When Paul and Barnabas decided to
go on a second missionary journey together they ran into some problems. I think
we can learn something from them about how to handle the problem of differing
opinions in the Church. Barnabas wanted to take his cousin John Mark
along with them on the journey. Paul did not think it wise to take him because
John Mark had deserted them on their first missionary journey.
Who was right in this situation? That
is hard to say. From a distant vantage point, one can see both points of view. Barnabas
wanted to give his cousin a second chance. Paul didn’t want to potentially
sacrifice the success of their mission and the lives that could be won to
Christ. This difference of opinion led to an impasse. Maybe if Barnabas had
appealed to Scriptural precedence for a second chance, like the second chance
that God gave Jonah to go to Ninevah, maybe Paul would have been won over. Or
maybe if they had discussed the matter with others in the Church at Antioch
Paul’s heart could have been softened, or Barnabas could have compromised. But
the only solution Paul and Barnabas came up with was to part company. Barnabas
took Mark and sailed for his home country of Cyprus once again. Paul chose
Silas and left, with the commendation of the Church in Antioch, for Syria and
Cilicia.
What we need to see here is that
even when we face the problem of division in the Church, God can use those
divisions to bring about his own good purposes. We shouldn’t use this fact as
an excuse to pursue divisiveness. Division is almost always the result of sin
on someone’s part. Jesus prayed for unity among his disciples and we need to
pray for and aggressively pursue such unity. But when we can’t see our way
forward together–God can even use our divisions.
How did God use division in the
case of Barnabas and Paul? Well, it was better for Paul and Barnabas to part
peaceably rather than stay together and fight. And God used this division to
reach more people with the Gospel. Instead of just one missionary team going
out, two were sent. One to Cyprus, the other to Asia Minor and eventually to
the European continent.
Within some twelve years, Paul had
reconsidered his attitude toward John Mark. When Paul wrote to the Colossians
and Philemon Mark was obviously with him for Paul sent greetings to the
Colossians and Philemon from Mark. And
he told the Colossians: “You have received instructions about him; if he comes
to you, welcome him” (Colossians 4:10). Perhaps as much as five years later,
when Paul was languishing in a dungeon in Rome, he wrote to his protégé Timothy
and said: “Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my
ministry” (2 Timothy 4:11). This same John Mark became an associate of the
Apostle Peter and was, most likely, the author of the second Gospel. There are
times in our lives when we need to look back on previous problems and seek
reconciliation and forgiveness just like Paul did.
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