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the fact as sufficient guidance, believing, most assuredly, that a `work' had been mapped out for them, and that
guidance as well as grace was theirs.
At Perga a sad thing happened:
`John departing from them returned to Jerusalem' (Acts 13:13).
He `went not with them to the work' (Acts 15:38).
Ergon, work, ergazomai, to work, occur seven times in the narrative:
`Separate Me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them' (Acts 13:2).
`Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise
believe, though a man declare it unto you' (Acts 13:41).
`And thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which
they fulfilled' (Acts 14:26).
`Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world' (Acts 15:18).
`But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with
them to the work' (Acts 15:38).
From these references it would appear that `the work' actually began when the apostles, by themselves,
evangelized the cities of Asia Minor, and it must also be noted that on the return journey Cyprus was not included.
Moreover, when Paul proposed to visit `every city where we have preached the Word of the Lord' (Acts 15:36) he
apparently had no intention of revisiting Salamis or Paphos in Cyprus, for he went through Syria and Cilicia and on
to Derbe. Pamphylia, as its name means, was `the-all-tribe' land. Cyprus was under one governor, and was
tolerably peaceful, but Pamphylia and the countries beyond were likely to inspire the traveller with dread. For years
Pamphylia had been a stronghold of pirates and robbers, and in the lower regions of the country malaria was rife.
The apostle's words: `In journeyings often, in perils of waters (rivers), in perils of robbers' (2 Cor. 11:26) would
well describe the dangers that intimidated John Mark. We, in our own land, have no experience of a flooding river
such as would menace the safety and life of a traveller in Asia Minor. To a wavering disciple the vast central plain
of Asia Minor, rising higher than Ben Nevis, with inland seas of salt to make the journey even more harassing,
would also be daunting.
The fact that Paul made no stay in Perga at his first visit, but preached there on his return (Acts 13:13,14; 14:25)
suggests that the apostle had taken ship for Cyprus at the `opening' of the sea, that is in March, and so would arrive
at Perga about May. Earlier in the year, the passes would be blocked with snow, and later the approaching winter
would render the journey unsafe. In the month of May the inhabitants of Perga moved from the plains to the hills.
Within recent times these yailaks, or summer retreats, have been described by travellers. If therefore Paul found the
majority of the inhabitants of Perga on the move, it would account for his silence, and, possibly, also for John
Mark's sudden fright. Moreover we find that the apostle often passed by smaller towns for the great centre of
commerce or government, leaving to the church formed by his efforts the work of evangelizing the surrounding
district. Whatever the cause, Antioch in Pisidia was the apostle's goal.
Antioch was a Roman colony and a centre of great importance:
`They came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down. And after the
reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if
ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on. Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said
...' (Acts 13:14-16).
As the synagogue plays such an important part in the early spread of the gospel, we take this opportunity of
describing its officers and order of service, and giving other particulars that illuminate the Scripture record.
A synagogue could only be formed where there were at least ten men, preferably students of the law. The fact
that the Lord used the number ten in His parables is reminiscent of this fact.
The Talmud says: