Act 15:36 | KingComments | STEP | When there are so many others who preach the Word of the Lord in Antioch, we can imagine that Paul, after a few days, is thinking of serving somewhere else. He thinks of the brethren in the cities where he and Barnabas went on their first missionary journey. His heart goes out to them and he would like to see how they are. He tells Barnabas what concerns him. This consideration of Paul is the introduction to the second missionary journey. However, it is also the introduction to a sad separation between Paul and Barnabas. Barnabas agrees with Paul and wants to go with him to visit the cities of which Paul spoke, but he wants John Mark to go with him. Mark has also been with them the first time, but has returned halfway ( ). How nice it would be if he would get a second chance and be able to participate now for the whole journey. Barnabas, a real ‘son of comfort’ ( ), wants to give him a second chance. Paul does not agree with him. He doesn’t think Mark is a suitable companion. It does not mean that he has written off Mark for good. Later he will write to Timothy that he should take Mark with him because Mark is useful to him for service ( ). But at the moment Paul apparently does not consider him mature enough. It has been suggested that Barnabas has been too much guided by his affection for his cousin Mark. Affection is good, but it is not a basis for dedication. No honey was allowed in the grain offering ( ), where honey represents natural affections and the grain offering represents full dedication to God. Natural love is good. Woe to us if we do not have natural love. The absence of natural love is a characteristic of the last days ( ). But natural love should not affect our full devotion in our service to the Lord. Has Barnabas been too soft and Paul too hard? The Lord has hidden it from us. We can draw general lessons, but we cannot point out causes. Here two dedicated servants of the Lord, who have known each other long and well and have done much for the Lord together, have a disagreement which is not resolved. This chapter has started with a dispute about a question of teaching. That dispute concerned the teaching of salvation and had to be solved. There is no compromise in such a dispute. That dispute has therefore been solved. The disagreement between the two men of God is of a different nature. It concerns a question of judgment and that dispute remains unsolved. The dispute even leads to sharp disagreement or bitterness. They are both to blame for it. From the fact that Paul and Silas leave with the blessing of the brethren, we should not too quickly draw the conclusion that Barnabas and Mark have gone the wrong way. It is possible that Barnabas left quickly to prevent the division between him and Paul from spreading among the brothers as well. It is in accordance with his character that he does everything to prevent divisions. Sharp disagreement or bitterness is not good, but now that they are separated, two teams go out for the Lord. Sometimes our imperfections are opportunities for God to do His work. Barnabas will undoubtedly also be used by the Lord for His service. We won’t hear any more about it. He leaves for Cyprus, his homeland, which he had previously chosen as his first destination with Paul during the first missionary journey ( ). When Paul talks about Barnabas again later, there is no trace of bitterness. He speaks with appreciation of Barnabas as a fellow servant and places him in the same position as himself in his service to the Lord ( ).

‏ Acts 15:36

Separation Between Paul and Barnabas

When there are so many others who preach the Word of the Lord in Antioch, we can imagine that Paul, after a few days, is thinking of serving somewhere else. He thinks of the brethren in the cities where he and Barnabas went on their first missionary journey. His heart goes out to them and he would like to see how they are. He tells Barnabas what concerns him. This consideration of Paul is the introduction to the second missionary journey.

However, it is also the introduction to a sad separation between Paul and Barnabas. Barnabas agrees with Paul and wants to go with him to visit the cities of which Paul spoke, but he wants John Mark to go with him. Mark has also been with them the first time, but has returned halfway (Acts 13:13). How nice it would be if he would get a second chance and be able to participate now for the whole journey.

Barnabas, a real ‘son of comfort’ (Acts 4:36), wants to give him a second chance. Paul does not agree with him. He doesn’t think Mark is a suitable companion. It does not mean that he has written off Mark for good. Later he will write to Timothy that he should take Mark with him because Mark is useful to him for service (2Tim 4:11). But at the moment Paul apparently does not consider him mature enough.

It has been suggested that Barnabas has been too much guided by his affection for his cousin Mark. Affection is good, but it is not a basis for dedication. No honey was allowed in the grain offering (Lev 2:11), where honey represents natural affections and the grain offering represents full dedication to God.

Natural love is good. Woe to us if we do not have natural love. The absence of natural love is a characteristic of the last days (2Tim 3:3). But natural love should not affect our full devotion in our service to the Lord. Has Barnabas been too soft and Paul too hard? The Lord has hidden it from us. We can draw general lessons, but we cannot point out causes.

Here two dedicated servants of the Lord, who have known each other long and well and have done much for the Lord together, have a disagreement which is not resolved. This chapter has started with a dispute about a question of teaching. That dispute concerned the teaching of salvation and had to be solved. There is no compromise in such a dispute. That dispute has therefore been solved.

The disagreement between the two men of God is of a different nature. It concerns a question of judgment and that dispute remains unsolved. The dispute even leads to sharp disagreement or bitterness. They are both to blame for it. From the fact that Paul and Silas leave with the blessing of the brethren, we should not too quickly draw the conclusion that Barnabas and Mark have gone the wrong way. It is possible that Barnabas left quickly to prevent the division between him and Paul from spreading among the brothers as well. It is in accordance with his character that he does everything to prevent divisions.

Sharp disagreement or bitterness is not good, but now that they are separated, two teams go out for the Lord. Sometimes our imperfections are opportunities for God to do His work. Barnabas will undoubtedly also be used by the Lord for His service. We won’t hear any more about it. He leaves for Cyprus, his homeland, which he had previously chosen as his first destination with Paul during the first missionary journey (Acts 13:4).

When Paul talks about Barnabas again later, there is no trace of bitterness. He speaks with appreciation of Barnabas as a fellow servant and places him in the same position as himself in his service to the Lord (1Cor 9:6).