S. Michael Houdmann Supporter Got Questions Ministries

Paul and Barnabas traveled together through the island of Cyprus and the province of Asia (modern Asia Minor) preaching the gospel in the first missionary journey (Acts 13). The name Barnabas means...

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December 18 2015 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jeffrey Johnson Supporter

What should we learn from the account of Paul and Barnabas?

The account of Paul and Barnabas teaches that even godly leaders are fallible, yet God uses their efforts and disagreements to further His work. Key lessons include balancing theological unity with practical disagreements, investing in mentoring (like with Mark), handling conflict with grace, and maintaining focus on sharing the gospel.

Some Key lessons from their account include:

God Uses Disagreements for Good: Their sharp disagreement over John Mark resulted in their parting ways, but this effectively doubled the missionary effort—two teams (Paul and Silas; Barnabas and Mark) went out instead of one.

Even Godly Leaders are Fallible: Both men were filled with the Holy Spirit and highly effective, yet they were still fallible human beings prone to interpersonal conflict. The Bible's honest portrayal of this friction verifies its authenticity.

The Power of Encouragement and Mentorship: Barnabas (the "Son of Encouragement") played a critical role in Paul's life by introducing him to the wary apostles in Jerusalem and recruiting him for ministry in Antioch.

Second Chances Are Vital: While Paul focused on mission reliability and was initially unwilling to take John Mark after his previous desertion, Barnabas emphasised nurture and restoration. Barnabas's patient mentorship eventually led Mark to become "useful" to Paul's later ministry.

Unity in Essentials, Liberty in Non-Essentials: Their dispute was over a practical judgment call, not a core doctrinal issue. They remained united in their primary goal of spreading the gospel despite their differing methods.

Reconciliation is Always Possible: Evidence from later epistles indicates that the rift between Paul, Barnabas, and Mark was eventually healed. Paul later spoke affectionately of Barnabas and commended Mark as a faithful fellow worker. 

The close association that Barnabas had with Paul, which extended over the years, began about three years after Paul's conversion, when he wanted to get in touch with the Jerusalem congregation. How Barnabas knew Paul, whether being an old acquaintance or as a fellow student at the feet of Gamaliel, as certain traditions say, or whether quite by chance in the marketplace, is not revealed, but it was Barnabas who had the privilege of first introducing Paul to Peter and the disciple James.—Acts 9:26, 27; Gal. 1:18, 19.

Paul and Barnabas set a fine example for those who lead the congregation today. Rather than vying for prominence, Christians remember Jesus' words: "All of you are brothers." He added: "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted."​—Matt. 23:8, 12.

What ways can we imitate the fine example set by Paul and Barnabas? These faithful ones' response to opposition provides a valuable lesson for us. We do not stop preaching, even when prominent people of the world try to dissuade us from proclaiming our message. Note, too, that when the people of Antioch rejected their message, Paul and Barnabas "shook the dust off their feet"​—a gesture that indicated not anger but a disclaiming of responsibility. These missionaries realized that they could not control how others would respond. What they could control was whether they would continue to preach. 

Like Paul and Barnabas, may we always remember that our responsibility is to preach the good news. And, the decision to accept or reject the message rests squarely with our listeners.

April 16 2026 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report