St Paul's second missionary journey : Syria > Cilicia

[The posts which follow make extensive use of The Acts of the Apostles, by Madame Cecilia, (Religious of St Andrew's Convent, Streatham), with an Imprimi potest dated 16 October 1907 (Westminster); Burns, Oates & Washbourne Ltd. (London). With grateful prayers for the author and her team: 

REQUIEM æternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis. Requiescant in pace. Amen.

ETERNAL rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.]

 

Acts XV :  36-41

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[36] And after some days, Paul said to Barnabas: Let us return and visit our brethren in all the cities wherein we have preached the word of the Lord, to see how they do. 

[37] And Barnabas would have taken with them John also, that was surnamed Mark; 

[38] But Paul desired that he (as having departed from them out of Pamphylia, and not gone with them to the work) might not be received. 

[39] And there arose a dissension, so that they departed one from another; and Barnabas indeed taking Mark, sailed to Cyprus. 

[40] But Paul choosing Silas, departed, being delivered by the brethren to the grace of God.

[41] And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches, commanding them to keep the precepts of the apostles and the ancients.

[36] Post aliquot autem dies, dixit ad Barnabam Paulus : Revertentes visitemus fratres per universas civitates, in quibus praedicavimus verbum Domini, quomodo se habeant. [37] Barnabas autem volebat secum assumere et Joannem, qui cognominabatur Marcus. [38] Paulus autem rogabat eum ( ut qui discessisset ab eis de Pamphylia, et non isset cum eis in opus) non debere recipi. [39] Facta est autem dissensio, ita ut discederent ab invicem et Barnabas quidem, assumpto Marco, navigaret Cyprum. [40] Paulus vero, electo Sila, profectus est, traditus gratiae Dei a fratribus.

[41] Perambulabat autem Syriam et Ciliciam, confirmans ecclesias : praecipiens custodire praecepta Apostolorum et seniorum.

Notes

    36. after some days. This period probably embraced some months at least.

    Let us return. The Greek is more energetic, as the same hortative particle (δη) found in ch. xiii. 2 is used nere. See Annot. on that verse.

    38. but Paul desired, etc. This verse is much more emphatic in the Greek, which may he thus rendered: “But Paul thought it right, with respect to one who had revolted from them from Pamhylia, and had not gone with them to the work, not to take to themselves that man.” This is a much more energetic refusal than our Rheims Version gives.

    39. a dissension. Better, “ a sharp contention ” (παροξυσμος ). From this Greek word we derive the, noun “ paroxysm.” Each desired to take what he deemed the best measures for the propagation of the Gospel, and neither would yield to the other.

    “St Paul was more inclined to severity, Barnabas to gentleness ; each maintained his own view, and therefore there was something of human frailty in this dissension ” (St Jerome, Adv. Pelag., lil). iii.). The apostles in many things acted upon their human judgment, for they were not stocks or stones” (St John Chrys., Hom., xxxiv. 1). This difference of opinion caused no ill-feeling, and, some time later, we find Mark was in Rome assisting St Paul, who speaks most highly of him as having been “ a comfort ” to him (Col. iv. 11). and he refers to Barnabas as a labourer in God’s vineyard, and cites his conduct as an example (1 Cor. ix. 1-14).

    sailed to Cyprus. “This also is a work of Providence. For the Cyprians had exhibited nothing of the like sort as they at Antioch and the rest, and those needed the softer character, but these needed such a character as Paul’s (St John Chrys., Hom., xxxiv. 1). Hence, “ no evil came of the dissension, for, dividing one from the other, each sufficed for whole nations, which was a great good (ibid.),

    40. Paul choosing Silas. As a Jew, a “ leader ” (ἡγουμενος ) among the brethren of Judea, an accredited delegate and a prophet, whose words had power to comfort and strengthen the brethren (verse 32), and a Roman citizen, Silas was a valuable ally for St Paul, and consoled him for the loss of Barnabas. Henceforih we find him faithfully accompanying St Paul, who often refers to him in his epistles (see xvii. 4, xviii. 5 ; 2 Cor. i. 19 ; 1 Thess. i. 1 ; 2 Thess. i. 1).

    being delivered, etc. Another proof that a solemn service was held in the primitive Church when sending off missionaries on their work. St Paul now starts on his second missionary journey.

    As nothing is said of Barnabas and Mark “ being delivered by the brethren to the grace of God,” some commentators have concluded that the church of Antioch disapproved of Barnabas' having quitted St Paul, and that he departed from Antioch with Mark without any formal leave-taking. Others are of opinion that as St Luke had chiefly in view to relate “the Acts of Paul.” that he passed over “ the Acts of Barnabas ” which had no hearing on St Paul’s work. Barnabas is not mentioned again in the Acts.

    41. Syria and Cilicia. These were the two districts to which the letter from the assembly of Jerusalem was addressed. In Gal. i. 21 St Paul refers to his stay in the regions of Syria and Cilicia, and during this time he undoubtedly evangelized.

    commanding them, etc. This clause is not found in the oldest Greek MSS., but it is in Codex D and in versions which resemble this codex. Thus the letter was delivered by St Paul and Silas in the countries for which it was destined.

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.