Barnabas
ST., or JOSEPH, a disciple of Jesus, and a companion of the Apostle Paul. He was a Levite, and a native of the island of Cyprus, and is said to have sold all his property, and laid the price of it at the feet of the apostles (Acts iv: 36, 37). When Paul came to Jerusalem, three years after his conversion, about A. D. 38, Barnabas introduced him to the other apostles (Acts
27). Five years afterward, the Church at Jerusalem being informed of the progress of the Gospel at Antioch, sent Barnabas thither. (Acts xi: 20, 24). He afterward went to Tarsus, to seek Paul and bring him to Antioch, where they dwelt together two years, and great numbers were converted. They left Antioch A. D. 45, to convey alms from this Church to that of Jerusalem, and soon returned, bringing bringing with them John Mark (Acts xi: 28, 30; xii: 25). While they were at Antioch, the Holy Ghost directed that they should be set apart for those labors to which he had appointed them; viz., the planting of new churches among the Gentiles. They then visited Cyprus, and some cities of Asia Minor (Acts xv: 2-14), and after three years' absence returned to Antioch. In A. D. 50, he and Paul were appointed delegates from the Syrian churches to consult the apostles and elders at Jerusalem, respecting certain questions raised by Jewish zealots; and they returned after having obtained the judgment of the brethren of Jerusalem. While preparing for a second missionary tour, Paul and Barnabas, having a dispute relative to Mark, Barnabas' nephew, they separated, Paul going to Asia, and Barnabas with Mark to Cyprus (Acts xiv: 36-41; Gal. ii: 13).
Nothing is known of his subsequent history. The festival of St. Barnabas is celebrated in the Roman Catholic Church on the 11th of June.
EPISTLE OF ST. BARNABAS, an apocryphal letter laying greater claim to BARNARD canonical authority than most of the other uncredited writings. It is published by Archbishop Wake among his translations of the works of the Apostolical Fathers, in the preliminary dissertation to which he gives the arguments adduced to prove it to be the work of St. Barnabas. It is, however, generally believed to have been written by some converted Jew in the 2d century, and seems to have been addressed to the unconverted Jews. It is divided into two parts.
GOSPEL OF ST. BARNABAS, the apocryphal work also ascribed to Barnabas. It relates the history of Christ very differently from the Evangelists, and is believed to be a forgery of some nominal Christians, and afterward altered and interpolated by the Mohammedans, the better to serve their purpose. It corresponds with those traditions which Mohammed followed in the Koran.