Acts 10:36-41 36And after some days, Paul said to Barnabas, “Returning, let us visit now the brothers in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” 37Now Barnabas wanted to take along with them John, who is called Mark. 38But Paul had the opinion not to take this one with them because of his departure from them in Pamphylia and not accompanying them for the work. 39And there was a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, 40but Paul, choosing Silas, departed, having been committed by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. 41And he traveled through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
Paul and Barnabas had been in Antioch for some unknown time of some days, perhaps several months, after Judas and Silas had brought word from Jerusalem in the previous passage. Paul had a great idea to go and check on the churches he and Barnabas had started in the areas of Cyprus and southern Galatia. It was a strategy of spiritual encouragement and discipleship growth. Much like checking on children left on their own, whose parents call and check on, the churches were young and had limited connection with the mature churches in Antioch or Jerusalem. Paul was driven by his calling to go to the Gentiles. A time back “home” in Antioch on “furlough” was good, and he and Barnabas had accomplished much, including retelling their stories and confirming their mission to the Gentiles. However, when a missionary like Paul has a call to go, it is difficult to stay where there were already teachers and preachers quite capable of leading the church. He had an important message to proclaim from the Jerusalem Council and was driven by the call to preach to new areas.
However, verse 37 introduces a new problem with Barnabas wanting to take John Mark and Paul refusing. At some point, Mark had gone from Jerusalem back to Antioch and was involved in the ministry there. Barnabas was the encourager and believed in people, plus he was Mark’s uncle. He was willing to give Mark a second chance. Paul, however, remembered Mark’s failure in Pamphylia and how he had returned to Jerusalem in 13:13. A lot is unstated about the reason why Mark went back, but Paul saw it as a failure to continue in the work of preaching the gospel.
The two perspectives clashed so strongly that a significant disagreement resulted, and they separated from each other. Even great apostles, missionaries, and church leaders can have disagreements about mission strategy. Mark and Barnabas sailed to Cyprus, which was where Barnabas and, likely, Mark were from. They returned home after many years of ministry. Verse 39 is the last mention of Barnabas in the books of Acts, but Paul refers to him in his letters several times, particularly Colossians 4:10, which was written later. Barnabas was well known among the churches, and it is highly likely that he continued in some form of ministry.
Mark is also mentioned in relation to Paul’s later ministry also in Colossians 4:10. While Paul was in prison, possibly in Rome, he mentioned Mark as “useful” in 2 Timothy 4:11, and a “fellow worker” in Philemon 1:24. Peter also referred to Mark as “my son” in 1 Peter 5:13. Athough both Barnabas and Mark drop out of the story in Acts, they continued in ministry, particularly Mark. His association with Paul and Peter made him a significant and recognized leader. According to tradition, he wrote our second Gospel and got his information for it from Peter, while they were both in Rome.
The ministry split left Paul without a mission partner. Silas had returned to Antioch at some point after going to Jerusalem in verse 33. Paul chose Silas to go out “two by two” on a second missionary journey. It would be many years before Paul would return to Antioch (18:22). The Antioch church committed (paradotheis) or gave over Paul and Silas to the care of the Lord’s grace. They would need grace to face the new challenges ahead of them. Everyone knew the trials of the first missionary journey, and that Paul almost lost his life. Instead of sailing, Paul and Silas went north on foot to Syria and Cilicia, to the area of Paul’s hometown of Tarsus. God can work through human disagreements to bring about his purpose and will. Human disagreements do not need to lead to failures among those who are fully dedicated and obedient to God’s call.