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These small group Bible studies of Acts 15:22-41 contain commentary, discussion questions, and practical application.  Visit our library of inductive Bible studies for more in depth inductive studies on this and other books of the Bible you can use in your small group.

Acts 15:22-41 Bible Study Guide – Paul and Barnabas Split – Learning About Unity

Outline

I. The Council’s Letter to the Gentiles (22-35)
II. Tension between Paul and Barnabas (36-41)

I. The Council’s Letter to the Gentiles (22-35)

Discussion Questions

• What action point did the Jerusalem Council decide to take?
• Why was this important?
• What was the purpose of their letter?
• Why did they send Judas and Silas instead of allowing Paul to take the letter?
• What can we learn from this passage about good communication?
• What decision was relayed to the Gentiles through this letter?
• How did the believers in Antioch respond to the letter?
• What can we learn from verse 32 about Judas and Silas?
• What are some practical ways you can be a better communicator?
• How can you encourage the believers around you?

Cross-References

Galatians 1:7-8 – But there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.

Revelation 2:29 – He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

1 Corinthians 8:13 – Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 – Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

Verse by Verse Commentary

1. The council takes action –

The council decided to write a letter to the Gentiles with their decision. In addition, they appointed two messengers from Jerusalem to go with Paul and Barnabas. These men were to go to reinforce the written letter with their presence and verbal encouragement.

Acts 15:27 – We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth.

Troublemakers had gone out from Jerusalem, without authorization of the leaders there, to stir up trouble among the Gentiles.

Acts 15:24 – Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions.

The decision that they made needed to be communicated clearly to the Gentiles so everybody would be on the same page moving forward.

2. Good communication –

The council understood the importance of good communication. Unauthorized communication from non-representatives had made a mess. Now the leaders in Jerusalem were essentially cleaning up the mess.

They needed to clearly communicate the decision made to the Gentile church. This would be an encouragement to the Gentiles as they were welcomed into the body. In addition, it would be a reminder to them to avoid certain practices that might cause disunity and division.

Reflect – What can you learn about good communication from this passage?

The letter contained the simple decision which had been made and a few words. The messengers with the letter would share more. So they combined an objective written record with face-to-face encouragement. Also, they gathered everyone together to deliver the letter so that no one would miss out on the message.

Leadership teams can learn from this of the importance of clearly communicating decisions to those they serve.

Reflect – How are your communication skills? In what area do you need to grow?

3. It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and us –

This statement is a reminder that the Holy Spirit is the one in charge. Their role, and ours, is to get line and follow.

4. The requirements laid on the Gentile church –

Four requirements were given.

• Abstain from things polluted by idols.
• Abstain from sexual immorality.
• Abstain from strangled things.
• Abstain from blood.

For more on the reasoning behind these, see the commentary on Acts 15:1-21.

5. The people rejoiced –

The Gentiles were encouraged. They would not be required to keep the Old Testament law. They were not second-class Christians.

6. Judas and Silas encourage and strengthen the believers –

Silas would become a close teammate of Paul. These two brothers had the gift of prophecy. They use this gift to strengthen the church.

Acts 15:32 – And Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many words.

They didn’t do the minimum. They didn’t hand the letter over and say, “Adios!” These faithful men discerned that there was an opportunity to build up the believers there. It could be that they felt a bit excluded or discouraged due to the opposition of the false teaching they had been exposed to. Perhaps they were a bit down.

In taking time to encourage the believers, they were following Jesus’ example of compassion.

Matthew 12:20 – A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory

Do we actively look for opportunities to encourage the brethren like they did? Words can be a powerful force, either for bad or good.

Let us use our words to build up.

Ephesians 4:29 – Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

Which is easier, to build or tear down?

Tearing down is much easier. These kinds of words are our old self kind of words. We often say them naturally without thinking.

To build something, we need to put thought and care into it.

Hebrews 10:24 says to “Consider how to spur on another on toward love and good deeds.”

You need to proactively plan out what kinds of words will build up the people around you. You need to study and learn them. You need to think over past experiences. Consider what types of words will motivate them and build them up.

What does your daughter need to hear to help her overcome being preoccupied with her image?

What does your son need to hear to help him overcome spending too much time on video games?

What does your wife need to hear to help her practice patience and kindness with her mother?

What does your husband need to hear to help encourage him to take more responsibility in leading the family in devotions?

What does the brother or sister in church need to hear to help encourage them to serve?

Reflect – Who in your church or community may need to be encouraged?

II. Tension between Paul and Barnabas (36-41)

Discussion Questions

• Why did Paul and Barnabas have a disagreement?
• How did they handle it?
• What does Barnabas’ response show us about his character?
• What does Paul’s response show us about his character?
• How should they have handled it?
• Who was “right” in this situation?
• What can we learn about team and unity from this event?
• Is splitting ever the right decision?
• What Biblical principles can help us when we have disagreements with other believers?
• What practical ways can we work to maintain unity with a team of Christian co-workers?

Cross-References

Acts 13:13 – Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem.

Colossians 4:10 – Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions—if he comes to you, welcome him).

2 Timothy 4:11 – Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry.

Colossians 3:13-14 – Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

Psalms 133:1 – Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!

Verse by Verse Commentary

What lessons can we take from this event?

A. Scripture does not sugarcoat its heroes –

Many ancient texts read like political propaganda. If you read Babylonian, Persian, or Assyrian historical texts they often magnify the greatness of their leaders and present them as perfect, even as gods. The Bible does not do this. The flaws of its heroes are not glossed over. It is from the Bible that we know the following.

• Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s one restriction.
• Abraham lied multiple times to save his skin.
• Moses murdered an Egyptian.
• Samson was a womanizer.
• Samuel, Eli, and David were poor fathers.
• David was an adulterer and a murderer.
• Solomon was a womanizer.
• Jehosophat made foolish alliances.
• Hezekiah pridefully showed off Jerusalem’s treasures.
• Peter denied Jesus three times.
• Paul and Barnabas, two brothers who risked their lives to serve together, disagreed to the point of dividing.

What do we learn from Scripture’s brutal honesty?

a. It is credible. This is evidence that the Bible is inspired by God. People will not normally write so clearly about their own flaws. The Bible is not political propaganda. It is true.

b. God is the star of the show. He is forgiving. He is in the business of saving sinners.

c. These stories give us hope. God can and does use flawed people like you and me.

B. Godly people sometimes disagree –

Paul and Barnabas were faithful and godly. They had ministered closely together for many years. As travel companions, they had faced many hardships. They had often risked their lives for the Lord.

But here they disagree. Their unique personalities and backgrounds caused them to see this situation differently. It was a grey area where they could find no black and white answer from the Bible. There is no record of the Holy Spirit revealing what to do to either of them. That doesn’t mean the Holy Spirit was silent. It could be that one of them was not listening or it could be that both were doing what God wanted them to (see below D below).

Scripture does not always tell us exactly what to do in every situation. There are principles that can guide us, but sometimes even these principles can appear to point us in different directions.

Application – If even Barnabas and Paul disagreed, we should expect that disagreement may come into our Christian team as well. When it does, don’t be shocked. God created each of us differently and we have different experiences, backgrounds, strengths, weaknesses, and perspectives. When those disagreements come, let’s humble ourselves and deal with it graciously and biblically.

C. Godly people sometimes fail –

It is not stated that either Paul or Barnabas was in sin. Scripture tells us that there was a strong disagreement. It does not tell us who was right or even if they both were. Yet it is possible that pride was involved. It is also possible that one or both of these revered missionaries had fault. If so, we should not be surprised.

James 3:2 – For we all stumble in many ways.

Paul and Barnabas, as faithful as they were, were not perfect. They were flesh and blood like you and me. Throughout Scripture, we see that even godly believers stumble and make mistakes. Their stories are actually an encouragement to us. They are a reminder that God’s grace is sufficient. God does not cast us aside the moment we fall short. Neither does He say, “I will only use a perfect instrument.” God graciously uses us as His tools even with our weaknesses. As He uses us, He grows and refines us. The shortcomings of believers highlight God’s grace.

Applications – Do not set your hope on people or raise them up on a pedestal. There are no perfect saints. We are all flesh and blood. While we do respect God’s workers, the failings of a fellow believer should not shatter our faith. In the end, our faith is in God and not people.

Secondly, show grace to other believers who have fallen short. That is what God has done for us.

Thirdly, if you stumble and fall, get up and serve God again.

Proverbs 24:16 – For the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity.

D. Not all apparent failures are failures –

Was Paul right or was Barnabas right?

Scripture does not directly tell us. We do know that Paul and Mark eventually reconciled (Colossians 4:10, 2 Timothy 4:11). This tells us that Mark was not a lost cause. Evidently, he grew. He grew so much that Paul would later say that Mark was “very useful to me” (2 Timothy 4:11). From this, it would appear that Barnabas accurately discerned something useful in Mark and was right to not give up on him. However, we can step back to consider why each of them may have come to the conclusion that they did.

Barnabas – The very name “Barnabas” means “Son of Encouragement.” He was given this name by the apostles because of his encouragement toward other believers. Barnabas was very good at building people up. He was very good at seeing positive things in others and reinforcing that, even when others didn’t see it. Barnabas was the first one to reach out and welcome Paul, later introducing him and putting in a good word for him to the church. Later, Barnabas would also go and find Paul and bring him to minister at Antioch. This is a man who is a great mentor. He was very gifted at building people up. It seems that he always looked on the bright side and saw the strengths of people and what they could become by God’s grace.

We can learn a lot from the way Barnabas comes alongside and encourages people, helping them reach their full potential in Christ.

Paul – Paul was an apostle. He had been through many hardships doing frontier evangelism. Paul pioneered the concept of mission teams. He knew how important it was to have dedicated, loyal, and faithful team members who could be counted on in the face of extreme hardships and persecution. Paul wanted to ensure that the team he took was strong and able to keep going in the face of difficulties.

It wasn’t like doing ministry today where if one team member doesn’t work out, they can just take a flight back home. There were months of travel by foot and by boat. If a team member quit in the middle, it would be dangerous for him and the team. Finding a replacement would be difficult. Wanting to take someone that could be relied upon through thick and thin, Paul refused to try Mark again, since Mark had already failed once. As team leader, he was responsible for the actions of his team.

We can learn from Paul the importance of faithfulness, loyalty, and assembling strong teams. He also demonstrates how important it is to take the responsibility of being a team leader seriously.

Reflect – What decision would you have made and why?

E. God had a purpose in this –

God is sovereign. Throughout Acts, we see that the Holy Spirit is orchestrating everything to build the church. He was also using this split between Barnabas and Paul.

Here are some of the positive results we see:

• Two mission teams went out instead of one. Thus, there was multiplication and the gospel went out to more places. They covered more ground.
• Under Barnabas’ mentorship, Mark grew and matured. Later he was accepted back as a “very useful” team member. Not to mention, he wrote the Gospel of Mark!
• Paul selected Silas to go with him. Silas proved to be an excellent companion. His mission trip was ultimately very successful.

There are many other results that we don’t see. God doesn’t always tell us His purposes, but He is always working.

F. Pursue love and faithfulness in the midst of disagreement –

There is an application point for us. Division can easily creep into the church and we need to guard against it. We are called to diligently work on maintaining unity. Paul himself gives many character qualities that are essential to keep that unity.

Ephesians 4:1-3 – I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Jesus also taught that if you have anything against your brother, you should go to him and solve it, which is even more important than sacrificing in the temple (Matthew 5:23).

It may be that no matter how hard you try, you cannot immediately solve the disagreement and go forward together in unity. Paul also told us how to handle these situations.

Romans 12:18 – If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.

As far as it depends on you, live peaceably with each other. Humbly seek God’s will. If you are living to please God, there will be times when others reject you or disagree. Don’t sweat it too much. Live for God’s approval and not man’s.