What to do with the pet guru? (Acts 13)

This is a very rich chapter, with a lot going on. For example, we meet a mixed bag of leaders worshiping God, and fasting. One of them had grown up in a king's family. All we know about another, Simon, is that folks called him "the black guy." As these people are in God's presence, perhaps leading corporate and liturgical prayer, a word comes -- turn loose Saul and Barnabas for the task that's been on their minds for some time now.

The itinerary is fairly clear. "Barnabas, let's visit your home county first, then we'll visit mine." After a preaching tour that takes them the length of Copper Island,[1] they are invited to address the Roman governor of this province, a "prudent man." Let's open a window into the past, and look into this scene:

Act 13:6 Adayı baştan başa geçerek Baf'a geldiler. Orada büyücü ve sahte peygamber Baryeşu adında bir Yahudi'yle karşılaştılar.
Act 13:7,8 Baryeşu, Vali Sergius Pavlus'a yakın biriydi. Akıllı bir kişi olan vali, Barnaba'yla Saul'u çağırtıp Tanrı'nın sözünü dinlemek istedi. Ne var ki Baryeşu büyücü anlamına gelen öbür adıyla Elimas- onlara karşı koyarak valiyi iman etmekten caydırmaya çalıştı.
Act 13:9,10 Ama Kutsal Ruh'la dolan Saul, yani Pavlus, gözlerini Elimas'a dikerek, "Ey İblis'in oğlu!" dedi. "Yüreğin her türlü hile ve sahtekârlıkla dolu; doğru olan her şeyin düşmanısın. Rab'bin düz yollarını çarpıtmaktan vazgeçmeyecek misin?
Act 13:11 İşte şimdi Rab'bin eli sana karşı kalktı. Kör olacaksın, bir süre gün ışığını göremeyeceksin." O anda adamın üzerine bir sis, bir karanlık çöktü. Dört dönerek, elinden tutup kendisine yol gösterecek birilerini aramaya başladı.
Act 13:12 Olanları gören vali, Rab'le ilgili öğretiyi hayranlıkla karşıladı ve iman etti.

And, a few words are in order:

• Orada büyücü ve sahte peygamber -- At that place / a great / and / false / prophet
  
• Baryeşu adında -- bar Jesus (son of Jesus) / named
  
• bir Yahudi'yle karşılaştılar. -- a / a Jew / they encountered.
  
• "Ey İblis'in oğlu!" dedi. -- Hey / of Satan / the son! / he said.
  
• "Yüreğin her türlü hile ve sahtekârlıkla dolu; -- Your heart / all / kinds / with wickedness / and / with deception / is filled;
  
• doğru olan her şeyin düşmanısın. -- straight, honest, true / that is / every / thing / you are the enemy of.

So, how did a Jewish sorcerer end up on the staff of a Roman governor? The Romans, you remember, had conquored and occupied Israel. Well, they'd also conquored and occupied Greece -- then imported Greek culture and teachers into their world. Perhaps, this governor viewed Bar-Jesus as an exemplar of Jewish piety, a living representative of the worthy God of Israel? We have other examples of wandering Jewish wonder-workers in that era. Jesus warned that some who had no real connection to God would still work miracles in his name.

Apparently, Bar-Jesus regarded Saul, Barnabas, and the gospel they preached as threats to his sinecure.

I'm still wondering, though, how he got into that cushy position to start with. What does this tell us about the Romans, the Jews, and the complex relationships between them?

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[1] One of these days, I'll spend a summer, or part thereof, teaching there.