Focal Passage: Acts 9:26-28, 11:22-26, 15:36-40
Isn’t it encouraging to read about the conflict between Paul and Barnabas? What?! How can their disagreement be encouraging? Critics and skeptics attack the Bible with striking regularity.
One of the arguments they make is that the Bible is merely a compilation of contrived stories to serve a religious purpose rather than eye-witness accounts of actual events. If this was the case then why would Luke, the author of Acts, describe this disagreement in such detail? He wouldn’t. This narrative and others like it serve as affirmations of the reliability of Scripture.
Those of us that believe in the infallibility of the Bible don’t necessarily need evidence of the accuracy of the Word of God. We already have a high view of Scripture. It is encouraging to be reminded of the historical precision of biblical accounts. We can also learn a great deal from the way God worked through real, flawed, sinful people in Bible times. A brief glimpse into Barnabas’ part in this story will help us as we are seeking to be faithful as Christ-followers today.
Barnabas came to Antioch with gladness and “exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord” (Acts 11:23). The Greek word for exhorted is parakalew (par-ak-al-eh’-o) and is also translated “encouragement.”
Obviously Joseph of Cyprus (Acts 4:36) was such an encourager he received the nickname Barnabas, which means “son of encouragement.” When it came to encouragement, this guy was a special case. But we should all have a bit of Barnabas in us. We must realize that speaking encouragement to others is obedience to God’s Word.
Bosak
It is easy to view Barnabas as such a unique example that we miss out on the reality that God expects us to be the same way. The Greek word for exhorted is used over a hundred times in the New Testament. One of those instances is Hebrews 3:13. This verse provides an urgent command to exhort one another to remain faithful, just like Barnabas did with the believers in Antioch.
Much is made of the division between Paul and Barnabas. These two men loved Jesus, loved His church, and were seeking to be a blessing to other believers. The reality that they came to an impasse should be a sobering reminder to us of our own fallenness. Because we are fallen people in a fallen world, there will be conflict. Heaven is the only place where there won’t be the potential for discord. In the meantime we must prepare our hearts to be gracious, patient, and as far as it depends on us live peaceably with all (Romans 12:18).
Barnabas, for his part, saw potential in Mark and wanted to bring him along to do the work of the ministry. We again, should strive to be like Barnabas. Seeing beyond surface level conflict to potential in others is an important aspect of fellowship and peacemaking. We can develop this kind of perspective by remembering the grace that we have received from God.
Ephesians 4:32 provides a biblical framework for applying this principle. We should be kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving based upon the reality that God has done the same for us. How can we withhold from others that which we have received from God? B&R
