I’m always intrigued by the lesser-known characters in the Bible. Although their descriptions are often brief, piecing together their stories from different chapters and books feels like solving a puzzle. The effort is worthwhile, as it brings encouragement through the profound faith displayed by these often-overlooked individuals. It’s similar to watching a Marvel character develop through MCU movies and storytelling; the experience is truly gratifying.

Barnabas is one such character.

(I have been going through the Book of Acts with my parents’ small group in the past few months. And then Lydia suggested “Barnabas” with this devotion, so I’m like, “OK”, and went with it!)

One can read about Barnabas in minutes: Acts 4:36-37, Acts 9:26-27, Acts 11:19-30, Acts 13, and Acts 15:36-41.

Through the Life of Barnabas (with Paul & John Mark too)

In Acts 4:36-37, we learn that Barnabas is a Levite from Cyprus, indicating his Jewish heritage. This brief account reveals some essential aspects of his character. First, although his real name is Joseph, he is better known as Barnabas, which means “Son of Encouragement.” This nickname reflects his exemplary character; he was so skilled at encouraging others that almost no one referred to him by his real name. Second, Barnabas generously supported the Apostles financially; he sold his property and gave all the proceeds to them to use as they saw fit. One might suspect that Barnabas owned multiple fields and sold just one for this purpose. However, the story of Ananias and Sapphira, who faced severe consequences for holding back a portion of their money, demonstrates that Barnabas didn’t hold anything back. His generosity was not motivated by a desire for fame or praise but was aimed at the overall good of the church.

Barnabas’s partnership with Saul begins in Acts 9:26-27. At that time, everyone else was still unsure about Saul. It’s understandable, as Saul was notorious for persecuting early Christians and was associated with the stoning of Stephen. However, Barnabas took it upon himself to support Saul. He carefully observed Saul’s recent transformation and preaching in the name of the Lord Jesus in Damascus. While Acts 9 may not explicitly state it, we can infer that the person who can rise above the skepticism, peer pressure, and public opinion is someone with profound faith in the Lord—someone who trusts in God enough to accept an “enemy-like” figure into their midst to further His kingdom.

In Acts 11:19-30, Barnabas played a key role in developing the church in Syrian Antioch, located about 300 miles north of Jerusalem. The passage notes that Barnabas was filled with the Holy Spirit and recognized the impact of God’s grace in Antioch. This highlights his sensitivity to God’s work, prioritizing spiritual growth over self-focused achievements and human efforts. His commitment to strengthening the church community contributed to the increase in followers of Christ in that region.

Recognizing his own limitations, Barnabas understood that he could not manage the rapid growth alone. He sought assistance from someone who was equally, if not more, effective in teaching and preaching. As a result, he travelled to Tarsus to recruit Saul, who would co-lead this important mission. Interestingly, this is also the location where, for the first time, the followers of Christ began to be called “Christians.”

My group is currently studying Acts 13, where we again see the cooperation between Barnabas and Saul, who is now called Paul. They began their first ministry journey through several cities in the Mediterranean that were primarily Gentile. In this part of the story, we are introduced to a third character, John Mark, who is an assistant to Barnabas and Saul.

During their initial stops on this journey, everything was going well. They were proclaiming the Word of God, challenging false prophets, converting Gentiles, kicking ass, taking names. However, the situation changed when John Mark decided to return home halfway through their planned journey. The exact reason for his departure is unclear; some believe he was homesick or could not handle the challenges of a travelling missionary. Regardless of the cause, this incident created an initial rift between Barnabas and Paul, setting the stage for future conflicts between the dynamic-duo.

As we approach the conclusion of the biblical account of Barnabas’ missionary journey in Acts 15:36-41, we encounter a brief passage that describes a sharp disagreement between Barnabas and Paul regarding John Mark. This disagreement was significant enough to cause a split between the two good partners. While some might view this as a negative aspect of Barnabas and Paul’s relationship, that couldn’t be further from the truth. In Paul’s letters, we see evidence of reconciliation between Paul and John Mark in 2 Timothy 4:11b and Colossians 4:10. We can trust that God’s plan ultimately works out in the end, even if we don’t see it at the moment. I feel that Barnabas understood this very well. He looked beyond the disagreement, picked himself up, focused on the Lord’s mission, and treaded forward.

Consider this, Barnabas, having experienced the abandonment of John Mark during their first journey and fully aware of his assistant’s limitations, Barnabas continued to encourage him to “try again,” giving John Mark another opportunity to be part of Christ’s grand mission. Later, tradition holds that John Mark had the courage to write the gospel that carries his name. We may not have the Gospel of Mark without the efforts of the “Son of Encouragement.”

Additionally, look at Paul. The apostles accepted his letters as part of God’s inspired Word, which continues to inspire and influence Christians, scholars, and the world to this day. We may not have the thirteen letters of Paul without a Cypriot named Joseph.

I must say, a true hero isn’t without their dark side. There was a brief moment in biblical history when Barnabas, along with Peter, was led astray due to hypocrisy. This incident took place in Antioch when Peter visited the church. The confrontation happened when Peter withdrew and separated himself from the Gentiles because “he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group” (Galatians 2:11-14). This behaviour was likely influenced by kosher dietary laws and the non-kosher culinary practices of Gentile foods. Remember, Peter had encountered a vision with a great sheet coming down from heaven filled with unclean animals, and God instructed him to eat from it in Acts 10.

Given the serious tone of Galatians, it is evident that Barnabas also made the wrong choice in this situation. Considering Barnabas’s close partnership with Paul, it is likely that Paul rebuked him just as firmly as he did Peter. Despite this incident, their collaboration continued, which indicates that Barnabas did humble himself, accepted Paul’s constructive criticism, and ultimately corrected his behaviour.

Truly, Barnabas exemplifies authentic leadership. He is generous, sensitive to God’s work, passionate in encouragement, rises above the noise, humble, accepts his limitations, is not afraid to ask for help, thrives despite disagreement, and continues to provide serving opportunities for others. No doubt an impressive resume, fueled by the love of God and the love of our fellow workers in Christ.

He is not perfect, but he sure is faithful.