²⁴But the word of the Lord continued to grow and to be multiplied. ²⁵And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their mission, taking along with them John, who was also called Mark.

Coming to the end of the first major movement of the book, Luke strikes a familiar note with his summary statement. Persecution could not stop the gospel message; it only fanned its flames as the message began to take the ancient world by firestorm. What the apostle Paul wrote soon after is borne out by the historical record: “But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law” (Gal. 4:4). The times were indeed full. The ancient world was largely unified under Roman rule, with a common language, well-developed road system, and relative peace. The obstructions of the antagonists against the “word of the Lord” were no match for the truth that was growing exponentially. Martyrdom began to increase (with even one of the apostles being killed), but the truth could not be killed.

Luke finishes out the first half of the book with the return of Barnabas and Saul from Jerusalem, along with Barnabas’ cousin John Mark (Col. 4:10). It was at the home of John Mark’s mother that the believers had gathered to pray for Peter when he was jailed (Acts 12:12). This threesome becomes the cohort about to depart on the first of Paul’s missionary tours.

At this juncture, Luke draws to conclusion the narrative outlining the spread of the Christian witnesses, “both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Those words from Jesus had proven to be both a command and a prophecy. Chapters 1–12 show in succession the original twelve apostles preaching the gospel in Jerusalem and the surrounding area of Judea, then branching out into Samaria and finally into the Gentile world (beginning with Cornelius’ conversion). Now that the gospel was introduced to the Gentile world, the story turns its focus from the original twelve to the ministry of the one appointed by God to be the apostle to the Gentiles.

Up until now, we have known him as Saul, the former persecutor, converted. In the next chapter, Luke begins to use his Roman name, Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles. The rest of the book follows his three mission tours around the eastern Mediterranean region (chapters 13–20), followed by his arrest in Rome (21–26) and finally his trip to Rome (Acts 27–28) to face trial before Caesar. He also wrote thirteen letters (which we call NT books) to various churches and individuals. We praise God for this faithful servant!

Lord, thank You for the faithful ministry of the apostle Paul. I commit to carrying the baton forward in the long line of succession of faithful servants.