And there they abode long time with the disciples.
The verse closes a missionary tour in which Paul and Barnabas entered every place where they could gain entrance and won souls over a large territory. On their return they retraced their steps to visit again the churches they had raised up and planted in order to confirm and strengthen the souls of the disciples. In revisiting those churches they selected men to unite with them in the work. Their special work in that revisit was confirming the disciples, urging them to continue in the faith, and teaching that entrance into the kingdom of God comes through much tribulation. By doing this they fulfilled the commission to teach all nations and to teach converts to observe all things commanded, with Christ's promised presence to the end.
On arriving back they gathered the church together to report all that God had done with them and how He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. The place to which they returned was Antioch, from which they had been recommended and set apart by prayer and counsel for the work. There they remained a long time, a considerable period, with the disciples. Those experiences were of great value to the churches.
This closing circuit is recorded for the instruction of churches today as the pattern of missionary labor to be repeated now. The pattern means God has appointed agencies for enlarging the circle of influence and increasing the number of true missionary workers, and the church is to set no boundaries to its labors but to keep advancing, educating more workers for further conquests for Christ, and moving on until truth extends to all parts of the globe. The same Holy Spirit given to those set-apart workers will accompany everyone who labors together with God, seeks His counsel, humbles the heart, and surrenders the will to His will.
The verse closes a missionary tour in which Paul and Barnabas entered every place where they could gain entrance and won souls over a large territory. On their return they retraced their steps to visit again the churches they had raised up and planted in order to confirm and strengthen the souls of the disciples. In revisiting those churches they selected men to unite with them in the work. Their special work in that revisit was confirming the disciples, urging them to continue in the faith, and teaching that entrance into the kingdom of God comes through much tribulation. By doing this they fulfilled the commission to teach all nations and to teach converts to observe all things commanded, with Christ's promised presence to the end.
On arriving back they gathered the church together to report all that God had done with them and how He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. The place to which they returned was Antioch, from which they had been recommended and set apart by prayer and counsel for the work. There they remained a long time, a considerable period, with the disciples. Those experiences were of great value to the churches.
This closing circuit is recorded for the instruction of churches today as the pattern of missionary labor to be repeated now. The pattern means God has appointed agencies for enlarging the circle of influence and increasing the number of true missionary workers, and the church is to set no boundaries to its labors but to keep advancing, educating more workers for further conquests for Christ, and moving on until truth extends to all parts of the globe. The same Holy Spirit given to those set-apart workers will accompany everyone who labors together with God, seeks His counsel, humbles the heart, and surrenders the will to His will.