"(touching whom ye received commandments; if he come to you, receive him)" Colossians 4:10

INSPIRED PARENTHESES (27) "(touching whom ye received commandments; if he come to you, receive him)"
Colossians 4:10

SINCE Paul felt it necessary not merely to commend John Mark but to command the Colossians to receive him, those Christians must have had some questions about him. And no wonder! Here was the man who had caused such a sad disagreement between the great apostles, Barnabas and Paul. He had left them and let them down at Pamphylia (Acts 13:13), preferring to return to his mother's home where he had seen such a sensational answer to prayer (Acts 12:12), rather than to press on into the harsh demands of the apostles' journey into Pisidia.

ALTHOUGH he left the work, he did not leave the Lord, so that when the apostles discussed a return visit to the area where Mark had deserted them, his relative, Barnabas, was prepared to give him another chance. Paul said "No" and, being Paul, he said it very emphatically. So the Scriptures record a "sharp contention" between those great men of God. They parted company, apparently never to work together again.

IT is tempting to take sides. Paul, whom we usually trust, had the church to back him, so we imagine that he was right. On the other hand, Mark evidently made good and became a prominent worker in the gospel, so we may argue that Barnabas was right to give him the second chance. Was Paul right to say "No", or was Barnabas right to stick to his proposal?

I SUGGEST that (as is sometimes the case) both men were right. If Paul had not shaken Mark to his foundations by rejecting him, he might never have made good as he did. Alternatively, if Barnabas had not given the young man some encouragement, he might have succumbed to despair. Once again, then, we are faced with an instance of the marvellous ability of our all-wise God to deal with the weaknesses of His servants and even turn them to His own account for the good of all concerned.

IT is true that we hear no more of Barnabas, but that does not signify much, for the same could be said of most of the other apostles. It is clear that in the person of Silas, Paul gained a most trustworthy and appreciated colleague. What is more, it is evident that Paul himself came to appreciate Mark's worth, for he not only commanded the Colossians to receive him but went out of his way to ask for his presence and help as a useful fellow-worker (2 Timothy 4:11). Would that every story of disagreements had such a happy ending!

----------------