[IMAGE: MAP, SAINT PAUL'S SECOND JOURNEY.]
Footnotes:
1. Merchant of Venice; Act 1, Scene 3.
2. Review entire experience.
LESSON 29
PAUL BEGINS HIS SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY
"Man should trust in God, as if God did all, and yet labor as earnestly
as if he himself did all."
[Sidenote: Paul Desires to Visit Branches.]
After Silas and Judas Barsabas had remained in Antioch a short time
"teaching and preaching the word of the Lord" with Paul and Barnabas
and "many others also," Judas returned presumably to Jerusalem, but
it "pleased Silas to abide there still." Two years had passed since
Paul and Barnabas had returned from their first mission, and Paul felt
impressed to visit again the churches they had established on that
memorable tour. So one day he said to Barnabas. "Let us go again and
visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the
Lord, and see how they do."
[Sidenote: Disagreement.]
To this Barnabas readily consented, but said, "Let us take my cousin
John Mark along with us." "No," answered Paul, "it is not good to take
Mark with us, because he turned back from us at Pamphylia, and went not
with us to the work."
[Sidenote: Separation.]
But Barnabas knew why Mark had done that, and was sure he would not
turn back this time. Paul, however, would not consent; so these two
great missionaries agreed to separate, and each take his own companion.
Barnabas chose John Mark, and Paul chose Silas. They probably also
agreed that Barnabas and Mark should go to the churches on the islands,
and Paul and Silas to those on the mainland.
We do not know that Paul and Barnabas ever met again, but Paul speaks
of him afterwards as of an apostle actively engaged in his Master's
service. Mark, too, in later years won Paul's confidence, for the
latter speaks of him as his "fellow-laborer," and one "profitable to
the ministry."
[Sidenote: Barnabas and Mark at Cyprus.]
Barnabas and Mark left first, and sailed to Cyprus, Barnabas' native
island. Here Mark, too, would feel at home, for it was where he began
his work as a missionary. Here we will leave them among the newly-made
Christians, and follow Paul and Silas.
PROBABLE VISIT TO PAUL'S OLD HOME
These two missionaries started by land northward through "Syria and
Cilicia, confirming the churches." They had with them, of course, the
decision of the Council which no doubt, gave a great deal of comfort to
the Christian Gentiles in these branches.
[Sidenote: Paul and Silas.]
Just what particular cities Paul and Silas visited in Syria and
Cilicia, we do not know; but there was one which Paul certainly
would not pass by. Paul and That was his old home town Tarsus. If
he had succeeded in establishing a church there, with what joy and
satisfaction he would return to it now. Paul was always proud of
Tarsus, and spoke of it later as "no mean city." [1]
[IMAGE: TIMOTHY. "Instructed from childhood to read the scripture, and
to lead a pure life."]
AT DERBE AND OTHER TOWNS
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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