The Reality Of Evil Against Us: Blind Bar Jesus Series

I just want to point out one thing here for you to consider: The people in Caesarea see purely material events, yet, they are experiencing a spiritual event. They see the event, they see the results and they see human and material interaction, yet it is a spiritual event. We are spiritual beings, made for spiritual things...perhaps we too interpret spiritual events around us with only our intellect. Now, hang onto that.

Then, we pick up with Barnabas, Saul and John Mark (Barnabas’ cousin) heading back to Antioch. While they are in Antioch, prophets hear from the Holy Spirit to set aside Saul and Barnabas for missionary activity. Instead of staying in one location, they are to travel and spread the Gospel. This is a very impressive list of leaders who emerge from this Church. This shows this church was right on target in their spiritual growth.

As we talked about last week, Antioch is a city filled with people from all over the Roman Empire and here five leaders of the church are mentioned. They are mentioned in order of importance. Notice Saul, who is later known as Paul, is at the very end of the list. Amazingly Paul is considered the least of these men. We have many of Paul’s writings in the NT and we can see that Paul is an amazing spiritual man, if he is the least of these, how amazing were the rest of these men? This church at Antioch is thriving spiritually to be able to produce five amazing leaders, with Paul being the least.

Three are of pagan origin, Simeon is from Africa, Lucius is also African, Manaen is of royal blood and was brought up with Herod Antipas in Rome. Remember a few weeks ago we talked about how Africa plays a pivotal role in the early church, and so, here we see Africans prominent once again. Now, two are of Jewish origin, Barnabas and Saul. Notice, that the gentile Christians now outnumber the Jewish Christians. Also notice how there are now prominent Romans joining the church.

They lay hands on Barnabas and Saul, recognizing that these men as delegates from Antioch, and they send them off. Mark is probably brought along as he is an eyewitness to events in the life of Jesus.

They head to Seleucia Pieria which was the port city of the city of Antioch. It was five miles north of the mouth of the Orontes River, there they set sail for Cyprus, Cyprus is called Kittim in the OT. Cyprus principle export was copper, from which the name Cyprus is derived. It was annexed by Rome in 57 B.C. and at this time was administered by the Senate, so like other senatorial provinces it was governed by an appointed proconsul.

Even though they are out to bring the gospel to pagans, they start with Jews first at the Synagogues. Why is that? Paul is a highly educated Rabbi and so he would be invited to speak at a Synagogue when he arrived in a city. This is an easy place to start. There at the Synagogue would always be a number of gentiles who were practicing Judaism. These usually were the first people to convert to Christ. So, if they go to the Synagogue first they have a core group of believers very quickly after they enter the city. It was a quick way to start a church in a city.