Acts 13:2, commentary and pictures

While the prophets and teachers of the church at Antioch were ministering to the Lord in worship and fasting, the Holy Spirit spoke and directed that Barnabas and Saul be separated for the work to which God had called them. That work was the definite work of teaching the Gentiles, to which God had already called them and which confirmed the commission to carry the gospel to the Gentiles already received from Christ. Their separation was carried out as a solemn dedication to God by fasting and prayer and the laying on of hands, which publicly recognized their divine appointment already given, asked God's blessing upon it, and set the church's seal upon it, yet added no new grace or qualification and did not itself impart power. That setting apart formally ordained and authorized them to teach the truth, baptize, and organize churches, investing them with unquestionable authority from the established church so their departure from Jewish exclusiveness would stand above challenge from suspicious and prejudiced believers. God so works through appointed agencies in the organized church that no calling is to be independent of it, but the church in union with the Holy Spirit is to seek guidance in prayer, prove fitness and unmistakable tokens of the Spirit, and set apart those whom God has selected.

Worship Setting at Antioch

At Antioch the devout prophets and teachers of the church were ministering to the Lord in worship and fasting, with the Christians seeking the Lord together, when the Holy Spirit communicated direction to them. The Spirit spoke to separate and set apart Barnabas and Saul for the work to which God had already called them, a specific and definite work among the Gentiles. In this way missionary service is shown to be work assigned by the Spirit and recognized by the church in worship and fasting. After the believers at Antioch ordained them, the Spirit sent them out, and their departure began their first missionary journey to the Gentiles.

Spirit's Call to Gentiles

The Holy Spirit spoke while the prophets and teachers of the church at Antioch were ministering to the Lord in worship and fasting, directing that Barnabas and Saul be set apart for a specific, definite work to which God had called them. That appointed work was teaching the Gentiles and going as missionaries to the Gentiles. The mission had already been given them by God before the church ceremony, and their prayerful dedication with fasting and the laying on of hands publicly recognized that divine appointment, designated them for that appointed work, and asked God's blessing upon it without adding any new grace or qualification. The call confirmed and advanced the commission Paul had earlier received from Christ, including carrying the gospel to the Gentiles.

Christ's death had opened the full privileges of the gospel to the Gentiles, though many Jewish believers still did not clearly understand what had been abolished. Barnabas and Saul were sent to carry that gospel vigorously to the Gentiles, bringing many into the church.

Ordination and Public Authority

Their separation was carried out as a solemn dedication to God by fasting and prayer and the laying on of hands, and then their sending forth to their field of labor among the Gentiles. The Holy Spirit directed the devout prophets and teachers ministering to the Lord at Antioch to set Barnabas and Saul apart for the work to which He had already called them, and fasting and prayer accompanied that dedication before they went as missionaries to the Gentiles.

The ceremony publicly recognized a divine appointment already given, designated them for that appointed work, asked God to bless them in it, set the church's seal upon it, and affirmed the church's support of God's work. Their commission came from God before the laying on of hands, and the church's prayerful setting apart made that mission known and openly recognized their appointment and authority. The laying on of hands added no new grace or qualification, did not itself give them a new commission, impart power, or qualify them for every kind of ministry. It was the church's formal recognition and designation of the work God had appointed for them, asking His blessing upon it rather than creating their call.

Their setting apart formally ordained and authorized them to teach the truth, baptize, and organize churches, giving them full authority for church ministry and for carrying the gospel to the Gentiles. That public ordination recognized their divine appointment and authority and marked their formal authorization for that appointed service among the Gentiles. Because their departure from Jewish exclusiveness would expose them to suspicion, prejudice, jealousy, charges of heresy, and questioning of their doctrine and credentials by many zealous believing Jews, God in foresight had them invested with unquestionable authority from the established church, so that their work would be above challenge. That open recognition of their divine mission was made fully known to the brethren in Jerusalem and in Antioch.

Paul regarded this appointment as a new and important epoch and turning point in his life, dating his apostleship in the Christian church from that time. He described himself afterward as a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle and separated to the gospel of God.

Church Order and Cooperation

God works through appointed agencies in the organized church as well as through individuals, and a servant's calling is not meant to be independent of the church. The church serves as the channel through which God communicates guidance, for while the leaders at Antioch worshiped and fasted the Holy Spirit communicated direction to set Barnabas and Saul apart for the definite work to which God had already called them, including carrying the gospel to the Gentiles. That direction confirmed and advanced the commission Paul had earlier received from Christ, and the church bore witness to it and helped carry it out, with responsibility for ordaining them laid upon the church so believers could cooperate in spreading the gospel. His servants are not to treat their guidance as independent of the church or dismiss the counsel of its appointed leaders.

The church was entrusted with ordaining them, supporting the pattern of seeking God's guidance in prayer, following Scripture and the Holy Spirit, and then setting apart by prayer and the laying on of hands those who have proved their fitness and calling. Their commissioning took place in worship and fasting, and the act recognizes their commission from God together with the church's approval for them to devote themselves to their calling. No one is to be set apart for the holy work of being God's mouthpiece and laboring for souls on human wisdom alone, but only on unmistakable evidence and manifest tokens of the Holy Spirit. Ability to pray with power and talk to the point is no evidence of a divine call, and even power over unclean spirits and to heal the sick is no evidence, for only God knows the heart and whom to select and entrust with the burden for His flock.

God has laid the duty of deciding who is fit upon His chosen ministers, who in union with the church and with manifest tokens of the Holy Spirit are to decide who should go and who are unfit to go. Leaving the decision to private individuals here and there to say who is called brings confusion and distraction everywhere. Those whom God calls are persons of deep experience, tried and proved, of sound judgment, who will dare to reprove sin in the spirit of meekness and who understand how to feed the flock. Setting apart for the work is done by the sanction of the brethren together with the Holy Spirit.

Present Application for Workers

The command still speaks to churches today, calling for holy and devout men and women who have cultivated mental and physical powers and piety to the uttermost to be ordained and sent forth as medical missionaries, including to untried fields. That setting apart applies to medical missionary work, including the work of the Sanitarium and the defense of health reform, with God's word and the movements of providence speaking clearly to move the church to send workers. Medical missionaries, like ministers of the gospel, are to be set apart for their work with prayer and the laying on of hands, and this setting apart helps guard them against leaving institutional service for private practice. God will communicate just as truly with all who deny self and lift the cross, and prayerful dependence on Him enables their work.

Paul and Barnabas are representatives of what very many should become, and the same grace from Jesus Christ that distinguished Paul and Apollos for spiritual excellence can be reproduced in many devoted missionaries, so no one should fold the hands and expect the committed work to be done by proxy. The voice calling, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them, is heard today through the indications of God's providence, and God is fitting men to stand in their lot and in their place. God can communicate with people who deny self and take up the cross as surely as He communicated with them, and many should follow their example in devoted service. Hearing that call requires sincere devotion and humble, earnest prayer that brings close communion with Christ, living faith claiming the promises, and compassion for those in darkness.

When a united, converted church ministers with prayer and fasting for the Holy Spirit to be revealed, angelic agencies come very near and the Holy Spirit chooses agents for appointed spheres of labor. The very choicest instrumentalities the church contains are to be selected, sent forth, and sustained to extend the truth to hitherto unworked cities, resulting in many souls coming to a knowledge of the truth. Disciples who remain in their business stations earn means and uphold them by prayers and contributions, each laboring to strengthen fellow workers and never hindering or discouraging any soul working interestedly under the Great Head. The same presence that directed at Antioch accompanies workers who seek God's counsel and surrender their will to His. Prayer, humility, and continual surrender bring the help pledged by the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, for the Holy Spirit is a sacred gift and source of power, and God's angels work for those led by the Spirit.

God guides His people in their work and does not support false teaching or a low standard, but requires His people to seek Him earnestly and humble themselves before Him. A higher moral standard is to be upraised and maintained in printing establishments and in every line of work, with the Holy Spirit refining, enlightening, sanctifying, and purifying the receiver from dross so that God's glory is revealed. In this way a decided change and reformation takes place, and the entire church is converted. At the end of all things when wickedness has increased, the zeal of the church should exceed even that of the early church in bearing witness with mighty power to redeeming love.

Those truly set apart carry the burden and weight of the message and feel the burden for souls and for people who have not heard it, striking out into new places and new ground where the truth has not been preached to raise up individuals or a company to keep the truth. They give full proof of ministry by bringing out souls as fruit even through want and privation, rather than being content to travel from church to church among believers, enter into other men's labors, build on another man's foundation, take an easy course, accomplish nothing, or leave the church lower instead of benefited. One whose principal burden is his own support, who lacks this burden for new fields, or who can exhort and pray with freedom in meetings but lacks essential qualifications and experience for the vineyard, has not been called to give himself unreservedly to traveling labor and must not be encouraged, pushed, hurried, or urged into a work he does not understand. Such persons are needed in the church to fill their place there and should labor with their hands at what is good to supply their necessities, only assisting and doing errands for the Lord, such as baptizing or administering the ordinances when ministers are absent.