Acts 13:5 Commentary: Proclaiming in Synagogues, John as Attendant

The island of Cyprus was the natural first destination for the missionary pair. Its eastern port, Salamis, lay a short sail from Seleucia, the port of Antioch. The city was the island’s capital, described by Pliny and Ptolemy as a chief city, and later named Constantia in the fourth century. Jews had settled there in large numbers, a fact reflected in the plural “synagogues” (συναγωγαῖς). As Vincent notes, Augustus gave Herod the Great half the revenue of Cyprus’s copper mines, drawing Jewish families to the island. Josephus records that during the reign of Trajan, a Jewish insurrection led to such violence that the entire island fell under Jewish control for a time, and afterward Jews were banned from setting foot on Cyprus. This background confirms a robust Jewish community in Salamis during the first century.

Barnabas himself was a Levite from Cyprus (Acts 4:36), so the choice of Cyprus carried personal significance. Yet the decision to begin in the synagogues was more than convenience. It was a consistent theological pattern: “to the Jew first” (Romans 1:16; see also Acts 9:20). Calvin insists that the apostles were not so devoted to Gentiles that they set aside the Jews; rather, their commission to the Gentiles did not depose them from their prior office. They labored “promiscuously on Jews and Gentiles.” This strategy made sense: the synagogues contained people already prepared by Scripture and expectation, exactly the seedbed for the message about Jesus as Messiah.

Alongside the preachers was John Mark, identified from Acts 12:12,25 as the son of Mary and cousin of Barnabas. The word ὑπηρέτην (hupēretēn) indicates a subordinate assistant, not a co-apostle. The Cambridge Bible suggests he may have been employed to baptize, or to attend to travel arrangements, much as Elisha “poured water on the hands of Elijah” (2 Kings 3:11). His presence shows that even in this pioneering mission, there was room for roles of support, a reminder that the spread of the gospel depends on many kinds of service, not only the public proclamation.

The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Acts 13:5. The verse is well-attested across the manuscript traditions, with uniform agreement on the wording of the text.

In the early church, this verse was read as an example of apostolic order, with John Mark representing the role of assistants in ministry. During the Reformation, Calvin and others emphasized that the apostles did not neglect the Jews despite their Gentile commission. In the modern missionary movement, Acts 13:5 has been used to justify beginning with established communities of faith. Across traditions, the verse has encouraged both pioneer preaching and the support of a team.

Three-point outline

1. Start where people are ready. Paul and Barnabas immediately went to the synagogues because the Jewish community already knew the Scriptures and expected the Messiah. Effective evangelism often begins with those who have some foundation.
2. Proclaim the word of God. The imperfect verb “they were proclaiming” shows steady, repeated preaching. The message was not their own speculation but the logos of God, the Christian gospel as the fulfillment of everything God had promised.
3. Work as a team with different roles. John Mark served as attendant (hupēretēs). His role was subordinate but necessary. The mission thrived with both speakers and supporters.

Five-point outline

1. Cyprus: a strategic choice. Barnabas’s homeland and a large Jewish population made it a natural entry point.
2. Synagogues: the pattern of “to the Jew first.” Despite a Gentile commission, the apostles followed God’s redemptive history.
3. The message: “the word of God.” Not philosophy or opinion, but authoritative revelation.
4. The team: Saul, Barnabas, and John. A partnership of different gifts and backgrounds.
5. The beginning of a mission. This verse launches the first missionary tour, with all its successes and struggles ahead.

Illustration hooks

• A church plant that begins by meeting in an existing congregation’s building. The first connections come from people already gathering.
• A short-term mission team where one member drives the van, cooks meals, and runs the sound system. Their role is unnoticed but indispensable.
• A new believer who invites their unsaved Jewish friend to hear a sermon from Isaiah. The friend is open because he trusts the Scriptures.

Questions your congregation is asking

• “Why did Paul and Barnabas start with the Jews if they were sent to the Gentiles?”
• “What can I do if I’m not a preacher? Am I still part of the mission?”
• “How do we know which city or people group to reach out to first?”

This verse opens the first recorded missionary journey of the early church. Paul and Barnabas, sent by the Holy Spirit, land on Cyprus and immediately head to the Jewish synagogues. They are not alone; John Mark accompanies them as an attendant. This short scene raises questions about strategy, teamwork, and the shape of our own involvement in God’s work.

Discussion questions

1. Observation: What specific actions do Paul, Barnabas, and John take in this verse?
2. Observation: The verse mentions “synagogues” (plural). Why is that detail significant?
3. Interpretation: Why do you think the apostles began their mission in the synagogues rather than in the marketplace or a pagan temple?
4. Interpretation: The Greek word for John’s role is hupēretēs, often translated “attendant” or “helper.” What does this word tell us about how the church viewed different roles in ministry?
5. Application: In your own church or group, what jobs are often overlooked but essential to the mission?
6. Application: How can you personally serve as a “John Mark” to those who are proclaiming the word?
7. Application: Where might God be calling you to “begin”, with people who already have some foundation of faith or expectation?