Acts 11:22Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

They heard that Samaria had received the word, and they sent Peter and John there. They heard of what was happening in Antioch, and they sent Barnabas there.

The distance from Jerusalem was great, and the Apostles still should not absent themselves from there, lest they be thought fugitives fleeing from their own people.

They absented themselves from there only by necessity, when the Jews finally proved incurable. This was when war had already come, when it was possible to perish, and when sentence had been pronounced upon Jerusalem.

Until Paul came to Rome, they remained there. Yet they did not withdraw because they feared the war. How could those who went to men who would wage war against them fear such a thing?

Besides, the war began only after the death of the Apostles. Then what was said about the Jews was fulfilled: "wrath has come upon them to the uttermost" (1 Thess 2:16).

Thus, the more despised they were, the more grace shone forth, accomplishing great things through the small.

And why did they not send him earlier? Because they had great concern for their own affairs, and did not want the Jews to accuse them of receiving Gentiles.

When it inevitably became necessary for them to be joined with the Gentiles, there was some indignation among them. To prevent this, what happened with Cornelius took place.

Then they finally said: "to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised" (Gal 2:9).

Therefore, when she learned that Samaria had received the word of God, she sent Peter and John to them (Acts 8:14-15).

So also, when what had occurred in Antioch reached her ears, that is, when she heard of the miracles performed there by the disciples who had come there and of the conversion of many Antiochenes, she sent Barnabas to them.

She did this so that, by assisting that work, he might confirm in the faith those who had received it, and convert unbelievers to it.

But why did she send Barnabas, and not someone else? Because he was the first of the Seventy disciples to show the most fervent love for Christ and zeal, "selling his field and laying the price at the Apostles' feet" (Acts 4:37).

The Apostles, seeing his ability to comfort the brethren, called him Barnabas instead of Joses, that is, son of consolation. He was also "a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and faith" (Acts 11:24).

In addition to this, he also had worldly advantages useful for this mission. As a Cypriot by homeland and from the tribe of Levi, he was pleasing to his fellow Cypriots, who had first come to Antioch and preached the faith there.

And since, through his parents, he knew the Hellenic language, he was able to preach the teaching in Antioch. Because of these virtues and gifts of Barnabas, the Church of Jerusalem chose him and sent him there.

The churches situated in Palestine were later visited and confirmed by the Apostles themselves. Thus the word of the Lord was fulfilled here also: "Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit" (Jn 12:24).

After the vision given to Peter in Joppa, and after the baptism of Cornelius, a centurion from the Gentiles, in Caesarea of Palestine, the Church of Jerusalem acquired new daughters in the churches formed here and there from the Gentiles.

Besides Caesarea, the Gospel was preached to the Gentiles also in Antioch, the capital of Syria. Therefore the Church of Jerusalem sent there one of her most active members, though not one of the Twelve Apostles, Barnabas.

So widely had the net of the fishermen of the Gospel been cast, ten or twelve years after the first Christian day of Pentecost.

One may surmise that they sent Barnabas, and not someone else, because he was a Cypriot by birth.

For this reason he could more quickly and easily than anyone else enter into close and sincere relations with the Antiochene preachers, some of whom were his fellow countrymen, Cypriots.

His personal qualities also certainly influenced this appointment. The historian says of him that he was a good man and full of the Holy Spirit and faith.

Moreover, the name Barnabas, "son of consolation" (Acts 4:36), given him by the Apostles, shows that he possessed a special gift of persuasiveness and consolation in speech.

By all these qualities, he was undoubtedly considered especially capable of understanding the situation in the Church of Antioch in its true light. He could also win the Christians there to his side and remove misunderstandings and disorders, if such appeared.

But when Barnabas came to Antioch, he observed no deficiencies there. On the contrary, he saw clear traces of the action of God's grace and rejoiced in his spirit.

Therefore he only exhorted everyone to cleave to the Lord with a sincere heart. His activity in Antioch served to increase still further the number of believers.

They could be like those that had arisen in the Jerusalem community itself because of Peter's activity in Caesarea (above, vv. 2-3). At least there was reason to fear this, if something similar had happened even in Jerusalem itself.

To prevent anything of the kind, and in general to guide the new Christian society in Antioch, Barnabas was authorized by the Church of Jerusalem to go there.

He was from Cyprus, the same island from which some of the Antiochene preachers also came (v. 20; cf. Acts 4:36). Therefore he was a man able to enter into special and closer relations with these preachers.

Moreover, he seems to have enjoyed special respect in the Christian society of Jerusalem (Acts 4:36-37; Acts 9:26-27).

Finally, he was a good man, with a gentle and loving heart (v. 24). He had a special gift of persuasiveness and consolation in speech, for which he received the name Barnabas (Acts 4:36).

Therefore he was especially capable of calming dispositions and ending misunderstandings, if any should arise in the Antiochene community.

He was a man full of the Holy Spirit and faith (v. 24; cf. Acts 6:3, 6:8, 6:10). Therefore he could understand and judge the true state of affairs in this community as a Christian should, and give it proper direction.

All these qualities of Joses-Barnabas could have prompted the Church of Jerusalem, under the present circumstances, to send him to Antioch specifically, and not someone else.

It reached such a measure that the Church of Antioch soon became glorious throughout the world. Even now it shows forth its light as a catholic Church.

Barnabas was probably chosen for this mission because he wished to visit Cyprus, his homeland. Some of the preachers of the faith had come from there to Antioch.

Perhaps they knew him and pointed to him as one able to act with special authority upon people (see Acts 14:12). This was especially true in the Greek world, since he had grown up among Greeks.

According to Saint John Chrysostom, the expression "the hand of the Lord was with them" shows that miracles were performed there. This is also confirmed by the statement that the Apostle Barnabas saw grace.

Regarding the words, "for he was a good man and full of the Holy Spirit and faith," blessed Theophylact observes: "It is not the same thing to say that God is good and that a man is good.

"The former is good by essence, being the beginning and source of all good things. A man is good not by essence, but by virtue."

Saint Barnabas' joy was great, especially because, beyond expectation, the Gentiles too had newly received the faith of Christ. Yet it is also a great joy when faith long ago received is faithfully preserved.

There are obstacles to the new planting of the faith of Christ. There are also obstacles to preserving it in its original purity and power, though it can conquer both.

Therefore Saint Barnabas did not wholly give himself up to joy over the believers, but also cared for them. He exhorted them all, with purpose of heart, to endure in the Lord.

What does it mean to endure in the Lord? The thought most akin to endurance is the thought of calamities and sufferings. Therefore to endure in the Lord means to bear calamities and sufferings magnanimously for faith in the Lord.

Truly, our Lord commands this kind of endurance when He says to His followers: "Brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise up against parents and put them to death. And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved" (Mt 10:21-22).

Thus the holy martyrs endured in the Lord. But since the Lord promises salvation only to the one who endures to the end, and martyrdoms cease, this kind of endurance also ceases.

Therefore we must further inquire what it means to endure in the Lord when there are no calamities and sufferings testing endurance.

In the word of God we find that to endure the Lord sometimes means to pray diligently and without slackening until we have moved God to mercy and have been heard.

We see this in the Psalmist, who says, "I waited patiently for the Lord, and He inclined to me and heard my prayer" (Ps 39:1).

Moreover, courageous and steadfast people in the struggles of piety are generally called those who endure the Lord. This may be seen in the saying: "Those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles. They shall run and not grow weary" (Is 40:31).

All these kinds of pious endurance, or in one word, constancy in faith, Saint Barnabas enjoined upon the Antiochian Christians. He exhorted them to endure in the Lord, not merely from necessity or because circumstances required it, but with purpose of heart.

Even if persecutions producing martyrdom are not now raised against the followers of Christ, still now, as always, "through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22).

Therefore, if calamity and sorrow are sent upon you, and by careful examination of your conscience you recognize in this a punishment for your sins, endure in the Lord.

Say with the Psalmist: "Righteous are You, O Lord, and upright are Your judgments. It is good for me that You humbled me, that I might learn Your statutes" (Ps 118:137, 71).

But if you do not notice that the calamity befalling you was brought upon you by your own fault, then also endure in the Lord. Say with Job: "As it pleased the Lord, so it has come to pass. Blessed be the name of the Lord" (Job 1:21).

The grace of God teaches you to pray to God for deliverance from misfortunes and to ask His help in your needs. This is especially true of spiritual needs, which concern the salvation of your soul and your eternal blessedness.

In this holy exercise also, beware of inconstancy and impatience. The Lord commanded us "to pray and not lose heart" (Lk 18:1), that is, not to be burdened or wearied by prayer, but to remain in it without slackening.

Do you see the fruit of your prayer? Increase it with thanksgiving to God, Who satisfies your desire with good things (Ps 102:5).

Do you not receive what you ask? Acknowledge the imperfection of your prayer and continue it with new zeal. Consider that the all-good heavenly Father, if He does not visibly fulfill your desire, certainly cares invisibly for your good more than you can know or imagine.

Thus in prayer also endure in the Lord. Whatever pious struggle you undertake, and whatever virtue you begin to practice, do not change the good intention once accepted.

Even if obstacles stand before you, and even if success seems not to match your expectation, do not despair or become fainthearted. On the contrary, even if it seems that you have succeeded sufficiently in a good work and struggle, do not grow lazy or careless.

Recognize yourself as an unprofitable servant, even if you have done all that was commanded. For even in that last case you would have done only what was your duty (Lk 17:10), and therefore you would still have no right to remain idle.

Thus, in the difficulty of the struggle, hope in the Lord and endure in the Lord. In the success of the work, do not rely on yourself, and again endure in the Lord.