barnabas had proven to be over the past few years?
Jesus’ friends, followers and family
We do well to consider the preciousness of every friendship, relationship and familial connection to others even as the Lord Jesus gives clear instructions to His friends and disciples, the Apostles, His earthly family and any heart yearning for the love of God.
Gospel of Luke
5:10b-11 And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.
8:20-21 And he was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you.” But he answered them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.”
No special place for family, even His mother Mary or half-brothers James and Jude.
9 And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.. 6 And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.
Jesus is a mentor to his apostles, yet more than that – with the authority of God their Teacher sends them out to begin the healing of sin.
Later Jesus, their Teacher, will warn his Disciples of the rejection they too will suffer.
Their friend and Master is about to be delivered up as a Sacrifice on a Cross.
21:16 You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death.
QUESTIONS for each of us to ask.
Who is an apostle, a disciple, a brother, a mentor, a friend?
.. he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles:
Luke 6:13b ESV
A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.
Gospel of Luke 40 ESV – μαθητής – disciple or pupil; διδάσκαλος – a teacher
Acts of friends & apostles of Jesus
Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.
No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.
Gospel of John 15:13-15 ESV
Friend, how will you ACT when a brother in Christ asks you to Talk of JESUS? Won't you comment about your friends? SHARE the Gospel with a friend by quoting my encouragement of friendship with you. Who is your friend who needs some Good News?
Comment on Scripture + Share the Gospel
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