Acts 13:1-12

Read Acts 13:1-3

Here we see that the church planted at Antioch, the very place where Believers are first called by that honorable name of Christians, is a vibrant church. A church that is blessed with many skilled servants, be they prophets, teachers or both. Some of these are likely the ones who came from Jerusalem (Acts 11:27), and some probably homegrown if you will.

We see in this the fulfillment of that word that Jesus had foretold to the religious leaders of Israel…Read Matthew 23:31-36. These, then, were among the many men whom the Spirit called and raised to spread the Gospel of Christ to the nations…many of whom likely died at the hands of the Jews. But the main point I want to make in regards to verse 1 is what I read in Matthew Henry, who pointed out that the church at Antioch was growing and was raising up or providing a home for many teachers and prophets of the Word.

As an aside, I will point out Simeon who was called Niger…Matthew Henry explains that he was called such because of the color of his hair, for the word niger means black. John Gill, however, believes that it is more in keeping with the culture of the time that he was called as he was because of the color of his skin…which would be a more descriptive phrase than if it applied merely to the color of his hair. Ultimately it does not matter, but if John Gill is correct then it would show how readily the church at Antioch accepted that the gospel message was for ALL people regardless of some meaningless thing as skin color…a message I think the modern church would do well to always remember.

But we now see in verse 2 that these teachers and prophets were about the business of the Lord. And there came a time when the Spirit spoke to 3 of these men and told them what needed to be done…the setting apart of Barnabas and Saul. Now this separation was not to the office of apostleship as some have taught, since Saul was already so commissioned and Barnabas was never an apostle in the sense of the office of an apostle…but the separation was probably to that calling that was voiced during the experience of Saul on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:15)…being set apart to be the special missionaries to the Gentile world. And although in the next few verses we will read of their primary teaching coming in the synagogues of the Jews…their journey takes them closer and closer to the Greek cities…for they will sail from Antioch to Cyprus to the Antioch at Pisidia to Lystra and as we know Paul at least goes on to Ephesus and into Italy…but that is for future studies!

Being obedient to the word of God, these men carry out the command of the Holy Spirit and send these men out with their blessing. Before moving on, however, I want to point us to verse 2 once again and I want us to realize that this is one of those verses that points to the Personhood of the Holy Spirit. Many cults assign to the Spirit some status of a force of God but deny that the Spirit is one of the three Persons of our Triune God. Now, however difficult it may be for us to understand the concept and the doctrine of the Trinity, we cannot deny that here in this verse the Spirit is given an identity as a Person…an entity, and that He places Himself on equal footing with Jesus…for take careful note that the Spirit says “separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” He does not say separate for God…for the work that He has called them. And if you recall in Acts 9:15-16, it was Jesus who said to Ananias that Saul was “a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles.”

So again, the Spirit is equal to Jesus. Not some force of God but God Himself. And as I said previously, however difficult this teaching may be for us…it is a Scriptural teaching and it is not for us to say I don’t understand it so I won’t believe it…No! It is for us to say I may not understand it, but I see it taught in Scripture, therefore I will believe it and take it in faith.

Before moving on, are there any questions or comments?

Read Acts 13:4-12

So we see now that Barnabas and Saul are obedient to the Spirit and go about the task to which they are appointed.

Here in the city of Paphos they are called to witness to the Roman governor of the island who is interested in the truth they are proclaiming. However, we also meet Elymas Bar-Jesus, who is referred to as a sorcerer and a false prophet…an enemy of God.

Notice what happens when he attempts get in the way of their testimony…Saul, from here on out referred to as Paul (his Roman name), is filled with the Holy Spirit, filled in the same sense that Paul probably later refers to in Ephesians 5:18, that of being under complete control. And we see a probable proof of this in what he says and does to the false one, for this is clearly the work of God and not of Paul. We see that he is blinded…and while as a sorcerer and a false prophet he could make others believe in him…Matthew Henry says of this episode, “where now is all his skill in sorcery, upon which he had so much valued himself.”

I’ve said this before and I will say it many times more…but foolish is he who sets himself against an Almighty God!

One other thing I will say here, and I must stress that it is my own personal thinking here. But we Believers too often fail to get angry enough at those who actively strive against our God…we fear being called that terrible word…judgmental! But frankly it should offend us when our Lord is mocked…it should offend us when His name is taken in vain. And here I must share with you something I heard in a sermon from Albert Mohler, the President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He was speaking on the 3rd commandment, of how taking His name in vain is more than just avoiding a list of words you should not say, and added that when we fail to properly give reverence to our God, we take His name in vain, indeed, our worship and our praise, must always be reverent of His glory. So when I say that we need to be angry at those who take stand against Him…I also say sadly that we the church first need to regain a proper sense of awe and reverence for His name!

At any rate, this Sergius Paulus believes. And although both Gill and Henry doubt the story, both men cite the tradition of the Catholic church that says that this man gave up his office and followed Paul…we cannot know today what truth there is in this, but we can know that this man was this day saved from his sin.

End in Prayer