Who Was Barnabas from the Bible?

I: Be Barnabas – Intro + Mint’s Story
II: Why Be Barnabas?

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In our last post, we learned from John C. about what Barnabas did in order to help us understand why it’s strategic and critically important to play a Barnabas role in the Great Commission today.

For this post, we have another guest writer! Jorge is a mobilization leader based in Spain, whose passion is to see the Spanish-speaking church engaged in multiplying disciples among the unreached. Jorge will bring us through who Barnabas was in Scripture, mainly looking at his character as an example to imitate as we seek to be encouragers to the National Apostolic Visionary Pauls that will start movements.

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Hello, my name is Jorge Gonzalez, I’m honored to help us learn about who Barnabas was from Scripture!

When I was a kid, I remember me and my friend trying to jump over a wall. The only way to do it was for one of us to put our hands together and boost the other over the wall. One person got to go up high over the wall while the other was the support who would get stepped on trying to help his friend! In soccer, everybody knows who scores the goal, but the goal scorer needs someone to pass the ball to them in order to score.

Usually, those that give the pass or boost others over the wall are forgotten or unmentioned, but they are so needed! That’s why we are going to be looking at Barnabas. As the writer of Hebrews encourages us:

^“Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.”

Hebrews 13:7

We want to consider the outcome of Barnabas’ way of life and imitate his faith. What was his outcome? God used Barnabas to initiate and advocate for two key leaders in the New Testament – Paul and John Mark. As far as we know, Barnabas wrote none of the New Testament. But the men he developed wrote half of it: Paul wrote 13 of the epistles of the New Testament and Mark wrote one of our four gospels. And much of the first century church was established through Paul. We want to examine who Barnabas was because we want to imitate him as he imitated Christ, and because we want to develop and encourage great leaders like Paul and useful laborers like Mark. So together, we’ll look at different aspects of Barnabas’ character that we see from Scripture.

Encourager

The first time we see Barnabas mentioned is in Acts 4:

“Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.”

Acts 4:36-37

His name was actually Joseph but the apostles saw a gift so strong in him that they gave him a new name. Barnabas was so full of the Spirit of God they called him Son of Encouragement. He boosted others over the wall, he advocated, he comforted others. Usually they give you nicknames for something bad, or something funny, like sons of thunder, but imagine being so filled with God and so gifted at encouraging that the apostles named you the encourager!

Generous

Barnabas sold a field and brought money and laid it at the apostles’ feet. Many were giving gifts because they loved each other and wanted to help the needs of the community, but Luke particularly uses the example of Barnabas as an example of a generous man. Barnabas was free from the love of money because his trust was not in the money for his security but in God, and he was free to give whatever was necessary.

Took Risks

“And when he [Saul] had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord.”

Acts 9:26-28

Saul was a persecutor – imagine a well-known ISIS leader killing Christians, and now he says he is a Christian. Many would normally think this guy could be working as a spy to continue persecuting Christians. Luke said all were afraid of him. But Barnabas saw his potential, saw God’s transformation in him, and he stood up for this Saul. He took him and brought him to the apostles and gave his testimony. We rarely want to risk our reputation for others, but Barnabas reflects Jesus and the Holy Spirit in how they advocate for us with the Father. Barnabas, full of the Spirit of Christ, advocates for a brother in Saul that others would not. He had the courage to stick out his neck and take risks for potential leaders that God wanted to use!

Loved the Church – Rejoiced and Exhorted

“The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.”

Acts 11:22-26

After persecution caused Christians to scatter all over, normal believers went to Antioch and preached the gospel and one of the first Gentile churches was formed. So the church in Jerusalem wants to send someone trustworthy to see what God was doing and they send Barnabas. He loved the church – was obedient to be sent by the church in Jerusalem, see what God was doing in the church in Antioch, and stayed to rejoice and exhort the believers in Antioch towards faithfulness and purpose. From Barnabas’ actions, “a great many people were added to the Lord!” And Barnabas intentionally invites Saul into what God is doing in Antioch, modeling and partnering with Saul in fruitful disciple-making.

A Good Man – Full of the Holy Spirit and Faith

Luke makes it clear that all of this was because he was full of the Spirit and faith. He was a man that abided in Christ, delighted in Him. He put his faith in God, meditated on his Word, and was obedient to the Spirit.

Humble Advocate – Put Others Above Himself

We already saw that Barnabas took a personal risk in advocating for Saul. And Barnabas also had the Philippians 2 humility of Christ. He saw that Saul was the more gifted speaker and more dynamic leader than him, and wanted to empower Saul to be used by God. Normally, we think of leaders as getting others to follow and help them, but are we willing like Barnabas was to be the one boosting people over the wall? Even if they might surpass us and take our “position,” will we be willing to serve others as if they were better than ourselves?

In Acts 13, Luke has referred to Barnabas and Saul together six times, with Barnabas as the first name listed and given priority. But in Acts 13:13, everything changes!

“Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem.”

Here, Barnabas is not even mentioned, but Luke now calls them “Paul and his companions” and the narrative shifts to Paul as the primary character. Barnabas took a risk to humbly advocate for Paul and see his gifts as even higher than his own. It makes me want to imitate Barnabas because he imitated the humility of Christ like in Philippians 2! 

Faithfully and Boldly Proclaimed the Gospel, Made Disciples, Planted Churches, and Developed Leaders

“And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, “‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’” And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region.”

Acts 13:46-49

“When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.”

Acts 14:23-23

Many times, when we talk about Being Barnabas in starting church planting movements, people think that means we won’t be a part of sharing the gospel or making disciples. But if we are really imitating Barnabas, we see that with Paul, Barnabas boldly proclaimed the gospel, made disciples, planted churches, and raised up leaders. And like we would expect, “he strengthened the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith.” Barnabas was an advocate and supporter of Paul, but he was also an apostle that made disciples!

Joyfully Endured Persecution

“But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district. But they shook off the dust from their feet against them and went to Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.”

Acts 13:50-52

We see more of Barnabas’ character in that he was persevering in the face of persecution, with the Holy Spirit filling Paul and Barnabas with joy and his own presence.

Gives Second Chances – Sees the Potential in Leaders

“And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord.”

Acts 15:36-40

Just as he did with Saul, Barnabas repeats the process of advocating for John Mark. Barnabas was such an encourager and advocate that he risked his own reputation and even his relationship with Paul for John Mark. In this occasion, we see Barnabas as someone who gives second chances. Even though Mark had previously abandoned Paul and Barnabas, Barnabas gave Mark another chance to go on mission and to develop him in the process. We see the result several years later when Paul writes to Timothy, “ Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry.”

Barnabas was patient, saw the potential even in those that had previously failed, and gave a second chance to John Mark and encouraged him in his leadership. And God uses Mark not only to be a fruitful laborer in Paul’s ministry, but also in having a huge impact by writing the gospel of Mark.

Barnabas Was Not Perfect

Even though we see so many great and godly characteristics in Barnabas, we want to be objective and realize that he wasn’t perfect. In Galatians 2, Paul talks about the separation between Gentiles and Jews and that Barnabas also fell into sin. 

“For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.”

Galatians 2:12-13

Barnabas also fell into the sin of wanting to please people more than God. He was not perfect, and even though there are many things to learn from Barnabas’ example, we don’t want to fall into the temptation of idolizing a biblical character. 

Barnabas had flaws like any of us – but it encourages me that even with these flaws, what made Barnabas have a powerful impact on the Kingdom was that the Spirit of God was in him. Barnabas was not perfect – but still God used him. 

We want to imitate Barnabas in being full of the Spirit, full of faith, a humble advocate, and an empowering encourager. Let us be like Barnabas in reflecting Christ – becoming less so others can become more. And let us be Barnabas to find, advocate, take risks, and launch many more Pauls that will fill the earth with the knowledge of the glory of Christ through multiplying church planting movements.