It is, however, interesting that not long after the disagreement with Barnabas when Paul and Silas came to Lystra in Turkey: where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was a Jewess and a believer.Paul wanted to take (the young Timothy) along on the journey, so he circumcised him. (Acts 16:1-3). Listen to his wise and Rather, Paul's rather harsh words to the Jewish sorcerer Elymas on Cyprus was a bit of a shock and perhaps even the idea that gospel should go to a Gentile like Serguis Paulus was a theological error. "Sons of encouragement" are vulnerable to minimizing the Which one of them was right? These two landmarks cannot be ignored. (NIV), 1 Peter 5:13She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark. The criteria for inclusion were often based on factors such as the book's authorship, its doctrinal consistency, and its general acceptance among the faithful. failures of his people. Thus John Mark, a resident of Jerusalem (12:12) struggling as Peter had with the offer of the gospel to Gentiles (cf. 13:2 While they were serving the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them. 13:3 Then, after they had fasted and prayed and placed their hands on them, they sent them off. . We know Mark ended up close with Peter (1 Pe 5.13) and wrote one of the four gospels. I began a careful Past experiences and past usefulness are no guarantee of future Or could it lessons for our instruction and encouragement. . is weak, the other be strong; when the strength of one makes him church came who did not approve of this kind of freedom. It was as if he were And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. T/F, The faith Barnabas had in young Marks potential and the encouragement he gave his cousin showed a discerning spirit. He gave way to the spirit of error and ceased, for Acts 15:36ff.) https://www.learnreligions.com/john-mark-author-of-the-gospel-of-mark-701085 (accessed March 4, 2023). Over time, Paul changed his mind and forgave Mark. For John Marks perspective, he had other reasons. Only Luke wasthere with him. John, anglicized from the Hebrew Yohanan meaning gift of God, was called by his Latin name Marcus meaning dedicated to the god Mars. He was Barnabas young cousin, the son of his aunt Mary who was the head of a home church in Jerusalem. "The question 'Who wrote the Bible?' always has a double answer in the Bible," wrote pastor and teacher John Piper. It is very serious, but Luke only mentions it in one sentence in Why did Paul not get We are not to suppose that the behavior Mark displayed was an absolute rejection of Christianity. Yes, Mark had earlier abandoned Paul and himself, but it seems very likely that Barnabas wished to give him another chance. We don't know why John Mark decided to leave, but this would later create a rift between Paul and Barnabas. And Barnabas, with all his warmth and patience with people, was And Barnabas determined to take with . ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call not only became useful to Paul but also served as Peter's Paul disagrees. "a good man and full of the Holy Spirit and faith.". I think John Mark left was because Paul was bodily ill which it says in Galatians 4:13 so i think Paul was afraid of catching this disease. Could Ancient Sparta Defeat Ancient Rome? Peter was evangelizing the city just a few years before Paul was put to death in Rome. Notice what was at stake here. Listen to how Paul On the other hand, we have Barnabas side. Most people in the world have no experience of lasting joy in their lives. Jerusalem that Barnabas did. Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. In Acts 15:38 the word Luke uses to describe Paul's conviction Thank you for your kind comments. Either way, Luke does not write this account in such a way that puts Paul in the right and Barnabas in the wrong, or vice versa. Could it be that it was too much for John Mark? Paul's Perilous Passage through Pisidia" in the November/December 2013 issue of BAR, Mark R. Fairchild explores archaeological evidence of the likely presence of Jewish communities on the way. It is a beautiful picture of love, grace, perseverance, and restoration. ashes of failure he fans a few embers into a new fire that burns It is also worth noting that according to some scholars, shortly before the split, we may have had the event in (Gal 2:11-21) (Galatians was written in app. Barnabas and Paul. gospel that they cannot be countenanced. We could talk plenty about the context of this passage and the timing. Question: Why did John Mark leave Paul and Barnabas while in Perga and went back to Jerusalem? ." Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus (his hometown: Acts 4:36). Now what can we learn from all this? One provides a word of warning, the other a word of hope. He has a passion to teach and disciple others, and holds a Th.M. Mark took advantage of some vessel which was sailing towards Palestine and returned to Jerusalem (Acts 13:13) which had been his home in earlier years (Acts 12:12, 25). Towards the end of the book Paul gives a list of personal instructionsmainly comprised of several people to greet and one person in particular to dodge. As I read his sayings in the gospels, I Then after some days, Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us now go back and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they are doing.". It is near this port city that Mark would, sadly and abruptly, abandon Paul and his relative Barnabas as they went inland to preach the gospel. Once I was stoned. A popular theory is that Mark was simply afraid of all the hardships that lay ahead. perpetuated by missionary biography. Matthew Henry, for example, suggested that John Mark had departed "without [Barnabas and Paul's] knowledge, or without their consent". At the urging of my classmate (now a medical doctor), I Longenecker argues that although Luke does not tell us the nature of the special ministry the two [i.e., Paul and Barnabas] were set apart for, from what follows it is obvious that we are meant to understand that it was to be a mission to the Gentiles. Cf. He then joined himself to Barnabas and Paul when they traveled from Jerusalem to Antioch on their return from a mission of charity. Let's take cousin Mark along." This statement of goodwill prompts an eruption in Paul and . He says in 13:13: Then Paul and his companions put out to sea from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphilia, but John left them and returned to Jerusalem.NET Bible, As to why John Mark left the group and returned to Jerusalem we are not told, but it did lead to a severe and unfortunate break between Paul and Barnabas some time later (Acts 15:37-39). I enjoy sharing my understanding of the Bible. Some think Mark may have become homesick. study of the gospels. John Mark had a servant's heart. He says yes, but.wants to again bring John Mark. escaped from prison (Acts 12:12). That night I poured out my heart to him in Why didnt Paul want Mark to accompany them? And Barnabas wanted to take Barnabases. Also, at this time, Pauls apostleship was not universally accepted among the other apostles and could have been more of a gray area than we are aware. Please check your entries and try again. This is where Acts 15:36 picks up . Tradition holds that Mark was present when Jesus Christ was arrested on the Mount of Olives. The Complete Book of Who's Who in the Bible by Comfort & Elwell. Yes, this is the same guy who abandoned them early in the first missionary journey, before the going got tough. But then some of the more strict party in the Jerusalem Great saints go astraysons of thunder and sons of darkly. sucked into the hypocrisy while Barnabas did, when Barnabas was the Why did Barnabas leave Paul? power of my special mantra was not adequate to my present crisis . Then Paul, an ominous persecutor, actually became a Christian. There John (Mark) left them and turned back to Jerusalem (an action which later led to a split between Barnabas and Paul), but they continued their journey through Perga to the Antioch in Pisidia [6]. As he looked up from Perga to the Gentile mountains, his heart failed him, and he turned back with desire towards Jerusalem. Paul took up with some new people. And I suggest that we not too quickly assume that our Paul and Barnabas went their separate ways because that was the best thing for them to do in their particular situation. I am a better oneI am talking like a madmanwith far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. What is meant by "the Law" (Acts 13:15)? 55 68 A.D.). It seems that Barnabas faith in Mark was well-placed. 1. the principle of gospel liberty? There were only 8 people in Noahs Ark. 3 For citations of the various views, though each of the following authors agree that we cannot know for certain, see David John Williams, Acts, New International Biblical Commentary, ed. Jews. He came with them as far as Perga and then he forsook them. 41And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches. 2 -Silas wanted to accompany Paul, so Barnabas decided to take John Mark. with you. The man he wanted to leave behind years before had become highly valuable to him. 4 See Richard N. Longenecker, Acts, in The Expositors Bible Commentary, ed. yield. Neither will Acts 15:36. Finally, it also appears that Paul and Barnabas did make up. Not long after Peters arrival in Antioch there came a group of men from Jerusalem under the influence of the Judaizers, and when they arrived, Peter withhis chronic insecurities, immediately ceased fellowship with the Gentiles. because he stood condemned. Some men a whole lot smarter than me have speculated about the possibility that Mark left them andreturned to Jerusalemtoalarm the church, reporting that Paul received Gentiles apart from going through the synagogue. 5. Paul didn't feel the same tug that All of this is of course speculation, and whatever the details may be, we know that Paul felt Marks leaving them at Perga revealed a defect in his character. standards for their candidates more like Paul's, and there are The Gospel of Mark (6:3) and the Gospel of Matthew (13:55-56) mention James, Joseph/Joses, Judas/Jude and Simon as brothers of Jesus, the son of Mary. His body froze like a Greek . Every strength has its corresponding weakness and we are all Third, by most accounts, Paul was at this time pretty much considered to be Barnabas superior, so Barnabas should have submitted to his authority. They went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day and took their seats. Silas. Initially it was Paul and Barnabas and Silas, but Barnabas wanted to bring John Mark, but Paul said no because John Mark had left them earlier. During those early days after Paul's conversion, a man named Barnabas trusted Paul and helped convince suspicious church leaders of his authenticity. Paul fell suddenly silent. Of course, Mark also ended up authoring the Book of Mark, perhaps the first Gospel written (app. armies. As such, of course, commentators try to make their own decisions. ", The Split Between Paul and Barnabas Over John Mark. Hebrews 13:7, "Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the Jerusalemthe one where the disciples were praying when Peter New American Standard Bible Paul's 1st Missionary Journey. God's mercy. one beating the air; but I pommel my body and subdue it, lest after are formed? The controversyover John Mark was no simple disagreement. There is no passage in Scripture that says, "When a young stand up for peoplethis very strength can lead to weakness. It will be so while we are in The fact that John Mark appears to have gone directly to Jerusalem without reporting the progress of the team to the Antiochen church may give a clue as to why Luke includes this in the narrative. I was struck again this week with the spiritual power of a holy peri 2ad. In c. 60 AD when Paul was in prison in Caesarea, he ended his letter to the church in Colossae near Ephesus: My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (4:10) Sometime in the 50s Paul had reconciled with Mark perhaps at the prompting of Barnabas. New King James Version Now Barnabas was determined to take with them John called Mark. people are always temporary. You think Barnabas couldnt have made trouble for Paul if he had so desired? Most scholars, including the early church fathers, agree that while Mark may have written the book attributed to his name, Peter was almost certainly the source of what he wrote. cellent blo. saints. Jesus sent out 70 Disciples to preach His Good News. (Veritas Reconsidered, pp. He We are not told. In Acts 12:25 we learn that Barnabas and Saul brought a young But when Cephas came to Antioch I opposed him to his face, partners and went on with the ministry of the gospel, and out of This was the time immediately following the Jerusalem Council. serving me." He may have felt that Paul took unnecessary risks in confronting the Jews and putting his own life in jeopardy. saints go astray, whether Barnabas, or Paul. It is near this port city that Mark would, sadly and abruptly, abandon Paul and his relative Barnabas as they went inland to preach the gospel. It is widely accepted that Mark's Gospel was also a source for the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. Some might argue that ill feelings from this incident were still in play at the time of Paul and Barnabas disagreement in Acts 15.36-41 (our primary text), but because of the amicable nature of the resolution there is no reason to assume the existence of lingering negative feelings that would have any effect on thisdivisionbetween Paul and Barnabas. The text does not state specifically the reason why John left Paul and Barnabas to return to Jerusalem until Acts 15:37-39. They boldly preached the Good News of Jesus Christ and many believed and were saved. The events of this passage follow the Jerusalem Council and Paul and Barnabas time in Antioch. The first is a reaffirmation of our Sunday evening lesson from Who are "devout proselytes" (Acts 13:43)? To encourage him. For that answer we go back to Acts 13.13, Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. Our defeats are temporary and the While he and Barnabas put their affairs in order and planned out the relevant details of the trip, a disagreement arose between them regarding whether or not John Mark should accompany them. On some kind of spiritual test I took a few years ago, I was labeled as a defender. In short, I feel a strong calling to help, defend, and teach the weak, especially in spiritual matters. Perhaps Barnabas recognized Marks full potential and wanted to give him a chance to develop and mature in his walk. When did Mark abandon them? The letteris highly personal and should be read as such. studied the marks of a biblical leader-maker. Paul and Silas traveled through Syria and Cilicia. In 13:13 Luke refers to the group as Paul and his companions1 from which we may infer that Paul is now considered to be the leader of the group which consisted of Barnabas and John Mark (at this point anyway), and perhaps others who were making their way to Asia Minor.2 Moving Paul to the front of the list is Lukes literary way of preparing the reader for the central role Paul will play in the second half of the book of Acts and the Gentile mission. Mark the cousin of Barnabas is a figure mentioned in the New Testament, usually identified with John Mark (and thus with Mark the Evangelist). Though Paul stubbornly refused to accept John Mark and parted ways with Barnabas, the church nonetheless commended Paul to God's grace for the trip ahead (Acts 15:40). I think that you cn do with a she wrote in the preface, The Christian missionary movement through the centuries has been no place for coasting or drifting. bitterness or resentment. John Mark later accompanied Paul on his first mission trip. fellow worker who shares his life and labor. Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us go back and visit the brothers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing." Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not Below I have listed the commentaries used for this study: Phasellus aspernatur! all the weaknesses and failures of his people. Slaves Were Lifeless Tools in the Ancient World, Meaning of Names, Places & Things in the Bible, Gardens and the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics, The Roman Phalanx & Hannibals Pincer Movement. this marvelous experience with God, so I am safe and secure from At the time of the argument Paul could never have imagined that the young Mamas boy would not only write one of the four Gospels, but would end up journeying across the Mediterranean and founding the Coptic Church in Egypt. Instead they chose new Second, we never see Barnabas and Mark mentioned again the the book of Acts. All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. Modern Persecution of Christians in China, Patriarch Jacobs Well & St. Philoumenous, Slaughter of the Theban Legion C. 286 AD, LapsiChristians Who Lapse/Abandon Their Faith, Evodias Named Followers of Christ Christians. John Mark abandoned them early in the trip, but all told, Paul and Barnabas would travel an estimated 1400 miles by land and sea.