Barnabas the Encourager is presented by Truth of the Spirit as a Scriptural Companion. As we discover the difficulties in his life we find a character in scripture with empathy for our own problems. As Barnabas followed the Way of Christ he gave others a second chance as he humbly mentored them to become great evangelizers. Hosted by Patti Brunner. Continue reading for video & audio links and blog.
One way to make scripture come alive is to connect with a character in one of the bible stories. Another way is to have an imaginary conversation with a bible character and consider what that character might have to say about a current issue in your life. We are starting a new series on Truth of the Spirit and will choose a few characters from scripture and get to know them and their role a little better.
Welcome to Truth of the Spirit. I am your host Patti Brunner. Today’s episode is Barnabas the Encourager our Scriptural Companion. “Although Barnabas was not among the original Twelve, he is traditionally thought to have been among the 72 commissioned by Jesus to preach; thus, he is given the honorary title of Apostle and his name is included in the canon of the Mass”.[i] His feast day in the Roman calendar is June 11. Being born in 1 A.D. makes him about the same age as Jesus.
Barnabas was a true companion by definition. He traveled with the original Apostles and he traveled with the convert Paul and later with his cousin Mark. What do we know about Barnabas? His Jewish name was Joseph but the Apostles renamed him Barnabas which means “son of encouragement”. In the early Church his encouragement of others was a welcome sight to behold. He is mentioned in four books of the New Testament: Acts of the Apostles, Galatians, 1st Corinthians and Colossians.
I invite you to press pause any time during this episode and ask St. Barnabas for his help and prayers; let him encourage you!
What can we learn from Barnabas? How can we identify with him? One way is to look at the difficulties he had in his life. Did you ever have someone that you trained rise up and take your job? Have you ever had trouble fitting in? Have you ever faced rejection? Have you ever had your advice rejected? Have you ever had to talk until you were blue in the face trying to set people straight? Have you ever risked your life for your faith? Have you ever had to move for your job? Did your parents send you to boarding school? Have you ever had a friend or co-worker close to death? Barnabas could be the patron saint of all these issues!
The hub of the early Church was in Jerusalem. That’s where the temple drew all the Jews to come worship. Foreigners came to study there too. Barnabas was born on the island of Cypress. (Acts 4:37) He was, like Paul, a Hellenist Jew born and raised in a Greek-speaking community outside of Israel. Paul was born in Tarsus in Asia Minor (modern Turkey) and was sent as a boy to Jerusalem to study with Rabbi Gamaliel (Acts 22:3). I wonder, how close were Paul and Barnabas with each other as they studied in Jerusalem?[ii] Can you imagine what they had in common? They were both multi-lingual outsiders with foreign accents. They both became ambassadors of the Christian faith, evangelizing cities and countries. God’s plan for them to be together is revealed in the Acts of the Apostles. Can you imagine conversing with Barnabas as you discern God’s plan for your life?
Barnabas was open to the prompting of the Holy Spirit, even when it was stepping beyond the norm. Barnabas was quick to go all in for the Catholic faith, the Christian faith.
When we are introduced to him in Acts 4:36-37 we are told that Barnabas is one of the early Christians who sold their land and laid the proceeds at the feet of the Apostles to help the needy. During this time there was no welfare, no social security; it was up to the temple administrators to take care of Jewish widows and orphans. Barnabas was a Levite, the priestly tribe of the Jews; he would deeply understand the process of tithing and using religious leaders to distribute to the needy and the implications of giving this wealth to the Apostles. Christians did not call its members to tithe 10% but instead invited them to be “all in”, to put all they had on the line for Christ. In other words, as a Christian everything I have is the Lord’s and can be used for the kingdom of God as He sees fit. In Chapter 4 of Acts starting with verse 31 we read: “They were filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak God’s word with confidence. The community of believers was of one heart and one mind. None of them ever claimed anything as his own; rather, everything was held in common. With power, the apostles bore witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great respect was paid to them all, nor was there anyone needy among them, for all who owned property or houses sold them and donated the proceeds. They used to lay them at the feet of the apostles to be distributed to everyone according to his need.” As you discern about how much of your income to put in the collection basket or for other charitable works, perhaps you should ask for the assistance of St. Barnabas to prompt you to be generous and understanding of the needs.
The zeal of St. Paul first called him to persecute Christians and then, after conversion, to go whole-heartedly in professing the Gospel in Damascus. After a long time the Jews conspired to kill him. After escaping Damascus in a basket, Paul came to Jerusalem. His reputation, however, preceded him. In the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 9 verse 26 “Paul tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. 27Then Barnabas took charge of him and brought him to the apostles, and he reported to them how on the way Paul had seen the Lord and that he had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus.” After Barnabas stood up for Paul he could move “28about freely with them in Jerusalem, and spoke out boldly in the name of the Lord. 29He also spoke and debated with the Hellenists,* but they tried to kill him. 30And when the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him on his way to Tarsus.p” They sent him home. Have you ever been prompted to defend an unpopular person? Do you have empathy for situations and a need to get at the truth of a situation? You have something in common with St. Barnabas.
In the Acts of the Apostles Chapter 11 it tells us about the spreading of the faith to Antioch. “19Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that arose because of Stephen went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but Jews.f 20There were some Cypriots and Cyrenians among them, however, who came to Antioch and began to speak to the Greeks as well, proclaiming the Lord Jesus. 21The hand of the Lord was with them and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. 22The news about them reached the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and encouraged them all to remain faithful to the Lord in firmness of heart, 24for he was a good man, filled with the holy Spirit and faith. And a large number of people was added to the Lord.” This account reveals just how great Barnabas was at leading, teaching and proclaiming the truth of the Gospel. His abilities were magnified by the phrase, “Filled with the Spirit and faith”. I love the saying, “God doesn’t call the qualified; he qualifies the called.” So many times the Lord has called me beyond my personal abilities, and capabilities and knowledge! Sometimes it is frustrating, until I remember that if God calls you to do something He gives you everything you need to succeed. All it takes is surrender to God’s will and faith the size of a mustard seed.
God’s plan was revealed as converts from Cypress were encouraged by this native of Cypress who spoke their language and taught the Gospel in a way they could understand. Have you ever had to leave your established community to go to a new place for a job? Did it seem like it was God’s plan at the beginning? After time, were you sure it was definitely God’s plan for you?
I live in a quickly growing community. Many move here for job opportunities and for retirement. Over and over I have heard people say that they came to realize that this move was God’s plan for them, even though it didn’t seem so at first. Ask St. Barnabas to pray for you to discern God’s plan for you.
As Barnabas grew the church in Antioch, Barnabas remembered the zeal of Paul and discerned that he could mentor Paul in ministering to the people. Acts 11: 25 says,Then Barnabas “went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26and when he had found him he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a large number of people, and it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians.*”
The charism of Prophecy was very important in the early Church as it should be now. It says in Acts 11:27 “At that time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch, 28and one of them named Agabus stood up and predicted by the Spirit that there would be a severe famine all over the world, and it happened under Claudius.g “ Surely Barnabas and Paul had taught the Antioch community about the Gift of Prophecy and the community discerned that this was indeed the Word of the Lord. Have you ever had a prophecy to share with your community? Or been in discernment of a prophecy?
Acts 11:29 says, “So the disciples determined that, according to ability,h each should send relief to the brothers who lived in Judea. 30* This they did, sending it to the presbyters, in care of Barnabas and Saul.” This shows how trustworthy Barnabas was. Acts 12:25 “After Barnabas and Saul completed their relief mission, they returned to Jerusalem,* taking with them John, who is called Mark.e” John Mark was a cousin of Barnabas. Does your example make your relatives want to proclaim the Gospel?
The three went to Cyprus, Barnabas’s native land; Barnabas is honored as the founder of the Cypriot church. As they continued on to Perga, John Mark left them and returned to Jerusalem. Paul and Barnabas went on to Antioch where after strong opposition by the Jews they started preaching to the pagans Gentiles.
In Acts Chapter 13 it reports their preaching, “47For so the Lord has commanded us, ‘I have made you a light to the Gentiles, that you may be an instrument of salvation to the ends of the earth.’”v 48The Gentiles were delighted when they heard this and glorified the word of the Lord. All who were destined for eternal life came to believe, 49and the word of the Lord continued to spread through the whole region. 50The Jews, however, incited the women of prominence who were worshipers and the leading men of the city, stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their territory. 51w So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium.* 52The disciples were filled with joy and the holy Spirit.”
Yet, in Iconium they were stoned.
Who has rejected you? Have you ever been rejected by people of your own community? By family members? Were you able to shake the chip off your shoulder and keep on the path? Did you keep trusting God when things got worse? Or did you back off of your convictions and try to please those who rejected you?
Or, maybe the opposite has happened. What is your reaction when you receive all kinds of praise and acclaim for doing what God has called you to do? That’s what happened next to Paul and Barnabas at Lystra in Acts chapter 14. “8* At Lystra there was a crippled man, lame from birth, who had never walked. 9He listened to Paul speaking, who looked intently at him, saw that he had the faith to be healed, 10and called out in a loud voice, “Stand up straight on your feet.” He jumped up and began to walk about. 11When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they cried out in Lycaonian, “The gods have come down to us in human form.”c 12They called Barnabas “Zeus”* and Paul “Hermes,” because he was the chief speaker. 13And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, for he together with the people intended to offer sacrifice. 14The apostles Barnabas and Paul tore their garments* when they heard this, and rushed out into the crowd, shouting, 15* “Men, why are you doing this? We are of the same nature as you, human beings. We proclaim to you good news that you should turn from these idols to the living God, ‘who made heaven and earth and sea and all that is in them.’d 16In past generations he allowed all Gentiles to go their own ways;e 17yet, in bestowing his goodness, he did not leave himself without witness, for he gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, and filled you with nourishment and gladness for your hearts.”f 18Even with these words, they scarcely restrained the crowds from offering sacrifice to them.” How do you react to flattery?
The call to Apostleship was not the only charism activated in Barnabas. After the adulation of the crowd at Lystra, Acts 14: “19g However, some Jews from Antioch and Iconium arrived and won over the crowds. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. 20But when the disciples gathered around him, he got up and entered the city.” I can just imagine Barnabas encouraging the new converts to overcome the fear in their hearts to step out of the town to gather around Paul and pray. Pretty good use for the charism of Healing I would say. Paul and Barnabas gave witness to the Gifts of the Spirit to the crowds as they did many signs and wonders.
Acts 14: 20b “On the following day he left with Barnabas for Derbe. 21After they had proclaimed the good news to that city and made a considerable number of disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch. 22They strengthened the spirits of the disciples and exhorted them to persevere in the faith, saying, “It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.”h 23They appointed presbyters* for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, commended them to the Lord in whom they had put their faith.”
They traveled through several towns after they proclaiming the word at Perga. They eventually “26 sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work they had now accomplished.i 27And when they arrived, they called the church together and reported what God had done with them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. 28Then they spent no little time with the disciples.” As the first mission of Barnabas and Paul was complete so was the seeming transfer of power from Barnabas to Paul. However, these two both knew that the power was God’s.
Barnabas wanted to take John Mark with them on another trip. In Acts 15: 38 “Paul insisted that they should not take with them someone who had deserted them at Pamphylia and who had not continued with them in their work.m 39So sharp was their disagreement that they separated. Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus. 40But Paul chose Silas and departed after being commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord.” Have you ever been given a second chance? Is there someone to whom you need to give another chance? Even though Paul was given a second chance by Barnabas Paul refused to give John Mark another chance later in their ministry when they planned a return trip to Syria. Do you need a second chance?
Some theologians have said John Mark left the ministry when Paul chose to go off to the world because Mark was so young and his mother only gave him permission to go as far as Cyprus. Or he might have just been too afraid. To give John Mark another chance Barnabas gave up the opportunity for exciting travel to stay with Mark and nurture him. Have you ever given up opportunity to take care of a relative? Do you dream of ministering to the world when God is calling you to minister closer to home?
Barnabas is mentioned again in scripture but after this sacrifice he seemed to have lost his standing as the senior disciple and when he and Paul are mentioned again, Paul’s name is given first. The sacrifice was well worth it; John Mark became one of the four evangelists. His Gospel tells the story of Jesus from the point of view of Peter. “Tradition says that Barnabas eventually preached in Alexandria and Rome, and was stoned to death at Salamis about 61 AD.”
You’ve been listening to Truth of the Spirit and Barnabas the Encourager our Scriptural Companion. As we continue this series we’ll be following the Way with other characters of the bible. Be sure and come back for more. With the Holy Spirit there’s always more! Amen.
[i] CatholicSaints.Info » Blog Archive » Saints of the Day – Barnabas, Apostle
[ii] Katherine I Rabenstein. Saints of the Day CatholicSaints.Info
