8th Jun 26 | 14:45
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The role of Barnabas
📖 Acts 15:39-40
Acts 15 - Series 3/Episode 14 - Wed, 20th May 2026 - The role of Barnabas - Acts 15:36-41 - THE SEPARATION OF PAUL AND BARNABAS - Acts 04:36
Acts 15:39-40 Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus; (40) but Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brethren to the grace of God.
It was a big decision for Barnabas, as at that moment of a heated exchange, to take the step to leave the scene with John Mark. Barnabas would have surely realised the impact that this separation between him and Paul would have on the church, but he decided that this was what he would do.
Have we walked out of a meeting or a discussion since we were convinced that what was happening was not right? It has happened with me, and every time I go back to that memory, it stirs up deep emotions. Barnabas would have had to live with this decision all his life, for it was he who made the move to separate, take John Mark with him, and leave for Cyprus.
What we read in the Scriptures is that the heavy investment that Barnabas made in John Mark, by separating from Paul, had enormous benefit for all.
John Mark was fully restored, and so Barnabas's decision to invest in John Mark was correct. II Timothy 4:11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry. Paul made this statement regarding John Mark in the context where others had left him. II Timothy 4:16 At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them.
For Paul to say that he saw John Mark as the one reliable person to be with him at his defence is a huge verdict of the growth of John Mark from being a deserter to becoming a person useful for the ministry. Paul calls John Mark 'a fellow worker'. Philemon 1:24 as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow laborers. John Mark had graduated from being an assistant to Paul and Barnabas to becoming a fellow worker. Who was responsible for this growth in John Mark? It was Barnabas who paid the enormous price by separating from Paul.
This growth and development in John Mark had happened, and in the process, Paul and John Mark were reconciled. Paul had taken a strong stand against John Mark accompanying them in the ministry. Now, there was a shift in the opinion of Paul towards John Mark. They were now reconciled with each other, and we must assume that much must have happened for this change to happen in Paul. Here is Paul's message to the church at Colosse regarding John Mark. Colossians 4:10 Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, with Mark the cousin of Barnabas (about whom you received instructions: if he comes to you, welcome him),
John Mark became a blessing to the church at large. This was possible because of Barnabas's investment in his life. I Peter 5:13 She who is in Babylon, elect together with you, greets you; and so does Mark my son. Peter took John Mark as his son.
Early church fathers (Papias, Eusebius) confirm that Mark wrote the Gospel. Generation after generation has been blessed because of the Gospel of Mark being in the Biblical Canon. This was because Barnabas was not willing to give up on John Mark and had to pay the price for this investment.
The mission teams from Antioch became two instead of one and moved in two different directions, expanding the reach of the Gospel. The church had to grow in maturity in administering this work.
The church then and the church over time received the benefit of observing the work and outcome of restorative leadership. How can being an encourager and person builder impact a person's life and create a widespread and deep effect on the church? This was no longer a theory. This experience of the effort of Barnabas in the life of John Mark was a living example at that time and continues to be a model for us over time. The church has learned this important lesson from Barnabas about how crucial it is to invest in young leaders.
The fact that both Paul and Peter had a high view of John Mark in later years also indicates that John Mark was one of the precious connections between Paul and Peter.
The Gospel of Mark is seen as Peter's testimony of a restored man. Peter's story is one of failure, restoration and usefulness. John Mark saw himself very much in Peter's story, and so that is the overarching theme of the Gospel of Mark. It was Barnabas who made all this possible.
Did Barnabas know that all this would happen through the restored life of John Mark? No, he did not, but he was determined to take John Mark with them on the second missionary journey. This determination caused the separation from Paul. Barnabas knew the value of the ministry with Paul for the growth of the church and the kingdom of God. Barnabas preferred a more lowly path of mentoring John Mark, which has produced long-term results for the kingdom of God.
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