“Dissension isn’t something new”
By Rev. Michael Stonhouse
Meditation – Monday, September 16, 2024
Acts 15: 36 – 16: 5 (Forward, p. 49) CEV p. 1154
Often the early church is depicted as an entity were all was sweetness and light, an entity where everything was pleasant and harmonious. However, its history tells us otherwise. In Act 5 we hear of the duplicity of Ananias and Sapphira, in Acts 6 we see the complaints by Greek speaking disciples that their widows were being discriminated against and in Acts 11 we read of the controversy concerning the admission of Gentile believers. And here, in today’s passage, we find that dissension has once again reared its ugly head.
This time the dissension comes as a rift between two of the most important missionaries of that period, Barnabas and Paul. They have a bitter dispute, almost coming to blows, over whether to bring along John Mark, and actually part ways over this issue. Paul doesn’t want to, namely because Mark ‘had left them in Pamphylia and had stopped working with them.’ The present narrative doesn’t give any definite information about this, and neither does Acts 12:13, which also records this incident, so the best we can do is speculate. I have two theories about this, first that he was quite young and therefore homesick (he is also mentioned in Acts 12:12, 25) or secondly, that he was unnerved by the spiritual warfare that took place in Cyprus (Acts 13: 1-12). Anyway, it would appear that Paul wanted nothing to do with ‘this quitter’ and refused to give him another chance, choosing to take along Silas and Timothy instead.
Nevertheless, Barnabas, ‘the encourager’, decides to take on John Mark despite Paul’s objections and so they part ways. (We hear nothing of their exploits from this point on.) And so, the narrative continues, with a rather pro-Paul slant, which is only to be expected as Paul’s chronicler, Luke, went with him. We see this unspoken bias in the action of the local believers praying over Paul and his companions and placing them in God’s care whereas they did nothing of the sort with Barnabas.
However, history may well have proven Paul wrong and Barnabas right in this particular instance. Later on in Paul’s letters we read that Mark has joined him on his team (see Colossians 4:10 and Philemon 24). And not only that, he has to admit that John Mark is useful to him (see 2 Timothy 4:11) and has indeed become like a son to him (see 1 Peter 5:13). So, maybe giving him another chance was a good move on the part of Barnabas. I like to think that this is exactly what God does with us, over and over again. Thanks be to God for such grace.
Forward notes: “The disagreement became so sharp that they parted company” (verse 39).
“As one of four girls, I’m familiar with disagreements! They are bound to happen with family and those with whom we share intimate relationships.
“In this passage, we see Paul and Barnabas, brothers in ministry, part ways yet continue with the work they’ve been called to do. They are to be commended for their perseverance. It’s not always easy to carry on amid division. Sometimes, we can become so grieved by a rift in a relationship that we no longer want to continue—in the work, ministry, or relationship.
“However, these situations can become significant times of growth. Years ago, I experienced a fracture in a meaningful relationship that rendered me hopeless. Ultimately, new doors opened, leading to opportunities I couldn’t have made happen if I’d tried. I learned an important lesson: even in the midst of loss and heartache, God is there, helping me find a way to carry on and continue in the work God has given me to do, even when it looks different than I imagined.”
MOVING FORWARD: “When have you experienced a significant rift in a relationship? What helped you deal with the pain?”