"Thank God For Barnabas!"

by F.L. Evans, Yeovil | Category: General | Apr 1970

At a recent conference, one of the speakers had spoken on the character of Barnabas. At the close, an older sister approached him and said, "You brought to my mind a meeting I attended years ago. The speaker was Mr Joshua Hawkins. In the middle of his address on the same subject, he stopped abruptly. With an emphatic thump on the desk, he shouted, 'Thank God for Barnabas!'" Why should we thank God for this man? What was there about him which calls for our gratitude and appreciation? Let us look into the matter, as told in some of the references to this godly man in the Acts of the Apostles.

The first thing mentioned about him is that he "was surnamed Barnabas (which is, being interpreted, Son of exhortation)" by the apostles (Acts 4.36). His parents obviously called him Joseph, but the apostles saw fit to give him another name because of his character and his work. They saw him as a man of God to comfort and encourage His people. Consolation or exhortation was his strong point. Probably a cheerful person himself, he had built up a reputation as one who was used of God to dispel the fears and stresses of others, and to inculcate in them a spirit of joy in the Lord. The early disciples passed through a period of great distress. The enemy gave them no rest: persecution scattered them and dissension threatened them. What a dire need existed for a ministry of comfort! Barnabas was fitted of God to supply this need, and the apostles graciously recognized this fact by calling him "Son of exhortation". Christians always need encouragement to endure, to hold fast and to press on. The God of all comfort has given us His Word that "through patience and through comfort of the Scriptures we might have hope" (Romans 15.4). May God raise up and use men gifted and fitted of Himself so to teach the "sacred writings" that His people may be filled with all joy and peace in believing!

One example of the ability of Barnabas to bring comfort and joy is given in Acts 9.26-30. Saul of Tarsus, after a period of intense persecution of the disciples, had been dramatically converted on the Damascus road. For a while he stayed with the disciples in Damascus, proclaiming Jesus to be the Son of God, increasing in spiritual strength, confounding the Jews, and proving that Jesus was the Christ. Later, he went to Jerusalem, and very naturally desired "to join himself to the disciples" there. But they, out of fear and knowing Saul's past persecution and cruelty, were uncooperative and probably doubted his sincerity. Here was a real impasse - a true disciple, who had enjoyed fellowship with the disciples at Damascus, was denied such privileges by those at Jerusalem.

To heal this breach there was a need of spiritual insight and an encouraging disposition, and God had His man in Barnabas. The great encourager brought the two parties together. "Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles". To them he gave three proofs of his genuineness. First, Saul had personally seen the exalted Lord Jesus Christ. Secondly, the Lord had personally spoken to him. Thirdly, while with the disciples at Damascus, he had preached boldly in the name (by the authority) of Jesus. The action of Barnabas was calculated to effect a settlement of the trouble by healing the breach between the Jerusalem disciples and Saul. He had obviously prepared his case. He personally brought Saul to the apostles. He wisely presented his facts. The result in Saul's case is delightfully expressed in the words of Scripture, "He was with them going in and going out at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord". The testimony of Barnabas having been accepted, a very dangerous problem was solved. We thank God for men with the gift to bring His people together when the Adversary would divide, to remove fear and dissension, and to encourage trust and harmony.

The next recorded incident in the life of Barnabas gives an outstanding example of his ability to encourage and build up. Tribulation had caused a scattering of many who had been numbered with the church in Jerusalem. This, in turn, caused a spread of the gospel to various surrounding areas, and notably to Antioch. This town had relatively easy communication with Cyprus, North Africa and other countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. It was to become one of the most important centres for the propagation and spread of the gospel message. Many of the scattered disciples confined their preaching to Jews, but those who went to Antioch widened the scope of their activities to include Greeks also. "And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number that believed turned unto the Lord" (Acts 11.21).

Inevitably, a report concerning this work came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and it was perfectly natural that they would desire to know more of the nature and extent of the movement. For this task of assessing the worth of this new work, it was necessary to select the man of God's choosing. He would be a man of a balanced viewpoint, alive to fresh developments, capable of recognizing a true work of God's grace in the heart, able to encourage new converts. Preferably, he would also be a man of Cyprus by race, like some of the leaders of the work in Antioch. The choice fell upon Barnabas, "a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith". He was a good-natured and good-tempered man; good in himself and good to others. Recognizably controlled by the Holy Spirit, he exercised the gift of the Spirit, and produced His fruit. His trust was in God alone, for faith is essential for pleasing and serving God.

On his arrival, Barnabas saw the grace of God manifested in the disciples, and he was glad. Many people had been added to the Lord, and far from denying them their right to spiritual privileges, he encouraged them to resolution of heart that they might remain faithful to the Lord. With true spiritual discernment, he realized that these recently added disciples needed sound scriptural teaching. He discovered an open door of opportunity. So he went forth to Tarsus to look for Saul. By so doing, he not only secured an able teacher of God's word to build up the new disciples, but he also brought an active and useful man out of comparative obscurity. Saul's readiness to accompany Barnabas suggests that he was pleased to receive this opportunity of fellowship in service. This pleasure was shared by Barnabas, even though there was the distinct possibility that he would be eclipsed by his new colleague at a later date.

For a whole year, they were the guests of the church. After conversion and baptism, many were brought into the church. Those inside were well taught in the Word, being strengthened and edified. These disciples were given the signal honour of being the first to be called Christians. Their manner of life and their general demeanour were such that they became directly identified with the Man, Christ Jesus, in His life, His death and His resurrection life.

It is not surprising that when these Christians desired to express their sympathy with their suffering brethren in Jerusalem, they commissioned Barnabas and Saul to take the gift to the elders. These two were the messengers of the church's love. Neither is it surprising that when their mission of mercy was completed, the co-workers returned from Jerusalem to Antioch, the scene of the fruitful working together. Our gracious God was carefully making preparations for the time when the Holy Spirit would say,

"Separate Me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto

I have called them" (Acts 13.2).

F.L. Evans, Yeovil | Apr 1970
General