The First Missionary Journey

The First Missionary Journey

It has been established that the missionary movement in the early Church was not an endeavor undertaken in the pursuance of man’s initiative, being rather a response to the call of God through the Holy Spirit. Now it needs to be established that the early Church, as witnessed in the actions of the believers at Antioch, was not only willing to send money for missionary purposes, but for workers as well. In fact, the membership of the Church was missionary; that is, it consisted in part of Barnabas from Cyprus, Saul from Cilicia, Simeon (called Niger – black) evidently from Ethiopia, Lucius of Cyrene representing Numidian Africa, and Manaen representing Palestine. In the early Church there actually existed that experience described in the sentence “blest be ye the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love” (Acts 13:1) It was out of such a cosmopolitan membership that Barnabas and Paul were to launch forth to bring the Gospel to other Gentiles.

Cyprus, Barnabas’ homeland, was the first port of call (see Acts 4:36) the cities of Salamis and Paphos were the scenes of their endeavors while on the island of Cyprus. In so far as Salamis is concerned the sketchy information is given that “they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews”. Perhaps the most enlightening bit of information is that “they had John to their minister”. In that the missionary call had come distinctly to Barnabas and Paul it is questioned by many whether or not John should have been included as a member of the missionary party. The words “to their minister” imply that John Mark was expected to be a sort of “handy-man”, possibly being in charge of traveling arrangements, housing, and that sort of thing.

The desertion of John Mark took place after the missionary party had crossed over the width of the island and come to Paphos. Here Satan made a definite opposition to their ministry by the use of one Elymas, or Bar-Jesus, the sorcerer. As Paul preached the Gospel in the presence of the “deputy of the country”; apparently a Roman, Sergius Paulus, this evil sorcerer withstood him, “seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith”. As he preached, filled with the Holy Ghost, Paul turned suddenly upon this evil man and pronounced upon him blindness “for a season”. As the direct result of this miraculous happening Sergius Paulus was converted to the Christian religion (Acts 13:4-13)

The leadership of Paul dates from this incident in Paphos. From this time forth Paul appears as the acknowledged leader of the missionary parties; henceforth the Scripture record is “Paul and Barnabas”, “Paul and his company” (Acts 13:13) Now it may have been that the elevation of Paul into this position of leadership (seeing that Barnabas was John Mark’s uncle) caused John Mark to take offense and desert the party. On the other hand it is likely that the youthful John Mark deserted because of the dismay that arose within him when he considered the dangers upon which they were about to enter. As he thought about the steep mountains, the robber bands, the rude inhabitants, the long, arduous hours of travel from appointment to appointment, his “soul melted within him”.

The study of Acts 15:37-39 presents the suggestion that Paul chided rather sharply with John Mark concerning his intent to desert the missionary party. But he was determined to leave and, when he had deserted, it probably came to pass that Paul and Barnabas made up the breach in their group by spreading John Mark’s responsibilities to others in the party; for the rendering of Acts 13:13, “now when Paul and his company”, suggests that there may have been others than Paul and Barnabas and John Mark who made up this missionary group. It may also be that Paul secured some of “his company” from volunteers selected out of the Paphos converts. In any event the record states that “when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem” (Acts 13:13)

Nothing is recorded concerning their stay, if such they made, in Perga, only that “when they departed from Perga they came to Antioch in Pisidia (to be distinguished from the Antioch in Syria), and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and sat down” (Acts 13:14)

It is probably well at this time to frame in our minds a picture of what must have been the usual procedure of “Paul and his company” upon entering a city; before we progress further in a description of Paul’s program in Antioch in Pisidia and other areas. More than likely this group of missionaries would enter a town as quietly and unnoticed as any party of strangers who would walk into one of our modern cities. In keeping with all travelers, their first concern would be to secure some type of lodging; for them preferably in the house of a believer if such existed and accommodation were available.

Located in paid quarters or donated quarters their next consideration would be to secure employment; for Paul seems to have worked at his trade wherever he journeyed. We may even picture Paul, travel-stained and weary, going from one tentmaker’s door to another, seeking for employment, yet carrying all the while the future of the world beneath his robe. Finally, having secured employment, they would work at their tasks until the Sabbath day came around, and, like all the other Jews in the community, they would cease from their toil and make their way to the neighborhood synagogue.

Their presence in the synagogue would probably not be unduly noticed, and they would sit quietly and worshipful during the singing of the Psalms, the sometimes lengthy prayers, and the reading of the Scriptures. Then, in accordance with custom, the presiding elder of the synagogue might ask them if any one of them had a word of exhortation to deliver to the whole congregation. This is the teaching ofActs 13:15. This moment, therefore, would be the signal for “Paul and his company” to speak out the message of Jesus of Nazareth. It is not an affront to the imagination to picture the sensation such a message would produce. Nor do we need to express surprise that Satan invariably rose up vicious opposition to counter-act Paul’s preachments in the synagogues.

On this particular occasion in Antioch in Pisidia, Paul’s sermon revolve about the subject of justification by faith (Acts 13:14-41) the writer, Luke, possibly giving this as a sample of his sermons at such times, makes a rather complete recording of his message. As the message is studied and divided into its various sections, it is seen to contain five extremely important statements

(1) That Jesus is assuredly raised from the dead (13:30)

(2) That Jesus is truly the only begotten Son of God (13:33)

(3) The Jesus is the long-hoped for Messiah is positively and undeniably proven by His resurrection (13:32, 34)

(4) That “therefore, men and brethren…through this Man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins” (13:38)

(5) That “by Him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses” (13:39)

Immediate persecution was not forthcoming as a result of his sermon. In fact, so impressive and Spirit-filled was his sermon, and the other remarks of “his company”, that it brought “almost the whole city” together at the town synagogue on the following Sabbath to hear the Word of God preached again. This time, however, vicious persecution began to rear its head. The cause of the persecution is made known in the very revealing statement that “when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with jealousy” (Acts 13:45)

As these Jews gave themselves up to contradicting and blaspheming the Word of God, Paul and Barnabas were made bold in the Spirit to declare to these troublesome Jews that “it was necessary that the Word of God should first have been spoken to you; but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo we turn to the Gentiles”. The paganistic Gentiles, in strange contrast to the Jews, rejoiced exceedingly over the opportunity to obtain eternal life, not desiring to thrust it from themselves and “as many as were ordained to eternal life believed” (Acts 13:46-48) in short order a sizable revival resulted to the extent that the “Word of the Lord was published throughout the entire region”.

The Jews, nonetheless, were not minded to permit this fulfillment of Isaiah 49:6; “I will also give Thee for a light to the Gentiles, that Thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth”, to progress unhampered. By some foul means they availed themselves of the opportunity to stir up “devout and honorable women, and the chief men of the city” against Paul and “his company” with the result that the missionary party was forcibly driven “out of their coasts”. Paul and his company, following the instructions formerly given by Christ, “shook off the dust of their feet against” these Jews and, taking up their journey, came to Iconium.

In passing, nonetheless, we should understand that this procedure of first preaching to the Jews and, at their rejection of the truth, turning to the Gentiles, was practiced by Paul in practically every city he visited. On every occasion he stood firmly on the platform outline in Isaiah 49:6; the prophecy concerning the ultimate presentation of the Gospel to the whole world. Paul never veered from the truth that the Jews possessed the right and privilege to the first hearing, but under no circumstance would he shut the “Gospel door” to the Gentiles when the Jews turned from God. And, in almost every case, the Gentiles responded with unconcealed gladness and glorified God; the Jews over and over again fathered the persecution that eventually drove them from most of the cities they visited. But even though the missionaries were time and time again chased “out of the borders” of the area in which they worked, always they “were filled with joy and with the Holy Ghost” (Acts 13:52)

The story of the missionaries sojourn in the city of Iconium is much the same as that at Antioch in Pisidia. The main difference between the two fields of labor seems to be that they remained a “long time” at Iconium with the result that “a great multitude both of Jews and of Greeks believed”. Eventually, however, “disobedient Jews” were able to stir up “the souls of the Gentiles” to the extent that both the disobedient Jews and disobedient Gentiles contrived to stone the missionaries and otherwise shamefully treat them. But, says the record, “they were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities ofLycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about” (Acts 14:1-6)

The wording of Acts 14:3 is that the Lord “bare witness unto the Word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands”. Encouraged by the Divine manifestation and intervention, these missionaries “spoke boldly upon the Lord”; they “spoke boldly upon the Lord” and He “gave witness upon the Word of His grace”. This partnership of man speaking and God bearing witness to that which was spoken was the means whereby the early Churches were established. The order of “events” in such an establishment of the Church was somewhat as follows

(1) Paul, as leader of the group, would first bring the God-inspired and ordained message to the Jews because they were best able to understand it, having the background of the Law and the prophets, and had for several centuries been expecting the emergence of the Messiah.

(2) In every synagogue there would be among these Jews a number of Gentile proselytes, of varying degrees of faith and understanding, and which would have been mostly women simply because women did not have to undergo the ritual of circumcision to which ritual the Gentile men were noted for objecting strenuously, who would hear the message.

(3) Where even the majority of the Jews flatly rejected Paul’s message, a few would gladly accept it. These believers, together with a group of believing Gentiles proselytes, would form the nucleus of a Christian Church in the community.

(4) As time went on, whether the missionaries were absent or present, additions would be made, chiefly from the ranks of the Gentiles, and the Church would grow.

After this fashion, in city after city, Paul established Christian congregations, returning to them from time to time to “strengthen them in the Lord”. Having therefore laid the foundation fro such a Church in Iconium, the missionaries journeyed on to Lystra in the hope of building up a congregation there.

It is considered to be significant, concerning their ministry in Lystra that no mention is made of entering into a synagogue to preach. The record almost infers that, upon entering into the city, Paul was pressed to preach the Gospel, and that, as he preached, an impotent man, crippled severely in his feet “from his mother’s womb”, was present in Paul’s audience and eagerly listened to the message. Paul, in due course “fastening his eyes upon him, and seeing that he had faith to be made whole”, suddenly commanded him to stand erect on his feet; which he immediately did, leaping and walking.

Paul’s departure from the usual routine of entering into a synagogue at Lystra may have been caused because of the smallness of the Jewish community there. In that, according the Acts 14:19, Jews came over from Antioch in Pisidia and Iconium to stir up persecution a little later on, the indication is that Lystra was primarily a city inhabited by Gentiles. Since it appears likely that this is so, it accounts for the actions of the citizens of Lystra wherein they voiced their declaration that Barnabas was the pagan deity Jupiter and Paul the pagan deity Mercury “because he was the chief speaker”. Jupiter and Mercury were the two outstanding Roman deities which, apparently, almost the whole of Lystra had given them in worship. (Acts 14:7-12)

When, in a little while, the clamoring of the citizens persisted, the pagan priest in charge of the worship of Jupiter brought oxen to be sacrificed and garlands of flowers to be worn by Paul and Barnabas, expecting at the gates of the city to perform a sacrifice on behalf of and render worship to the two men whom they supposed to be gods. In true Jewish fashion both Paul and Barnabas objected strenuously to this procedure, claiming them to be, crying forth in a loud voice, “men of like passions” with all the other people. It was only with the greatest difficulty that they were able to restrain the people from doing “sacrifice unto them” (Acts14:18)

As mentioned, certain of the Jews from Antioch and Iconium had come over to Lystra to attempt to hinder the preaching and teaching of the missionaries. Now they took advantage of this situation, in which the populace in general seem angered because of having been made fools; even though it was of their own accomplishment, and persuaded the people to have Paul stoned. This they quickly set about to accomplish and “having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead”. Thus he who had once had a share in the evil workings of the mob that stoned Stephen, now experienced and came to know what it was to be stoned himself by the fury of an unruly mob.

Among the spectators who would have watched the stoning of Paul would have undoubtedly been Timothy (Acts 14:20) Acts 16:1 reports of Paul, as he embarked upon his second missionary journey, when going through Derbe and Lystra he chose one Timotheus “to go forth with him”. Since Timothy came from Lystra his grandmother Eunice and his mother Lois would have also been in the company that stood around the stoned Paul (First Timothy 1:5)

It was not, however, the intention of God to leave His “chosen vessel” lying dead outside the city of Lystra. Consequently, “as the Disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city and the next day departed with Barnabas to Derbe. Parts of two sentences summarize the ministry of the missionaries in Derbe the last half of Acts 14:20 and the first half of Acts 14:21; “they evangelized that city” with the blessed result that they “made many disciples”.

The length of their ministry is not revealed in the story; only that when they had made many disciples they returned again to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch to confirm the believers in their faith and to assist in the organization of the Churches. True to the courage that every marked his career, in spite of the most imminent danger, Paul revisited all the places where they had secured believers and established the work on an even firmer foundation. Apparently he felt the great need to see his converts again and cheer them in the face of constant persecution and, as outlined, ordain elders in every city to watch over the spiritual and material welfare of the Churches during his long absences (Acts 14:21-28)

Let it be noted that Paul had been forced to leave most of the places he visited under anything but ideal circumstances, often fleeing to preserve his own life. His return under quieter circumstances was necessitated that he might fully organize his converts. Studying the various references in the Scripture, it is evident that Paul organized his converts into a Church that held its meetings in the home or homes of believers, setting up a governing system somewhat similar to that which obtained in the synagogues; i.e., elders, etc. Thus, Acts 14:23 speaks of appointing “elders” in every Church. The idea which seems to be conveyed from the original Greek is that of “voting by show of hands”. This would mean, of course, that the saints in each congregation had a part in the choosing of their own leaders.

Eventually the tired and worn missionaries reached their home base in Antioch in Syria after having been away for what appears to have been about four or five years. When settled again in their home community they presented a full report of what had been accomplished. After that they remained “no little time” with the fellow believers (Acts 14:28)

The outstanding statement in the report of these missionaries to their “home board” is found in Acts 14:27 and reads “the He (God) had opened a door of faith unto the Gentiles”. Their final conclusion was that they had “fulfilled” the work to which they had been committed at Antioch (Acts 14:26)

As they gave a report of their journeys, perhaps they dwelt at some length over the incident of Paul’s stoning that occurred at Lystra. For the moment we might do likewise; for from the incident in Lystra, when the misguided multitude mistook Paul and Barnabas for Roman deities, we are able to get a glimpse of the appearance of Paul and Barnabas. In ancient art Jupiter was invariably represented as a tall, majestic and somewhat benign figure, while Mercury was the small, swift messenger of the father of gods and men. Consequently, to the inhabitants of Lystra it appeared that the large, gracious, paternal Barnabas was the head and director of the expedition, while Paul, little and eager and quick of movement, was his subordinate. And, yet, what of II Corinthians 10:10; “…his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible”?