Barnabas was of the country of Cyprus (Acts 4: 36) and after the rupture with Paul he

took John Mark with him back to Cyprus (Acts 15: 39). While, as in the case of

Barnabas and John Mark, family affection may sometimes prove a hindrance to spiritual

work, there is no reason, in itself, why it should not be a help. So in the decision to make

Cyprus the first sphere of labour, love of country may have had some weight.

The great mission had now been launched, and the course set. In our next article we

shall be free to take up the record of the ministry accomplished on this island and to learn

its most important dispensational lesson.

As the little vessel leaves the shores of Syria carrying, on their great adventure, the

two emissaries of a despised faith, what insignificant persons must they have appeared.

There seems to have been no "send off", except that lowly one in the atmosphere of

prayer and fasting (Acts 13: 3). As they traversed the miles of sea, slowly reducing the

distance from the place of their initial ministry, there could have been little realization of

the tremendous issues that hung, humanly speaking, upon their faithfulness and courage.

The strongest might have felt the task too great: still more such a man as Paul. His

bodily presence is described by the Corinthians as "weak" and as we hope to prove, he

reminds the Galatians that he was with them on this very journey, during a bout of

sickness (Gal. 4: 13). Before the journey is accomplished and the apostle is back again

at Antioch, he is to meet with the opposition of sorcery, the contradiction and blasphemy

of the Jew, persecution at the hands even of the honourable and the devout, despiteful

handling by the combined attack of Jew and Gentile, and the ordeal of stoning and being

left for dead: yet is he sustained and preserved. The grace of God, to which they had

been recommended (Acts 14: 26), proved all-sufficient, and the door of faith had been

opened to the Gentiles.

No particulars are given of the work done upon the island. The verb kateggellon used

in Acts 13: 5 suggests a "continuance" of preaching in the synagogues of the Jews, a

number of which may therefore have been visited at Salamis. The island is about

150 miles long, and the distance between Salamis and Paphos is 100 miles. It appears

from the narrative, and from the relative positions of Salamis and Paphos, that, excepting

the promontory east of Salamis the whole of the island (Acts 13: 6) was traversed and

the gospel preached. Yet not until the arrival at Paphos does the inspired chronicler find

reason to record details, so that we do not know whether any or all of the fifteen other

towns of considerable note (Pliny) were visited. Paphos, now called Baffa, was, at the

time of the apostles, a port, where were the seat of the Roman Deputy and the site of one

of the more famous temples dedicated to the worship of Venus. The Deputy is one