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

of the Jewish theocracy, as at that time adumbratory and preparatory. They had on them the true
spirit of prophecy, but little dreaming of the long rolling centuries destined to intervene before the
glorious fulfillment, the day of His coming being known to the Father only.
22-29. The decrees proposed by James, their presiding bishop, receive a unanimous vote of the
apostles, elders and brethren. In view of securing for the decrees all possible endorsement and
availability, they appoint Judas and Silas, both of them prophets, eminent for their wisdom and piety,
to accompany Paul and Silas, along with the Syrian delegation, back to Antioch, bearing the decrees
adjudicated by the unanimity of the brotherhood. It was specified in the council that Judas and Silas
should, viva voce, proclaim and enforce among the churches the same truths specified in the written
decrees, thus corroborating Paul and Barnabas, by their verbal testimony, to the transaction of the
Jerusalem council.
30-33. Great is the delectation thrilling all of the Gentile churches upon the reading of the decrees,
corroborated by the faithful testimonies and fervent exhortations of Judas and Silas, thus abundantly
corroborating and impregnably fortifying the glorious doctrine of free grace already preached by Paul
and Barnabas. If the church had remained true to these apostolical decrees, the world would have
been evangelized and the millennium in all its glory girdled the globe with “holiness to the Lord”
long centuries ago. What a pity the New Testament church, in violation of these decrees, ever
apostatized and so burdened herself with material ecclesiasticisms that to her ineffaceable shame,
she has not yet verified the commission, which should have been done in the Apostolic age (Matthew
16:28 and 24:34).
Verse 34 is an interpolation; nothing of it in the original. Because Silas became the companion
of Paul, some transcriber concluded that he did not go back to Jerusalem with Judas to make his
report, but remained with Paul. This is conjecture. He had plenty of time to go back to Jerusalem
with Judas and make his report to the apostles and return before Paul went off on his next tour.
DISRUPTION AND FINAL SEPARATION OF BARNABAS AND PAUL.
35-39. The Greek word for “contention” is paroxysm, which now means an earthquake shock,
which, you see, has a superlative signification. Paul and Barnabas were both sanctified wholly, and
filled with the Holy Ghost. Perfect love is the bravest thing in the world; full salvation makes you
positive enough to die in your tracks, when you know you are right. Paul and Barnabas were both
right in this matter, and yet diametrically opposite. Consequently, there was no chance but to
separate. Mark was merely incidental to the paroxysm. Paul was right in refusing to take him,
because he had retreated from the field during the former campaign. Barnabas was right in
sympathizing with his young, cowardly nephew (Colossians 4:10), and giving him another chance,
which proved a success, so that Mark made an efficient preacher, and actually wrote the gospel of
our Lord, and finally sealed his faith with his blood in Alexandria, Egypt. Paul appreciated him, and
afterward called him to his work. The simple solution of the matter is, God was in the transaction.
Paul had started out the junior preacher, with Barnabas, and actually revolutionized the ticket, and
come to the front. Barnabas was an able leader, and Paul now more so. Hence it was a waste of
ammunition for them longer to go together. It is now high time for each one to lead an evangelistic
party the balance of his life. Here the curtain falls over Barnabas, that great and good man, and we