38 surname was Mark. But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, 39 and went not with them to the work. And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and 40 sailed unto Cyprus; and Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of 41 God. And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches. Paul remained in Antioch for a short time, until the controversy had died down, and then proposed that a fresh missionary tour should be undertaken. A dispute arose between Paul and Barnabas with regard to John Mark, whom the latter wished to take with him. This led to their separation, Barnabas and Mark going to Cyprus, Paul and Silas to South Galatia. 36. some days after. The interval of time implied by this phrase cannot be determined, but it was probably during this period that the episode of Peter's visit to Antioch recorded in Gal. ii. 11-21 occurred. 37. John whose surname was Mark. See notes on xii. 12 and xiii. 13. 38. Paul thought not good. Mark had deserted Paul and Barnabas at Perga, when they were about to start for South Galatia (xiii. 13). Paul evidently had been much annoyed at the incident, and so refused to take Mark. Later on, however, the two seem to have been reconciled, for we find them together at Rome: see Col. iv. 10; 2 Tim. iv. 11; Philem. 24. 39. Barnabas... sailed away unto Cyprus. Cyprus was his native country (see iv. 36, 37). Barnabas disappears from sight at this point. Tradition relates that he subsequently visited Alexandria, and connects his name with the authorship (a) of the Epistle to the Hebrews, (b) of the Epistle of Barnabas. 40. Paul chose Silas. Silas had returned to Jerusalem (ver. 33), so Paul probably had to send for him, unless in the meantime he had returned to Antioch. Henceforth Silas (or Silvanus, as he is called in the Epistles) is Paul's constant companion during his second missionary tour: cf. 1 Thess. i. 1; 2 Cor. i. 19, etc. the grace of God. R.V., following the best MSS., "the grace of the Lord." 41. Syria and Cilicia. See n. on vi. 9. We have no record as to the founding of churches in these districts, but we know from Gal. i. 21 that after his first visit to Jerusalem Paul spent some time in Syria and Cilicia, and it was probably during this period that the churches were founded. Acts xvi. 1-5. PAUL'S SECOND VISIT TO THE FOUR Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but 2 his father was a Greek: which was well reported of by 3 the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek. 4 And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles 5 and elders which were at Jerusalem. And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily. After leaving Syria and Cilicia, Paul at once proceeded to South Galatia to revisit the four cities where he had founded churches during his first missionary journey. The chief incident of the tour is the call of Timothy to mission work. 1. a certain disciple was there. Probably at Lystra, where Timothy had been converted during Paul's former visit. Compare 1 Cor. iv. 17, where Paul speaks of him " as my beloved and faithful child in the Lord." the son .. Jewess. The name of Timothy's mother is given as "Eunice" in 2 Tim. i. 5; his grandmother's name was Lois. Both were devout Jewesses, who seem to have been converted to Christianity through the influence of Paul. 3. took and circumcised him. According to the Rabbinical code, the son of a Jewish mother was regarded as a Jew. This was the reason for the circumcision. The Council of Jerusalem had waived the necessity for the rite only in the case of Gentiles. We gather from 1 Tim. iv. 14 that Timothy, like Paul and Barnabas themselves, was set apart for the work by the Church and ordained by the presbyters (the elders appointed by Paul, xiv. 23). 4. delivered the decrees. I.e., the decisions of the Council of Jerusalem; see xv. 28, 29. Acts xvi. 6-10. THE CALL TO EUROPE. 6 Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost 7 to preach the word in Asia, after they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit 8 suffered them not. And they passing by Mysia came 9 down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, Io saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them. Paul intended, after visiting the churches in South Galatia, to extend his work by a missionary tour to other parts of Asia Minor. He found, however, on attempting to enter the provinces of Asia and Bithynia that the way was blocked by the intervention of the Holy Spirit. He pressed on northwards, and on reaching Troas received in a vision the call to Europe. This paragraph affords us a remarkable illustration of the way in which Paul's plans were overruled and enlarged by the hand of God. Paul intended to be the Apostle of Asia Minor, God meant him to be the Apostle of the whole Roman world. 6. when they had gone throughout Phrygia, etc. The R.V. makes two important changes in this verse. (a) "They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia." This alteration indicates that Luke does not mean, as the A.V. implies, that they traversed the two districts of Phrygia and Galatia, but that they went through one district In which might be called either Phrygia or Galatia, the former being its local, the latter its political designation. This may be made clearer by translating "the region of Phrygo-Galatia,” i.e., the part of the district of Phrygia which belonged to the Roman province of Galatia. (b)" They went through the region... having been forbidden," etc. the A.V. the second clause denotes something that happened subsequently to the action indicated by the first clause. In the R.V. the second clause is prior in time to the first. There is no doubt that the order of clauses in the R.V. is the more accurate rendering of the Greek, though Sir W. Ramsay still thinks that the order given in the A.V. really represents the actual facts. in Asia. I.e., in the Roman province of Asia, which lay on the west coast of Asia Minor. Paul stayed at Ephesus, its capital, for two years on his third missionary journey (xix. 10). 7. were come to Mysia. This is a misleading translation. R.V. gives, "when they were come over against Mysia." Mysia was a district in the N.W. of Asia Minor. into Bithynia. An important province on the north coast of Asia Minor, and N.E. of Mysia. Though Paul was forbidden to enter Bithynia, the province was soon evangelised. About sixty years later, we find in an official letter, written by the Roman governor of the province, Pliny the younger, to the Emperor Trajan, the statement that Christianity had permeated the country, penetrating even into the rural districts, and that as a consequence the heathen festivals were neglected, and animals for sacrifice could scarcely find purchasers. the Spirit suffered them not. The R.V. |