The Missionary Journey of Barnabas and Saul Acts 13:1-13

From Acts 13:4 – 14:28, Dr. Luke is tracing the first Missionary Journey of Paul and Barnabas.  The focus of our study takes us to the final major division of the book of Acts.  It is the Lord Jesus Christ at work by the Holy Spirit through the apostles to the uttermost part of the earth.  The key verse to this grand book of Acts is: “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”   During the Jerusalem period, we saw that the gospel went to the Jews, then to the Samaritans, and now the gospel moves out officially to the ends of the earth.  In this surge of the gospel beyond the boundaries of Israel, we find that Paul becomes the dominant leader and Peter disappears from the scene.

In chapter 13:1-3, Barnabas and Saul have been set aside as missionaries.  The church at Antioch was the missionary church; very candidly, the Jerusalem church was not a missionary church.  This church fasted and prayed earnestly for Barnabas and Saul because of their desire for the will of God.  They laid their hands on these two missionaries as they were sending them out as a sign of their endorsement of Barnabas and Saul’s missionary efforts!  The church was really saying that they were in partnership with Barnabas and Saul in the enterprise of getting out the Word of God!  Being led by the Holy Spirit, Barnabas and Saul departed from Seleucia and came to Salamis, where the Word of God was preached in the synagogues of the Jews, and accompanying Barnabas and Saul was John Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (vv. 4-5).

Beginning in verse 6, they crossed the island of Cyrus and came to another island at Paphos, where they will encounter opposition from a Jewish sorcerer name Bar-Jesus.  This sorcerer had tremendous influence on the Roman deputy, the governor of the island, whose name was Sergius Paulus.  Sergius Paulus desired to hear the word but Elymus, the sorcerer, tried to turn Sergius Paulus from the faith (vv. 6-8).  Beginning in verse 9, Saul’s name changes to Paul.  The name Paul means “small or little.”

In verses 10-11, Paul denounced Elymus as a child of the devil, and in judgment, Paul inflicted temporary blindness on Elymus.  In contrast to Elymus’ physical blindness, for he was already in spiritual blindness, Sergius Paulus became a believer and was “astonished at the doctrine” (v. 12).  This section of Acts 13 closes with John Mark, the cousin of Barnabas and writer of the Gospel of Mark, returning to Jerusalem (v. 13).  When Paul and Barnabas begin their second missionary journey, the issue of taking John Mark along will create a strong disagreement between Paul and Barnabas.

May God Bless!