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The two leading points in this passage are the forwardness of Bar-jesus and the frailty of Mark. But there are other incidental lessons which spring up by the way. We may learn as we pass:

1. That good work for others comes home with a blessing before long. Some of the scattered Christians were men of Cyprus, "who, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Greeks" (Acts 11:20); and here are men from the Church which the Cypriots helped to form coming to evangelize Cyprus (ver. 4). "Give, and it shall be given unto you."

2. That the success of any great work is not to be measured by the fruit of the first endeavor. We read that "when they were at Salamis, they preached the Word of God in the synagogues" (ver. 5); but we do not read of any conversion, to the faith. It is fair to infer that their earliest attempt was, if not disappointing, far from a marked success; but they were not daunted thereby.

3. That it is well worth while for youthful aspiration to attend on mature and established piety. "They had also John to their minister" (ver. 5). Mark may have been little more than the courier of the apostles, but it was no mean service he was rendering the Church and the world if he did his duty thus.

4. That when religion is cast out superstition is sure to enter. Where God is unhonored the people will resort to the "sorcerer" (ver. 6), the soothsayer, the spiritualist, etc.

I. THAT MAN MAY DEPART SO FAR FROM RECTITUDE AS TO DELIBERATELY FALSIFY THE TRUTH OF GOD. (Vers. 5-8.) "Wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?" Here was a man who, for the purpose of retaining a lucrative position, was determinately opposing the truth. Many have been his predecessors and many his successors, who have not scrupled to "fight against God," to act in such a way that they have made what they knew to be right seem to be wrong, what they knew to be wholesome and helpful seem to be injurious; they have twisted round and perverted the right line of heavenly wisdom; they have not only "called good evil and evil good," but striven, for some base motive, to make it seem thus in the eyes of men, resolutely and wantonly deceiving them.

II. THAT THE TIME COMES FOR BURNING INDIGNATION AND STRONG INVECTIVE, "O full of all subtlety and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness!" (ver. 10). It is not often allowable for men to speak thus to one another. As a rule, we must follow the example of the archangel, and instead of "bringing a railing accusation, say, The Lord rebuke thee." But there are occasions when we do well to be angry, when we should rather sin by not being righteously angry than by even passionate indignation. When men are palpably ruining others in order to fill their own treasury, undoubtedly keeping others out of the kingdom in order to secure their own base objects, it is not only permissible but laudable to let our holy indignation boil over in scathing condemnation and rebuke.

III. THAT JUDGMENT HAS ITS PART TO PLAY IN THE DIVINE ECONOMY. (Ver. 11.) It was, of course, only in virtue of the inspiration under which he was acting (see ver. 1) that Paul pronounced this judgment on Elymas. It was a very unusual occurrence. Our Lord himself never, so far as we know, used his almighty power to punish a human being; with the exception of the banning of the fig tree, all his works were those of beneficence. Yet we need to remember that judgment is a part of his whole system. He does condemn and smite. The storm uproots the tree; the locusts lay bare the fruitful field; disease paralyzes the human form; death does its closing work; spiritual blindness darkens the mind and spiritual hardness encrusts the soul,-at his holy and awful bidding. The pleasant theories of the universe, which leave judgment out of the account, are fair enough to look at, but they are not true; they arc false to the facts of the case as these meet us in many forms and in every sphere of human life.

IV. THAT THE BEST HUMAN SURROUNDINGS WILL NOT ENSURE SPIRITUAL STEADFASTNESS. (Ver. 13.) We might have thought that the presence of such men as Barnabas and Saul would have ensured the stability of John Mark; but it did not. Though under the influence of one man whose unswerving devotedness to Christ has never been surpassed, he yielded to his inclination to return home rather than brave the hazards and endure the privations of missionary work in Asia Minor. Nothing will secure our spiritual steadfastness but the indwelling of Divine power. We must abide in Christ that he may abide in us by his Spirit. It is only when we are "strengthened with all might by his Spirit in the inner man," when we are "strong in the Lord and in the power of his might," that we are really safe and secure. "When I am weak, then am I strong." - C.

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KJV: So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.

WEB: So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia. From there they sailed to Cyprus.