Acts 13.1-12

“Paul’s ‘missionary journeys’

It is customary to depict the apostle Paul’s ministry as three ‘missionary journeys’ and a final journey to Rome…

Mission to Galatia

About AD 46 Paul and Barnabas, commissioned by the church in Antioch, embarked on an evangelistic tour. It took them across the island of Cyprus and through ‘Southern Galatia’ (Acts 13–14). Their strategy, which became a pattern for the Pauline missions, was to preach first in the synagogue. Some Jews and Gentile ‘Godfearers’ accepted the message and became the nucleus for a local assembly. When the mass of Jews rejected the gospel, sometimes with violence, the focus of the preaching shifted to the Gentiles (cf. Acts 13:46f.). Despite these perils and the defection at Perga of their helper, John Mark, the mission succeeded in establishing a Christian witness in Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, Derbe and possibly Perga.”

From:   New Bible Atlas (IVP, J.J. Bimson et. al.). 

Vicar’s Reflection:

I want you to notice the racial and social diversity of the ministry team at Antioch (Acts 13.1):

13:1    ‘Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul.’

So, we have two men with a Jewish background: Barnabas and Paul. And, we have two with African background, Simeon and also probably Lucius of north African Cyrene. And, we have the interesting inclusion of Manaen, foster brother to Herod Antipas. 

Herod Antipas ruled Galilee and Peraea from 4BC – 39AD. His foster brother, Manaen, being raised with him, was a man with significant social standing.The ministry team at Antioch, then, is a microcosm of the racial and social diversity in the wider world. 

Yes- all the ministry team at Antioch team were followers of the Lord Jesus. They all pursued the moral will of God revealed in the Scriptures. They were each indwelt by the Spirit. The ministry team, the prophets and teachers, were bound together by these factors. There is no other way to be a disciple or a leader in the book of Acts, but to be united in these factors. But beyond that basic unity, the team has legitimate racial and social diversity. There is Jew and Gentile, Africans, there are those with connections in high society, and those without those connections.

Reflection Questions: 

1. How do ministry teams’ diversity in racial background, social background, and biologically based gender, provide a positive witness to the wider community today? 

2. When the church struggles with racist attitudes, how does that reflect upon the cross of the Lord Jesus? When divisions based on social standing (wealth, education level, postcode) hold sway in ministry teams, how does that reflect upon the cross of the Lord?

3. Read Acts 13.2-3. What is the relationship between Christ’s call of Paul on the road to Damascus, and the church in Antioch’s commissioning of him for this new work? 

4. What details are given of Paul and Barnabas’ new work? How will they have to express faith, in order to proceed? 

5. Read Acts 13.4-12. How is the victory of Christ applied differently to Elymas and Sergius Paulus? (See Colossians 2.13-15). 

6. How might demonstrations of the power of Jesus, alongside the word of Jesus, still be seen in the church’s witness to secular people today?