Saint Barnabas, while not named as an apostle by Jesus, was nevertheless one of the earliest apostles and martyrs of the new Church. His faith and missionary work were as tireless as any of the other apostles and led to his martyrdom. His support of Paul, who was also later named a saint, had a lasting effect not only on the missionary work of the time, but on the very formation of the Church.
Birth, Family Circumstances, and Early Life of Barnabas
Barnabas was born as Joses Justus. He was born on the island of Cyprus to a Jewish family descended from the tribe of Levi. Due to his status as a Levite, which the priestly caste, he probably spent a good part of his early life in Jerusalem, the very center of Jewish life. A cousin- or other close relation- of the apostle John Mark, it is very likely his family maintained some sort of home in Jerusalem.
The circumstances of his conversion to Christianity are not known, but the effects are. He sold his property immediately, as did many early disciples and apostles, and gave the funds to the Apostles in Jerusalem. Likewise, his very early missionary works and preaching are not known in detail, but his acts were enough to capture the attention of the other apostles, who admired his preaching ability.
Barnabas' Support of Saint Paul
Paul, formerly Saul, had been one of the most dedicated prosecutors of the early Church. His conversion, while genuine, naturally caused suspicion among the people of the early Church that were in Jerusalem. Barnabas sponsored Paul, resulting in Paul being accepted by the other apostles. This sponsorship and the apostle's acceptance of Paul would have a lasting effect on the Church and Christianity. Saint Paul's writings, among them the four Epistles, would become the foundation of some of the central beliefs of the Church. Barnabas would have been remembered merely for his sponsorship of Saint Paul, even if he had not gone on to greater works.
Missionary Work of Barnabas
The exact order of Barnabas' missionary journeys are not important compared to the results of those journeys. Barnabas preached in Jerusalem, Antioch, Syria, Cyprus, Perga, and Iconium in present-day Turkey. Legend also holds that he preached in both Rome and Alexandria, two of the greatest centers of population at the time, and that he founded the Church in Cyprus. Though he preached to all, Barnabas had a reputation for converting many Gentiles to the faith. Despite his missionary work, it is unlikely that he was actually the author of either the epistle of Barnabas or the gospel of Barnabas, both apocryphal works.
Death and Sainthood of Barnabas
Legend has Barnabas being stoned to death in A.D. 61 at Salamis, Greece, though the year of his death is not certain. His feast day is celebrated on June 11. Saint Barnabas is the patron saint of both missionary labors and weavers, along with the locations of Florence and Milan.
Saint Barnabas Ranked with the Twelve
Saint Barnabas was ranked with the Twelve Apostles by the early Church, a demonstration of the great sacrifices made by him. While not many details of his life survive, as is true with many of the early Christian saints, what is known shows a man of great character and faith. Saint Barnabas' life can perhaps be defined best by Saint Peter's own words, which characterized Barnabas as "a good man, full of the Holy Ghost and of faith" (Paul, 2009).
Sources:
Fenlon, John F. (2007). Barnabas, Saint The Catholic Encyclopedia, 1914. Catholic Answers (2007), San Diego, CA. Link to article.
Guiley, Rosemary Ellen. (2001). The Encyclopedia of Saints. Visionary Living, Inc. Checkmark Books, New York, NY
Paul, Tessa. (2009). The Illustrated World Encyclopedia of Saints. Lorenz Books, Anness Publishing Ltd. London, UK.
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