“The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message. Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the believers. After spending some time there, they were sent off by the believers with the blessing of peace to return to those who had sent them. But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭15‬:‭31‬-‭33‬, ‭35‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Once again, peace reigned in the early church. Each went his own way…some back to their home churches, others remained in Jerusalem. Paul and Barnabas returned to Antioch where they continued their teaching ministry in their home church. 

The time came for the missionaries to be on their way again. Their work in Asia was not finished and there were new fields to work in Europe as they were to discover. 

“Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.” 

Good idea, Paul! But…there was a stumbling block in this partnership…John Mark. He was the “nigger in the woodpile”! Paul, the rigid, principled, pragmatic leader, didn’t want a repeat of their first foray into Asia. They had enough to contend with without friction between them over a lame duck in their team. 

Barnabas, the gracious, patient, generous uncle, was willing to give his nephew a second chance. 

“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. They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company.”

They disagreed! They argued! Each stuck to his guns! They parted company. Barnabas did his thing…he took John Mark and went off in a huff. Paul did his thing…he grabbed Silas and went his way, back north to Syria and on to Cilicia. 

“Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord. He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭15‬:‭36‬-‭41‬ ‭NIV‬

Barnabas disappeared from the scene while Paul, God’s chosen man for the hour, carried on with his calling, accompanied by Silas, Paul’s new partner and fellow-sufferer. 

Two human beings clashed! Although they were brothers in Christ, they were also fallible men. After years of partnership and fellowship, they parted company on bad terms. How did this affect them? How did it affect their ministry? Did they ever reconcile?

These questions remain unanswered but…the work of the gospel continued to prosper. We can conclude, then, that the Holy Spirit did not penalise or disqualify them because of their failure to submit to one another in love. He is gracious towards us when our fallen nature intrudes. Like Peter when he denied Jesus, our failures are part of the journey and a big part of our learning curve. 

This incident encouraged me to realise that God works with and through imperfect people. However great a missionary and apostle Paul was, he was still a fallen human being. He was still capable of being stubborn and pig-headed. He still wanted his own way. 

However, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Somewhere along the line, Paul changed his mind. John Mark, the quitter became John Mark, the helpful…and Paul was finally willing to acknowledge that he was not a worthless individual but a man whom God could also use. 

So, we continue to follow Paul, now joined by Silas, on their mission to the Gentile world. Armed with years of experience from his first mission trip, Paul led the charge again, this time pushing deeper into the Roman world, with the Holy Spirit ever present, always leading… until Paul, after many trials and struggles, would finally reach Rome. 

To be continued