Paul, Barnabas, John Mark, and Luke begin the missionary ministry.

Acts 13:4-5

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“So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. 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.” Acts 13:4-5

“They” refers to Paul and Barnabas [and Luke who recorded the events of Acts]. Barnabas was from Cyprus and is also the one who sold his house to use the money to buy food and other necessities for those who left everything to follow Jesus Christ. as described in Act6s 4:36-37. This is also said about Barnabas, “For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.” Acts 11:24 In Antioch at Syria, Paul and Barnabas were chosen through the Holy Spirit for the missionary ministry, Acts 13:1-3. From that calling, they went to Seleucia, then sailed to Cyprus where there arrived in Salamis and preached the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Jewish people. Those places are seen on the map below.

This begins the missionary journey of Paul which is recorded from Acts 13:4 through Acts 21:26. This is before Paul’s arrest, multiple hearings, and transfer to Rome. Paul was kept imprisoned for a little over two years in Caesarea [Acts 24:27] before he was transferred to Rome [by ship] where he was imprisoned for another two years [Acts 28:30-31], then executed. All of this is described from Acts 21:27 through Acts 28. Paul was born-again through Jesus Christ in Acts 9:1-31.

Paul and Barnabas were chosen by the Holy Spirit to begin the missionary ministry. The Holy Spirit is He who gives us what to do for the sake of the testimony of Jesus. The purpose of the Holy Spirit is to lift up the name of Jesus and to make His message known. The desire and yearning within our spirit, to make known the Gospel message, leads us into the work we do for God. According to the presence of the Holy Spirit, doors open and shut.

From Seleucia, Cyprus was the very first stop on Paul’s missionary journey, and Salamis was on the east coast. The first place they began was in the Jewish synagogues. Nothing more is mentioned about the results of ministering to those Jewish people. Sometimes, we may feel a need to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ in a place that is completely indifferent to what we say. That is all we can do, to share the message, and that is all we are asked to do. What the hearers do with the word they hear is on them, as described in Ezekiel 33.

“They also had John as their assistant” refers to the John known as Mark [or John Mark]. He assisted Paul and Barnabas. John Mark was the cousin of Barnabas, Colossians 4:10. Later on, John Mark wrote the Gospel of Mark. Luke is the one writing the book of Acts. John 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.

After being on Cyprus, Mark deserted Paul and Barnabas from Pamphylia [Perga] and returned to Jerusalem, Acts 13:13 and Acts 15:38. Pamphylia is seen on the map below, which is northwest of Cyprus. Cyprus is the island seen about in the middle of the image in the Mediterranean Sea.

A dispute arose between Paul and Barnabas about whether to have John Mark to rejoin them on their missionary ministry. Paul refused to have John Mark with them after he deserted them the first time. But Barnabas insisted on having John Mark with them. This dispute led to Paul and Barnabas parting ways. Paul decided to join with Silas for their missionary ministry, and Barnabas and John Mark teamed up to start another missionary ministry. This is described in Acts 15:36-41. Actually, this led to double the missionary ministries instead of just one. That is how the Holy Spirit works through people to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Whatever happens in our life, whatever contentions arise, when we welcome the presence of the Holy Spirit, it will work for the good of the Kingdom of God.

Paul and Silas went to Syria and Cilicia while Barnabas and John Mark ministered in Cyprus. Acts 15:39-41 Those places are seen on the map at the top of this post.

Years later, John Mark and Paul reconciled, and Paul calls him a “fellow worker” in Philemon 1:24. As followers of Jesus Christ, there must never be bitterness and unforgiveness due to disputes, this is part of our life of Holiness and the process of sanctification to purify us from bitterness and grudges. Forgiveness is necessary to reconcile us to our brothers and sisters in Christ. Near the end of Paul’s life, him and John Mark were still bonded by the Holy Spirit, as Paul said, “Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry”, 2 Timothy 4:11.

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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, 3:1