Call to Commitment

Chapter 13, part 1

Paul's 1st missionary journey

The New Church at Antioch

        1.     Now in the church that was at Antioch     there were certain prophets and teachers:  Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger,  Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been  brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and   Saul. 

        2.      As they ministered to the Lord and    fasted, the Holy Spirit said, "Now separate  to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to  which I have called them." 

3.      Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away. 

In chapter 11 of Acts, we began to learn of the new church at Antioch. Luke said that after the martyrdom of Stephen, persecution broke out in Jerusalem and some arrived at Antioch, preaching only to Jews (Ac. 11:19). However, after Peter´s experience in Caesaria with the Roman centurion, Cornelius, a great breakthrough came and evangelists, from the isle of Cyprus and from the African nation of Cyrene, began to preach to Greek-speaking Gentile people (Ac. 11:20). Luke records that a great number of Gentiles turned to the Lord (Ac. 11:21). There began the history of the church in Antioch, after the salvation of Jews and Gentiles.

 We learned that Barnabas was sent to Antioch from Jerusalem (Ac. 11:22). He encouraged the new believers (Ac. 11:23) and, through his anointed evangelism, many more were added to the Antioch church (Ac. 11:24). Soon, Barnabas left for Tarsus, looking for Saul, as Tarsus was Saul’s native city (Ac. 11:25), and Saul joined him in the edification of the Antioch church (Ac. 11:26). In the last chapter, in fact, in the closing verse, we learned that they had returned to Jerusalem from Antioch, bringing with them an offering for the believers there (Ac. 11:30).  Now, they return to Antioch and take John Mark, who is Barnabas’ nephew with them. Mary, Mark’s mother, is probably Barnabas’ sister, for had she been his sister-in-law, his father, being Barnabas’ brother, would be mentioned (Ac. 12:25).

 Besides Barnabas and Saul, prophets from Jerusalem began to gather in Antioch (Ac. 11:27). The first verse of this chapter 13, mentions also Simeon Niger, Lucius from Cyrene (possibly, one who evangelized Antioch earlier… 11:20), and Manaen, interestingly a close acquaintance of Herod Antipas, who assassinated John the Baptist and joined with Pilate in Christ’s trial. Manaen is now a Christian and leader in the church at Antioch, along with these four others, who were prophets and teachers. It is another verse that shows that prophecy was a ministry in the New Testament church, composed of Jews and Gentiles (see also Acts 2:17, 18; 1 Co. 14:1; Eph. 4:11, 12).

 In verse 2, we see a priority in New Testament meetings.  We are to meet for edification of the body of Christ, for teaching, preaching, and the manifestation of the gifts of the Spirit. However, the main purpose for gathering is to minister to the Lord. Christ is the Head of His church and He is to oversee everything that happens; it is all to glorify God.  In Antioch, the church ministered to the Lord.

 In the same sentence, we learn that the church fasted. Jesus taught fasting, and in Matthew 6:16-17, He said “When, (not if), you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. But you, when, (not if), you fast, anoint your head and wash your face.” In Matthew 9:15, Mark 2:20, and Luke 5:35, Jesus also affirmed, "Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.” He also taught by example: “When He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry” (Mt. 4:2).

 The book of Acts gives wonderful examples of Christians working in conjunction with the Holy Spirit. A verse that I see as key in unlocking this truth is that expressed by the Jewish apostles, elders and brethren in Jerusalem to the Gentiles in Antioch in Acts 15:28: “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us…” On the day of Pentecost, the disciples moved in conjunction with the Holy Spirit and “began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Peter showed that when Ananias and Sapphira lied to the church that they were guilty of lying to the Holy Spirit, so close was the union between the church and the Spirit. Then, as now, the Holy Spirit speaks principally through His word, and the written Scriptures trump all other means of communication between man and God. They were also keenly sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit, because the supernatural gifts of the Spirit were an active and common part of the life of the early church.

 I suppose that it was through a gift of the Holy Spirit, rather than through an audible voice, that He said, "Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." We can be sure that from the day of his salvation, Saul was called to be an apostle to the Gentiles, for the Lord speaks to Ananias in Damascus, “He is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel” (Ac. 9:15). As a young believer, in a trance in the temple of Jerusalem, God said to him, “Depart, for I will send you far from here to the Gentiles"  (Ac. 22:21) In Antioch, up until the time of this church gathering, he, along with Barnabas, had been ministering as a prophet, a teacher, or both. They had not been active in the apostolic ministry until that moment.  

 As was the case of the apostles laying hands on the deacons in chapter 6:6, so now, hands were laid upon Barnabas and Saul. However, the church is not initially the source of their ordination, because again, the Holy Spirit said, “I have called them.” I will mention, parenthetically, that this is another proof of the trinity, because the Holy Spirit said that He had called them. Besides, Paul wrote to the Galatians: “Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead)” (Gal. 1:1). He was called by the Father and the Son. This meeting was to confirm God’s calling upon their apostolic ministry and they were sent by the Antioch church into the world. 

From Salamis to Paphos on Cyprus 

4.      So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. 

5.      And when they arrived in Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. They also had John as their assistant. 

6.      Now when they had gone through the island to Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar-Jesus, 

7.      who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man called for Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. 

8.      But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. 

9.      Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him 

10.  and said, "O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord? 

11.  And now, indeed, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time." And immediately a dark mist fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand. 

12.  Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had been done, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.  

Again, we see the close conjunction between the Holy Spirit and the church, because we have just noticed in the previous verse that the church sent them out. In verse 4, we are assured, that they were sent out, primarily, by the Holy Spirit. It is of great importance to see that their departure into the world, was not humanly ordered, but was also a work of God. Paul said to the Romans, “How shall they preach unless they are sent?” Therefore “As it is written: "HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF PEACE, WHO BRING GLAD TIDINGS OF GOOD THINGS!" (Ro. 10:15 from Is. 52:7). Their ministry is particularly beautiful, because it was ordered in heaven. Their calling was divine and so was the sending.

 We will also notice that the calling of apostleship was, first of all, to Christ Jesus Himself, and then, they were sent out from Him to the world. The fact that they are sent directly from the presence of Christ to the world, adds more beauty to their apostleship. See this sequence in Matthew 10:1 to 5 and find it also in Mark 3:13-14 and Luke 6:13:  “When He had called His twelve disciples to Him… These twelve Jesus sent out…” In the meantime, “He gave them power over unclean spirits… and to heal all kinds of sickness…”

 The apostles went down to the Mediterranean seaport, Seleucia, not far from Antioch, and sailed to the island of Cyprus (v. 4) This missionary journey began in Salamis, on the east side of the island and continued to Paphos on the west. Salamis had been the Greek capital on the island, but after the Roman conquest, it became Paphos. Salamis is in ruins today, but Paphos still exists, but is about 7½ miles to the northwest of the old city. Although Saul has been called especially to the Gentiles, he must fulfill another principle… the gospel must be preached to the Jew first. So, he, Barnabas and John Mark went to the Jewish synagogues in Cyprus (v. 5).  Barnabas, originally Joses, a Levite, was in his own country (Ac. 4:36) and, it is believed, that he was martyred in Salamis by stoning, in 61 A.D., although this cannot be proven.

 Ultimately, this team came to Paphos, already mentioned as the Roman capital on the island, therefore it is the home of the Roman proconsul, Sergius Paulus. In him, we very happily find a Gentile spiritually enlightened, therefore he is truly intelligent, sensible, and of sound understanding, obviously a product of the prevenient work of the Holy Spirit. The devil, however, was aware of his potential in God, and had prepared an envoy to confuse and divert the public servant from the truth. The Lord’s preparation triumphed and he, hungry for truth, asked for Saul and Barnabas to visit him (vs. 6, 7).

 The companion of Sergius Paulus, was a Jew, a false prophet, Bar-Jesus, literally Son of Jesus or Joshua, a Hebrew name, which translates into English, son of a savior, and might indicate to us, that it covered his true Satanic identity. He is called in verse 6 a magos, the same name given to the wise men in Matthew 2:1, and this name was translated into Arabic, Elymas. This was the name, by which he was popularly known. Through him, the devil fought desperately for the proconsul’s soul (v. 8).

In verse 9, I find it comfortable to leave the apostle’s given name, Saul, behind, and begin to call him by his Roman name, Paul (Paulus, actually, in Latin), which the Scripture gives from this point on. It is a name well-known to the Romans and therefore easy to adapt to their language. It may be that Paulus, the proconsul, was the first to adapt Saul’s name to his own, perhaps accidentally, because of its familiarity to him, rather than a Hebrew name. Paul seemed to welcome this change, which was so indicative of his new ministry in Christ to the Gentiles. Now he has a Gentile name. 

 Far more important than a name change was the anointing of God on this minister. He was full of the Holy Spirit and fastened Spirit-anointed eyes on this emissary of Satan. It is not something that he could have done in a fleshly manner. The enemy has no fear of a human being, but must yield to the authority of a man, full of the Holy Spirit. Under the Spirit’s awesome power, Paul spoke: "O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord?” (v. 10).  As a jurist in the Lord’s courtroom, he pronounced sentence on a criminal enemy of the cause of God, smiting him with temporary blindness. Immediately it happened, and he needed an aide to take him away from the presence and the purpose of the mighty gospel of Jesus Christ (v. 11)

Paul and Barnabas at Antioch in Pisidia

13.  Now when Paul and his party set sail from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia; and John, departing from them, returned to Jerusalem. 

14.  But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down. 

15.  And after the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, "Men and brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say on." 

16.  Then Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said, "Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen: 

17.  The God of this people Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He brought them out of it. 

18.  Now for a time of about forty years He put up with their ways in the wilderness. 

19.  And when He had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He distributed their land to them by allotment. 

20.  "After that He gave them judges for about four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet. 

21.  And afterward they asked for a king; so God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. 

22.  And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, 'I HAVE FOUND DAVID THE SON OF JESSE, A MAN AFTER MY OWN HEART, WHO WILL DO ALL MY WILL.' 

23.  From this man's seed, according to the promise, God raised up for Israel a Savior—Jesus— 

24.  after John had first preached, before His coming, the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 

25.  And as John was finishing his course, he said, 'Who do you think I am? I am not He. But behold, there comes One after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to loose.' 

26.  "Men and brethren, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to you the word of this salvation has been sent. 

 Leaving the proconsul on the island a believer, the future of the gospel there is very positive. So now, Paul, Barnabas, John Mark, and it would seem that other Cristians, as well, board a ship at Paphos and sail to the mainland to the seaport, Attalia. They then move inland, commentators telling us that they probably sailed up a river called Cestrus to Perga in Pamphylia. On a nearby mountain, was a famous temple dedicated to Diana. Pamphylia is a Mediterranean coastal province, that borders Paul’s province, Cilicia, on the west. At this point, John Mark, makes a decision to abandon the party and returned to Jerusalem, something that Paul found very disgusting and disloyal (v. 13). When Barnabas determines to take his nephew, Mark, on their next mission, Paul absolutely refused to do so, causing a division between him and Barnabas (Ac. 15:39). Later, this problem is resolved  and Paul again finds him useful in the ministry (2 T. 4:11). 

Via Sebaste Roman road near Antioch

There were Jews at Pentecost from Pamphylia. From Perga, the team moves 100 miles inland to another city called Antioch, but this one is in the province of Pisidia, 3,600 feet above sea level. It was a rugged journey over mountains, inhabited by outlaws. Having reached this height, they are on the Via Sebaste road, leading to Lystra, constructed by Caesar Augustus. Once again they preached the gospel to the Jew first, entered a synagogue and simply took a seat (v. 14). It was more than a priority, Paul had a heavy, unsupportable burden to win them to Christ (see 1 Co. 9:20 and Ro. 9:2, 3). In the synagogues, the commentators tell us, a portion of the law was read every Sabbath, universally, in order to read through it every year. Also a portion of the prophets was read and Jesus was given this reading in Nazareth from Isaiah 61:1 and 2. After this preliminary reading of the Scriptures, the leaders in Antioch recognized the visitors and sent an invitation, giving them an opportunity to give a word of exhortation (v. 15). 

 Paul stood up and made a customary gesture with his hand, which asked for their attention, and began by addressing the congregation, “Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen.” Not only are Jews present, but proselytes “of the gate”, meaning  Gentiles not yet circumcised, but who had renounced idolatry, and were welcome to worship in the synagogues (v. 16), as were raw pagans. Paul immediately showed his knowledge of the Scriptures and Hebrew history from the time of slavery in Egypt and their deliverance (v. 16). The Jews frequently referred to this time.

He spoke of their election and exaltation by their God, who mightily freed them and brought them out of the land of Egypt (v. 17). He spoke of the 40 years in the wilderness (v. 18) and notice especially this phrase, “He put up with their ways”. From the very beginning, their ways were not His ways, and it required divine patience to endure their sin, complaints, and rebellion. The conquest of Canaan came next, the Lord fighting for them against seven nations, which were stronger and which they could have never defeated had it not been for their God. Therefore, Paul’s words are He destroyed them and then, He ordered the  distribution on the land among the 12 tribes (v. 19).

The glory of their triumph throughout history belonged entirely to their God and not to themselves. Once again in verse 20, He was entirely in charge of the appointment of judges out of various tribes, as He saw fit through 450 years and the prophetic ministry of Samuel. All this history clearly reveals the evident hand of God over them. However, then Paul comes to the beginning of the kingdom, he showed the intervention on the part of the people, asking for a king. It was an act of rebellion against the kingship of their God. However, He gave them a man that exactly fit the desires of their own hearts. It was Saul, head and shoulders larger than any of the people, a true champion. The people continued to walk in their own ways, following the nations around them, against the ways of their God (v. 21).  

From the day that Saul was appointed, God had it in His heart to remove a person, whose position was according to the will of the people, rising up against their God. Samuel was also displeased from the beginning with this request, but God told him that they were not rejecting a human being, “but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them (1 S. 8:7).  Read 1 Samuel, chapter 12, to see how Samuel demonstrated their sin in doing this, until the people saw it clearly and said, “We have added to all our sins the evil of asking a king for ourselves” (1 S. 12:19). Yet God and Samuel worked with this imperfect situation until He removed it, as He continues to do in our day in an imperfect church, split into hundreds of denominations, competing among themselves.

He raised up David, also an imperfect man, but God sees a perfect heart attitude in him. Paul spoke of David’s seed, as the One, “who will do all my will” (v. 22). See in Revelation 5 that no human being is worthy to open the scroll in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne until the Root of David appears and takes it. In His perfection, He is worshipped in heaven and declared worthy by men and angels!

 Paul now came to the perfect fulfillment of all that God demonstrated and promised through his history and that of all the Jews before him in the synagogue (v. 23). It is the gospel in their Messiah and Savior, Jesus, Whom John the Baptist announced, preaching that all men, beginning with the Jews, should repent. The One, Who is about to appear among them, will enter repentant hearts, totally submissive to His lordship (v. 24). As he was ending his ministry of repentance, John clearly stated that he was not the Christ. I want you to notice that in presenting the One, who was about to begin His ministry, he said, “The sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to loose”. He did not say, “I am only worthy to unloose His sandals”, but I am not even worthy to be His slave, to perform service, such as taking off his sandals. Jesus is incomparably worthy and no one else comes close! That is what Paul is preaching in the synagogue that Sabbath. It is far beyond anything else that they had ever read in their Scriptures or had ever been proclaimed to them by anyone in their lifetime (v. 25).

 Paul claimed to all the sons of Abraham and to God-fearing Gentiles present, this incredible news, that on this historic Sabbath, God had sent the word of eternal salvation to them through this party of missionaries. Their Messiah had come and dealt with the sins that had kept them from experiencing the glory of God. He had risen from the dead and was alive to bring salvation to as many as would believe. We will stop here for now and continue with Paul’s message in the next article, but to anyone reading this one, I have full authority from heaven to say, “To you, the word of this salvation has been sent!” It is available to you today, It has been sent and it is only left for you to receive it.