9. Первое путешествие апостола Павла (45–49 гг. по Р. X.)

Barnabas and Saul began their apostolic preaching from the island of Cyprus. Cyprus was the birthplace of Barnabas. Here they started their journey from Salamis and reached Paphos, that is, they walked the entire island. The Roman proconsul Sergius Paulus, a wise man, lived in Paphos. He wanted to hear the preaching of the apostles, but the Jewish sorcerer Elimas prevented its success. Then Saul, who is also Paul, struck Elymas with blindness, and Sergius Paul believed the teaching of the Lord. From now on, Saul is called more like Paul and takes precedence over Barnabas 15. From the island of Cyprus the apostles went to Asia Minor. At the beginning of this new path, Barnabas' nephew Mark left the apostles and returned to Jerusalem. The apostles reached Antioch, the main city in the Pisidian region. The sermon of the apostles in Antioch gives an idea of ​​how favorable conditions were prepared in advance for it by the Providence of God and how for the most part it was carried out. There was a Jewish colony and a synagogue in it. The apostles could find shelter among their fellow countrymen and began preaching in the synagogue. Paul preached and made a strong impression on those who heard. Many of the Jews and proselytes believed. The rumor about new preachers spread throughout the city, and the next Saturday almost the entire city gathered in the synagogue to listen to the word of God. Some of the Jews, out of envy of the great apostle, began to contradict him and stir up the people against him. Then the apostles boldly denounced their opponents and told them: “You should have been the first to preach the word of God; but since you reject it and make yourselves unworthy of eternal life, then we turn to the pagans.” The pagans, hearing this, rejoiced and glorified the word of the Lord; and it spread throughout the country. The Jews, inciting the pious and respectable women and the leading people in the city, launched a persecution against Paul and Barnabas and expelled them from their borders. But the seeds of faith in that country had already been sown. From Antioch the apostles went to Iconium. Here also they preached in the synagogue, converted many Jews and Greeks to the faith, and also some of the unbelieving Jews rebelled against the apostles and stirred up the pagans. Things got to the point that unbelieving Jews and pagans with their leaders rushed at the apostles to shame them and stone them. Having learned about this, the apostles withdrew to the Lycaonian city of Lystra. In Lystra, a certain man who had not been able to use his legs since birth listened with special attention to Paul’s sermon. When Paul saw that he had faith to be healed, Paul commanded him to stand up in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the lame man immediately stood up and began to walk. Superstitious pagans, seeing this miracle, mistook the apostles for gods: Paul for Mercury (according to mythology - the messenger of the will of the gods), Barnabas for Jupiter, and immediately a priest appeared with oxen and wreaths to offer them a sacrifice together with the people. Hearing about this, the apostles tore their clothes and, rushing among the people, exclaimed: “Men! What are you doing? We are people like you and we preach the gospel so that you turn from these false (gods) to the living God.” They could hardly stop the people and convince them to disperse. Meanwhile, Jews hostile to the apostles came from Antioch and incited the people against Paul. They stoned the apostle and, dragging him out of the city, considered him already dead, but, with God's help, he got up and returned to the city, and the next day he and Barnabas set off further. Having preached the faith in Derbe and acquired quite a few disciples, the apostles courageously set out on their way back through the same cities where they preached the faith and suffered persecution, in order to encourage and strengthen the newly converted Christians in the faith. In each Church they founded, the apostles ordained elders, who were entrusted with shepherding the Church of Christ and spreading the faith. This was the second sacred degree. The name “presbyter” (meaning “eldest”) shows that the apostles elected elders to this position, either by age or by time of conversion, as more experienced and reliable, so that they could be leaders of others. Finally, without visiting the island of Cyprus, the apostles returned to Syrian Antioch. – It can be assumed that the fullness and power of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, revealed by Paul in the appeal of the Roman proconsul, indicated in him the chief apostle of the languages ​​and placed him above Barnabas. He adopted the name Paul either in grateful remembrance of this great success of preaching, or according to the meaning of this word, which favored the great humility of the supreme apostle (parvus - small); According to some, he had this Roman name before, only he did not use it among the Jews, but began to use it after he finally entered the field of preaching to the pagans. You might be interested in: