Session 4

The Hidden YearsSo, Barnabas packs up his gear and heads to Tarsus looking for Saul.

If Saul had any company, the Bible makes no note of it.

Then he heard that a man from Syria was looking for him. Luke implies that Barnabas went to some lengths to find Saul:

Acts 11:25 Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul,

The Greek term avnazhte,w does mean “to look for,” but it implies a emphatic and diligent search.

The Hidden YearsSo, Barnabas packs up his gear and heads to Tarsus looking for Saul.

Acts 11:25-26 - Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.

At this time Saul was probably living outside the city in the hill country, preaching to the rural folks, traveling from village to village along the hills and the coast.

This may be the time he spoke of in 2 Corinthians 11:25 – “ … I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea …”

The Hidden YearsSo, Barnabas packs up his gear and heads to Tarsus looking for Saul.

Acts 11:25-26 - Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.

Saul and Barnabas re-establish the friendship that served Saul so well five years ago.

The Hidden YearsBarnabas brought great news.

The gospel of Jesus Christ had blossomed in Syrian Antioch. Many were added to the roles every day.

Not only was the church growing, but large numbers of Gentiles were accepting Jesus in addition to Jews.

Barnabas had seen it with his own eyes and he wanted Saul to come and help.

Syrian AntiochLocated on the western coastal plain, Syrian Antioch was the third largest city in the Roman Empire at the time.

Syrian AntiochLocated on the western coastal plain, Syrian Antioch may have been the third largest city in the Roman Empire at the time.

Situated on the Orantes River, the town was guarded by Mt. Silpius on the southern flank.

In Saul’s day, the mountain had a citadel (fortress) on the top and the sheer face was carved to resemble a faceless human head

reputed to be the god Charon who ferried he dead to Hades.

Syrian AntiochLocated on the western coastal plain, Syrian Antioch may have been the third largest city in the Roman Empire at the time.

Like so many other cities in Asia Minor, Antioch was a classic example of planning and architecture, a testimony to Greek civilization enhanced by Roman peace.

The hippodrome is where the novel Ben Hur places the great chariot race.

Syrian AntiochLocated on the western coastal plain, Syrian Antioch may have been the third largest city in the Roman Empire at the time.

A few miles outside of the city stood the Grove of Daphne.

Here stood an enormous statue of the Greek god Apollo.

Within its confines, there were numerous temple prostitutes who gave their bodies to anyone coming to worship.

Also within the garden was the human flotsam of escaped slaves, criminals, debtors and others who sought sanctuary.

Syrian AntiochThe back streets and Daphne woods would have been fertile ground for Saul and the gospel of Jesus Christ.

According to some witnesses, the believers met in the house of a wealthy church member on Singon Street.

Worship would have continued from morning to night as slaves and others entered and left as their tasks and jobs allowed.

The citizens decided that these men and women were not some new cult of Judaism rather a species of their own and called them a half-Greek, half-Latin term – Christiani.

Syrian AntiochThe Antiochene church was rich in leadership besides Saul and Banabas:

Lucius of Cyrene – we know nothing about him.

Manaen – an elderly aristocrat educated with Herod the Tetrarch

Simon Niger – most likely a black man and perhaps the father of Rufus and Alexander mentioned in the Passion narratives as having carried Jesus’ cross.

Syrian AntiochAntioch gave Saul a home, friends, meaningful labor to heal the scars of the past ten years.

But more than that, it brought him back into the mainstream of the Christian church.

Without Antioch, Saul would probably have remained a backwoods preacher on the rural circuit.

Saul in Syrian AntiochWhile they (Saul and Barnabas) were ministering in Syrian Antioch a prophet came into town:

Acts 11:27-28 - Now at this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. And one of them named Agabus stood up and began to indicate by the Spirit that there would certainly be a great famine all over the world. And this took place in the reign of Claudius.

It is now about 43 – 44AD. There was a famine in Palestine during the time that Claudius was Emperor of Rome. It is attested by the church historian Eusebius (260-340AD), Paulus Orosis (c. 375AD), Seutonius (69-140AD), and Josephus (37-100AD) to mention a few. Most sources date the famine to around 45 – 46AD. Given the lack of precision in ancient records it is entirely possible that this is the famine of which Agabus foretold.

The church in Antioch took up a collection for those in Jerusalem and sent it by way of Saul and Barnabas (Acts 11:28-29).

Saul in Syrian AntiochWhile all of this was happening, a couple of key events took place in Jerusalem.

One was the arrest and execution of James, the brother of John.

Saul in Syrian AntiochWhile all of this was taking place, a couple of key events took place in Jerusalem (Acts 12).

One was the arrest and execution of James, the brother of John.

Peter was imprisoned at the same time and miraculously escaped.

Saul in Syrian AntiochMeanwhile, Saul and Barnabas returned from Jerusalem having delivered the offering taken up by the church.

Some time later during a worship service, the Holy Spirit came to the church and set aside Barnabas and Saul (along with John Mark) for missionary work.

Acts 13:2 - While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."

The First Missionary JourneySaul, Barnabas and John Mark pack their bags, say good-bye to their friends in Antioch and head off on their first journey together.

First stop is the port city of Seleucia – a short 16 mile journey.

The First Missionary JourneyNext, they board a ship for the island of Cyprus. Most likely, it would have been the spring of 46AD at the beginning of sailing season.

Cyprus was Barnabas’ old stomping grounds. He probably knew a number of folks which may have paved the way for their mission.

The First Missionary JourneyCyprus was a logical choice.

Barnabas was originally from Cyprus Cyprus had a sizeable Jewish minority

There was also a large pagan slave population working in the copper mines from which the island derived most of its wealth.

Synagogue of Kfar Bar’am in Salamis. It was places like these that Paul would begin his

preaching in each town he visited.

The First Missionary JourneySaul began teaching immediately in the synagogue.

They preached in the synagogues as they made their way around the southern coast of the island until they reached the Roman city of Paphos.

The First Missionary JourneyThere they ran into a Jewish sorcerer named Bar-Jesus through whose offices the missionaries received an invitation to lecture to the proconsul named Sergius Paulus.

Cyprus was technically the property of the Roman Senate and therefore the ruling representative of the Empire was a proconsul. Pilate and those that ruled Palestine were called legates or governors as that territory belonged to the emperor.

In his retinue was the sorcerer whom Luke calls Elymas which means “Skillful” or “Sage.”

Immediately Saul (who is now called Paul) confronts the wicked sorcerer.

The First Missionary JourneyActs 13:11 – [Paul said,] “Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind, and for a time you will be unable to see the light of the sun.” Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand.

Sergius Paulus saw what happened and he believed (Acts 13:12)

The First Missionary JourneyShortly thereafter, Saul, Barnabas and John Mark left Paphos by boat and sailed to Perga on the coast of Asia (what you and I call Turkey).

It was here that John Mark left to return to Jerusalem.

The First Missionary JourneyJohn Mark’s departure created a wound that would take years to heal.

I’m sure Paul saw it as rank desertion.

Why John Mark chose to leave is the subject of great debate:Some believe that Paul had fallen ill of malaria and John Mark was frightened;Others say that John Mark did not feel the gospel was to be spread to Gentiles;He may have resented Barnabas’ surrender of leadership to Paul;He may have been simply homesick.

Regardless of the reason, John Mark’s leaving was a big issue in Paul’s mind.