BIBLE STUDY LESSON 01

SERIES V --- JOURNEYS FOR YESHUA

MOSHIACHIANITY SPREADS

THE FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY: CYPRUS

From Acts 13:1-12

At Antioch, a number of believers banded together to form what quickly became one of the leading churches, filled with an earnest desire to spread the Good News. Saul worshiped there, as well as such other well-known prophets and teachers as Barnabas; Simeon, who was also called {the Black Man;} Lucius, from Cyrene; and Manaen, who had grown up in the same household with Herod the tetrarch. Ruach HaKodesh spoke to these men as they fasted and prayed together. [Consecrate Barnabas and Saul for a work I have called them to do,] Ruach HaKodesh told them. After praying and fasting again, the men consecrated Saul and Barnabas for the Adonai’s work, placing their hands upon them. Then they sent them out to do what the Adonai wanted. Ruach HaKodesh soon made it clear to Saul and Barnabas that they were to leave on a missionary journey to foreign lands. Their first stop was Seleucia, the seaport for Antioch. From there they sailed to Cyprus, taking with them a young man named John Mark. After preaching at the Jewish synagogues at Salamis, the three crossed the island toward the west, arriving one day at Paphos, where the governor lived. The governor, a very intelligent man named Sergius Paulus, summoned Saul and Barnabas so that he might listen to them share the Word of YHVH. But a sorcerer named Bar-Yeshua, who was also called by his Greek name Elymas, was there, urging the governor to ignore what the missionaries said. Saul, who was also now called Paul, filled with Ruach HaKodesh, looked angrily at him. [You are a son of the devil and an enemy of righteousness,] he said sternly. [You are filled with deceit and evil. Adonai will strike you blind at this time. Perhaps that will stop you from turning people away from Him,] As soon as Paul had said that, the man became blind, and he pleaded for someone to lead him away. When the governor saw this happen, he believed, for he was amazed at what the Adonai had done.

COMMENTARY

PAUL’S FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY

The church in Antioch sent out Paul and Barnabas as missionaries to the Gentiles. With John Mark, Barnabas’ cousin, they set sail from Seleucia. Their first stop was at Salamis, on the eastern edge of Cyprus. Working their way across the island, they reached the capital city of Paphos. Boarding another ship, they crossed the Pamphylian Sea to the Bay of Attalia, arriving in the city of Perga. There John Mark left and returned home. Paul and Barnabas went on to Antioch in Pisidia. They preached the Gospel on the Shabbat and were persecuted by the Jews until they were forced to leave. Crossing the district border of Lycaonia, they came to the city of Iconium. Again, they were driven away by the Jews. They moved on to Lystra, arriving finally in Derbe. There they turned around and went back to the port of Attalia. Setting sail once more, they returned to their starting point in Antioch.