Here is one of the saddest cases in the New Testament:  the breakup between Barnabas and Saul. It is the end of the first missionary team that brought about such a foundation to the church and the growth of the Christian movement. Some say it is Gods way of multiplying the work.  I have to disagree, even though I fully believe that God can work all things together for good, as he did do in this case.  To see how tragic this incident is, we need to see how their relationship began and grew.  

Barnabas was an apostle (sent one) with a pastoral heart and a gift of healing and restoring leaders.  He was a mentor and spiritual father to Paul. He brought him into international leadership and set him free to pursue his ministry.

Paul is a zealot, an apostolic pioneer, filled with faith energy and willing to die for the cause of Christ! His goal is to make Christ known among the nations! He expects faithfulness from his team as their lives depend on it as well as the growth of the ministry.  This is not for the faint of heart!

The fly in the ointment is John Mark, who will author The Gospel which is based on Peter’s Message of Jesus.  He is related to Barnabas, and he left the missionary team in Perga.

I wish I had been a fly on the wall during this argument:  Barnabas insists on taking Mark along, and Paul resolutely will not allow it. The end result is a separation, Barnabas to Cyprus and Paul to southern Turkey.  Each has a new partner, and the church eventually overcomes this setback and continues to grow. But not without immense difficulties to over come.

1. Paul loses his mentor and spiritual father
2. Barnabas loses his dear friend and partner in the ministry.
3. The church in Antioch which had benefitted from Barnabas’ ministry, who also introduced Paul to them loses their leader and spiritual father. They also take on an offense.
4. The churches in Cyprus and Turkey are left wondering what happened, never to see the other one again – also taking on the offense.
5. There is a time of spiritual dearth coming for Paul.
6. In all of these tragic events, we also see they violated spiritual laws by allowing a root of bitterness to spring up which defiled themselves and many others.

“See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled;” Hebrews 12:15 

The question is, who was right? Each dealt with this event from their own perspective and ministry gift: Barnabas as a restorer of those who are broken and Paul as a pioneer of new churches. Neither was willing to budge from their view of truth, and both were right from their perspective.  We will see that both were effective in doing their work even though Luke will only focus on Paul from here on out as he becomes an eyewitness to the rest of the book.

What I fail to see, is why these spiritual men didn’t take the needed steps towards solving their dispute? Look at what they failed to do:

1. They didn’t pray about it and hear from God ( perhaps they prayed individually that God would change the other)
2. They did not appeal to those over them in leadership as they had with their theological problem
3. Why didn’t they work out a compromise?
4. Why didn’t Paul submit to Barnabas? He doesn’t do what he himself teaches! M 
   1. “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.” Hebrews 13:17 
   2. “The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.” 1 Timothy 5:17
   3. “But it is not this way with you, but the one who is the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the servant.” Luke 22:26 (Jesus)
   4. “The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged,” 2 Timothy 2:24
   5. “in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified, sound in speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.” Titus 2:7-8
   6. “teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”” Matthew 28:20
   7. “Reject a factious man after a first and second warning,” Titus 3:10
5. How could they have solved this? In hindsight they could have separated for a time to split the. I is try and meet up to see if Mark had been rehabilitated. They could have run a school in Cyprus with Paul submitting to Barnabas and learning from him. They could have approached others to help them resolve the crisis.  They could have fasted and prayed until God showed them a way out. The church leaders could have said, we will not support this kind of activity, you must stay until you resolve this issue. These are just a few of the thoughts I have had, but there must be other possibilities for conflict resolution.
6. How does this affect us?
   1. Be careful about creating major and bitter divisions that will defile many
   2. Seek God before it gets so far gone.
   3. Seek peace rather than your own will.  Be humble with things, knowing that things are not eternal, but you and the brother or sister are!
   4. Seek to understand the other point of view and how you can assist in helping them find God’s will and way.
   5. Love your enemy and heap coals on their head.
   6. Pay the price for an opportunity: one mile is an obligation, the second mile is an opportunity!