Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. (2) As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. (3) And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. (4) So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.
We enter here upon one of the most interesting records which we have in the word of God, as it relates to the ordination by the Holy Ghost, to the ministry. And, after referring the Reader to what hath been already offered, on the Person and character of the Spirit, by way of Commentary, in this work, (see the 14th, and two following Chapter s [John 14:1; John 15:1; John 16:1] in the Gospel according to John), I very humbly beg his permission, to enlarge a little more particularly, on this gracious office of God the Holy Ghost, as it is here set forth, in calling to the work of the ministry, Barnabas and Saul.
It should seem, that in this Church of Christ at Antioch, (from whence Barnabas and Saul, as related Acts 11:29-30 had been sent to Judaea, with their alms for the poor saints, and were now returned;) there were some, who were called Prophets and Teachers. By which are meant, I presume, those who ministered in holy things. It was at one of their public meetings, that God the Holy Ghost spake as is here said. And, as at the day of Pentecost, he had made an open, and visible manifestation of himself; so here, he was pleased to renew the token of his divine presence, by a voice, declaring his sovereignty and power. I beg the Reader not to lose the recollection, that God the Father did the same, when, by a voice from heaven, he declared Christ his beloved Son, in whom he was well pleased, Matthew 3:17. This revelation of God the Holy Ghost, contains in it Three distinct, and special acts, in confirmation of his Person, Godhead, and Ministry; all which merit the Reader's close attention.
First. His Person, is as clearly proved by the action of speaking, calling, and sending, as the actions of any Being whatever, can prove, personality and identity. The pronouns, me, and I, are wholly personal; and are not capable of being made use of any other way. And as much as we infer, the person of a man, by the actions of a man; so the Person of God the Holy Ghost is as fairly and fully inferred, by the actions here ascribed to Him.
Secondly. His Godhead must also be admitted, if the authority he here exercised, of calling and ordaining to the sanctuary service, be (as indeed it must be), wholly the province of God. No man taketh this honor unto himself but he that is called of God, Hebrews 5:5. The Holy Ghost called Barnabas and Saul to this honor; and consequently proved thereby, his eternal power, and Godhead.
And thirdly. The service, to which the Lord the Spirit separated and called, and sent forth Barnabas and Saul, is strongly marked as his service; for he said: Separate me, or for me, Barnabas and Saul. So again, the Lord adds, to the work whereunto I have called them. They are not said to be separated to the Lord, or to the service of the Church; but the Holy Ghost saith, separate me, that is, to my service. As if to shew, that his is the Almighty ministry in the Church; and all that act in it, act under him, and in his service, as well as by his appointment, John 14:26
And were it not for swelling the pages of this Poor Man's Commentary, I should find it no difficult matter to prove, that as the Holy Ghost anointed Christ, the Great Head of his Church, in his priestly office, when the Spirit was given to him without measure: John 3:34. So all his members, and especially his ministers, from Him derive all the unction necessary for their high calling, according to the measure of the gift of Christ, Ephesians 4:7. But, I must abridge myself of this pleasure, and shall only beg to make a short observation, (taking occasion, from this ordination of Barnabas and Saul, as here stated), on this work of God the Spirit, and on the characters of those men ordained.
I venture to conclude, that so palpable the truth appears, in this history, of the necessity of the Lord the Spirit's ordaining, all that are called to any holy function, no one will question it. And, from the character of those men the Lord here ordained, it will be equally plain, that God the Holy Ghost calls none to the ministry, but what he hath before called by his grace. Should any one of my brethren condescend to read these poor labors of mine, I hope that he will not be offended with the observation. Let the characters of Barnabas and Saul be well considered, and the point will, I conceive, be abundantly plain. Of the former we are told, in a preceding Chapter, that he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost, Acts 11:24. And, concerning the latter, we know of his wonderful conversion by the Lord Jesus himself. So that both, were savingly called, and regenerated, and made rich partakers of grace, before that the Lord the Holy Ghost sent them forth, to preach grace to the people.
And, indeed, had this not been the case, how should they have suited for the ministry of Jesus? A man can never speak of the malignity of sin, who hath never in himself felt the evil of sin, neither been made acquainted with the plague of his own heart, 1 Kings 8:38. A man cannot describe the love, the grace, the mercy, the favor of Jesus, who hath never felt, or known, those precious things from Jesus in his own soul. But he who hath felt, and known both; and in his own heart, hath experienced both; will best minister to others, when from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. This was what made the Apostles so animated in the service of the Lord. They themselves were awakened, and their chief bent was as instruments in the Lord's hand, to awaken others. They held forth that bread of life, which they themselves had eaten of, and by which their souls lived. They called the people to the water of life, in Jesus, which they had drunk of, and found, as Christ had said, that it was in them a well of water springing up to everlasting life, 1 John 1:1-3; John 4:14. Oh! that all who minister in holy things, were thus first made partakers of the manifold gifts of God; and proved their ordination, like Barnabas and Saul, from God the Holy Ghost; in that the word of Christ dwelt in them, by coming with power from them, and the Lord giving testimony to his truths, and to the word of his grace, by them. Almighty Lord the Spirit! vouchsafe in this our day, as in those days of the Apostles, gracious manifestations of thy divine ordination of thy servants to the ministry! Oh! for that voice to be again heard in spirit, and felt in power, as it was then sounded: Separate me (multitudes of the true) Barnabas's and Sauls, for the work whereunto I have called them!