Barn (Hastings' Dictionary)

See Agriculture. BARNABAS {Baprd^at, .iK(3j-g 'the son of ex- hortation').— A name given by the disciples to Joseph, a Levite of Cyprus (Ac 4™). He is clearly to be distinguished from ' Joseph called Barsabbas ' (Ac 1^), though there is ancient authority for identifying him with one of the seventy disciples of our Lord (Euseb. HE i. 12; Clem. Alex. Misc. ii. 20). When we first hear of B.

, it is as selling a field, — for the old Mosaic enactments forbidding Levites to possess land (Nu 18=»-=", Dt 10») had long since fallen into abeyance (see Jer 32'), — and laying the price at the apostles' feet (Ac 4**-'"). The general esteem in which he was held is proved by the influence which he exerted in commending the young convert Saul to the apostles at Jerus. (Ac 9-''). The way in which the two are introduced inclines one to the belief that B.

and Saul must have met before — a belief which is rendered the more probable by the near proximity of Cyprus to Tarsus, and the natural wish of B. as a Hellenist to visit the university there. In any case, B. seems from the first to have formed a high idea of Saul's ability and energy ; for when despatched to Antioch on a delicate nii.

ssion, he had no sooner discovered the growing capabilities of the work there than he ' went forth to Tarsus to seek for Saul ' ; and when he had brought him to Antioch, ' for a whole year they were gathered together with the Church, and taught much people ' ( Ac 1 !>• », A.D. 42). ' Thus, twice over, did B. save Saul for the work of Chris- tianity ' (Earrar).

A practical proof of the success of tlieir joint labours was atl'orded by the relief which the Church at Antioch desi)atclied by tlieir hands to the elders at .Jerus. on the prophetic intimation of a coming famine (Ac ll""*').

On tlieir return to Antioch the two friends were, at the bidding of the Holy Ghost, solemnly separated and ordained for the work of the Church (Ac 13'-'- '■') ; and from this time, though not of the number yf the twelve, they enjoyed the title of apostle 248 BAKODIS BAKTLM^EUS (Ac 14''-". On the significance of the title, see Light- foot, Gal. 9'2 tf. and art. APOSTLE). Accordingly, B.

accomjianied Saul (or, as he was now to be known, Paul) on his first missionary journey, visiting tirst of all his native Cyprus (A.D. 45). Later at Lystra, Eerliaps from bis tall and venerable appearance, e was identified with Jupiter, while Paul, as the chief speaker, passed for Mercury (Ac 14'-). The journey ended, as it had begun, at Antioch, and fioni this city B. once more accompanied Paul and certain other brethren to Jerus.

to consult with the apostles and elders regarding the necessity of circumcision for Gentile converts (Ac lo'"-)- It is remarkable that in this narrative B. is mentioned oefore Paul (v.'-), contrary to the usual order of the names since Ac IS*" (cf. however Ac H"). He may perhaps have spoken first as the better- known of the two, and also as the one to whom the judaizing section of the assembly would take less exception.

After the conference the two apostles returned to their old task of teaching and preach- ing in Antioch (Ac 15^'), and in A.D. 49 planned a second missionary journey to revisit the scenes of their former labours (Ac 15^*). But they were unable to agree upon taking with them John Mark, who had formerly deserted them, and the contention was so sharp ' that they parted asunder one from the other.' B.

took Mark, who was his cousin, and sailed to Cyprus ; while Paul chose Silas, and journeyed through Syria and Cilicia. From the fact of Paul's being specially ' com- mended by the brethren to the grace of God,' it would seem as if the general feeling of the Church were on his side rather than on the side of Bar- nabas. B. is not again mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles ; but from the respect and sympathy with which St. Paul subsequently refers to him in his Epp.

(1 Co 9», Gal 2'" 'even Barnabas,' Col 4'»), we are entitled to infer that though they did not again actually work together, the old friendship was not forgotten. There is no hist, ground for identifying B., as some are inclined to do, with ' the brother ' whom St. Paul sent on a mission to the Corinthians (2 Co 8'") ; but from 1 Co 9* we learn that B., like Paul, earned his livelihood by the work of his hands, while Col 4'" has been taken as proving that by this time (about A.D. 63) B.

must have been dead, else Mark would not have rejoined Paul (cf. 2 Ti 4", 1 P 5'"). For an account of B.'s further labours and death we are dependent upon untrustworthy tradition. It is interesting, however, to notice that the authorshii) of the Ep. to the Hebrews is attributed to B. by Tertullian (see Heukkw.s, Epistle to), while there is still extant an Epistle of B. which, ace. to external evidence, is the work of this B., but on internal grounds this conclusion is now generally dis|iuted.

(See the arguments briefly stated in Hefele, Patrum A postolicorum Opera, p. ix tf., and more fully in the same writer's Das Sendschreiben des Apostds Barnabas aiifs neue untersucht, iibersetzt, und erklart. Tub. 1840. Cf. also Lightfoot, 2'Ae Apostolic Fathers.) G. MiLLIOAN. BARODIS (Bci/)u5fl5), 1 Es 5«.— There is no cor- responding name in the lists of Ezra and Nehemiah.

BARRENNESS As parental authority was the eerm and mould of patriarchal social life, it fol- lowed that to be without ofFspring was to exist in name onlj'. To have had children and to have lost them was the strongest possible claim upon .sym- pathy. With Jacob it was the cro^vn of sorrow (Gn 42" 43"). It was this desolation in its most distressing form which the Lord Jesus met in the funeral procession at Nain (Lk 7'^).

But to be a \vife without motherhood has always been regarded in the East not merely as a matter of regret, but as a reproAch, a humiliation that might easily lead to divorce. It is a constant source of embarrassment, as the welfare of the children is a never-omitted subject of inquiry in Oriental salutation. Courtesy sometimes give.' the dignity of fatherhood, tlie name Al>uAl>dullah (father-of-Abdullah) to a man advancing in years' without children to bear his name. Sarah'.

s sad laughter of despair (Gn 18'-), Hannah's silent pleading (1 S 1'™-), Kaehel's passionate alternative of children or death (Gn 30'), — all this and suchlike wretchedness of spirit may be found familiarly repeated in the homes of modem Syria (see Chil DKEN). The fruitfulness or sterility of land are, much in the same way, regarded as bringing satis faction or disap]iointment to man, and as iniph, ing the blessing or curse of God (Dt 7", Ps 107"''-). G. M. Mackie.