And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do. (37) And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark. (38) But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work. (39) And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus; (40) And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God. (41) And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.
I would pause over this contention of these faithful servants of the Lord, to make all suitable reflections upon it. As God the Holy Ghost hath been pleased to have it recorded in his Church, it may well be supposed, that it will be to our profit, to attend to it. Here then, we see two eminent fellow laborers in the service of their Lord, who had gone for several years, as it should seem together, and with their lives in their hands, and moreover sent forth by the Holy Ghost, to his work; (Acts 13:4) now separating asunder, upon a point of apparently no great importance. And, this separation was made at a time, when the peace of the Church had been but just established, from the saw of contention having passed over the Church, about the introduction of the law with the Gospel: Acts 15:1-2. Yea, Paul and Barnabas were sent by the Church to Antioch jointly to deliver the decrees ordained by the Apostles and Elders at Jerusalem, on this question of Circumcision, Acts 15:22-23. And, a very blessed time it should seem, they had together at Antioch, on that occasion. But yet, all these things, were not sufficient to suppress the risings of contention between them; but part they would, and part they did. And thus the Church is taught, that the best of men are but men; and, as Paul himself had but a little space before told the people of Lystra, so here was shewn; that they were men of like passions with ourselves, Acts 14:15. Reader! let this be our improvement from it. Look to Jesus. He, and he alone, is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens, Hebrews 7:26. Oh! how sweet is the relief, when amidst everything unsatisfying in ourselves, and all creature comforts, we can, look to Jesus; and cease from man whose breath is in his nostrils, for wherein is he to be accounted of, Isaiah 2:22
Let it be observed, however, in the instance of this quarrel, how graciously the Lord overruled it, to his glory, and the promotion of his Church's welfare. For, by this separation, the word of God was further extended, when Barnabas, by going unto Cyprus, and Paul through Syria and Cilicia, carried the glad tidings of salvation to those places. But, though the Lord's providences in extracting good from evil, calls upon the Church to adore his Almighty hand, in the grace, manifested; yet we should learn also, that while this ministers to his glory, the evil of sin in our fallen nature remains the same. It is still our infirmity, which produceth such sad consequences. The Lord's is the sole praise, which, even from the unworthiness of his people, will bring sweet from the bitter, and manifest divine strength to bear up against creature weakness.
We should not, I think, dismiss the subject of this contention of those holy men, without taking into our view of it, what afterwards followed. It is very plain, from the history of the Church, that though Paul, rather than take Mark with him at that time, separated from Barnabas, yet he still loved them both, and afterwards, upon more than one occasion, spoke of them with all the love of a brother. Yea, this very Mark was with Paul just before his martyrdom; and the aged Apostle, then with full prospect of death in view, tells Timothy, that he must bring Mark with him, for, said he, he is profitable to me for the ministry. See 1 Timothy 4:11. See also 1 Corinthians 9:6; Colossians 4:10. Grace in the heart will revive as the Corn, though the remaining weeds of indwelling corruption will too often choke it, Hosea 14:7. But how, and from whence is this revival ? Read the last six words of the following verse. From me (saith the Lord), is thy fruit found. Oh! precious Jesus! how sweet in all things is thy Person, grace, and power?