Who was Barnabas in the Bible?

A Levite of Cyprus. His name was JOSES (or Joseph as in some MSS); but by the apostles he was surnamed Barnabas, 'son of consolation' (rather 'exhortation'). We first read of him as one who sold his land and laid the money at the apostles' feet. Acts 4:36-37. When the disciples at Jerusalem were afraid of Saul, it was Barnabas who introduced him to the apostles. Acts 9:26-27. When the Gentiles were converted at Antioch it was Barnabas who was sent there from Jerusalem. He rejoiced in the reality of the work and exhorted them to cleave to the Lord; the scripture says he was "a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith." He then sought Saul and brought him to Antioch, where they laboured a whole year. They then together visited Jerusalem with contributions from the saints. Acts 11:22-30. Antioch became a centre, from whence the gospel went forth to the Gentiles; it was there that the Holy Ghost said, "Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them," and from thence they started on what is called Paul's first missionary journey. Acts 13:2-4.

On the question being raised as to the necessity of the Gentile disciples being circumcised, Paul and Barnabas (Paul being now mostly mentioned first) went up to Jerusalem about the subject. Acts 15:1-41. After this Paul proposed that they should visit again the brethren in the cities where they had preached. Barnabas insisted that they should take his nephew Mark with them; but Paul objected, for Mark had previously left the work. Barnabas persisting in his desire, they parted, and he and Mark sailed to Cyprus, his own country. Thus were separated these two valuable servants of the Lord who had hazarded their lives for the name of the Lord Jesus. We have no record of any further labours of Barnabas. Paul alludes to him as one who had been carried away by the dissimulation of Peter, otherwise he speaks of him affectionately. 1 Cor. 9:6; Gal. 2:1, 9, 13.

Barnabas

Of many who contributed to it we know nothing. But of two different parties we are now to read: that of Barnabas, who gave up all the proceeds of the sale of his land; and that of Ananias and Sapphira his wife, who surreptitiously kept back part of theirs. Barnabas was a Levite. His own name was Joseph; [18] but he received the surname, or appellation, of Barnabas in consequence of the character of his ministry, as an exhorter. Evidently that was his special gift ( 11:23 ). And his surname, which means son of exhortation, rather than consolation, distinctly implies it. Here for the first time he appears on the scene, destined afterwards to play for a time no unimportant part in the great work of evangelising the heathen. A Levite, of the island of Cyprus , and therefore a Hellenistic Jew, he, in common with Paul, also one of that class by birth, was called out by name to commence the great missionary work in Asia Minor (13:2). At present all that we learn of him is that he sold his field - for Levites could possess land of their own - and of his own free will he laid the price of it at the Apostles' feet.

But first of all, we'll just start with brief basic introductory details. Barnabas's real name was Joseph; Barnabas was a nickname- we will talk about that in a minute. Barnabas was Jewish by race, in fact he was a Levite, he came from the island of Cyprus , though he seems to be living in Jerusalem at the time when we first read of him. We know nothing of his family except that he had a sister, she had a son- who was therefore Barnabas's nephew- and he was called John Mark [Col 4:10].

However that may be, on reaching Jerusalem on the first occasion, he made the acquaintance of one destined to be a fellow-labourer with him in many a city—Barnabas, a native of Cyprus, a disciple of note at Jerusalem. He it was, who having land, sold it, and laid the money at the apostles’ feet (Acts 4:37). His original name was Joses, but he was surnamed Barnabas, which means “son of consolation.” This is very significant, as evidence of a nice Christian character. Barnabas took Saul by the hand and introduced him to the brethren, narrating the story of his conversion. Thus introduced, he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed with the Grecians.

Among those distinguished by their self-stripping love for the brotherhood stands specially recorded the afterwards eminent name of Joseph, surnamed Barnabas (vers. 36, 37), Son of exhortation, or perhaps of consolation. Later on (Acts 11:24) he is characterized as 'a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith'. Here, a Cyprian, he is said to have been a Levite, yet possessed of a field, which he sold and laid the money at the feet of the apostles. The express mention of the circumstance here proves how little the practice had become compulsory; for why name Barnabas in particular, if it were a rule absolute and universal? Where men imitate in the world or even in the church, law-work supersedes grace, and the community swamps the individual to the destruction of love on one side and of conscience on the other. The grace and truth which came by Jesus Christ alone puts and keeps both in their true place, whether the individual or the body, because thus only God is God before man believingly. Popery and communism alike strive in vain to realize the unselfish grace of these early days in the church; for they are, neither of them, likenesses but caricatures, and are as far as possible from having the same source, character, or issue.

As we said, his real name was Joseph. Barnabas was his nickname. The apostles noted him, and he had so impressed them that they gave him the nickname of Barnabas. Barnabas is, I suppose, a Hebrew word, but because the reason for the apostles giving him this name was important, the Holy Spirit saw fit to translate it- the meaning of the name Barnabas is added in Scripture. Different English translations give a different emphasis- I have seen "Son of Consolation", "Son of Encouragement", "Son of Exhortation", "Son of Comfort". The Greek word translated "consolation", "encouragement", "exhortation", "comfort" means literally "a calling alongside to help", and these different emphases are all contained within the word.

After some time Paul proposed to Barnabas that they should re-visit the cities where they had preached, and see how the churches fared. Barnabas determined to take John Mark with them. Paul did not think this a wise course, seeing John had departed from the work of the Lord at Pamphylia shortly after he had begun to travel with them. We are told that “the contention was so sharp between them, that they parted asunder one from the other” (Acts 15:39). This was indeed a sad finish to what was apparently a happy and useful partnership in the work of the Lord.

Barnabas took John and sailed with him to Cyprus. Barnabas was a Levite, a native of Cyprus, evidently an earnest, gifted man. He was devoted and not self-seeking, for we read that having land he sold it, and placed the proceeds at the apostles’ feet. His name, Barnabas, means “the son of consolation,” showing that he was a sympathetic brother to whom saints would turn for comfort and advice. Was it that he felt out-distanced by the more highly gifted Paul? He first introduced Paul to the saints at Jerusalem, he also first introduced him to the work of the Lord at Antioch; but Paul soon took the lead, both in ministry and in receiving the full brunt of persecution. Was the link between these two beloved men weakened by jealousy on the part of Barnabas? Reading between the lines it looks like it.

We read that John Mark was his sister’s son. Perhaps relationship made Barnabas partial to his nephew. Natural affection is surely right, and to be without it is a sign of the last times. But we may learn a salutary lesson here, not to allow natural affection to sway our spiritual judgment, nor to influence us in our actions in the things of God. That Paul felt this is seen in his solemn instruction to Timothy, “I charge you before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and before the holy angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one above another, doing nothing by partiality” (1 Tim. 5:21).

Barnabas has been for some time the close companion of Saul. He was a Levite of the island of Cyprus. He had been early called to follow Christ, and "having land, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet." Comparing his liberality with the fine testimony which the Holy Ghost renders to him, he stands before us as a lovely and an exquisite character. And, from his early attachment to Saul, and from his heartiness in introducing him to the other apostles, we judge that he was more frank and larger-hearted than those who had been trained in the narrowness of Judaism; but, he lacked in service the thoroughness and determination of his companion Saul.

381 After some time Paul, active and full of love, his work accomplished for the moment at Antioch, turns towards the gatherings he had founded, desiring to know how it fared with them. But now Barnabas, like Peter before him, disappears from the scene. Not that he no longer worked for the Lord, but he did not maintain himself at the same level of service of Paul. Eclipsed in the work when with him, now he disappears altogether. A good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith, he was yet not detached from everything as was Paul, for whom, according to his call on the way to Damascus, Christ glorified and His own was all in all.

Joses was surnamed Barnabas by the apostles (Acts 4:36), meaning "son of consolation", because he was by nature one who consoled for he was a good man who exhorted the brethren that with purpose of heart they would cleave to the Lord (Acts 11:23-24).