SUCCESS! So after their first missionary journey and years together witnessing the Gospel you wouldn’t expect a parting of paths of these apostles Barnabas and Paul, right?
The Church at Antioch received exciting good news that their First Missionary Journey was successful. Then hey sent a delegation to Jerusalem to clarify some gentile issues in a Council meeting with the Apostles and Church. Barnabas and Paul return to Antioch with a clarification of doctrine and some brothers from the Jerusalem Church.
The Council at Jerusalem sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers.. down to Antioch.
Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren – Acts of the Apostles 15:20 – KJV
Previously:
Acts 14:27 [in Antioch]
And when they arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. And they remained no little time with the disciples. But some men came down from Judea [to the church at Antioch] ..
And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question.
When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them.
Excerpt from Acts of the Apostles 14:27 - 15:4
30 So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch, and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter. And when they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement.
Preaching the Gospel to all in Antioch
32 And Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many words. 33 And after they had spent some time, they were sent off in peace by the brothers to those who had sent them.
35 But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.
[Let’s not miss this: Paul and Barnabas had spent some time with the Church in Jerusalem. Now Judas [Barsabas] and Silas ‘exhorted the brethren’ [KJV] in Antioch. And then they return [v.33b]
Planning a Second Missionary Journey
Take a look at our map [cover]:
Barnabas and Paul preached the Gospel as they had sailed to Cypress, travelled along the coast and then sailed to Pamphylia where they journeyed to inland cities before sailing back to Antioch. ~A.D. 47-49
36 And after some days Paul said to Barnabas,
“Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.”
37 Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark.
38 But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work.
Do you recall the incident prior to their inland journey? (It too had caused a parting of paths and as mentioned previously became a time when Mark would write his Gospel.)
Acts of the Apostles 13:13 Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem
Barnabas wants to have his young cousin who had served them in Cypress to go with them again. As a reminder, Barnabas had also mentored the younger Saul of Tarsus (Paul) in his early days. But Paul disagreed.
This sharp disagreement between Christians, brothers who worked side by side proclaiming the Gospel — even suffering severe persecution for the sake of the Gospel of Christ Jesus — Paul and Barnabas would NOW agree to a parting of paths to the gentiles, making separate mission journeys with new travel companions to witness the Gospel in yet more cities and towns of the Roman-ruled world of MOSTLY gentiles.
39 And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus..
AD 49/50 {Between v.39 & v.40} It will take Paul some weeks or perhaps months to reorganize the 2nd mission to the Gentiles as the apostles and friends plan their parting of paths for two missions to MORE new Christians.
Cilicia – journey through Syria to Pamphylia
40 but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
What afflictions, which tribulations will we suffer for our witness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
~AD 49- a return journey
[Just a reminder that Paul is a more local name for Saul from Tarsus beyond the imposing Guyik and Taurus mountains and many brothers address Joseph of the island of Cypress by his encouraging nickname, Barnabas.]
- from remote Derby through Lycaonia to Antioch through Pisidia & Pamphylia to Perga and sailing from Attalia (without returning to Cypress) to their home port in Syria to Antioch.
Joseph of Cypress and Saul of Tarsus have endured many afflictions for the Gospel, even a stoning of Saul (as he had once witnessed of Stephen in Jerusalem).
Barnabas
You’ll recall that Joseph of Cypress, known to his friends as Βαρναβᾶς or son of encouragement is a very Jewish Levite.
Now Joseph, a Levite of Cyprian birth, who was also called Barnabas by the apostles (which translated means Son of Encouragement)
Joseph had devoted his life to the Apostles’ teaching and gave them money from selling a field. This highly respected older man from Cypress had brought the feared young and zealous Pharisee Saul to the Apostles vouching for the authenticity of his conversion and teaching since encountering Christ.
Even then he was talking and arguing with the Hellenistic Jews, but they were attempting to put him to death.
So the Church at Jerusalem, led by the Apostles, sent Saul off to the Church at Antioch, nearer to Tarsus as well as Cypress.
Barnabas continues mentoring a young Saul of Tarsus known to the Gentiles as Paul.
The Church at Antioch sends them out to Cypress along with Joseph’s nephew John Mark. From there these two apostles proceed to cities and small towns in the Taurus Mountains.
As a reminder:
Luke publishes ACTS OF THE APOSTLES in about AD 62 as a historical account for a growing Church.
This FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY of the Apostles PAUL & BARNABAS occurs over several months and many miles in about AD 47-49.
Another Rising of Saul
Not too many men or women ever suffer the afflictions of Saul OR the miraculous raisings of a man who seems to have been struck down by God and men to persevere in more persecution for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
and falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”
And he said, “Who are You, Lord?”
And He said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting,
19 But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead.
20 But while the disciples stood around him, he rose up and entered the city.
The next day he went away with Barnabas to Derbe.
21 And after they had proclaimed the gospel to that city and had made many disciples..
Dr. Luke once again accounts for not only the miracle of Paul's rising after being stoned to death and his battered frame dragged out of Lystra, but again that they 'had made many disciples' of the risen Lord Jesus in Derbe.
Their Return Journey to Antioch Pisidia
[from Derbe] .. they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples..
The Apostles’ Parting Message:
.. encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying,
“Through many afflictions we must enter the kingdom of God.”
properly, a pressing, pressing together, pressure (Strabo, p. 52; Galen); in Biblical and ecclesiastical writings, a Greek metaphor, oppression, affliction, tribulation, distress, straits;
Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.
Gospel of Matthew 24:9 KJV – a prophesy of Jesus to his disciples
Paul and Barnabas have already seen much tribulation. But now others – Jewish converts, Hellenists, even Roman believers among so many saints of these growing churches will also suffer afflictions as disciples of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The Gospel of Paul comes with more than a change of heart and soul – these Christians will see afflictions and tribulations — troubles never before encountered when they did not claim the risen Christ Jesus as their Lord.
The SOULS of the disciples of these NEW CHURCHES will need much STRENGTHING from leaders ENCOURAGING them to CONTINUE in THE FAITH.
Paul and Barnabas will continue that work which they begun by returning to these new disciples on their return journey to the Church at Antioch from which they were sent out by the Holy Spirit and church.
A foundational ministry in the mountains
they had proclaimed the gospel [in Derby] and had made many disciples,
they returned
to Lystra
and to Iconium
and to Antioch
And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
Acts of the Apostles Paul and Barnabas 14:23
And when they passed through Pisidia, they came into Pamphylia. – ACTS 14:24
And when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia.
Acts of the Apostles 14 – Paul & Barnabas’ return from first missionary journey
And from there they sailed to Antioch, from where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work that they had fulfilled.
Home in Antioch (Syria)
And when they had arrived and gathered the church together,
they began to report all things that God had done with them and how He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.
And they spent not a little time with the disciples.
This first missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas has taken about two years. The apostles (ones sent out) of the Gospel have much to share with the disciples (followers) of the risen Christ Jesus.
NEXT: In Acts of the Apostles 15 Luke will record some differences in worship yet to be worked out between Christians in Antioch and disciples of Christ in Judea and other parts of Syria.
