St Barnabas the Apostle (Jun 11)

Good cop—bad cop

Job 29:11—16 Like one who comforts; Ps. 112 Generous; Acts 11:19—30 Barnabas encourages Saul; (if the Acts reading is used instead of the Old Testament reading, the New Testament reading is Gal. 2:1—10 Barnabas and me);

John 15:12—17 Love one another

'Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch.' Acts 11:25—26

The 'son of encouragement'

The name of Barnabas probably means `son of prophecy'. But in Acts it's translated as `son of encouragement' — or `son of consolation' in the old translations. This was probably based on a similar word, used as a nickname, and a well-deserved one at that, meaning someone who comforts and encourages others. He owned a field, which he sold, and brought to the leaders of the Jesus movement the money which was realized, for them to distribute to the poor. Maybe it was they who, impressed by his encouraging generosity, first gave him his nickname — `Dear old Barnabas, he's such an encouragement to us.' He came from Cyprus, where the Jews spoke Greek fluently. So when a church grew up in Antioch with many Greek-speaking Jews among its members, naturally they sent for Barnabas to be one of their preachers. He encouraged many to become Christians, and the congregation grew so much that they needed help in the leadership team. Well, Barnabas had met, during one of his visits to Jerusalem, a Greek-speaking Jew from Tarsus called Saul. Barnabas went to Tarsus to find Saul, and bring him to Antioch. Barnabas encouraged Saul to become his assistant.

Sent out as missionaries

They worked so well together as a team that the church in Antioch decided to send them out as missionaries together. So they both became known as apostles; it's the usual Greek word for somebody who's `sent out'. Barnabas and Saul's first journey was to Cyprus. Dear old Barnabas was on his home stamping ground there, and he arranged a tour of the synagogues where he was probably already well known. Perhaps he was told to keep an eye on the young firebrand to keep him on the straight and narrow. If so he failed, because after a conversation with Sergius Paulus, the Roman Governor of Cyprus, Saul, now known as Paul, set off on a mission of his own, taking Barnabas, his former boss, as his assistant.

Good cop-bad cop

What was the secret of the successful partnership between Paul and Barnabas? In the American television series, Starsky and Hutch were two policemen who would sometimes have difficulty getting information out of a suspect. Then, with an unseen wink to their partner, they would embark on a well-rehearsed routine which they called `Good cop—bad cop'. One of them would become extremely threatening. He'd threaten the suspect with suffering, imprisonment, separation from his family, whatever it took to make him thoroughly alarmed and frightened. Then the other policeman would take the suspect aside saying, `Don't worry, I'll look after you and see you come to no harm.' The suspect was so grateful that he'd `spill the beans', and tell the `good cop' whatever he wanted to know! I wonder whether dear old Barnabas and the aggressive Saul of Tarsus played a variation on the good cop—bad cop routine? Stern young Saul would preach threateningly, warning of the dangers of hellfire to those who failed to keep the terms of God's covenant. And then dear old Barnabas would say, `Never mind. God loves you, and, in Christ, God will forgive you for all the things Saul has made you feel guilty about!' Then the hearers would be converted, in a way they would never have been if Saul hadn't softened them up first, and if Barnabas, the `son of consolation', hadn't followed up with the good news of Christ. Stern young Saul and dear old Barnabas — bad cop—good cop? It's an interesting speculation!

Missionary methods - Paul's or ours?

In the early twentieth century Roland Allen wrote a book with the challenging title, Missionary Methods — Paul's or Ours? He was arguing that western missionaries were mistaken in building large schools and hospitals and not handing over authority to local Christians. Many would say that what happened following the collapse of colonialism proved him right. But may we not also learn other lessons from Paul's missionary methods? If we're right in speculating about the complementary ministries of Paul and Barnabas, doesn't that teach us that both are needed? We should challenge believers and unbelievers to aim for the highest standards of morality. We should also reassure them that God loves all, and forgives all. God accepts us as we are, trusting us to grow in grace as time goes by.

Suggested hymns

Christ is the world's light, he and none other; Disposer supreme, and judge of the earth; God, whose city's sure foundation; Lord, it belongs not to my care.