PAINFUL DISAGREEMENTS
Opening Prayer
I come to you today, Father, seeking you to teach me through your Word. Use it to build my faith and equip me to do your will.
Read ACTS 15:36–16:5
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
Disagreement Between Paul and Barnabas
36 Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.” 37 Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, 38 but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. 39 They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord. 41 He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
Timothy Joins Paul and Silas
16 Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was Jewish and a believer but whose father was a Greek. 2 The believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. 3 Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4 As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. 5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.
New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
‘Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon.’1
I have already mentioned that I appreciate Luke’s honesty in portraying the problems of the early church. This episode contains a shocking example. The godly heroes of this portion of the narrative, Luke’s archetypal missionaries, who have seemingly spread the church more widely than anyone else, come to a painful separation. In fact, Luke describes Paul and Barnabas having a ‘sharp disagreement’ (v. 39). This is an extremely strong Greek word, implying a provocation or angry dispute. The dispute is about whether to take John Mark with them again, as he ‘deserted’ them during their previous missionary journey (v. 38). It is so vehement that they separate and go their own ways.
If extremely godly men like Paul and Barnabas, who are clearly led by the Spirit and wholehearted in their devotion to Christ, can have such a vehement disagreement, what hope is there for the rest of us? Or, looked at another way, if leaders like these can have such a conflict, perhaps this gives hope for the rest of us. This episode speaks to the inevitability of occasional relationship breakdown, yet its resolution should give us hope.
This is the last we hear of either Barnabas or Mark in Acts. However, it is not the end of the story. Various hints in Paul’s letters show his enduring respect for Barnabas.2 Mark, too, is later included in Paul’s group3 and Paul comes to admire him so much that he requests his presence in his final days, describing him as ‘helpful to me in my ministry’.4 A painful disagreement has clearly been overcome and unity of relationship has been restored. Restored relationships are often stronger and deeper than they were before the dispute.
Apply
Conflicts are inevitable in community, but it matters how we handle them and how we pursue reconciliation. Are there situations where you can be a bridge-builder?
Closing prayer
Lord Jesus, thank you for the reconciliation that is mine because of your death on the cross. Give me the conviction and your wisdom to restore relationships where they have broken down.
1 Francis of Assisi, 1181–1226 2 1 Cor 9:6; Gal 2:11–13 3 Col 4:10; Phlm 24 4 2 Tim 4:11
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