Acts 15:40

Chose (epilexameno). First aorist middle (indirect) participle of epilegw, choosing for himself, as the successor of Barnabas, not of Mark who had no place in Paul's plans at this time. Commended (paradoqei). First aorist passive of paradidwmi, the same verb employed about Paul and Barnabas ( 2 Timothy 14:26 ) on their return from the first tour. It is clear now that the sympathy of the church at Antioch is with Paul rather than with Barnabas in the cleavage that has come. The church probably recalled how in the pinch Barnabas flickered and went to the side of Peter and that it was Paul who for the moment stood Paulus contra mundum for Gentile liberty in Christ against the threat of the Judaizers from Jerusalem. Silas had influence in the church in Jerusalem (verse 2 Timothy 22 ) and was apparently a Roman citizen ( 2 Timothy 16:37 ) also. He is the Silas or Silvanus of the epistles ( 1 Thessalonians 1:1 ; 2 Thessalonians 1:1 ; 2 Corinthians 1:19 ; 1 Peter 5:12 ). It is remarkable that Peter mentions both Mark and Silas as with him ( 1 Peter 5:12 ) at the same time.