The Separation of Paul and Barnabas
Acts 15:36–16:15
After the decree of the council in Jerusalem regarding what is expected of Gentile members of the Church, Paul begins a new mission that takes him farther toward the “ends of the earth” (see Acts 1:8). He proposes to Barnabas that they begin by checking on the churches they recently founded in Asia Minor. But an unhappy split between the two men results in Paul’s setting off with a new mission partner, Silas. On the way, he picks up another coworker, Timothy.
Paul’s further travel plans in Asia Minor are thwarted by the Holy Spirit, but he receives a vision in which a man begs him to come help the people of Macedonia, precipitating a new stage of the Christian mission. At this point Luke presents himself as a member of Paul’s team for the first time by beginning to use the first-person “we” (Acts 16:10). Thus with a new missionary team, Paul begins preaching in Macedonia, bringing the gospel into Europe for the first time.
Paul and Barnabas Separate (15:36–41)
36After some time, Paul said to Barnabas, “Come, let us make a return visit to see how the brothers are getting on in all the cities where we proclaimed the word of the Lord.” 37Barnabas wanted to take with them also John, who was called Mark, 38but Paul insisted that they should not take with them someone who had deserted them at Pamphylia and who had not continued with them in their work. 39So sharp was their disagreement that they separated. Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus. 40But Paul chose Silas and departed after being commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. 41He traveled through Syria and Cilicia bringing strength to the churches.
NT: Acts 12:25–13:5; 13:13; Col 4:10; 1 Thess 2:11
Catechism: unity of the body of Christ, 791, 873
[15:36]
Now Paul proposes to Barnabas that they make a return visit to check on the fledgling churches in the cities they have evangelized. This passage provides a glimpse into the responsibility that Paul as a traveling missionary took for the well-being of the churches he founded. His good example is in sharp contrast to some contemporary evangelists who fail to follow up and provide for their converts’ continued spiritual growth.
[15:37–39]
Perhaps because John Mark was his cousin (Col 4:10), Barnabas wants him to be reinstated on their team (Mark served with them on their first mission in Acts 12:25–13:5). However, Paul is adamant that they should not bring someone who had previously deserted the mission (Acts 13:13). So sharp is the disagreement that they go their separate ways. Here Luke, without excuses, reports this painful breakup of the apostolic team of Paul and Barnabas. Yet the issues that divide them are matters of team discipline and loyalties, not doctrine.
Fig. 13. Paul’s second missionary journey (Acts 15:36–18:22).
International Mapping
St. John Chrysostom on the Parting of Paul and Barnabas
Chrysostom understands this parting as due to complementary differences in personality and as resulting in a greater good:
Luke has already described the apostles’ character to us, showing that one [Barnabas] was more tender and forgiving and the other [Paul] more strict and severe. For the gifts bestowed on them were different. That this is itself a gift is clear. . . . Likewise in the prophets we find different opinions and different characters. Elijah, for example, is severe, while Moses is meek. So here Paul is more vehement. But even so, notice his gentleness. “He thought best,” it says, “not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia.” . . . Although there appears to be a sharp contention, in fact it was part of the divine plan that each man should receive his proper place. . . . The point is not that they differed in their opinions but that they accommodated themselves to each other. Thus a greater good resulted from their parting. . . . What then? Did they withdraw in enmity? God forbid! Recall how after this Barnabas received much praise from Paul in his epistles.”a
a. John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Acts of the Apostles 34, in ACCS 193.
This unhappy split had at least one providential result: there are now two apostolic teams instead of one. In the first, Barnabas sails with Mark to his native island of Cyprus, south of modern Turkey.
[15:40–41]
In the second team, Paul recruits Silas to accompany him overland in visiting the churches in Syria and Cilicia. Silas, a member of the Jerusalem delegation to Antioch (15:27), had apparently impressed Paul as they ministered together in Antioch. The two of them are commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord (similar to Paul’s blessings in 1 Cor 16:23; 2 Cor 13:13; Phil 4:23), a note conspicuously absent in the departure of Barnabas and Mark. The church of Antioch petitions Jesus’ help and guidance for the new mission, as it had earlier for the mission of Paul and Barnabas (Acts 13:1–3).
The narrative focuses on Paul, the central character in the events that follow, even though Silas is along as his partner. Traveling through the Roman provinces of Syria and Cilicia, Paul brings strength to the churches. Paul shows fatherly pastoral concern for the churches he has founded, the same paternal care that is manifested so strongly in his letters: “As you know, we treated each one of you as a father treats his children, exhorting and encouraging you and insisting that you conduct yourselves as worthy of the God who calls you into his kingdom and glory” (1 Thess 2:11–12).
Timothy Joins the Team (16:1–5)
1He reached [also] Derbe and Lystra where there was a disciple named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. 2The brothers in Lystra and Iconium spoke highly of him, 3and Paul wanted him to come along with him. On account of the Jews of that region, Paul had him circumcised, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4As they traveled from city to city, they handed on to the people for observance the decisions reached by the apostles and presbyters in Jerusalem. 5Day after day the churches grew stronger in faith and increased in number.
NT: Acts 14:8–21; Gal 2:3
Catechism: unity of the body of Christ, 791, 873
[16:1]
Paul returns to Derbe and Lystra, despite the traumatic memories Lystra held for him. After he had healed a cripple, the pagan crowds had acclaimed him as a god but soon changed their minds and stoned him (Acts 14:8–20). But this region holds an unexpected benefit in a young recruit named Timothy, who will become an important member of Paul’s team. Timothy is of mixed parentage, a Jewish-Christian mother (see 2 Tim 1:5) and a Greek father.
[16:2–3]
Because Timothy has a good reputation among the Christians of Lystra and Iconium, Paul wants him to join the mission team, perhaps to substitute for Mark. However, the mixed religious background of Timothy’s parents raises concerns about his acceptability to the Jews of that region. Timothy’s religious identity was probably traced through his Jewish mother.[1] But because his father was a Greek, many Jews would realize that Timothy, though a Jew, had never been circumcised. They would therefore regard him with disapproval, creating a stumbling block to Paul’s effectiveness in ministering to Jews. This situation leads Paul to have Timothy circumcised. Yet this act does not contradict the decision of the †Jerusalem Council that Gentiles need not be circumcised (Acts 15). Timothy’s ethnic status is an interesting contrast to that of another Pauline companion, Titus, who is of wholly Gentile origin and therefore remains uncircumcised (Gal 2:3).
[16:4]
On their journey from city to city, the mission team promulgates the decisions reached by the apostles and presbyters in Jerusalem, namely, that Gentiles need not be circumcised to become Christian, but that they should follow four prescriptions that facilitate Jewish-Gentile life together in community (Acts 15:28–29).
[16:5]
The team’s apostolic visitation, their promulgation of the Jerusalem decree, and its acceptance by the young Gentile communities—all result in the churches’ growing stronger in faith. They also grow in number, a sign of God’s favor.[2]
Reflection and Application (16:1–5)
Paul’s invitation to Timothy to join the mission was clearly inspired, for it bore much fruit in the years to come. As Paul’s protégé, his delegate to various churches, and the coauthor of several of his letters, Timothy became a major leader in the apostolic church. Paul’s training of Timothy arose from one of his fundamental principles, perhaps arrived at through reflection on Jesus’ ministry: “What you heard from me through many witnesses entrust to faithful people who will have the ability to teach others as well” (2 Tim 2:2). Those who have major roles of leadership in the Church are not called to do the ministry by themselves; rather, their role involves equipping others “for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Eph 4:12). Paul’s extensive collaboration with coworkers shows that this was a principle he took seriously, which contributed greatly to the immense fruitfulness of his life (see sidebar, p. 378).
“They” Becomes “We” (16:6–10)
6They traveled through the Phrygian and Galatian territory because they had been prevented by the holy Spirit from preaching the message in the province of Asia. 7When they came to Mysia, they tried to go on into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them, 8so they crossed through Mysia and came down to Troas. 9During [the] night Paul had a vision. A Macedonian stood before him and implored him with these words, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10When he had seen the vision, we sought passage to Macedonia at once, concluding that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them.
Catechism: obedience of the baptized to their calling, 1269
[16:6–8]
As with Philip’s ministry earlier in Acts, Paul’s team experiences direct guidance by the holy Spirit (8:26, 29, 39), who prevents them from preaching the gospel in the province of Asia, the western part of what today is Turkey. This divine control of the team’s itinerary makes evident that the route they took was God’s will. Luke does not explain why the Spirit diverted them from entering Asia; later Paul will enjoy significant missionary success in Ephesus, the capital of Asia. Likewise, Luke leaves unsaid how the Holy Spirit prevented them: was it through adverse circumstances, through prophecy (see 13:2), or possibly an interior sense?
Instead, the team travels through Phrygian and Galatian territory.[3] When they arrive in Mysia, they attempt to continue north into Bithynia, a Roman province on the southern coast of the Black Sea, but again the Spirit of Jesus does not allow them. This is the only occurrence of the phrase “the Spirit of Jesus” in Acts.[4] It seems to be a way of indicating that the Spirit is intimately united with the risen Jesus and is the means by which Jesus continues to be present and act through believers. Having been prevented from heading southwest and forbidden to go north, Paul and his companions cross through Mysia in a northwest direction and reach Troas, a port city on the Aegean Sea opposite Macedonia.
[16:9–10]
While at Troas, in the night Paul sees a vision of a Macedonian man who begs him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” Accordingly, Luke says, we sought passage to Macedonia at once. Paul and his companions discern in this vision a call to evangelize in Macedonia. For the first time in history, a Christian missionary enters Europe, an inconspicuous event that will have incalculable influence on the history of the continent and of the world.
Commentators have long noted an obvious shift in the narrative perspective between verses 6–9 and verse 10. Aside from his prologues, up to now Luke has reported all events in third-person perspective (“they” did this or that). Suddenly at verse 10, there is a change to a first-person narrator who is within the story: “We sought passage, . . . concluding that God had called us.” This implies that Luke himself joined Paul’s mission at Troas. From this point onward, Luke’s further participation in the events he narrates will continue to be signaled by the presence or absence of “we.”
Reflection and Application (16:5–10)
These six verses offer a fascinating glimpse into how human planning and divine guidance interact in the missionary activity of the apostle Paul. Unlike Paul’s first mission trip, which came at the direct initiative of the Spirit (13:1–3), the second missionary journey arose from Paul’s pastoral desire to visit and care for the new Christians (15:36). But the Spirit then intervenes in Paul’s travels. We see Paul actively making reasonable plans, which God blesses. At the same time, we see him recognizing and submitting to the guidance of the Spirit when the Spirit says no, indicating a change of plans that requires a prayerful and obedient disposition. The experience suggests that God works through human initiative and planning but reserves the right to redirect our efforts and bring us to a different destination than we had in mind—in this case, the first Christian mission to Europe.
The Team Travels into Europe (16:11–15)
11We set sail from Troas, making a straight run for Samothrace, and on the next day to Neapolis, 12and from there to Philippi, a leading city in that district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We spent some time in that city. 13On the sabbath we went outside the city gate along the river where we thought there would be a place of prayer. We sat and spoke with the women who had gathered there. 14One of them, a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth, from the city of Thyatira, a worshiper of God, listened, and the Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what Paul was saying. 15After she and her household had been baptized, she offered us an invitation, “If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my home,” and she prevailed on us.
OT: Lev 23:3; Tob 2:2
NT: Acts 5:14; 9:42; 11:17; 18:8; 1 Cor 1:16
Catechism: baptism of household, 1655
[16:11–12]
The first event in Luke’s “we” narrative is a sea journey. The team sails from Troas across the Aegean Sea to the island of Samothrace and then to Neapolis, port city for nearby Philippi. Philippi was a leading city in Macedonia and a Roman colony founded by retired Roman army veterans. This meant that the elite of the city were Roman settlers, mostly military, who spoke Latin rather than the local language, Greek, and whose primary allegiance was to Rome.
[16:13–15]
The mission team begins by going outside the city gate along the river where they thought there would be a place of prayer. What is meant by “place of prayer” is not clear; the Greek term was sometimes used for a synagogue, which they may have been hoping to find (see v. 16). In any case, they begin to evangelize some women who have gathered there. Lydia from Thyatira in Asia Minor (city of one of the seven churches addressed in the book of Revelation: Rev 2:18–26) is singled out as a †worshiper of God, that is, a Gentile who believed in the God of Israel but without becoming a Jewish convert. Lydia’s trade as a dealer in purple cloth and her heading a household ample enough to host Paul’s team indicate that she was rather well-to-do. Purple cloth was made with a dye produced from the shells of murex snails that live in the Mediterranean. Because of its great expense and quality (it grows darker with age rather than fading), murex purple was associated with royalty.
Luke attributes her receptiveness to the Lord Jesus, who opened her heart to what Paul was saying. Grace precedes and prepares for faith. As happened in the case of Cornelius (Acts 10:42–48), she and her entire household were baptized. Since households included infants and small children, these instances of whole households being baptized seem to be early evidence for Christian baptism of infants. That Lydia, as a woman, was head of her household suggests that she was a widow. She prevailed on Paul’s team to stay at her home. The same verb is used to describe the two disciples’ urging Jesus to stay with them at Emmaus (Luke 24:29).