You need to keep in mind that Paul was an apostle and that Barnabas was also an apostle when he went out with Paul. In the Bible, just as I said a few days ago, there is no chief apostle. There is no position of a chief apostle. But in the Bible we can see clearly that some take the lead among the apostles.
Romans 16 implies this thought. That chapter clearly states that Andronicus and Junia were notable among the apostles. Some are especially notable among the apostles, and others are not.
Among the twelve apostles it was apparent that Peter was taking the lead. The twelve apostles did not stand up at Pentecost at the same time. Peter stood up first; then the eleven apostles stood up together with him. You need to pay attention to the order in the Word of God. A great multitude came to Jerusalem during Pentecost. When they heard the sound out of heaven, they were surprised. Wondering what it was, they all gathered at the place where the apostles were. The Bible recorded that Peter standing up together with the eleven, lifted up his voice to speak. Peter stood up, and the eleven apostles stood up with him. Peter was the one who lifted up his voice to speak. Among these twelve, there was spontaneously a leading one.
In the record of Acts 3, the Spirit of God placed Peter’s name first when describing Peter and John going up together to the temple. Though the beggar saw both Peter and John, Peter’s name always appears first. Both Peter and John together gazed at the beggar, but Peter spoke, not John. Later, Peter healed him, not John. At Solomon’s porch Peter opened his mouth to preach, not John. Please remember that it was Peter who preached in chapter two, even though the eleven apostles were also standing there. The preaching in chapter three was also by Peter.
In chapter five it was Peter who dealt with the incident involving Ananias and Sapphira. Therefore, Peter took the lead all the way, even though the other apostles fellowshipped with God, communed before God, and labored together in oneness.
In chapter five, when the apostles were put in prison and then taken out to be judged, “Peter and the apostles answered and said, It is necessary to obey God rather than men” (v. 29). Again it was Peter who spoke. Even if they were all speaking, the Bible specifically says, “Peter and the apostles answered and said.” I want you to read all these portions, and then you can see that the first section in Acts pays special attention to the matter of Peter being in the forefront.
Later, a great persecution occurred in Jerusalem, and the disciples were all scattered abroad. They went about preaching the gospel, and some Samaritans received the Lord’s word. When the church in Jerusalem heard this and sent out workers to them, it was again Peter and John who went together. Up to this point, it was still Peter who took the lead.
Acts 10, concerning the events at the house of Cornelius, is a portion of the Word with which we are more familiar. Even though there were twelve apostles, only Peter was sought for. God’s vision was also given to Peter. Later, we see that Peter took some brothers with him from Joppa, but the names of these brothers were not mentioned in the Bible.
Therefore, up to the point of Cornelius’s house in Acts 10, God’s way among the workers in Jerusalem was always that there was one who took the lead, and we can clearly see that this one was Peter.
Following this, the gospel was spreading in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria, and we see the conversion of Saul. Because the brothers in Jerusalem suffered persecution, some went to different places. Many people in these places believed in the word of the Lord. Therefore, the church in Jerusalem sent out another person, Barnabas, to go out and visit them. He went as far as Antioch. Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. When he arrived at Antioch, he helped the church in Antioch. After a period of time, Barnabas heard about Saul, and he went to Tarsus to seek for Saul and brought him to Antioch. Then Barnabas spent a whole year in Antioch. Barnabas did not have official duties in Jerusalem. That is why he could live outside of Jerusalem for a year. He did not have to return to Jerusalem like Peter or John, because he was not an elder in Jerusalem. We can say that, within this year, Saul received edification from Barnabas.
After a period of time, due to a great famine, the brothers in Judea became quite poor and suffered greatly. The brothers in Antioch sent money to the elders in Jerusalem through Barnabas and Saul. Because the money was for local use, it was sent to the elders instead of the apostles.
Later, several prophets and teachers were raised up in the church in Antioch. Barnabas was one of them, and Saul was also one of them. Then the Holy Spirit ordered that Barnabas and Saul be set apart to be apostles and sent out to work.
Up to this point, Barnabas was in the forefront. It was Barnabas who established the church in Antioch. The church in Antioch was not established by Saul. It was Barnabas who came down from Jerusalem to establish the church in Antioch. When the church in Antioch sent money to Jerusalem, they sent it through Barnabas and Saul. Saul was the one who followed. When the Holy Spirit came to send people out to work from among the prophets and teachers, the Scripture says, “The Holy Spirit said, Set apart for Me now Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them” (Acts 13:2). Barnabas was still in the forefront.