Acts 11: 22 News of [Greeks responding to the Gospel in Antioch] reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. 24 He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.
As far as we can tell, Joseph, called “Son of Encouragement [Barnabas],” wrote not a single word in our New Testament.(1) And yet, if you consider the letters of Paul and the Synoptic Gospels (Mark, Matthew, and Luke), the influence of Barnabas is unmistakable.
We are introduced to Barnabas in Acts 4:36-37, where this, apparently wealthy land-owner, sold a field and gave the proceeds to the apostles (see last week’s blog). In contrast, a couple named Ananias and Sapphira, also sold property, but lied to the Holy Spirit about keeping part of the proceeds for themselves. Peter attributed their lying to Satan entering their hearts. Here, was the greatest contrast between these two and Barnabas. In Acts 11:24, Barnabas is described as, “a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith” (NIV). All that follows about Barnabas flows from his Holy Spirit inspired character.
Saul of Tarsus’ zeal for his Pharisaic devotion, had led to his enraged persecution of the followers of the crucified man, named Jesus. The claim, by these followers, that someone under God’s curse in Deuteronomy 21:22-23,(2) was the Messiah, Saul believed was, itself, a justification for their arrest, and even death. Later, this persecutor of Jesus and His people came to the apostles with a seemingly dubious story about being confronted by the risen Messiah, Jesus. He claimed that he was now one of them, and one with them. This seemed, to many rational disciples, like a ploy to infiltrate the community in order to have more arrested and killed. Who would believe this man and his story? Well, the Son of Encouragement, that’s who.
Barnabas must have been held in high esteem by the apostles, for them to risk such a potential danger by welcoming Saul. We should not minimize the power of the Holy Spirit, who filled Barnabas, and gave him such discernment. Nor should we minimize the fullness of faith he had to trust the Spirit’s urging. Finally, we should not minimize the courage it took to stick out his neck for someone with Saul’s reputation among the disciples.
It was Barnabas who had the trust of the apostles to go to Antioch of Syria to encourage the Greeks who accepted the Gospel. He then sought out Saul in his native Tarsus to bring him to Antioch. This was not a matter of calling or texting, flying or taking a train, or having an enjoyable road trip. He made a long and potentially dangerous journey to Tarsus, to bring the man he stood beside to Antioch.
The Holy Spirit confirmed Barnabas’ discernment by selecting Barnabas and Saul to be sent on a mission tour. Soon, Barnabas and Saul became Paul and Barnabas. This gracious Saint discerned the Spirit’s voice, and willingly took a back seat.
I’m in awe of Barnabas here, but more, I’m grateful for him. Think of Romans through Philemon! Paul wrote these letters,(3) but Barnabas stands behind them all!
Barnabas wasn’t through. On this first journey, Barnabas’ cousin, John Mark, started with the mission team, but left early on, apparently finding the experience too difficult and dangerous. On the proposed second journey, Barnabas, ever the encourager, wanted to take his young cousin. Paul, however, would have none of it! “They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus…” (Acts 15:39 NIV). I imagine that arguing with Paul was not an easy task, but the man who stood up for Paul, now stood up to him. Barnabas would not let failure be the last word about Mark—and it wasn’t!
Later, even Paul recognized the worth of Mark: In prison, Paul wrote the church in Colossae “My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.) [Colossians 4:10 NIV]. In Paul’s last imprisonment, he asked Timothy to, “Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry” (2 Timothy 4:11 NIV). Once again, Barnabas showed himself to be “a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith!”
Much, much more came out of Barnabas’ support of John Mark. The majority of New Testament scholars are (as am I) convinced that Mark wrote the first Gospel. Matthew and Luke, we believe, had Mark in front of them as a source, in writing their Gospels. Early church tradition tells us that Mark became attached to Peter, and from that association, guided of course by the Spirit, wrote a Gospel upon which the Synoptic Gospels came.
Would that have happened without Barnabas? We can’t be sure. But with Barnabas’ encouraging support, it did happen! The New Testament we have is a witness to the important role Barnabas played in its formation.
Barnabas is one of my heroes of the faith! I wish I had more faithfully followed his lead, but I want to live out my days encouraging and supporting. I pray that this will be because like this hero, I might be a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith. Were this my epitaph, I would die a very grateful man!
Tim Kelley
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(1) The Epistle of Barnabas, is a “letter,” although written very early, was ultimately rejected as spurious by the early church. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epistle_of_Barnabas
(2) 22 If someone guilty of a capital offense is put to death and their body is exposed on a pole, 23 you must not leave the body hanging on the pole overnight. Be sure to bury it that same day, because anyone who is hung on a pole is under God’s curse. You must not desecrate the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance. (NIV)
(3) Though several of these letters are disputed, here, I include them all.