2. As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.

They ministering, the Greek word from which liturgy is derived, but which is never elsewhere used in the New Testament with any special or exclusive reference to prayer. According to its derivation, it means any public service or official function. The cognate verb and noun are applied to the ministry of angels (Heb. 1, 7. 14), to Christian charity and kindness (Rom. 15, 27. 2 Cor. 9, 12. Phil. 2, 30), to magistrates as ministers of God (Rom. 13, 6), to the Christian ministry and missions (Rom. 15, 16), to public worship, and especially the Jewish ritual (Luke 1, 23. Heb. 10, 11.) Later ecclesiastical usage restricted it to the Sacraments, and Chrysostom explains it here to mean preaching. But its true sense is the general one expressed in the translation, ministering, engaged in the discharge of their official functions, with particular reference to public worship, and with the special addition, in this case, of fasting, not as a stated periodical observance, which is rather discountenanced than recommended in the New Testament, but as a special aid to prayer, no doubt for the spread of Christianity, and perhaps for guidance as to their own duty at this interesting crisis. The Holy Ghost said, while they were thus engaged, perhaps to all at once by audible communication, or by special revelation to some one among them. Separate, a verb used elsewhere in a bad sense, (see Matt. 13, 49. 25, 32. Luke 6, 22), but here (as in Rom. ì, 1. Gal. 1, 15) meaning, set apart, designate, implying sepa ration from the rest, and from the ordinary work in which they had been all engaged, to another special and extraordinary business. Called them, i. e. Barnabas and Saul, but not the rest of you. This work was not to supersede or take the place of the stated ministry, but to be superadded to it. The very form of the command shows that this was no reception of Barnabas and Saul by the others to their own body, but a solemn and extraordinary separation from it.

3. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid (their) hands on them, they sent (them) away.

This verse records the execution of the previous command. Then having fasted and prayed may be a mere continuation

of the fast already mentioned, or a subsequent observance of the same kind, implying a continued need of this auxiliary to their prayers for the divine blessing on this new and most important measure. Laid hands on them, as a sign of transfer from the ordinary service of the church to an extraordinary mission. (See above, on 6, 6. 8, 17. 9, 12.) Sent them away, dismissed, discharged them, let them go (see above, on 3, 13. 4, 21. 23. 5, 40), again implying separation from their own body, as prophets and teachers of the church at Antioch, The nature and design of this proceeding have been variously understood, in accordance with various conclusions or hypotheses as to church-organization. It could not be an ordination to the ministry; for the very two now set apart were already eminent and successful ministers, far more illustrious in the church than those who are supposed to have ordained them. It could not be a consecration (so called) to the diocesan episcopate; for, even admitting its existence, why should all these prelates be attached to one church (v. 1)? Or if not prelates, how could they bestow a higher office than they held themselves? Least of all could it be (as some allege) an elevation of these two men to the Apostleship, to fill the places of the two Jameses; for how could ordinary ministers, or even bishops, create Apostles? Or how could such an act be reconciled with Paul's asseveration (Gal. 1, 1) that his Apostleship was not from men, nor even through men? Or with the fact that Barnabas is nowhere subsequently called an Apostle, except on one occasion in conjunction with Paul, and even then in a dubious sense? (See below, on 14, 4. 14.) The only remaining supposition is, that this was a designation, not to a new rank or office, but to a new work, namely, that of foreign missions, or rather to this single mission, which they are subsequently said to have "fulfilled." (See below, on 14, 26.) It is not necessarily implied that this was the first intimation made to Barnabas and Saul of their vocation to the work of missions. The divine communication mentioned in 22, 21, below, may have been previously made; and they may have come to Antioch for the very purpose of obtaining a dismission from the church there; and it may have been in reference to this request, that the Prophets and Teachers were engaged in special prayer and fasting for divine direction.

4. So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost,

departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.

As it had just been said that they were dismissed or let go by the church, their divine legation is again asserted, to prevent mistake. Being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, not merely by their associates at Antioch. Departed, literally, came down, which might seem to mean down the Orontes, on which Antioch is situated; but it more probably means, from the interior to the seacoast. (See above, on 12, 19.) Seleucia, a Syrian port, near the mouth of the Orontes, west of Antioch, built by Seleucus Nicator, and called by his own name, as Antioch was by that of his father. (See below, on v. 14.) Sailed, or more emphatically, sailed away, i. e. from Syria, where they had so long been labouring. Cyprus, a large island off the coast of Palestine, renowned in the remotest times for wealth, fertility and luxury. It was now a Roman province, ruled by a Proconsul. (See below, on v. 7.) This island may have been selected as their first field of missionary labour, not merely on account of its proximity to Syria, but because it was the native land of Barnabas (see above, on 4, 36), and perhaps of John Mark also (see the next verse, and compare Col. 4, 10.) It could hardly be fortuitous that this first mission was directed to the native countries of the missionaries, and to Cyprus first, as Barnabas still took the lead.

5. And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to (their) minister.

Being in Salamis, or having got there. This was an ancient city in the south-eastern corner of the island, afterwards called Constantia, and now Famagusta. Preached (announced, declared) the word of God (the new or Christian revelation.) Synagogues, assemblies, meetings, whether large or small. It is not probable that Salamis contained more than one such building, nor certain that it had even one; but the Greek word, as we have already seen (on 6, 9), admitted of a wider application than the one assigned to it in later usage. The first preachers of the Gospel, being Jews by birth and education, obtained access, through the synagogues, not only to their countrymen, but also to the serious and devoutly dis

posed Gentiles, who were in the habit of attending Jewish worship. (See above, on 9, 20. 10, 1.) To (or for) their minister, attendant, servant. (For the origin and usage of the Greek word, see above, on 5, 22.) As the same word is elsewhere used by Luke to designate an officer or servant of the synagogue in Nazareth (see Luke 4, 20), it might seem here to have specific reference to what immediately precedes. "They preached in the synagogues of Salamis, and in so doing were assisted or attended on by John.' It is generally understood, however, in a wider sense, to wit, that he attended them upon this journey; but in what capacity, has been disputed. Some make him a mere personal attendant, like the young men who accompanied the ancient prophets; others an ordained minister of lower rank, to aid in preaching and administering baptism; others still, avoiding these extremes, regard him as a personal attendant, but preparing for more sacred duties. (See below, on 16, 1-3.)

6. And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name (was) Bar-jesus:

Having gone through the whole island, is the reading of the five oldest manuscripts, i. e. through its whole length, from east to west. Though not expressly mentioned, it is highly probable that in this, as in other previous cases of the same kind, they preached in smaller towns upon the road. (See above, on 8, 25. 40. 9, 32.) Unto, even to, as far as, the particle again suggesting that they had traversed the whole island. Paphos, a city on the western coast of Cyprus, famous for the worship of Venus in a temple near it, whence she is called Paphian by Homer and Horace. It was now the seat of Roman government, i. e. the residence of the Proconsul. Found, met with, learned that he was there before them. (For the passive of the Greek verb, see above, on 8, 40, and compare v. 9 of the same chapter.) Several of the oldest manuscripts and latest editors read, a certain man, a sorcerer. For the true meaning of this last word (magus or magician), see above, on 8, 9. A false prophet (and) a Jew, or a Jewish false prophet, as the last word in Greek may be either an adjective or a substantive. This man was, therefore, not a heathen sorcerer, like Simon Magus, but a Jewish renegade, or still more probably, a professed Jew, but falsely claiming in