WHO WAS BARNABAS?

Barnabas’ birth name is Joses, a form of Joseph, but he is better known by the name the apostles gave him: Barnabas - “son of consolation.” The apostles of Christ identified him by the spirit that characterized his life: he was an encourager.

Why should you study the life of Barnabas?

In short, his life demonstrates the extraordinary impact that an ordinary man can make while totally yielded to Christ. This book is not just for preachers and vocational Christian workers - it is for anyone who needs encouragement and all of us who want to be encouragers.

Most of us have a desire to be used by God to make a difference in the lives of others. This is the way.

Scripture ensures that Barnabas will not be forgotten in the history of the Lord’s work. His name is mentioned 29 times in the New Testament. This man was influential in the first-century church, and he made a lasting impact with the one life God gave him. He was not as famous as most of his counterparts. Almost every time he is mentioned, it is with someone else, most often the Apostle Paul. 

What was it that made Barnabas such a blessing?

The Bible gives an amazing description of Barnabas: “For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith…” (Acts 11:24). When the Bible says he was a good man, it does not just mean he was a moral man. Barnabas had placed his faith in Christ and was full of the goodness that comes only by God’s Spirit. There is nothing inherently good in any of our sinful hearts (Romans 3:12, 7:18). But there is One who is good (Mark 10:18). God is good! 

“A good man” simply reflects the reality of our good God working in his life. Men like Barnabas make a difference because they are different. In a world filled with so much evil, this kind of life will make a marked impact. The rest of Acts 11:24 tells us: “...and much people was added unto the Lord.” Good men do not draw people to themselves - they point others to God.

While Barnabas was gifted in many ways, it appears that he was not a great orator. When Paul and Barnabas came to Lystra, Paul was the spokesman because he was the better speaker (Acts 14:12). In fact, across all the New Testament references to Barnabas, there is not one recorded word that he spoke. Now we know that he spoke, because the Bible tells us he preached the gospel to sinners and exhorted believers in many places. There is, no doubt, a record of his words in Heaven, because God keeps a perfect record of all our words (Psalm 139:4; Matthew 12:36). 

The point is that you do not have to be a good speaker to be a good encourager. Paul was the chief speaker, and Barnabas the more silent partner, but both lives have something to teach us. We do not encourage only by our words; we encourage by our spirit. May the Lord give us the spirit of the encourager, the spirit of Barnabas - the Spirit of Jesus.