Joseph-Barnabas

Barnabas was a high profile Christian and member of the

churches of Jerusalem and Antioch. In collaboration with Paul

he evangelized Cyrpus and south Galatia and delivered famine

relief to Judea. His personal commitment is emphasized in

Acts 4:36-37 immediately after his new name is announced:

"There was a Levite, a native of Cyprus, Joseph, to whom the

apostles gave the name Barnabas (which means "son of

PARAKLHQEWS"). He sold a field that belonged to him, then

brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet."

PARAKLHQEWS can be translated ‘encouragement’ or ‘exhortation’. In either case, it is

clear that Joseph was given a new name by the apostles. The scientific etymology of the

name is ‘son of Nabu’, which is pagan theophoric, but to the apostles it must have meant

something like ‘son of prophecy’, and Acts 13:1 seems to confirm his prophetic role. Folk

etymology and scientific etymology often differ.(1) The apostles did not invent a new name,

to give to Joseph, but rather appropriated an existing name, which (to them) had an

appropriate meaning.

It is reasonable to suppose that he was given his new name by the apostles in recognition

of his benefaction. Other benefactors who received new names may include Mary

Magdalene, Gaius Titius Justus-Stephanas, and Crispus-Sosthenes.

In Lystra the crowd called Barnabas “Zeus” (Acts 14:12). Obviously this name did not stick.

(1) This is true of OT name meanings. See also Rüdiger Schmitt, Greek Reinterpretation of

Iranian Names by Folk Etymology, Second Colloquium of the Lexicon of Greek Personal

Names Old and New Worlds in Greek Onomastics.