In previous Q&As, we addressed, at times, the workings of the Apostle Paul. It is therefore interesting to investigate, in more detail, his three missionary journeys which are recorded in the Book of Acts.

Paul was born and raised in Tarsus, in Cilicia, as a Roman citizen. Tarsus was known as an educational center. Commentaries tell us that Paul learned seven languages there. He later moved to and resided in Antioch, where he and Barnabas pastored a church for a year (Acts 11:25-26). Tarsus was about 80 miles (130 kilometers) northwest of Antioch.

He began his first missionary journey from Antioch together with Barnabas (a Levite from Cyprus, Acts 4:36), after they had both been appointed as Apostles.  The ordination occurred about AD 47 and, and, according to William Barclay, “The Acts of the Apostles,” the journey lasted about three years. Others say it lasted one to two years. Paul travelled on his first missionary journey approximately 1,400 to 1,500 miles (2,250-2,400 kilometers), going from Antioch to Cyprus and continuing to Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). He travelled by boat or on foot, walking on Roman roads.

We read in Acts 13:1-4:

“Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away. So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus.”

From that moment on, Saul became known as Paul. Prior to this episode, Barnabas was always mentioned before Saul. But shortly thereafter, Paul is listed first. Also, notice that Barnabas and Paul were ordained to the office of apostle [compare Acts 14:4,14], the highest office in the hierarchy of the Church, but this did not happen directly through an apostle, but it occurred through ordained prophets and teachers, under the guidance and inspiration of God’s Holy Spirit.

The fact that it says that the Holy Spirit “spoke” and “sent out” the apostles does not entitle us to conclude that the Holy Spirit is a person. It is not, but the power and mind of Jesus Christ who acted through the Holy Spirit (compare 2 Corinthians 3:17; for a thorough discussion, see our free booklet, “Is God a Trinity?”).

One of those prophets or teachers was Simon who was also called Niger. He probably came from Africa, as Niger is an African name. There is a certain tradition that he was the Simon who carried Jesus’ cross (Luke 23:26).

They were accompanied and assisted by John Mark, a relative of Barnabas (Acts 13:5; compare Acts 12:25).

They went to the island of Cyprus, a Roman province, and in Salamis and Paphos, two cities on the island of Cyprus, they preached the Word of God. Paphos, the capital of Cyprus, was infamous for its worship of Venus, the goddess of love. There, they had an encounter with a sorcerer whom Paul called “son of the devil” (verse 10; compare also 1 John 3:10). God struck the sorcerer blind because of his rebellion, and as a consequence, the proconsul of the city believed (verses 11-12).

Then, they left Paphos and sailed to Perga in Pamphylia. It was there that John Mark left them to return to Jerusalem (verse 13). This departure would later lead to a separation between Paul and Barnabas. Mark was “the cousin of Barnabas” (Colossians 4:10). The Bible did not say that this separation was ever cured. But we read that many years later, Paul told the Colossians from his prison in Rome to receive Mark (see again Colossians 4:10), and when writing just before his death, Paul stated that Mark was very useful in serving him (2 Timothy 4:11).

Mark had been a young man when he departed from Barnabas and Saul. His mother’s house in Jerusalem seemed to have been the place where many brethren assembled (Acts 12:12). Why Mark went back to Jerusalem, the Bible does not say specifically.

From Perga, they traveled to Antioch in Pisidia, where Paul preached in their synagogues. This Antioch is not the same city as the Antioch where Paul resided and from which he had begun his journey. Antioch in Pisidia was part of a Roman territory, as were the cities of Iconium, Lystra and Derbe. In a synagogue in the city of Antioch in Pisidia, Paul was asked by the rulers to speak to them, and he delivered a lengthy message about God’s Work and the role of Jesus Christ (Acts 13:16-41).

The word spread, and the Gentiles asked Paul to speak to them the next Sabbath (verses 42-43). Verse 44 says: “On the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God.” Notice, Paul spoke to them on the next Sabbath. He did not speak to them on the next day, Sunday, but waited an entire week to preach to them again on the Sabbath. And the entire city knew that Paul kept the Sabbath and that he would preach to them on that day.

This proves that Paul kept the Sabbath long after Jesus’ death and resurrection, and that he did not believe that Jesus had nailed the Sabbath to the cross. It also shows that Paul taught the Gentiles, not just the Jews, on the Sabbath, thereby pointing out that the Sabbath still had to be kept.

The Jews became jealous. They opposed Paul and Barnabas and even though the Gentiles “were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed” (verse 48), the “Jews stirred up the devout and prominent women and the chief men of the city, raised up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region” (verse 50).

Note that they had been “appointed” to eternal life. They had been preordained to be called at that time (Romans 8:28-30). Jesus confirmed that no one can come to Him unless His Father draws them (John 6:44, 65).

They went to Iconium, which was 90 miles away. There they spoke and “a great multitude both of the Jews and of the Greeks believed” (Acts 14:1). They stayed there “a long time”, but again, unbelieving Jews “stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren” (verse 2). Still, Paul and Barnabas spoke boldly, and Christ granted signs and wonders “to be done by their hands” (verse 3). Signs and wonders done by their hands would include miracles of healing through anointing sick persons with oil and the laying on of hands (compare Mark 6:13; 16:18; Acts 28:8).

As the city was divided and a violent attempt was made “by both the Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to abuse and stone them,” they “fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding region” (Acts 14, verses 5-6), where they continued to preach the gospel (verse 7).

In Lystra, Paul healed a cripple who had never walked, but the idolatrous people were about to worship him and Barnabas as pagan gods (Hermes and Zeus) which Paul strongly opposed in a lengthy speech (verses 11-17). His message is timeless and very relevant for us today as well. He said, among other things:

“‘Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them, who in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways. Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness’” (verses 15-17).

Still, “they could scarcely restrain the multitudes from sacrificing to them” (verse 18).

But Jews from Antioch and Iconium came to Lystra to convince the multitude to stone Paul, and they “dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead” (verse 19). However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city” (verse 20). Consider Paul’s boldness. He went right back into the city and to the people who had stoned him, being totally unafraid of them, knowing that God was with him.

From Lystra, Paul and Barnabas departed the next day—not right away—to Derbe (verse 20), where they preached the gospel and many became disciples through their preaching. Paul would later say in the letter to the Romans:

“How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!’” (Romans 10:14-15).

Afterwards, they returned to “Lystra [where Paul had been stoned], Iconium, and Antioch (in Pisidia)” (verse 21). He encouraged and strengthened the brethren, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and it was on that occasion, that Paul’s famous words were uttered, in verse 22: “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.” He later would tell Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:10-12:

“But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra–what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”

They appointed elders with prayer and fasting in every church (Acts 14, verse 23), went again to the city of Perga (where John Mark had left them) and preached there “the word” (verse 25). After that, they returned to Antioch (from which Paul had begun his first missionary journey), and “when they had come and gathered the church together, they reported all that God had done with them, and that He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. So they stayed there a long time with the disciples” (verses 27-28).

God must open doors to His Church to go through them and to fulfill its commission.

Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 16:9:

“For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.”

He added in 2 Corinthians 2:12:

“… I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened to me by the Lord,”

He elaborated in Colossians 4:3-4:

“… praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.”

In Revelation 3:8, 10-11, Christ gives His end-time church the following promise:

“I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name… Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.”

And as we saw above, God must also open doors to individuals, like the “door of faith.”

This ended Paul’s first missionary journey.

(To be continued)

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

Many believe that Jesus just called His disciples randomly, without having known them before. This assumption is false. Christ knew them quite well. This includes His brothers and sisters.

As we explain in detail in part 3 of our free booklet, “Jesus Christ—a Great Mystery,” Jesus had half-brothers and half-sisters through His mother Mary. We read in Matthew 13:53-56 that the Jews said: “Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these parables, that He departed from there. When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, ‘Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is this not the carpenter’s Son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?’”

Christ’s audience knew that He had brothers and sisters. Four brothers are mentioned by name—James; Joses or Joseph; Simon; and Judas or Jude. Notice also that the Jews asked whether ALL His sisters were with them. This seems to strongly indicate that Christ had at least three sisters. If He had only two, the Jews would have said, “Are not His sisters with us?” or, “Are not both of His sisters with us?”

After Christ’s death and resurrection, His half-brothers who had initially not believed in Him, became converted. James became the apostle in Jerusalem. He wrote the letter of James. After his violent death, tradition has it that he was replaced by Christ’s half-brother Simon. [Others claim that James was replaced by Simon, a son of Clopas, see below]. Neither the Bible nor tradition tells us anything about Jesus’ half-brother Joses or Joseph, but the assumption is that he, too, became converted (Acts 1:14; 1 Corinthians 9:5). Jesus’ half-brother Jude or Judas wrote the epistle of Jude, in which he says in verse 1 that he is the brother of James. According to tradition, his grandchildren became leaders in the early Church.

It appears that Christ’s disciples John, who wrote the gospel according to John, the three epistles of John and the Book of Revelation, and his brother James who was later killed by Herod (compare Acts 12:1-2) were in fact Christ’s cousins. To show this, let’s note the following passages describing the women present when Jesus was crucified, and thereafter.

Mark 15:39-41:

“(39) So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, ‘Truly this Man was the Son of God!’ (40) There were also women looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the Less and of Joses, and Salome, (41) who also followed Him and ministered to Him when He was in Galilee…”

Mark 16:1:

“Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him.”

Matthew 27:54-56:

 “(54) So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, ‘Truly this was the Son of God!’ (55) And many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar, (56) among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.”

John 19:25:

“Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.”

There are quite a few women mentioned by name or referred to in those passages. Let us review these passages in detail.

To begin with, Mary Magdalene was no relative of Jesus. There is no indication that there was anything going on between Jesus and Mary Magdalene beyond a strong friendship (some claim incorrectly that they were engaged or married). Undoubtedly, Mary Magdalene had great love and respect for Jesus, which Jesus honored. He appeared to her first after His resurrection (Mark 16:9).

[In passing, another Mary is mentioned in the Bible—the sister of Martha and Lazarus (Luke 10:39). She anointed Christ with oil. She is NOT identical to Mary Magdalene. She is not specifically mentioned at the time of Christ’s crucifixion. Also, another Mary, not present at the crucifixion, was the mother of John Mark (Acts 12:12). John Mark was a nephew or cousin to Barnabas; Mary was the sister of Barnabas (Colossians 4:10). Some feel that this Mark, an Evangelist, wrote the gospel according to Mark, with the help of the Apostle Peter (1 Peter 5:13).  Finally, a Christian woman with the name of Mary is mentioned in Rome (Romans 16:6).]

In John 19:25, Mary the wife of Clopas is mentioned. In the Greek, it says, Mary of Clopas; the word “wife” has been added by the translator. According to Josephus, Mary was the daughter of Clopas, not his wife. Others maintain that she was indeed the wife of Clopas. Some identify this Mary, wife of Clopas, as the sister of Mary, mother of Jesus. They interpret the passage in John 19:25 to mean that “Mary, the wife of Clopas,” defines the phrase, “His mother’s sister.” However, this does not seem to be correct. Rather, John 19:25 lists four women, not just three (Jesus His mother; His mother’s sister; Mary the wife of Clopas; and Mary Magdalene).

Note how other translations render this verse.

The New International Version writes: “Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.”

See also the New American Standard Bible.

The Berean Standard Bible writes: “Near the cross of Jesus stood His mother and her sister, as well as Mary the wife of Clopas and Mary Magdalene.” Similar the German interpretation of “Hoffnung Für Alle” and the Menge Bible: “By the cross of Jesus stood His mother and the sister of His mother, also Mary, the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala.” The annotation reads that the sister was Salome [see below].

The Amplified Bible states: “But standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother, His mother’s sister [Salome], Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.”

The New Bible Commentary Revised states: “It seems most reasonable to suppose that there were two pairs, in which case Salome was Mary’s sister and Mary the wife of Clopas was mother of James of Alphaeus.” The Commentary of the Holy Bible, edited by Dummelow, agrees, stating: “Translate, therefore, ‘His mother and His mother’s sister (i.e. Salome, the mother of the evangelists) and Mary, the daughter of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala.”

Clopas is perhaps mentioned by name in Luke 24:18, where we read: “Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, ‘Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?’” He was one of the two disciples who travelled to the village of Emmaus. On their way, the resurrected Christ appeared to them, but they did not recognize Him at first, as their eyes were “restrained.”

According to Josephus, Clopas was a brother of Joseph, the stepfather of Jesus, and therefore the brother-in-law of Mary, the mother of Jesus.

Note that “Mary of Clopas,” the mother of James (the Less or the Younger; Mark 15:40) and Joses or Joseph, was a different Mary than Mary, the mother of James and John.  As mentioned, she was either the wife or the daughter of Clopas. If she was Clopas’ wife, then she was also the sister-in-law of Mary, mother of Jesus. If she was the daughter of Clopas, then Mary, the mother of Jesus, would have been her aunt. In any event, Jesus would have been related to them as well. James the Younger, also known as James the Less, was one of the twelve apostles. In Mark 3:18, he is identified as James, the son of Alphaeus. He is called less or little to distinguish him from the Apostle James, the brother of John, and because he might have been little in stature, or he might have been younger than the Apostle James, the brother of John.

What about Salome? Was she indeed the mother of the sons of Zebedee (James and John)? Was she also called Mary? Was she the sister of Jesus’ mother? As we already saw from some quotations above, Salome (Mark 16:1) is in fact viewed as being identical with the sister of Mary in John 19:25 AND with the wife of Zebedee and the mother of the sons of Zebedee, James and John, the “Sons of Thunder” (Matthew 27:56; Matthew 10:2; compare Mark 3:17).

We stated this in Part 1 of our Q&A about the history of Christ: 

“In December of 27 AD, Christ chose some of His disciples (Matthew 4:18-22). It is quite possible that James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were cousins of Christ [as Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, was probably a cousin of Mary; Luke 1:36 [so the Authorized Version. Many renditions say: “your relative”]. This means that Mary, the mother of Jesus, and Mary, the mother of James and John, also called Salome, would have been sisters. Also, it has been suggested that Mary and Joseph were cousins.”

Since Salome or Mary, the wife of Zebedee, and Mary, the mother of Jesus, would have been sisters, James and John would have been Christ’s cousins. This close family connection would shed light on Salome’s [inappropriate] request to have her two sons sit at Jesus’ right and left hand in His Kingdom (Mark 10:35-37). It would also shed light on the fact that Jesus asked John, His cousin, to take care of His mother Mary (John 19:26-27). Because of humility, John does not name himself in this passage but identifies himself by saying, “the disciple whom He [Christ] loved”. Compare John 13:23. James and Jude act similarly when they speak about themselves as “a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ” (James 1:1) or as “a servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James” (Jude 1), rather than saying “brother of Jesus Christ.”

In 2 John, the Apostle John might in fact reveal His relationship with Mary, the mother of Jesus. In 2 John 1, he addresses his letter to the “elect lady and her children.” In verse 13, he states: “The children of your elect sister greet you.” Some claim that John wrote in verse 1 to Mary, the mother of Jesus, calling her “the elect lady.” And that he addressed in verse 13 Salome or Mary, the mother of James and John, calling her “the elect sister” of the “elect lady.” The reference in verse 1 to Mary’s children could refer to Christ’s half-brothers and half-sisters; and the reference to the children of Salome in verse 13 could be to John himself (James was already dead by that time), and perhaps other unnamed children Salome might have had, including perhaps daughters.

James, the brother of John, was killed in 43 AD, as described in Acts 12:1-3: “Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread.”

James, the half-brother of Jesus, was killed later, in 62 AD. He was thrown from a high pinnacle of the Temple, but did not die from the fall, and was then stoned and beaten to death with a club.

Finally, another interesting family relationship can be seen, when considering Joseph of Arimathea. We said in our above-mentioned Q&A:

“We don’t read much about the time of Christ’s youth (except for Jesus being in the temple at the age of 12), until He was baptized by John. But He was called a Nazarene (Matthew 2:23), suggesting that He grew up and lived in Nazareth for most of His life. He is also referred to constantly as Jesus of Nazareth.  However, there are credible reports that He might have accompanied His [or His mother Mary’s] uncle, Joseph of Arimathea, on his travels. His uncle [or great-uncle] was allegedly in the tin trading business, and might have reached England during his travels.”

So we see that in the New Testament, many leading disciples and apostles were, in one way or another, related to Christ. Christ did not randomly choose them, without having known them before. As their relative, He was intimately familiar with many of them. Of course, God knew all of them before the foundation of the world, and decided to call them at the time when Jesus was here on earth as a Man. But the fact still remains that Jesus knew many of them, having had contact with them as their relative, before He selected them.

When you are chosen by God today, He is—and has been—intimately familiar with you. Your calling is not the result of an accident or a product of time and chance. God knew you long before you were born. He called you in this day and age for a reason. You need to figure out what that specific reason is.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link