I remain convinced that Barnabas is one of the most (or maybe THE most) underestimated characters in the New Testament, the first-century church, and maybe even the Kingdom of God. I don’t have time or space to go into the broader explanation of why I believe this, but suffice it to say that I wrote a master’s thesis on this theory.
Here’s the shortened version. Without Barnabas, Paul would not have had a validated ministry, we would not likely have three of the four gospels, and most of the letters in the New Testament would not exist. That’s how important Barnabas was and is.
And it all grows out of the meaning of his name, “Son of Encouragement.” (Acts 4:36-37) Because Barnabas encouraged people, the message of Jesus spread and continues to spread today—not because of any rabbinical or seminary training but just because he encouraged others.