Sha’ul’s Second Missionary Journey

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We resume our ongoing story of Sha’ul to examine his Second Missionary Journey.

Introduction

Not long after writing his letter to the saints in Galatia, Sha’ul decides it is time for a personal visit. He hopes to observe how the fellowship is developing and lend weight to his actual presence to resolve the circumcision question about which he has written to them. Accompanying Sha’ul from Antioch, his fellow minister, Sila (Silas), is one of two representatives sent to Antioch following the Yerushalayim Conference. After traveling through northern Syria and Cilicia, they proceed to Derbe and then to Lystra, where they find a talmid named Timothy. Their meeting begins a close and productive relationship between the older Emissary and this young man who will become Sha’ul’s protégé.

With Timothy added to their number, Sha’ul and Sila continue traveling through Phrygia and Galatia.

Sha’ul and Bar-Nabba Separate

³⁶ After some time, Sha’ul said to Bar-Nabba, “Let’s go back and visit the brothers in all the towns where we proclaimed the message about the Lord and see how they’re doing.” ³⁷ Now Bar-Nabba wanted to take with them Yochanan, the one called Mark. ³⁸ But Sha’ul thought it would be unwise to take this man with them since he had gone off and left them in Pamphylia to do the work by themselves. ³⁹ There was such sharp disagreement over this that they separated from each other, with Bar-Nabba taking Mark and sailing off to Cyprus.

Sha’ul was unwilling to be burdened by a companion he considered unreliable (Acts 13:13; see Acts 12:12), but Bar-Nabba was willing to put up with his nephew (Mark). While unreconciled sharp disagreement is a sin, differences of opinion, calling, personality, and working modes are not. Sha’ul and Bar-Nabba could have decided amicably to go their separate ways, each doing the Lord’s work. After this, however, although we hear no more of Bar-Nabba’s ministry, we do hear enough to conclude that Sha’ul eventually made up with both Bar-Nabba and Mark (1 Corinthians 9:6, Colossians 4:10, 2 Timothy 4:11, Philemon 24).

⁴⁰ However, Sha’ul chose Sila and left, after the brothers had committed him to the love and kindness of the Lord. ⁴¹ He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the congregations. ^[1]

After being committed to the love and kindness of the Lord by the brothers. As before (Acts 13:1–4), Sha’ul and his partner were sent out by the local congregation; they did not merely decide on their own what to do. There are no “loners” in the Brit Hadasah. This commences Sha’ul’s second journey, which ends in Acts 18:22.

In our next post, we will return to follow Sha’ul through Acts as we explore Sha’ul’s Second Missionary Journey.

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^[1]  Acts 15:36–41.