Second Missionary Journey
Acts 15:35 – 18:22
Acts 15:35 – 18:22
- Tarsus (Acts 15:41)
- Derbe (Acts 16:1)
- Lystra (Acts 16:1)
- Antioch, Pisidia (Acts 16:4)
- Troas (Acts 16:6,8)
- Samothracia (Acts 16:11-12)
- Neapolis (Acts 16:11-12)
- Philippi (Acts 16:11-12)
- Thessalonica (Acts 17:1)
- Berea (Acts 17:10)
- Athens (Acts 17:15)
- Corinth (Acts 18:1)
- Ephesus (Acts 18:19)
- Caesarea (Acts 18:21-22)
- Jerusalem (Acts 18:22)
- Antioch (Acts 18:22)
The Parting of Paul and Barnabas
Acts 15:35-41
Acts 15:35-41
Satan's Minor Successes. Satan was unsuccessful at both: (1) bringing the saints under law, and (2) disrupting the unity of the Church as we saw at the council of Jerusalem (Acts 15:1-35; Gal. 2:1-10). However, Satan is a tireless foe, and he will take any advantage he can get. Just after the council of Jerusalem, where Satan's wiles were evaded, he had two minor yet important successes. First, while he could not bring the saints under law, he was able to get Peter to compromise on the truth of the gospel when he came up to Antioch. That event is not recorded in Acts, but is given to us in Gal. 2:11-13. Second, while Satan was unsuccessful at diving the assembly, he was able to drive a wedge between two faithful servants, Paul and Barnabas, which is recorded in Acts 15:36-41. We are never more vulnerable to defeat than after our greatest success. Paul had to rebuke Peter in Antioch. The substance of this rebuke is given in Gal. 2:11-21. We can be thankful for Peter's words in the end of his second epistle, speaking of "our beloved brother Paul". It showed that Peter took the correction, and there was no hard feelings between them. Sadly we never read of such restoration with Barnabas. It is possible that the failure of Barnabas in Gal. 2:13 may had contributed to the disagreement with Paul, in addition to the issue with John Mark.
35 But after certain days Paul said to Barnabas, Let us return now and visit the brethren in every city where we have announced the word of the Lord, and see how they are getting on.
v.35 The Purpose of the Second Missionary Journey. After some time had passed in Antioch, Paul expressed his desire to revisit the young assemblies to see how they fared. This shows the care of a pastor! The was Paul’s purpose as he began the second journey, although that was only the beginning of it. This journey would take him to Europe! Yet unlike the first mission, there was no fasting, prayer, or direct call of the Spirit recorded; instead it arose from Paul’s own proposal. Still, it was an excellent motive. It shows that the importance of establishing believers, not merely winning souls.
36 And Barnabas proposed to take with them John also, called Mark; 37 but Paul thought it not well to take with them him who had abandoned them, going back from Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work. 38 There arose therefore very warm feeling, so that they separated from one another; and Barnabas taking Mark sailed away to Cyprus; 39 but Paul having chosen Silas went forth, committed by the brethren to the grace of God. 40 And he passed through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the assemblies.
vv.36-40 A Disagreement: Paul and Barnabas Separate. When Barnabas proposed taking John Mark again, Paul opposed it, remembering his earlier departure from the work (Acts 13:13). Natural affection influenced Barnabas, because Mark was his nephew, while Paul judged that reliability in service was essential. The contention became sharp, showing how even the most faithful servants still have the flesh within (Gal. 5:20). Perhaps neither was wholly right: Paul’s may have lacked grace, while Barnabas’ family tie clouded his judgment. Scripture gives no attempt to excuse either side, but faithfully records the failure. Yet God overruled: two missionary teams went out instead of one, spreading the work further. Later grace restored Mark to usefulness, and Paul in his last epistle commended him as “profitable to me for the ministry” (2 Tim. 4:11). Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus, his home ground, but the Spirit of God records no further history of him. Paul chose Silas, and the brethren commended them to the grace of God. This was a sign of fellowship that Barnabas seems not to have carried with him. Ministry is always by individual faith, yet often the Lord provides His servants with companions, as the Lord Jesus sent His disciples two by two. Silas therefore filled the void left by Barnabas. Paul and Silas passed through Syria and Cilicia confirming the assemblies, strengthening believers in the truth they had received. This “confirmation” was not a rite as practiced in parts of Christendom, but simply teaching and encouraging of souls in Christ, building them up to stand firm in the faith.