R
Randy_Carson
Guest
Consider the following:
Acts 9:26-2826When [Saul] came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. 27But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. 28So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord.
Clearly, Paul wasn’t having a lot of success in joining the Church in Jerusalem until Barnabas took him to the Apostles. I wonder if Paul was not something like Apollos at this point…preaching the gospel but making only limited progress. In fact, after a threat on Paul’s life, he was sent to Tarsus and disappears from the narrative until Barnabas goes to Tarsus to enlist his help in Antioch. Later, during a time of famine, the Church at Antioch took up a collection for the Church in Jerusalem.
Acts 11:3030
This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.
Acts 12:25
25When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission, they returned from Jerusalem, taking with them John, also called Mark.
It seems that Barnabas and Saul weren’t even Bishops or elders at this point; they were sent wherever they were needed by the Apostles. And then we read the following:
Acts 13:1-3
1In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 2While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.
Notice especially that Barnabas was either A) a prophet, B) a teacher or C) both in the Church at Antioch. As a sidebar, notice that one chapter earlier, Luke recorded the following:
Acts 12:16-17
16But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. 17Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. “Tell James and the brothers about this,” he said, and then he left for another place.
What was this other place that Peter left for? Antioch. Peter was the first Bishop of Antioch followed by Evodius and Ignatius (who later recorded that the Church was calling itself the “Catholic Church” in a letter he wrote in 107 AD). So, it is plausible that Peter is in Antioch at this time…and that’s where we find Barnabas and Saul.
Note further that the text tells us, “the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ 3So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.”
Hmmm…Saul and Barnabas had hands laid on them in preparation for the work that the Holy Spirit called them to. There’s a lot going on here, so let’s itemize.
Acts 14:14
But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting:
Notice that Barnabas is referred to as an Apostle after the Church at Antioch (Peter included?) laid hands on him.
Another point: When did Saul become Paul? Of course, this may simply have been his Greek name from the time of his youth (since he was a Jew raised in the Greek-speaking city of Tarsus), but the first mention of it in scripture is here:
Acts 13:9
Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said,
Again, this was AFTER the Church at Antioch (Peter included?) laid hands on Saul and Barnabas in Acts 13:3.
Well, as I said, there is a lot going on here, and perhaps I have read too much into these verses. I won’t be a stickler for Peter being present in Antioch at this time or Saul’s name change, but I will hold firm on the idea that the Church laid hands on Saul and Barnabas and subsequently we see changes in the way the scriptures refer to them both.
Acts 9:26-2826When [Saul] came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. 27But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. 28So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord.
Clearly, Paul wasn’t having a lot of success in joining the Church in Jerusalem until Barnabas took him to the Apostles. I wonder if Paul was not something like Apollos at this point…preaching the gospel but making only limited progress. In fact, after a threat on Paul’s life, he was sent to Tarsus and disappears from the narrative until Barnabas goes to Tarsus to enlist his help in Antioch. Later, during a time of famine, the Church at Antioch took up a collection for the Church in Jerusalem.
Acts 11:3030
This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.
Acts 12:25
25When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission, they returned from Jerusalem, taking with them John, also called Mark.
It seems that Barnabas and Saul weren’t even Bishops or elders at this point; they were sent wherever they were needed by the Apostles. And then we read the following:
Acts 13:1-3
1In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 2While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.
Notice especially that Barnabas was either A) a prophet, B) a teacher or C) both in the Church at Antioch. As a sidebar, notice that one chapter earlier, Luke recorded the following:
Acts 12:16-17
16But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. 17Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. “Tell James and the brothers about this,” he said, and then he left for another place.
What was this other place that Peter left for? Antioch. Peter was the first Bishop of Antioch followed by Evodius and Ignatius (who later recorded that the Church was calling itself the “Catholic Church” in a letter he wrote in 107 AD). So, it is plausible that Peter is in Antioch at this time…and that’s where we find Barnabas and Saul.
Note further that the text tells us, “the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ 3So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.”
Hmmm…Saul and Barnabas had hands laid on them in preparation for the work that the Holy Spirit called them to. There’s a lot going on here, so let’s itemize.
- Peter may have been among those who laid hands on Saul and Barnabas
- Barnabas is still considered a prophet and/or teacher at this point
- Paul is still called Saul here (a minor point perhaps)
- Although Saul had seen Jesus on the Damascus Road, the Holy Spirit called him apart for a separate ministry.
Acts 14:14
But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting:
Notice that Barnabas is referred to as an Apostle after the Church at Antioch (Peter included?) laid hands on him.
Another point: When did Saul become Paul? Of course, this may simply have been his Greek name from the time of his youth (since he was a Jew raised in the Greek-speaking city of Tarsus), but the first mention of it in scripture is here:
Acts 13:9
Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said,
Again, this was AFTER the Church at Antioch (Peter included?) laid hands on Saul and Barnabas in Acts 13:3.
Well, as I said, there is a lot going on here, and perhaps I have read too much into these verses. I won’t be a stickler for Peter being present in Antioch at this time or Saul’s name change, but I will hold firm on the idea that the Church laid hands on Saul and Barnabas and subsequently we see changes in the way the scriptures refer to them both.