9, 10. (a) What had happened to John Mark during the first missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas? (b) Why might Barnabas have wanted to take Mark along on the second missionary trip, yet what were Paul’s thoughts?

⁹ Christian elders, too, had problems, even prominent elders. Consider the apostle Paul and his early traveling companion Barnabas, for example. They had completed a first missionary tour, establishing a number of Christian congregations, and now they were considering a second tour, as the Bible explains: “After some days Paul said to Barnabas: ‘Above all things, let us return and visit the brothers in every one of the cities in which we published the word of Jehovah to see how they are.’” (Acts 15:36) On that first journey John Mark had accompanied them, but for some undisclosed reason, the account says, “John withdrew from them and returned to Jerusalem,” where his mother Mary lived.​—Acts 13:13.

¹⁰ So, as Paul and Barnabas were discussing their second missionary tour, Mark’s name came up. The Bible tells us what occurred: “For his part, Barnabas was determined to take along also John, who was called Mark. But Paul did not think it proper to be taking this one along with them, seeing that he had departed from them from Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work.” (Acts 15:37, 38) So here was a difference of opinion. Barnabas may have felt that Mark had a good excuse for returning to Jerusalem during the first tour; possibly his mother was sick and he returned to be with her. We do not know. But, on the other hand, if Mark’s leaving was indeed a rash, inexcusable move, Barnabas evidently felt that Mark had learned a lesson and would this time stick to the work. But Paul did not think so. He did not want Mark along. Now, would you not think that these two mature Christian elders could settle such a difference in an amiable way? Yet what happened?

11. (a) What was the result of this disagreement of Paul and Barnabas over Mark? (b) Did this trouble between Christian elders prove that they were not servants of the true God?

¹¹ The Bible says: “At this there occurred a sharp burst of anger, so that they separated from each other; and Barnabas took Mark along and sailed away to Cyprus. Paul selected Silas and went off.” (Acts 15:39, 40) Can you imagine that! Here two prominent elders had, not just a minor altercation, but “a sharp burst of anger” between them, and over such a seemingly small matter. So they parted company, evidently not having the best of feelings toward each other. If you had been there and seen this, would you have concluded that surely this must not be God’s organization, because of the way these prominent elders had acted?

15. (a) Was the difficulty between Paul and Barnabas straightened out, and what indicates whether it was? (b) What evidence is there that Paul may have acknowledged any misjudgment of Mark?

¹⁵ What about the problem between Paul and Barnabas that occurred in connection with the taking of Mark along with them? Was this problem, which reached a climax in a sharp burst of anger, also covered over in time by love? Yes, it apparently was. For later when Paul wrote to the Corinthian congregation while he was doing missionary work in Ephesus, he spoke of Barnabas, along with Peter and the other apostles, as a close fellow worker. (1 Cor. 9:5, 6) Paul evidently acknowledged any misjudgment by him of Mark, and may well have humbly apologized to both Mark and Barnabas. For later Paul speaks highly of Mark. In fact, in one of his letters to Timothy, he wrote: “Luke alone is with me. Take Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministering.”​—2 Tim. 4:11; Col. 4:10.