A spiritual insight had completely transformed him, and Saul was on fire to share his newfound inspiration with anyone who would listen. The problem was that Saul had a bad reputation among the apostles—the very people whose help he needed in order spread the Word. Jesus' apostles were terrified of Saul, and rightfully so; he had a history of persecuting and imprisoning people of their kind. Saul hated Christians—at least, until he became one himself.
At odds with his old associates, and rejected by those he now wished to join, Saul was between a rock and a hard place. By what means could he forge a connection with the disciples? Who would stand up for this man with the unsavory reputation?
Enter Barnabas. Apostle. Missionary. A man known for his generosity to the early church. While it's unclear why Barnabas himself didn't blanch at the sight of Saul, scholars suggest that it was, perhaps, both a spiritual and cultural kinship that led Barnabas to introduce Saul to the rest of the apostles.
