Acts 13:1-12

Acts 13:1–12 (NASB)

1 Now there were at Antioch, in the church that was there, prophets and teachers: Barnabas, and Simeon who was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. 4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia and from there they sailed to Cyprus. 5 When they reached Salamis, they began to proclaim the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews; and they also had John as their helper. 6 When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a magician, a Jewish false prophet whose name was Bar-Jesus, 7 who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the magician (for so his name is translated) was opposing them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. 9 But Saul, who was also known as Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fixed his gaze on him, 10 and said, “You who are full of all deceit and fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to make crooked the straight ways of the Lord? 11 “Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time.” And immediately a mist and a darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking those who would lead him by the hand. 12 Then the proconsul believed when he saw what had happened, being amazed at the teaching of the Lord.

The First Missionary Journey:

1 Now there were at Antioch, in the church that was there, prophets and teachers: Barnabas, and Simeon who was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

Barnabas

Simeon who was called Niger

Niger is a Greek word that just means “black”. Most scholars think he was from Africa and was darker skinned than the Jews, hence the name, Simeon the Black. (Nicknames were given to communicate something about the person: Barnabas, Son of Encouragement, Peter, Rock, Paul, meaning “small/humble”, Thomas, Didymus, Aramaic for “twin” or “double”)

Matthew 16:18 (NASB)

18 “I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.

John 11:16 (NASB)

16 Therefore Thomas, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, so that we may die with Him.”

Lucius of Cyrene

Not the same Lucius mentioned in Romans…

Romans 16:21 (NASB)

21 Timothy my fellow worker greets you, and so do Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen.

BUT, Lucius was most likely a evangelist/missionary and one of the founding members of the church in Antioch:

Acts 11:19–20 (ESV)

19 Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. 20 But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus.

Manaen

“...who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch...”

This means he was either a close friend of Herod Antipas, a family slave treated much like a brother or the actual adopted brother of Herod (The one who had John the Baptist killed).

Saul

Ephesians 4:11–13 (NASB)

11 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.

2 While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

“...ministering to the Lord ...”

This is worship and prayer…

Exodus 30:20 (NASB)

20 when they enter the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water, so that they will not die; or when they approach the altar to minister, by offering up in smoke a fire sacrifice to the Lord.

1 Samuel 2:11 (NASB)

11 Then Elkanah went to his home at Ramah. But the boy ministered to the Lord before Eli the priest.

1 Chronicles 6:32 (NASB)

32 They ministered with song before the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, until Solomon had built the house of the Lord in Jerusalem...

Isaiah 56:6–7 (NASB)

6 “Also the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, To minister to Him, and to love the name of the Lord, To be His servants, every one who keeps from profaning the sabbath And holds fast My covenant; 7 Even those I will bring to My holy mountain And make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on My altar; For My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples.”

“...they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.”

Acts 6:6 (ESV)

6 These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them.

1 Timothy 4:14 (ESV)

14 Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you.

And it is a different word than in Acts 4 & 5

Acts 4:3 (NASB)

3 And they laid hands on them and put them in jail until the next day, for it was already evening.

epiballo… violent and forceful. To put hands on someone an throw the down…kind of like a violent tackle in football.

epitithemi, which is used always used in a more gentle loving way in the NT...

Mark 10:16 (NASB) [Jesus blessing the little children]

16 And He took them in His arms and began blessing them, laying His hands on them.

4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia and from there they sailed to Cyprus. 5 When they reached Salamis, they began to proclaim the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews; and they also had John as their helper.

Acts 4:36 (NASB)

36 Now Joseph, a Levite of Cyprian birth, who was also called Barnabas by the apostles (which translated means Son of Encouragement),

(look at the map)

Acts 12:25 (NASB)

25 And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their mission, taking along with them John, who was also called Mark.

6 When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a magician, a Jewish false prophet whose name was Bar-Jesus, 7 who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the magician (for so his name is translated) was opposing them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.

“Magician”, Greek word: “Magi”. Where we get our word “magic”.

Matthew 2:1 (NASB)

1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,

This is quite unusual because Jews shunned this sort of demonic practice. In case you were wondering, “Elymas” is Arabic and it means wise and powerful.

2 Peter 2:1 (NASB)

1 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.

9 But Saul, who was also known as Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fixed his gaze on him, 10 and said, “You who are full of all deceit and fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to make crooked the straight ways of the Lord? 11 “Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time.” And immediately a mist and a darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking those who would lead him by the hand.

A biblical side note: This is the first time we see the name Paul used. Saul was his Hebrew name, Paul his Greek name. And here, in this chapter, his name seems to be changed like his character. From here on, the NT almost exclusively refers to him as Paul and not Saul.

Ok, back to Bar-Jesus (Elymas). He was possibly demon possessed, but certainly demonically influenced and he was scheming a way to stop the spread of the Gospel. Satan was working through him to oppose these first missionaries sent from Antioch. So Paul handles the situation appropriately.

Ephesians 6:12–13 (NASB)

12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.

12 Then the proconsul believed when he saw what had happened, being amazed at the teaching of the Lord.

Romans 10:17 (NASB)

17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

Discussion Questions:

What does this passage teach us about God?

What does this passage teach us about man?

Do you see any commands to obey or principles to apply?

Do you see any promises to claim or blessings to enjoy?

Do you see any truths to meditate on or Gospel messages to share?

Did anything else stick out to you?