BibleTools
Acts 13:3
Compare all
1 Now ain the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: bBarnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, cLucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.  
2 As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, a“Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work bto which I have called them.”  
3 Then, ahaving fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.  

Preaching in Cyprus

4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to aCyprus.  
5 And when they arrived in Salamis, athey preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. They also had bJohn as their assistant.  
6 Now when they had gone through1 the island to Paphos, they found aa certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar-Jesus,  
7 who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man called for Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God.
8 But aElymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated)1 withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.  
9 Then Saul, who also is called Paul, afilled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him  
10 and said, “O full of all deceit and all fraud, ayou son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord?  
11 And now, indeed, athe hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time.” And immediately a dark mist fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand.  
12 Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had been done, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.

At Antioch in Pisidia

13 Now when Paul and his party set sail from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia; and aJohn, departing from them, returned to Jerusalem.  
14 But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and awent into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down.  
Commentaries:
Adam Clarke
<< Acts 13:2   Acts 13:4 >>


Acts 13:3

And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them -

1.They fasted: this was probably done by the whole Church.

2.They prayed, that God would bless and prosper them in their work.

3.They land hands upon them; thus solemnly appointing them to that particular work.

But was it by this fasting, praying, and imposition of hands that these men were qualified for this work? No. God had already called them to it, Acts 13:2, and he who called them had qualified them. Both their call and their qualification came from God; but he chose that they should have also the sanction of that Church of which they had been members; and therefore he said, Separate me, etc. The ordination of elders among the Jews was by three persons; and here we find three, Simeon, Lucius, and Manaen, ordaining two others, Barnabas and Saul. But how did the Jews ordain? Not by imposition of hands: this is strictly forbidden, see Maimon. Sanh. chap. 4. "After what manner is the ordaining of elders for ever? Not that they should lay their hands on the head of an elder; but only that they should call him Rabbi, and say to him, Behold, thou art ordained, and hast power of judging, etc." It is remarkable that the imposition of hands in the ordaining of elders was not used among the ancient Jews, probably never under the first temple; and rarely, if ever, under the second. See Lightfoot on this place. The Church at Antioch, however, did depart from this custom: they put their hands on the heads of Barnabas and Saul; thus designating them to be the persons whom they, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, sent to preach the Gospel of Christ to the heathen.

When the Holy Spirit said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them, and the elders of the Church, in consequence, prayed, fasted, and laid their hands upon them, they certainly understood that by acting thus they fulfilled the mind of the Spirit. Hence, is it not evident that, when the elders of the Church of God have good reason to believe that He has called certain persons to the work of the ministry, and qualified them for that work, they should proceed as the elders of the Church of Antioch did; and by fasting, prayer, and imposition of hands, separate those persons for the work whereunto God has called them. Such persons will consider themselves accountable to God and his Church, and should take care how they use the gift and authority received from both. Is it not being wise above what is written to say, "When God has called and given authority, there is no need of ordination or appointment from man?" I would just ask the objector, Why, then, when God had called Barnabas and Saul to the work, did he command the Church to separate them to him for that very work? And why did they, in obedience, fast, pray, and lay hands upon them? I shall dispute with no man about the superior excellence of the episcopal or presbyterian form in ordination: if all the preliminaries be right, they may be both equally good, for all that I have ever been able to learn to the contrary; but that there should be some proper scriptural form attended to, I am fully satisfied. Besides, if the plan of the Church at Antioch were regularly and faithfully followed, in sending forth the ministers of the Gospel, no man can Proverbs that God would not own them in an especial manner, and more particularly prosper their work. But, O ye rulers of the Church! be careful, as ye shall answer it to God, never to lay hands on the head of a man whom ye have not just reason to believe God has called to the work; and whose eye is single, and whose heart is pure. Let none be sent to teach Christianity, who have not experienced it to be the power of God to the salvation of their own souls. If ye do, though they have your authority, they never can have the blessing nor the approbation of God. "I sent them not: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the Lord." Jeremiah 23:32.


 
<< Acts 13:2   Acts 13:4 >>

DISCLAIMER: Church of the Great God (CGG) provides these resources to aid the individual in studying the Bible. However, it is up to the individual to "prove all things, and hold fast to that which is good" (I Thessalonians 5:21). The content of these resources does not necessarily reflect the views of CGG. They are provided for information purposes only.

Close
E-mail This Page