In Acts 15:37 -39 the happy companionship of these two men is broken by

the strength of family affection, for John Mark was 'sister's son to

Barnabas' (Col. 4:10).  Another departure is revealed in Galatians 2:11 -13,

where we read that 'Barnabas was also carried away with their dissimulation'.

Paul mentions Barnabas once more, namely in 1 Corinthians 9:6, but never

again do we find them working together.  Barnabas, the encourager, had done

his work; the great ship had been fairly launched, but unsuspected weakness

revealed that he was unfit to go forward in the great enterprise.

Nevertheless the Christian church can never be too grateful to the man whose

foresight and encouragement, whose quickness to perceive the way in which the

Lord's purposes were to be fulfilled, led him, at Jerusalem and at Antioch,

to stand by the chosen vessel who was destined to bear the name of the Lord

before the Gentiles.

By humbler and weaker vessels is the God of all grace carrying on the

good work.  While none may be of

Paul's calibre, there is obvious need for many 'sons of consolation' who

shall stand by, encourage, and support those who seek to follow in the steps

of the great apostle to the Gentiles.

Barnabas had been of utmost service.

He bridged the gulf between Saul and the disciples at Jerusalem.

At Antioch he recognized that Saul was the man for the work

developing there, and travelled as far as Tarsus to seek him out.

Together with Saul, Barnabas was chosen to evangelize Galatia and

initiate the great independent ministry of the apostle to the

At Jerusalem he stood with Paul while the apostle laid before the

assembly that gospel which he had preached among the Gentiles,

and, with Paul, received from the other apostles the right hand

of fellowship.

At the conference held at Jerusalem, which is detailed for us in Acts

15, another valued companion of Paul is introduced, namely Silas:

'Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to

send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas;

namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas and Silas, chief men among the brethren

... men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus

Christ ... being prophets also themselves' (Acts 15:22,26,32).

Three outstanding characteristics of these men are remarked upon:

They were 'leaders', the word 'chief' being a translation of

hegoemai, which is from ago, 'I lead' (v. 22).

They combined in an eminent degree, doctrine and practice, for

they had 'hazarded their lives' in their testimony for the Lord

(v. 26).

They were moreover 'prophets' and so could 'exhort and confirm'

those among whom they ministered (v. 32).

We learn from verse 30 that these men reached Antioch and afterwards

were let go in peace.