Why did the Holy Spirit set apart Barnabas and Saul? Study Acts 13 with context, apologetic analysis, and cross-references.
Dr. Lucas D. Shallua Commentary · Acts 13
The Holy Spirit set apart Barnabas and Saul for the work to which He had called them. The church was worshiping and fasting, and the Spirit spoke. The mission to the Gentiles was not a human invention; it was a divine calling. The King calls and sends His missionaries.
John Mark deserted them at Perga and returned to Jerusalem. The text does not say why. Perhaps he was afraid of the journey's dangers. Perhaps he was homesick. Perhaps he disagreed with the mission to the Gentiles. Paul later considered this a serious failure and refused to take him on the second journey. But Barnabas was willing to give him another chance. The King redeems failures.
Yes. Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, declared that the hand of the Lord was against Elymas, and he was struck blind. The judgment was temporary — "for a time." The purpose was to demonstrate the power of God and to lead the proconsul to faith. The King judges the false prophet and saves the seeking heart.
Paul recounted Israel's history to show that Jesus is the fulfillment of God's promises to Abraham, David, and the prophets. He showed that the Messiah was promised, that John the Baptist prepared the way, and that Jesus died and rose again. The King is the fulfillment of Israel's history.
To be justified is to be declared righteous by God. The Greek word dikaioō means "to declare righteous." The law of Moses could not justify anyone. It could only condemn. But Jesus justifies everyone who believes. Justification is a gift of grace, received by faith. The King declares the believer righteous.
The Jews opposed Paul and Barnabas because they were jealous of the crowds. They saw the Gentiles believing and rejoicing, and they were filled with envy. They could not accept that the Gentiles were included in the kingdom. The King exposes the hardness of the human heart.
Paul and Barnabas turned to the Gentiles because the Jews rejected the gospel. The gospel came to the Jew first, but when they rejected it, Paul and Barnabas turned to the Gentiles. The King is the Savior of all who believe, Jew and Gentile alike.
Chapter 12 ended with the death of Herod Agrippa I, the increase of the word of God, and Barnabas and Saul returning from Jerusalem with John Mark. Now the church in Antioch becomes the launching pad for the first missionary journey. Antioch was the third largest city in the Roman Empire and the first place where disciples were called Christians. The setting moves from Antioch to Seleucia to Cyprus to Perga to Pisidian Antioch. The chapter marks a major turning point in the book of Acts. The gospel is no longer confined to Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria. It is going to the ends of the earth. The King is sending His missionaries to the nations.
Some critics argue that the first missionary journey is a legendary embellishment. But the narrative is deeply rooted in historical detail. The cities mentioned — Antioch, Seleucia, Cyprus, Salamis, Paphos, Perga, Pisidian Antioch, Iconium — are all real places. The names — Sergius Paulus, Elymas, Bar-Jesus — are historically plausible. The proconsul Sergius Paulus is attested by an inscription found in Cyprus. The most plausible explanation is that it preserves genuine historical memory. Paul's sermon at Pisidian Antioch is also historically significant. It is one of the earliest Christian sermons, and it centers on the death and resurrection of Jesus. The use of Psalm 2, Isaiah 55, Psalm 16, and Habakkuk 1 is consistent with the apostolic interpretation of the Old Testament. The most plausible explanation is that it preserves genuine historical memory.
This study preserves the hard questions, explanations, context, apologetic note, and references from Dr. Shallua's Commentary.