Time is moving on in the life of the apostle Paul. In my last post we saw him returning to his hometown of Tarsus in the region of Cilicia. He remained there for some time and we were only able to conjecture a little about what he did while there. Luke picks up his story, though, after that time period in Acts 11:19-26.

“Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.“

Barnabas had been instrumental in helping Paul gain acceptance among the Jerusalem believers after his return from Damascus. Now, having been given responsibility for the nurturing of the new church in Antioch, Barnabas recognized that Paul would be helpful in that work. Luke indicates that Paul and Barnabas then served together for a year in Antioch, and that the believers there began to be called Christians for the first time. This was originally intended to be a derogatory term but became associated with Jesus’ followers.

Luke continues the story in Acts 11:27-30.

“Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius). So the disciples determined, every one according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers living in Judea. And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.“

Barnabas and Saul had been serving as the leaders of this church now for at least a year (Barnabas even longer). Prior to this, they had only been acquainted during those two weeks in Jerusalem after Saul first returned from Damascus. A lot had happened in both their lives and both would likely be eager to re-visit the church leaders (the apostles) in Jerusalem to give a report on their work and to see further fellowship and equipping. It is logical that they would be the ones to take the offering raised by the Antioch church and deliver it to the Jerusalem church. Luke also places a time reference in this passage to indicate that the prophesied famine occurred during the days of Claudius. Claudius was the Roman emperor who replaced the assassinated Caligula in A.D. 41. Claudius was Caligula’s uncle.

Paul then gives us some insight on how that trip went in Galatians 2:1-10. Note that Paul identifies that this trip occurred after fourteen years. It seems that the best way to understand this is to consider that Paul is counting the fourteen years from the time of his conversion. That would place Paul’s trip to Jerusalem from Antioch sometime around 47 to 49 A.D.

“Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain. But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek. Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery— to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me. On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised (for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles), and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.“

First I’ll point out that Paul mentions Titus to the Galatians. He will visit Galatia on his first missionary journey (which we’ll study in the coming weeks’ posts). Titus is also a member of Paul’s traveling cohort on his third missionary journey. Paul also will write a personal letter to Titus late in his life from prison and reference Titus in another letter to Timothy, also from prison. This means that even though Luke never mentions Titus in Acts, Titus must have been a friend and companion of Paul for much of Paul’s life. Titus was apparently with Paul and Barnabas in the Antioch church and went with them to Jerusalem.

Paul says that they went to Jerusalem because of a revelation. This is likely a reference to the prophecy regarding a coming famine delivered by Agabus in Acts 11. We’ll study this Galatians passage later in the context of when it was written. For now, suffice it to say that Paul reiterates that his calling as a missionary particularly to the Gentiles was confirmed again through his counsel with the apostles in Jerusalem. This set the stage for the beginning of his missionary travels recorded in the rest of Acts.

One final detail is mentioned in Acts 12:24-25.

“But the word of God increased and multiplied. And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had completed their service, bringing with them John, whose other name was Mark.“

John Mark, another character important in the story of the early church, is introduced here. At this stage in his life, John Mark (who is a cousin of Barnabas) is relatively young. He was possibly one of Jesus’ followers before the crucifixion and a witness to Jesus’ arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:52). He was known by Peter and would later become an important asset and companion to both Peter and Paul. He accompanied Paul and Barnabas (and probably Titus) on their return to Antioch.

We’ll pick up the story there the next time!