Godbey's Commentary - Acts - Romans - Enter His Rest

ACTS OF THE APOSTLES
CHAPTER XIII.
THE FIRST EVANGELISTIC TOUR OF BARNABAS AND SAUL.
1. “. . . Simeon called Niger.” As this word means black, we have the clear assurance that this
eminent prophet and teacher, associated in labor with the apostles, Was a regular black African
negro, which is the literal translation of Niger. “And Lucius the Cyrenean.” Here is another African
from the city of Cyrene, which was in Africa. “And Manaen, the foster-brother of Herod the
tetrarch.” This is the same Herod above mentioned, the murderer of the apostles, eaten up by worms
and precipitated into an awful hell. The royal Herodian family were staunch members of the Jewish
church, walking in the footprints of the high priest, and leading ministers who killed Jesus and
persecuted His followers. This Manaen, though a member of the Herodian family, an adopted son
of the king, and thus brought up along with Herod Antipas, who killed James and tried to kill Peter
and sank to his awful doom; yet we see that he espoused the cause of the despised Nazarenes,
became a disciple of Jesus, got saved and sanctified, and was honored of God with a place among
the “prophets and teachers” in the gospel church. Oh, what a contrast between him and his royal
brother, killing the apostles, eaten up with worms and sent to hell! If the blood royal had flowed in
his veins, doubtless he would have stayed with the devil, sharing the awful doom of his royal
comrades. What a blessing to him that he was not born a king!
2. This verse says that they were “ministering to the Lord and fasting” when the Holy Ghost
spoke to them. Hence we see that the Lord approves and blesses fasting. So if you want to get far
away from the world, the flesh and the devil, fast as well as pray.
3. “Then fasting, and praying, and laying hands on them, they sent them away.” This is all the
ordination you can find in the New Testament. The great ecclesiastical institution conferring
exclusive privileges is utterly unknown in New Testament history. When the saints of God thus
gather around you, and, with imposition of hands, commit you to the Holy Ghost “for the work to
which He has called you,” then and there you receive all the ordination known in the Bible. I see
much of this in the holiness meetings, thus setting apart the saints for the work to which the Holy
Ghost has called them.
4, 5. They go from Antioch to Seleucia, a large city on the river Orontes, down which they sail
into the Mediterranean, landing at Salamis, the metropolis of Eastern Cyprus, the native city of
Barnabas, who, as the elder minister, led the expedition, having his own country on his heart for the
salvation of the Lord. Mark accompanies them, a boy preacher helping in the meetings. We find in
the evangelistic tours they invariably went to places where there was a Jewish synagogue, which they
first entered, and preached the gospel.
SATAN’S PREACHER AND THE CONVERSION OF THE PROCONSUL.
6-12. Having traveled across the island of Cyprus throughout the whole length from east to west,
everywhere preaching the Word, they arrive at Paphos, on the west coast, the metropolis of the West