Evening star., 1921-07-30
Sunday School Lesson

erality Of views that gave him cour-
age to forsake traditional methods
and enter at Gods call upon untrieo
paths. 1t is possible that Barnabas
shared the mistake of the Jerusalem
church in believing that The only reg
ular entrance into Christianity was
through the door of Judaism. If SO,
he undertook the task presented by
the call to Antioch with some mis-
gfkings. Upon his arrival it is evil
dent that the widespread spiritual
iqufckening Of the whole community
life would convince Barnabas' that
the work of the laymen who dared
preach Christ to the Greeks was OF
the Holy Spirits leadership. This
would have caused him to enter
give his approval to the innovation and
"exhort them all that with purpose of
heart they should abide by the Lord
Barnabas recognized the need OF
help when as result OF his preach
ing much people were added to the
Lord" He did not turn to Jerusalem.
where doubtless there were many
helpers. who had been trained by the
APOSTLES. because they probably
would not be sympathetic or work in
! church AS a result of prayer his
mind was turned toward Saul of
| Tarsus. whom he had met and intro
duced to the apostolic band when he
came up to Jerusalem and told them
| OF his marvellous conversion. He
recalled how he had told him that
God had called him to work the
gentiles when he said Good bye" as
he started back to Tarsus. which
| was only a days journey away by
/ boat. He determined to hunt him up.
He found him and persuaded him to
return with him to Antioch and aid in
the work among the Greeks of that
, city. They worked side by side in
that great, gay and immoral city,
supporting themselves by their own
/ hands at their trade and developing
the young. church into strong and
aggressive spiritual body, whose
character was recognized by the title
given them, probably first as nick
name by the natives. but later adopt
ed by them as expressive OF their
faith, for the disciples were called
Christians first in Antioch.
This new name, meaning "Christs
people or adherents." was formed by
the union of a Greek word Christ,
which was the equivalent of the
Hebrew term Messiah. and the Latin
ending iani, SO that the universally
of Christianity was recognized. as
it had been by the title upon the cross.
| 1t stamped the church along the lines
of Sauls teachings that Christianity
was a personal relation of the indi-
vidual believer to Christ. This sep
arated it from paganism and Judaism.
Saul had his opportunity in. that local
! church made up of former devoted
| worshippers of Apollo to develop the
Greek converts to the Christian faith
along new lines and ideals, which
were to become in time the founda
tion of our faith and civilization.
The unity of common faith, which
was held between the Greek Gentle
Christians and the mother church in
Jerusalem was revealed when the news
of the famine reached the Antioch
Christians through the prophet Aga
/ bus. There are records of several FAM
| ines recorded in the reign of Claudius.
who commenced to rule in Al A. D.
1t was probably about three years
later that Barnabas and Saul carried
gifts from this gentle church for the
poor of the Jerusalem church, that was
reluctant to share the gospel with
! those who were not Jews. 1t is not
! tion of the term christian" which
| marked the independence of the Chris
| tian church from the synagogue and
temple. should be followed by the rec
ord Of their free-will offering for the
relief of the poor, who were not of
| their own membership, city. or race.
The famine tested their faith. Their
| gifts revealed that they possessed the
| spirit of Christianity to share with all
mankind in their need without regard
| to nationality or creed.
1t was probably while Barnabas and
Saul were in Jerusalem distributing
the poor fund that they had a confer
ence with the apostles concerning the
revelation that Saul had received con-
cerning work among the gentiles. He
tells US in his letter to the Galatians
| that the apostles gave their approval
of the proposal for him to engage in
foreign missionary work. which was
inaugurated by the Antioch Church
and will be the theme for our study
next week. When they returned from
| Jerusalem to Antioch they were ac-
companied by John Mark, who was a
| relative of Barnabas and the son of
Mary, whose home was the headquar-
ters of the young church during the
dark hours that followed the Masters
death. This brilliant young man, who
was son of wealth and trained in the
atmosphere of Jerusalem, was destined
to play a prominent part in the labor
of both Barnabas and Saul and give to
the church gospel of Christ. He was
| to share with them the commencement
of foreign missionary work.