Disagreement Between Paul and Barnabas Over Readiness of Prior Companion

Acts 15:36-41

• Paul and Barnabas agreed to revisit the new Believers to encourage and strengthen them.
• Paul and Barnabas disagree of whether Mark should travel with them.
• Paul and Barnabas split and the ministry doubles in size.

Paul and Barnabas agreed to revisit the new Believers to encourage and strengthen them.
“Then after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us now go back and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they are doing.” Acts 15:36

Paul and Barnabas both agreed to the importance of revisiting the new converts in every city where they preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The purpose was to encourage each one to continue in the way of Christ and to be firmly rooted in the grace and knowledge of Jesus. As followers of Jesus Christ, each Believer has one purpose through the Holy Spirit, to encourage one another in the faith. The Holy Spirit speaks to us through Joshua, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

We live in a world where today’s culture, which is global, serves an atheistic entity. This is the entity that replaces the conscience and spirit [while oppressing the presence of the Holy Spirit] to give people what to think, feel, say, and do. This entity gives life to the image of the beast to speak and live through people and by what they say and do they oppose Christianity. They are groomed to the mark of the beast by what they are given to say and do. We need to encourage one another to be strong and of good courage, not to be afraid or dismayed, the God of Jesus Christ is with us everywhere we go.

Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Paul and Barnabas disagree of whether Mark should travel with them.
“Now Barnabas was determined to take with them John called Mark. But Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work.” Acts 15:37-38

Barnabas insisted that John [who went by the name of Mark] should go along with them to revisit all of the cities where they shared the testimony of Jesus. Mark was the cousin of Barnabas, Colossians 4:10. However, Paul was just as insistent that Mark should not go with them because he left the work in Pamphylia and returned to Jerusalem, “Now when Paul and his party set sail from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia; and John, departing from them, returned to Jerusalem, Acts 13:13. Mark started the missionary work with Paul and Barnabus in Cyprus, as described in Acts 13:4-5.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we agree that our work is to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but other details may cause disagreement. Even so, our perseverance in the presence of the Holy Spirit is what causes fruitfulness/productiveness in the work of the Lord. This is seen in the coming verses, 39-40.

Mark may have left the work, but he is also the one who later wrote the Gospel of Mark. Also, Paul and Mark reconciled in the name of Jesus to continue in sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul said, “Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry.” 2 Timothy 4:11 This is what forgiveness, grace, and mercy between one another is all about, to allow the work of the Lord to continue.

Mark is first mentioned in Acts 12:12 as the son of a woman named Mary, whose house was being used as a place for believers to gather and pray.

On the map below, Pamphylia is to the far left between Colossae and Attalia. That is where John Mark left Paul and Barnabas, Acts 13:13-14. Paul and Barnabas are now at Antioch at Syria [Acts 14:26-35], which is to the far right in the picture and circled in yellow.

Paul and Barnabas split and the ministry doubles in size.
“Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus; but Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brethren to the grace of God. And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.” Acts 15:39-41

Sometimes, sharp contentions will arise between two people who love God, live for Jesus Christ, and embrace the Holy Spirit. The contention will result in each other going in separate directions. This happened between Paul and Barnabas. Barnabas insisted on bringing his cousin, Mark, with them, but Paul insisted that they didn’t. For that reason, they parted ways with each other but didn’t part ways with their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

While Paul and Barnabas disagreed with each other, they persevered in the Holy Spirit, which caused the missionary work to double in size. Whereas the missionary journey once just included one group, such as Paul and Barnabas, now there would be two groups. Barnabas would take his cousin, Mark, and go to Cyprus and Paul would take Silas and go to Cilicia and Syria.

From Antioch at Syria, Barnabas took John Mark and sailed for Cyprus. As seen on the map above, Cyprus is the island to the southwest of Antioch/Syria. Paul chose Silas, and they traveled on land to Syria and Cilicia, neighboring cities of Antioch. Tarsus is a prominent city in Cilicia and is where Paul was from when he was known as Saul. Paul said, “I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city…” Acts 22:3

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:11