Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Acts: Chapter 11]
(Furneaux). {He exhorted} (\parekalei\). Imperfect active,
picturing the continuous encouragement from Barnabas. {With
purpose of heart} (\t•i prothesei t•s kardias\). Placing before
(from \pro-tith•mi\), old word for set plan as in Ac 27:13; Ro
8:28. The glow of the first enthusiasm might pass as often
happens after a revival. Barnabas had a special gift (4:36) for
work like this. {Cleave unto the Lord} (\prosmenein [en] t•i
kuri•i\). Dative case (locative if \en\ is genuine) of \kurios\
(here Jesus again) after \prosemenein\ to keep on remaining loyal
to (present active infinitive). Persistence was needed in such a
pagan city.
11:24 {For} (\hoti\). Because. This is the explanation of the
conduct of Barnabas. The facts were opposed to the natural
prejudices of a Jew like Barnabas, but he rose above such racial
narrowness. He was a really good man (\agathos\). See Ro 5:7
for distinction between \agathos\ and \dikaios\, righteous, where
\agathos\ ranks higher than \dikaios\. Besides, Barnabas was full
of the Holy Spirit (like Peter) and of faith and so willing to
follow the leading of God's Spirit and take some risks. This is a
noble tribute paid by Luke. One wonders if Barnabas was still
living when he wrote this. Certainly he was not prejudiced
against Barnabas though he will follow the fortunes of Paul after
the separation (15:36; 41). {Was added unto the Lord}
(\proseteth• t•i kuri•i\). First aorist passive indicative of
\prostith•mi\, common verb to add to. These people were added to
the Lord Jesus before they were added to the church. If that were
always true, what a difference it would make in our churches.
11:25 {To seek for Saul} (\anaz•t•sai Saulon\). First aorist
(effective) active infinitive of purpose. \Anaz•te•\ is a common
verb since Plato, but in the N.T. only here and Lu 2:44,45, to
seek up and down (\ana\), back and forth, to hunt up, to make a
thorough search till success comes. It is plain from Ga 1:21
that Saul had not been idle in Cilicia. Tarsus was not very far
from Antioch. Barnabas probably knew that Saul was a vessel of
choice (Ac 9:15) by Christ for the work among the Gentiles. He
knew, of course, of Saul's work with the Hellenists in Jerusalem
(9:29) and echoes of his work in Cilicia and Syria had probably
come to him. So to Tarsus he goes when he saw the need for help.
"He had none of the littleness which cannot bear the presence of
a possible rival" (Furneaux). Barnabas knew his own limitations
and knew where the man of destiny for this crisis was, the man
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