Lesson for June 11, 2025
Paul the Apostle
Lesson 3
Paul’s First Missionary Journey – Part 1
Acts 13:1-12
Verses 1-12
“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. 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.” Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia and from there they sailed to Cyprus. 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. 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, 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. But Elymas the magician (for so his name is translated) was opposing them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. But Saul, who was also known as Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fixed his gaze on him, 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? 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. Then the proconsul believed when he saw what had happened, being amazed at the teaching of the Lord.”
The church at Antioch was taught grace from its inception and was prospered by the Lord with rapid growth and expansion. (Acts 11:23-24) The Antioch church was interested in doctrine, which stabilized the congregation and made it possible for the great missionary movement of the first century. As a result, it became a hub for sound doctrine and missionary activity. It was here that the disciples of Christ were first called Christians.
“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.” The selection of the first two missionaries was Barnabas and Saul. This was the very beginning of organized missionary activity. They were faithful in their ministry, fulfilling their ministry daily for the Lord. The Greek word for ministering is “leitourgeo,” an Attic Greek word meaning to render service. The same Greek word was used for the priests performing their duties to God. (Hebrews 10:11) Ministering to the Lord therefore means service to God by teaching/preaching the Word of God to the church at Antioch. (Acts 6:4)
“Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Barnabas and Saul were going out on a missionary journey. Barnabas was the one who had proved himself a leader. Missionaries must know doctrine, they must be oriented to grace, and they must have leadership gifts. Missionaries must be chosen from those with the leadership gifts, and they must qualify on the basis of their knowledge of accurate Bible doctrine.
“Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.” Missions is a divine work. So just as the Holy Spirit is responsible for appointing spiritual gifts, He is also responsible for the placement of personnel on the mission field. Missionaries are chosen by the Holy Spirit, not by the church. The church recognized and supported them, but it is the Holy Spirit Who chooses them.
Then, when they had fasted doesn’t mean they went without food. They took time in Bible study and prayer, so that they were prepared to minister. All fasting means is to take time away from legitimate and normal things to spend that time in prayer and the study of God’s Word.
The laying on of hands was an ordination service of the church which was merely a means of recognizing the sovereign decision of the Holy Spirit. The local church recognized that these men had been appointed by the Spirit and that this was their responsibility to send them out with the necessary means to accomplish the work God had appointed them to. They were sent from the church at Antioch. The church at Antioch did make one mistake related to their missionaries. They failed to continue to financially support their missionaries. Philippi was the first church that actually realized the importance of supporting missionaries financially. (Philippians 4:15)
“So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia and from there they sailed to Cyprus.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.” Seleucia was the seaport at Antioch. Cyprus was an island and a city-state, and Salamis was its eastern seaport. As became their custom, they went where people were already gathering, the Jewish synagogues. John (Mark), their helper, was the author of the Gospel of Mark.
“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, 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. But Elymas the magician (for so his name is translated) was opposing them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.” The Greek word for magician is “magos,” which sometimes means a wise man but sometimes it means a demon-possessed man, depending on the context. This man Bar-Jesus (Elymas) was a demon-possessed man; “a false prophet” – he was a satanic preacher. This false prophet had a great deal of influence on the ruler of the island of Paphos, Serguis Paulus.
“This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God.” This false prophet was influencing Sergius Paulus, the proconsul or governor of Cypress. Apparently, he had heard the Apostles’ message and wanted to know more. The Greek word for sought is very important because it indicates to some extent that this man, Sergius Paulus, some years ago reached the point of God-consciousness and was positive. God was therefore responsible to get him the Gospel, and he was going to hear the Gospel and his positive volition at the point of God-consciousness would become positive volition at the point of Gospel-hearing.
“But Elymas the magician (for so his name is translated) was opposing them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.” Elymas, also known as Bar-Jesus, was Satan’s man in the court. Though we are not told what false message he was proclaiming to oppose the truth of the Gospel, his great influence on Sergius Paulus did not prevent the hearing of a clear Gospel message.
“But Saul, who was also known as Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fixed his gaze on him, 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? 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.” Paul, by means of the Holy Spirit, stopped this false prophet in his tracks. The language in Greek was very strong and Paul unloaded “a curse” on him by means of his spiritual gift. Before the Gospel could be made clear to Sergius Paulus, the false teaching and the false teacher had to be exposed and condemned through divine authority. This previously influential person suddenly couldn’t see, and he was trying to get someone to guide him. This man was blinded immediately because there was a person for whom Christ died who had positive volition, and that person was going to be reached with the Gospel.
“Then the proconsul believed when he saw what had happened, being amazed at the teaching of the Lord.” Notice what amazed this very intelligent, high-ranking individual. It wasn’t the miracle that caused him to believe, it was hearing the Word of God! It is the Word of God that was alive and powerful, not the miracle of blindness. Miracles were performed on a regular basis at this time, in order to get a hearing for the Gospel. But all the people who observed miracles did not believe. The thing that brought this man around to faith was truth (doctrine). Doctrine simply means information—Bible information. The power of the Gospel is not in miracles; the power of the Gospel is in the Word of God itself. Therefore, it was the message of the truth of the Gospel which reached this man, and he believed in Christ as a result!