The Holy Great Rulers Constantine (337) and Helen (330), Equals-to-the-Apostles
Acts 15:35-41; Acts 26:1-5, 12-20; John 10:27-38; John 10:1-8
Polyeleos Feast
Read Acts 15:35-41
Christ is risen! Truly, He is risen!
We see an important reminder about the reality of the apostles in our reading today. Namely, that they are in fact human beings! After reading about the amazing miracles and great escapes we see that the apostles have disagreements just like the rest of us.
Barnabas and Paul have a disagreement over taking John Mark, Barnabas’ cousin, along with them John had previously shrunk from the mission earlier, returning to Jerusalem instead (13:13). The disagreement was “sharp” or angry between the two brother apostles and they needed to go separate ways. Sharp disagreements among Christian brothers and sisters can be detrimental to the witness of the gospel if tensions are left to simmer, however, we can take comfort in the fact that both these disciples continued the work of the Lord in His Vineyard which has many different sections needing care and pastoral work. Instead of letting the disagreement grow and fester, they planned to continue the good work but separately.
St. John Chrysostom writes:
The point is not that they differed in their opinions but that they accommodated themselves to each other. Thus a greater good resulted from their parting, for which this provided an excuse. What then? Did they withdraw in enmity? God forbid! Recall how after this Barnabas received much praise from Paul in his epistles. “There arose,” it says, “a sharp contention,” not hatred or rivalry. The contention grew so great that it parted them. For what each supposed was advantageous, this he did not admit after this because of his association with the other. I think that the parting took place advisedly and that they said to each other, “Since I wish to, but you do not, let us distribute the places so that we should not fight.” Therefore it was because they yielded to each other that they parted. For Barnabas wanted Paul to prevail and so withdrew. Likewise Paul wanted Barnabas to prevail and he, too, withdrew. Would that we should part such partings to go forth for preaching. “Paul,” it says, “chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord.” A wonderful man is he, and very great! (Homilies on the Acts of the Apostles, 34.5)