SAINT BARNABAS

APOSTLE

(FIRST CENTURY)

Saint Barnabas was a Levite Jew. He was born in Cyprus. His name was Joseph, but the apostles changed it to Barnabas = man of encouragement. He was not one of the twelve apostles. He was a disciple who earned this title for the apostolic mission; the Holy Spirit assigned him, and the apostolic work of the early church. He was singled out among the Christians who sold their properties, and laid the proceeds at the feet of the apostles for distribution, because they lived in common.

Barnabas was a “ good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and faith”(Acts 11:24 NIV). He was the one who introduced Paul ‘by the hand’, after three years of his conversion, to the apostles in Jerusalem, to quell any fear or suspicion in the hearts of the faithful. Then together they started their journeys to Antioch, where the disciples were called Christians for the first time. Their mission was a success. They traveled twice to Jerusalem. At the council of Jerusalem Barnabas supported the exemption of Gentiles from the obligation of circumcision. Once they had the company of Jon Mark, who was related to Barnabas, but later, on the next journey they separated. Saint Paul proceeded on his mission with Silas, while Barnabas and John sailed to Cyprus, and evangelized it.

Barnabas was stoned to death at Salamis, according to tradition. From Paul’s letter, 1 Coronthians, it seems clear that Barnabas was living in the year 56 or 57. But St. Paul’s later invitation to St. Mark to join him, while he was a captive in Rome, lead to infer that Barnabas died in 61. A writing appeared early as a Gospel bearing Barnabas’ name, but there ha been no valid support for it.