Commentary on Acts 13:1-5

By Bob Myhan

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

Here we have five men identified variously as “prophets and teachers” without specification as to who was which. It is likely that Barnabas is mentioned first because he has been the most prominent of them heretofore. Three of them had not been mentioned at all prior to this. Having established that men and women of the first century received miraculous spiritual gifts by the laying on of an apostle’s hands, except in the case of Cornelius and those who were in his home (Acts 10), we can infer that at least two of these men had been in contact with at least one apostle. Barnabas, as an early disciple, most likely had received the prophetic gift while in Jerusalem. Luke does not identify Saul as an apostle but as a prophet or a teacher. It seems, therefore, that he has not as yet entered upon his apostolic ministry. We will have more to say about this below. Suffice it for now to say that Luke has thus far reported no miracle performed by Saul.

Nothing is known of the other three men than what is written here. There is a Lucius mentioned in Romans 16:21, but it may not be the same person. Cyrene, again, is in northern Africa. Remember that certain Cyrenians were among the first to preach to the Gentiles in Antioch. Herod the tetrarch is Herod Antipas, to whom Pilate sent Jesus (Luke 23:4-11) and who had John the Baptist beheaded. By the time of the event here recorded Herod the tetrarch had been banished to Gaul which later came to be called France. More will be said of the various Herods later.

²As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, "Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."

Some translations say that they were worshiping the Lord but since fasting is nowhere affirmed or implied as acceptable worship, the word “ministered” most likely should be understood as individual service rather than collective worship. Fasting is almost always associated with some spiritual activity in the New Testament, indicating it was not an end in itself but a means to a spiritual end. That is, individuals who would normally be eating at the time are choosing to engage in the spiritual activity instead.

On this particular occasion, the Holy Spirit manifested Himself speaking to or through one or more of the prophets present. The fact that He uses the first person pronouns “Me” and “I” is conclusive proof that He is a Divine person rather than a mere impersonal divine force. He is an individual, separate from the Father and Son but He does not speak on His own authority. He says what He hears from the Father through the Son. (John 16:13) And what He had heard on this particular occasion was that Barnabas and Saul had been called to a particular work. This will be the second missionary journey of Barnabas and Saul for whether or not Saul preached (as this writer thinks he did) they certainly went on a mission to deliver benevolence funds to the poor members of the churches of Judea, as was recorded by Luke in chapter eleven.

 ³Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.

Their period of fasting and praying having concluded, the group ceremoniously laid hands on Barnabas and Saul and “sent them away.” The “sending away” is here attributed to the prophets and teachers as a group.

⁴So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus.

Here the “sending out” is attributed to the Holy Spirit. The fact is both the Holy Spirit and the group sent them out and away just as was the case in Caesarea and Joppa.

About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, "Cornelius!" And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, "What is it, lord?" So he said to him, "Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God. Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter. He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. He will tell you what you must do." And when the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier from among those who waited on him continually. So when he had explained all these things to them, he sent them to Joppa. (Acts 10:4-8)

While Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Behold, three men are seeking you. Arise therefore, go down and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them." (Acts 10:19-20)

The Holy Spirit sent the angel who told Cornelius to send men. So the Holy Spirit sent the men. It is the same here, bringing to mind the following statement of Jesus.

"He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.” (Matthew 10:40)

Seleucia was a port city some fifteen miles west of Antioch by land. The word “down” refers not to a compass direction but to the elevation of the terrain. Cyprus was a logical beginning for this preaching trip not just because it was the home of Barnabas (Acts 4:36-37) but because the gospel had already gone to that island. It should be remembered also that the work in Antioch had been begun in part by “men of Cyprus and Cyrene” (Acts 11:19-21). Lucius may have been a founding member of the congregation.

⁵And when they arrived in Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. They also had John as their assistant.

Located in the southeastern corner of the island, Salamis was its largest city and former capital. It could be reached from Seleucia in a few hours of sailing. There were at least two synagogues in this city alone. Jews would be gathered there on the Sabbath for worship and some might be receptive to the gospel.

The “John” whom they had “as their assistant” is not the apostle but John Mark who had returned with them from Jerusalem to Antioch. He is also the author of the second book in the New Testament.

(To be continued)

A Study of the Holy Spirit (Part 6)

By Bob Myhan 

Those who defend a direct, immediate, personal indwelling of the Holy Spirit on the basis of His omnipresence (not all do so) fail to distinguish between His presence and His form.

Whatever may be said of the nature of one member of the Godhead may equally be said of all three because each one possesses the same divine nature.

“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24)

“Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does have flesh and bones as you see I have.” (Luke 24:39)

Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.” (Matt. 16:17)

Jesus had a physical form consisting of flesh, blood and bones while on earth but not in His pre-incarnate state. Neither the Father nor the Holy Spirit has ever been a human being with a physical form but both have always had “form.”

“And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form.” (John 5:37)

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. (Phil. 2:5-7)

Since there is such a thing as “the form of God” the Holy Spirit has “form.” Thus, the Holy Spirit is an entity having “the form of God.” If this is not the case, why is it not?

The Father’s form is in heaven.

“‘Look down from Your holy habitation, from heaven, and bless Your people Israel and the land which You have given us, just as You swore to our fathers, ‘a land flowing with milk and honey.’"' (Deut. 26:15; see also Matt. 6:9)

Though Jesus was on earth for thirty-three years, He is now heaven with the Father and the Holy Spirit.

For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. (1 John 5:7)

As God looks “down” from His habitation in heaven, it is His presence that is everywhere not His form.

Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me. (Ps. 139:7-10)

Therefore, one cannot base the concept of a literal indwelling on the omnipresence of Deity. If a literal indwelling of the Holy Spirit was possible because He is omnipresent, would He not indwell alien sinners as well? If not, why not? If He is present in every Christian because He is omnipresent, He is present in every alien sinner for the same reason. But while He is present wherever alien sinners are, He does not indwell them. And those in whom He does dwell do not have His literal form, or essence, in their bodies.

(To be continued)