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What Happened to Barsabbas After Not Being Chosen?
What Happened to Barsabbas After Not Being Chosen?
After Barsabbas is not chosen to be an apostle, what happens to him (Acts 1:23-26)? If I am correct in making the following connections, we have much to learn from Barsabbas.
First, let’s notice this man’s names: Joseph, Barsabbas, Justus. Barsabbas means, “Son of the Sabbath” (Acts 1:23).
Second, did you know this Barsabbas was not the only Barsabbas? In Acts 15:22 there is a brother named “Judas, called Barsabbas”. He is chosen to accompany Paul and Barnabas. Judas, called Barsabbas, is also a prophet (Acts 15:32).
Third, there is another Joseph whose nickname is Barnabas (Acts 4:36). Barnabas means “Son of Encouragement”. He got this nickname from the apostles. That means, he was not known by this prior to the apostles naming him. Considering Jesus gave nicknames to the apostles, it is likely Joseph received his nickname after Jesus’ ascension because it was given by the apostles and not Jesus.
So, what does this have to do with what happened to Barsabbas?
• FACT: We have two men named Joseph.
• FACT: We have two men named Joseph with similar nicknames. Both begin with “bar” meaning “son”.
• FACT: We have two men named Joseph who are associated with the apostles.
It has been hypothesized (fancy word for guessed) that most likely Barsabbas is…Barnabas. Notice how all the above fits together:
• FACT: Joseph is called Barsabbas
• FACT: Joseph, Barsabbas, is not chosen to be part of the apostles.
• FACT: Joseph is called Barnabas by the apostles.
What would prompt the apostles naming Joseph, “Barnabas”? If I am correct in this inference, it would be how Joseph Barsabbas acted and handled himself after not being chosen. Picture this, Matthias is chosen. Barsabbas encourages him. Then Barsabbas encourages the apostles. And so on. No sulking. No sabotaging the church. Just encouragement.
After all this, this same man goes on to encourage the church in Jerusalem to accept another apostle, Paul (Acts 9:26-27).
If Barsabbas is Barnabas, notice how much God used him after not being chosen.
• He is sent by the church in Jerusalem to encourage new believers in Antioch (Acts 11:19-24).
• He is chosen by the Holy Spirit, along with Paul, for preaching journeys (Acts 13:2).
• He is called an “apostle” in Acts 14:14. Is this a general “apostle” sent out by a church or a special apostle now part of the 12?
If there is not too much surmising in this thought exercise, what great, spiritual, lessons we can learn from this man! If someone is not chosen, for example as an elder, how he acts afterwards is what says most about him. How Barsabbas acted after not being chosen could have led to a new nickname – Barsabbas becomes Barnabas, “Son of Encouragement”.
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