Chapter 10 – Return to Tarsus
Acts 9:30
Paul was hurried away to Caesarea, and from there he went to Tarsus, his home town. It would be some time before he
revisited Jerusalem.
With Paul gone, the believers in Jerusalem were left in peace.
Sketch 10.1
““Hey, Barnabas, is it true that Saul of Tarsus became a Christian?” asked Rufus, a new believer. “I was wondering yesterday what had become of him, and Jonathan said he was now a follower of Jesus. It seemed so unbelievable to me that I had to check.”
“Yes, Rufus, it’s true. He changed after he met Jesus – it’s hard to insist someone is dead when you’ve met them
alive!”
“When was that?”
“A few years ago.” Barnabas stopped and thought. “I suppose it must be about four years ago now.”
“Has he stayed a Christian, or is he one of those people who keeps changing?”
“Saul, keeping changing?” Barnabas laughed.
“Oh, no! Saul isn’t like that. Saul is…” He stopped and pondered for a few moments, as if trying to find the best words to describe the indescribable. At last, he continued slowly, “Saul is… very determined, very devout, very eager to serve God. Saul is resolute. Saul would never change without absolute proof that he was wrong.”
“Then why did he go around trying to kill our brothers?”
“He believed he was doing what God would want, just as you do. The difference is that his conviction was wrong, whereas yours is right – as Saul found out for himself when he met the master, risen.”
“So where is he now? He used to live in Jerusalem, didn’t he?”
“He lived in Jerusalem for several years until he went to
visit Damascus, but then he met Jesus and hasn’t come back except for short visits. First he went into Arabia: he wanted to make absolutely sure that his new beliefs were right and that he fully understood how the new information should change his understanding of the scriptures. He stayed there almost three years.”
“You mean he spent three years checking his beliefs?”
“That’s right. He’s thorough, is Saul.”
“Jonathan suggested that Saul was in Jerusalem again recently. Is that right?”
“Yes, that was last year. He was here for a while, but because he is what he is, he couldn’t resist telling his old friends about his new convictions, and they – being the good friends they are! – tried to kill him. We had to
smuggle him out of the city and send him home to Tarsus.”
“Well, if he upsets people like that, maybe we’re better off without him here!”
“You’re not the first to suggest that sort of thing, Rufus. I thought about it a lot when I saw how much trouble came to believers after the death of Stephen. Some believers complained that Stephen had caused unnecessary trouble.
They claimed he was too aggressive, too argumentative. Live and let live, they said, otherwise the rulers will use their position to persecute and kill believers. Don’t look for trouble.”
“That sounds sensible to me.”
“Well, it’s sensible up to a point, but trouble and persecution are inevitable if we’re doing the work Jesus gave his disciples. Remember
what he said: ‘Go out into all the world and preach the gospel to everyone.’ ”
“Maybe, but Jesus our Lord managed to preach for three years before they killed him, whereas it sounds like Saul took only two or three weeks to upset people enough that they wanted to kill him. I don’t want my family to end up in danger just because Saul is too confrontational! Preaching is all very well, of course, but….”
“All I can say is that many of God’s prophets have been killed over the centuries, and that’s included both confrontational people and timid people. I don’t think you need to worry about it. After all, Jesus chose Paul to be one of his witnesses – and Jesus knows exactly what Paul is like!”
“True…. When you put it that way, I have to agree with you. Thanks for
clarifying it.”
“Jesus has work for Paul to do, and at the moment, that work is in Tarsus. And he has work for each of us to do, too, so let’s get on with it, shall we?”
Chapter 11 – Antioch
in Syria
Acts 11:22-29; Galatians 2:1
It was about 13 years after Paul left Jerusalem that he met Barnabas again. Preaching had spread the word about Jesus and some believers had started to
speak to Greeks, not just Jews. When news of this reached Jerusalem, Barnabas was sent to Antioch in Syria to see what was happening and make sure nothing got out of control.
Barnabas performed his work of encouragement in Antioch, then went to Tarsus to see if he could involve Paul. Barnabas foresaw trouble and believed Paul could help.
He succeeded. Paul returned with Barnabas to Antioch and spent a year working with the believers and teaching many others.
During this time, a famine spread over the empire and believers in various places began to be in need. Sometimes believers can be believers only in name, but not on this occasion.
Collections were taken and everyone gave as much as they could, or even more. Soon Antioch and the surrounding area had collected enough money to be useful for the needy believers in Jerusalem.
Chapter 12 – To Jerusalem with Donations
Acts 11:29-30; Galatians 2:1-10; Acts 12:1-25
Barnabas and Paul were chosen to deliver the donations to Jerusalem. Another believer called Titus went with them. He was a Greek, so some problems could be
anticipated. As a Greek, he was not circumcised – a major problem for most Jews, even those who were believers in Jesus.
Paul was pleased to go along because he had received a revelation that he should go to Jerusalem and discuss with the apostles the gospel he had been preaching. This he did, and was very pleased to receive confirmation that their teachings all matched.
The apostles had received them over their time spent with Jesus as disciples, while Paul had received them by a special appearance from Jesus, but they matched exactly.
One detail was emphasised by the apostles: don’t forget the poor. Paul was very eager to agree – after all, hadn’t he come to Jerusalem with a gift for the poor?
The apostles offered the right hand of fellowship to Paul and Barnabas and they parted not only as brothers, but as fast friends.
While Paul and Barnabas were still in Jerusalem, a terrible tragedy happened. James, the son of Zebedee and brother of John, was killed by Herod Agrippa I. James wasn’t the only one who
was arrested, and many more were badly mistreated while in prison. When Herod saw that this pleased the enemies of Jesus, he arrested Peter as well, intending to kill him after the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
It was a very worrying time for Paul and Barnabas and the other believers, yet on this occasion there was a miraculous answer to the unceasing prayers of many. Even as the
believers were gathered together praying, Peter was freed from his prison cell and made his way to the house. Nevertheless, despite the ongoing prayers, most of the assembled believers did not really believe that they would receive such an answer to their prayer. Quite a lesson, really.
Interestingly, the prayer meeting was at the house of John Mark, the cousin of Barnabas.
He was eager to travel and see more preaching, so when Paul and Barnabas returned to Antioch, he went along too.
Chapter 13 – Antioch Again
Acts 13:1-2
Back in Antioch once more, the friends got on with the work. But that was not all: they devoted themselves to prayer and fasting as well, along with the rest of the congregation.
Suddenly,
a special message came from the Holy Spirit: Barnabas and Paul were to be sent away on a special work, preaching the word of God in many new areas.
Where would it lead them?
[To be continued]
