保罗正在进行传教之旅。
这一切都始于使徒行传第 13 章。
从使徒行传 13 章，我们读到：
1 在安提阿的教会中，有几位先知和教师，就是巴拿巴和称呼尼结的西面、古利奈人路求，与分封之王希律同养的马念，并扫罗。
2 他们事奉主 [雅伟] 、禁食的时候，圣灵说：“要为我分派巴拿巴和扫罗，去做我召他们所做的工。”
3 于是禁食祷告，按手在他们头上，就打发他们去了。
（使徒行传 13:1-3）
这发生在安提阿（今土耳其安塔基亚）的教会。这里曾是塞琉古帝国的首都，后来成为继罗马和亚历山大之后的第三大城市（有学者将其列为第四大城市，仅次于以弗所）。
新约时代，它就是罗马叙利亚省的首府。
安提阿在教会历史中的发展
安提阿是仅次于亚历山大的第二大基督教中心。
自4世纪以来，它是罗马帝国的五个古代宗主教区（Pentarchy）之一：罗马、君士坦丁堡、亚历山大港、安提阿和耶路撒冷。
- 耶路撒冷在此名单上，更多地是作为一种受尊重的仪式感。
- 罗马是罗马的首都，君士坦丁堡是在公元 4 世纪加入的，两者都可以出于政治原因而名列单上。无论如何，罗马经常排在第一位，君士坦丁堡排在第二位。这场竞争最终以两地区教会在 1054 年的大分裂（即天主教和东正教之间相互驱逐）而告终。
- 而其他三位宗主教区则在该地区于 661 年左右被穆斯林接管后，影响逐渐减少。
传教士 - 委派- 使命
我们可以从文中注意到以下几点：
1. 所关注的中心在安提阿（在犹太人的地域之外），而不是耶路撒冷。
2. 安提阿教会有 5 位先知和教师按名字列出。
3. 第一批传教士巴拿巴和保罗是安提阿教会的先知和教师。
4. “圣灵说”，意味着（a）或者通过异像中以可听见的声音传递（b）通过“先知”作为代言人说话，与旧约先知的方式相同。
5. 该消息被按字引用。
6. “分派……去做我召他们所做的工。”可译作：“分别出来……去做我召他们所做的工。” 是委派去完成使命。
7. 巴拿巴和保罗被指示要“分别出来”，这是犹太人最熟悉的另一个希伯来概念：圣洁，即“圣洁”的意思是为了特定目的而被分别出来（古希伯来语词典，vituralbookword. com 出版，Jeff Benner，引自：https://archive.org/details/TheAncientHebrewLexiconOfTheBible/page/n431/mode/2up）。百姓要圣洁，祭司要被宣告“归雅伟为圣”（利 20:26）。
8. 是要完成圣灵差遣他们去做的任务，而不是巴拿巴和保罗自己的任何计划或想法。
9. 因此，宣教团队了解圣灵的指示是很重要的，他们必须学会听从，并跟随圣灵的引导。
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| Ancient Hebrew Lexicon by Jeff Benner |
Paul was on a missionary journey.
It all started in Acts chapter 13.
From Acts 13, we read that:
1 Now there were prophets and teachers in Antioch in the church that was there: Barnabas, and Simeon (who was called Niger), and Lucius the Cyrenian, and Manaen (a close friend of Herod the tetrarch), and Saul.
2 And while they were serving the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart now for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
3 Then, after they had fasted and prayed and placed their hands on them, they sent them away.
(Acts13:1-3, LEB)
From within the church in Antioch (now Antakya, Turkey), which was once the capital of the Seleucid Empire, and later became the third largest city after Rome and Alexandria (some scholars counted it as the fourth, after Ephesus).
It was the capital of the Roman province of Syria in New Testament times...
Development of Antioch in Church History
Antioch was the second most important Christian center, after Alexandria.
Since the 4th century, it was one of the five ancient Patriarchates (Pentarchy)of the Roman Empire: Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem.
Jerusalem was on the list more as a ceremonial gesture of importance.
Rome was the Roman capital, and Constantinople was added in the 4th century, both could be named for political reasons. By all means, Rome was often listed first and Constantinople was second. This competition eventually ended with the Great Schism of the two churches in 1054 (ie, the expulsion of one another between the Catholic & the Orthodox Churches), while the other three Patriarchs diminished after the region was taken over by the Muslims around 661.
Missionary - Commission - Mission
We can note the following from the passage:
1. The center of attention is now in Antioch (beyond the Jewish homeland), instead of Jerusalem.
2. There were 5 prophets and teachers in the Antioch church listed by names.
3. The first missionaries, Barnabas and Paul, were among the prophets and teachers of the Antioch church.
4. The Holy Spirit had spoken, (a) either by audible voice in vision (b) spoken thru a "prophet" as a mouthpiece., in the same manner as the Old Testament prophets.
5. The message would be quoted verbatim.
6. "Set apart for the work to which I have called them" commissioned to a task under God's will and purpose.
7. Barnabas and Paul were instructed to be "set apart", which was a Hebrew concept most familiar with the Jews by another term: holy, i.e. "holy" means to be set apart for a specific purpose (Ancient Hebrew Lexicon, vituralbookword.com publishing, Jeff Benner, retrieved from: https://archive.org/details/TheAncientHebrewLexiconOfTheBible/page/n431/mode/2up). The people were to be holy, and the priests would be declared "holy unto the Lord" (Lev 20:26).
8. it is to complete the task which the Holy Spirit sent them to do, not any plans nor ideas that Barnabas and Paul had.
9. Therefore, it is vital for the team to know the instructions from the Holy Spirit, they had to learn to be in tune, listen to, and follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
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