Acts 15:40

And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God.

And Paul chose Silas (Silvanus) - going two and two, just as the Twelve and the Seventy were sent forth (; ). Whether Silas had returned to Antioch, or had to be sent for to Jerusalem, we cannot tell. But doubtless they had discovered themselves, while labouring together at Antioch, to be of kindred spirit; and when Barnabas failed him, the apostle would at once turn to Silas, who, from what the apostle says of him elsewhere, would rejoice to be associated with him in such work, and proved himself worthy of the apostle's choice.

Being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God - or 'the grace of the Lord' (according to a slightly preferable reading), that is, of the Lord Jesus, the glorified Head of the Church, and Director of all its movements. This 'recommendation of the missionaries to 'the grace of the Lord by the brethren' of Antioch, was no doubt by some solemn service (see ; ), and, as would appear, by "the brethren" in the most general sense of the term-probably by a prayer-meeting of the whole body of believers. It does not follow from the historian's silence that Barnabas was not so recommended too; for this is the last mention of Barnabas in the History, whose whole object now is to relate the proceedings of Paul. Nor does it seem quite fair (with DeWette, Meyer, Howson, Alford, Hackett, Webster and Wilkinson) to infer from this that the church at Antioch took that marked way of showing their sympathy with Paul in opposition to Barnabas.

Remarks:

(1) How careful should Christians, and especially Christian ministers and missionaries, be to guard against rash judgment and hot temper toward each other, especially where on both sides the glory of Christ is the ground of difference! How possible is it that in such cases both parties may, on the question at issue, be more or less in the right! How difficult is it for the most faithful and devoted servants of Christ, even under the commanding influence of grace-differing as they do in their natural temperament-to see even important questions precisely in the same light! And if, with every disposition to yield what is unimportant, they still feel it a duty each to stand to his own point, how careful should they be to do it lovingly, each pursuing his own course without disparagement of his Christian brother!

(2) How affecting does the Lord overrule such difference of judgment, and such manifestations of human infirmity, by making them "turn out rather unto the furtherance of the Gospel!" In this case it was eminently seen, not only in setting free from each other minds which-though capable of harmonious action-seem to have been fully better fitted, both by nature and by grace, for serving the common cause as directors of others than by labouring permanently together; but also in providing two missionary parties in place of one, who, instead of traveling over the same ground, and carrying their dispute over all the regions where before they had laboured so lovingly together, took quite different routes, and thus at once consolidates and extended the kingdom of Christ!

Progress through Syria and Cilicia (15:41)