“And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus, having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet” (Acts 4:36-37).
Joseph or Barnabas
How many people here today have ever known someone named Barnabas? I have only met one in my lifetime. I think that is such a shame, after took a brief look at this man and what little we are told about his life. In fact, I have never heard an exhortation about him. I guess that is why I chose Barnabas as a person to talk about on this Sunday morning.
Barnabas seem to be one of those kind of people that we don’t notice at first, like a wall flower, and then all the sudden we see him blossom right before our eyes. What I would like to do this morning is to consider the few verses that are recorded about Barnabas and watch how he matures spiritually, and then see if we can find the exhortation God reveals to us through His faithfulness.
The name given to Joseph by the Apostles was “Barnabas”. In relation to things Jewish, when a name was given to anyone, it illustrated precisely who they were. And so Luke states that joses . . . was surnamed Barnabas, which is, being interpreted, The Son of Consolation” (R.V., Son of Exhortation). Bar means son and Nabas means prophet, so Barnabas means the son of prophecy. But Luke interprets the word as meaning the son of paraclesis. The difference is the same as that obtaining in the translation of the word paraclete. In John 15:26 the Lord uses the word “Comforter”; the same word paraclete is translated “advocate” in 1 John 2:1. The meaning of the word paraclete is one called to the side of another, either to plead their cause or to bring comfort. Two statements made by the Lord in connection with the coming of the Paraclete link up with this two-fold definition: “I will not leave you comfortless” (John 14:18), and “he shall teach you all things” (John 12:26). It is evident from this that both exhortation and consolation were in his mind as he used the word “Paraclete”. Here in Acts is the same word, the son of paraclesis, the son of exhortation or consolation.
The apostles surnames him thus because of what he was; a man gifted in speech, apt to teach, able to exhort others, yet at the same time a man who by his words and actions brought comfort to others. His history as revealed by Luke bears out his name, a man who came alongside to aid and comfort his fellows. And it was these qualities that were used by God to further his purposes in relation to Paul.
So here is a man that who was obviously moved by observing the Power of God working in the lives of the Apostles. In fact, he was so moved, that he sold a Field that he owned and laid the money at the feet of the Apostles with complete confidence that they would use it wisely to help others. Because of this act of generosity the Apostles change his name from Joseph to Barnabas, Son of Encouragement.
In the Bible, when a person’s name is changed we should make a note of it. I think that the Apostles changed his name because of some virtue he displayed as well as his overall character. We shall see that he was rightly named “Son of Encouragement”
Paul’s friend
We meet Barnabas next when he presents Paul to the Apostles:
“And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem” (Acts 9:26-28).
A study of Paul’s life will show that he made many enemies — in the circumstances it was inevitable — but, at the same time, he made many friends. He had, for want of a better term, a genius for friendship, a capacity for making friends who loved him and were loyal and true to him. Among them was a man who played a decisive part in certain crises in the life of the Apostle. It was the divine intention that Paul should be the great apostle to the Gentiles, but it was through human instruments that God worked to achieve that purpose. There was, then, someone associated with the Apostle who by his actions — speaking after the manner of men — made possible the great work that Paul was to perform for the church and the world. Luke introduces him early in his record in the Acts; a sure indication of the important part he had to play in Luke’s story. First there is the reference to the Edenic conditions prevailing in the church before sin entered in. Luke speaks of the fellowship one with another, of the breaking of bread and of prayers, and how they had all things in common. At the beginning of Acts 5 he describes the introduction of sin into the church in the falling away of Ananias and Sapphira. But between these two pictures, he refers to the man who in himself revealed the conditions of fellowship spoken of in relation to the church, the man who subsequently was to play an important role in Paul’s life. His name was Joseph; he was a Cypriot — a native of Cyprus, a landowner and obviously wealthy. With him there was no keeping back part of the price. He was used to wealth; nevertheless he sold all that he had and gave it to the church, afterwards working with his own hands to provide for himself. Though he was rich, he became poor that others, through his poverty, might become rich; in this he followed his Lord.
We should all be so fortunate to have a brother/friend like Barnabas. I can only imagine how the members of the Jerusalem Ecclesia must have felt. They were scared to Death. This is where Barnabas steps in and lives up to his name. Not only does he encourage Paul to come to the meeting but he has to encourage the members of the ecclesia to accept him. Barnabas is a true Peace Maker, a Spiritual Dignitary. In the words of Jesus: “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God” (Matt 5:9).
Preaching to the Gentiles
Next we hear about Barnabas traveling to Antioch to Preach to the Gentiles (Acts 11:22-30). He leaves Antioch and Travels to Tarsus looking for Saul and when he finds him they go back to Antioch to Preach there for another year, before leaving to take the Relief Fund money to Judea. Another side note: Paul and Barnabas were actively involved with the ecclesia where the disciples were first called Christians. I get tired just thinking about these two men’s lives. Keep in mind, travel in those days cannot even compare to modern day travel. There were no cruise ship, no aircraft, not even horses for most travelers. Just one’s poor tired feet.
For the sake of time I am going to just mention some of the high points and the verses that relate to Barnabas and Paul working together.
- “And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was Mark” (Acts 12:25). So John Mark is introduced to us.
- “As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work where unto I have called them” (Acts 13:2) So Barnabas and Paul were knit together because of the Gospel message.
- “And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker. Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people,..” (Acts 14:11-14). Barnabas and Paul have such a dramatic impact on the people they call them gods. Barnabas they call Jupiter and Paul they call Mecurius. Here Paul and Barnabas are declared to be Apostles: it is actually the only time Barnabas is so designated.
Enter Mark
Then we get to Acts 15. After reviewing the time that Barnabas and Paul had spent together, I imagine that they had worked together in the mission field over 10 years. These two men knew each other quite well and had been able to work through all kinds of problems. Both of these men had dedicated their lives to serving God and the Lord Jesus Christ. They had demonstrated many different Christ like characteristics such as humility, long suffering, patience, esteeming others better than themselves, attending to the needs of others: the list goes on and on.
They also both clearly played a major part at the council of Jerusalem, which endorsed the work that Paul and Barnabas had been doing the past decade in preaching to the Gentiles
“And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question” (Acts 15:1-2).
So what happens at the end of Acts 15? This reading always baffles me. How could these two brothers work together so long and then all the sudden split. Let us consider the passage, try to make some sense out of it, and furthermore draw out our exhortation.
“And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do. And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark. But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work. And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus; And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God. And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches” (Acts 15: 36-41).
From this reading we can see that Mark (John/Mark) was at the root of the problem. Paul absolutely refused to take Mark with them on this missionary journey, because the first time they took Mark with them he had dropped out. Paul felt that they could not depend on him and that was his final word. The disagreement was so sharp that they went separate ways. Barnabas took Mark and went to Cyprus (his home), and Paul took Silas and went to Syria. This situation always disturbs me when I read it. Why? Because of the intensity of the disagreement that appears to be handle quite badly. Do you think that “Iron was sharpening Iron” on this day?
What I have concluded is that Barnabas was in the right. What I mean is that he demonstrated the more Christ like Spirit in this situation. He may have argued with Paul about taking his nephew Mark with them, but he gave in and esteemed his brother (Paul) better than himself. The unfortunate thing about this relationship is that I don’t think that Paul and Barnabas every saw each other again. This is the last recorded information that we have about Barnabas. Some feel that Paul and Barnabas had reconciled before Barnabas fell asleep in Christ. I hope so. I have come to the conclusion that Paul coined the expression at the end of some of his letters “Greet one another with an Holy Kiss”, because of what happened between Barnabas and Paul in this situation.
Reconciliation
But this is not the end of the story, is it? Remember, Mark was the one who root of the problem. I think that Paul had to learn a strong exhortation about what had just happened here. He too “learned obedience by the things that he suffered.” I wonder if because of this situation Paul wrote how important it is to be reconciled one to another.
Even though the Scripture is silent about Barnabas after this point it shares something very encouraging about the relationship between Mark and Paul.
“Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry” (2 Tim 4:11).
One thing that we can be sure of, Barnabas left an indelible mark on the mind of Paul and Mark. This is the Silver Lining to end of this story.
When I look at the lives of Barnabas, Paul, and Mark, I see something very special. These men all loved God and the Lord Jesus Christ. They all worked in the missionary field together and every one of them brought something different to the Table. One very important Lesson that Barnabas brought to Table is he was called the “Son of Encouragement”. It is hard to focus on encouragement when we focus on the differences. If we continue to focus on our Differences it will divide a community, family, or church. Barnabas like our Lord Jesus Christ, focused on Encouragement, building each other up, not tearing each other down.
The exhortation that I have learned from Barnabas is at the very least two pronged.
- We need to encourage one another!
- Because we have been reconciled to God
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One