Acts Chapter 13 Verses 1-3

Acts 13:1 “Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. 3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

In this passage Saul and Barnabas were ordained to the office of elder.  The following verses show that the brother that is to be ordained is to be ordained in the church:

1.  Acts 13:1 “Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. 3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.”

2.  Acts 14:23 “And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.”

3.  Acts 1:22 “Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.”

Moreover, these verses show that a presbytery is to be formed for ordaining to the office of elder:

1.  1 Tim. 4:14 “Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.”

2.  1 Tim. 5:22 “Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure.”

3.  Acts 13:1 “Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. 3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.”

4.  Heb. 6:2 “Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.”

“Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.”  In this verse the gifts of the gospel ministry in the church at Antioch were identified for us. 

“As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.”  Before a man is ordained to the office of elder there should be evidence of that man’s calling of God.  Moreover, there should be a leadership of the Holy Ghost in the church that leads them to ordain that man.  Normally that leadership will be evidenced by an agreement within the body of the church that the man is called and that they believe he should be ordained for the work. 

“And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.”  This verse fits in with what I have seen and experienced in the ordination of a man to the office of bishop.  The presbytery gathers together and among the activities of the ordination are to offer an ordination prayer and to lay hands on the brother being ordained.

Verses 4-12 

Acts 13:4 “So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus. 5 And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister. 6 And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus: 7 Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith. 9 Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, 10 And said, O full of all subtlety and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? 11 And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand. 12 Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.”

“So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus. And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister.”  The first thing we notice about this passage is that Saul and Barnabas were sent forth by the Holy Ghost.  They were not sent forth by the church or by a committee of the church or by some missionary board.  There were not missionary boards in that day just as there should not be missionary boards today.  The ministry is to be led and directed by the Spirit of God as to their travels and as to their field of gospel labors.  This is true both for the evangelist and for the pastor and teacher.  Next, we notice that in the above instance they preached in the synagogues of the Jews.  Synagogues are not churches.  Sometimes we try to put restrictions on where the gospel ministers can preach the gospel.  But it is apparent that they should preach the gospel where ever the Spirit leads them.  The third thing we notice is that they had John to their minister.  This John is John Mark, the writer of the book of Mark.  John Mark will later prove to be a source of contention between Paul and Barnabas. 

 “And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus: Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God.”  Sergius Paulus who was a deputy of the country had called for Barnabas and Saul and desired to hear the word of God.  However, there was a sorcerer, a false prophet, and a Jew whose name was Barjesus who was going to oppose Barnabas and Saul.  Ministers of the gospel when trying to teach and preach the word of God to a seeking individual will sometimes have opposition from others who are trying to keep the seeking individual from hearing and believing the truth. 

“But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.  Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, And said, O full of all subtlety and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?”  Now we see that Saul was also called Paul and will be called Paul throughout most of the rest of the book of Acts was filled with the Spirit when he saw that Elymas was trying to turn away the deputy from the faith.  Paul recognized that this Elymas was a child of the devil and identified his character as being full of all subtlety and all mischief and was an enemy of all righteousness and would not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord. 

“And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.”  Paul used the gift that God had given him as an apostle to cause blindness to Elymas for a season. 

“Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.”  The deputy having seen what was done believed and was astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.  His belief was more in what he had heard (the doctrine of the Lord) than in being witness to the power of God in causing blindness of the man.

Verse 13

Acts 13:13 “Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem.” 

We are not told why John Mark departed from the work.  However, we find out later that this became a cause of contention between Barnabus and Paul. 

Verses 14-23

Acts 13:14 “But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down. 15 And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on. 16 Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience. 17 The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it. 18 And about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness. 19 And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan, he divided their land to them by lot. 20 And after that he gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet. 21 And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years. 22 And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will. 23 Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus:” 

“But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down.”  This Antioch in Pisidia is not to be confused with the Antioch in Syria where the church that Paul and Barnabas were members.  Antioch in Pisidia is in that area of the world that today is known as Turkey.  Also, we note that they went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day.  The Jews did not all dwell in the area around Jerusalem, but were very much scattered abroad throughout the Roman Empire.  Where ever a group of them lived, they would establish a synagogue. 

“And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.”  Apparently a service in the synagogue at that time would begin with the reading of the law and the prophets.  Afterwards the rulers of the synagogue at their discretion could invite visiting Jews to speak, which is what happened here. 

“Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience.”  Paul directed his remarks to those that fear God.  Only those who fear God are capable of hearing God’s message. 

In verses 17-22 Paul gives a brief history lesson to those gathered and of which they all should have been well versed to know.  He started with Abraham and ended up with David.  In verse 23 Paul refers to the promised God made to David in 2 Sam. 7:12 in which he promised of the seed of David there would be one to sit on an everlasting throne and reign forever: “Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus:” Paul identifies this King and Saviour as being Jesus. 

We also note that Paul tailored his message to the audience to which he was speaking.  Had he been speaking to a Gentile audience he probably would not have recited this history as they at that time would have been mostly ignorant of the history of the Jews.