The contention between Paul and Barnabas over what to do with John Mark came to a climax, and to human eyes, it had a sad ending. We are surprised at what happened, shocked even. Not only had there been a “sharp contention” between these two men of God, but it had ended with them separating, as far as being co-laborers on the mission-field was concerned. Paul went to Cilicia with Silas, and Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus.

The question is often asked, “Who was right and who was wrong, Paul or Barnabas?” Only God, who knows the hearts of all men, is competent to answer this question. However, Paul, deeply burdened for the expansion of the gospel among the Gentiles, could not afford unreliability in his own team. Following this incident, he was “commended by the brethren” for this new missionary trip—so they certainly thought Paul was in the current of the Lord’s mind. And Paul’s new assistant, Silas, a Gentile, would be suited for that work, more so than Barnabas.

The determination of Barnabas to take John Mark (15:37) may have been a mistake on his part. Perhaps in exercising his gift of encouragement, he overstepped and missed God’s mind on that occasion. After this event, Barnabas disappears from the historical record in Acts; this too, has a voice. However, as it has been said, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts.” Paul was correct that it was not God’s mind to take Mark with them, but that is not the whole story. Barnabas, the honored servant of God, was not wrong about John Mark; his future usefulness in the kingdom of God would be fully verified!