Acts 4:23-35
23 On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. 25 You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:
“‘Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
26 The kings of the earth rise up
and the rulers band together
against the Lord
and against his anointed one.’
27 Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28 They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. 29 Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30 Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. 33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all 34 that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.
36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), 37 sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.
Lessons from the life of Barnabas
I glanced over my shoulder as I heard footsteps approaching. Not Again! What did I do now?
Mr. McCaughan, my high school drafting teacher, came up to my desk. He shook his head as he spoke in a voice which could be heard by the entire class.
“Aye lad,” he said. “Let’s see what we’ve got here? Can you tell me what all these squiggles represent?”
I never expected to learn important life-changing lessons in my high school drafting class, but I got more than I bargained for in those mid-morning sessions. Mr. McCaughan had a way of saying things. His quick quips, spoken with a strong Scottish accent, stand out in my mind.
“You rush in where angels fear to tread,” he would say, when I tackled a project without thinking through the preliminary steps.
“Make sure you do the first things first, then work on the rest,” he would say, in reference to following logical patterns of developing a drawing or project. His words of wisdom have served me for much more than drawing house plans or cross-sections of a construction project.
Today’s passage reveals a number of characteristics of the community of believers in Jerusalem, as well as a description of Barnabas, a man who exemplified their values. The early church was known for its persistent prayer life (Acts 2:42 and 4:24-28), powerful witness (Acts 4:27-29), and filling of the Holy Spirit (Acts 4:31). This was evident in practical ways, as believers shared their possessions and ensured that there was no one left in need (Acts 4:32-35). And finally, we get two verses about Joseph (called Barnabas).
Let us focus on the life of Barnabas, who exemplifies one of Mr. McCaughan’s insights; doing the “first things first.” We must not give in to the temptation to look at his accomplishments and impact on the lives of others without taking time to consider God’s work in his own life.
There was more to Barnabas than his relationship with Saul. We also get significant insight into his godly character. It’s important that we don’t skip over this, because God cares about more than just our accomplishments. He is more concerned with the ongoing transformation of our lives.
This is one of the great secrets of a life which makes an impact for God: God uses ordinary people who understand that who they are in Christ is more important than what they do for Him.
Barnabas: A Prepared Man
Barnabas comes onto the New Testament stage at a critical point in the history of the early Church. There was a need for authentic leaders to come forward. The dynamic growth of the Church, shown in thousands of conversions, pushed the group to its limit. Barnabas was one of the men who emerged as God’s chosen instruments for this task.
God’s sovereignty is seen in the background and personal preparation of Barnabas. God used different experiences and valuable lessons which were tailor-made for his personality, equipping him for the specific job God prepared for him to accomplish (Ephesians 2:10).
The exact time when Barnabas came into contact with the disciples is unclear, but he was likely a believer during the years Jesus taught and ministered in Palestine. The early church historian, Eusebius, identified him as a member of the group of seventy-two sent out by Jesus to preach the Gospel. This made Barnabas an eyewitness of the life and teachings of Christ. Years later, this may have been an important factor in his selection as an envoy of the Jerusalem church to survey the situation in Antioch.
The first clear reference to Barnabas in the Bible is found in Acts 4:36-37. This passage follows a brief description of life among the early group of believers, with a focus on the sharing of possessions to meet the needs of others. Joseph, who the disciples called Barnabas, sold a field he owned and brought the proceeds to the apostles. This gives us some insights into the life of the man who would later become an important leader in the Jerusalem church.
Barnabas was a Jew from the island of Cyprus. His ancestors were probably among the people dispersed by conquering generals who defeated the Jewish nation. The practice of a victorious nation was to forcefully relocate their captives to distant lands in order to squash any hope of rebellion or independence.
The relocated Jewish community resisted efforts to be assimilated into the pagan cultures which surrounded them. Synagogues were built in foreign cities to preserve their culture, language, and religious beliefs. The religious leadership in Jerusalem looked down upon this group of Greek (or, Hellenistic) Jews, often treating them as second-class citizens. This was not the mindset of those dispersed, as they took pride in the fact that they remained Jewish despite the historic, cultural, and political pressure that enveloped them. They saw themselves as survivors and defenders of the faith.
Barnabas understood and lived within a Greco-Roman cultural background, giving him certain advantages over other early Church leaders. He automatically had something in common with Paul, who came from the Roman outpost city of Tarsus, located in what today is part of eastern Turkey. Growing up in Cypress gave Barnabas insights into other cultures and languages. He understood the educational system, as well as the way of thinking of those who later became his audience. All these factors, though unknown to him at the time, were used by God to prepare Barnabas for his future.
Barnabas was a Levite, a fact which gives other important insights into his background and upbringing. The Jewish tribe of Levi was entrusted with the sacred task of spiritual leadership of the people and the preservation of the Scriptures. Barnabas learned to read and write in the Synagogue. Other Jewish youth did not have the same opportunity to study the Scriptures. This, coupled with the secular education he received, gave him a social position within the Jewish culture and honed him for future leadership.
Barnabas was also a landowner, indicating a high social standing and position within Jewish society. He is not described as a rich landowner, but those who held this position were a part of the middle or upper class. He did not necessarily work the soil, as those who owned land had slaves and paid employees to work their fields or care for their flocks. Barnabas was part of the administrative middle-class with a social status which helped him develop his leadership skills.
What does Barnabas’ background have to do with your life and mine? Perhaps more than you might imagine.
God’s preparation and work in our lives does not begin on the day we pray the sinner’s prayer. He weaves a series of experiences and factors into our lives to prepare us for specific tasks or roles. Most of the time we do not give God credit for His hand upon our past, especially as it relates to painful passages. However, as we invest our lives in others, we see that He uses our background to prepare us for specific situations. This enables us to relate to people’s problems. This is the sovereignty of God working in our lives.
Barnabas: A Transformed Man
The previous description of Barnabas as a Levite from Cyprus who sold a field and gave the money to the disciples is only one of the characteristics which cause him to stand out from other people in the Jerusalem church. The character qualities in the life of Barnabas reveal a man who was transformed by the power of God.
There is a notable contradiction of terms in the description of Barnabas in Acts 4:36-37. Barnabas was a Levite who was a landowner, two qualities that were diametrically opposed to a Jewish mindset. Luke used this subtle comparison to contrast the transformed life of Barnabas to what his readers would know of the practice of the Levite tribe. Barnabas was a man consecrated to God.
According to Old Testament law and customs, Levites were not allowed to own land but rather depended upon God for their provisions. The Jewish people had strayed far from this principle and historians relate that the Levites were among the richest people of their day. Was Luke trying to tell us something in this statement?
Luke’s readers would have understood the conversion of a Levite to be a miracle. The sale of his land and gift offered to the poor testified of a transformed life. For Barnabas, this was more an act of consecration, not just an act of charity. It set Barnabas apart and released him for service, something intended for all Levites. It opened new opportunities for Barnabas to follow God’s leading as he was freed from the responsibilities of administration of his workers and care of the land.
It is always good to remember the things God asks us to relinquish to follow Him. He may not ask us to sell all we have and give the proceeds to the poor, but He asks each person to make significant choices which reflect a submitted and transformed heart. This is part of God’s work in our lives as He takes us through a process of molding and forming us into the image of Christ.
The transformation of Barnabas is noted from the very moment he is introduced to New Testament readers. Known as the “son of encouragement,” his name is an indication of his character. The King James translation of the New Testament opts for the words, “son of consolation” to describe Barnabas. Luke used the Greek word parakleseos to describe Barnabas. It comes from the same root word Jesus used when He promised another “Comforter,” identified as the Holy Spirit (John 14:26, 16:7). It is no coincidence that a man who would later be described as “being a good man, full of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 11:24) would possess spiritual qualities which gave him a ministry of encouragement and comfort.
We are not told the circumstances leading to the use of the “Son of Encouragement” nickname, but we do know Barnabas’ character and gifts as a disciple-maker only serve to reinforce this description. Barnabas was one who helped churches and individuals in their spiritual growth. He gave both Paul and John-Mark a second chance and came alongside them as they grew into roles of leadership in the early Church. He put others first and was used by God in the lives of many people within the early Church.
The description of the attitudes of Barnabas and the early church are compared with the deception of Ananias and Sapphira, who attempted to use the sale of a parcel of their land to gain recognition and praise (Acts 5:1-10). While Barnabas sold his property and gave the money to the church out of pure and upright motives, Ananias and Sapphira lied about their motives, revealing a serious moral failure. The contrast is all about character.
This taught Luke’s readers that a person’s motivation in doing the right thing is more important than the act itself. What matters to God is the heart attitude in which any service or gift is offered. True to this day, the standard by which God measures a person’s deeds is a transformed life and not acts of benevolence.
A high point of the description of Barnabas’ character is found in Acts 11:24, where he is called a “good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith.” Much like Stephen and the seven elders chosen to serve the church (Acts 6:1-4), the character quality which stands out in Barnabas is his spirituality.
That Barnabas is called a “good man, filled with the Holy Spirit” speaks of his personal integrity and character. Goodness was a byproduct of the filling of the Holy Spirit in his life. He demonstrated the fruit of the Spirit, reflecting God’s nature. People noted the difference in the way he lived. The presence of the Holy Spirit in his life became the characteristic which influenced all he said or did. Like a crown jewel in the list of his qualities, the filling of the Holy Spirit made Barnabas a man used by God.
It is only after the description of Barnabas’ character and emphasis on his spiritual qualities that Luke gives readers a description of what he did. “A great number of people were brought to the Lord” through his ministry (Acts 11:24). Luke does not focus on fruitfulness in Barnabas’ ministry, but rather the natural consequence of a life transformed by God.
Could it be that in a world of instant gratification and quick-fix solutions, we as Christians get some things backwards? An emphasis on results, often neglecting the areas of personal character and integrity. Christians go from conference to conference seeking new methods or formulas for success. Much of our literature is concerned with how to resolve issues and problems, providing easy three-step outlines for everything a pastor or leader desires to accomplish. “Ministry” is not gauged so much by who we are, but rather by what we do. It would seem we have forgotten to do the “first things first.”
Those who want to make a lasting impact for the Kingdom of God need to focus on the right things. Character is more important than achievement. Personal integrity is more important than abilities or methods.
God uses the experiences of our lives to develop our understanding of His word, our integrity, and what it means to obey Him. His primary concern is to shape our character and produce Christ-like followers.
This holds true in the example of Barnabas. He is known as a man of godly character, not for his position, nor for what he did in the church. He is described as “a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith.” His personal integrity would influence those who became his disciples. It is clearly this characteristic, putting the first things first, which made Barnabas a person of lasting impact.
Questions
1. Read Acts 4:36-37 and 11:22-24. What are the character qualities in the life of Barnabas which strike you as most important in these passages? Is the focus of Luke’s description the fruitfulness of his ministry or his godly character?
2. Read Galatians 5:22-24. How does the fruit of the Spirit compare to Barnabas’ character and personality?
3. One of the roles of the Holy Spirit is to make us more like Jesus. What is one way you can develop a deeper sense of Christ-likeness in your life?
Author Bio
Dwayne Buhler currently serves with The Alliance Canada as a Police and Hospital Chaplain. He and his wife, Rhonda, have worked for over three decades as International Workers in Latin America and pastoral ministry in Canada. He is a Bible teacher and fan of the ordinary heroes of the Bible.
Luke and Acts taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®
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