Acts 15:36-41 Multiplication Through Division
Good morning! Turn with me to Acts 15:36-41, page 924 in the pew Bibles.
Last time in our study of the book of Acts we looked at an example of doctrinal disagreement and how to handle them according to the example of the early church. Today we are going to look at one of the most famous arguments in the New Testament, the sharp disagreement between Barnabas and Paul, and see what we can glean from their example when it comes to making our own decisions.
36 And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” 37 Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. 38 But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. 39 And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. 41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
Let’s pray.
First let’s start with a little background on the object of this famous disagreement, John Mark.
John Mark was Barnabas’ cousin, the son of a woman named Mary. It is possible that John Mark was the kid that appeared at the betrayal and arrest of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane.
51 And a young man followed him, with nothing but a linen cloth about his body. And they seized him, 52 but he left the linen cloth and ran away naked.
Ironically that was recorded only in the Gospel of Mark in chapter 14, verses 51-52.
We know that John Mark’s parents were reasonably wealthy as they lived in a gated house large enough to shelter the disciples when Peter was arrested. In Acts 12, when Peter was miraculously released from prison by an angel, it was John Mark’s mother Mary’s house that he went to to try to reconnect with the rest of the disciples.
Acts 12:12 says, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.
Acts 13 records how John Mark accompanied Barnabas and Paul when they were sent out for the first time from Antioch. Verses 4-6 say, So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Selucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John [Mark] to assist them.
I don’t know how you feel about things like this but in my view this was a great honor given to John Mark to go and be an assistant to these two great apostles in their work. Maybe John Mark felt that way at first but something certainly changed. Before the end of chapter thirteen, John Mark abandoned the work and the apostles and returned to Jerusalem.
Acts 13:13 says, Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphilia. And John [Mark] left them and returned to Jerusalem.
So when it was time to go on a second journey together, Barnabas suggests that they take John Mark with them.
36 And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” 37 Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. 38 But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work.
Paul says to Barnabas, let’s go back to visit the churches we planted and see how they were doing and Barnabas clearly agrees that it was a good idea.
Notice that there was no audible voice of the Holy Spirit recorded here, no lightning and thunder, it just seemed like a good idea to them to go visit the churches to check on them and help to further establish them. And it was a good idea!
Barnabas had another good idea, “Let’s bring John Mark with us!”
Do you remember Barnabas’ real name? It’s Joseph. Barnabas was a nickname that meant, “son of encouragement.” It’s no surprise that he would want to encourage his younger cousin and take him along and give him another chance. Barnabas saw potential in this kid and thought he was worth investing in.
But Paul saw it differently.
When Paul looked at John Mark he saw a quitter. He saw a kid that ran home to mommy when the going got hard.
When John Mark “left” them in Acts 13 in Perga, the word used meant that he separated from them with a possible lack of concern with what, or who, was left. He bailed.
When it says there in Acts 15 that Paul thought it best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them, the original language is really much stronger. It means literally that Paul thought that John Mark had made himself unworthy by deserting them, that he no longer deserved to go with them and be included in the work. The work was just too important.
Jesus said in Luke 9:62, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
I’m sure Paul’s training as a Pharisee would have reminded him of Proverbs 25:19, Confidence in an unfaithful man is like a broken tooth…
So, who was right, Barnabas or Paul?
Warren Wiersbe wrote, “Paul looked at people and asked, ‘What can they do for God’s work?’ While Barnabas looked at people and asked, ‘What can God’s work d for them?’”
If you measure the motives of both men, we can see that they both desired to do what was right. The both thought that they were contending for Christ and His cause. Barnabas was concerned with the spiritual welfare of the quitter, and Paul was concerned with the promotion of the Kingdom.
So who was right? They both were.
Just look at the results of their split. Out of love and respect for each other, they decided to divide the coverage area between the two of them, Barnabas would go along the coast with John Mark, and Paul took Silas with him, headed inland and eventually made it as far as Greece.
What was the result? The church, including John Mark, was encouraged AND the Kingdom of God expanded. After all, they stood on the same foundation of faith, they had the same glorious goals, they both bowed to the same Master, Jesus.
JP Lange wrote, “One stream of missionary labor had been divided, and the regions blessed by the waters of life were proportionally multiplied.”
Their division bore fruit, good fruit. Not hatred and slander, just a difference of opinion. And because their motivation was pleasing to the Lord, He blessed their decision to go in different directions.
What was some of that fruit?
As for Paul’s decision to take Silas instead of John Mark, Silas, also known in the New Testament as Silvanus, continued with Paul throughout his ministry and was even a co-author of First and Second Thessalonians. He preached and taught alongside Paul and was mentioned a couple other times in 2 Corinthians 1:19, and 1 Peter 5:12.
But Barnabas’ gamble paid off too. John Mark traveled to Cyprus with Barnabas, assisting him in the work and eventually became a disciple of the Apostle Peter. He would grow to be a useful and faithful servant of the Lord Jesus. Peter refers to him as his son in 1 Peter 5:13, Paul would later call him useful to him in ministry in 2 Timothy 4:11, and he would reunite with Paul later in Philemon 24. There was one other big thing he did… Oh, right, he wrote the Gospel of Mark!
Paul and Barnabas both wanted to do what was right, their motivation was solid, they were motivated to please the Lord, and though they decided to do different things and go different ways, they were both right and the Lord’s will was done and this division resulted in multiplication.
Great!
So what about us, what are we supposed to do with this?
I think the most important lesson here is to learn to do what God wants, learn to depend on Him, learn His Word, and learn to apply the principles in it.
The Lord wants your whole heart, give it to Him!
2 Peter 1:3-8 says,
3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
And Philippians 2:12-18,
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. 17 Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. 18 Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.
Amen.
