And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus;
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George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
There was a dissension, or dispute, with reasoning, and arguing upon the matter. St. Paul represented to St. Barnabas, that he was not for having John Mark to be their companion, because he had before left them, but St. Barnabas was for having with them his kinsman Mark; and the dispute was such, that upon it St. Paul and Barnabas separated; which gave occasion to the preaching of the gospel in more places. See St. Chrysostom, hom. xxxiii.
The fault in this contention lay with St. Barnabas; o Paulos to dikaion, o Barnabas to philanthropon: Paul sought what was just; Barnabas what was pleasing to nature. The Greeks, moreover, remark, that this severity of Paul was of service in strengthening the too pliant character of Mark, and as such he is saluted by Paul. (Colossians iv. 10.) They separated, as formerly Abraham and Lot, without prejudice to their friendship. (Genesis xiii. 9.) (Mat. Polus, synop. critic rum, fol. 4. p. 1528.)
And already indeed Luke has described to us the character of the Apostles, that the one was more tender and indulgent, but this one more strict and austere. For the gifts are diverse— (the gifts, I say), for that this is a gift is manifest— but the one befitting one, the other another set of characters, and if they change places, harm results instead of good. (b) In the Prophets too we find this: diverse minds, diverse characters: for instance, Elias austere, Moses meek. So here Paul is more vehement. And observe for all this, how gentle he is. Thought not good, it says, to take him with them that had departed from them from Pamphylia. (a) And there seems indeed to be exasperation (παροξυσμός), but in fact the whole matter is a plan of the Divine Providence, that each should receive his proper place: and it behooved that they should not be upon a par, but the one should lead, and the other be led. And so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus; and Paul chose Silas, and departed, be...
