The Holy Spirit's sending of Paul and Barnabas marks God's divinely directed transition from Peter's Jewish ministry to Paul's ministry to the Gentiles, launching the Body of Christ.
Les shows that the Holy Spirit sovereignly set this in motion even before Acts 13: Barnabas was led by the Spirit to seek Saul in Tarsus and bring him to Antioch, where Gentile believers were first called Christians ([Clip 1], [Clip 3]). From Acts 13 on, Peter fades from the record and the narrative turns entirely to Paul's ministry to the Gentiles ([Clip 0]). The sending set apart Paul as the apostle of the Gentiles (Romans 11:13; [Clip 5]) and marked the Holy Spirit's new work of baptizing believers, predominantly Gentiles, into the Body of Christ ([Clip 7]).
Acts 13:2 — The Holy Spirit's direct command to separate Barnabas and Saul for the work to which He had called them — the event at the heart of this question.
Romans 11:13 — Paul's own statement that he is the apostle of the Gentiles, the very office to which the Holy Spirit sent him.
At Antioch, the Holy Spirit personally commanded the sending: 'As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them' (Acts 13:2). The work to which they were sent was therefore the Spirit's own calling, not a plan originated by the church. The preparation for that sending is recorded earlier: 'Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul: And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch' (Acts 11:25-26). Paul later identified the office to which he was called: 'For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office' (Romans 11:13). He also described the Spirit's work in the one body: 'For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit' (1 Corinthians 12:13).
Les Feldick teaches that the sending of Paul and Barnabas was the Holy Spirit's own work, not simply an organizational decision of the Antioch church. He points out that the Holy Spirit moved in a special detail once Gentiles began showing interest — Barnabas, led sovereignly by the Spirit, went up to Tarsus to seek Saul, for Paul was the one man for the hour ([Clip 1], [Clip 2], [Clip 3]). Barnabas told Saul that God had revealed he was the one with the message for the Gentiles, and brought him back to Antioch, where for a whole year they taught the people and where the believers — primarily Gentiles — were first called Christians ([Clip 3], [Clip 4]). Les emphasizes that Acts 13 marks a turning point: from here on, Peter fades off the scene and everything concerns Paul and his ministry to the Gentiles, with Paul always beginning in the Jewish synagogue in his early ministry ([Clip 0]). After saving the chief rebel, Saul of Tarsus, by grace on the road to Damascus, God commissioned him as the apostle of the Gentiles — Romans 11:13 — and his letters alone are written to the Church ([Clip 5], [Clip 6]). Finally, Les connects the sending to the Body of Christ. In early Acts, Jesus was the baptizer, baptizing Jews into the power of the Holy Spirit; Paul flips that — now the Holy Spirit is the baptizer, baptizing predominantly Gentiles into the Body of Christ, a term unique to Paul ([Clip 7]). The Jewish believers at Jerusalem found this Gentile direction so disturbing that they called Paul and Barnabas down to Jerusalem, because offering God's salvation to Gentiles was anathema to them ([Clip 6]).
Les teaches that as soon as the church at Antioch showed signs of Gentile interest, Barnabas — led sovereignly by the Holy Spirit — went up to Cilicia, into the area of Tarsus, to look for Saul. The Scripture says he went to seek and find Saul, which means he had a purpose ([Clip 1], [Clip 2]). Barnabas understood that Paul was the one man for the hour, the man God had revealed to have the message now for these Gentiles, so he brought him back to Antioch, where for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught much people ([Clip 2], [Clip 3]).
Les points out that the Bible never calls the Jewish believers at Jerusalem Christians. The believers were first called Christians at Antioch because these were Gentiles who were being saved by the Pauline message of God's grace ([Clip 1], [Clip 4]). It was at Antioch that Gentile Christianity began to flower under Paul's teaching, and the disciples there — primarily Gentiles — were the first to bear the name Christian ([Clip 1], [Clip 3]).
Les observes that from Acts 13 on, with the exception of a little interlude in Acts 15, you never see another word concerning Peter — everything now concerns Paul and his ministry to the Gentiles ([Clip 0]). In his early ministry, Paul would always start at the synagogue of the Jew ([Clip 0]). The sending also introduced the Spirit's new baptizing work: Paul flips the early Acts pattern of Jesus baptizing Jews into the power of the Holy Spirit — now the Holy Spirit is the baptizer, baptizing predominantly, though not exclusively, Gentiles into the Body of Christ ([Clip 7]).
Les recounts that the Jewish believers of Jerusalem were all shook up over the fact that Paul and Barnabas were bringing Gentiles into the church up at Antioch. They sent men from Jerusalem to check it out, and the consternation was so great that they requested Paul and Barnabas come down to Jerusalem — they were bringing Gentiles in and offering them God's salvation, which was anathema to the Jew of that time ([Clip 6]). This controversy highlights how significant the Spirit's Gentile direction really was.
Peter Fades, Paul Takes the Stage
Les shows that beginning in Acts 13, Peter disappears from the narrative and everything turns to Paul and his ministry to the Gentiles — though Paul always starts in the synagogue in his early ministry.
Barnabas Led by the Spirit to Find Saul
Les teaches that the Holy Spirit sovereignly led Barnabas to go look for Saul in Tarsus once Gentile interest appeared in Antioch, and that bringing Saul back is where Gentile Christianity began to flower.
The Holy Spirit Moves in a Special Detail
Les explains that the Holy Spirit moved in a special detail once Gentiles began to believe; Barnabas understood that Paul was the one man for the hour and went to seek him.
God Prepares Paul for the Gentiles
Les describes how Barnabas told Saul that God had revealed he was the man with the message for the Gentiles, and how Paul then taught at Antioch for a whole year with the believers first called Christians there.
Christians First at Antioch
Les points out that the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch because these were Gentiles being saved by the Pauline message of God's grace.
Paul, Apostle of the Gentiles
Les emphasizes that God saved Paul out of Judaism and commissioned him as the apostle of the Gentiles, per Romans 11:13, and that Paul's letters alone are written to the Church.
Jewish Opposition to the Gentile Ministry
Les recounts how the Jerusalem believers were so disturbed by Paul and Barnabas bringing Gentiles into the church that they called them down to Jerusalem — Gentile salvation was anathema to Jews.
The Spirit Baptizes into the Body of Christ
Les explains that Paul flipped the early Acts pattern: now the Holy Spirit is the baptizer, baptizing predominantly Gentiles into the Body of Christ, the church, a term unique to Paul.
Acts 13:2: As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.
The Holy Spirit's direct command that set Paul and Barnabas apart for their appointed work.
Romans 11:13: For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
Paul identifies the very office to which the Holy Spirit called him.
Acts 11:25: Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul:
Barnabas's Spirit-led journey to find the man God would use among the Gentiles.
Acts 11:26: And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
The outcome of Barnabas finding Paul — the church where disciples were first called Christians.
1 Corinthians 12:13: For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
The Spirit's baptizing work that forms the Body of Christ, the focus of Paul's Gentile ministry.
Scripture records that the Holy Spirit commanded, 'Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them' (Acts 13:2). Les emphasizes the Spirit's sovereign direction from the very beginning — Barnabas was led by the Holy Spirit to find Saul and bring him to Antioch before the sending ever happened.
God saved Saul of Tarsus out of Judaism and commissioned him as the apostle of the Gentiles (Romans 11:13). Les notes that Barnabas understood Paul was the one man for the hour — the man God had revealed to have the message for the Gentiles.
Because the believers in Antioch were primarily Gentiles being saved by the Pauline message of God's grace. Les notes that the Bible never calls the Jewish believers at Jerusalem Christians.
Les teaches that this Gentile turn introduces the Spirit's baptizing work: the Holy Spirit becomes the baptizer who places believers, predominantly Gentiles, into the Body of Christ. Paul himself wrote that by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body (1 Corinthians 12:13).
Watch the Teaching: Why Israel Was Blinded — Acts 13 & Romans 11 Explained