Act 13:2-3 | KingComments | STEP | After having followed the acts of Peter in the first part of the book of Acts in chapters 1-12, Luke will tell from Acts 13 onward mainly the acts of Paul. From this chapter we see how a small Jewish sect develops more and more into a global movement. We have already seen its preparations in the conversion of Saul (Acts 9), the conversion of the eunuch (Acts 8) and the conversion of Cornelius (Acts 10). Through the scattering of the believers, God has already begun this development. In the previous part, Jerusalem was the center of – at that time mainly Jewish – Christendom. In Paul’s service this place will be taken over by Antioch as the center of non-Jewish Christendom. However, the connection with Jerusalem will be maintained. After some time, also Antioch will no longer be the center. Christendom has no geographical center. In the beginning of Acts 13 Luke focuses our attention on Antioch as a place where there is a church. He also mentions that there are prophets and teachers there. There is no mention of any appointment by people. It is clear that there is also no one-man ministry. The Lord Jesus gave the prophets and teachers this task and placed them in His church ( ). It seems that the five brothers mentioned are both prophets and teachers. The five form a close team. Together they minister to the Lord while fasting. That is the atmosphere in which the Holy Spirit can speak and make His will clear. The Holy Spirit speaks to this whole company. He could have addressed Barnabas and Saul directly, but He does not. Although He sends out – and not the church – His sending is not apart from the church. After all, the service of those who are sent out is on the territory of the church. In their service they add to the church through the preaching of the gospel, while they build up the church through their teaching in the church. They are not sent out by the church, but are dedicated to the Lord for their ministry. When they come back to Antioch later with their report, it is not to give an account, but to tell what the Lord has done among the nations through them ( ). We do not have a Christ on earth sending His disciples. The sending out of Barnabas and Paul – here still Saul – takes place through the direct intervention of the Holy Spirit. This also shows that the Holy Spirit is a Person. Undoubtedly the Holy Spirit will have used the mouth of one of the prophets to make His will clear. The sending out happens from a Greek city and not from Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit is working apart from the apostles, independent as He always is. A glorified Christ in heaven is His starting point. When they are called to their ministry, they have already worked for the Lord for several years. They are not newcomers. Saul’s calling took place in (cf. ), about eight years ago, and now the order follows to fulfill that calling. There is a distinction between calling and sending out. The time in between is the time of preparation. The Holy Spirit was able to make His will known to them because they focused in their lives on the Lord Jesus and serving Him. This also included fasting. They voluntarily refrained from food in order to be open to the will of the Lord. Isaiah 58 shows that the inward attitude that belongs to fasting counts for God and not fasting itself ( ). After the Holy Spirit has revealed His will to them, they fast again and ask in prayer for further guidance from the Lord. It becomes clear to them that they must lay hands on Barnabas and Saul and send them away. It means that they did not put anything in their way, although their departure was a great loss to the church. They are committed to their mission and remain involved. The laying on of hands has nothing to do with human appointment, but is the sign of the fellowship they could have with them in this matter. In a real work of the Lord, the Lord calls the servant very personally, without any interference from the church. At the same time, the servant will gladly let himself be laid hands on in order to go into the service of the Lord with the support of the church. Laying hands means identification ( ).

‏ Acts 13:2-3

Calling of Barnabas and Saul

After having followed the acts of Peter in the first part of the book of Acts in chapters 1-12, Luke will tell from Acts 13 onward mainly the acts of Paul. From this chapter we see how a small Jewish sect develops more and more into a global movement. We have already seen its preparations in the conversion of Saul (Acts 9), the conversion of the eunuch (Acts 8) and the conversion of Cornelius (Acts 10). Through the scattering of the believers, God has already begun this development.

In the previous part, Jerusalem was the center of – at that time mainly Jewish – Christendom. In Paul’s service this place will be taken over by Antioch as the center of non-Jewish Christendom. However, the connection with Jerusalem will be maintained. After some time, also Antioch will no longer be the center. Christendom has no geographical center.

In the beginning of Acts 13 Luke focuses our attention on Antioch as a place where there is a church. He also mentions that there are prophets and teachers there. There is no mention of any appointment by people. It is clear that there is also no one-man ministry. The Lord Jesus gave the prophets and teachers this task and placed them in His church (Eph 4:11).

It seems that the five brothers mentioned are both prophets and teachers. The five form a close team. Together they minister to the Lord while fasting. That is the atmosphere in which the Holy Spirit can speak and make His will clear. The Holy Spirit speaks to this whole company. He could have addressed Barnabas and Saul directly, but He does not. Although He sends out – and not the church – His sending is not apart from the church. After all, the service of those who are sent out is on the territory of the church. In their service they add to the church through the preaching of the gospel, while they build up the church through their teaching in the church.

They are not sent out by the church, but are dedicated to the Lord for their ministry. When they come back to Antioch later with their report, it is not to give an account, but to tell what the Lord has done among the nations through them (Acts 14:27). We do not have a Christ on earth sending His disciples. The sending out of Barnabas and Paul – here still Saul – takes place through the direct intervention of the Holy Spirit.

This also shows that the Holy Spirit is a Person. Undoubtedly the Holy Spirit will have used the mouth of one of the prophets to make His will clear. The sending out happens from a Greek city and not from Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit is working apart from the apostles, independent as He always is. A glorified Christ in heaven is His starting point.

When they are called to their ministry, they have already worked for the Lord for several years. They are not newcomers. Saul’s calling took place in Acts 9:15 (cf. Gal 1:15-16), about eight years ago, and now the order follows to fulfill that calling. There is a distinction between calling and sending out. The time in between is the time of preparation.

The Holy Spirit was able to make His will known to them because they focused in their lives on the Lord Jesus and serving Him. This also included fasting. They voluntarily refrained from food in order to be open to the will of the Lord. Isaiah 58 shows that the inward attitude that belongs to fasting counts for God and not fasting itself (Isa 58:1-12).

After the Holy Spirit has revealed His will to them, they fast again and ask in prayer for further guidance from the Lord. It becomes clear to them that they must lay hands on Barnabas and Saul and send them away. It means that they did not put anything in their way, although their departure was a great loss to the church. They are committed to their mission and remain involved.

The laying on of hands has nothing to do with human appointment, but is the sign of the fellowship they could have with them in this matter. In a real work of the Lord, the Lord calls the servant very personally, without any interference from the church. At the same time, the servant will gladly let himself be laid hands on in order to go into the service of the Lord with the support of the church. Laying hands means identification (Lev 1:4 ; Lev 3:2 ; 8 ; 13 ; Lev 4:4 ; 15 ; 24 ; 29 ; 33).