The Christian Missionary Journey Acts 13:1: 12 – JSS3 Christian Religious Studies Lesson Note (Second Term)

The missionary journey in Acts 13:1-12 is the account of Paul and Barnabas being sent out by the Holy Spirit from Antioch in Syria, and of their meeting with the sorcerer Bar-Jesus (Elymas) and the governor Sergius Paulus at Paphos in Cyprus.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. Say who was sent to preach at Paphos and who sent them.
2. Name the sorcerer and the governor they met at Paphos.
3. Describe what Paul said and did when the sorcerer opposed them.
4. State the moral lessons from Acts 13:1-12.

What are the key terms in Acts 13:1-12?

Five key terms help students understand the passage.

• Missionary: a person sent out to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.
• Gentile: a person who is not a Jew.
• Sorcerer: a person who practises magic and claims spiritual power.
• Governor (proconsul): the Roman official who ruled a province such as Cyprus.
• Paphos: the Roman capital of the island of Cyprus.

Who sent Paul and Barnabas on the missionary journey?

The Holy Spirit sent Paul and Barnabas, through the church at Antioch in Syria.

• The church at Antioch: it had prophets and teachers, including Barnabas and Saul (Paul).
• The call: while the leaders worshipped and fasted, the Holy Spirit told them to set apart Barnabas and Saul for His work.
• The response: the church fasted, prayed and laid hands on them before sending them off.
• Their helper: John Mark went with them as an assistant.

What was the route of the journey to Paphos?

The journey went from Antioch in Syria to Seleucia, then by sea to Cyprus, and across the island to Paphos.

1. They left Antioch and went down to Seleucia, the seaport.
2. They sailed from Seleucia to the island of Cyprus.
3. They preached in the Jewish synagogues at Salamis.
4. They travelled through the whole island until they reached Paphos.

Who are the people in the story?

Four main people appear at Paphos.

What happened to Paul and Barnabas at Paphos (Acts 13:1-12)?

At Paphos, Paul and Barnabas preached to the governor, the sorcerer opposed them, and the governor believed after the sorcerer was struck blind.

1. At Paphos they met a Jewish sorcerer called Bar-Jesus, also known as Elymas.
2. He was closely associated with Sergius Paulus, a very intelligent governor.
3. The governor invited Paul and Barnabas to preach to him because he wanted to hear the word of God.
4. The sorcerer tried to turn the governor away from the faith and discourage him from listening.
5. Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked sternly at the sorcerer.
6. Paul said, “You son of the devil, full of deceit, fraud, and an enemy of all good! Watch now, the Lord’s hand is against you, and you will be struck blind. You will not see the sun for a time.”
7. Immediately the sorcerer became blind and begged for someone to lead him by the hand.
8. The governor was amazed at the teaching about the Lord and believed in Jesus Christ.

Why did Paul pronounce blindness on the sorcerer?

Paul pronounced blindness because the sorcerer opposed the gospel and tried to stop the governor from believing.

• Opposition: Elymas worked against the message of salvation.
• Deceit: Paul called him full of fraud and an enemy of all good.
• God’s power: the blindness was the Lord’s hand, shown to prove the message was true.
• Result: the governor believed in Jesus Christ.

What are the moral lessons from Acts 13:1-12?

The passage teaches obedience to the Holy Spirit, courage in preaching and trust in God’s power.

1. Obey God’s call: Paul and Barnabas went where the Holy Spirit sent them.
2. Distractions: just as Bar-Jesus tried to distract the governor, the devil tries to distract and discourage us from the faith.
3. God’s power is supreme: when the power of God meets the power of evil, evil gives way.
4. Courage: Christians should speak the truth boldly even when people oppose them.
5. Prayer and fasting: the church prayed and fasted before sending out its missionaries.
6. Faith: the governor believed when he saw God’s power at work.

What is the note about the name Paul in Acts 13:9?

Acts 13:9 is where Luke first writes “Saul, who is also called Paul”, and from here the book uses the name Paul.

• Saul: his Hebrew name, used earlier in Acts.
• Paul: his Roman name, used from this point in the book.

Evaluation

1. What are the two names of the Jewish sorcerer Paul and Barnabas met at Paphos?
2. Why did Paul pronounce blindness on him?
3. Who was the governor at Paphos?
4. How did the governor respond when he saw the sorcerer become blind?
5. Who sent Paul and Barnabas on the journey?

Assignment

Write a short account of how Paul and Barnabas dealt with the sorcerer at Paphos, and state two moral lessons from it.