of such as Ananias and Barnabas.  Ananias expressed his fear concerning Saul

of Tarsus, but love cast it out, and scales fell from more than eyes of flesh

when Ananias uttered the pre -eminently Christian salutation, 'Brother Saul'.

News of the evil that Saul had done to the saints at Jerusalem had been

carried as far as Damascus (Acts 9:13), so that we can scarcely be surprised

that Saul's attempt to join the disciples at Jerusalem was met with suspicion

and fear.  It is hard to imagine the disastrous effects this might have had

upon the spiritual life of so sensitive a character.  But He Who had chosen

the vessel and marked out the course, controlled also all the circumstances

and the means for the accomplishment of that course.  Already indicated as

one eminently fitted for the task of bringing together Saul and the church,

was a man, a Levite, of the name of Joses.  Many would confess that they had

never heard of him.  Joses is better known to us by the name given him by the

apostles, Barnabas.  We find then that:

'Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto

them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that He had spoken to

him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus'

(Acts 9:27).

In Acts 4:36 we are told that the name Barnabas means 'the son of

consolation'.  The Greek word paraklesis is from para, 'beside', and kaleo,

'to call', and gives us the word Paraclete.

'The Comforter' and 'The Advocate' (John 14:16; 1 John 2:1).  In Vol.

23 of The Berean Expositor, pages 13 -15, we discussed the meaning of this

word, and showed that the idea contained in our word 'encourage' most fits

the majority of the occurrences of the word.  The name Barnabas is made up of

bar, 'a son', and nabi, 'a prophet'.  The word prophet is used in the

Scriptures with wider significance than the foretelling of events, and in

more than one passage in the New Testament prophesying and exhortation

(paraklesis) are found together:

'He that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation

(paraklesis), and comfort (consolation)' (1 Cor. 14:3).

Of Judas and Silas it is said that:

'Being prophets also themselves, (they) exhorted (parakaleo) the

brethren with many words, and confirmed them' (Acts 15:32).

Paul's witness at Damascus was brought to a close by the opposition of

the Jews, who watched the gates day and night hoping to kill him (Acts 9:24).

His witness at Jerusalem came to an abrupt end from the same cause; this time

it was the Grecians (Greek -speaking Jews), who went about to slay him (Acts

9:29).  In both instances, Paul is saved by the solicitude of the disciples,

his qualms of apparently deserting of his post, being quieted by a vision

which he had in the Temple at the time:

'And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even

while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance; and saw Him saying

unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they

will not receive thy testimony concerning Me.  And I said, Lord, they

know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed

on Thee ... and He said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence

unto the Gentiles' (Acts 22:17 -21).