Saint Barnabas is an important Saint we can learn from given he was both an apostle and martyr. He is mentioned in the New Testament of the Bible. He is also known as Joseph Barsabbas (Greek: Ἰωσέφ Βαρσαββά) or Joseph Justus (Greek: Ἰωσέφ Ἰόστου). Here's what we know about him from the Bible!
According to Acts 11:22-26, Barnabas was a Levite from Cyprus who had been living in Jerusalem after the death and resurrection of Jesus. He had been a faithful follower of Jesus and had been actively involved in the early Christian church. He owes his conversion to God’s grace which worked through the witness of Saint Peter.
During this time, the church in Jerusalem was facing a crisis. Many Jewish Christians had fled to Antioch, a city in modern-day Turkey, due to persecution. The Gentile (non-Jewish) believers in Antioch were seeking guidance from the apostles in Jerusalem, but there were few apostles available to help them.
Barnabas, who was known for his kindness, generosity, and encouragement (Acts 4:36-37), stepped forward to fill the gap. He traveled to Antioch and preached the gospel to the Gentiles, winning many converts. The church in Antioch grew rapidly under his leadership.
When the church in Jerusalem sent a delegation to Antioch to check on the Gentile believers, Barnabas accompanied them. He was so impressed with the growth of the church and the sincerity of the believers that he decided to remain with them.
The apostles in Jerusalem, including Peter and John, then sent Barnabas to Antioch to help oversee the church there. During this time, Barnabas was instrumental in establishing the church in Antioch and strengthening the faith of its members.
It was during this period that Barnabas is said to have been chosen as an apostle by the church in Antioch. The exact circumstances of his selection are not specified in the New Testament, but it is likely that he was chosen due to his outstanding leadership abilities, his deep understanding of Scripture, and his passion for preaching the gospel and the Lord whom he grew to love and cherish.
After his selection as an apostle, Barnabas traveled with Paul (formerly known as Saul) on a missionary journey to spread the gospel to non-Jewish communities. They had a disagreement about taking John Mark, the evangelist who left us the second gospel, along on their journey, because according to Paul, he wasn’t a good collaborator given he liked to go off on his own and do his own thing. This disagreement between Paul and Barnabas ultimately led to their separation (Acts 15:36-41) given the Barnabas naturally had to side with Mark as he was his cousin.
Tradition says that Barnabas was martyred in Salamis, Cyprus, around 61 AD. He was stoned to death by a Jewish mob. He is often referred to as "the encourager" because of his supportive role in helping others, including Paul. He is also considered a patron saint of Cyprus, Italy, and Scotland.
In being such a great support to Saint Paul, a pillar in the early Church, Saint Barnabas teaches us the importance of those often over-looked supportive roles which were essential to those entrusted with weightier matters. “No man is an Island” – we need to work together to build up God’s kingdom. It is in this area that Saint Francis seems to shine the most… in his living for and with others, as a collaborator in God’s kingdom. We need to grow in this kind of collaborative mentality. Francis leaned heavily on his brothers, even if he is clear about the fact that he never sought them. It was the Lord who gave him this support, much like when he saw Adam in solitude, and said it wasn’t good that he makes this journey on his own. So too the fraternity to a Franciscan, and the Church to every Christian. We are making this glorious journey together and the Lord leads us as a family.
We ask Saint Barnabas to pray for us, he who in his letter to the early Church encouraged us to pray always with a clean conscience. He who knew how to approach, love and serve God, can now pray for us so that we may do likewise. Amen.
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