Paul and Barnabas
The
Separation of Paul and Barnabas
BY WAYNE JACKSON
Saul
of Tarsus had been such a vicious persecutor of Christians that even after his conversion the brethren were
still afraid of him.
When
Paul eventually returned to Jerusalem following his conversion to Christ,
Barnabas had to persuade the disciples to let the apostle fellowship with them (Acts 9:26).
As
a result of this intercession, a wonderful friendship between Paul and Barnabas
was formed.
It
is, therefore, rather sad to note that they eventually had a “falling out” of
sorts.
On their first missionary journey together, John Mark,
the cousin of Barnabas accompanied
them (Colossians 4:10).
Along
the way, however, John Mark decided to return to his home in Jerusalem (Acts 13:13).
The
reason for his departure is not specified in the sacred text.
Later on, when a second campaign was planned, Barnabas
proposed taking Mark as a helper, but Paul resisted the idea.
The New Testament record indicates that a “sharp
contention” developed between them (Acts
15:36-41).
They
could not reach an agreement, and so they split up.
As
far as the sacred record indicates, these two remarkable men never saw one
another again.
The serious Bible student cannot read this episode and
not be moved.
Nevertheless,
there are some vital principles that one may learn from the dispute that
developed between these Christian brothers.
Disagreements
that Do Not Involve Doctrine
This dissension between Paul and
Barnabas was not over a doctrinal issue.
The
rupture involved a personal dispute based upon a judgment call.
To
their credit, neither Paul nor Barnabas let the conflict distract them from
their respective efforts of spreading the gospel.
Making application to Christians today, there will
always be times when good
brethren will disagree in matters of opinion.
The
important thing is to keep focused on doing the will of Christ. That is what
Paul and Barnabas both did.
As
a result, perhaps even more work was
accomplished for the Lord because of the manner in which their disagreement was
handled.
Who
Was Right?
Was it Paul, or Barnabas? One
simply does not know.
Some, rather confidently, argue that Paul was just too
stubborn to give in. Lloyd Ogilvie wrote: “Paul
had fought and won one of history’s most crucial battles over the Gentile converts. He was not able,
however, to apply the same truth to his relationship with John Mark” (Drumbeat of
Love, Waco: TX: Word, 1976).
On the other hand, the church in Antioch “commended”
Paul and Silas (Acts 15:40), but nothing is said about any commendation of Barnabas and Mark.
That
circumstance may suggest how the matter was perceived by the saints in Antioch.
Paul
may have been guided by experience and cool logic, whereas Barnabas was moved
perhaps by a kindred familiarity and a warm heart.
Many of us may be a bit drawn to Barnabas when we
reflect upon the fact that we too
occasionally have needed a second chance.
Over
the long haul, the decision of Barnabas may have proved best – at least for
John Mark.
Years later, Paul finds the formerly useless Mark “useful,”
as revealed in the apostle’s concluding epistle. “Get Mark and bring him with you,
for he is useful to me for ministering” (2 Timothy 4:11).
And
in Colossians 4:10, one observes that the once-rejected young worker was
commended, and the Colossian saints were asked to be receptive to him.
Other
Observations
There are a couple of points that
are worthy of consideration as our discussion is concluded.
1. The
segmentation of their work did not disrupt permanently the love and respect
that Paul and Barnabas entertained for one another. Paul would later
affectionately mention Barnabas as being worthy of monetary support in his work
of proclaiming the gospel (1 Corinthians 9:6).
2. The fact
that this personal conflict is openly displayed on the pages of the New
Testament is evidence that the Holy Spirit guided the writer, Luke, in
producing this narrative. Natural inclination would have led Paul’s friend to
omit this potentially embarrassing incident!
3. There are
many wonderful truths to be learned from the various experiences of the
personalities portrayed in the Sacred Volume. No account, however irrelevant
such may superficially appear to be, is without importance. There are lessons
to be mastered.
No comments:
Post a Comment