There are times when the Book of Acts reads like a travelogue (which at points it is), and times when the book reads like an epic story in the finest Greek fashion. The part of Acts that we read this week is really a bit of both!
The section begins with a brief description of some of the leaders at the church in Antioch (modern day Syria). Without going into detail, suffice it to say that this was an incredibly diverse group of people!
Somehow, the Holy Spirit worked in and through their midst to have Barnabas and Saul commissioned and sent off on a journey to start churches. This is the first of what we have come to know as “Paul’s Three Missionary Journeys.” Interestingly, at the outset of this first one, it was Barnabas who was the leader!
They traveled first to the island of Cyprus, which was Barnabas’s home; there, Barnabas took a step back, and as his partner began to go by his Greek name, Paul, it was Paul who became the “leader of the band.” From Cyprus they traveled to and through Pamphylia, Pisidia, and Galatia, all in what is modern day Turkey. People responded positively to Paul’s preaching, Paul and Barnabas worked miracles (exorcisms and healings), and the two used the opportunity of being confused with Zeus and Hermes to talk to people about Jesus.
After some time and significant success (and also some resistance), they returned to their “home base” in Antioch. The believers there rejoiced at the news Paul and Barnabas shared; then trouble began to brew when some people came from Jerusalem, saying in essence that in order to be followers of Jesus, the Gentiles needed to become Jews. The heart of the controversy revolved around the matter of circumcision.
Paul and Barnabas traveled with a handful of others to Jerusalem to sort this out. To make a long story short, after a discussion with James and Peter, the decision was made that Gentiles did not need to be circumcised. A letter was drafted, and Paul and Barnabas delivered it to Antioch where it was received with joy. One would think that everything would be fine from here on out.
But in an argument over personalities, Paul and Barnabas split up. Barnabas disappeared from the story, while Paul and Silas launched a second missionary journey.
The letter to the church in Galatia was in many ways a follow-up to that first journey, the “Jerusalem Council” (Acts 15), and Paul’s frustration that Gentiles continued to be burdened with messages about circumcision that were confusing. Remember that Galatia was a region, not a city; more like “North Georgia” than a specific town.
Two things to note in the Galatians reading: first, this is where the “fruit of the Spirit” passage is found; also note Galatians 6:11 where Paul says “See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!” Paul most likely used a scribe to write his letters as he dictated them, and added this line himself as a personal touch. (We also think that Paul had bad eyesight, and wrote large so he could see what he had written!)
With all of the conflict in Acts and Galatians, Psalm 133 is a helpful encouragement of an invitation to unity.