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MINISTERING TO THE LORD

Act 13:2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me
Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.

As they ministered (leitourgeo: were ministering) to the Lord, and fasted (were fasting), the
Holy Ghost said, Separate (aphorizo) me Barnabas and Saul for (because of) the work
whereunto I have called them.

The Greek word for “ministered” means to minister sacrificially at your own expense (cf.
Romans 13:6; 15:16, 27; Hebrews 1:7; 8:2; 10:11).

In this instance, Barnabas, Simeon, Lucius, Manaen, and Saul are ministering directly to the
Lord. It is part of their priestly duty (1 Peter 2:9), and apparently, these five leaders meet
together to minister to the Lord quite often.

13:2 ministered, leitourgeo (lie-toorg-eh-oh); Performing religious or charitable acts,
fulfilling an office, discharging a function, officiating as a priest, serving God with prayers
and fastings. (Compare “liturgy” and “liturgical.”) The word describes the Aaronic
priesthood ministering Levitical services (Hebrews 10:11). In Romans 15:27, it is used of
meeting financial needs of the Christians, performing a service to the Lord by doing so.
Here the Christians at Antioch were fulfilling an office and discharging a normal function
by ministering to the Lord and fastings and prayer.

THE HOLY SPIRIT SPEAKS

As they are ministering, the Holy Spirit speaks through one of the prophets and gives the call for
separation to Barnabas and Saul. They will be separated to the Lord’s calling, and from other
ministers they have grown close to in the church. The Greek word for “separate” means to

mark off by boundaries. God is calling Saul and Barnabas both from something and to
something. The calling is past tense, and the separation is present. There is a time period
between their calling and their separation. God had everything to do with the calling, and they
have everything to do with the separation. The point of separation comes because of their
faithfulness in the ministry. The Holy Spirit does the choosing and the separating, but the point
of separation is dependent on the one called. This is why many are called, but few are chosen.
Most Christians will not pay the price of faithfulness to reach the point of separation. Paul is
separated into the ministry because of his faithfulness (1 Timothy 1:12). In verse 3, men see

the faithfulness and calling on men and lay hands on them in recognition. God calls and
separates, men agree.