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E. KR. JOHNSEN 
 
PAUL OF TARSUS 
 
 Paul — A Character Sketch 
 II 
 
 Paul's Epistles 
 
 Bv 
 
 E. KR. JOHNSEN 
 
 Professor of Theology at Luther Theological Seminary 
 St. Anthony Park, St. Paul, Minn. 
 
 MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. 
 
 AUGSBURG PUBLISHING HOUSE 
 X9J9 
 

 Copyright, 1919, by 
 
 AUGSBURG PUBLISHING HOUSE 
 
 Minneapolis, Minn. 
 
 £-J ' 
 
 ©CI.A559466 
 
JVly sincere thanks to my friend Mr. Peer Stremme 
 for his very valuable assistance with the English edi- 
 tion of this book- 
 
 E. KR. JOHNSEN. 
 
 Luther Theological Seminary, 
 St. Anthony Park, St. Paul, 
 in June, 1919 
 
I 
 
 PAUL 
 
 A Character Sketch 
 
L Judaism and Paganism, 
 
 "For there is no difference betzveen the Jew and the Greek; 
 for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon 
 Him" (Rom. 10: 12). 
 
 In the army of the Lord's witnesses during the time 
 of the New Covenant are many great men whose work 
 is of lasting importance; but above them all looms up 
 the heroic figure of Paul of Tarsus. The Lord had 
 chosen him for a most difficult and essential task in 
 the establishment of the Kingdom; doubtless the most 
 difficult position in which any man has been placed. 
 There was imposed on Paul a task demanding the very 
 highest personal qualities. There was a great fight be- 
 fore him. But he entered it fearlessly, and the Lord 
 was with him. 
 
 We often speak of Paul as the Apostle of the Gen- 
 tiles, or as the first Christian missionary; and this is 
 true enough as far as it goes. But he was much more 
 than this. We shall come nearer to the truth of the 
 matter by noting the passage above quoted from Ro- 
 mans, a passage that embraces in a few words the 
 truth that Paul was to put forward and defend. He 
 was to tear down the wall that, for two thousand years 
 had been built up between Jew and Gentile. It was 
 his mission to bring together again those who had gone 
 their separate ways since the time when the Lord let 
 them that, turned the truth into falsehood, and wor- 
 shiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, 
 walk according to their own perverted minds, while He 
 chose the believing Abraham and his descendants to be 
 His own peculiar people. 
 
The different peoples had through many generations 
 developed along distinct lines, until there was a wide 
 cleavage in almost every phase of life. And now that 
 which had been separated was to be united. All bar- 
 riers were to be broken down and the hearts bound 
 together by faith in the one true God and the Glad 
 Tidings concerning salvation in Christ Jesus; faith in 
 the Gospel which is the power of God unto salvation 
 for all who believe, the Jew first, and also the Greek. 
 And the many thus united were to be the new Israel, 
 the Lord's Church on earth. As we see, Paul had been 
 given a stupendous task, one most essential in God's 
 gracious plan of salvation; and the acceptance of Paul's 
 preaching as the truth must of necessity result in a re- 
 adjustment of life in its every aspect. 
 
 This great upheaval in the history of mankind was 
 an inevitable result of the coming of Jesus. His life 
 and death and resurrection mark the turning-point, in 
 the history of God's Kingdom, the transition from the 
 Old to the New Covenant; the old order of things was 
 at an end, and the new was to begin. The Kingdom 
 of God had embraced only the Jews. The Law from 
 Sinai had been their bond of union, the means by 
 which Israel was made ready for the New Covenant. 
 Now this was finished, and the new time was begun by 
 the accomplishment of the work of Christ. Instead of 
 being limited to a certain people, the Kingdom of God 
 was now to be found in the Christian Church, which is 
 for all people; and faith in Jesus, who was crucified 
 and rose again, is the tie which binds the believer to 
 the God of love. 
 
 Xo other man saw these truths so clearly as did 
 Paul. The Lord let him penetrate more deeply than 
 any other mortal into the mysteries of His plan of sal- 
 vation. It was given to others among the apostles to 
 look deeply into certain other matters. The apostle 
 
John, for instance, had received of the Spirit a wonder- 
 fully clear insight into the relation between Father and 
 Son. Still, Paul was the one man especially favored 
 with spiritual wisdom. There are varied gifts ; but God 
 is always able to find the right man on whom to bestow 
 His special grace. 
 
 Jew — Judaism. These words need but to be men- 
 tioned, and they at once lead our thoughts to a people 
 that in a special degree is distinctive; a people tireless 
 and persistent, holding fast the old inherited mode of 
 thinking and living. Centuries come and go; but the 
 Jews remain, and have the same old religious view- 
 point. There is no parallel case in all history. This 
 little people has been knocked about from pillar to post 
 by the great powers, but none has been able to exter- 
 minate the Jewish race. Judaism has remained true to 
 itself through all the many kinds of spiritual weather. 
 To be sure, there are many, especially among Jews 
 of the so-called upper classes, who have discarded the 
 old faith ; but the masses of the people still hold on to 
 the old moorings. 
 
 The religious concept, which we call Judaism is very 
 old. We find it in its essential features in the scribes 
 and Pharisees of the time of Christ. It was given form 
 and substance during the period between the home- 
 coming from Babylonia and the destruction of Jeru- 
 salem. 
 
 Between Judaism and Christianity there must, of 
 necessity be a mighty struggle; they neither should nor 
 could be united. The position taken by the Jews to- 
 ward the Savior makes it clear, also, that the Jewish 
 leaders had at least, an inkling of the truth that there 
 must be a war to the death — a truth which Jesus did not 
 hide. His life became a fight against the Judaism of 
 the Pharisees ; and He did not spare them and their 
 habits of thought. He says: "Neither do men put. new 
 
10 
 
 wine into old bottles, else the bottles break, and the wine 
 runneth out, and the bottles perish; but they put new 
 wine into new bottles, and both are preserved/' In 
 these words He points out to His disciples the impos- 
 sibility of combining the Judaism of that time with the 
 Christian faith. Here there is, then, a conflict between 
 two strong spiritual powers; and the following pages 
 will to a large extent deal with this conflict. 
 
 No matter where the Jew was, he always felt him- 
 self a Jew; and no matter how prosperous he might be, 
 his thoughts went out to the land which God had given 
 to Israel — that always remained his homeland. And 
 the center of it was the royal city, and particularly the 
 temple. This was the place where God was to be 
 worshiped. To indicate, then, that the city and temple 
 were always in his thoughts, he turned his face toward 
 Jerusalem whenever he offered prayer; and though he 
 might be in a distant country, he did not neglect to 
 send his annual offering to the temple. In the holiday 
 season, especially at the time of Easter, great numbers 
 of pilgrims came to Jerusalem; and among them were 
 to be seen Jews from the most distant corners of the 
 vast Roman empire. People were drawn to Jerusalem 
 by the beauty of the Jewish service. Here was the 
 high priest in his splendid robes, besides the host of 
 Levitical priests and temple servants. Here were the 
 offerings, the singing of hymns, the sounding of 
 trumpets, and the wondrously beautiful temple itself. 
 Nowhere else in the world could the Israelite find any- 
 thing like this to sound his deepest heart-strings : 
 
 "If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, 
 Let my right hand forget her cunning. 
 If I do not remember thee, 
 Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth ; 
 If I prefer not Jerusalem 
 Above my chief joy." 
 
11 
 
 Jerusalem was not, however, merely the Jewish 
 place of worship, but also the spiritual and intellectual 
 center of the Jews in general. Here was the hearth of 
 Judaism; the tie which was to prove itself strong to 
 bind the people together, even when the city and the 
 temple were fallen. This spirit was kept alive and 
 developed by the Scribes and Pharisees. There arose 
 no more any prophets in Israel who with divine author- 
 ity could punish the people for their sins and lead them 
 in the right paths ; and the priests had long since lost 
 their power to direct the spiritual life of the masses. 
 The Scribes and Pharisees had thus become the leaders 
 of thought; and they had their golden age at the time 
 when the Christian Church was being founded. The 
 writings of the prophets had been pushed aside by the 
 Law of Moses. The Scribes, and others learned in the 
 Law, were well informed on all its precepts; and it 
 was their business to apply these to all the affairs of 
 life and to instruct the people in every duty. 
 
 These teachers were highly regarded by the people, 
 and were called by the honorable title of Rabbi. Now, 
 according to the rabbinical idea the pupil owed more 
 to his teacher than to his father; the father was merely 
 the author of the child's present life, while the teacher 
 instructed his pupil in wisdom and thus fitted him for 
 the higher life in the world to come. The pupils should 
 therefore look up to their teachers with a reverent fear 
 almost equal to that with which they approached God, 
 and they must in no wise change anything of that which 
 the teachers had told them. It chanced that shortly be- 
 fore this time flourished the two greatest of the Jewish 
 scribes and teachers, Hillel and Sjammai (Gamaliel). 
 Each of these had a host of pupils. 
 
 The larger number of the scribes, — that is, those 
 learned in the Law — belonged to the strict sect of the 
 Pharisees, who hated everything foreign and regarded 
 
12 
 
 the traditions of old as the one and only truth ; and 
 they applied these precepts with great strictness to their 
 own conduct, and more especially to the conduct of 
 others. Besides this sect, there were the Sadducees, 
 who were more friendly to foreign ideas, and did not 
 put faith in the traditions, but kept themselves to the 
 written Law\ Their ideas in regard to the traditions 
 caused them to reject many doctrines taught by the 
 Pharisees, who nevertheless had by far the larger fol- 
 lowing among the common people. 
 
 In a general way the principles in which the people 
 were instructed were these: The Law is of the essence 
 of God, and its precepts limit even God's own acts; in 
 it He has included all things necessary to salvation. 
 Therefore it needs no additions, and it is valid for all 
 time and eternity. To begin with, God had intended all 
 peoples to have this Law, but only Israel was ready to 
 receive it; and so Israel became God's Chosen People 
 to the exclusion of the rest of the world. The Law 
 was thus the tie between God and Israel. None other 
 than Israel has this Law; therefore it makes sure the 
 salvation of Israel, and therefore the Israelite must 
 love the Law as his greatest treasure, and live accord- 
 ing to it. The truly pious should devote himself ex- 
 clusively to studying the Law and keeping its com- 
 mandments ; and so the Pharisee, who was learned in 
 the Law, must be regarded as of the highest rank in 
 piety. 
 
 In the Law God makes his demands and these the 
 Israelites must fulfil ; then he has the right to be re- 
 warded of God. However, as one may easily commit 
 sin, every man should strive to do so many good works 
 that he may be able with them to pay the debt which 
 he owes by reason of his sins; and if the account shows 
 a favorable balance the man is righteous. The Jews 
 could not conceive of forgiveness when payment had 
 
13 
 
 not been made ; and the Scribes had invented many 
 things which were to count as fulfilment of the Law and 
 payment for sin. The final balance would be struck at 
 the time of a man's death; and then all would depend 
 on the question whether or not the footing w r as greater 
 on the credit than on the debit side of the ledger. — 
 This doctrinal system paved a smooth road for hy- 
 pocrisy, intolerance and narrowness. 
 
 The Law rested as a heavy burden on the people 
 and destroyed the peace of mind and conscience of such 
 as took their duties seriously. The great masses con- 
 tented themselves with professing belief in that which 
 the teachers told them, and with trying to live according 
 to this teaching; and as for the rest, they comforted 
 themselves with old legends or fantastic stories about 
 the conditions in the coming Messianic Kingdom, and 
 with the thought that they were of God's Chosen 
 People. 
 
 Thus they busied themselves with the temple and 
 the Law and the election of Israel; and they were, as we 
 readily see, far away from the principles of the Chris- 
 tian faith. 
 
 In the case of these who had been nourished on 
 the Judaism of the Pharisees, to become a Christian 
 meant a radical change; as also in the case of the gentle 
 souls who found comfort in the old prophesies and 
 were waiting for the day of the Lord, on which the 
 Messiah would be revealed. They had grown up in 
 the atmosphere of the Old Covenant, and now all this 
 was to be changed and a new r day was to dawn. The 
 transition could not be a step easily taken. We see 
 this most clearly in the disciples of Christ. They had 
 been educated as Jews and their mode of thought, was 
 Jewish, and now T they were to leave the old and set out 
 on new and unknown paths. We have in the Gospel 
 accounts many examples of the way in which the Master 
 
14 
 
 had to lead them gently and step by step. There was 
 so much which they "could not bear." But little by little 
 their eyes w r ere opened to the glory of the new order 
 above the old ; while the Spirit of truth, whom the Lord 
 sent them after His ascension, guided them all the time 
 into a better understanding of the truth. 
 
 It goes without saying that the changing of a 
 heathen into a Christian must mean a most radical revo- 
 lution in habits of thought and life. Most of the 
 peoples to whom the Gospel first came were under the 
 influence of the Greek spirit with its real or pretended 
 superiority over all other forms of culture. Rome was 
 all-powerful in the domain of politics, and ruled with 
 an iron hand from the distant regions of the Euphrates 
 and the Tigris in the east to the shores of the Atlantic, 
 and from the desert of Sahara north to Britain ; but 
 Rome had adopted the Greek culture and refinement in 
 the art of living, and the Greek language was spoken, 
 or understood, in most parts of the vast empire. 
 
 And now there came a new religion, whose spokes- 
 men were despised Jews, a religion which asked people 
 to believe in a crucified malefactor as the Son of God. 
 It is no wonder that this message, which was a stum- 
 bling-block to the Jews, seemed to the Greeks the very 
 perfection of foolishness. But both Jew and Gentile 
 were to experience that in this Gospel dwelt the divine 
 power and wisdom which put to shame the wisdom of 
 the Greeks. 
 
 At this time, when Christianity was born, the Greek- 
 speaking world could look back on a culture which was 
 many centuries old. The Greeks prided themselves on 
 being the leaders of the world in the arts and sciences. 
 Their artists, savants and poets had no rivals. The 
 Greek artists beautified the palaces of the rich, the 
 temples and public places with paintings and sculpture 
 which still are the wonder of the world. The scientists 
 
15 
 
 sought to solve the riddle of life by clever speculations, 
 and the poets wrote elegant verse in praise of life and 
 pleasure. This was the boast of the Greek. But the 
 Romans pointed with equal pride to the mighty armies 
 which shook the earth beneath their heavy tread and 
 made people after people subject to Rome. When 
 Caesar commanded, the world obeyed, and this vast em- 
 pire was administered with admirable efficiency. How 
 preposterous to think that Romans could learn any- 
 thing from Jews ! 
 
 Both Greek and Romans had formerly worshiped 
 a number of gods. But at the time of Christ, the faith 
 in these gods had pretty well died out among people 
 of the upper classes and in the large cities. In the rural 
 communities, in isolated valleys, faith in the old gods 
 persisted, and heathen ideas remained alive several hun- 
 dred years after this time in many places within the 
 empire. People in the upper strata of society had, how- 
 ever, generally lost all veneration for the old gods. To 
 be sure, they had not openly broken with paganism; 
 such a break was regarded as endangering the security 
 of the State. But the philosophers and poets had 
 taught them to think of the ancient godlore as nothing 
 more than poetic representations of different phases of 
 life. The rich and their philosophers looked down with 
 contempt on the great ignorant masses, and were puffed 
 up, and lived in an atmosphere of pride and heartless 
 selfishness. 
 
 Other philosophers were to be found among the 
 common people, whom they were supposed to educate. 
 But as a rule these teachers undermined all religion and 
 morality, and caused the people to lose respect for both. 
 
 The upper classes were permeated with indifference 
 to the higher things ; with an insane love of money and 
 luxury, and a life of gluttony and sensuality. And the 
 lower classes imitated those higher up, and their love of 
 
16 
 
 pleasure degenerated into vulgar bestiality. Paul's de- 
 scription of heathenism in the Roman empire (Rom. 1: 
 18-32), is not an exaggeration, but merely the sober 
 truth. The great cities with their riches and many 
 opportunities for all sorts of pleasures and temptations 
 had a terrible influence on the people. 
 
 The picture of the old paganism might be made 
 even darker without being overdrawn ; but enough has 
 been said to make it plain that neither art nor science 
 is able to make a man strong to resist temptation, nor 
 to keep people from living a life of sensuality and 
 wickedness. Still, there are some gleams of light even 
 in this darkness. 
 
 The apostle Paul knew some pagans who did the 
 works of the Law; though they did not have the 
 written Law, as did the Jews. But they obeyed the 
 voice of conscience, and led a decent and reputable life. 
 Some such persons there were in the Greek-Roman 
 pagan world. Many felt keenly the want of a god 
 whom they might worship, and to whom they could 
 keep themselves in the many changes and uncertainties 
 of life. They had lost their faith in the old gods, and 
 were looking for a new religion which might bring 
 peace to their souls. In these circles it had become 
 more and more the custom to expect this new religion 
 from one of the peoples in the East. Several of the 
 eastern religions had a certain air of mystery besides a 
 number of clever stories and impressive ceremonies, 
 which held a strong fascination for people who were 
 dissatisfied with their old and empty religion. Thus, 
 several of these eastern religions, such as those' from 
 Egypt and Persia, gained many adherents among the 
 Romans and Greeks; and in many places in the empire 
 there were secret societies into which members were in- 
 ducted with mysterious signs and dedicated to the 
 divinity of the society in question. Many of these east- 
 
IT 
 
 ern religions have one common feature in that, they 
 say something about atonement and immortality; and 
 the comfort which many find in these ideas indicates 
 what it is that they desire. This need of having a true 
 god to worship is evidenced in many ways, and some- 
 times finds beautiful expression. Thus we have these 
 words from one of the most noble thinkers of the old 
 world : "When you have closed your door and made it 
 dark in the room, then do not say that you are alone r 
 for you are not. God and your angel are with you, and 
 they need no light to see what you are doing. To this 
 God you should swear allegiance/' 
 
 And yet this thinker did not know the God who 
 seeth in secret. Neither this man, nor any priest of the 
 secret, societies, nor any one else was able to give the 
 cup of comfort to the thirsting soul. But the unknown 
 God, whose saving love they so sorely needed, had the 
 Greeks and Romans also in mind. He sent them an 
 apostle who in a nocturnal vision had seen a man from 
 the Greek peninsula, who approached him and appealed 
 to him saying: "Come over to Macedonia and help us." 
 
 IL Paul's Childhood and Youth. 
 
 r 7 am . . . of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the- 
 Hebrews" 
 
 Near the northeastern corner of the Mediterranean, 
 just north of the island of Cyprus, the river Cydnos 
 flows into the sea. It has its source up in the mountains 
 of Cappadocia, and meanders down through varied and 
 beautiful valleys in this country and in Cilicia until it 
 reaches the great sea. The clear and cool waters of the 
 river invite one to take a refreshing bath on a warm 
 
18 
 
 day, but many have paid dearly for it; as witness the 
 experience of the victorious Macedonian king Alex- 
 ander the Great. A short distance up the river is the 
 city of Tarsus, which even today is a pretty important 
 and lively town, though not by far so large and thriv- 
 ing as it was nineteen centuries ago. Tarsus had been 
 founded by the mighty Assyrian king Sanherib, and had 
 afterwards been the residence of several kings ; and 
 when the Macedonians, and later on the Romans, con- 
 quered these districts, many Greeks settled in Tarsus, 
 and it became a flourishing trade center. It had its 
 most prosperous period during the first century after 
 Christ. 
 
 When the Greeks came to a place, and riches ac- 
 cumulated, the place was apt to become a seat of learn- 
 ing and art; and this was the case here in the capital 
 of Cilicia. Caesar Augustus had greatly promoted the 
 growth of Tarsus by making it one of the free cities 
 of the empire. There were, then, many things favorable 
 to making the city a lively and attractive place of 
 residence. 
 
 Wherever one came in those days, particularly in the 
 trade centers, he would find larger or smaller colonies 
 of Jews, who were especially successful in the several 
 handicrafts. Also in Tarsus there were many Jews. 
 Again, wherever Jews w T ere found they formed them- 
 selves into a Congregation in order that they might 
 worship God together and be instructed in the Law. 
 The Jewish Church in Tarsus was so strong that it had 
 built a synagogue, in which the Jews assembled, es- 
 pecially on the Sabbath. Among the most highly es- 
 teemed members of this Church we find a certain man 
 of the tribe of Benjamin and the sect of the Pharisees. 
 He was a man of some note among the people of 
 Tarsus. He, or one of his forebears, must in some way 
 have deserved the favor of the State, for the Romans 
 
19 
 
 had done him the honor of making him a Roman 
 citizen. 
 
 In this city Paul was born. He was a son of the 
 Jew above referred to; and while the exact time of his 
 birth is not known, it is probable that he was born in 
 the year 10 a. d v or very close to that date. On the 
 eighth day he was circumcised and given the name 
 Saul. This was his Jewish name; but the Greeks 
 changed it to correspond more closely with their speech, 
 and called him Pavlos, or Paul. 
 
 We can readily see how important it was for his 
 later life, both the circumstance that he grew up in this 
 thriving Greek city and also the fact that he lived in 
 the home of a Pharisee. Here from his childhood he 
 came to know the two distinct races which it was to be 
 his mission to unite in a common faith in the one God. 
 Here he had the opportunity to study the Greek folk- 
 life; and though he could not understand much of it 
 when as a child he played in the streets of Tarsus, it 
 must to some extent have remained alive in his mem- 
 ory. And one may be sure that his father did not 
 neglect to point out to him the wide difference between 
 a Greek pagan and a believing Jew. But even more 
 important to his future work was the circumstance that 
 he had from childhood become acquainted with the 
 Greek language. 
 
 In the streets and in the market-place he came to 
 know the Greeks, but in his home and synagogue he 
 was trained according to the rules of Judaism. In his 
 home he saw Judaism in its most attractive form, and a 
 fervent love for Israel followed him through life; he 
 never was ashamed of being a Jew. 
 
 Jewish parents held it their sacred duty to keep 
 watch over the training of their children; and these al- 
 ways received in the home their first instruction con- 
 cerning the Lord God of Israel. The discipline was of 
 
20 
 
 course strict, particularly in the home of a Pharisee of 
 this period. We can not doubt that the father of Paul 
 held .fast as a first principle the truth that the fear of 
 God is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 1:7; 9: 10), 
 and early impressed on his son that the child's first duty 
 is obedience to the parents (Proverbs 30: 17). Moses 
 had earnestly exhorted Israel to instruct their children 
 concerning the mighty works of God (Ex. 12:24- 
 25; 13:8). These words of the historian Josephus also 
 show how the people of that day regarded the matter: 
 "We lay greater stress on the training of the children 
 than on anything else, and regard observance of the 
 Law and a corresponding godly life as the most im- 
 portant of all duties." (Cf. also 2 Tim. 3:5.) 
 
 In the home the little children were taught to say 
 their prayers. According to the rules of the teachers 
 the children also were to pray the chief prayer of the 
 Jews, the so-called Schmone-Ezre, morning, noon and 
 night, and to say grace before and after eating. (Cf. 
 also Matt. 14:19; 15:36; Rom. 14:4; 1 Cor. 10:30; 
 1 Tim. 4:4.) Thus the children in the homes were to 
 learn to know God the Father, the Creator of the world 
 and Savior of Israel, and to know His holy will, as well 
 as to learn to approach Him in prayer. It goes without 
 saying that the instruction was kept within the rules of 
 Pharisaical Judaism. 
 
 Under such conditions young Saul of Tarsus grew 
 up. When he was six years old his father sent him 
 to the school at the synagogue. As a rule the care-taker 
 of the synagogue was also the school-teacher; and of 
 course the main purpose of the instruction was to train 
 the children in the Law; therefoie they must learn to 
 read. They were taught also the art of writing, in 
 order that they might make copies of certain parts of the 
 Law. Still, the children were not expected to observe all 
 the Commandments before they reached the age of 13; 
 
21 
 
 but they must from early childhood learn to know the 
 Law and to keep as many as they could of its precepts. 
 
 Whether or not young Paul was sent to any Greek 
 school we do not know. 
 
 It soon became apparent that the young boy had 
 great talent and depth of character, and so his father 
 naturally decided to give him a chance to study under 
 the best teachers, in order that he might become learned 
 in the Scriptures ; for to the Jew this was the greatest 
 thing in life. The father therefore took the boy to 
 Jerusalem and placed him with the famous teacher 
 Gamaliel. This eminent scholar was soon to discover 
 that young Saul of Tarsus was his most. w r illing and 
 highly gifted pupil, a thoroughly trustworthy youth of 
 the greatest promise; for the youthful Saul was sin- 
 cere in his Judaism, and was in every way a model of 
 a young Jewish scholar. 
 
 •It was a time of stress in the country of the Jews. 
 The Romans ruled the land, and their yoke was heavy 
 on Israel. The military governors appointed by the 
 emperor were as a rule far from being men of high 
 character. Generally they were cruel tyrants, whose 
 joy it was to lord it over the subject people and to 
 plunder them in order to enrich themselves, so that 
 they could afford every luxury when they retired from 
 office to the life of private citizens in Rome. It is no 
 wonder that it seethed deep in the hearts of the people. 
 Fanatical agitators traveled through the country and 
 fanned the flames of revolt ; and nothing but the fear of 
 Rome's mighty mailed fist kept the masses fairly loyal. 
 The popular disaffection found expression in many 
 songs and stories which circulated everywhere; and 
 many prophecies were spread from house to house, re- 
 citing how the Lord would soon be moved by the misery 
 of His people, and would send the promised Messiah. 
 And this expectation was all the time growing stronger. 
 
22 
 
 Nor was everything quiet among the scribes them- 
 selves. There were two distinct schools of thought, 
 which were pretty sharply opposed to each other. The 
 one school embraced the adherents of the great rabbi 
 Hillel, while the other consisted of the rabbi Shammai 
 and his followers. The first of these two famous 
 scholars was in many respects a commanding person- 
 ality, and may be said in a way to have laid the foun- 
 dation of the rabbinical system of doctrine. In his 
 interpretation of the Law he is more liberal than is 
 Shammai, who insisted on the most stringent observance 
 of every commandment. Between these two schools 
 there were lengthy controversies, some of them concern- 
 ing matters of importance, and some dealing with the 
 merest trivialities. A few of these matters of contro- 
 versy are mentioned in the New Testament ( Matt. 5 : 
 31; 19:7). They fought over the question of divorce, 
 fasting, Levitical uncleanness, the visiting of the sick, 
 etc., but especially on what was and was not permitted 
 to be done on the Sabbath. And the controversies de- 
 generated into quarrels about things of no account what- 
 ever. Thus the "fight about the egg" is somewhat 
 famous. According to the Law they must not prepare 
 food on the Sabbath day. But a hen might take it into 
 her head to lay an egg on the Sabbath ; and so the ques- 
 tion arose whether or not it would be right to eat such 
 an egg. Concerning this point there was a long and 
 learned fight. Shammai and his school were fanatical 
 and aggressive, while Hillel and his disciples were more 
 moderate and yielding. So the intolerant and strict sect 
 came to prevail; and Judaism gradually took on the 
 dark features of hatred and an unforgiving spirit, which 
 meet us in Pharisaism as described in the Gospels. 
 
 Saul's teacher, Gamaliel, was a grandson of Hillel 
 and followed closely in his steps. He was a Pharisee, 
 but of the moderate school. He even went so far in his 
 
23 
 
 liberalism that as a member of the Sanhedrin he spoke 
 against being too severe with the Christians (Acts 5: 
 34-39). It is also said of him that he acquainted him- 
 self with the works of the Greek authors, and that he 
 had a ring with a graven image on it, something which 
 gave great offense to many of the strict Pharisees. 
 Generally, however, he was held in high esteem by 
 reason of his great learning and his probity. Under 
 this teacher, then, Saul was initiated into the rabbinical 
 interpretation of the Old Testament books, and into the 
 current doctrinal system. 
 
 While Paul was thus being instructed by the great 
 teacher, and also, in accordance with custom, was being 
 taught a handicraft — that of a tentmaker — there oc- 
 curred something which caused a great commotion. It 
 was rumored far and wide that there had arisen a new- 
 prophet, with the fire of Elijah on his tongue; a strange 
 hermit in a cloak of camel's hair, who was to be found 
 in the desert places by the river Jordan. Thousands 
 were hurrying to the place to hear this mighty preacher, 
 who without fear or favor attacked high and low, and 
 was especially severe on the spiritual leaders, the 
 Pharisees. "Soon the Lord will come, and the fan is 
 in His hand; and then woe to all who in impenitence 
 and hardness of heart have called down upon them- 
 selves the wrath of God. However, there is yet time 
 to turn and to be baptized as evidence of a new and 
 higher purpose; for the Kingdom of Heaven is at 
 hand." This was the gist of the message of John the 
 Baptist. 
 
 The bold preacher in the wilderness had not yet paid 
 with his life for his fearless statements, when there had 
 arisen another Prophet, who was to have a much greater 
 influence than John on the life and history of Israel. 
 It was rumored from Galilee that a young carpenter 
 of Nazareth had begun a work more wonderful than 
 
24 
 
 anything before heard of ; lepers were healed, the blind 
 received sight, the ears of the deaf were opened. This 
 Prophet could cure all disease by a mere word, and 
 He was able to provide bread for thousands in the 
 wilderness; He even held the command over death it- 
 self, and there seemed no limit to His power. Besides, 
 such eloquence as His had never before been heard. 
 Wherever He went the people came to Him; and to 
 some He so endeared Himself that they left all things 
 and followed Him. There was a great showing of 
 popular enthusiasm: A Man who could do these things 
 must be the Messiah, who had been promised and sorely 
 wanted. Now He was come, and now He would be 
 proclaimed King. 
 
 For a time it looked as if the great masses would 
 become the followers of this Prophet; but in that case 
 the Pharisees would lose their leadership, and the proud 
 doctrinal structure erected with so much pains by the 
 doctors of the Law would tumble down. This must 
 be prevented at any price ; but it was not easy to find 
 anything which could be used against Him. At last, 
 however, they found something to lay hold on, in that. 
 He called Himself the Son of God, and thus was guilty 
 of blasphemy, the punishment for which was death. 
 They thus were able to cause the hated Nazarene to be 
 nailed to the accursed tree ; but they had gone wide of 
 the mark in estimating the result. One of our present- 
 day Jewish historians, noted for his learning, who is 
 not himself a believer in Christ, writes : "He is the only 
 Man born of woman of whom it may be said with truth 
 that His death accomplished more than His life. To 
 the historical world Calvary became a new Mount 
 Sinai." 
 
 These events took place while Saul was in Jerusalem 
 as the pupil of Gamaliel. But he was at the time a mere 
 youth, hardly 20 years old. It does not. appear that he 
 
zo 
 
 was deeply impressed by the new movement. He was 
 diligently pursuing his studies, in which he was in- 
 tensely interested, and he did not for a moment question 
 the truth of that which he was taught. It is not cer- 
 tain that he ever saw Jesus. It may be that he pur- 
 posely avoided the chance of seeing Him. For this 
 " demagog' ' from Galilee was a dangerous man, it 
 seemed; even the old and learned Pharisee Nicodemus 
 had been caught in His snares. No doubt Saul was 
 often warned to keep away from the Nazarene. 
 
 Nevertheless Saul was soon to stand face to face 
 with the new doctrine. 
 
 IIL The Persecution* 
 
 "I am, as touching the Law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, 
 persecuting the Church" (Phil. 3:5-6). 
 "And Saul was breathing out threatenings and slaughter 
 against the disciples of the Lord" (Acts 9:1). 
 
 "It was the grandest, and at the same time the 
 purest and boldest social renewal of the world which 
 here was worked out within the narrow circle of some 
 lowly men; not in the spirit of selfishness and violence, 
 but in the spirit of loving service, which had its pro- 
 totype and earnest of victory in Jesus, the Friend of 
 the poor and suffering/' (Otto Pfleiderer.) 
 
 The Shepherd had been put to death, and the sheep 
 had been scattered. The Pharisees had won the vic- 
 tory; and the few disciples who had remained true to 
 the Lord were stricken with panic, and had with heavy 
 hearts hidden themselves away. He whom their soul 
 loved had been put to death as a malefactor. The 
 leaders of the people did not find it necessary to begin 
 
26 
 
 any serious persecution of the followers of Jesus ; they 
 hoped that the whole movement would die out now that 
 the Prime Mover was put out of the way. 
 
 But though He had died He was still victorious. 
 Death could not hold Him. He rose again with trans- 
 figured body, and showed Himself several times to His 
 friends, in order that their faith in Him might not 
 die, but receive new life and strength. His revealing 
 of Himself came to be of especial importance to Peter, 
 who was to be the leader of the new Church. So we 
 see the little flock of believers coming together again, 
 and with renewed courage. It was true that their Lord 
 had died on the cross, but to them it was just as cer- 
 tainly true that He still lived. They had seen Him 
 many times and had touched Him, and He had spoken 
 to them; so there could be no doubt whatever that it 
 was the same Jesus. He told them to be of good cheer, 
 and to go out into the world and preach that which 
 He had taught them; and He promised to be with them 
 alway. The Spirit, whom He would send them, should 
 stir them mightily and be a proof of His presence and 
 help; and He let them know that He would sometime 
 come again in great power and glory. 
 
 In the time between the resurrection and the out- 
 pouring of the Spirit the disciples went through a great 
 spiritual evolution. The question: Should Jesus have 
 suffered all this? had been very hard to answer; and 
 they must have an answer which would not only dissi- 
 pate all doubt that Jesus, despite His death, was the 
 Son of God, but which would fill them with the blessed 
 assurance that by His death He had bought them the 
 right to be God's children. We ca-n see the progress of 
 this spiritual ripening when we read carefully the ac- 
 counts of it in the New Testament. The eyes of the 
 disciples w T ere opened more and more to the grandeur 
 of the suffering and death of Jesus, and the old pro- 
 
27 
 
 phetic visions stood out in a light which gave them a 
 new meaning. Now the disciples saw that Jesus was in 
 truth the Messiah ; now they were willing at all hazards 
 to follow Him. 
 
 With the day of the Pentecost the work of the 
 apostles as His witnesses had its beginning. Now they 
 were to be His witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judaea 
 and Samaria, and unto the ends of the world. Jesus 
 had also prepared them for the experiences which they 
 were to reap in this work (Matt. 10). 
 
 So the disciples went about from house to house, 
 and knocked at the doors, and told people of Him in 
 whom only there is salvation. In many places they were 
 w 7 ell received, while in others they were driven away 
 with mocking and contempt. Then they shook the dust 
 off their feet and went their patient way. 
 
 The message which they brought was this : That 
 Jesus was the Messiah; that He was ascended to the 
 right hand of God; that He would come again in the 
 clouds, as had been prophesied by Daniel, to reveal 
 Himself as the Messiah to all the earth, and establish 
 His Kingdom. He might come soon, and then would 
 be the great day of judgment and salvation; then would 
 the w T orld be destroyed and the Kingdom of God come 
 into its own. Persecutions, and revolutions in the social 
 order and in nature, were to presage His coming. They 
 who then lived would be changed; and the dead would 
 arise and receive a new body and be like unto the 
 angels of God. In eternal bliss they were to sit at meat 
 with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and receive an hundred- 
 fold recompense for all earthly want and suffering. 
 What now was sown in tears would be harvested in 
 joy. They who now were sad, and who hungered, suf- 
 fered and were persecuted, should then rejoice and be 
 filled. 
 
 The ungodly world should then be condemned and 
 
28 
 
 reap eternal woe; while the sad and suffering were to be 
 redeemed and comforted and refreshed with all good 
 things, for that they had hoped in Him and had suf- 
 fered and fought for the honor of His name. 
 
 However, their preaching could not be limited to 
 drawing these glorious pictures of the future ; but as all 
 that they hoped for was intimately connected with the 
 person of Jesus, they must prove by the Word of God 
 that Jesus was the Messiah. The offense of the cross must 
 be taken away ; for it was on this point that they al- 
 ways were being attacked. Who could believe that a 
 crucified malefactor was the Messiah? But as the 
 disciples began in earnest to search the Scriptures they 
 found in the old prophets many passages which declared 
 that the servant of the Lord was to suffer much and 
 that through this very suffering He was to carry out 
 God's plan of salvation. In respect to this no passages 
 were more clear than those of the prophet Isaiah in 
 chapters 52 and 53. Here the Man of Sorrows is pic- 
 tured, feature by feature: "He who took upon Himself 
 our diseases and bore our suffering; who was pierced 
 for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities : the 
 punishment was upon Him, that we might have peace, 
 and through His stripes we are healed." Were not 
 these words literally fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth? 
 And did not all agree that the servant of God spoken of 
 by the prophet was the Messiah? And how exactly 
 did not the rest of those chapters describe Jesus: "He 
 is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep 
 before the shearers is dumb, so He opened not His 
 mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment; 
 and who shall declare His generation? For He was cut 
 off out of the land of the living; for the transgressions 
 of my people was He stricken. And He made His 
 grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death ; 
 because He had done no violence, neither was any de- 
 
29 
 
 ceit in His mouth. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise 
 Him ; He hath put Him to grief ; when thou shalt make 
 His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He 
 shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord 
 shall prosper in His hand." — This certainly looks as if 
 written right under the cross of Jesus instead of many 
 centuries earlier ; and there were many who through 
 these words had their eyes opened. Here the disciples 
 of Jesus had a strong fortress, and they made use of it, 
 as w r e see in Acts 8 : 30. 
 
 When any offered the objection that Jesus could not 
 be the Messiah, since He had been rejected by the 
 leaders of the people, the disciples were able to point to 
 that which Jesus said of the Corner-stone rejected of 
 the builders (Mark 12:10); this also being the fulfil- 
 ment of a prophecy. And the same was true of His 
 resurrection, which' had been foretold in Ps. 16:10; 
 86:13; Hosea 6:2 (cf. Acts 2:27; 13, 35). Daniel, 
 too, had foretold that He was to come again in the 
 clouds as the Son of Man (Dan. 7: 13"). 
 
 Thus the disciples learnt more and more to under- 
 stand and show that the life of Jesus from beginning 
 to end had been a fulfilment of the Old Testament ; and 
 of this side of their preaching we have a mighty ex- 
 ample in the Gospel of Matthew. 
 
 It could not well be denied, then, that the life of 
 Jesus, and more especially His suffering and death, 
 were in closest harmony with the prophecies ; the coun- 
 sel of God had thus been fulfilled. 
 
 But why had God put all this suffering on Jesus? 
 This also is answered by Isaiah in the 53d chapter: 
 The servant of God bore the punishment of our sins as 
 our representative, that we might have the forgiveness 
 of sin and peace. Thus His death was an atonement 
 (1 Cor. 15:3). But if Jesus bought forgiveness, it 
 follows as a matter of course that the first gift which 
 
30 
 
 they received who believed on Him, was the gracious 
 gift of remission of sins. 
 
 The men and women who believed these things 
 formed a company of brothers and sisters who in those 
 early times lived in the beauty of a first love. They 
 loved Him on whom they believed; and there was 
 among them a mutual unity and unselfish love of the 
 brethren which has had no counterpart. They had 
 learnt love from the Master; He was the Friend of all 
 the poor and of them that suffered, and the Helper of 
 all who were maltreated, who were oppressed, who 
 hungered and wept. In this brotherhood of Jesus the 
 needy and lost had a refuge in which they found com- 
 fort and help, and had a foretaste of the coming King- 
 dom of God, in which God Himself should wipe away 
 all their tears. 
 
 In this wise they sought to win souls for Him who 
 was their all; and thus they went their unassuming and 
 loving way, imparting to others that which they them- 
 selves had received. 
 
 When we compare this preaching by the disciples 
 with the Judaism of that time, the immeasurable dis- 
 tance between them can not escape us. The very es- 
 sentials of life and doctrine were changed. In the 
 preaching of the disciples there was no room for the 
 Law as a way of salvation; in its stead was placed, His 
 person and His work. 
 
 How should they, now, harmonize this new preach- 
 ing with the Law and the temple service? These also 
 were given of God. This question must sometime be 
 answered. The service in the temple and prompt ob- 
 servance of the Law were uppermost in the mind of the 
 Jew; and the deeper his character, and the more ear- 
 nest his desire to lead a life which would please God, 
 the more difficult would be his position. Right here 
 a thorough understanding must be arrived at; for the 
 
31 
 
 preaching of the disciples must have far-reaching 
 results. 
 
 It was not. an easy matter to grasp at once that the 
 old things had passed away, and that all had become 
 new. The Lord led the disciples onward step by step. 
 First of all their hearts must be confirmed in the new 
 order; then gradually, as occasion offered, the new r 
 structure would be built up. 
 
 But the Pharisees and scribes were trained thinkers ; 
 and they understood very well what the new preaching 
 meant. To their minds a crucified Messiah was the 
 most unreasonable of all unreasonable things, their 
 principal stumbling-block; for it overthrew everything 
 which the Jews had hoped and wished for in the King- 
 dom of the Messiah. They expected their Messiah to 
 liberate the Jewish people from the humiliating bondage 
 under Rome, and make the Jews a greater and more 
 honored nation than they ever had been. But if the 
 crucified Jesus was in truth the Messiah, then all their 
 life and all their labor were even worse than useless. 
 Therefore the death of Jesus was to their way of think- 
 ing a divine judgment against any idea of Him as the 
 Messiah, and thus a declaration in fact that the Phar- 
 isees were right in rejecting Him. The Pharisees had 
 difficulty in making reply when the disciples advanced 
 proof from the Scriptures that Jesus must die to atone 
 for the sins of His people, and that His suffering was 
 in no sense in conflict with His mission as the Messiah. 
 But by very reason of this difficulty they were the more 
 angry; and their every sentiment protested against the 
 doctrine that Jesus the crucified, on whom the curse of 
 the Law was executed by an ignominious death, could 
 be the one to bring the Messianic salvation, and even 
 the Messianic righteousness. That which came by One 
 who was accursed under the Law could not be a right- 
 eousness according to the Law, but must be something 
 
32 
 
 •entirely new, a righteousness without any regard to the 
 Law. But righteousness according to the Law was the 
 foundation under the whole doctrinal structure of the 
 Pharisees, and this would then be completely under- 
 mined; and if Jesus, the Accursed under the Law, were 
 truly the Messiah, then all the ideas and prerogatives of 
 Judaism, built on the Law, must fall, and the whole 
 religion of Pharisaism must go down and be replaced 
 by the new order of things. It was not to be expected 
 that this could come to pass without meeting resistance. 
 History tells us of many bloody wars that have been 
 fought for lesser things than these. 
 
 A fight was unavoidable. But the young Christian 
 Church was to have some years of peace in which to 
 gather strength, as the leaders of the people thought, it 
 the part of w T isdom for a time to await developments. 
 At first they regarded the Christians as being merely a 
 fanatical Jewish sect, and such sectarianism was not 
 unknown among the Jews. But as long as it had no 
 great hold on the people nothing was done about it. 
 Besides, the first Christians were as diligent as any in 
 visiting the temple and observing the duties laid upon 
 them by the Law; they led a sort of double life. In 
 their inner selves they were free from the Law and the 
 Old Testament service; but in their outward life they 
 regarded themselves as in duty bound to observe the old 
 precepts and rules. The time was to come when they 
 would understand that the New Covenant in Christ 
 must destroy the old order. But as yet they tried to 
 a certain extent to combine the two ; and they hardly 
 felt the contradiction in this attempt. Therefore they 
 gathered with the brethren and sisters for instruction, 
 edification and the breaking of bread, but they also took 
 part in the old temple service. 
 
 Peter had done some acts of healing: and those in 
 authority considered it opportune to give the Christians 
 
33 
 
 a warning against such doings. Then when the warn- 
 ing was not heeded they caused the apostles to be 
 scourged and strictly forbade them to preach. But. this* 
 made the apostles all the more zealous ; for the thought 
 filled them with joy that they were regarded as worthy 
 to suffer for Jesus' sake. (See Acts 4—5.) Still, the 
 leading men among the Jews thought it the part of 
 wisdom, for a time at least, to follow the advice of 
 Gamaliel — the policy of watchful waiting. 
 
 It is not easily determined exactly how many years 
 of peace the new Church enjoyed. At any rate, before 
 long the troublous times began; and this change in the 
 order of events is connected with the name of Stephen. 
 He was one of the deacons of the Church in Jerusalem ; 
 and it. was he who occasioned the breach of the peace. 
 
 The Church in Jerusalem had grown quite rapidly. 
 The little flock of Galileans had been augmented by 
 many Jews from Jerusalem and Judaea; and also by a 
 number of Jews who had grown up in the Greek 
 countries, but now made their home in Jerusalem. 
 These so-called Hellenistic Jews had always kept close 
 to the faith of their fathers. The native Jews, how- 
 ever, looked with some suspicion on those who had 
 grown up among the Gentiles ; and the immigrated Jews 
 had therefore built their own synagogues in Jerusalem 
 and had their own services. Such a synagogue had 
 been built by the Jews from Cilicia and Asia Minor ; and 
 it was the general meeting-place of all Jews from those 
 parts. To this synagogue belonged both Stephen and Saul. 
 
 There arose a controversy among them with regard 
 to the Christian teaching, and Stephen appeared as the 
 spokesman of the Christians. We do not know the de- 
 tails; but. the upshot of the matter was, that Stephen 
 was charged with blasphemy against God and Moses, 
 in that he said that Jesus would destroy the temple and 
 abrogate the Mosaiac Law. 
 
34 
 
 The charge was not true. Stephen had not been 
 guilty of blasphemy; nor had he said that of which he 
 was accused by the false witnesses. He made a speech 
 in his own defense and state precisely what he had 
 said: By their impenitence and stubbornness the Jews 
 had all the time violated the Lord's Commandments, 
 despised and persecuted His messengers; and this they 
 had done also to the Lord's righteous Servant spoken 
 of by the prophets. When He came to His own they 
 would not. receive Him, but became His murderers. 
 They had made themselves guilty of murder and treason 
 toward Jesus, who was the promised Messiah; therefore 
 the punishment of the Lord would come upon them. 
 
 These bold accusations caused the anger of the Jews 
 to break all bounds ; and it became even more bitter 
 when Stephen at this time had a divine revelation : He 
 looked into the glory of Heaven and saw his Savior, 
 whom he had fearlessly confessed; and he told what he 
 saw. Then the Jews were beside themselves with the 
 anger of fanaticism. They stopped their ears and 
 howled and shouted to drown the speech of Stephen, 
 that his words might not befoul their ears. Then they 
 drove him out of the city and stoned him. Yet into 
 the very jaws of death he held fast to his Savior, for 
 he was of like mind with Jesus. His last words were : 
 "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge"; and soon there- 
 after he saw the Lord face to face. 
 
 At these doings Saul was present. No doubt he 
 took part, in the controversy, the trial and the shocking 
 murder. 
 
 This event came to have far-reaching results. Dur- 
 ing the trial thoughts were born which presaged a mo- 
 mentous upheaval. There was some connection between 
 the destruction of the temple and the coming of Christ; 
 the Jews were to be thrust aside and the Law be put 
 on an entirely new footing. Such ideas as these could 
 
35 
 
 not fail to provoke disgust in the Jews; and the whole 
 Christian Church became involved in the judgment 
 executed on Stephen. 
 
 The Christians now found themselves in an entirely 
 new position. They had been tolerated by the Jewish 
 leaders, but now they stood face to face with hatred, 
 persecution, death. They were held by the guardians of 
 the Law to be apostates who should be wiped out; for 
 they did not make the future of the people dependent 
 on the Law, but taught the rejection of Israel, the de- 
 struction of the temple and the abrogation of the Law. 
 These were the doctrines ascribed to them by the 
 Pharisees. Now the Christians were to learn the truth 
 of the Words of Jesus, that the disciple is not above 
 the master; if the Jews had called the Master of the 
 house Beelzebub, how much more them of His house- 
 hold. The Christians were to see themselves as sheep 
 among the wolves, be delivered up to the councils, and 
 scourged in the synagogues. Brother should deliver up 
 brother to death, and the father the child; and the 
 children should rise up against their parents, and cause 
 them to be put to death. They should be hated of all 
 men for Jesus' sake, and be driven from place to place. 
 
 A complete system of persecution was organized. 
 The sanhedrin gave written authority to the worst 
 zealots to hunt out all who seemed open to suspicion, to 
 stir up all people against them and drag them before the 
 local judges, in order that they might be punished. 
 None was more zealous than Saul against the Chris- 
 tians. For to him religion was everything; he put his 
 whole soul into whatever he undertook, and never did 
 anything by halves. During the trial of Stephen he had 
 heard views stated which meant open revolution not 
 only against the Judaism of the Pharisees, but against 
 the Law of God, the most holy and precious thing in 
 all the world. Pharisaism expressed to his mind the 
 
36 
 
 gist of the Law. Besides, the boldness with which 
 Stephen defended himself seemed to Saul nothing short 
 of shameless wickedness. So he was in entire accord 
 with the idea that these dangerous doctrines must, be 
 weeded out, and he thoroughly approved of the murder 
 of Stephen; he found pleasure in it. From the bloody 
 scene outside the city wall he turned against other ad- 
 herents of the hated doctrine, "breathing out threat- 
 enings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord." 
 And not satisfied with what he could do in Jerusalem, 
 he went to the high priest and secured from him letters 
 authorizing him to go to Damascus, where there were 
 many Jews, and to which city many Christians had fled 
 during the persecutions. It was his purpose to hunt 
 out such as were of the same way of thinking as 
 Stephen, whether they be men or women, and bring 
 them bound to Jerusalem. He "thought with himself 
 that he ought to do many things contrary to the name 
 of Jesus of Nazareth" (Acts 26:9), and he did every- 
 thing in his power to sow the seed of dissension and 
 hatred and pursue the Christians to the death. 
 
 After this first violent attack the persecutions abated 
 somewhat, but did not entirely cease. The Christians 
 could not feel entirely safe; the avenging hand of the 
 Pharisees might reach them at any time. These were 
 times of trouble and anxiety for the Lord's Church. 
 The political situation, also, was favorable to the Phari- 
 sees. Agrippa I w T as appointed king of Judaea, and 
 he sought to win the favor the the Jews by making 
 common cause with the Pharisees and persecuting the 
 Christians. James, the brother of John, was put to 
 death. Peter also was cast into prison, but God de- 
 livered him by a miracle. 
 
 This persecution had great results for the Christian 
 cause. The ruling Judaism had turned away from the 
 Christians and b§gun to make war on them; and these 
 
37 
 
 must, now learn to stand alone. They could no longer 
 claim to be a Jewish society, for Judaism had rejected 
 them. They were being persecuted in the name of the 
 Law ; and so it must be clear to them that their relation 
 to the Law was a different one from that, of their perse- 
 cutors. Even one who was expelled from the Jewish 
 Church might be saved; for the hope of Heaven was 
 not grounded in the Law, but in the Lord. 
 
 In other ways also these persecutions were to pro- 
 mote mightily the cause of the Church of Christ. They 
 scattered the Christians in all directions ; and wherever 
 the Christians came they made use of every opportunity 
 to tell people about Him on whom they believed, and 
 for whom they lived. These exiles from home became 
 just so many evangelists. 
 
 In these troublous times it came home to the Chris- 
 tians that among them the ties of nationality were being 
 loosened, and to many this was something of a surprise. 
 The words of the Lord were being fulfilled. Generally 
 the wandering evangelists preached only to the Jews 
 (Acts 11:19); but Philip had gone to Samaria, and 
 there he was doing a great work. Many of the Samar- 
 itans received with gladness the good tidings ; and when 
 the Church in Jerusalem had learnt what was doing in 
 Samaria they sent Peter and John to this district, to look 
 into the matter and to give Philip their assistance. 
 
 Shortly after this the first Gentiles were added to 
 the Church. The Lord brought together this same 
 Philip and a chamberlain in the service of Queen Can- 
 dace of Ethiopia, the guardian of all her treasure, who 
 had come to Jerusalem to worship. On his way home 
 this man was reading the prophecies of Isaiah concerning 
 the suffering Messiah ; and he asked Philip : "Of whom 
 speaketh the prophet, this ?" This gave Philip the chance 
 to speak to him concerning Jesus ; and the chamber- 
 lain believed and was baptized.— Even more important 
 
38 
 
 in its results was the conversion and Baptism of the 
 Roman Cornelius by the apostle Peter. The Lord had 
 to prepare Peter for this through a vision; and when 
 Peter understood that it was God's will that people of 
 Gentile birth also were to become members of the 
 Church, he baptized Cornelius and the people of his 
 household, as soon as the Lord had poured his Spirit 
 out upon them and thus shown it to be His will to ad- 
 mit them into the Church. To the Jewish Christians 
 present this proceeding was a great surprise (Acts 10: 
 45). Also to the brethren in Jerusalem the action of 
 Peter in this matter seemed very bold, until he had 
 come home and explained the whole affair in detail. 
 This put their doubts to rest; and they glorified God, 
 who to the gentiles, also, had granted repentance unto 
 life. 
 
 In the providence of God it came about that in these 
 times of trouble arose the greatest among the sons of 
 the Church. Saul, who had persecuted the Christians, 
 became the obedient and devoted servant of Jesus. 
 
 IV. A New Man* 
 
 "The Commandment, which was ordained to life, I found 
 to be unto death" (Rom. 7:10). 
 
 "For I through the Law am dead to the Law . . . never- 
 theless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me (Gal. 
 2:19-20). 
 
 Many thousand Jews have gone over from Judaism 
 to faith in Jesus of Nazareth as the Son of God and 
 the promished Messiah, and have become loyal members 
 of the Christian Church; and every such conversion 
 marks, as it were, an epoch in life. Above all the 
 
39 
 
 others, looms Saul; his conversion was not merely a 
 turning-point in his own career, but became a pivot on 
 which hinged the history of the Church itself. He who 
 had been the bitter enemy and persecutor of the Church 
 became then its most devoted friend, its most zealous 
 defender and its strongest leader. 
 
 Often the great change occupies but a short time; a 
 man is mightily moved by the grace of God, is trans- 
 lated from death to life, the wonderful miracle of the 
 new birth takes place, and the most radical change 
 possible in a man's life has been accomplished. Thus 
 it was in the case of Saul. It should be said, however, 
 that the process took a somewhat longer time than it 
 is often represented as having taken. 
 
 But such a change does not come about without hav- 
 ing been preceded by certain preparatory steps. In the 
 inner and the outward life there are many threads which 
 God sees, which His hand finds, and by which He 
 draws the heart to Himself and prepares it for His 
 work. 
 
 In the case of Saul religion had always been the one 
 thing of importance. His depth of character would not 
 permit him ever to be satisfied with the superficial re- 
 ligion of the Pharisees, as this is laid bare in Matt. 23. 
 Saul was a Nathaniel without guile; his zeal for God 
 was an honest impulse, and no divided allegiance would 
 do for him in religious matters. 
 
 But the Law and the ordinances of the fathers had 
 been his religion; and through these precepts he wanted 
 to become righteous before God, and he knew- of no 
 other way. He made the efifort with all his might ; and 
 he says of himself (Gal. 1: 14), "I profited in the Jews' 
 religion above many my equals in mine own nation, 
 being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my 
 fathers/' For he strove to win God's favor, to become 
 righteous, and to find peace with God. But in this hard 
 
40 
 
 and exhausting labor under the Law he was to harvest 
 something entirely different from what he had expected, 
 and to have experiences of which he never could have 
 dreamed. So far from becoming righteous by his ef- 
 forts he became more and more unrighteous; and in- 
 stead of finding peace and joy he found fear and un- 
 speakable agony of soul. All his works only made his 
 situation the worse. Later on, particularly in Romans 
 7, he describes in a most gripping way the agony of soul 
 which he suffered during these years. 
 
 It was by coming in under the Law that he acquired 
 a true knowledge of sin and its power: "Sin, taking- 
 occasion by the Commandment, wrought in me all man- 
 ner of concupiscence. The Law said, Thou shalt not 
 covet, and sin took occasion to deceive me and slay 
 me. Sin revived, and I died; and the Commandment, 
 which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. 
 — Was, then, that which is good made death unto me? 
 God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working 
 death in me by that which is good; that sin by the 
 Commandment might become exceeding sinful. For 
 we know that the Law is spiritual ; but I am carnal, 
 sold under sin." 
 
 And in this condition, in which he saw the Law in 
 his members at war with the Law of God, the effort to 
 do works pleasing to God was wholly vain. When he 
 was in the flesh the sinful lusts, which came to life 
 through the Law, were active in his members to bear 
 the fruits of death. He was captive under- the Law of 
 sin. It was made clear to him that the Law T works 
 wrath ; that the carnal mind is enmity against God and 
 can not obey His Law. So the outcome is this, that 
 what things soever the Law says, it says to them that 
 are under the Law, in order that every mouth shall 
 be stopped and all the world be guilty before God. He 
 hungered after a word of comtort from the Law, say- 
 
41 
 
 ing that now he was righteous; but through the Law 
 came the knowledge of sin. The Law did not declare 
 him righteous, but said : "Accursed is every one who 
 does not observe all things written in the Book of the 
 Law to do them/' And his heart and conscience said 
 Amen to the harsh judgment of the Law T upon him. 
 
 These were sad experiences : — to exert one's self 
 to the utmost, with no other result than agony of soul. 
 It could not come into the mind of Saul that the at- 
 tainment, of righteousness in this manner was an im- 
 possible undertaking; such a thought was directly con- 
 trary to the Jewish way of thinking. So, when he did 
 not reach the goal and obtain the righteousness for 
 which he was striving, the fault was not in the Law, 
 but. in himself; he did not strive with sufficient strength 
 and earnestness. 
 
 Such was the condition of Saul when he came in 
 contact with the Christians. The thought of the humble 
 position and the inglorious death of Jesus caused Saul's 
 mind to revolt against the contemptible sect formed by 
 his adherents. Jesus had Himself assumed what the 
 Pharisees held to be a questionable attitude toward the 
 Law ; and he had in the most scathing terms repudiated 
 their traditions. The story that Jesus was risen from 
 the dead was regarded by Saul as nothing but a fiction 
 by the crazy disciples (Matt. 28:5). At best Jesus 
 was but a fanatic; and Saul, with his teacher Gama- 
 liel, hoped that time would bring this to light. The 
 heretical doctrines which were being spread abroad in 
 the name of Jesus of Nazareth could not, however, be 
 tolerated. The resentment of Saul became bitter hatred 
 at the thought that this sect regarded Jesus as the Mes- 
 siah; this hatred increased when it came to light at the 
 trial of Stephen that the Christians even looked forward 
 to the possibility that the temple might fall. For such 
 teaching as this seemed to Saul downright treachery to 
 
42 
 
 the people and a revolt against God. Furthermore, 
 these years were pregnant with the idea of a national 
 rehabilitation ; and it goes without saying that, Saul also, 
 who was in all things a Jew, was gripped by this idea 
 and expected a great and mighty Messiah, a Prince of 
 the house of David, who was to deliver His people. But 
 the Nazarene had held Himself aloof from all this. 
 
 Nevertheless, these thoughts also were a source of 
 agony to Saul. To be sure, the Pharisees expected the 
 Messiah to come soon and deliver God's people; but at 
 the same time they were firmly persuaded that only a 
 righteous people might see the day of the Messiah. 
 And where could such a righteous people be found? 
 A people such as God demanded, and who proved 
 themselves worthy to receive the Messiah ? The stren- 
 uous efforts of the Pharisees to create such a people 
 had failed of results; and the Pharisees themselves 
 bitterly denounced the ignorant masses, who knew not 
 the Law. — Again, if Saul was to be honest with him- 
 self, how did he measure up to the ideal of righteous- 
 ness? He was far from having reached it. With all 
 his efforts to become righteous and to overcome his 
 sinful lusts he had not been able to attain anything of 
 that for which he had been striving. It rather seemed 
 that his sin and guilt were growing greater. "Wretched 
 man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of 
 this death ?" Can God have rejected his own people? 
 
 These were the thoughts troubling the heart of Saul. 
 He could not allay the pain of it. Then, during the 
 persecutions, he came into closer contact with the 
 Christians. It was his business to hunt them out, make 
 complaint before the Jewish court, and secure their 
 punishment. In doing this he had to hear their de- 
 fense and get an insight into their way of thinking; 
 and it dawned on him that these people, whom he had 
 so heartily hated, were far different from what he had 
 
43 
 
 imagined them to be. It must have made a deep im- 
 pression on his feelings when he saw the heroic martyr- 
 dom of the Christians. Was it possible that insane 
 fanaticism or godless dishonesty could produce such a 
 sure and joyous faith, which did not shrink from any 
 sort of persecution or suffering? They put their trust 
 in God, and were in possession of a peace which he 
 could not explain. And when in the course of their 
 trial before the courts he attacked their faith in the 
 suffering Jesus, they answered by reading Isaiah 53 
 and other portions of Scripture; and it almost seemed 
 also that they had the Word of God on their side. 
 
 All this must have caused pain and doubt in the 
 soul of Saul. He was a man with a deep insight into 
 the human heart, and at this time his conscience was 
 darkly troubled; and such thoughts as these would 
 naturally present themselves: Righteousness is, possibly, 
 not to be found in our own works, but may be a gift of 
 God to us, springing out of the atonement by the death 
 of the Messiah. It is not, then, the part of a man to 
 acquire this righteousness by his own works ; but God 
 has ordained that we may come, sinful as we are, and, 
 trusting in His mercy, we may in faith grasp the gra- 
 cious gift of righteousness, and thus find salvation. 
 Then, since no effort of ours will bring about the need- 
 ful righteousness, it may be that such righteousness 
 was not a condition of the coming of the Messiah, but 
 that, on the contrary, the Messiah must come in order 
 to bring about the righteousness pertaining to His 
 Kingdom. 
 
 Thus there no doubt was war in the heart of Saul 
 while he busied himself in persecuting the Christians. 
 He had the delusion that he was serving God by zeal 
 in these persecutions; then came the Lord's own good 
 time in which to show him that he was an enemy and 
 persecutor of God's Kingdom. 
 
44 
 
 On one of his journeys Saul found himself near the 
 city of Damascus. In this city was a large Jewish 
 colony; and he knew that there were in this city many 
 Christians who feared him as their worst enemy, and 
 trembled at the thought of his coming. However, it was 
 ordained that he was not after all to come as an enemy. 
 
 In the middle of the day, as he was near the end 
 of his journey, he suddenly found round about him a 
 brilliant light from Heaven. Overwhelmed by terror he 
 fell to the earth; for he understood that God was in 
 this light, and he heard a voice saying: "Saul, Saul, 
 why persecutest thou me?" Completely unnerved he 
 asked: "Who art thou, Lord?" and he received the an- 
 swer which he most feared: "I am Jesus whom thou 
 persecutest ; it is hard for thee to kick against the 
 pricks." Saul could not for a moment doubt that it 
 really was Jesus who spoke to him; and hence it was 
 true that He was risen from the dead; and then all the 
 other things told of Him were true also. Saul now saw 
 himself in a new light which frightened him. He saw 
 that his great crime was this : That he had persecuted 
 God's Messiah. No wonder that, trembling and aston- 
 ished, he now said: "Lord, what wilt Thou have me to 
 do?" He was conquered; and he understood that he 
 would but receive his just deserts should the Lord deal 
 with him as a vessel of wrath. But the Lord did not 
 do this. He commanded Saul to arise, and go into 
 the city ; there it should be told him what he must do. 
 He must have time to reflect on his experience, and to 
 be ripened for that which was to come. 
 
 The vision vanished; and when Saul began to re- 
 cover from the shock of this wonderful revelation he 
 discovered that he had become blind ; and they who had 
 been with him and had been terrified by what they had 
 witnessed, now led him by the hand, and brought him 
 into Damascus. 
 
45 
 
 His blindness lasted three days ; and these were days 
 which Paul never could forget. His heart was full, 
 and he could neither eat nor drink. His old Jewish 
 view of religion had toppled over in an instant. He 
 now knew that the Man whom he had regarded as the 
 seducer of his people, and whom he therefore had perse- 
 cuted, was in very truth the Son of God and the Savior 
 of mankind. What things were gain to him, those he 
 counted loss for Christ. Nay, he counted all things 
 but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ 
 Jesus, and counted them but dung, that he might win 
 Christ (Phil. 3:7-8). He now saw that he had been 
 making war against God. 
 
 While blind to the world outside he looked the more 
 closely into his own soul ; and in his heart there was the 
 sorrow after God. The revelation which he had re- 
 ceived contained no direct promise of mercy. While 
 it had conquered him and compelled him to acknowledge 
 Jesus as his Lord, it had created in him a stronger feel- 
 ing of his own guilt; and this now came to mean much 
 more to him than had been the case while he was striv- 
 ing for righteousness under the Law. Now^ he comes, a 
 penitent sinner, and seeks refuge with Him whom he 
 had persecuted. According to the testimony of Jesus 
 Himself (Acts 9:11), Saul now prayed and called on 
 the name of the Lord. 
 
 While Saul w T as thus humbled in the dust the Lord 
 revealed Himself to one of His faithful disciples in 
 Damascus named Ananias and told him to go to Saul; 
 "for, behold, he prayeth." To Ananias this message 
 came as the greatest surprise; he could hardly believe 
 his own ears. So he asked again if the Lord really was 
 speaking of that man who had done so much evil to 
 the saints in Jerusalem. To this the Lord answered: 
 "He is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name be- 
 fore the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel ; 
 
46 
 
 for I will show him how great things he must suffer 
 for my name's sake." 
 
 Ananias had never gone any errand more gladly. 
 Saul longed for his coming; for the Lord had told him 
 that a man named Ananias would come and lay his hand 
 on him and restore his sight. Thus the persecutor and 
 the persecuted were brought, together. The greeting of 
 Ananias must have sounded strange in the ears of the 
 blind Saul: "Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that 
 appeared unto thee in the way as thou earnest, hath 
 sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be 
 filled with the Holy Ghost/' Ananias then put his hands 
 on him, and immediately there fell from his eyes as it 
 had been scales, and he received sight forthwith. 
 
 A similar experience took place in the heart of Saul. 
 His eyes were opened to the measureless depth of God's 
 mercy; to the fullness of grace, with forgiveness of 
 sins, with righteousness and peace and joy, and without 
 any works of the Law. Saul at once arose, and was 
 baptized. 
 
 In this holy act the mystery of the new birth was 
 completed in him; Paul therefore always remembered 
 with joy the day on which he was buried with Christ 
 in Baptism, and was cleansed with the washing of water 
 by the Word, and was raised again in Christ, unto 
 whom he was baptized. 
 
 Several years later he wrote to the Church in Rome : 
 "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into 
 Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? Therefore 
 we are buried with Him by Baptism into death ; that 
 like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory 
 of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness 
 of life" (Rom. 6:3-4). This intense joy in the grace 
 of Baptism remained with him all the time, until, old 
 and worn-out in the Master's service, he was about to 
 seal his faith with his death. Then he sent a letter to 
 
47 
 
 Titus, his own son after the Christian faith ; it is as 
 though the events here described are passing in review 
 before the inner eye of the old apostle as he writes : 
 "But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior 
 toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness 
 which we have done, but according to His mercy He 
 saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing 
 of the Holy Ghost; which He shed on us abundantly 
 through Jesus Christ our Savior; that being justified 
 by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the 
 hope of eternal life" (Titus 3:4-7). 
 
 Thus God had of His free grace had mercy on the 
 persecutor, had revealed Himself to him and changed 
 him into a Christian. Saul had tried to become right- 
 eous through the means then in vogue, through a zealous 
 observance of the Law. But instead of finding peace 
 he was the more troubled with doubt. Now, however, 
 he had found peace through entirely different means. 
 The two were not harmonious, but antagonistic. That 
 which had been his stumbling-block, the accursed death 
 on the cross, now became the corner-stone of his new 
 religious structure. The cross of Christ becomes the 
 burden of all his preaching; it becomes his joy and 
 pride (Gal. 6:14). That in which he had trusted — 
 his Jewish birth, circumcision, righteousness according 
 to the Law — had now lost all value (Phil. 3:7). Faith 
 in the crucified Savior became his life, his all. The love 
 of Christ was that which is to support him through life 
 and death (Gal. 2:20; 2 Cor. 5:14; Phil. 3:10). He 
 was a new creature, free from the bondage of the Law. 
 His feeling of guilt, which heretofore had given him no 
 rest, was now conquered ; and he found in himself a new 
 spirit which filled him with grateful love toward the 
 Savior, who had given him peace. 
 
 From these experiences springs a new religious and 
 moral life, a new religious and moral outlook. He has 
 
48 
 
 a new insight into the divine economy, a new world of 
 religious thought takes shape in his soul; he becomes 
 the founder of the true Christian science. 
 
 Saul had become a new man. Ananias had admon- 
 ished him to testify concerning the salvation which he 
 had received. Saul himself felt impelled to do this; for 
 it was his duty to give a clear account of the change 
 which had taken place in him. He owed it to the 
 Christians to let them know that his conversion was 
 genuine, and not a mere means to trick them the more 
 easily, and he owed it to his former friends to let them 
 know beyond mistake that he had left them for good 
 and all, and had accepted the Christian faith. There- 
 of ore he made no secret of it; he preached fearlessly in 
 the synagogues that Christ was the Son of God, and he 
 defended the faith against the attacks of the Jews. 
 
 Still the Lord had not as yet. called Saul to be an 
 apostle. The words of Ananias implied that he was 
 to be a witness to Jews and Gentiles ; but to be an 
 apostle he must be called by the Lord Himself. Some- 
 thing more than the change which had taken place was 
 needed to make of him an apostle; and the preparation 
 for this high calling could not be completed in a few 
 days. To begin with, he needed time for quiet medi- 
 tation on the many new questions ; and new divine reve- 
 lations were necessary to confirm him in the faith and 
 give him a deeper insight into the divine plan. This 
 time of rest and preparation lasted three years, which 
 he spent in Damascus and in the northern districts of 
 Arabia. 
 
49 
 
 V* Labor and Tribulation* 
 
 "And he said unto me: Depart, for I will send thee far 
 hence unto the Gentiles" (Acts 22:21). 
 
 ^Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in 
 necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake'' 
 (2 Cor. 12:10). 
 
 Saul was become a new man. Zeal for the cause 
 had made him at one time the most bitter enemy of the 
 Christians. But now he was vanquished and had broken 
 with his old life and way of thinking. The old things 
 were passed away, and all was become new. To mark 
 this he also changed his name, for after this time he 
 called himself Paul. 
 
 Naturally it now was near the heart of Paul to do 
 something for the Lord's cause, to offset the evil which 
 he had done. Now he wished to serve the Lord Jesus 
 with his whole heart, with his every thought and word. 
 No doubt Ananias had told him of the great work for 
 which the Lord had destined him. But Paul made 
 haste slowly. He did not choose his own way and 
 time, but patiently and humbly awaited the Lord's own 
 appointed time. 
 
 During the three years of waiting he lived in re- 
 tirement. He needed to do this in order to ground 
 himself thorough in the new faith. Yet even now 
 he was to learn by experience that it costs something to 
 follow and confess Christ. The Jews were greatly dis- 
 appointed in him; and when he openly professed him- 
 self a Christian he became the object of their hatred, 
 and saw himself under the necessity of escaping it by 
 making his home for a time in Arabia. However, the 
 situation soon became somewhat less dangerous, and he 
 returned to Damascus. 
 
 One might have expected Paul after his conversion 
 
50 
 
 to have gone to Jerusalem in order to be with the 
 Church at that place, and to become acquainted with the 
 disciples, who had been eye-witnesses of the Lord's life, 
 death and resurrection ; but he had his valid reasons for 
 not doing this. It was clear that it would not be pos- 
 sible for him to avoid meeting the men who had sent 
 him out to persecute the Christians; and he knew the 
 sentiment prevailing among the members of the San- 
 hedrin and the Pharisees well enough to harbor no illu- 
 sions as to what they would do to him. He knew also 
 that even his brethren in the faith would look upon 
 him with some suspicion. It was not to be expected 
 that they would at once have full confidence in him. 
 But there was a still deeper reason- why he kept so long 
 away from Jerusalem. He w r as aware that the Lord 
 had chosen him to be an apostle ; and Paul did not wish 
 it to appear in any way as if he had received his in- 
 struction from any of the apostles, or from any man. 
 He would then have been regarded as no more than a 
 pupil of the other apostles, somewhat after the manner 
 of Mark and Luke; but if he were to be an apostle he 
 must have his instruction and commission from the Lord 
 Himself. So when he kept away from Jerusalem for 
 three years it was to avoid putting himself in a wrong 
 position with reference to the other apostles and 
 disciples. 
 
 After the lapse of these three years Paul saw that now 
 he must take up his life-work; and he felt the need of 
 going to Jerusalem and become acquainted with the 
 Church and its leaders, and at the same time give these 
 the opportunity to learn what manner of man he was. 
 While he wanted to know them, it was just as necessary 
 that they should know him, in order to do away with 
 any feeling of suspicion or any ill will toward him and 
 his mission. So he went to Jerusalem; taking with 
 him Barnabas, who was well acquainted with the 
 
51 
 
 apostles and could introduce him to them. Between 
 Paul and Barnabas there must have been a friendship 
 of long standing. 
 
 It was, of course, most important of all to meet the 
 apostle Peter, who was the strong leader in the Church, 
 and come to an understanding with him; for Paul 
 understood even now how much it would mean for him 
 and Peter to know each other and be able to work in 
 complete harmony. These two foremost men of the 
 apostolic age spent two weeks cultivating an intimate 
 acquaintance with each other; and there need be no 
 doubt as to the matters which they discussed. To both 
 of them the meeting was a great event. Many episodes 
 in the life of Jesus and all sorts of personal details were 
 related to Paul, and he was told of what Jesus had said 
 in His speeches. All this became very useful to Paul in 
 his later work. And as for Peter, it must have been 
 worth much to him that, he had learnt to know this 
 strong, independent spirit which dwelt in Paul. 
 
 Incidentally Paul met also other members of the 
 Church. But. he did not become intimately acquainted 
 with any except James, the brother of Jesus, who, 
 because of his ability and also because of his near re- 
 lationship with the Lord, was a man of note in the 
 Church. 
 
 Paul made use of the opportunity to preach to his 
 own misguided people, whom he so earnestly wished to 
 save, and' particularly to the Jews who, like himself, 
 had been born in the Greek provinces outside of the 
 Jews' own country. But he met only opposition and 
 hatred, so that it was even dangerous for him to re- 
 main in Jerusalem. — Several times he went to the temple 
 to w r orship; and one day while he was thus devoutly 
 praying he went into a trance, in which the Lord said 
 to him: "Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jeru- 
 salem; for they will not receive thy testimony concern- 
 
52 
 
 ing me. Depart, for I will send thee far hence unto 
 the Gentiles/' 
 
 Now Paul had received his commission as a foreign 
 missionary from the Lord Himself, and was able to set. 
 forth as one having authority from God. But he had 
 not as yet received instructions as to where he was to 
 begin, and he would not decide this for himself ; he had 
 time to wait until the Lord should point out. to him 
 just what to do. 
 
 He as well as the brethren understood that Jerusalem 
 was not the place for him; to remain there was in fact 
 dangerous. So, after a stay of tw T o w r eeks he went away. 
 Barnabas went back to his work in Antioch, while Paul 
 made his way to Tarsus, his native city. 
 
 Paul now revisited the scenes of his youth. No 
 doubt there had been many changes. He had come back 
 not as a learned rabbi, but as a humble Christian; and 
 we may be sure that during this visit he did not fail to 
 preach Christ. He made but a brief stay, however. 
 Barnabas knew something of Paul's great power; and 
 the work in the Church at Antioch, under the leader- 
 ship of Barnabas, w 7 as too much for one man. Barnabas 
 therefore went to Tarsus to secure the assistance of 
 Paul, and came back to the Syrian capital bringing 
 Paul with him. 
 
 In Antioch Paul found a large Christian Congrega- 
 tion, in which there also were many former Gentiles. 
 Here the two friends labored together for a year. 
 People were coming to their meetings in steadily in- 
 creasing numbers, and it was necessary to increase the 
 force of teachers. Then, in the year 44, during the 
 reign of Emperor Claudius, there was a disastrous 
 famine, especially severe in Judaea. So there was much 
 suffering among the Christians as well as among the 
 Jews in and about Jerusalem. The prophet Agabus had 
 foretold these things to the brethren in Antioch; and 
 
53 
 
 these had collected funds for the needy Christians, and 
 Paul and Barnabas were sent to Jerusalem with the 
 money. 
 
 They disposed of this matter and then returned to 
 Antioch, where they for a time continued their labors 
 with much success. The Church prospered and soon 
 had its work in such orderly trim that the leadership 
 of Paul and Barnabas was no longer needed; these men 
 had other work to do. The Lord made it known to the 
 Church at Antioch that now the time was come to send 
 them to preach the Gospel of life in new places. It 
 was an impressive event in the Congregation when with 
 fasting and prayer and the laying on of hands Paul and 
 Barnabas were consecrated and sent forth on their 
 mission. This was in the year 45 or 46. 
 
 Here we have the beginning of Paul's real work as 
 a missionary. He set out on this first journey accom- 
 panied by Barnabas, and by Mark, whom they had 
 brought with them from Jerusalem. 
 
 First they went down to the seaport Seleucia, and 
 then by boat over to the island of Cyprus, which was 
 the home of Barnabas ; and they traveled the whole 
 length of the island from Salamis to Paphos. Though 
 they did not stay here long the Gospel had one very 
 notable victory, in that the Roman proconsul Sergius 
 Paulus became a convert to the Christian faith. A 
 certain Jewish sorcerer named Barjesus had by his 
 wicked arts wormed himself into the confidence of the 
 proconsul. This sorcerer called himself Elymas, i. e., 
 the wise. In those times such persons were highly re- 
 garded, something like the alchemists of a later age. 
 When Barjesus noticed that the proconsul, or governor, 
 was inclined to accept the teaching of Paul he resorted 
 to all manner of trickery to keep him from doing this. 
 The wily sorcerer was afraid of losing his influence 
 with Sergius; and he did in fact put himself in a sorry 
 
54 
 
 plight. Paul laid bare the man's hypocrisy and wicked 
 cunning; and Barjesus was for a time struck blind. 
 Thus it was made clear to the governor that the spirit 
 and powder of the Lord were with Paul. 
 
 From Cyprus the missionaries crossed over by boat 
 to Attalia in Asia Minor. Paul's plan was to go to 
 the interior province Galatia, where he wished to preach 
 the Gospel. He was not concerned about his own com- 
 fort or security when he decided to visit these parts; 
 and even on this first trip he was to experience some- 
 thing of the dangers to which his calling exposed him. 
 Mark, also called John, went with the others as far as 
 to the city of Perga in Pamphylia, from which place 
 the road led up among the mountains. Mark seems to 
 have soon tired of the missionary's strenuous life ; and 
 having also heard, no doubt, of the many dangers 
 threatening on the proposed journey through the coun- 
 try, he lost courage, and left his companions and went 
 home to his mother Mary, who lived in Jerusalem and 
 was highly esteemed by all. To Paul this desertion of 
 the work by Mark was a sad disappointment; but it 
 could not stop him and Barnabas. They continued their 
 journey through the mountain passes of Pisidia. The 
 roads were bad; the Romans had neglected such work 
 in these districts. Nor had much been done for the 
 security of travelers. There was but a small garrison 
 of Roman soldiers; and the reputation of the natives 
 had never been of the best. Robberies and attacks on 
 the caravans passing this way from the interior down 
 to the coast were matters of daily occurrence; and a 
 journey through the country was thus fraught with 
 danger, especially for travelers who could not afford to 
 have a guard with them. In the forests and ravines 
 robbers w T ere hiding. For the greater part of the way 
 the road lead along the banks of the river Cestrus, which 
 here was a swift mountain torrent. There were but 
 
55 
 
 few bridges ; and when swollen by recent rains the river 
 could not be forded without great danger. The usual 
 thing was to build a sort of raft on which to float the 
 luggage, and then swim across the river. ^ When de- 
 scribing his travels (2 Cor. 11:26-27), Paul doubtless 
 had in mind' some of the experiences of this journey: 
 "I have been in journeyings often, in perils of waters, 
 in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, 
 in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils^ 
 in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among 
 false brethren; in weariness and painfulness, in watch- 
 ings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in 
 cold and nakedness." Such were at that times the 
 troubles of a poor man journeying in these wild regions. 
 It may be that the two men were attacked by brigands, 
 and that it was their poverty which saved them: They 
 went bravely on through the dark forests, climbing the 
 mountains and swimming the rivers. They knew that 
 they went in the name of the Lord, and that He who 
 had commanded them to go held their lives in His hand. 
 He had not promised them ease and comfort; but He 
 had said that He would be with them, and so they could 
 trust Him to care for them. And the two wanderers 
 have doubtless strengthened each other by speaking to- 
 gether of their Lord and Master, and exchanging ex- 
 periences, and thus shortening the weary days. 
 
 Their first goal was Antioch in Pisidia, about one 
 week's journey from Perga. Antioch occupied a beauti- 
 ful site in a fertile region up on the highlands of Pisidia. 
 Back of the city were great, snowclad mountains ; and 
 before it were broad fields with well-kept gardens, and 
 to the west near by a fine, large lake. From the heights 
 near the city one had a grand view, when the setting 
 sun shed its golden light over plain and mountain, and 
 over the city with its grand marble palaces and temples. 
 There was in Antioch a Roman colonv. A number of 
 
56 
 
 veterans had their homes here, and the city was the seat 
 of one of the Roman courts of law. In beautiful tem- 
 ples the powers of nature were worshiped. Sacrifices 
 were offered to sun, moon and stars ; and at. night there 
 were torchlight parades, with the wildest drunken orgies 
 and unbridled licentiousness. It was to the Churches 
 in these parts that the apostle afterwards wrote (Gal. 
 4:8-9): "When ye knew not God, ye did service to 
 them which by nature are no gods. . . . And now, how 
 turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, where- 
 unto ye desire to be again in bondage ?" 
 
 Besides the large heathen population, there was in 
 Antioch a colony of Jews who were different from their 
 neighbors in life and faith, and who kept to themselves 
 and worshiped God in their own synagogue. Occasion- 
 ally jGentiles also attended their meetings ; and some of 
 these Gentiles were persuaded and accepted the Jewish 
 faith. It is probable that there were several such prose- 
 lytes in Antioch. 
 
 There is no record as to where the two missionaries 
 found a lodging. We may assume that Paul at once 
 looked about him for work by means of which he could 
 earn a living, as he intended to make a somewhat 
 lengthy stay in this city. When the Sabbath came the 
 two friends went to the synagogue. While the noisy 
 business went on as usual among the Gentiles, it was the 
 custom of the Jews always to rest on the Sabbath and 
 come together for religious services. 
 
 Paul always went to the synagogue when occasion 
 offered, in order to hear the reading of the holy Scrip- 
 tures, and also in order to speak to the Congregation. 
 It was customary for the rulers of the synagogue to 
 ask any stranger -present to address the people, espe- 
 cially if the stranger was understood to be a rabbi. Thus 
 Paul was asked to speak wherever he went. And he 
 liked best to speak in the synagogues ; for the Roman 
 
57 
 
 law did not permit the preaching of a new religion, 
 while Judaism was tolerated by the State. 
 
 In Antioch it came about as Paul had expected. 
 After the reading of the usual Scripture lessons and 
 prayers the leaders sent a servant, to Paul and Barnabas, 
 saying: "Ye men and brethren, if you have any word of 
 exhortation for the people, say on/' Paul then stood up 
 and, beckoning with his hand, spoke to the audience of 
 Jews and proselytes. His sermon is reported at some 
 length in Acts 13 ; and thus w r e get a fairly accurate idea 
 of his style of preaching to audiences in a Jewish syna- 
 gogue. He calls their attention to the manner in which 
 God has led His people, from the time when He brought 
 them out of bondage in Egypt, and until He sent them 
 John the Baptist, the mighty preacher in the wilderness, 
 who was to prepare the hearts to receive Him whom 
 God would send to save His people. Then Paul briefly 
 and graphically outlined to them the life of Christ, espe- 
 cially His passion, death and resurrection. He described 
 the shameful treatment of Him by the Jews ; who were 
 not able, however, to bring about His destruction. For 
 He rose again, according to the promise made, thereby 
 proving that He was indeed the Son of God and the 
 promised Messiah. Therefore His messengers preach 
 salvation and remission of sin in His name ; and all who 
 believe on Him have through Him the righteousness 
 which no man can earn by w^orks of the Law. This 
 great message was now come to those in Antioch; and 
 they must receive it, that it might save them, and that 
 they might not by despising it call down upon them- 
 selves the wrath of God. 
 
 This strong sermon by the apostle made a deep im- 
 pression on his hearers, dealing as it did with the free 
 grace of God toward all men; and when they came out 
 of the synagogue they surrounded the two strangers 
 and thanked Paul for what he had said. This new 
 
58 
 
 preaching had especially appealed to the Gentiles ; it 
 was something so widely different from the stringent, 
 cold precepts of the Law. Many Jews, also, were im- 
 pressed by Paul's interpretation of the Old Testament. 
 Paul and Barnabas were therefore earnestly urged to 
 stay with them and continue their preaching. 
 
 This reception of his message must, of course, have 
 greatly cheered the apostle. From day to day many 
 came to him to talk with him about the one thing need- 
 ful; and he diligently used the opportunity and admon- 
 ished them to continue in the grace of God. 
 
 When Paul and Barnabas came to the synagogue on 
 the following Sabbath they found a packed house await- 
 ing them. The fame of the two preachers had spread 
 over the whole city, and everybody wanted to hear them. 
 But the rulers of the synagogue were in a dark mood 
 which did not promise well. They regarded it as an 
 affront to themselves that so many came to hear these 
 new preachers ; when they themselves had preached the 
 synagogue had been more than large enough. The past 
 week had given them time to weigh carefully the ser- 
 mon of Paul, and they had come to the conclusion that 
 he had preached a dangerous doctrine. They dared not 
 deny him the right to speak ; but whenever he said any- 
 thing which they did not like they "spake against him, 
 contradicting and blaspheming." The situation became 
 painful. No good could come of prolonging it ; so the 
 apostle closed his speech with this bold declaration : "It 
 was necessary that the Word of God should first have 
 been spoken to you; but seeing ye put it from you, and 
 judge yourselves umvorthy of everlasting life, lo, we 
 turn to the Gentiles. For so had the Lord commanded 
 us, saying: 'I have set thee to be a light to the Gentiles, 
 that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of 
 the earth/ " Then all was still in the synagogue, it had 
 gone as long since foretold by the Lord through the 
 
59 
 
 prophet Isaiah. But the divine words which silenced 
 the stubborn Jews filled the believing Gentiles with 
 joy. They were glad, and glorified the Word of God; 
 for that the doors of His Kingdom now were open to 
 them. 
 
 This episode led to an open break with the syna- 
 gogue. The apostle saw with his own eyes how the 
 Jews rejected the Kingdom and its blessings, while the 
 Gentiles received it with gladness. The two mission- 
 aries were obliged to find another meeting-place, where 
 they could preach without danger of inciting a revolt. 
 Their labors brought forth a rich harvest; before long 
 there was a small Christian Congregation in the city. 
 But not only this ; for Paul and Barnabas visited also 
 the neighboring districts, where they preached and or- 
 ganized Churches. And, as Luke says: "The Word of 
 the Lord was published throughout all the region." 
 
 In this way the two friends spent at least a year in 
 Antioch and its vicinity. It was not to be expected that 
 the Jews would be satisfied with the turn of events. 
 Not only were they left behind by the strange preachers ; 
 but the worst of it was, that if what these strangers 
 said were true, then the Jews were in nothing better than 
 others ; the Law and all else on which they built were of 
 no account. And when they understood, also, that they 
 could accomplish nothing by speaking to the people, who 
 did not want to hear them, they resorted to trickery ; 
 and as usual, this proved effective. There were in the 
 city certain "devout and honorable women/' whom 
 the rulers of the synagogue succeeded in inciting to 
 fanatical opposition against the Christian missionaries ; 
 the rulers trusting that the women in their turn would 
 bring the men over to their same way of thinking. The 
 plan was successful. The leading men of the city were 
 incensed against the missionaries ; there was a riot, and 
 the two friends were brought before the court and 
 
60 
 
 ordered to leave the city. So they went their way, while 
 the mob followed at their heels, mocking and reviling 
 them. 
 
 From Antioch the apostle went southeast to Iconium 
 in Lycaonia. The road led over a great stretch of level 
 desert; hot and dusty in the summer season, while the 
 winters might be bitter cold, with flurries of snow. In 
 a beautiful oasis on the edge of this desert was the city 
 of Iconium, which still is a pretty, flourishing place. 
 At the time with which we are dealing it was a large 
 and thriving city. There was a Roman garrison and 
 Roman civil officials, and the city was the capital of 
 Lycaonia. It was on the great highway leading east, 
 and this made it an important trade center. Here were 
 also many Jews; and these had built a large, fine syna- 
 gogue, in which they and numerous proselytes came to- 
 gether on the Sabbath. The city was three or four days' 
 journey from Antioch. 
 
 Here also the apostle found a good field for his 
 labors. The people had but little faith in their old gods, 
 and were looking about for something on which to build 
 up a new religion. 
 
 The two missionaries began their work in the same 
 way as in Antioch; they went to the synagogue and 
 were invited to speak. Paul then preached to them the 
 same Gospel message which he had preached in other 
 places, and we are told that many Jews and Greeks be- 
 lieved the Word and accepted the Christian faith. It 
 goes without saying that the preachers incurred the 
 enmity of many of the Jew^s, but these do not seem to 
 have been able to do them any harm; the friends of the 
 apostle were too many and too powerful. A long time 
 therefore they abode there, probably at least for one 
 year; and they preached boldly and gladly, for the Lord 
 "gave testimony unto the Word of His grace, and 
 granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands." 
 
61 
 
 Thus all might see that the Lord was with His mes- 
 sengers; and soon there was in this place a large and 
 flourishing Church. 
 
 However, the apostle was not to finish his work here 
 and go his way in peace. The Christian Congregation 
 soon had a larger membership than the Jewish syna- 
 gogue; and the Jews could make no more proselytes, 
 as all the people wanted to hear Paul and Barnabas. 
 The Jewish leaders then kept up the agitation against 
 the two dangerous preachers, until the whole city was 
 divided into two factions, those who were with Paul 
 and those who were against him. When the Jews had 
 brought, their party to the proper degree of fanaticism 
 they started a riot, their purpose being to put Paul and 
 Barnabas to shame and then stone them. But these two 
 men were warned of what was doing and made their 
 escape ; so when the mad mob with the Jewish rulers at 
 their head came to the place where they had expected 
 to find the apostle, he had disappeared. Now the two 
 men must try to find a place in which they might be 
 reasonably safe from the fury of the Jews; and they 
 therefore journeyed to the southeast to the isolated and 
 little known city of Lystra. 
 
 In this mountainous district were no Jews ; and as 
 usual in isolated valleys, the people had little culture 
 and much superstition. They spoke their own peculiar 
 dialect, the vernacular of this part of Lycaonia, but seem 
 to have understood also the spoken language of the 
 Greeks. So the two men were well hidden and could 
 now labor in peace among the heathen. They arranged 
 meetings, and the Word of God made its way into the 
 hearts of the people. One day when Paul was preach- 
 ing, he noticed a certain man who seemed to be espe- 
 cially attentive to every word. He was "impotent in 
 his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb." Paul 
 pitied the poor man, and interrupted his sermon, turned 
 
62 
 
 to him and said with a loud voice: "Stand upright on 
 thy feet/' And the miracle happened. The lame man 
 felt the stream of life course through his withered 
 limbs, and with shouts of joy he leaped up and walked. 
 The spectators went wild with enthusiasm; and there 
 arose a rather humorous situation, at the recollection of 
 which the apostle must often have smiled. When the 
 people saw the lame man leap and walk, they shouted 
 to one another in the speech peculiar to Lycaonia: 
 "The gods are come down to us in the likeness of 
 men." No such thing had ever been seen, and the peo- 
 ple could think of no better explanation. They had a 
 legend that the father of the gods, Zeus, and his mes- 
 senger, Hermes, had at one time long ago taken upon 
 themselves the likeness of poor men and had wandered 
 about in order to study the way of thinking among 
 mortals. They went from house to house, and were 
 everywhere turned away. At last they came to a poor 
 hut, where lived a happy man and wife, Philemon and 
 Baucis. There the gods were well received and treated 
 to the best that the poor place afforded. Next day the 
 good man and wife learnt that their guests were two 
 of the gods of Olympus; and these promised to grant 
 them any wish that they might agree on. So Philemon 
 and Baucis wished that they might live in good health 
 to a ripe old age, and then die on the same day. 
 
 Now, w r hen the simple-minded and superstitious peo- 
 ple saw that the cripple had been healed, they jumped 
 to the conclusion that Barnabas, who was an imposing 
 figure and had little to say, must be Zeus, and that his 
 eloquent companion must be Hermes. The greatest 
 enthusiast among them all was the priest in the temple 
 of Zeus, just outside of the city. He insisted that great 
 sacrifices should be offered in honor of the two gods 
 who had come to Lystra. The people hurried away; 
 and before long they came back with song and music, 
 
63 
 
 bringing with them garlanded oxen, and now there was 
 to be a great sacrifice in honor of Paul and Barnabas. 
 
 These two men had hardly understood what was in 
 the wind; but when they saw the concourse of people 
 with the sacrificial oxen they were terrified, and made 
 all haste to stop these proceedings. Paul explained to 
 the people that he and his friend were not gods, but 
 merely ordinary mortals like themselves, and that the 
 gods in whom the people believed did not exist. Then 
 he began speaking to them about the living God, who 
 had created heaven and earth and all things in them; 
 who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their 
 own ways, but who in His great love still thought of 
 them, and gave rain and fruitful seasons, filling their 
 hearts with gladness. 
 
 Paul barely succeeded in preventing the sacrifice. 
 The missionaries were received with open arms. Peo- 
 ple liked to hear them; and so they remained a long 
 time, preaching the Word in the city and in the sur- 
 rounding country districts. 
 
 Thus they worked for a long time without hin- 
 drance. But at last the Jews in Antioch and Iconia 
 learnt the whereabouts of the missionaries, and came 
 to Lystra and again began to incite the populace against 
 the two men; and they succeeded in their design, gain- 
 ing over to their side a large number of those easily 
 influenced citizens of Lystra. As soon as they were 
 many enough they proceeded to carry out their plan. 
 There was a riotous demonstration; the Jews forced 
 their way into the house, laid hands on the troublesome 
 apostle and dragged him out into the street. Now the 
 day of reckoning had come, and it was not possible for 
 Paul to escape. A hail of stones was thrown at him, 
 and he thought, no doubt, that his last hour was at 
 hand. He probably remembered the day when he him- 
 self had been a pleased spectator at the murder of 
 
64 
 
 Stephen just outside the walls of Jerusalem. Now the 
 same thing was being done to him; but in his heart, 
 were peace and joy, and he commended his soul to God. 
 
 The Jews had satisfied their fury, and the apostle 
 was lying there bloody and mutilated, and they sup- 
 posed that he was dead. Then they dragged the body 
 out of the city and left it. as food for the vultures. 
 They then felt more at ease, having rid themselves of 
 their most dangerous enemy. 
 
 When the infuriated mob had left the coast clear, 
 Barnabas and the other Christians went out for the 
 purpose of caring for the body of the murdered apostle. 
 Their grief because of the loss of their best friend and 
 defender was turned to joy when they noticed signs of 
 life in the torn and bleeding body. They bound up his 
 wounds and moistened his lips, and he came to con- 
 sciousness ; and loving hands supported him back into 
 the city, where he was well cared for in the home of 
 one of his friends. 
 
 But Lystra was no longer a safe place for him. If 
 it became known that he was alive the Jews would 
 manage to find him again. So on the next day he de- 
 parted with Barnabas to Derbe. He had now fully 
 experienced the truth of that which the Lord said of 
 him in Damascus : "I will show him how great things 
 he must suffer for my name's sake." All his life he 
 carried the scars received in Lystra ; and later on he 
 reminds the Churches in these parts of these his badges 
 of honor : "From henceforth let no man trouble me ; 
 for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus" 
 (Gal. 6: 17). These were his signs of honor. 
 
 Derbe was a little town near the eastern border of 
 Galatia. The apostle was broken in health, but this 
 was an excellent place in w 7 hich to regain his strength. 
 The town was beautifully situated on the shore of a 
 fine, large lake, and Paul always remembered with 
 
65 
 
 pleasure his stay in Derbe. It came to be a blessed 
 time for himself and for the Congregation which sprang 
 up around him, now that his health was being restored. 
 We do not know where he lodged; but it probably was 
 in the house of a Jewish widow named Eunice, whose 
 husband had been a Greek. With her was her mother, 
 a good old Jewess named Lois; and also her son Tim- 
 othy. This family later earned a good name among 
 the Christian Churches; and Timothy became Paul's 
 dearest and most trusted disciple. 
 
 At any rate Paul was cordially received in Derbe, 
 in spite of the marks of his recent maltreatment ; and 
 the kindness now lavished on him must have cheered 
 him wonderfully. In Gal. 4:13-15, he expresses to 
 these people his deepest gratitude: "Ye know how 
 through infirmity of the flesh I preached the Gospel 
 unto you at the first. And my temptation which was in 
 my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me 
 as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. Where is 
 then the blessedness ye spake of? For I hear your 
 record, that, if it had been possible, you would have 
 plucked out your own eyes, and have given them 
 to me." 
 
 Neither Jew nor Gentile seems to have harmed the 
 apostle in any way during his stay in Derbe, though 
 there were many Jews in this city. His work seems to 
 have been more successful here than at any other place 
 in Galatia. He stayed several months and built up a 
 thriving Church. Luke says (Acts 14 : 21) that he 
 "preached the Gospel in that city, and taught many." 
 
 The apostle was now at the last station of his first 
 missionary journey. Nearly five years had elapsed 
 since he and Barnabas set out from Antioch in Syria. 
 It is no wonder that they were longing for home. Be- 
 sides, there were other places in which they wanted to 
 do some mission work; so they brought this first ex- 
 
 3 
 
66 
 
 pedition to a close. It would have been easiest for 
 them to follow the main road east to Antioch in Syria 
 by way of Tarsus. But Paul was more interested in 
 doing his duty than in taking his ease. Naturally, he 
 also wished to visit once more the Churches which he 
 had organized and learn how they were getting on. 
 He himself had been driven out from some of the 
 places ; and of course the Churches had contended with 
 many difficulties in the early days of their history. They 
 were exposed to hatred and persecution on the part of 
 the Jews; but while persecutions may harass, they can 
 not destroy a Church of the Lord. Still, the Churches 
 might need encouragement and comfort in these troub- 
 lous times; and more than anything else they needed 
 guidance. So Paul decided to go home by way of 
 Lystra, Iconium, Antioch and Perga. The visit to 
 these Christian converts, moreover, cheered him 
 greatly ; for he saw everywhere that while they had suf- 
 fered much, they yet were running a good race. They 
 had remained loyal to the Gospel ; and they were glad 
 to see the apostle again, though it were but for a short 
 time. Everywhere he spoke words of good cheer, 
 though he did not hide the truth that we must enter 
 the Kingdom through many tribulations ; for which 
 reason it is the more important that we remain stead- 
 fast in the faith. He himself had suffered much on his 
 journey, and the birth of these Churches had caused 
 him much pain. He had been hunted as if he were a 
 wild beast, been reviled as an outlaw. But one must 
 not lose heart; the joys of God's Kingdom would be 
 cheap at the cost of much suffering. 
 
 The apostle was glad to find that in the Churches 
 there were some persons who were strong in the faith, 
 and whose Christian experience and insight were such 
 that he could safely place the leadership in their hands. 
 With prayer he ordained them to the office, and com- 
 
67 
 
 mended them to the care of the chief Shepherd, on 
 whom they believed. Thus Paul and Barnabas sought 
 to strengthen the Churches and to encourage them to 
 remain true. Then the two missionaries reached the 
 coast, whence they went home by boat from Attalia. 
 
 There was great rejoicing in Antioch in Syria when 
 the two men came home after an absence of five years. 
 The Church held a mission festival. All were glad to 
 see* the beloved evangelists; and their joy was increased 
 when Paul in his own striking way related, how that 
 God had done great things through Barnabas and him, 
 and had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. This 
 was the gist of his report, and it surely was something 
 for which to rejoice and thank God. 
 
 VI* Dangerous Times. 
 
 "I went up (to Jerusalem) by revelation, and communi- 
 cated unto them that Gospel which I preach among the 
 Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, 
 lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain" 
 (Gal. 2:2)'. 
 
 Now that they were come back to the Church in 
 Antioch. Paul and Barnabas would doubtless have been 
 very glad to rest for a time from their strenuous labor ; 
 "but it did not last for long. For the apostle had before 
 Tiim a new fight, more dangerous than the former ones ; 
 a fight which threatened to destroy not only himself, 
 but his work; to discredit his teaching and tear down 
 his Churches; a fight not with enemies on the outside, 
 but with enemies within the Church itself; and these 
 enemies were men who made a strong pretense of great 
 piety. 
 
68 
 
 This fight was to last while the apostle lived, and to 
 cause him much sorrow and aching of heart. Still, 
 even these things were in many ways to benefit both 
 himself and the Church ; for through them the vision 
 of Paul was clarified, and the new view which his con- 
 version had given him of the Christian religion was 
 strengthened. The Gospel of free grace, as preached 
 by Paul, came to stand out more and more distinctly; 
 and a clearer light was thrown on the truths that Christ 
 is the End of the Law for righteousness to all that be- 
 lieve; and that Christ, who died, but now lives, is the 
 only Fount of life and salvation. 
 
 The Lord had richly blessed the labors of Paul and 
 Barnabas during these years. Congregations were 
 founded by them; and in the desert of heathendom 
 there were oases in which the new Christian life showed 
 a fine growth. Converted Jews and Gentiles dwelt to- 
 gether in brotherly harmony and rejoiced in the sal- 
 vation w T hich they had received. Especially was this the 
 case in Antioch; and none thought that this brotherly 
 love of Jew and Gentile could in any way be wrong. 
 
 The Christians in Jerusalem had rejoiced over the 
 extension of the Kingdom of Christ through the mis- 
 sionary efforts of Paul. But gradually there came a 
 change over them. Conditions in Palestine had be- 
 come more peaceful ; the Christians were no more being 
 persecuted as before. There was no longer any great 
 danger in belonging to the Christian Church. 
 
 At this time there came into the Church in Jeru- 
 salem certain new members, who had belonged to the 
 party of the Pharisees. They may have been impressed 
 to some extent by the preaching, or they may have 
 been attracted by the life which the Christians led. 
 They became very active members of the Church, and 
 kept careful watch of Paul, in whom they had little 
 faith : for their religious view was widely different from 
 
69 
 
 his. To them Christianity was merely Judaism with 
 certain improvements. Their conversion to Christianity 
 had not meant any radical change ; they remained Jews, 
 though they had adopted some Christian forms. There- 
 fore we call them Judaists and speak of their brand of 
 religion as Judaism. 
 
 These people, as already stated, kept an eye on Paul 
 and his work; they saw that the Church was coming 
 under the control of former Gentiles ; these were al- 
 ready in the majority. And what was still worse, these 
 new Gentile-Christian Churches were not being man- 
 aged from the headquarters in Jerusalem, but rather 
 from Antioch. The other apostles, appointed by the 
 Savior Himself, had no authority over these Churches ; 
 their autocrat was Paul, who had scarcely seen the 
 Savior. 
 
 Before long it came to light that there was differ- 
 ence of opinion on this matter in the Mother Church 
 at Jerusalem. Some of the Christians gladly supported 
 Paul, while others did their best to undermine his in- 
 fluence. No doubt the greater number were uncertain 
 as to what position they should take in the matter. 
 
 Narrow-minded slaves under the Law never are 
 slow to find fault. These people wanted to make sure 
 of what they had heard ; so they decided to obtain a 
 nearer view of the Pauline methods, and of conditions 
 in the Churches which Paul had founded. So some of 
 them went to Antioch. This was an ideal place for the 
 mischief-makers, as the Congregation was made up 
 of both Jews and Gentiles, and the city was the center 
 of Paul's activity. This was a good place in which to 
 observe the liberty obtaining wherever the preaching 
 of Paul had come to rule the hearts. Here the Law 
 and the rite of circumcision formed no barrier between 
 Jew and Gentile ; all were one in Christ. 
 
 It is probable that the meddlers came while Paul 
 
70 
 
 and Barnabas were absent on their missionary journey; 
 and they at once began to sow the seeds of dissension. 
 They addressed themselves to the Jewish Christians 
 and explained to these how that they had done wrong 
 in becoming as one with the Gentiles; they should have 
 remembered that they themselves were Jews, and they 
 should have kept themselves aloof from the unclean 
 and uncircumcised Gentiles. These Gentile Christians 
 were not to be regarded as Christian brethren on an 
 equality with the others, unless they accepted circum- 
 cision and the Mosaic Law; for salvation must come 
 through adoption into the Jewish nation, God's own 
 Chosen People. They urged also that Paul's idea of 
 Christianity and the Christian life was a new invention 
 of his own; and in support of their contention they 
 pointed to the Mother Church in Jerusalem, explaining 
 how the other apostles carefully observed the precepts 
 of the Law of Moses in its every detail. And so they 
 made it appear that the other apostles were opposed to 
 Paul in this matter; and they kept up a persistent 
 agitation to bring about discord. 
 
 It is no wonder, then, that many began to waver. — 
 It was easy to understand that the opinions held by 
 these men from Jerusalem did not accord with the 
 preaching of Paul; and the question forced itself on 
 every conscientious soul : Who is in the right, Paul or 
 these men ? If these were in the right, then the preach- 
 ing of Paul was worse than of no account. And, then 
 again, a strict observance of the Law impresses many 
 as being the highest sanctity, while it is more difficult 
 to see the worth of Gospel holiness and liberty. It was 
 especially difficult for the Jews to free themselves from 
 bondage under the Law; something of it would remain 
 with even the best of them. Such was the situation 
 when the old Mosaic and the new evangelical view first 
 came into collision in the Christian Church. 
 
71 
 
 The strife was becoming more bitter day by uay; 
 and if it were not settled, the results would be disas- 
 trous. If Paul had yielded to the demands of the 
 Judaists, it would have put a stop for all time to his 
 work as the apostle of the Gentiles, and that w T hich he 
 had built up would fall; Christianity could not have 
 become the world religion, but would have been merely 
 the faith of a Jewish sect. For it would have been ut- 
 terly impossible to change the Gentiles into Jews and 
 then make them over into Christians. On the other 
 hand, if Paul had entirely ignored the Jews, the young 
 Christian Church would have been hopelessly disrupt- 
 ed; there would have been two distinct Churches, one 
 of Jews and one of Gentiles. It was therefore necessary 
 to have it clearly brought out, just what stand the other 
 apostles would take toward the preaching and work of 
 Paul. Thousands of Gentiles had through him been 
 converted; and these had the right to know whether 
 or not they deceived themselves in regarding their sal- 
 vation as sure, and whether or not they were in truth 
 Christians and brethren, though they were not circum- 
 cised and did not observe the precepts of the Jewish 
 Law. 
 
 Paul and Barnabas fought hard against the Juda- 
 ists ; but they as well as the other members or the 
 Church understood that the controversy must some time 
 be settled. So it was found necessary to visit Jerusalem 
 and arrive at some agreement with the Mother Church 
 at that place and with the other apostles. Paul was 
 strengthened in this purpose by a revelation from 
 Heaven. He went, therefore, taking with him his co- 
 laborer Barnabas. These two had all the time worked 
 together in fullest harmony through good and evil re- 
 port; besides, Barnabas was well acquainted in Jerusa- 
 lem, and was held in high esteem by the Christians in 
 that city. Paul took with him also Titus, a young 
 
72 
 
 Gentile Christian, of whom he had great expectations. 
 He wanted the brethren in Jerusalem to see one of his 
 Gentile converts and thus learn something of the fruit 
 which his work already had borne. 
 
 As soon as the three men had arrived in Jerusalem 
 a meeting was arranged to discuss the matter on which 
 they desired the Mother Church to pass, and the situa- 
 tion was at once made clear. The "false brethren/' the 
 Judaists, grasped the opportunity to make a violent 
 assault on Paul, and to demand that the Gentile con- 
 verts should be circumcised and be held to obedience 
 under the Law of Moses. First of all Paul was to be 
 brought to his knees; for which reason they insisted 
 that he should show his obedience by allowing Titus to 
 be circumcised. For it had greatly ofifended them that 
 an uncircumcised man came among them ; to fraternize 
 with unclean persons of Gentile birth would degrade the 
 Church in the eyes of all Jews. They had religious 
 fanaticism and national prejudice on their side, and 
 these were a strong support. The Jewish leaders spoke 
 with authority; and they, no doubt, struck a popular 
 chord. For it went against the grain with most of the 
 Jews to recognize the heathen converts as entitled to 
 full brotherhood. The Jewish Christians might admit 
 the Gentiles to some sort of inferior brotherhood with 
 them ; but Paul was not satisfied with that kind of con- 
 ditional recognition. 
 
 So it devolved on Paul to defend his gospel against 
 the spokesmen of the Jews. He understood the impor- 
 tance of the matter. He must make it plain that these 
 Judaists and their doctrine did not rightfully belong to 
 the Christian Church; that they were false brethren, 
 who had come into the Church for the purpose of 
 destroying Christian liberty and again bringing the 
 Christians, into bondage under the Law. Paul could see 
 through their purpose in all its bearings ; and therefore 
 
73 
 
 he stood firm in his opposition, that the truth of the 
 Gospel might remain with them. In this matter he 
 could not yield; to have done so would have been to 
 sacrifice the richest treasure of the faith; the full, free 
 Gospel of grace. 
 
 The other members of the Church, as well as the 
 apostles present, followed the discussion with great in- 
 terest, but without taking any part in it. When Paul 
 had paid his respects to the Judaists he took up the 
 other phase of the question : He and Barnabas de- 
 scribed their labors and life out in the mission fields 
 so forcibly and clearly that the Church could not fail 
 to see that these men had labored in God's own cause. 
 Against their plain statement the opposition had no 
 leg to stand on; the facts spoke more loudly than any 
 words. None could deny that Paul had done the 
 Lord's work. And had not the Lord Himself pro- 
 phesied concerning the fullness of the Gentiles, and 
 foretold how they, in the last days, were to come from 
 every land and find a home in the Kingdom of God? 
 Jesus had indeed many times made mention of the faith 
 of certain Gentiles as against the unbelief of Israel. 
 Besides, Paul spoke but the truth when he declared 
 that even the Jewish Christians did not build their 
 assurance of salvation on the Law, but built all their 
 hopes on Jesus, His death and resurrection. The same 
 was true of the Gentiles also. 
 
 Thus the case stood. A decision must now be ar- 
 rived at; and the future of the Christian Church hung 
 in the balance. This was doubtless the most critical 
 moment in the history of the Church. On the one side 
 stood Paul, strong and unshaken with his free Gospel, 
 which to most seemed more or less strange if not dan- 
 gerous. And on the other side were the Judaists, 
 fighting with all their might for the old Jewish ideas. 
 To approve the preaching of Paul seemed to them like 
 
74 
 
 signing their own death warrant; or even the same as 
 the fall of the Law itself, and the surrender of their 
 last hope that the Jews were to be foremost among 
 the people. For if the Pauline Christians were fully 
 recognized as brethren, the Gentiles would be as near 
 to God as were the Jews; to them such a thought was 
 revolting. They could not grasp the idea that they, 
 who were of the seed of Abraham, and who had the 
 Law and the Covenants, now were at one with the 
 Gentile believers. The Jewish privileges were to be 
 as nothing; and the Gentiles w r ere to be their equals, 
 and this without being circumcised and without being 
 under obligations to observe the Mosaic Law. The 
 force of habit is strong; and these Jews had always 
 felt bound to observe conscientiously in every detail 
 the Law and the old traditions. 
 
 How was one now to find the right way through 
 these entanglements? 
 
 At the crucial moment Peter placed himself squarely 
 on the side of Paul ; and Peter was a tower of strength. 
 His love of Jesus gave him an insight into the heart 
 of Paul, who was inspired by the same love of the 
 Savior. Thus took place the meeting between the 
 two greatest men in the early Christian Church. The 
 bond between them was their common love of the cru- 
 cified and risen Savior, a bond that was stronger than 
 all things else ; it made the matter clear to Peter, and 
 all doubts were swept away. In his address Peter re- 
 ferred to his own experience. God had sent him also 
 with the Gospel to the Gentiles, that these might be- 
 lieve ; and God had made no distinction between Jew 
 and Gentile; He had cleansed the heart of the Gentiles 
 also through faith, and had given them His holy 
 Spirit. To impose the yoke of the Law on the Gentile 
 Christians would therefore be to tempt God; especially 
 since the Jews themselves were unable to bear this 
 
75 
 
 yoke. Besides, the way of salvation was the same for 
 all; "for we believe that through the grace of the Lord 
 Jesus Christ we shall be saved even as they.'' Peter, 
 therefore, most wholeheartedly gave Paul the hand of 
 brotherhood. 
 
 This act of Peter did him all honor. Once he had 
 in an evil hour denied his Lord and Master; but now 
 he stood firm and thus saved the Church in its hour of 
 greatest danger. The place of honor in the Church 
 which Peter holds belongs to him by right. 
 
 When Peter had spoken many followed him ; first 
 of all James, the Lord's brother. It was his opinion 
 also, he said, that no unnecessary burden should be laid 
 on the Gentiles who became Christians ; still it was to 
 be hoped that out of respect to the Jewish brethren 
 the Gentile converts would abstain from meat offered 
 to idols, and from things strangled, and from blood, 
 and from fornication. To this demand Paul made no 
 objection; for what James demanded w r as something 
 which really went without saying, and which was in 
 no way an infringement of Christian liberty. 
 
 John also was of one mind with Peter and James, 
 and the Congregation followed its leaders. Thus the 
 meeting became a complete victory for Paul. His work 
 as a missionary was endorsed, and his apostolic author- 
 ity and the rights of the Gentile brethren, who were 
 free of the Mosaic Law, were recognized by the Mother 
 Church and its leaders. The future work was divided 
 in such a way that Paul was to go to the Gentiles and 
 the other apostles should labor among the Jews. The 
 agreement was solemnly ratified; and Paul did not 
 forget the request put up to him before his return to 
 Antioch, that he should collect substantial help for the 
 poverty-stricken Jews in Jerusalem. 
 
 This Council at Jerusalem thus came to have great 
 importance for the ages following. It marked the 
 
7G 
 
 transition from the Jewish-Christian Church to the 
 Church universal, the liberation of Christianity from 
 the bonds of the Old Covenant, and its recognition as 
 an independent religion in which is no distinction of 
 Jew and Gentile, but in which all are one in Christ. 
 This was a moment of overwhelming importance; one 
 of the clearest of proofs that the Lord cares for His 
 Church on earth. Those present at the meeting saw 
 clearly how that the grace and power of God had been 
 with these men in their work; and as they in faith 
 looked to the Lord, His Spirit led them to pass reso- 
 lutions the importance of which but few of them could 
 then fully understand. 
 
 The fight against the Judaists was not, however, 
 ended. They had, to be sure, lost the skirmish in 
 Jerusalem, but they could be counted on to find means 
 of making a fresh attack. 
 
 After the meeting there was for a time general re- 
 joicing over the outcome, especially in Antioch : but 
 none was more happy than was the warm-hearted 
 Peter. His happiness did not permit him to remain at 
 home ; he must needs pay a visit to the brethren in 
 Antioch. Here he found the Jewish and Gentile 
 Christians dwelling together in perfect harmony; and 
 the many regulations of the Jewish Law did not pre- 
 vent them from eating at the same table and cultivat- 
 ing mutual friendship. Paul and Barnabas had them- 
 selves set the good example. When Peter came he 
 joined them in this, with no thought whatever of any- 
 thing wrong. For they all were brethren in Christ; 
 and clearly, if there were to be any brotherhood at all 
 the several factions must be willing to yield and give 
 way, where necessary, in non-essentials. And at the 
 meeting in Jerusalem it had been agreed on that the 
 Gentile Christians were to be free of the Jewish Law; 
 and, very naturally, the Jewish Christians of Antioch 
 
77 
 
 placed themselves on the more liberal standpoint of the 
 Gentile brethren. 
 
 Rumors of these doings in Antioch soon reached 
 Jerusalem; and the Judaists again began to get busy. 
 They urged that the conference of the apostles had 
 agreed, to be sure, that the Gentile Christians were not 
 to be held strictly to the Mosaic Law; but this did 
 not mean that the Jews also were to be exempt. These 
 were Jews and circumcised, and therefore under obli- 
 gation to live as Jews and keep aloof from the life 
 of the Gentiles. Many members of the Mother Church 
 at Jerusalem again began to have their former scruples 
 in this matter, and among them was James. 
 
 Some of the brethren were sent to investigate con- 
 ditions in Antioch. These at once caused trouble in 
 the Congregation ; for the liberal spirit prevailing 
 among the Christians in Antioch was something which 
 they could not understand. Their Jewish principles 
 were more strict; and they urged on the Jewish Chris- 
 tians that these were doing wrong in thus associating 
 on equal terms with the Gentile Christians, and de- 
 manded that they keep themselves apart. It seemed, 
 unfortunately, as if these demands were supported by 
 the Church in Jerusalem; and so the Jewish Christians 
 in Antioch dared not resist, but gave way to the in- 
 sistant demands. Many of the Jewish Christians be- 
 gan to waver; and the messengers from Jerusalem 
 brought such influence to bear that even Peter drew 
 away from Paul. And even Paul's faithful friend Bar- 
 nabas was induced to follow Peter's example. It is not 
 known whether or not Paul himself was present in An- 
 tioch at this time. 
 
 Thus the wound was opened again almost as soon 
 as healed. Trouble was at the door; and this time it 
 was the more threatening as even Peter and Barnabas 
 had broken with the Gentile Christians. So some of 
 
78 
 
 these began to think that it probably were best for 
 them to begin living after the manner of the Jews. 
 
 It now seemed that the structure which Paul with 
 so much labor had built up in Jerusalem was to be 
 torn down at home in his own Congregation; that the 
 Church was to be divided into two camps. The Jews 
 would then look down upon the Gentile Christians as 
 brethren of a lower estate. This new movement was a 
 severe blow to Paul, and the conduct of Peter and 
 Barnabas especially pained him grievously. However, 
 the movement must be stopped; should it gain force it 
 would soon disrupt the Church. So Paul rose against it 
 with his whole might. He called the Congregation to- 
 gether; and he openly attacked Peter, charging him 
 with hypocrisy, and with having by his want of firm- 
 ness done great harm to the Church. He knew Peter 
 well enough to feel sure that he was, in spite of his 
 wavering attitude, an honest man, who loved the Lord, 
 and who was big enough to accept correction. So 
 Paul did not accuse Peter of moral cowardice or weak- 
 ness ; but he points out that Peter had not looked 
 deeply into these matters, and therefore had not been 
 consistent. For Peter had taken the lead at the con- 
 ference in Jerusalem, and had recognized the Gentile 
 Christians as full brethren; and when he came to An- 
 tioch he had heartily accepted the mode of life there in 
 vogue in the Church, and had thus admitted that non- 
 essentials should not cause division among Christian 
 brethren. But when the messengers came from Jeru- 
 salem he began to waver and hold himself aloof, and 
 had thus brought a strong moral pressure to bear on 
 many of the Gentiles, who looked up to Peter with 
 the greatest respect. This was the complaint which 
 Paul had against Peter. Paul urged, moreover, that 
 things go wrong when one does not follow strictly the 
 truth of the Gospel; and he reminded Peter of their 
 
79 
 
 common experience. For both were Jews, belonging 
 from their birth to the people of the Covenant, thus 
 having the Jews' advantage over the Gentiles. They had 
 the Law and had tested it as a Means of Salvation, and 
 had reached the result that man "is not justified by the 
 works of the Law, but through faith in Christ Jesus." 
 And this was the very reason why they had accepted 
 the faith in Jesus ; they had grasped the truth that "no 
 flesh is justified by the works of the Law." 
 
 Every other form of doctrine trifles with the grace 
 of God ; for the death of Christ would be meaningless 
 could righteousness be obtained through the Law. 
 
 Paul laid such great stress on these religious 
 truths ; for he knew that if they were fully accepted 
 there would be no further trouble in regard to the 
 intercourse between the Jewish and the Gentile mem- 
 bers- of the Church. For if Christ is the end of the 
 Law unto righteousness, He is this to all people; and 
 if He is the one and only way of salvation for all, the 
 La,w has no right to divide those who are one in 
 Christ ; for in Him all are equally free. The Jewish 
 Christians should, therefore, not let their conscience be 
 burdened by the precepts of the Law. 
 
 This powerful speech by Paul, the outlines of which 
 are set down in the 14th and following verses of Gala- 
 tians 2, cleared the atmosphere. His words w r ere not 
 to be misunderstood. Now the people saw clearly that 
 Paul was in the right. The Church breathed more 
 easily; for the truth makes free. 
 
 These events took place in the year 50 or 51. 
 
80 
 
 VIL Through Asia Minor to Greece. 
 
 "I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? 
 God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come 
 unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy" (Rom. 
 11:11). 
 
 As soon as the excitement in Antioch had subsided, 
 and peace had been reestablished, Paul decided on a 
 new missionary undertaking. He planned to visit the 
 Churches founded by him throughout Asia Minor. So 
 he asked Barnabas to go with him on this journey 
 also. They had worked together for years, and Bar- 
 nabas had been with him on the previous journey. But 
 it now developed that Barnabas was less willing than 
 he had been. He declared that he would not go unless 
 his cousin Mark went with them. Paul could not agree 
 to this arrangement, as Mark had greatly displeased 
 him by deserting him at Perga on their first missionary 
 journey. It is possible also that Barnabas did not like 
 to travel with Paul at this time, just after the trouble 
 in Antioch. Paul was not in the habit of sparing those 
 who needed correction; and no doubt he had told 
 Barnabas some wholesome but unpleasant truths. 
 
 Paul's absolute refusal to take Mark with them led 
 to a painful break of the old friendly relations between 
 Paul and Barnabas. Each of them felt aggrieved and 
 went his separate way. The account in the Acts of the 
 Apostles does not make it clear on which of the two 
 the greater share of the blame must be placed. 
 
 Paul must then look about for another companion; 
 and he found such a one in Silas, who had been sent 
 from Jerusalem to Antioch with the resolutions 
 adopted by the big conference in the Jewish capital. 
 So these two started out, in the year 51, on Paul's 
 second great missionary journey. Barnabas and Mark 
 went as missionaries to Cyprus. 
 
81 
 
 Paul this time went through Syria and Cilicia; fol- 
 lowing, probably, the main highway, leading through 
 the so-called "Gate of Syria/' a narrow mountain pass 
 in the wild region between Syria and Cilicia. This 
 highway is still in use. At the time in question this 
 road was of immense importance, as it was the main 
 highway of trade between the Mediterranean countries 
 in the West and the wealthy and populous regions of 
 Syria and Mesopotamia. The road was fairly alive with 
 trade caravans, Roman troops, officials and journeymen 
 artisans. 
 
 At the stations along the way were villages and cities ; 
 and in many of them there were Christian Congrega- 
 tions founded by evangelists from Antioch. Some- 
 times our two travelers left the main highway and 
 followed roads branching off to towns in which there 
 were Churches. It was Paul's purpose to visit all the 
 Congregations round about in these countries. He 
 knew that they needed to be confirmed in the truth, in 
 order that they might not be corrupted, should the 
 cunning Judaists visit them and try to lead them 
 wrong. 
 
 As the two missionaries advanced through Cilicia 
 the road led upward higher and higher. It found its 
 way among the mountains, along the banks of roaring 
 torrents, through dark forests, through fertile valleys 
 and over arid plains. The Romans had shown great 
 skill in building and maintaining this highway of trade. 
 
 Many mighty military conquerors had led their 
 troops through these regions. Here had marched the 
 armed hosts of Darius and Xerxes. Here Alexander 
 the Great had later on led his invincible Macedonians 
 to the East; and at a still later date the Roman 
 generals had led their intrepid legions over this road 
 eastward to make conquest of distant lands. But just 
 now we have before us only two peaceable travelers 
 
82 
 
 making their way westward on foot, — and still they 
 were to write their names indelibly on the pages of the 
 world's history. Here we have a tour of conquest by 
 the mightiest spiritual captain who ever trod the scene 
 of history. His sw r ord was sharper than any two- 
 edged weapon of war, piercing even to the dividing 
 asunder of soul and spirit, discerning the thoughts and 
 intents of the heart; and the arm which wielded this 
 sword was strong in the Lord and in the power of 
 His might. He had on the whole armor of God, so 
 that he was able to stand against the wiles of the Devil 
 and against spiritual wickedness in high places. His 
 loins were girt about with truth, he was protected by 
 the breastplate of righteousness, and on his arm was 
 the shield of faith; on his head was the helmet of 
 salvation, and his feet were shod with the preparation 
 of the Gospel of peace. 
 
 None of the many whom the two wayfarers met 
 knew anything about this insignificant-looking Jewish 
 artisan. They saw nothing great in him ; but the Lord 
 knows His own, and He could measure the greatness 
 of this tentmaker. 
 
 The travelers were on their way to visit the 
 Churches of Galatia. After passing across the Cilician 
 mountains they descended to the great plain which 
 forms a large part of the central district of Asia Minor ; 
 and there they visited Derba and Lystra and Iconium 
 in Lyaconia, and then Antioch in Pisidia. In these 
 cities Paul had founded Churches on his former jour- 
 ney, and his purpose now w r as to strengthen them in 
 the truth. Especially did he lay great stress on in- 
 struction concerning their attitude toward the Jewish 
 Law ; and he told them about the resolutions agreed on 
 by the conference at Jerusalem, so that they might 
 stand fast in the event that any should come and try 
 to force upon them any Judaistic heresies. His ef- 
 
83 
 
 forts bore rich fruit; the old Congregations were 
 strengthened, and new ones were founded. In Lystra 
 Paul was joined by the pious and talented Timothy, 
 who under the direction of the apostle prepared him- 
 self for the work of an evangelist; and he became one 
 of Paul's best co-workers. 
 
 After having thus visited the Galatian Churches it 
 was Paul's plan to continue his mission w r ork westward 
 through Asia Minor ; and in pursuit of this plan he 
 traveled through Phrygia and Galatia, without, how- 
 ever, taking up any new work in these districts. There 
 were circumstances making it plain to him that the be- 
 ginning of such new work in these places would not 
 now be in accordance with God's will. So he traveled 
 also through Mysia without making any stop, and 
 came down to the city of Troas. This was at that 
 time a populous and important city. It was the usual 
 harbor from which to set sail for European ports. 
 Here was a meeting-place of Asiatics and Greeks, and 
 the streets and the harbor were alive with busy traffic. 
 
 When the missionaries reached this wide-awake 
 and beautifully situated city and saw its swarming life, 
 it must have come home to Paul as the will of God 
 that he was to go over to the Greeks and bring them 
 the message of salvation. It is probable that he 
 stopped for some time in Troas and preached the Gos- 
 pel; for we read in Acts 20 that there was a Church 
 in this city, no doubt founded by Paul at this time. 
 And in Troas he found a new worker for the King- 
 dom ; a man who became very useful to the apostles, 
 and to whom the whole Christian Church owes a debt 
 of gratitude — the physician Luke, the author of the 
 third Gospel and of the Acts of the Apostles. From 
 this time on he followed Paul, until this apostle died in 
 a Roman prison. Luke has better than any other mir- 
 rored the religious view of his spiritual father. The 
 
84 
 
 impression made on him as he listened to the apostle's 
 version of the parables concerning the Lost sheep, the 
 Prodigal Son, the Pharisee and the Publican, etc., was 
 never wiped out. 
 
 One night during his stay in Troas Paul had a 
 vision, which opened up to his view a new field of 
 labor. He saw a man over on the coast of Macedonia, 
 who stretched out his hands to him and said : "Come 
 over into Macedonia and help us. ,, PauLdid not doubt 
 that this was a divine call ; and he now understood why 
 he had not been permitted to settle down to work in 
 the district around Antioch. The Lord wanted him to 
 go over to Europe. And Paul at once made himself 
 ready and went on board one of the many ships leaving 
 every day for Macedonia. 
 
 Thus the apostle and his companions Silas, Timothy 
 and Luke, came over to the Greek peninsula. The 
 Church of the Lord was now to be founded among 
 highly cultured people, who for centuries had been 
 leaders in the arts and sciences, and were the intellec- 
 tual autocrats of the world. The tentmaker from 
 Tarsus was now to answer the question on which the 
 philosophers had pondered in vain, the great riddles of 
 life and death. The four missionaries landed in Ne- 
 apolis, where they stopped but one day, and then went 
 on to Philippi, where Paul intended to begin his work. 
 The Romans had made this a strongly fortified city, 
 with a large garrison of imperial troops; and many 
 Romans — former soldiers and others — had made their 
 home in this place. 
 
 The number of Jews in Philippi was so small that 
 they had no synagogue; so they were in the habit of 
 coming together on the Sabbath at a secluded spot by 
 the river, their usual bathing resort. On their first 
 Sabbath here the apostles and his companions went out 
 to this place. They found no large audience on this 
 
85 
 
 occasion. Only a handful of women were there to offer 
 prayer to the one true God. But the apostle did not 
 regard it as beneath his dignity to preach to this little 
 flock; and he soon found that he had an appreciative 
 audience. The Gospel seemed especially to come home 
 to the heart of a certain Greek woman, Lydia, a well- 
 to-do seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira. She had 
 ceased to worship the heathen idols and had joined the 
 Jewish Church. Now the good news as related by Paul 
 deeply impressed her; she became a convert and was 
 baptized with all her household. In her joy over 
 having received salvation through the Gospel, she in- 
 vited Paul and his companions to make their home in 
 her house during their stay in the city. 
 
 So they tarried for a time, and preached the Word 
 in the city and its environs ; and their work prospered 
 greatly. Many were added to the Congregation, and 
 everything seemed promising. Then suddenly the work 
 was interrupted. 
 
 There was in the town a poor, demented girl, who 
 brought her masters much gain by her gifts as a for- 
 tune-teller. Then one day when Paul and his com- 
 panions were walking along the street this girl cried 
 after them saying: "These men are the servants of the 
 most high God, which show unto us the way of salva- 
 tion." This was repeated several days, until Paul tired 
 of it. In connection with such soothsayers there was 
 much popular superstition; and Paul doubtless pitied 
 the poor girl. So one day he turned toward her, and 
 in the name of Jesus commanded the "spirit of divi- 
 nation" to come out of her. She was cured and became 
 a handmaiden of the Lord. 
 
 When her masters saw that she could not be made 
 to earn any more money for them by fortune-telling, 
 they were furious ; and so one day, as they saw r Paul 
 and Silas walking by, they fell upon these two men and 
 
86 
 
 dragged them into the marketplace. This was an open 
 square faced by handsome public buildings and grand 
 temples. Here was the general resort of the people, 
 and here sat the public magistrates. With noisy dem- 
 onstrations Paul and Silas were brought before these 
 magistrates, and were charged with making mischief 
 and trying to introduce an unlawful religion. These 
 were serious charges; there were severe penalties for 
 such crimes. The accusers succeeded in inciting the 
 mob to rise up against the two men and to scream and 
 demand that they be punished. 
 
 The magistrates had no time to hear anything which 
 the two Jews might want to say in their own defense, 
 but ordered the servants of the court to make ready 
 and flog them. Their clothes were torn off, and they 
 were tied to the whipping-post, and scourged till the 
 blood spurted from their backs. While the mob howled 
 their approval the stripes were laid on till the two men 
 were near death ; then they were dragged to the prison, 
 treated like the most dangerous criminals ; and the 
 jailor, who was held personally responsible for their 
 not escaping, thrust them into the inner prison, and 
 made their feet fast in the stocks. Here they lay, then, 
 almost dead, their backs smarting, and the blood drip- 
 ping on to the floor, which was alive with vermin and 
 other crawling things. But the courage of the two 
 men did not fail them. Paul had experienced even 
 worse things, and he put heart into Silas also. The 
 apostle had found that the best cure for trouble was 
 to sing praises to God; and so at the time of midnight 
 the corridors of the prison were filled with glad song. 
 Such had probably never before been heard in the 
 prison of Philippi ; it was more familiar with ribald 
 jokes and curses. The strange sound fixed the atten- 
 tion of the other prisoners ; and it must have strangely 
 affected them ; for songs of praise w r ill touch even the 
 
87 
 
 most callous; coming from the heart they reach the 
 heart. Suddenly, as Paul and Silas were singing, the 
 foundations of the prison were shaken by an earthquake, 
 the walls were shattered, so that the bolts holding the 
 prisoners' bands were loosened, and the prison doors 
 opened. Furthermore, the strange thing happened that, 
 not one of the prisoners made any attempt to escape; 
 for they understood that they were face to face with 
 something supernatural. 
 
 The keeper of the prison awakened out of his sleep, 
 and saw with terror that all doors stood open. He saw the 
 prisoners walking about ; and he did not doubt that many 
 of them had escaped. So he drew his sword and w r ould 
 have killed himself; for he was responsible for the safe- 
 keeping of his prisoners. But Paul, who saw his purpose, 
 cried to him: "Do thyself no harm; for we are all here." 
 
 The jailor was entirely overwhelmed by this exper- 
 ience. He had, of course, heard about that demented 
 girl, and what she had said; and now he understood 
 that these men were in truth the servants of the most 
 high God, and that they taught the way of salvation. 
 Trembling with fear of God he fell down before Paul, 
 who spoke kindly to him. "Sirs," said the jailor, 
 "what must I do to be saved?" And they answered: 
 "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be 
 saved, and thy house." The other members of the 
 family and the prison guards and servants were now 
 present; and Paul stood among them with a body 
 racked with pain, but with a glad heart, and told them 
 of God's wonderful grace and mercy. And his hearers 
 believed the message. The Lord had spoken to them 
 through the earthquake ; and now, in the small hours 
 of the night, they received healing through the Gospel 
 of life. The result was, that the keeper of the prison 
 with his whole household were in this selfsame night 
 through Baptism made members of the Church. 
 
88 
 
 When they had heard the good tidings, and their 
 souls had been filled with the good things of God's 
 Kingdom, they remembered the wounded body and the 
 empty bowels of Paul and his companion; and the 
 keper of the prison brought the tw r o men into his 
 house, and set meat before them, and "rejoiced, believ- 
 ing in God with all his house. " 
 
 When it was day the magistrates sent men to the 
 prison with orders to set the two prisoners at liberty. 
 It seems to have dawned on the magistrates that they 
 had been too hasty, and they thought this the easiest 
 way out of the difficulty. They reckoned, however, 
 without their host when they thought in this way to 
 be rid of the two men. Paul told the messengers that 
 he and his friend had been maltreated and thrown into 
 prison against all law and justice, and refused to go 
 quietly away and let the matter drop. Paul was a 
 Roman citizen, and the magistrates had in their treat- 
 ment of him violated the law; wherefore he demanded 
 that the magistrates themselves come to the prison and 
 offer suitable excuses and make reparation. When the 
 magistrates heard this they feared and came at once ; 
 for they knew that Paul might make it very uncomfort- 
 able for them by making complaint to their superiors. 
 
 Thus Paul was able with unsullied honor to return 
 to his Congregation, and the brethren received him 
 with great joy. 
 
 The apostle did not think it necessary to stay here 
 longer at this time. The work in the Church was being 
 carried on in an orderly way. He cherished this Congre- 
 gation above any of the others; none loved its apostle 
 so well, and none gave him such unmixed pleasure. 
 His letter, written to these Philippians ten or twelve 
 years later, breathes the fond joy which filled his heart 
 at the thought of them; and none other of the letters 
 of Paul shows forth this tender side of his character so 
 
89 
 
 beautifully as does this letter from the imprisoned 
 apostle. "I thank my God/' he writes, "upon every 
 remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine 
 for you all making request with joy." And he calls 
 them "my brethren, dearly beloved and longed for, my 
 joy and crown" ; and urges them to "stand fast in the 
 Lord, my dearly beloved." Many times they also re- 
 membered their apostle and sent him gifts ; and this 
 was the only Congregation from which Paul would 
 consent to receive any such help. Between him and 
 his Philippians there always was the most cordial re- 
 lations with hearty mutual regard. 
 
 The time was come when the apostle must leave 
 these dear friends. He took Silas with him, letting 
 Luke and Timothy remain behind for a time to give 
 further help ; while he and Silas went westward through 
 Amphipolis and Apollonia to Thessalonica, the Mace- 
 donian capital. — This great commercial and industrial 
 city has most charming environs. Before it is the blue 
 sea ; and behind it rises the mighty, snow-capped Mount 
 Olympus. Around the city were fertile fields and vine- 
 yards, fine villas and parks; and in the city were busy 
 artisans and prosperous traders and rich bankers, and 
 there was the hum of business in shop and street and 
 trading booth. From the harbor was heard the sing- 
 ing of the sailors, and busy sailboats were bringing 
 wares into the city or out to the ships. On the streets 
 one might meet more or less respectable philosophers 
 and fakirs and religious soldiers of fortune from the 
 East and from Egypt; all of which gentry took things 
 lazily and put on a wise air to delude people into the 
 belief that they could search out all things in Heaven 
 and earth. There were also in the city many Jews 
 who by thrift had grown rich; and so they had here 
 a large and imposing synagogue. 
 
 To this city came, then, Paul with Silas ; and as he 
 
90 
 
 had no friends here, and did not wish to be a burden 
 on any one, he at once looked about him to find work, 
 probably no difficult matter. But though he labored 
 with his hands this was not his main business. He 
 was there to preach the glad tidings of grace ; and so 
 it is not to be wondered at that he often found it hard 
 to live, and that he was "in all things instructed both 
 to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to 
 suffer need." During his first weeks in Thessalonica 
 he was generally in need; and so the help sent him 
 from time to time by his dear Church in Philippi must 
 have been most welcome. 
 
 On the Sabbath he went to the synagogue and 
 found there a large concourse of people; many Jews 
 and not a few Greek proselytes, and even some mem- 
 bers of the city's aristocracy, particularly certain rich 
 Greek women. As a visiting rabbi he was asked to 
 speak ; and he began to explain the old prophecies con- 
 cerning God's suffering Servant, and pointed out how 
 all this had been fulfilled in the death and resurrection 
 of Jesus, and that Jesus therefore was the promised 
 Messiah. "This Jesus, whom I preach unto vou, is 
 Christ." 
 
 This sermon by Paul made a deep impression on the 
 hearers, and many became his adherents. Three suc- 
 cessive Sabbath days Paul preached in the synagogue 
 and won many converts ; nor was he idle during the 
 other days of the week. It looked quite promising. 
 Some months later the apostle wrote to them : "Ye 
 remember, brethren, our labor and travail ; for laboring 
 night and day, because we would not be chargeable 
 unto any of you, we preached unto you the Gospel of 
 God." He reminds them also how gentle he was 
 among them, "even as a nurse cherisheth her children" ; 
 and how he comforted and admonished them "every 
 one of you, as a father doth his children." So dili- 
 
91 
 
 gently, did he guard and nurture them. He loved them 
 so well that for them he would willingly have given 
 even his life. 
 
 In this way Paul labored for a month or so; then 
 his work was again suddenly interrupted. As so often 
 before, it was the Jews who were filled with hatred and 
 took to persecuting him in every way possible. When 
 the rulers of the synagogue saw that this stranger was 
 robbing them of many of their adherents, they became 
 bitterly envious. They felt that they would never fully 
 recover from the blow given them through the preach- 
 ing of Paul. But it was not an easy matter to harm 
 him; for at this time there was a strong anti- Jewish 
 feeling in these parts of the Roman Empire. Jews 
 were regarded with suspicion, and several times there 
 had been published imperial edicts against them. So 
 it was necessay for them to be very careful as to what 
 they did. 
 
 However, the spirit of hatred is inventive. There 
 were in the city a number of "lewd fellows of the baser 
 sort/' who had nothing to do, and were ready for any- 
 thing. The rulers of the synagogue persuaded this 
 mob that Paul was a dangerous traitor seeking to stir 
 up the people against the emperor, in order to pro- 
 claim one Jesus as their king. If the Jews could make 
 Paul out to be a scheming political agitator it would 
 then be easy for them to put him down. They were 
 able to bring about a riot, and incited the wild mob 
 to assault the house of Jason, with whom Paul had 
 his home, with the purpose of dragging him out and 
 bringing him to trial. But on reaching the house they 
 found that Paul was not there. He must have been 
 warned and have taken refuge in some other place. 
 Not finding Paul, the mob took Jason and some others 
 and carried them before the rulers of the city. But 
 these seem to have known Jason and the others 
 
92 
 
 as reputable citizens, and were not to be moved by the 
 noisy mob. So the matter came to nothing; Jason and 
 the others were set free. 
 
 Paul and the others Christians made no mistake as 
 to what was doing ; and they knew that the Jews would 
 not rest content with this first attempt against them. 
 So it seemed best to let the apostle go away until quiet 
 and good order were restored. Naturally, it went 
 against the grain with the apostle now to leave the 
 new Congregation, which for some time would need 
 his wise guidance ; but there seemed no other way out 
 of the difficulty. 
 
 Paul and Silas then went to the little city of Berea. 
 From this place it was Paul's intention to go back to 
 Thessalonica. Several times he was on the point of 
 going; but Satan, the enemy of God's Kingdom, pre- 
 vented it (1 Thess. 2:18). While in Berea, Paul la- 
 bored as a missionary; and the Jews treated him much 
 better here than in Thessalonica. Many Jews and 
 Greeks, even some people of wealth and position, ac- 
 cepted the faith. But the distance between Berea and 
 Thessalonica was not great; and the Jews in this city 
 soon discovered where Paul had taken refuge. They 
 followed him, and w r ere able again to stir up the people 
 against him ; so that conditions in Berea also soon be- 
 came intolerable. 
 
 In spite of it all, Paul had succeeded in founding 
 three Churches in Macedonia; and of these there were 
 born other Churches in the surrounding districts. Paul 
 did not want to leave these young Congregations with- 
 out leadership ; so he left his three companions here to 
 continue the work, and went alone to Athens. 
 
 He probably went to Athens by water; and thus he 
 came to the great cultural center of the ancient world. 
 
 Greece is the Norway of southern Europe, with deep 
 fjords, snow-capped mountains, rushing torrents, dark 
 
93 
 
 forests, smiling valleys and the blue sea. Over it are 
 the bright southern skies, and the country is not one of 
 lowering darkness like the "land of eternal snow." 
 Here in Greece dwelt the most wide-awake and talented 
 of the ancient peoples ; here was the home of the most 
 profound thinkers and foremost artists; and all these 
 flourished most luxuriantly in Athens. At the time of 
 Paul, however, there was but little left of the former 
 physical and intellectual strength of the Greeks. They 
 were now an effeminate, idle and cowardly generation, 
 who laid claim to admiration because their fathers had 
 been great. Athens itself was now important only as 
 an educational center, the city living off the many 
 students and tourists. But it still was of imposing ap- 
 pearance, with many grand buildings bearing witness to 
 its former greatness. 
 
 The apostle made use of his time in Athens to look 
 about him (Acts 17 : 23) ; and the sight of all this lux- 
 ury must have been confusing. The many grand 
 temples must have especially impressed him; and there 
 were numerous theaters, baths, statues and the like, 
 everything being rich and in good taste. On every 
 hand were fine works of art. The most beautiful 
 place of all was the Acropolis, a hill which could be 
 seen from all parts of the city. Through a fine peri- 
 style one entered the open square of the Acropolis it- 
 self with many statues of gods hewn in marble, and 
 among them the great statue, 50 feet high, of Pallas 
 Athene, the patron goddess of the city. On the very 
 top of the hill stood the most wonderful of the ancient 
 temples, the famous Parthenon, with its 98 marble 
 columns, and profusely ornamented with the greatest 
 works of the world's greatest sculptors. The deepest 
 impression was made on Paul by the many altars, and 
 most particularly by the altar with the inscription: 
 "To the unknown God." In all these things he saw 
 
94 
 
 humanity's yearning toward God, whom the Greeks 
 thought to find in the worship of the beautiful. But 
 herein he saw also the proof that the Greeks in spite 
 of all their wisdom lived in the "times of ignorance. " 
 For they themselves admitted that in the highest ques- 
 tion of all, that concerning God, they were groping in 
 the dark. 
 
 There was much also which must have stirred the 
 ire of the apostle. He could see well enough that all 
 this show of elegance covered much inner corruption. 
 Heathenism was heathenism, no matter how beautifully 
 clothed, and in the eyes of the Jew all images of idols 
 were an abomination. And then, the frivolous and 
 often licentious life of the Greeks filled him with dis- 
 gust, and he despised the intellectual and spiritual 
 child's play of the vain philosophers with all their pre- 
 tended wisdom. 
 
 In Athens also were some Jews; and Paul, as a 
 matter of course, visited their synagogue. He in- 
 tended to wait there for Silas and Timothy, who were 
 soon to join him. But they did not come as soon as 
 expected; and of course Paul could not remain idle. 
 So he went to the common meeting-place in the market. 
 In the corridors on either side it was the habit of phil- 
 osophers and rhetoricians to hold forth to their pupils, 
 and to this place all people came to hear the news of 
 the day. So here was a great chance to meet people 
 and talk with them ; and to this place the apostle found 
 his way. 
 
 Something of a sensation was created by this Jewish 
 rabbi who had the courage to address this learned 
 concourse, and he became the center of a number of 
 inquisitive persons. For the Athenians were fond of 
 hearing and telling new things. The attention of cer- 
 tain teachers — Epicureans and Stoics — was attracted to 
 Paul, and they tried to engage him in a debate; for 
 
95 
 
 these old and experienced masters in the arts of so- 
 phistry imagined that it would be an easy matter to 
 drive this Jew to the wall. Others assumed an air of 
 superiority and said that they really could not trouble 
 themselves about this babbler. Others, again, found 
 the discussion quite interesting, especially when they 
 understood it to be concerned with some new sort of 
 religion. They no longer believed in the old gods ; 
 and though they cared but little for religion in general, 
 it might be of some interest to hear news of what was 
 doing along that line also. 
 
 So they asked Paul to go with them to the Areo- 
 pagus and there give a lecture; and this the apostle 
 was willing to do. From his high and open place there 
 was a fine view over the city, the Acropolis and the 
 harbor. Thus it was a grand panorama which the 
 apostle had before him when he demanded silence and 
 then made his famous speech, the gist of which is re- 
 corded in the 17th chapter of Acts. We see how the 
 view before his eyes influenced his speech, until he 
 worked his way around to that which to him was the 
 essential thing: The many fine temples and altars scat- 
 tered throughout the city showed that the Greeks 
 wished to worship some divinity : but they also were an 
 admission that the Greeks did not know the one true 
 God. And it was this one and only true God whom 
 Paul declared to them. Then he pointed out to them 
 the want of good sense in their idolatrous worship ; for 
 God that made Heaven and earth surely can not dwelt 
 in a temple made with hands, no matter how beautiful 
 it may be. Neither could the true God be like the gods 
 of the heathen; for these thought that each people 
 must have its own private gods. No, the true God 
 has created all men equal, and appointed all things for 
 them, to the end that they might seek Him; and He is 
 equally near to us all, for in Him we live and move 
 
96 
 
 and have our being. One of the Greek poets seemed 
 to have felt this when he wrote the notable words : 
 "For we are also His offspring." But if it be the 
 living human beings who are God's offspring, created 
 in his image, it must be meaningless to shape a statue 
 of Him and imagine that this is His true image. Such 
 devices are merely signs of man's foolishness and ig- 
 norance; which God in His patience has winked at, 
 but now He commands all men to repent. For they 
 must know that death does not end all; there will be a 
 day of reckoning, when all shall be judged, the quick 
 and the dead. And this judgment shall be executed by 
 that Man, whom God sent to the world ; who lived and 
 died, but was raised again from death and the grave. 
 Thus shall life gain the victory over death. 
 
 In substance, the above was Paul's sermon, but it 
 was not well received. Some laughed, others mocked; 
 and some seemed to be amused by this new idea of 
 a resurrection from the dead, and they asked Paul to 
 give them another speech on this subject. 
 
 It may have been this experience more than any 
 other which caused the apostle to write: "Hath not 
 God made foolish the wisdom of this world? . . . Not 
 many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not 
 many noble, are called; but God hath chosen the 
 foolish things of the world to confound the wise." — 
 Yet the stay of Paul in Athens bore some fruit. There 
 w r as founded a small Congregation; and as one of its 
 members there is made mention of a certain high judge 
 named Dionysius and a woman named Damaris. 
 
 Before leaving Athens, Paul was visited by Tim- 
 othy, who brought news from the Churches in Mace- 
 donia. But Paul thought it best to send Timothy 
 back to Thessalonica, while he himself went alone to 
 Corinth. 
 
 In all probability he went by water and found it a 
 
97 
 
 delightful voyage. The bay which cuts into the east 
 coast was studded with many beautiful islands fringed 
 with fine forests ; and many ships, large and small, 
 were plying to and fro among the islands, either under 
 sail or propelled by oars, the whole presenting a most 
 pleasant scene. Coming from the east one would land 
 at the port of Cencrea. From this place to Corinth 
 was a walk of an hour and a half, and the scene was 
 as lively as that on the water. The road fairly swarmed 
 with people in vehicles or on foot, and great quantities 
 of wares were on this road carried to and from the 
 city. There were fine villas with well-kept gardens, 
 and fruit-trees and vineyards covered the sunny slopes. 
 By this road was the famous athletic field, where the 
 young men of Greece held their contests and exhibited 
 their feats of strength and skill ; and to be victor in 
 these contests was the greatest of honors. It is prob- 
 able that the apostle during his long stay in Corinth saw 
 some of these athletic meets ; at any rate he uses in 
 his letters many illustrations showing that he was 
 familiar with these sports. 
 
 Corinth was built on a narrow neck of land; and it 
 was only a matter of half an hour to go from the 
 city down to the harbor at the nearest point on the 
 deep arm of the sea reaching into the land from the 
 west. This was the main highway of trade and travel 
 from and to Italy and the western parts of the Roman 
 Empire, for since the voyage along the south coast 
 of Greece was very treacherous, nearly all traffic be- 
 tween the East and the West was carried on by way 
 of Corinth. This made the city one of the leading in- 
 dustrial and trade centers in the Roman Empire. By 
 reason of its situation the city also became an impor- 
 tant political center. Thus Corinth was a world metro- 
 polis having, it is estimated, about 750,000 people; of 
 whom, however, 500,000 were slaves. 
 
 4 
 
98 
 
 The city had great wealth; and with this followed 
 its usual companion, abject poverty and misery. The 
 city was infamous throughout the world for its im- 
 morality. The life of Corinth was marked by all the 
 licentiousness and unspeakable nastiness of rich and 
 over-refined heathenism; even in the temple of Venus 
 the most shameless orgies were indulged in under the 
 mask of religious worship. Vice and lust ran rampant. 
 This lowest depth of degradation is painted in darkest 
 colors by Paul in the 1st chapter of his letter to the 
 Romans. We see here the fruits of heathenism, despite 
 all its arts and culture; these have no power to save 
 a man from moral ruin. The apostle had, therefore, no 
 admiration to waste on the puffed-up scholars and 
 sages whom he met in Greece; — to him it was all fool- 
 ishness. 
 
 The sight of life in Corinth must have been terribly 
 depressing to one whose heart was filled with the love 
 of Christ. But the apostle knew also that the Word 
 of the cross was mighty to lift even the godless Corinth 
 up out of the pit; and he saw that here if anywhere it 
 was necessary to let the light shine through the 
 darkness. 
 
 Paul determined to make a quite long stay in 
 Corinth; so he at once looked about him for work, 
 which he easily found. He was employed by a Jew- 
 named Aquila. This man was born in Pontus, but had 
 become a resident of Rome; from which city he had 
 been expelled, as Claudius, the emperor, after some 
 riots had ordered all Jews to leave the city. Aquila 
 then with his wife Priscilla removed to Corinth, where 
 he worked at his trade as tentmaker. He and Paul 
 soon became close friends. Aquila and Priscilla offered 
 Paul a home with them; and the three of them con- 
 tracted a most profitable friendship, which lasted 
 through life. 
 
99 
 
 On the Sabbath they went together to the syna-^ 
 gogue; and there they found also a number of Greeks 
 who in terror had shaken off their former licentious 
 habits, and had joined the Jews, with their strict ideas 
 of morality. As usual, Paul was invited to speak; and, 
 of course, he was glad to do it. The first times he 
 seems to have spoken of the prophetic promises and 
 visions, without direct reference to Jesus as the One 
 in whom the promises were fulfilled. He thus sought 
 to prepare the ground. Some weeks later, when Silas 
 and Timothy had come to him with cheering news 
 from Macedonia, Paul began to testify that Jesus was 
 the Messiah. 
 
 The usual results followed : Many became Paul's 
 bitter enemies, and the Congregation of the synagogue 
 was disrupted. He was not even allowed to finish his 
 sermon ; for the leaders drowned his voice with mock- 
 ing and blasphemy. 
 
 Thus the apostle saw that the Jews were at all places 
 the same ; and he determined to break with the syna- 
 gogue for all time. So according to the eastern cus- 
 tom he shook his raiment and said : "Your blood be 
 upon your own heads ; I am clean ; from henceforth I 
 will go unto the Gentiles/' 
 
 But though the synagogue was closed to them the 
 Christians found another place of meeting. The Jews 
 saw with bitter resentment that a certain resident Ro- 
 man named Justus, a former proselyte, whose home 
 was close to the synagogue, opened his house to the 
 Christians ; and it exasperated them also to see that 
 great numbers came to hear Paul in the house of 
 Justus, while the Jewish synagogue was all but empty. 
 Now. the two houses were so near each other that the 
 Jews in the synagogue could hear the Christians sing- 
 ing their songs of praise and rejoicing over the glad 
 tidings. At this even Crispus, the chief ruler of the 
 
100 
 
 synagogue, turned his back on the Jews and joined the 
 Christian Congregation. 
 
 The Church was all the time receiving new members 
 through Baptism ; among them even some high gov- 
 ernment officials, often whole families. But a majority 
 of the converts were common, plain people, some of 
 them slaves. 
 
 Paul understood well enough that the Jews were 
 brooding on some evil purpose; but for the time being 
 they dared not do anything to excite race hatred. 
 They had not forgotten their recent expulsion from 
 Rome. So Paul was able to work for a long time in 
 peace. 
 
 At this time he sent his two letters to the Church 
 in Thessalonica, the one following closely on the other. 
 The reports brought from this place by Timothy were 
 most encouraging; the Thessalonians held fast the Gos- 
 pel and remained faithful to the apostle, and the spirit- 
 ual gifts flourished among them. But of course there 
 were many dangers, and the young Church needed 
 admonition. The Jews tried in every way to undermine 
 it. The Church was made up of new converts ; and 
 most of them had but recently left their heathenism 
 with its many vices, and thus they were subject to 
 many temptations. Only a few Jews had been won for 
 the Gospel. Nor had these Christians as yet received 
 the thorough instruction which they needed; and so 
 many of them naturally became fanatics. Some of them 
 expected the coming of the Lord, and would not work, 
 and some were troubled in their minds because certain 
 members of the Church had died; they had thought 
 that all were to live till the Lord came again. Thus 
 they needed guidance ; and this Paul gave them in 
 the two letters, which must to them have been a great 
 blessing. 
 
 Paul worked in Corinth 18 months without inter- 
 
101 
 
 ruption ; but then he could see that there were danger- 
 ous and anxious times ahead of him. Thus he wrote 
 to the Thessalonians (2 Thess. 3 : 1-2) : "Finally, breth- 
 ren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have 
 free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you; 
 and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and 
 wicked men." The Lord remembered his servant and 
 strengthened him by a vision at night, saying : "Be not 
 afraid, but. speak, and hold not thy peace ; for I am with 
 thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee; for I 
 have much people in this city." This thought must 
 have been a great comfort to the apostle : "The Lord 
 is with me." 
 
 Then the storm broke. The Jews seized Paul and 
 brought him before the deputy of Achaia, one Gallio, 
 a brother of the famous philosopher Seneca. Gallio 
 was a highly cultured and liberal man, and much 
 esteemed in the province. When the Jews came to him 
 and began to make complaint against Paul on the 
 ground that he persuaded people to worship God con- 
 trary to the law, Gallio merely laughed at them. He 
 cared nothing about the private quarrels of the fanatical 
 Jews. So he dismissed the case at once, refusing to 
 hear either the complaint or the defense. And when 
 the Jews were somewhat slow in leaving the court, he 
 ordered his people to drive the mob away. Sosthenes, 
 the chief ruler of the synagogue, had been the spokes- 
 man of the complainants. When he began to protest 
 against such treatment, the servants of Gallio gave him 
 a merciless flogging, to the great delight of the Greeks 
 present, who were grateful to Gallio for giving them 
 this free entertainment. Thus the apostle was set free, 
 and the Jews did not dare molest him. So he was able 
 to continue his work without interruption for another 
 six months or more. 
 
 Paul had done a great work during these two years. 
 
102 
 
 With his own hands he had earned his living, so he did 
 not become a burden to anybody ; and when the days 
 proved too short for doing the work of both a mission- 
 ary and a tentmaker, he worked at night also. But 
 his great exploit here is that he founded and guided a 
 Congregation under such crushing difficulties. It took 
 much tact and patience and wisdom to weld together 
 these many unlike elements : Jews and Greeks, slaves 
 and freemen, rich and poor, men and women. And 
 they lived under difficult conditions. All were new 
 converts ; and most of them had lived as pagans, and 
 were thus in greater or lesser degree poisoned by the 
 pagan vices. They had, also, many friends who still 
 were pagans ; and they could not avoid associating 
 with these, and were thus led into many temptations 
 and difficulties. So the apostle had a busy time, teach- 
 ing them to believe in Christ and to lead a Christian 
 life. 
 
 It would seem from 1 Cor. 16 : 2, and Acts 20 : 7, 
 that Paul here in Corinth began to use Sunday as the 
 day of public worship for the Christian Churches ; and 
 adopted a certain form of service that, the Church wor- 
 ship might be conducted in good order. 
 
 After the lapse of about two years, then, Paul made 
 ready to leave Corinth. There were other places, also, 
 which needed the Gospel; and he had in mind especially 
 the world capital, Rome. In those days terrible stories 
 were told of the life led at the court of the emperor. 
 The empress Messalina was so shamelessly profligate 
 that it caused disgust even among the heathen. Em- 
 peror Claudius was a contemptible weakling ruled by 
 the whims of the loose women with whom he sur- 
 rounded himself. At last he was assassinated, and the 
 unspeakable Nero came to the throne. The Christians 
 foresaw troublous times ; it seemed to them as if the 
 end of time were near. It was therefore the more ne- 
 
103 
 
 cessary to bring the Gospel at once to the peoples of the 
 world. 
 
 But first Paul must make a visit to his old home. 
 There was a district which had been neglected, namely, 
 the west coast, of Asia Minor; and he wanted to preach 
 the Gospel here also, before he could think of going to 
 •Italy. 
 
 This time Paul had with him a pretty large company. 
 Aquila and Priscilla went with him, as well as Silas 
 and Timothy. A few weeks before Easter they went 
 down to Cencrea, from which place they were to sail. 
 It was the finest season of the year, with everything 
 clad in the gay colors of spring. A numerous company 
 went with the apostle the short road down to the harbor, 
 there to bid him farewell; and they were filled with 
 sadness when they saw him depart. 
 
 Paul and his companions sailed, then, to Ephesus. 
 He did not plan to begin any missionary work in the 
 city at this time; he merely wanted to acquaint himself 
 with the situation. He spent a Sabbath in the city, 
 however, and used the opportunity to preach in the 
 synagogue. His preaching was well received; and the 
 people asked him to stay for a time with them. But. this 
 he could not do, as he wanted to celebrate Easter in 
 Jerusalem. So he at once took ship again and went to 
 Caesarea, and then on to Antioch, from which place 
 he now had been absent four years. This was the end 
 of his second great missionary expedition, embracing 
 the time between the years 51 and 55. 
 
104 
 
 VIIL Going Over the Top* 
 
 "7 should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, 
 ministering the Gospel of God, that the offering up of the 
 Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy 
 Ghost. I have therefore whereof I may glory through 
 Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God. . . . So 
 that from Jerusalem and round about unto Illyricum I have 
 fully preached the Gospel of Christ. Yea, so have I strived 
 to preach the Gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I 
 should build upon another man's foundation" (Romans 
 15:16-20). 
 
 The apostle did not allow himself a long rest at 
 home. He wished merely to see how things had de- 
 veloped during his absence. And when he saw that all 
 was well he could stay no longer ; for now 'the mission 
 work was to begin in Ephesus and along the west coast 
 of Asia Minor. Then from Ephesus it would be easier 
 for him than from any other place to keep an eye on 
 the new mission fields in Macedonia and Greece; for 
 Ephesus was almost the exact center of his whole field 
 of operations. 
 
 This time also he went by way of the Churches in 
 Galatia and Phrygia, in order to confirm them in the 
 truth. For he knew that the Judaists had begun again 
 to bestir themselves ; and there was no telling what they 
 might take into their heads to do. Having visited these 
 Churches, he went on and came to the west coast of 
 Asia Minor. 
 
 In these districts were a number of Greeks who had 
 been there for generations, and who in every line of 
 endeavor were competitors of their former compatriots. 
 The most important city on the coast, was Ephesus, the 
 capital of the province, and a mighty center of trade 
 and industry. Life in this city was much like that in 
 the other great marts of trade at that time. But 
 
105 
 
 Ephesus was also a center of learning, and in this re- 
 spect held the leading position in all Asia Minor. 
 Science, art and practical business enterprise here went 
 hand in hand. 
 
 To begin mission work in this city was a pretty 
 bold undertaking. For Ephesus was also one of the 
 centers of heathenism. Here flourished the worship of 
 Diana, in a wonderful temple so vast and beautiful that 
 it was famous throughout the world as one of the Seven 
 great Wonders. The temple owned enormous wealthy 
 as great numbers of people came to it from far and 
 near; and the corrupt priests piled up money and en- 
 couraged people in the most, abandoned indecency. 
 
 Together with this idolatry and profligacy flourished 
 all manner of superstition: Sorcerers and soothsayers 
 sold charms and amulets and lived on the fat of the 
 land, while astrologists read fortunes in the stars. 
 
 The handicrafts also flourished, especially the art of 
 the goldsmith. Miniature copies of the temple in gold 
 and silver were sold in great numbers to the countless 
 visitors who were in the city to see this temple. 
 
 Of course, there were all sorts of amusements. There 
 were great theaters, with play-acting, dances, athletic 
 contests, and fights between beasts and gladiators. Here 
 oriental luxury, the pride of life, the lusts of the flesh, 
 gluttony, art, science, trade and industry dwelt together 
 and thrived; and people drank the cup of pleasure to 
 the dregs. 
 
 It was a bold step which the apostle took when he 
 began the fight against ungodliness in a place such as 
 this, and many would have thought it absolutely hope- 
 less. But he had faith in the Lord, and decided to take 
 up the work right here, and was prepared to stay here 
 longer than in any other place. And this was a direct 
 declaration of war on heathenism. Ephesus was one of 
 its strongholds which he was determined to capture. 
 
106 
 
 Naturally, then, the heathen here became his most bitter 
 enemies. 
 
 It seems to have been the autumn of the year 55 
 when Paul came back to Ephesus after visiting the in- 
 land districts of Asia Minor; and so it was something 
 like half a year since he had stopped there a day or 
 two on his way from Corinth to Antioch and Jerusalem. 
 Aquila and Priscilla, who had remained in Ephesus, had 
 not made the mission work their business. Still they 
 had won an Alexandrian Jew named Apollos for the 
 cause of Christ He was an adherent of the disciples 
 of John the Baptist, had in Alexandria received a thor- 
 ough education, and was noted as a most eloquent 
 orator. Apollos had come to Ephesus while Paul was in 
 Palestine and Syria, and he had taught in the syna- 
 gogue. All seemed to think well of the young orator; 
 and Aquila became interested in him, and instructed him 
 in the Gospel. The result was that Apollos became a 
 Christian. When soon after he went to Corinth he had 
 with him letters of recommendation, and was therefore 
 well received by the Church in that city. 
 
 When Paul now came to Ephesus he, of course, 
 made his home with Aquila and Priscilla, and began 
 at once to preach in the synagogue. Nor was it long 
 before his preaching bore fruit. The first converts were 
 about a dozen of the former disciples of John. For 
 three months Paul was allowed to preach in peace; then 
 the cordial relation with the Jews was broken ofif. Here 
 also the unbelieving Jews were angered because so many 
 people came to hear Paul; and they began secretly to 
 speak ill of his teaching. Thereupon Paul with his 
 disciples left the synagogue ; and the new Christian Con- 
 gregation hired a large school-room in the house of 
 one Tyranus. There Paul preached for more than two 
 years. 
 
 His preaching created a great sensation, so that more 
 
107 
 
 and more people came to hear him. Many even of 
 those who were strangers in the city visited the school- 
 room in order to hear the apostle, and through them 
 his fame spread over all the western part of Asia Minor. 
 
 The movement all the time gained headway, and a 
 number of Congregations were founded in the sur- 
 rounding districts. Paul needed severel new assistants. 
 We know that Timothy was with him, and likewise 
 Erastus of Corinth, and Gaius and Aristarchus of Mace- 
 donia, and no doubt others also. And with these he 
 took counsel in matters of special importance. 
 
 Truly these were great results of the work of one 
 man. His activity had embraced all the country from 
 Antioch in Syria westward through Asia Minor, and 
 through Macedonia and Greece; and Churches had 
 grown up everywhere in his footsteps. The Word of 
 God prospered mightily, spring had come to these arid 
 regions, and now the vineyard of the Lord was seen in 
 bloom on every hand. High honors had been won by 
 the great Captain of the Christian Church, who waged 
 war against heathendom, and victories were reported 
 from all battle-fronts. 
 
 Paul also performed a number of miracles, and 
 these, of course, added to his fame. Prone to super- 
 stition as these people were, they tried to possess them- 
 selves of some article belonging to the apostle, thinking 
 by them to cure disease; and sorcerers, who saw what 
 Paul could do, tried to steal the secret from him. Es- 
 pecially was this true of seven vagabond Jewish exor- 
 cists, all sons of the high priest Sceva. They had no- 
 ticed that when Paul performed a miracle he always 
 mentioned the name Jesus. They assumed therefore 
 that this name had some secret power, and they took 
 to using it; but their attempt to drive out evil spirits 
 by this name brought only punishment and shame on 
 them. 
 
108 
 
 The conduct of Paul caused people to discard their 
 old faith in sorcery. They now saw that it was a 
 swindle ; and they lost faith in the sorcerers and their 
 charms and formulas. Books dealing with these curious 
 superstitions were one day publicly burned; "and they 
 counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand 
 pieces of silver." 
 
 So mightily grew the Word of God, and the future 
 seemed full of promise. But then came trouble, and it 
 w r ent from bad tor worse. 
 
 The Judaists in Jerusalem saw with envy and anger 
 how the Gentiles in great numbers joined the Pauline 
 Churches. The Jews now were but a little handful com- 
 pared with the Gentile Christians, and had no sort of 
 authority over these. Paul had usurped all power; the 
 thing must be stopped. 
 
 Of course the Judaists could not hope to do anything 
 in Ephesus, where Paul himself was present. They 
 knew from old experience that they would fail. So they 
 looked for another place in which to work mischief, 
 and they found it among the volatile and easily moved 
 Galatians. m 
 
 Among them they began, then, a persistent attempt 
 to undermine Paul and his work, and to draw the 
 people away from him. They cared nothing about the 
 resolutions adopted by the conference at Jerusalem, to 
 the effect that Paul was to have a free hand in his 
 mission field, and that his people were not to be com- 
 pelled to observe the precepts of the Jewish Law. For 
 these resolutions had tied the hands of the Judaists ; and 
 they knew very well that the victory of Paul's Gospel 
 would mean the utter ruin of the hopes and plans of 
 the Judaists. 
 
 They began, then, their work of mischief, and put 
 on an air of authority in order to impress the credulous 
 Galatians. They told them that, the promises had been 
 
109 
 
 made to Abraham and his children; and if the Galatians 
 wanted to share the blessings they must become Jews by 
 adoption through the rite of Circumcision, and keep 
 the ordinances which God had given to Israel ; for there 
 could be only one way of salvation. — But in order to 
 win the Galatians the Jews must undermine the author- 
 ity of Paul, and they tried every means to that end. 
 They made diligent use of every sort of falsehood and 
 vituperation. And these were good weapons, unfortu- 
 nately. The Galatians began to doubt their own Chris- 
 tianity ; and the Judaists had already persuaded them to 
 observe the Jewish rules concerning sacred seasons and 
 the like. 
 
 How long the Judaists carried on this work among 
 the Galatian Churches before Paul heard of it, we do 
 not know. When he did hear of it he was filled with 
 pain and grief ; and it was in hopes of stopping this 
 dangerous movement that he wrote his strong letter to 
 the Galatians ; a letter which gives us a wonderfully 
 vivid picture of Paul's own inner life and of his 
 preaching. 
 
 First he assures his beloved Churches that the 
 charges made by the Judaists against his personal char- 
 acter were false ; he was as truly as any of the others 
 an apostle of the Lord. Then he shows them the deep 
 difference between his teaching and that of the Judaists ; 
 and he refutes their doctrines in detail by the words of 
 Scripture. His thoughts follow the straight course, and 
 he sets forth in a way not to be misunderstood the great 
 fundamental truths ; so that the readers must see that 
 there is only one Gospel, namely, the one which they 
 had heard from Paul. And in every line of his letter 
 we see that the motive pow r er behind it is his fervent 
 love of the Savior, together with warm charity for the 
 erring brethren. It is this which makes the letters of 
 Paul so fascinating. We feel the beat of his great 
 
110 
 
 heart in every sentence ; and we understand the strong" 
 purpose in all his work to draw as many as possible 
 to the Savior, in whom he has his being; and the power 
 of his words over the minds of men. 
 
 It was not only among the Galatians that the enemy 
 made mischief; they were looking for other places in 
 which to do the same thing. Corinth especially seemed 
 a promising place to them. There the Congregation 
 was in many ways working under great difficulties, and 
 it would not take much to cause the building to topple 
 over. 
 
 Just before Paul came to Ephesus the youthful and 
 enthusiastic Apollos had gone to Corinth, and the Cor- 
 inthian Christians asked him to preach to them. It was 
 soon noticed that he did not follow Paul's method of 
 preaching. His doctrine did not conflict with the Gos- 
 pel according to Paul; but the young Alexandrian knew 
 how to present the Gospel in a form more acceptable to 
 the cultured Greeks. They understood the arts of 
 oratory too well to take kindly to Paul's blunt and direct 
 manner of preaching the plain truth. Apollos seems 
 to have had all that cunning of speech for which Alex- 
 andria was famous, and to have given his preaching a 
 certain philosophical color. Probably he presented the 
 Gospel as a divine wisdom, which was a mystery not to 
 be understood by any but the initiated; and thus he, 
 unintentionally no doubt, promoted an unhealthy spirit 
 of arrogance. He in no way intended to injure Paul's 
 work, or to draw the hearts away from him ; and there 
 never was any quarrel between Apollos and Paul. But 
 this did not prevent many from becoming partisans of 
 Apollos, holding him to be better worth hearing; while 
 others found that the preaching of Paul was better 
 after all. 
 
 Here was a chance for the Judaists to fish in troubled 
 waters, and they did not long neglect it. In Corinth 
 
Ill 
 
 they did not begin with the demand that the Gentile 
 Christians should be circumcised. Such a demand would 
 have done them no good. The circumstances rather 
 invited an attack on the character of the apostle, and 
 they circulated all sorts of bad rumors about him. If 
 they could destroy the confidence in Paul, the rest of 
 their work would be easy. To ingratiate themselves 
 with the people they pretended to be adherents of the 
 apostle Peter. Him they lifted to the skies, while they 
 slandered Paul. Thus there came to be a Peter-party; 
 making three parties, that of Paul, that of Apollos and 
 that of Peter. 
 
 To these seems to have been added a fourth party 
 calling itself that of Christ. They would have neither 
 Paul nor Apollos nor Peter as their leader; for these 
 were but men. No, they wanted no leader but Christ. 
 This was a party of people who prided themselves on 
 being more pious and spiritual than the other Christians. 
 
 As yet the Church had not been disrupted, but such 
 contentions must in the end lead to a division. Such 
 personal man-worship is fraught with many dangers to 
 the Congregation. 
 
 But this was not all. Unfortunately it was brought 
 out that the Congregation was deeply infected witk 
 moral corruption. The Greeks were a frivolous people, 
 prone especially to sexual delinquency. Here was the 
 sad spectacle a Christian Church some of whose mem- 
 bers fell a prey to the lusts of the flesh. One member 
 was even guilty of the crime of incest. At the love- 
 feasts of the Congregation it had happened that people 
 were drunk ; and even the diverse spiritual gifts had 
 caused unseemly wrangling. 
 
 Thus the Church at Corinth was in a sorry plight. 
 These sad reports were brought to the apostle by those 
 of the household of Chloe, who came from Corinth to 
 Ephesus. Paul received also a letter from the Church 
 
112 
 
 at Corinth concerning certain practical matters, as to 
 which there was a difference of opinion: Should a 
 Christian marry? Should a Christian who was married 
 to an unbeliever seek a divorce? Had Christians the 
 right to eat meat which had been offered to the idols? 
 How were the diverse spiritual gifts to be regarded? 
 And other such questions. And, besides, they thought 
 that Paul had been unduly severe in a letter to them 
 (1 Cor. 5:9). They submitted that if they must obey 
 his demands they must break with the whole world. 
 
 Much wisdom and the love of Christ were needed 
 to restore peace and discipline to this sadly disorganized 
 Church. To Paul it was the more difficult, since so 
 many had tried to undermine his authority. Besides, 
 where party spirit runs high all are usually disposed to 
 think themselves wiser than the others. 
 
 These were sad reports received by the apostle; and 
 it was to set these misguided people right that he wrote 
 his First Epistle to the Corinthians. 
 
 After a stay of nearly two and a half years in 
 Ephesus Paul felt that it was time to leave. He wished 
 to visit Rome; but before going he wanted to collect 
 some money in his Churches for the benefit of the poor 
 in Jerusalem. Besides, he also wished to visit Mace- 
 donia and Greece, and especially Corinth, to see how 
 his people were getting on. 
 
 To prepare for the "drive" for money he sent on 
 before him his treasurer Erastus, and Timothy; he him- 
 self intending soon to follow them. But just before he 
 was to say farewell to his dear Congregation in Ephesus 
 there was made a wholly unexpected attack on him, 
 which came near costing him his life. 
 
 All who in one way or another lived off the wor- 
 ship of Diana in Ephesus had noticed with anger how 
 faith in this goddess was gradually dying out, and many 
 of them found it hard to live. This was true not onlv 
 
113 
 
 of the sorcerers and similar confidence men, but also 
 of many artisans. Especially did the goldsmiths suffer 
 loss, as the demand for their miniatures of the temple 
 decreased; and it was Paul's fault, of course. So there 
 was much bitterness toward him among these people, 
 and the goldsmith Demetrius made himself the leader of 
 the malcontents. One day he called a mass-meeting and 
 delivered a cunning speech. He reminded the gold- 
 smiths that they might soon close their shops, if Paul 
 had his way ; and what was still worse, that people were 
 losing their reverence for the goddess ; and were she 
 dethroned it would mean the speedy ruin of the city. 
 Thus cunningly was this Demetrius able to appeal to the 
 self-interest of his hearers, and he excited the fanati- 
 cism of the mob ; and when he closed his speech they 
 howled : "Great is Diana of the Ephesians." The up- 
 roar grew worse and worse, and at last the howling 
 mob started for the theater. On the way they fell in 
 with Paul's co-workers Gaius and Aristarchus and took 
 these men with them. Paul must have heard the uproar 
 and learned that his two friends were in the hands of 
 the mob. — Paul was never a timid man, and so now 
 he wanted to go out and talk to the people. He was 
 not afraid to risk his life. Some Christians begged 
 him not to put himself in the power of the fickle popu- 
 lace, but he would not listen to them. However, when 
 the city officials, who were friendly to the apostle,, 
 begged him to keep away from the theater, he con- 
 sented. For he then knew that everything possible 
 would be done to save his two friends from mob 
 violence. 
 
 The great theater, with room for 50,000 persons, 
 was at once packed by a noisy mob, acting like Bedlam 
 let loose; and many of them did not know what it was 
 all about. They kept up the din for fully two hours. 
 
 The officials let them howl; knowing that when they 
 
114 
 
 tired of this they would have cooled off so that one 
 might speak to them. So, when the noise ceased the 
 town clerk took the floor, and commanded silence, and 
 made a very adroit speech : It was, he said, well know r n 
 to all men that Ephesus was guardian of the great 
 goddess Diana and of the image which fell down from 
 Jupiter; therefore there was no occasion for this uproar. 
 Besides, the two men were peaceable citizens and en- 
 tirely harmless. If Demetrius, then, had any just quar- 
 rel with any, he could make formal complaint and have 
 the case tried according to law. They must bear in 
 mind also that rioting was a very dangerous matter; 
 if this affair came to the ears of the governor the city 
 might be held responsible, and made to pay dearly for 
 the amusement. — This speech cooled the ardor of the 
 noisy rioters ; they w T ere ashamed and beat a hasty 
 retreat. 
 
 The apostle and his companions were thus saved by 
 the wise intervention of the authorities. Shortly after 
 these events the apostle took leave of the Congregation 
 in Ephesus. What route he followed is somewhat un- 
 certain. But it seems not improbable that he first made 
 a flying trip to Corinth to study conditions at that place. 
 What he saw would seem to indicate that his admon- 
 itions had done but little good. So with a heavy heart 
 he left them again, and crossed over to Asia Minor, and 
 visited some of the Churches there, and stopped for a 
 time in Troas. From this place he sent a letter to the 
 Church in Corinth "out of much affliction and anguish 
 of heart and with many tears; not that ye should be 
 grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have 
 more abundantly unto you" (2 Cor. 2:4). He ad- 
 monished and begged them to return to the right paths, 
 in order that the Church might not be laid waste. 
 
 The apostle waited anxiously for the return of Titus 
 with news from Corinth ; but as Titus seemed to be slow 
 
115 
 
 in coming, Paul went on to Macedonia, where he visited 
 his beloved Congregation in Philippi and also those in 
 Thessalonica and Berea. 
 
 While staying in Macedonia he at last received the 
 anxiously expected report from Corinth. Timothy, who 
 had been all this time in Corinth, presented himself be- 
 fore the apostle; and with him Titus, who had but re- 
 cently gone to Corinth, possibly with the above-men- 
 tioned letter. The reports which these men brought 
 cheered the apostle. Conditions in the Church were 
 much improved; and this caused the apostle to write the 
 letter known to us as Second Corinthians, and tell them 
 that now it would be a pleasure to him to visit them 
 again. Still, everything was not as it should be; there 
 was yet a faction, supported by the Judaists, who were 
 traducing Paul in the most shameless way (2 Cor. 10: 
 7-13; 11:5, 13-14). He wanted to stop the mouths 
 of these slanderers, and thus regain his authority and 
 good name in the Congregation. Besides, he wanted to 
 encourage the Corinthians to begin again the collection 
 of money for the poor in Jerusalem — a w T ork which, 
 owing to the confusion in the Church, had been neg- 
 lected. 
 
 It is probable that from Macedonia the apostle went 
 to Illyria and there did some mission work (Romans 
 15:19), and then returned to Macedonia; after which 
 he went to Corinth, which city he now visited for the 
 third* time. This time he made his home with Gaius 
 and made a stay of three months (Romans 16:23). 
 This visit in Corinth greatly comforted the apostle. 
 The clouds had rolled by, and there was now peace in 
 the Church. The offenses against decency had been 
 done away with, and there were no warring factions. 
 None rejoiced over this more than did the apostle; and 
 no doubt he more than once thanked the Lord for the 
 happy outcome of the matter. 
 
116 
 
 In the soul of Paul there now ruled a quiet joy and 
 peace. The Lord had done great things through him; 
 the Gospel had now been preached from Syria to the 
 Adriatic; and there w r ere numerous Congregations, in 
 which the Word was preached and the Sacraments ad- 
 ministered to the assembled Christians. There had been 
 stormy times, and for a long time it had looked dark in 
 Galatia and Corinth; but now this was a thing of the 
 past; the attacks of the Judaists had been repelled. 
 
 It was during these days of peace and joy that the 
 apostle wrote his wonderful letter to the Romans. The 
 sun was sinking; but before going down it poured its 
 warm rays over the fearless soldier of Christ, and 
 breathed into his heart the peace and gladness which 
 are a foretaste of the joys of Heaven. He understood, 
 however, that this could not. last long. Dark clouds be- 
 gan to appear in the east. He did not know exactly 
 what they might portend, but they looked threatening. 
 — Still it was his hope and prayer that he might, live to 
 see Rome and Spain (Romans 15: 19). It is concern- 
 ing this that he wishes in advance to inform the Church 
 in the capital of the mighty Empire. 
 
 How the Church at Rome came to be founded we do 
 not know; but it seems to have been done by persons 
 coming from Congregations organized by Paul. 
 
 There are in the letter but few allusions to conditions 
 in Rome; for this Epistle is in its grand universality 
 lifted high above the plane of mere history. It gives a 
 sublime summary of the Gospel, and shows the apostle's 
 deep understanding of God's wonderful providence ; and 
 how the Gospel is a power of God unto salvation to all 
 them that believe, to the Jew first, and to the Gentile. 
 All are equally great sinners before God, and are there- 
 fore in equal need of God's mercy. And God has had 
 mercy upon all; "therefore as by the offense of one, 
 judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so 
 
117 
 
 i 
 
 by the righteousness of One, the free gift came upon 
 
 all men unto justification of life." In the faith in Christ 
 
 all men have righteousness and peace, the source of a 
 
 holy life and of victory over all enemies. 
 
 After three months in Corinth the stay came to an 
 end. The moneys collected for the poor in Jerusalem 
 Paul wanted to bring them in person before going on 
 to Rome. The parting from the friends in Corinth was 
 a sad one, especially for Paul; for he knew that there 
 were great troubles ahead of him. The hatred of the 
 Judaists had not become less bitter by their being put 
 out of the Churches. Now they were seeking Paul's 
 life. He knew but too well the enmity of the Jews in 
 Palestine, and that he was never safe from assassina- 
 tion. The anxieties of the apostle are vividly pictured 
 in these words to the Christians in Rome : "Now I be- 
 seech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, 
 and for the love of the Spirit, that, ye strive together 
 with me in your prayers to God for me; that I may be 
 delivered from them that are disobedient in Judea, and 
 that 1 my service which I have for Jerusalem may be ac- 
 cepted of the saints ,, (Romans 15:30-31). 
 
 In order to escape his Jewish enemies Paul changed 
 his route and went by way of Macedonia. He spent 
 Easter in his beloved Philippi, and then took ship over 
 to Troas in Asia Minor. There were many who this 
 time went with him over to Asia. On Sunday the 
 Congregation at Philippi assembled for church services, 
 including holy Communion, and the meeting lasted till 
 late into the night. 
 
 The following day the apostle went over land to 
 Assus, from which port his companions, who had gone 
 on ahead, had engaged passage by ship. They sailed 
 along the coast of Asia Minor and came to Miletus. He 
 had summoned the elders from Ephesus to meet him 
 there, as he did not have the time to visit their city. 
 
118 
 
 On the shore near Miletus Paul met with the breth- 
 ren of these parts to bid them the last farewell. It was 
 as beautiful and touching a scene as can well be im- 
 agined. The apostle preached, and reminded his hearers 
 of how he had, in humility and through many troubles, 
 served the Lord; and now he was on his way to Jeru- 
 salem, being confident that this was God's will. He 
 knows that it will be a hard journey. "Bonds and af- 
 flictions abide. But none of these things move me, 
 neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I 
 might finish my course with joy, and the ministry which 
 I have received of the Lord Jesus." Then he begged 
 them to care for the flock which the Lord had committed 
 to their care, and to guard against errors of doctrine, 
 and not to forget their apostle and his admonitions. 
 "And now I commend you to God, and to the Word of 
 His grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you 
 an inheritance among all them which are sanctified." 
 
 When he had said this he kneeled down and prayed 
 with them all. But they all wept bitterly, and embraced 
 Paul and kissed him; sorrowing most of all because he 
 said that they should no more see his face. It was an 
 impressive leave-taking. 
 
 Paul and his companions went on board, and the 
 friends on shore watched the ship till it was beyond 
 their view. The voyagers sailed along the shore to 
 Coos, Rhodes and Patara; and there took another ship 
 for Tyre, where it was to unload its cargo. 
 
 In Tyre they were obliged to stop a whole week ; and 
 is was a great comfort to the apostle that here, also, 
 there was a Christian Congregation, which gave him a 
 cordial reception. The brethren here strongly advised 
 him not to go to Jerusalem. They were near enough 
 to be well acquainted with the sentiment in this city. 
 But Paul would not yield. So the whole Congregation, 
 men, women and children, went, with him out of the 
 
119 
 
 city, "and we kneeled down on the shore and prayed. 
 And when we had taken leave one of another, we took 
 ship: and they returned home again" (Acts 21). 
 
 At Ptolemais, also, where the ship touched, they 
 found a Christian Church ; and then they came to Caesa- 
 rea, the end of the voyage. We do not know whether 
 or not the centurion Cornelius was still living. But it 
 is on record that Paul lodged with the evangelist Philip, 
 who had been one of the seven elders of the Church 
 in Jerusalem. In the persecutions following the martyr- 
 dom of Stephen, this Philip had fled to Caesarea, where 
 he settled as a missionary in the town and surrounding 
 districts. Now the persecutor and the persecuted were 
 become friends. 
 
 While the apostle had his home with Philip they 
 were visited by an old acquaintance, the prophet Agabus 
 from Jerusalem. He was in terror when he heard that 
 Paul was on his way to Jerusalem; for Agabus had 
 but now come from this city and knew exactly how 
 matters stood. When Paul still was determined to go 
 there, Agabus took Paul's girdle and bound his own 
 hands and feet to illustrate his meaning, and said : 
 "Thus saith the Holy Ghost: So shall the Jews at Jeru- 
 salem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall 
 deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles. " All who 
 heard these words of Agabus were much afraid, and 
 begged Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. But he an- 
 swered : "What mean ye to weep and to break mine 
 heart? For I am ready not to be bound only, but also 
 to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. " 
 The prospect of torture and death did not frighten him. 
 He knew that one might die cheerfully ; but to go against 
 the will of his Lord — that was something which he 
 could not do. And if the Lord now wanted him to go 
 to Jerusalem his life was in God's hand. The warm 
 love of his friends made a deep impression on him; 
 
120 
 
 while their grief and anxiety pained him more than did 
 the thought of a violent death at the hand of an enemy. 
 Not many could have resisted the entreaties of the 
 friends. "But when he would not be persuaded, we 
 ceased, saying: The will of the Lord be done." 
 
 So there was nothing to be done ; so after some days 
 the apostle and his traveling companions set. out on their 
 journey to the holy city of the Jews. Some of the 
 friends from Caesarea went with them to secure them a 
 lodging in the home of an acquaintance, an old Christian 
 named Mnason of Cyprus. 
 
 At the time of Pentecost, in the year 59, the apostle 
 came, then, to Jerusalem, thus ending what is usually 
 counted as his third missionary expedition. 
 
 IX* In Prison* 
 
 "If I have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse 
 not to die; but if there be none of these things whereof 
 these accuse me, no man may deliver me to them. I appeal 
 unto Caesar" (Acts 25: 11). 
 
 These were troublous times in Judaea, and par- 
 ticularly in Jerusalem. People were walking as on a 
 volcano. A spirit of unrest was smoldering in the heart 
 of the masses, and might at. any moment break out in 
 the devouring flames of revolution. The country was a 
 Roman province, and was heavily oppressed; and the 
 Roman officials, particularly the governors, harassed the 
 people in every possible way. The ruler of the province 
 at this time was Felix, a former slave, who had been 
 able to climb the political ladder, a cruel and grasping- 
 man, who would stop at nothing to gain his ends. He 
 had, as one of the Roman historians puts it, the power 
 of a king and the soul of a slave. 
 
121 
 
 The relation between the oppressed Jews and their 
 masters had been far from friendly; but, of course, the 
 situation grew worse under this man Felix. There 
 had been a number of revolutionary factions, and to 
 them was now added a new faction called the Sicarians. 
 The name is derived from the word sica, which means 
 a small dagger. These people were the Jewish anar- 
 chists, whose plan of campaign was to get rid of their 
 opponents by the simple expedient of murdering them. 
 They were a secret society, and the members carried 
 the dagger under their clothes. They were guilty of 
 many dastardly murders, and had generally managed to 
 escape punishment. Sometimes they went about from 
 place to place in bands, plundering, burning and killing. 
 People could never feel that their lives were safe. 
 
 On top of all this misery came a number of quarrels 
 between the high priests and the lesser clergy, and some- 
 times even these led to deeds of violence. 
 
 Religious fanaticism, internal dissensions, a lawless 
 revolutionary spirit, and hatred of everything that was 
 not Jewish — this was the Jerusalem to which Paul now 
 came. 
 
 The reception accorded him was not marked by the 
 good-will which he had a right to expect; coming as he 
 did with a large sum of money for the poor, sent as a 
 free gift from the members of his Gentile-Christian 
 Churches. Some few there were who received him cor- 
 dially; but he was soon to learn that the sentiment was 
 unfriendly among the Jewish Christians as well as 
 among those outside of the Congregation. 
 
 There were few who grasped the importance of the 
 great work of his life; they did not understand his 
 kingly idea: One holy, general, Christian Church. 
 Neither did they understand, narrow and bigoted as 
 they were, his persistent efforts to unite Jew and Gen- 
 tile, and to maintain friendly relations between the Con- 
 
122 
 
 gregation in Jerusalem and his missionary Churches, his 
 nobility of character and his big heart. Besides, here 
 was a good field for the Judaists; and they diligently 
 cultivated it, in the Congregation and among the out- 
 siders. They distorted what he said about the Jews 
 and the Law, and they embellished his preaching with 
 Judaistic comments; and thus the very success of his 
 work had strengthened the opposition to him. A meet- 
 ing was arranged, of course, at which Paul was to 
 speak; and he related many instances to show how the 
 work of God had prospered among the Gentiles. But 
 his words fell flat; a majority of his hearers remained 
 cold and held aloof from him. Some few there were 
 who listened with interest to his reports, but the un- 
 comfortable feeling remained nevertheless. 
 
 Naturally, under such circumstances there are cer- 
 tain spineless people who lean to both sides and want 
 to cover up the trouble. These now came forward with 
 a plan which they thought would smooth the rough 
 places. They turned to Paul and said: "Thou seest, 
 brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which 
 believe: and they are zealous of the Law; and they are 
 informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which 
 are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that 
 they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to 
 walk after the customs. What is it, therefore? — Then 
 they explained to him how that great numbers would 
 come together when it became generally known that he 
 was in Jerusalem, and how difficult it would be for him 
 to stand against them. So, as a way out of the diffi- 
 culty, they had a proposition to make: There were four 
 Christian men who had taken a vow to become Naza- 
 renes. They were poor; and it was regarded as a good 
 deed if some wealthy persons took it upon themselves 
 to defray the expense of keeping such a vow. Now it 
 was suggested that Paul might do this, and stay with 
 
123 
 
 the four men for a week in the temple as a penitent, 
 and thus show that he also obeyed the Jewish precepts 
 and the Law. In other words, Paul was asked, for the 
 sake of peace and out of consideration for the "zealous" 
 ones, to place his neck under the yoke of the Law. 
 These were trying times for the apostle. His soul was 
 in torture; and there was no Peter present to save the 
 situation. Now, what was Paul to do? Was he to rise 
 against these people in defense of Christian liberty, and 
 thus challenge the storm to begin? Or would it be 
 better to yield and be a Jew among the Jews, in order, 
 if possible, to win some of them? Could he with a good 
 conscience do this? These questions caused him a 
 hard fight with himself ; and the upshot was, that for 
 the sake of peace he decided to yield. But the storm 
 was not to be thus turned aside. 
 
 The seven days of cleansing prescribed by the Law 
 were almost ended, when the storm broke. A number 
 of Jews were come from Asia Minor to Jerusalem as 
 pilgrims to celebrate the feast of Pentecost ; and they 
 knew the apostle, and hated him most cordially; for 
 none other had inflicted such wounds on them as he. 
 Out in the provinces they could not attack him, but here 
 they might do it with better hope of success. One day 
 they saw the apostle in the company of an Ephesian 
 Christian named Trophimus. And then they began to 
 cry out that Paul, the seducer of the people, was guilty 
 of sacrilege, as he had entered the temple, taking with 
 him one of his heathen friends. This the mob under- 
 stood to mean that Paul had taken the Greek into the 
 holy place of the Jews — a crime punishable by death. 
 The Jews went wild with fury. Their shouts filled all 
 the place about the temple, where great numbers of 
 people were assembled; and spread over the city, so that 
 others came running from every direction to learn what 
 was doing. When they were told that the sanctity of 
 
124 
 
 the temple had been violated, all were mad with fanat- 
 icism: — this man must be put to death. 
 
 There was no difficulty in finding the apostle, who 
 was undergoing the ceremony of purification in the 
 temple. With shrieks and much noise he was dragged 
 out of the temple ; and now the Jews could give free 
 reign to their hatred. In the temple itself they could 
 not well kill him, for then they would have befouled 
 the sanctuary with his blood. — When the furious mob 
 had dragged him out into the open the gates of the 
 temple were shut. 
 
 The mob had begun to beat him to death, when there 
 were heard shouts and the loud blare of the war 
 trumpet. The mob desisted for a moment; and then 
 they saw a body of Roman soldiers, who came marching 
 under arms to the scene of the rioting, and demanded 
 to know what the trouble was. The Jews knew that 
 even less than this might by the Romans be regarded as 
 a revolt against lawful authority, and in those days 
 there was no long distance to the gallows or the cross. 
 
 So the Jews drew back, and the life of the apostle 
 had this time been saved by the Roman troops. In 
 explanation of how the Romans came so promptly to 
 the rescue, it may be mentioned that at the northwest 
 corner of the temple, on a hill commanding the whole 
 place, was the strong fortress Antonia. Here there 
 was at all times a garrison of soldiers; and this was 
 strengthened at the festal seasons, which brought such 
 large numbers of Jews to Jerusalem. The guards who 
 patrolled the walls kept a sharp eye on the doings 
 around the temple, and some soldiers were always held 
 in readiness to sally forth at once at the least sign of 
 trouble. 
 
 When the soldiers reached Paul he was placed under 
 arrest; and the captain ordered him put in chains, and 
 asked the people who this man was, and what he had 
 
125 
 
 done. But some cried one thing, some another; and 
 the captain could make nothing of it. 
 
 The captain thought to himself that he had made 
 an important capture; for he guessed that his prisoner 
 was a certain Egyptian revolutionary leader, who had 
 led 4,000 men out into the desert and had then disap- 
 peared. So the captain was greatly astonished when 
 Paul spoke to him in the Greek tongue. Now he learnt 
 that Paul was a Jew from Tarsus, and that he wished 
 to speak to the people in his own defense. 
 
 The captain barely managed to bring the prisoner 
 unscathed up to the castle; for the multitude pressed in 
 on the soldiers, and shouted: Away with him; and they 
 seemed determined to put him out of the way for good 
 and all. The soldiers had to lift him up on their 
 shoulders and carry him. At the stone stairs up to the 
 castle the people were stopped, and the captain let Paul 
 speak to them. While the soldiers held the people back, 
 Paul took his stand on the stairs, and beckoned with his 
 hand. This unexpected appearance of the sorely 
 wounded man, who stepped forward to address them, 
 cowed the vulgar mob. They held their peace, and he 
 began to speak to them in the Hebrew language. He told 
 them of his life from his childhood ; of the time when 
 he sat at. the feet of Gamaliel ; of his zeal for Judaism 
 and his persecution of the Christians ; and then how the 
 Lord had stopped him on the way to Damascus; and 
 how he had become a Christian, and in the temple itself 
 had been called of the Lord to preach the Gospel to the 
 Gentiles. 
 
 Thus far they heard him without interruption; but 
 when he said this about the Gentiles, the multitude 
 again began shouting that he should be put to death. 
 And then, according to the Jewish custom, when touched 
 by great sorrow, they tore off their clothes and sprinkled 
 themselves with dust. 
 
126 
 
 The chief captain did not rightly know just what 
 to do, but thought to learn more of the matter by caus- 
 ing Paul to be scourged. So he commanded one of his 
 underlings to tie Paul to the whipping post and flog 
 him. However, when they came to the whipping post 
 before the castle, and were about to apply the torture, 
 Paul called to the centurion standing by and asked him : 
 "Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, 
 and uncondemned ?" This declaration by Paul of his 
 Roman citizenship gave the centurion something like 
 an electric shock. He at once reported to his superior 
 officer, asking if they should scourge the prisoner 
 though knowing him to be a Roman citizen. The chief 
 captain was equally surprised, and asked Paul how he 
 could be a Roman; this being a dignity which the cap- 
 tain himself had bought for a large sum of money. 
 "But I," said Paul, "was born to it." 
 
 The captain then thought best to shift his course; 
 and as he understood that the whole turmoil hinged 
 on some religious question, he called together the 
 sanhedrin, which had jurisdiction in all matters of 
 religion. 
 
 The apostle was taken the short distance from the 
 castle to the court-room. Now he stood in the place 
 where the Savior Himself had stood before His ac- 
 cusers, and where later had stood Peter and John, 
 Stephen and other champions of the faith. He probably 
 knew also some members of the council, since the time 
 when they had given him letters of authority to perse- 
 cute the Christians. Now these same men were to be 
 his judges; and he knew how bitterly they hated him. 
 Had he not been under the protection of the Roman 
 authorities, his life would not have been worth an hour's 
 purchase. But he knew also that, in spite of his rights 
 as a Roman, the sanhedrin had sufficient authority, so 
 that they might have him thrown into prison; and if 
 
127 
 
 he were in their power they would make short shift of 
 him. This he must guard against. 
 
 Even now Paul knew no fear, and he boldly said 
 to his judges : "Men and brethren, I have lived in all 
 good conscience before God until this day." 
 
 At this point his speech was cut short, as the high 
 priest Ananias, whom Paul did not know, commanded 
 one of the servants to smite him on the mouth. Then 
 Paul lost his temper and hotly declared: "God shall 
 smite thee, thou whited wall; for thou sittest to judge 
 me after the Law, and commandest me to be smitten 
 contrary to the Law." One of the men standing by 
 called the attention of Paul to the impropriety of an- 
 swering the high priest in that way ; and Paul admitted 
 his fault, explaining that he had not known the high 
 priest; else he would not have used such unseemly 
 words, for it is written: "Thou shalt not speak evil of 
 the ruler of thy people." 
 
 This little episode shows us how wide the difference 
 is, after all, between the divine Master and his fore- 
 most servant. In this same place the Lord Himself had 
 been smitten on the mouth, but He uttered no word of 
 resentment or anger. 
 
 It was clear that the apostle could expect no fair 
 treatment from these people, and to defend himself 
 would be a mere waste of words. Under the circum- 
 stances it was fortunate that he knew some of the 
 judges, and understood how easy it was to set them 
 by the* ears. So he cunningly intimated that he was 
 being persecuted for his doctrine, in that he in common 
 with the Pharisees believed in the resurrection of the 
 dead. With this statement he had fired the mine. 
 There at once ensued fierce wrangling between the 
 Pharisees and the Sadducees, so that the council was 
 broken up in disorder. 
 
 The Roman captain was astonished at. this comedy; 
 
128 
 
 and when the turmoil became too great he let his men 
 take a hand in the matter, in order to protect the 
 prisoner and take him back to the castle. 
 
 Paul was heavy of heart, as on the night following 
 he tossed on his couch, unable to sleep. But. the Lord 
 remembered his faithful servant and revealed Himself 
 to him, and strengthened him. The sorely tried man 
 saw his Savior, who said to him: "Be of good cheer, 
 Paul ; for as thou hast, testified of me in Jerusalem, so 
 must thou bear witness also at Rome." These were 
 truly words of cheer: His one greatest ambition, to 
 testify in Rome of his Lord and Master, was after all to 
 be realized. 
 
 Next day the members of the council were in no 
 good humor. The pernicious Paul had been in their 
 power; and they allowed themselves to be tricked into 
 letting him escape. It certainly was exasperating. Nor 
 were they the only ones to be angry. Some other 
 Jewish fanatics, who had heard of the disastrous out- 
 come of the trial before the sanhedrin, had formed a 
 conspiracy, and had taken a solemn oath not to taste 
 food or drink before they had put the apostle out of 
 the way. There were about fifty of these conspirators, 
 and they cunningly counseled the sanhedrin to demand 
 a further investigation of the charges against Paul on 
 the following day; and when Paul then was on his way 
 between the castle and the place of trial the conspirators 
 would see to it that he was put to death. 
 
 However, in spite of every effort to preserve their 
 secret, news of the conspiracy leaked out; and among 
 those who heard of it was a son of Paul's' sister. He 
 then at once went up to the castle and warned the 
 apostle of the new danger threatening him. The apostle 
 called one of the centurions and asked him to take the 
 young man before the chief captain, for whom he had 
 an important piece of news. The young man was 
 
129 
 
 brought before the commandant, and told him what was 
 in the wind; and the commandant did not doubt the 
 truth of the story. He sent the young man away with a 
 warning to say nothing of the matter, nor of his having 
 been at the castle. 
 
 This chief captain was a wise and prudent man; 
 and he knew the Jews. So he would not risk keeping 
 the prisoner in the castle, but decided to send him away 
 that same evening. He called the centurions and gave 
 them orders to hold four companies of 100 men each 
 in readiness for marching, together with 70 horsemen 
 and a beast for the prisoner to ride, and to take Paul to 
 Caesarea, to the governor Felix; and he gave them a 
 letter to the governor with a full account of the charges 
 against the prisoner. 
 
 So with an escort worthy of a king Paul left Jeru- 
 salem, which city he was never to see again. None 
 who saw the pageant knew what it meant ; and even 
 if they had met one of the robber bands the guard of 
 soldiers was strong enough to protect the prisoner. In 
 the forenoon of the second day the party reached Anti- 
 patris ; from which place the main body of soldiers re- 
 turned to Jerusalem, while the horsemen went on with 
 Paul to Caesarea and delivered him to the governor 
 Felix. Thus were fulfilled the words of Agabus, saying 
 that Paul was to be bound in Jerusalem and given into 
 the hands of the Gentiles. 
 
 It was barely two weeks since the apostle, disre- 
 garding all warnings, went from this place to the holy 
 city of the Jews ; and now he was brought back as a 
 Roman political prisoner, to be kept in Herod's palace, 
 or the praetorium. And he surely did not then dream 
 that he was to remain there for two long years. 
 
 When the sanhedrin, on the morning after Paul's 
 being taken away, sent to the castle asking that he 
 be again brought to trial, they learnt that their hated 
 
 5 
 
130 
 
 adversary had escaped them. They were disappointed 
 and angry, but were not disposed to give up the fight. 
 They determined to send a delegation to the governor 
 in Caesarea and try to secure possession of the prisoner. 
 The foremost men of the council, headed by the high 
 priest, were members of this delegation; and they took 
 with them a Roman lawyer named Tertullus, who was 
 to present their case and see to it that the legal for- 
 malities were observed. 
 
 A few days after the imprisonment of Paul in 
 Caesarea this delegation put in their appearance. They 
 had made all possible haste, as they were afraid that 
 Felix might set Paul at liberty. — So the governor sat 
 as a trial judge, and let the prisoner and his accusers 
 appear before him, that he might hear both sides. The 
 lawyer of the plaintiffs was allowed to open the case. 
 He began by trying to win the favor of Felix by 
 means of flattery, and then he took up the charges 
 against Paul. The apostle was described as a pestilent 
 fellow and a mover of insurrections, and as a ringleader 
 of the Nazarene sect; and besides, he had profaned the 
 temple. For these reasons the sanhedrin had laid hold 
 on him, the matter being one in which they had juris- 
 diction; and the case would have followed the regular 
 course, had not the chief captain of the castle, by force 
 and without authority, meddled with the matter and put 
 himself in possession of the prisoner. Now they 
 wanted Felix to examine into the matter; and they did 
 not doubt that he would declare them to be in the right. 
 — Thus argued Tertullus; and the high priest and the 
 others corroborated his statements in every particular. 
 
 When they had finished, the governor called on Paul 
 to defend himself. The apostle spoke calmly and to 
 the point. He began with the statement that Felix, 
 having had much erperience as a judge among the Jews, 
 would find it easy to follow the case, and to understand 
 
131 
 
 how utterly without foundation the charges were. It 
 was but twelve days since he, Paul, went from Caesarea 
 up to Jerusalem to worship ; and he had made no speech 
 of any kind in the synagogue or ony other place in the 
 city. Nor had he in any way incited any man to revolt 
 against the government ; and his accusers had offered no 
 evidence whatever in support of that charge. It was 
 true that he belonged to the Nazarene sect; but as a 
 Nazarene he was not an infidel. On the contrary, he 
 believed all that was written in the Law and the Proph- 
 ets ; and he also believed in the resurrection of the dead. 
 "Herein I also exercise myself to have a conscience 
 void of offense toward God and men always." 
 
 The charge that he had incited insurrection was 
 plainly preposterous; for it was several years since he 
 had visited Jerusalem, and he had now gone to that 
 city as the bearer of a large sum of money for distribu- 
 tion among the poor. He had been there but a few 
 days, and had spent the greater part of this time in the 
 temple, engaged in the Levitical rites of purification. 
 And while he was thus following the noiseless tenor of 
 his way some Jews from Asia Minor had seen him and 
 started a riot. These were the people who should have 
 been here to make charges against him, but they kept 
 out of the way. Now, the men who were present as 
 his accusers knew that he had been before the san- 
 hedrin; and they should have given an account of the 
 proceedings before that court, if any guilt had been 
 proven against him. For his own part he knew of 
 nothing, unless it be the declaration which he had made : 
 "Touching the resurrection of the dead, I am called in 
 question before you this day." 
 
 Felix understood the situation very well; and to rid 
 himself of the Jews he declared the trial continued 
 until the chief captain could come from Jerusalem with 
 a more detailed report. He ordered, therefore, the cen- 
 
132 
 
 turion to keep Paul in charge, but to allow him all 
 possible liberty and to let his friends visit him and 
 show him every attention. 
 
 Now, of course, it was the duty of Felix either to set 
 Paul free, or to find him guilty; in which latter case 
 Paul could at a Roman citizen appeal to the emperor. 
 But Felix did neither. He held off, hoping that Paul 
 or his friends might offer him a substantial bribe ; for 
 to Felix money was everything. 
 
 Some days after the Jews had gone home without 
 having accomplished their purpose, Paul was again sum- 
 moned before Felix. The governor had told his wife 
 Drusilla, to whom he was not, however, lawfully mar- 
 ried, about the new T prisoner, and she was curious to 
 see him. She may have heard of him before. Paul 
 knew the history and character of these people, and was 
 thus able to touch the tender spot. He had no desire 
 to flatter them, but wished to speak to their conscience; 
 so he reasoned of righteousness and self-control and the 
 judgment to come. And that his words went home 
 is evident from that w^hich Felix said: "Go thy way 
 for this time; and when I have a convenient season, I 
 will call thee unto me." 
 
 Later on Paul was several times summoned to ap- 
 pear before Felix, who gave him to understand that 
 some money would procure him the liberty which he so 
 much desired. But the apostle would listen to no such 
 proposition; and so Felix determined at least to win 
 the favor of the Jews by keeping Paul as a prisoner. 
 
 IrjL this way several months went by, with nothing to 
 indicate that the case against Paul would ever be dis- 
 posed of; and in the meantime he was kept in enforced 
 idleness, while his whole soul cried out for a chance to 
 work. But he was compelled to practise patience. Nat- 
 urally, it must have been a great comfort to him that his 
 friends and companions were permitted to visit him 
 
133 
 
 without hindrance ; and there is no doubt that the 
 apostle at this time also was sending messengers and 
 keeping in touch with his Congregations. 
 
 While Paul was thus kept inside of the prison walls 
 there were stirring times in Judaea. The feeling of 
 bitterness against the misrule of Felix and against Ro- 
 man tyranny grew r all the time stronger, and often went 
 beyond control. In Jerusalem sheer anarchy prevailed 
 at times, and there had been pitched battles between 
 the Roman soldiers and the Jewish rioters on the streets 
 of Jerusalem. Even in Caesarea the apostle could from 
 the windows of his prison hear the tumult on the streets. 
 To revenge himself Felix caused the homes of many 
 rich Jews to be robbed ; thus securing some more of that 
 gold which he loved so well. 
 
 But in this way Felix brought about his own down- 
 fall. For these rich Jews had influential connections at 
 the imperial court; and the result was that Felix was 
 ousted from the governorship, and ordered to Rome, 
 and called strictly to account; and Porcius Festus, a 
 good and upright man, was appointed his successor. 
 This was in the year 60. 
 
 Shortly after taking over his new office, Festus went 
 up to Jerusalem; and the Jewish sanhedrin thought that 
 this would be an opportune time for again securing 
 possession of the apostle. They would demand of the 
 new governor that he send Paul to Jerusalem, that he 
 might be brought to trial before them; and then they 
 hoped that a new attack on him would prove more suc- 
 cessful than the first effort, which had been such an 
 ignoble failure. However, Festus seems to have seen 
 through their plans ; and he told them that if they had 
 any charges to make against Paul they must come to 
 Caesarea. 
 
 This they did ; and the apostle was again put on trial, 
 but this time before a judge of a different character. 
 
134 
 
 The Jews reiterated their former charges, but without 
 any sort of proof; and the apostle pointed out how ut- 
 terly unfounded all the three counts of the complaint 
 were. He had done no wrong against the Jewish law, 
 nor against the temple, nor against the emperor. 
 
 For political reasons Festus would like to please the 
 delegation from the sanhedrin; but he was considerate 
 enough to ask the prisoner if he was willing to go to 
 Jerusalem and stand trial before the Jewish council. 
 But Paul knew the Jews and their council too well for 
 this; and when he understood that he might be deliv- 
 ered up by Festus to the sanhedrin, which had juris- 
 diction in religious matters, he made the declaration 
 which put an end to any further proceedings against 
 him in Palestine, in that he said: "I am standing before 
 Caesar's judgment-seat, where I ought to be judged. 
 To the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou also very 
 well knowest. If then I am a wrong-doer, and have 
 committed anything worthy of death, I refuse not to 
 die; but if none of those things is true whereof these 
 accuse me, no man can give me up unto them. I appeal 
 unto Caesar." 
 
 Thus all the efforts of the Jews came at once to 
 naught ; for it was the privilege of a Roman citizen, 
 no matter where he might be, to demand a trial before 
 the emperor. This, however, required the presence of 
 the prisoner in Rome. 
 
 Before being taken to Rome the apostle had a new 
 opportunity to testify in his own behalf. King Agrippa 
 and his wife Bernice, who was also his sister, came 
 to Caesarea on a friendly visit to Festus. These royal 
 personages were treated with every possible consider- 
 ation by the governor ; for he knew that the king of the 
 little country to the east of the Jordan was a special 
 favorite of the emperor Nero. 
 
 Festus mentioned his notable prisoner, and king 
 
135 
 
 Agrippa wished to see him. "Tomorrow thou shalt hear 
 him," said the polite Festus. 
 
 So Festus arranged for a specially imposing trial to 
 be held on the following day. To make it the more 
 splendid in honor of his royal guests he ordered the 
 highest military and civil dignitaries to be present, and 
 the whole affair was made as impressive as possible. 
 When everything was in readiness the king and queen 
 appeared in their robes of state and with a numerous 
 and splendid following of courtiers. The prisoner was 
 brought before them in chains ; and when he saw him- 
 self surrounded by all this pageantry, he no doubt re- 
 membered what the Lord had said to Ananias : "He is 
 a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the 
 Gentiles and kings, and the children of Israel." For 
 now he stood before the throne of a king. 
 
 When all was ready, Festus opened the proceedings 
 with a speech addressed to the king; the speech of a 
 practised courtier: The prisoner before them was a 
 man whose life the Jews demanded. For his own part 
 Festus had found no fault in the man. But since the 
 prisoner had appealed to Caesar, he must be sent to 
 Rome, and there must be sent with him a report from 
 Festus. However, he found it difficult to write such a 
 report, since he was not familiar with the Jewish faith ; 
 and now that King Agrippa had honored them with his 
 presence, Festus would respectfully ask the king to con- 
 duct the examination, and then it would be an easy 
 matter to make out the report to the emperor. 
 
 The king turned to the apostle and said: "Thou art 
 permitted to speak for thyself." 
 
 Paul then boldly stretched forth his manacled hand 
 and began to speak. He addressed the king, saying 
 that he was glad to defend himself before a man who 
 was able to understand him, and he begged the king to 
 hear him patiently. Then he outlined his life from his 
 
136 
 
 youth, and explained how he had been trained in the 
 principles of the Pharisees, and held their views. He 
 told how he had persecuted the Christians, and how he 
 had been converted ; and also how he had been called 
 of the Lord to go out with the Good News that the 
 hope of Israel was fulfilled in Christ, who suffered and 
 died, and rose again. — As he proceeded with his speech 
 the apostle became more warm. Festus, the proud Ro- 
 man, could not understand that there was any good 
 reason for such enthusiasm, and he interrupted Paul: 
 "Thou art mad ; thy much learning is turning thee mad." 
 But Paul replied: "I am not mad, most excellent Fes- 
 tus; but speak forth words of truth and soberness. " 
 And he turned from the Roman to the Jew Agrippa, 
 and asked him to say that he also believed the promises 
 of the Jewish prophets. But Agrippa made the diplo- 
 matic reply: "With but little persuasion thou wouldst 
 fain make me a Christian" ; to which Paul made the 
 fine rejoinder: "I would to God, that whether with 
 little or with much, not thou only, but also all that hear 
 me this day, might become such as I am, except these 
 bonds." 
 
 The king stood up to indicate that the examination 
 was at an end; and the apostle was taken back to his 
 prison. In the discussion which followed all declared 
 the apostle innocent; and Agrippa gave as his opinion 
 that the prisoner should have been set free had he not 
 appealed his case to the emperor. 
 
137 
 
 X. The Martyr. 
 
 "I have fought the good fight . . . and the Lord wilt de- 
 liver me from every evil work, and will save me unto His 
 heavenly Kingdom; to whom be the glory for ever and 
 ever. Amen" (2 Tim. 4:7, 18). 
 
 The apostle had appealed to Caesar and must there- 
 fore be sent to Rome. It was now near the setting in 
 of winter; but as a number of prisoners were still to be 
 sent to Rome, it was decided to send Paul also. He 
 had all the time been treated with every courtesy by 
 the Roman officials ; and thus they now also gave him 
 permission to take Luke and Aristarchus with him, in 
 order that these men might serve and comfort him. 
 The centurion to whom the prisoners were given in 
 charge knew, of course, from the report sent by him, 
 that Paul had been found not guilty and was not in any 
 sense a criminal. Therefore the centurion treated Paul 
 with kindness and allowed him all the liberty which the 
 circumstances would permit. 
 
 It was in the autumn of the year 61 that Paul with 
 the other prisoners went on board a little vessel in the 
 coastwise trade. They had not sailed far before they 
 discovered that this was an unfortunate season for a 
 voyage. The weather was contrary; and they were 
 compelled to beat against the wind, and they made but 
 little headway. At last, however, they succeeded in 
 reaching the port of Myra in Lycia, on the south coast 
 of Asia Minor. Here they were transferred to another 
 ship, as the little coast trader could not put out to sea 
 in these dangerous waters so late in the season. The 
 centurion was so fortunate as to find here a large 
 freighter carrying corn from Egypt to Italy. These 
 freighters were of good size and sturdy build, and well 
 able to weather a storm. 
 
138 
 
 The voyage was then continued. Had the wind been 
 favorable the voyage might have been made in a week; 
 but luck was against them. So the master of the ship de- 
 termined to set his course out into the open sea south 
 of the island of Crete, where there would be some pro- 
 tection against the storms from the northwest. But the 
 wind remained contrary, and progress was very slow, 
 and the voyage became all the time more dangerous; the 
 time of the winter hurricanes was at hand. When 
 the ship reached a place called Fair Havens, Paul urged 
 the men in command to put up there for the winter; 
 for he knew how dangerous these waters were at this 
 season of the year. He had three times been ship- 
 wrecked off the coasts of Asia Minor and Greece; and 
 on one occasion he had drifted about on a piece of 
 wreckage for a whole day before being picked up. So 
 he knew something of suffering at sea. But none would 
 now listen to his wise counsel. Fair Havens was not a 
 safe place in which to winter; it was too exposed. They 
 wanted if possible to reach Phoenix, a haven of Crete, 
 where they could hope to winter more safely. 
 
 To begin with, all went well. There was a fair wind, 
 but it soon veered from the south to the northwest and 
 became a hurricane, and the ship was tossed about like 
 a mere plaything of the waves. The sailors tried to 
 hold it up against the wind, but it refused to obey the 
 rudder. They were compelled to let it drift, and the 
 storm carried them close up under the little island 
 Clauda. They had a lifeboat in tow ; and here they 
 managed with incredible labor to lift it on board and 
 save it from being smashed. The storm raged with 
 unabated fury, and the ship, with its large cargo, 
 labored heavily; and the seams began to open, so that 
 the sai]ors were afraid that it would spring a leak and 
 go to the bottom. To strengthen the ship they took 
 what cordage they had and passed a strong rope under 
 
,139 
 
 the keel and around the hull as tightly as they could, 
 and made it fast. But the storm increased; and soon 
 it was impossible to carry any sail, and the ship drifted 
 helpless before the tempest. The next day also the 
 storm raged as before, and it was necessary to lighten 
 the ship by throwing the cargo overboard. And the 
 third day being equally tempestuous, they cast over- 
 board all the tackling not absolutely necessary. The 
 storm raged day after day, and everybody gave up 
 hope. There were on board 276 persons; of whom the 
 most part were prisoners, and these, not being sailors, 
 suffered terribly. All were too sick to eat; and at last 
 even the sailors lost hope. 
 
 Then one night Paul had a vision. The angel of 
 God appeared to him and said: "Fear not, Paul; thou 
 must be brought before Caesar; and, lo, God hath 
 given thee all them that sail with thee." Paul did not 
 doubt that this was a message from God, and in the 
 morning he tried to put new courage into his fellow 
 voyagers. And they now believed him, having ex- 
 perienced that on the former occasion he had spoken 
 the truth. 
 
 The storm had lasted thirteen days, and on the four- 
 teenth night they were still drifting helpless before it 
 on the waters of the Adriatic. Then at midnight the 
 sailors thought that they must be near land. So they 
 cast the lead and found twenty fathoms of water; and 
 a little later they sounded again and found fifteen 
 fathoms. They knew then that they were drifting fast 
 toward some shore; and to be thrown against the rocks 
 this dark night would be certain death. So they let 
 fall the four anchors, hoping to hold the ship till morn- 
 ing. In the early daw T n the crew lowered the lifeboat, 
 thinking to save themselves. They thought it abso- 
 lutely impossible in this stormy sea to save the prison- 
 ers. Paul saw what they were about to do; and he 
 
140 
 
 told the centurion that they would surely die if they 
 took to the boat. They no longer doubted the apostle ; 
 and one of the soldiers cut the rope, and the boat 
 drifted away. 
 
 In the morning Paul called together all the people 
 on board and told them that their sufferings would soon 
 be over. The storm having lasted for full two weeks, 
 all were in a bad way from illness, and want of sleep, 
 and fear of death ; but now they must eat, that they 
 might have strength for the work before them ; for all 
 lives were to be saved. To give them courage Paul took 
 a piece of bread, thanked God, and began to eat it in 
 the sight of all. Then the others also took heart and 
 strengthened themselves with food. 
 
 It was now broad daylight; and they saw land near 
 by, but did not know where they were. They had be- 
 fore them a bay which looked fairly promising; and 
 they decided that it would be a good place for beaching 
 the ship. That it might be lifted as high as possible up 
 on the beach they lightened it by throwing out what re- 
 mained of the cargo and the provisions. They took up 
 the anchors and hoisted the mainsail, and made through 
 the breakers for the shore; and before long the ship 
 was run aground. The prow rested on a sandbank, 
 while the stern was out on the water; and soon the ship 
 parted in the middle. All the men were on the fore- 
 part ; and the soldiers wanted to kill the prisoners as the 
 surest way of preventing their escape. But the cen- 
 turion, who wished to save the life of Paul, forbade 
 this, and ordered all that could swim to jump first into 
 the sea and get to land. The others saved themselves 
 on pieces of wreckage, and not a life was lost. 
 
 It was then learnt that they were stranded on the 
 island of Melita, or Malta. The islanders came in 
 great numbers to the scene of the wreck; and though 
 they were barbarians they show r ed the strangers every 
 
141 
 
 kindness, and kindled a fire and made them as com- 
 fortable as their exhausted condition and the rain and 
 cold would allow. Here the shipwrecked voyagers re- 
 mained for three months, from November of the year 
 61 till the following February; and the apostle, of 
 course, employed his time in preaching the Gospel. He 
 also performed some miracles, which created a great 
 sensation and caused the natives to regard him as a 
 messenger from God. 
 
 Of course, as soon as the weather allowed, the 
 prisoners must be rounded up again and taken to Rome. 
 They took passage in an Alexandrian ship called the 
 "Castor and Pollux/' which had wintered in Malta ; 
 and after a few r days of good sailing they were landed 
 at Puteoli in Italy. 
 
 So now the apostle was in the country which he had 
 so long wished to be able to visit. He was not a free 
 man, however, but a prisoner of the Roman govern- 
 ment. In Puteoli there was already a Christian Church; 
 and the brethren were made happy by learning that 
 Paul was among them. The centurion gave the apostle 
 leave to go wherever he liked; and Paul therefore 
 lodged with members of the Congregation, and re- 
 mained a week to strengthen their faith and gladden 
 their hearts. In Puteoli he received his first impression 
 of the mighty city of Rome. For Puteoli, washed by 
 the fresh waters of the beautiful bay of Naples, was 
 the favorite summer resort of Rome's fashionable 
 world, the Newport of Rome, as it were. Here the Ro- 
 man leaders of fashion displayed all the luxury which 
 fabulous wealth can buy, and vied with one another in 
 lavish entertainments. On the shore were many beauti- 
 ful villas, occupied during the summer by the emperor 
 and the Roman aristocracy. In the harbor were many 
 ships, from all parts of the Mediterranean, and even 
 from distant Brittany ; and here the great Roman fleet 
 
142 
 
 of warships lay at anchor. It is the most charming 
 place in Italy; and even today it is admired and cele- 
 brated in song by the poets of all lands. Who has not 
 heard of the beauty of Capri and Naples? 
 
 After a week in Puteoli, Paul and his companions 
 took leave of the brethren ; for he with the other 
 prisoners must be taken to Rome. They followed the 
 famous Appian Way northward. When they were but 
 two days' journey from Rome, and stopped over night 
 in a certain notorious inn called Appii Forum, Paul was 
 given a happy surprise. The Congregation in Rome 
 had heard that he was on the way, and several of the 
 brethren came this far to meet him. And the next 
 evening others came and met him at a place called The 
 Three Taverns; and of course it was a happy meeting 
 for both him and them. Thus the prisoner entered the 
 Eternal City with a large retinue; a conqueror in chains, 
 followed by a number of lowly people who were with- 
 out honor among their fellows. But the future was 
 theirs, and the victory; for they had the faith which 
 could vanquish all things, even mighty, proud and god- 
 less Rome. 
 
 Never before had Paul seen anything like the ex- 
 travagant luxury of Rome. Here he was at the very 
 center of the ancient world. To this place led all the 
 threads holding together the vast empire, which seemed 
 to exist only to support this proud city on the Seven 
 Hills. Streams of gold flowed into the city from every 
 side; and this wealth was again dissipated in a perfect 
 carnival of reckless extravagance, the like of which the 
 world has not seen. Eating and drinking and amuse- 
 ments were in Rome the real business of life; and in 
 these things no other place on earth had so much to 
 oflfer. Foremost among all these votaries of pleasure 
 was the unspeakable ruffian, the emperor Nero. None 
 could vie with him in vanity, luxury, foul indecency, 
 
143 
 
 and cruelty, though the others followed as closely at 
 his heels as they could. Faith in the old gods was a 
 thing of the past. To be sure, there were many temples 
 and statues; but they were only relics of a faith which 
 had been. It had been replaced by sorcery, astrology 
 and the like; and there were certain secret societies in 
 which some of the gods of the East were worshiped. 
 The old, strict Roman ideas of morality had long been 
 relegated to the rear. A man of moral life was an 
 object of curiosity and suspicion; that is to say, if he 
 were important enough to be noticed at all. And every 
 house was familiar with the poisoned cup and the 
 dagger of the assassin. 
 
 At the prefecture in Rome the centurion delivered 
 his prisoners to the captain of the guard, a good and 
 honest man named Burrus. When this man had read 
 the report and heard the centurion's account, he gave 
 Paul permission to go where he liked, only he must 
 have one of the soldiers with him. The Christian 
 brethren then provided a decent, lodging for the apostle 
 in a house near by. 
 
 Rome had a greater number of Jews than any other 
 place in the Empire outside of Palestine. It is said that 
 there were at this time no less than 50,000 Jews in the 
 city. Some years before this they had been expelled by 
 the emperor Claudius, but had now been allowed to 
 come back. But they were hated and despised by all 
 men. Their penuriousness, their filthy habits, and their 
 jealous adherence to everything Jewish had made them 
 objects of disgust to all. So they were not permitted 
 to live in any place they might select, but were kept 
 segregated in their own quarter of the city. 
 
 Paul was always zealous first of all for the salvation 
 of his own unhappy people. After three days in Rome 
 he summoned to him some of the most influential Jews, 
 and explained to them how it happened that he was a 
 
144 
 
 prisoner; and he told them that he wished to speak to 
 the Jews about the Hope of Israel. They consented to 
 hear him, and fixed a day on which the Jews were to 
 come together in his house. 
 
 On the day appointed many came, and the apostle 
 explained to them the Law and the prophets. He spoke 
 from morning till night, and made a deep impression 
 on many. But still more of them were offended, and 
 turned from him; so that the apostle here also exper- 
 ienced the truth of the words of Isaiah the prophet. 
 And he took leave of the Jews with these same words : 
 "Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand ; and 
 seeing ye shall see, and not perceive. For the heart of 
 this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of 
 hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they 
 should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, 
 and understand with their heart, and should be ton- 
 verted, and I should heal them. Be it known therefore 
 unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the 
 Gentiles, and that they will hear it." 
 
 And so there was an end of this brief friendship. 
 
 As already mentioned, the Christians in Rome had 
 a Congregation of their own several years before Paul 
 visited them. He was in Corinth when he wrote his 
 Epistle to them. The little minority of Jewish Chris- 
 tians rather resented the break between Paul and the 
 Jews, and treated him with some coolness; but he was 
 kindly disposed toward them and did not turn them away. 
 For at any rate, they preached the Gospel of Christ. 
 But it seems that certain Judaists, also, had found their 
 way to Rome; and at the thought of them the apostle 
 grows bitter and says, as in the letter to the Philip- 
 pians: "Beware of dogs, and of evil workers. For 
 some preach Christ even of envy and strife, not cin- 
 cerely; supposing to add affliction to my bonds." 
 
 But he had the more joy in the Gentile Christians, 
 
145 
 
 who did everything possible to serve the imprisoned 
 apostle of the Lord. They knew that, he was sufferings 
 this indignity for Christ's sake. — In the meantime 
 Aquila and Priscilla also had come to Rome from 
 Ephesus; and it must have been a joyful event, when 
 they and the apostle now met again and talked about 
 their experiences in Ephesus and in Corinth, where 
 this worthy man and his good wife had been won for 
 the Gospel by the preaching of the apostle. 
 
 In the camp of the Pretorian guard, also, the apostle 
 became a familiar figure. The soldier constantly guard- 
 ing him was shifted, of course, from day to day; so he 
 came to know many of these so-called Pretorian guards.. 
 When the apostle and these men were walking together, 
 or resting, during these many weeks and months, the 
 apostle talked to them of the one thing needful; and 
 they came to know him and love him, and many of 
 them became Christians. Even servants and slaves 
 from the imperial palace visited him and received in- 
 struction. In this way the Congregation rapidly grew 
 in numbers. Everywhere in the city people began to 
 feel that a new religion was gaining foothold, and that 
 it was able to accomplish what no other religion could. 
 The people who came under its influence seemed to be 
 transformed. They ceased to lie and swear and steal 
 and follow the lusts of the flesh, and became charitable 
 and truthful, clean and honest. 
 
 The apostle was, of course, badly handicapped by 
 being a prisoner. How much more could he not have 
 done, had he been allowed the full liberty which was 
 his by right! No doubt he had many a dark hour. 
 While he was thus waiting to have his case finally dis- 
 posed of, there happened something which made his 
 heart swell with joy. The beloved brethren of his 
 Church in Philippi had heard that the apostle was in 
 Rome, and that he had suffered much since last they 
 
146 
 
 saw him; so now they wanted to give him a joyful 
 surprise. They therefore collected some money, and 
 sent one of the members of the Church, a certain Epaph- 
 roditus, to Rome with this money, and asked him to 
 remain for a time with the apostle and comfort him, 
 and to bring him a greeting from all the brethren in 
 Philippi. We can understand how happy Paul must 
 have been when Epaphroditus came and surprised him 
 with this present and this message. — How long Epaph- 
 roditus remained in Rome does not appear from the 
 record. But when he had been there for a time he was 
 taken very sick and was near death. As he began to 
 regain strength he, naturally, wished to go to his home ; 
 to which Paul, of course, assented. Paul then gave him 
 a letter to the Congregation in Philippi, and it is one 
 of the most beautiful and tender letters ever written. 
 The apostle opens his whole rich and warm heart to 
 his beloved brethren, his "joy and crown," as he calls 
 them. He tells them his troubles and hopes, and at 
 the same time he gives them wise counsel. In spite of 
 his many afflictions he is happy; for he sees how the 
 Gospel is winning victory after victory. His heart re- 
 joices when he thinks of his Lord and Savior, who so 
 deeply hunbled Himself, and was so highly exalted; 
 and full of joy he looks forward to the glorious time 
 when every knee shall be bowed, those in heaven, and 
 on earth, and under the earth, and every tongue shall 
 confess that Jesus is the Christ, to the glory of God 
 the Father. Therefore he, the apostle, has all that he 
 needs in life and death. "For to me to live is Christ, 
 and to die is gain." He does not deny that he desires to 
 die and be with Christ ; for this were far better, he 
 says. But since it is needful for the others, he is will- 
 ing to live. — The apostle had learnt to say with devout 
 humility: Thy will be done. 
 
 For two long years Paul was a prisoner. And he 
 
147 
 
 had other troubles. Dark clouds appeared in the east, 
 and the storm broke, and threatened utterly to destroy 
 the Churches in Asia Minor. The Lord did not let his 
 faithful servant, live to see this calamity. But before 
 Paul went to his tomb he did see the first signs of the 
 coming storm; and it could not escape his keen intel- 
 lect that his Churches would soon be face to face with a 
 great danger. This new and most serious danger which 
 the Church has met was what is known as Gnosticism. 
 The first and second centuries of our Christian era 
 were the golden age of religious syncretism, something 
 like our own times. People had discarded their faith 
 in the old gods, and were trying to get at the truth 
 through a philosophical treatment of the several re- 
 ligious forms. Many efforts had been made along that 
 line. In Alexandria there was a school trying to work 
 out some sort of mixture of the Jewish faith and the 
 Greek philosophy. Asia Minor was a good field for 
 this kind of endeavor. Here were many different races, 
 each with its own system of religion ; and there had 
 been many keen minds engaged in all sorts of phil- 
 osophical cults. Then came the Christian religion as 
 preached by Paul, sweeping everything before it. 
 Thousands became converts to Christianity. The 
 preaching of Paul appealed especially to the Gentiles; 
 for he told them of a God who loved all, and who had 
 salvation for all without distinction of persons. Judaism 
 had made spasmodic attempts to force this new religion 
 into the Jewish forms. The Judaists had made their 
 bitter assaults on the Pauline Churches; but in the 
 Gentile-Christian Congregations these assaults had been 
 repulsed for good and all by Paul's powerful preaching. 
 It was not easy for the Judaists to gain any foothold 
 in Congregations founded by Paul; the Greeks could 
 hardly be persuaded to become Jews through circum- 
 cision and the pledge to observe the precepts of the 
 
148 
 
 Jewish Law. The one great danger which threatened 
 the very existence of the Christian Church, was the at- 
 tempt to form a mixture of Christian faith and Greek 
 philosophy. Judaism would have choked the Christian 
 Church by forcing it. into narrow Jewish forms ; Gnos- 
 ticism would have thinned it out by mixing it with 
 vague speculations. Either would have destroyed it. 
 
 This last-named cult, which tow r ard the end of Paul's 
 life began to lift its head, assumed many different char- 
 acters. In Ephesus and the other places in the western 
 part of Asia Minor it pretended to be an effort toward 
 a more practical form of religion, while in Colossae and 
 other parts of the interior it was more of a philosophic 
 theory. The Greeks were in general prone to cultivate 
 hazy speculations, and so there was great danger that 
 they might underestimate and weaken the highest and 
 best in the new Christian faith; and that they might 
 confuse it with their former religious thoughts and 
 forms, and allow their imaginations to run riot, thus 
 building up some wonderful theories of life, and giving 
 a free rein to their lusts. 
 
 While Paul was in prison he heard of the trouble 
 brewing in his eastern Churches, and decided to send 
 them a warning. It was as yet a somewhat vague dan- 
 ger, but must be promptly met. The apostle therefore 
 sent out a circular letter, which he addressed to the 
 Church in Ephesus, and also a letter to the Colossians. 
 
 In Ephesus and environs the people seem to have 
 found it easy to believe anything which came to them 
 clothed with an air of secrecy. Heathen occultism 
 flourished among them ; and all sorts of mysteries which 
 were mere nonsense, but had put on some kind of philo- 
 sophic garb, were regarded as wonderful wisdom, and 
 as showing deep thought. And this wisdom was the 
 more attractive, because its votaries strongly empha- 
 sized the freedom of the spirit as against, the flesh. 
 
149 
 
 Their souls dwelt high in the ethereal realms ; and so 
 the flesh was of no importance, and might be left to do 
 as it liked. 
 
 As against this sham wisdom, which as yet was in 
 its tender infancy, the apostle points out that he also 
 knew of a secret wisdom, which from the beginning of 
 the world had been hid in God. And God had now 
 through him revealed this wisdom to the Ephesians, that 
 they might understand this divine mystery, which is 
 Christ. And the apostle had taught them the wisdom 
 of God, His eternal plan of salvation, fulfilled in Christ 
 Jesus our Lord. To know this wisdom, and to be in- 
 itiated into this mystery, is life's greatest happiness; 
 and to this they were chosen of God, who had given 
 them His Word of truth and His Spirit, that the eyes 
 of their understanding might, be opened, "that ye may 
 know what is the hope of His calling, and what the 
 riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints/' 
 They must, look on life by the light of these Christian 
 truths. And they must lead it in accord with God's 
 Word, which will enable them to live a holy life, and 
 confirm them in the truth ; that they may attain the 
 stature of men, and no more be children to be carried 
 about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of 
 men and cunning craftiness. — Thus the apostle admon- 
 ished his Congregations and urged them to lead a 
 healthy Christian life. 
 
 At about the same time with the letter to the Ephe- 
 sians the apostle sent, his letter to the Colossians. Epa- 
 phras had come from Colossae and reported on con- 
 ditions at that place. Gnosticism had there taken a 
 somewhat different shape. The Phrygians were prone 
 to become enthusiasts. Here the philosophers drew a 
 sharp distinction between spirit and matter; and the 
 one great thing was to bring oneself into relation 
 with the higher powers, with the god who was lifted 
 
150 
 
 high above all material things. In order to rise to this 
 height they presented a theory which they had bor- 
 rowed from the Christian doctrine about Christ and the 
 angels; and they gave this a sort of philosophical color 
 by an admixture of Platonic idealism. Christ was the 
 chief of angels; and all the angels held an intermediary 
 position between God and man. The important, thing, 
 then, was in some way to lay hold on the sex beings. 
 But as matter was in some sort a hindrance, and the 
 spirit was chained to the body, this was to be despised 
 and even subjected to torture (Col. 2:18,23). They 
 had been able to give these doctrines an attractive ap- 
 pearance ; so that many people were seduced, and did 
 not understand how dangerous these doctrines were 
 (Col. 2:4). And many credulous Christians regarded 
 the cruelty which these people practised against their 
 own bodies, as evidence of great piety. 
 
 Paul points out, also in the letter to the Colossians, 
 the hollowness of this pretended mystery of Gnosticism, 
 and this super-spirituality; and shows the Colossians 
 how necessary it is that they be filled with a knowledge 
 of God's will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding; 
 for only thus can they walk worthily and be pleasing to 
 God. He also describes to them how highly Christ is 
 exalted over all things else, and how He has reconciled 
 all things with God by the blood of the cross. The 
 riches of the glory of this mystery, which is "Christ in 
 you, the Hope of glory/' this it is which Paul has 
 preached, and this they must hold fast always; then 
 they will be strong to resist every temptation. 
 
 With these two letters, to the Ephesians and to the 
 Colossians, there was sent another brief letter, the 
 Epistle of Paul to Philemon. This letter was occasioned 
 by the circumstance that a slave named Onesimus had 
 run away from his master, Philemon, one of the Colos- 
 sian Christians. The slave had been guilty of some in- 
 
151 
 
 discretion; he dreaded punishment, and had therefore 
 run away, and made his way to Rome. There he had 
 fallen in with Paul and had been converted, and he be- 
 came very dear to the apostle. Now Tychicus was to 
 go to Colossae; and Paul thought it best that Onesimus 
 go with him. So he gave Onesimus a letter to his mas- 
 ter, asking this man to receive his slave with kindness. 
 This remarkable little letter, which has excited the deep 
 admiration even of infidels, shows us the apostle's char- 
 acter from a new angle. He, who fought so valiantly 
 against heresy and all manner of wickedness, was at the 
 same time possessed of the finest tact, and even showed 
 a delicate sense of humor (Verses 18 and 19). It is a 
 most kind heart which speaks through this letter to 
 Philemon. 
 
 5fC 3fC 3fC 
 
 We have now followed the great Apostle of the 
 Gentiles from the days of his youth to the time when he 
 was a prisoner in Rome, and was waiting to have a 
 final decision in the case against him. We have reached 
 the beginning of the year 64. Here ends the story as 
 told in the Acts ; and all that we know of Paul's later 
 history is what we may piece together from stray al- 
 lusions in the letters to Timothy and Titus. Now, here 
 in these letters are certain difficulties, to clear away 
 which, in detail, is not within the scope of our purpose. 
 
 One of these letters, which, in common with most 
 other commentators, we regard as having been written 
 after the burning of Rome, we are able to outline 
 briefly the last years of the apostle's life. In the spring 
 of the year 64 he was at last brought to trial; and 
 owing to the favorable report which he had brought 
 with him, and to the good character given him by the 
 Roman prefect of police, he was ordered discharged. — 
 He was now getting on in years — he must have been in 
 the sixties. His health had never been robust, and he 
 
152 
 
 had suffered much hardship; so he well knew that now 
 his day was drawing to a close. However, he had not 
 as yet visited Spain — which had been one of his am- 
 bitions. And he much desired to visit once more some 
 of his Congregations, before the Lord should call him 
 to his long rest. We learn that he did visit Crete, 
 where he left Titus behind (Titus 1:5), and also the 
 Church in Philippi (1 Tim. 1:3) and those in Greece 
 (2 Tim. 4: 20), and remained through the winter at Ni- 
 copolis in Epirus. From this place he wrote his first 
 letter to Timothy and the letter to Titus. Paul had 
 sent Timothy to the assistance of the Ephesians in their 
 difficulties ; and now he wrote to him to encourage and 
 advise him in the fight against the Gnostics. These 
 pseudo-philosophers — literally, the name Gnostic means 
 one who knows — pretended by a mixture of Greek 
 idealism and Eastern mysticism to answer the ques- 
 tions : Whence is evil, and why ? Whence is man, and 
 how? — To Titus the apostle wrote in order to give him 
 practical counsel with respect to the tour of inspection 
 which Titus w^as making through the Congregations for 
 the purpose of establishing good order. When spring 
 came Paul again started out on his travels. He visited 
 Troas and Ephesus, which places he had not expected 
 to see again; and from there he went to Miletus, where 
 his companion Trophinus was taken sick and left be- 
 hind; and then Paul came to Corinth. From this city 
 he took ship to Spain; from which country he returned 
 to Rome, probably in the year 66. 
 
 During the absence of the apostle the Church in 
 Rome had seen much trouble. Shortly after his dis- 
 charge from prison the city had a disastrous fire. This 
 was on July 19, 64. The fire started in some hovels 
 near the Circus, and a strong wind caused it to spread 
 rapidly, until many blocks of buildings were enveloped 
 in fierce flames. 
 
153 
 
 The people were stricken with wild fear. They fled 
 in all directions. The fire raged fiercely on every hand ; 
 and people claimed to have seen persons throwing fire- 
 brands into the houses, and many of these persons were 
 known as belonging to the household brigade of the 
 emperor Nero. The fire lasted several days, and con- 
 sumed the cottages of the poor, the palaces of the rich, 
 temples and public buildings. Property of enormous 
 value and many priceless works of art were destroyed. 
 Not till the seventh day was the fire under control, and 
 then hardly a fourth of the great city remained intact. 
 The rest was smoking ruins, from which fires still flared 
 up fiercely from time to time. Many hundred thousand 
 people were homeless. 
 
 The governor hastily erected a large number of great 
 barracks ; but these could not shelter all the homeless 
 people. Popular feeling was extremely bitter. All 
 knew that the fire had been purposely started and fed; 
 and the people were beside themselves with anger when 
 it was reported that the emperor himself had stood on 
 the tower of Maecenas, in his garb of a dramatic actor 
 and with his zither in his hand, enjoying the grand and 
 terrible spectacle, meanwhile declaiming the poem on 
 the burning of Troy. People knew that Nero did not 
 regard Rome as being beautiful enough ; and that he 
 wanted the old city swept away, in order that a new and 
 more splendid capital, such as he had it in mind, might 
 be built on the ruins. 
 
 The suspicions of the people came to his ears ; and 
 this unspeakable monster, who, like a contemptible cow- 
 ard, was always trembling for his own life, conceived a 
 most abominable means of averting suspicion from him- 
 self and turning the public fury in a new direction. It 
 was announced as most probable that the Christians had 
 started the fire; and then the crazed populace turned on 
 the innocent Christian Congregation, and its members 
 
154 
 
 were murdered by the score. Many suffered martyrdom 
 after the most horrible torture ; for Nero revelled in 
 seeing their sufferings and death. Many were crucified 
 in Nero's gardens ; others were sewn into the skins of 
 beasts and torn in pieces by bloodhounds. Still others 
 were covered with warm pitch, bound to stakes on either 
 side of the driveways in the emperor's parks ; and when 
 night fell they were set on fire; and the emperor drove 
 his golden chariot and feasted on the sight of these 
 living torches that writhed with pain till death merci- 
 fully made an end of their unendurable agony. 
 
 A cry of fear and horror went up from the whole 
 Christian Church; for the news of Nero's awful crime 
 spread rapidly over the whole Empire. The Christians 
 found themselves suddenly placed in the spotlight; and 
 they had a premonition as to what awaited them. What 
 had been done in Rome might be repeated anywhere. 
 But the Christians also saw with joy the steadfastness 
 of the martyrs. The Pauline Church had received its 
 baptism of blood. 
 
 We do not know where the apostle was when he 
 received the news. But we can imagine what he must 
 have felt when he heard about the persecutions. No 
 doubt he wished that he might have died in the place 
 of the brethren; that the hatred of the heathen might 
 have vented itself on him. 
 
 When the apostle, after two years, returned to Rome, 
 he found great changes. A large number of splendid 
 new buildings had been built, or were being built, and 
 everywhere was feverish activity. Of the Congregation 
 he found but a small remnant. But among those who 
 had been spared was his beloved physician Luke : pos- 
 sibly, also, the apostle Peter. 
 
 Paul felt that the end of life could not now be far 
 away. The hatred against the Christians was still burn- 
 ing fitfully, and from time to time one or the other of 
 
155 
 
 those who confessed Christ paid the penalty with his 
 life. At this time Paul wrote his last letter, 2 Timothy. 
 He felt the nearness of death, and wished that his be- 
 loved son might have been with him in his last hour. 
 Since this could not be, he wished to send Timothy some 
 last words of cheer. Through the w r hole letter runs an 
 under-current of gentle melancholy. "That which we 
 here read/' says Calvin, "of the Kingdom of Christ, 
 the hope of eternal life, the Christian fight, the loyal 
 confession of the faith, the wise and sure Christian doc- 
 trine; is not written with ink, but with the apostle's 
 blood." — "Be not thou ashamed of the testimony of our 
 Lord, nor of me, His prisoner; but be thou partaker of 
 the afflictions of the Gospel according to the power of 
 God. Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace 
 that is in Christ Jesus. Endure thou hardship as a good 
 soldier of Jesus Christ. All that will live godly in 
 Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. For I am now 
 ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at 
 hand." 
 
 Soon after this it came about as Paul expected. One 
 day a troop of Roman soldiers took him out on the road 
 to Ostia. His last hour was come. Being a Roman 
 citizen, he could not be crucified, but must be put to 
 death by the sw r ord. Here his head was severed from 
 his body. This probably was in the year 67. 
 
 Such was the life and such the death of the great 
 Apostle of the Gentiles. Now the Christians in Rome 
 could see that he had meant what he said when he wrote 
 to them (Romans 8:35-39): "Who shall separate us 
 from the love of Christ? Tribulation, or distress, or 
 persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or fire, or sword? 
 As it is written : 'For Thy sake we are killed all the day 
 long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter/ 
 
156 
 
 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors 
 through Him that, loved us. For I am persuaded, that 
 neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor 
 powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor 
 height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able 
 to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ 
 Jesus our Lord." 
 
 Paul had risked his life in the war, and had met. a 
 soldier's death. His strenuous career had been one of 
 strife and stress, but also of many victories. The light 
 of the Gospel had been lit from the far East to the 
 farthest West. Many Churches had been founded, and 
 multitudes of Christian believers assembled for worship ; 
 and their courage in times of persecution showed that 
 they stood firm on the rock of truth. Thus Paul's great 
 plan had been gloriously fulfilled, and this was the joy 
 and pride of his life. But he was not alive to see the ful- 
 fillment, of his other cherished dream : one united Chris- 
 tian Church, embracing all who held the common faith. 
 
 The Jews had difficulty in following the apostle of 
 Christian liberty; so many looked upon his work with 
 suspicion, while others openly opposed him. 
 
 We have followed this mighty struggle in the earli- 
 est Christian Church, and have seen how the Judaists 
 were tireless in their efforts to choke the growth of that 
 which the great Apostle of the Gentiles had planted. 
 We have found them at their work of destruction in 
 Antioch and Jerusalem, among the Churches of Galatia, 
 in Corinth, Ephesus and Rome — that is, over Paul's 
 whole mission field. Think of his position: He trav- 
 eled from one country to another, from city to city, full 
 of zeal for his great work, overcoming all obstacles, dis- 
 regarding every danger (see 2 Cor. 11 : 23 and following 
 verses), with these enemies all the time at his heels; it 
 is easy enough to understand his harsh judgment: of 
 them. 
 
157 
 
 The situation in Jerusalem during these fights of 
 Paul against Judaism is not quite clear. But it seems 
 fair to assume that there were in the Mother Church 
 two factions, one supporting the Judaists against Paul, 
 and the other embracing the remaining apostles and 
 their closest adherents. That these took no part in the 
 work of the Judaists is evidenced by the fact that Paul 
 always speaks of them in terms of the highest esteem. 
 Had they in any manner supported the Judaists, Paul 
 would not have spared them. For he was afraid of no 
 man, as w T e see by the way in which he called Peter to 
 account at Antioch. On the other hand, Paul never 
 mentions having received any pronounced assistance 
 from the other apostles. Probably they respected the 
 agreement reached by the conference of apostles at 
 Jerusalem ; they did not interfere with Paul's missionary 
 work, but limited their own efforts to w T ork among the 
 Jews. The leading spirit among these Jewish Christians 
 was James, the Lord's brother. As Jews by birth, 
 educated in the Jewish traditions, they no doubt held it 
 their duty to follow closely the precepts of the Law. 
 They kept themselves to the temple, observed their festal 
 seasons, and the like ; and felt themselves under obli- 
 gation to do this until the Lord should absolve them 
 from this duty. But. they did not regard these observ- 
 ances as something by which they merited the grace of 
 God; as clearly appears from what they said at the 
 Jerusalem conference. At the same time they did not 
 feel that they had the right to accept for themselves 
 the greater liberty of the Gentile Christians; and there- 
 fore they took offense when Peter at Antioch yielded 
 to Paul in some of these matters. 
 
 Thus the Christians were still divided into two fac- 
 tions; and this division must have been particularly try- 
 ing to Paul. A united Church had all the time been his 
 ideal. None other had so strongly emphasized the 
 
158 
 
 thought that all barriers should be broken down, and 
 all Christians be united into one body. But the Judaistic 
 interpretation of the Law stood in the way; as also the 
 misunderstandings and prejudices harbored by even the 
 best among the Jews. We see here, as in so many 
 other things, how difficult it is to break loose from old 
 customs and opinions, which are bred in the bone; and 
 that, even if they to one looking on from a distance 
 seem to be of no account, or rest on misconception and 
 on wrong premises. Paul fought and labored, and tried 
 by his visits to Jerusalem to unite the two factions; but 
 he did not succeed. At least he did not live to see fruit 
 of his labor along these lines. 
 
 The historical developments made the Jewish Chris- 
 tians to see more and more clearly the deep distinction 
 between Judaism and Christianity. The Jews were but 
 awaiting the opportune moment to crush the hated 
 Christians. Scarcely a year after the taking of Paul as 
 a prisoner to Rome, circumstances shaped themselves in 
 such a way that the Jews were able to make open war 
 on the Christian Church in Jerusalem; and the leader 
 of this Church, James, fell a victim of their hatred. 
 There was, however, soon put a stop to any further 
 persecution; and the Jews were for the time being com- 
 pelled to desist. 
 
 But the condition of the Church in Jerusalem became 
 all the time more intolerable. Among the masses there 
 was a deep-rooted hatred of the Roman tyranny. The 
 fair-minded Porcius Festus was succeeded as governor 
 by the corrupt Albinus (62-64), with whom justice was 
 for sale, with no regard for law or honesty. For money 
 he would shut his eyes to any sort of crime; and even 
 much worse than Albinus was his successor Gessius 
 Florus (64-66). His misrule knew no bounds. He 
 plundered the cities and other communities ; and brig- 
 ands needed but to divide the booty with him in order to 
 
159 
 
 be entirely safe. — But the Jewish cup of misery was at 
 last full, and then a wild insurrection broke loose ; and 
 this brought about the ruin of the people and country. 
 
 While these desperate conditions obtained among the 
 Jews, there was a strong growth of national conscious- 
 ness. The Jewish aspirations and the expectation of a 
 Messiah laid hold on the masses ; and these were stirred 
 to their depths with fanaticism. It will be readily 
 understood that much of this fanaticism must be vented 
 against, the Christians ; for the Christian's hope and faith 
 in Jesus as the Messiah was the worst enemy of the 
 political zealots. And though these were kept from 
 making open war on the Christians, they had every op- 
 portunity to show their hatred and contempt in their 
 daily dealings with them ; so that the sober and peace- 
 able Christians at last were no longer able to live in 
 Jerusalem. They left the city and went to Pella before 
 the revolution had fully broken out. — Thus the last 
 bond which tied them to Judaism was loosened; and 
 when Jerusalem and the temple were merely a pile of 
 ruins, and the Jewish people were driven out of their 
 own country, the old time had passed away. The bar- 
 rier between the Jews and the other peoples were now 
 torn down; and the Mother Church in Jerusalem could, 
 of course, no longer hold a leading position among the 
 Christian Churches. 
 
 Circumstances thus forced the Jewish Christians to 
 change their old views. They found themselves hated 
 and persecuted by their own compatriots, and so they 
 came to know their true friends; and the former zeal 
 for the Law and for nationalism in contra-distinction to 
 Christian liberty as practiced in the Pauline Churches, 
 was done away with. Now history itself showed that 
 the time was gone by when religion was a national- 
 theocratic affair connected with the temple and the ob- 
 servance of the Law ; and that hence Paul was in the 
 
160 
 
 right, and that they must now save their faith as a 
 thing apart from these complications. 
 
 Paul did not live to see the union consummated be- 
 tween the Jewish and the Gentile Christians. It is pos- 
 sible, however, that he heard of conditions in Palestine 
 just before the beginning of the revolution; and that, he 
 had a glimpse of the dawn which had been the goal of 
 his stormy life. 
 
 As the leader of the great war on heathenism and 
 Judaism, Paul was of the right timber. The Lord of 
 the Church finds the right man and places him at his 
 appointed post. Paul was richly endowed by nature; 
 he had a splendid intellectual equipment. And the edu- 
 cation which he had received in his youth stood him in 
 good stead. Through many years he dragged with him a 
 body racked with painful disease. He earnestly prayed 
 God to deliver him from this suffering; but he came to 
 learn that it was a cross which God had laid upon him 
 to keep him humble, in order that he might the better 
 understand the power of God, and see that God's grace 
 is all-sufficient. He had a lively and at the same time 
 deep temperament; and when he had a work to do, 
 which to him seemed worth while, he threw his whole 
 soul into it. He had dedicated his life to the service of 
 God, and he performed the service with all his might. 
 The same energy which he had displayed before his 
 conversion in the persecution of the Christian faith, he 
 afterward turned against everything that would corrupt 
 his Congregations. His education as a rabbi was of 
 great value to him in his fight with Jews and Juda- 
 ism. He knew their way of thinking and their argu- 
 ments; and he knew the art of turning their own 
 weapons against them. The letter to the Galatians is 
 especially rich in examples of his skill ; his words are 
 sledge-hammer blows, all his talents are employed to 
 the full, and his learning and profound thought appear 
 
161 
 
 in every line of the letter. He is planted firmly on the 
 rock of truth ; for he has received his Gospel not. from 
 any man, but direct from God. And he is not ashamed 
 of this Gospel; for it is the wisdom of God, no matter 
 how much it may offend, nor how men may laugh at it. 
 The burden of such a life of stress as Paul's it would 
 not be possible to bear without "a firm faith in God. 
 Only through such faith may one receive the iron 
 strength which can not be crushed by any suffering, nor 
 turned aside by any obstacle. But faith in God means 
 the surrender of all that is our own. So when we re- 
 view the army of the Lord, who is stronger than Paul, 
 and who more humble? He, who fashions the strong 
 words of faith, has this wonderful and deep feeling of 
 his own unworthiness and weakness. None other is so 
 little in himself as this mightiest soldier of Christendom; 
 in himself he is the least of all, the greatest, of sinners ; 
 all that he has is undeserved mercy. But the grace of 
 God is sufficient; "when I am weak, then I am strong.'' 
 And none other has so well described the riches of the 
 free grace of God. It sets his soul on fire with a 
 fervent love, such as no man may feel who does not 
 realize his own sinfulness and God's infinite mercy. But 
 this apostle, whose will is so unyielding, can for that 
 very reason be a Jew to the Jews, and a Greek to the 
 Greeks. The only feeling which is allowed to rule him 
 is love. None other has been so well able as he to ad- 
 monish the erring brethren, and excuse them, and guide 
 them, and discipline them with all charity. Never has 
 any other drawn so good a picture of a soldier of the 
 cross. He knew what it meant : "Watch thou in all 
 things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, 
 make full proof of thy ministry. For I am now ready to 
 be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I 
 have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I 
 have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for 
 
162 
 
 me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the right- 
 eous Judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me 
 only, but unto all them also that love His appearing." 
 
 This is a hymn of victory in the midst of death. 
 Through the centuries these brave words have given 
 courage to hosts of soldiers in the army of the Lord. 
 
 The labors of Paul had brought out, or rather, clar- 
 ified, a new religious and ethical theory of life; a sys- 
 tem which can unite all mankind, and which embraces 
 all in the love founded in Christian faith and hope. This 
 new principle was stronger than anything else in the 
 world ; and thus it must be victorious. The Jewish view 
 of life, with its narrow idea of forcibly molding all in 
 the same form; and the philosophy of the Stoics, which 
 in its self-sufficiency and heartlessness coldly turned its 
 back on the joy and the grief of others; — these could 
 not bring comfort to suffering humanity. Something 
 else was wanted, and only Christianity had the needed 
 strength. The Christian faith makes man independent of 
 the things of this world; the Christian has everything* 
 in God, with whom he is united; he is a child of God, 
 and therefore heir to the glory of God. The Spirit, 
 who works through the Word in his heart, is the pledge 
 of this. Then what matters it if the Christian in this 
 world must suffer affliction and be reviled? See the 
 wonderful picture drawn in the 8th chapter of Romans. 
 
 This faith in God and love of Him does not make a 
 man callous to his surroundings. On the contrary, there 
 is no stronger bond than Christian love, which goes out 
 to all men; its highest wish is to win as many as pos- 
 sible for Christ. This is illustrated by the whole life of 
 Paul. The love of Christ is the only and perfect rule. 
 And they who are actuated by this love need no dead 
 letter to threaten them; for they willingly do the holy 
 will of God. The child spirit is the spirit of obedience 
 to the commands of the father. 
 
163 
 
 The passion and death of Christ is for all men; 
 none is to be shut out. God is not the God of the Jews 
 only, nor did Christ die for the Jews only; His atone- 
 ment is for all. God is the Father of all; He looks 
 upon all with the same love, and wants to be "all in 
 all." And in Christ is the bond which unites all: Jew 
 and Greek, slaves and freemen, men and women. 
 
 The apostle Paul looms up high among the host of 
 God's witnesses. Better than any of his contemporaries 
 he understood the real essence and spirit of Jesus. So 
 he became the leader who was to guide the Church out 
 of the formalism of the Old Covenant, and teach it to 
 live in the spirit of the New Covenant; and who was 
 to show that the Christian religion is the religion of all 
 humanity. In the message sent out by him to the old 
 world, which was tired unto death, was the power to 
 give new life and strength; a living fountain out of 
 which all ages and generations to the end of time might 
 draw comfort and courage. In the Christian Church 
 he helped to organize an institution which is to stand 
 when thrones totter, and when all other institutions have 
 grown gray with eld, and have fallen into decay. 
 
 Therefore all humanity and all ages owe a debt of 
 gratitude to Paul. His name shall never be forgotten; 
 his voice resounds through the centuries, teaching the 
 children of men to grasp the ineffable grace of God in 
 Christ Jesus our Lord. 
 
 When Paul lifts his eyes to God he says: " Justified 
 by faith we have peace with God through our Lord 
 Jesus Christ. Abba, Father." 
 
 And when he looks out over the great, swarming 
 world of human beings, he cries to them: "Greatest of 
 all is love." 
 
II 
 
 PAUL'S LETTERS 
 
 A Testimony Concerning the Manner in which 
 
 the Gospel was Preached in the earliest 
 
 Gentile-Christian Churches 
 
Table of Contents 
 
 PAGE 
 
 The Letter to the Romans 169 
 
 The Two Letters to the Church at Corinth 215 
 
 The 1st Letter to the Corinthians 216 
 
 The 2d Letter to the Corinthians 241 
 
 The Letter to the Galatian 256 
 
 The Letter to the Ephesiam 295 
 
 The Letter to the Philippians 311 
 
 The Letter to the Colossia:: 320 
 
 The 1st Letter to the Thessalonians 337 
 
 The 2d Letter to the Thessalonians 344 
 
 The 1st Letter to Timothy 350 
 
 The 2d Letter to Timothy 360 
 
 The Letter to Titus 367 
 
 The Letter to Philemon 372 
 
 The Chronological Order of the Letters 
 
 The Letters to the Thessalonians, written in the year 53-54 
 
 The Letter to the Galatians, written in the year 56 
 
 The Letters to the Corinthians, written in the year 57 
 
 The Letter to the Romans, written in the year 58 
 
 The Letters to the Ephesians, the Colossians and Philemon, 
 
 written in the year 62 or 63 
 
 The Letter to the Philippians, written in the year 63 or 64 
 
 The Letters to Timothy, written in the years 66 and 67 
 
 The Letter to Titus, written in the year 66 
 
The Letter to the Church in Rome, 
 
 The name Rome includes everything which had a 
 place in the ancient world. The city was the center of 
 the vast Roman world empire, which stretched from the 
 Atlantic in the west to India in the east, and from the 
 Xorth Sea to the Sahara Desert in the south. The 
 population of the empire was about 100 millions. From 
 the palace of the emperor his commands went out to 
 the most distant, points of the empire. He ruled with 
 an iron rod over these millions, the many conquered and 
 enslaved nations. And woe to the vanquished if they 
 did not remain loyal. 
 
 The city itself was filled with all the proud splendor 
 which untold wealth together with love of luxury and 
 show can produce. It. is difficult for us even to imagine 
 the insane extravagance of splendor which was peculiar 
 to imperial Rome. 
 
 Rome was built on seven hills ; and on all sides were 
 parks and elegant villas. In the city were innumerable 
 marble palaces, triumphal arches, statues, fountains, 
 works of art of all kinds, amusement resorts, and the 
 like. 
 
 In the center of the city was the famous Forum, 
 where all public business was transacted. On the one 
 side was the emperor's palace, and on the other side 
 stood the world-famed temple of Jupiter, the god wor- 
 shiped throughout the empire as the father of the gods. 
 The place was also flanked by a number of other temples 
 and splendid buildings; so that it was, in all probability, 
 the most resplendently beautiful spot on earth. This 
 
170 
 
 was the terminus of the "Avenue of Triumph," on 
 which marched the victorius Roman armies when they 
 came home from the wars, bringing with them vast 
 treasure and great numbers of slaves. 
 
 The population of the city, counting only such as 
 were Roman citizens, was about 800,000. Counting 
 slaves and strangers, the number of persons in the city 
 would probably reach 2 millions. 
 
 The Romans were extremely fond of amusements. 
 The four largest theaters had a total seating capacity of 
 60,000. In the great Colosseum no less than 50,000 
 persons could at one time see the bloody dramas there 
 enacted. Here the captives of war fought with one 
 another, or with wild beasts, for the amusement of the 
 populace. The chariot races in the immense Circus 
 Maximus might have as many as 155,000 spectators. 
 And there were numerous lesser amusement resorts 
 scattered over the city. 
 
 Rome was doubtless the most immoral city in the 
 world. Every possible form of vice flourished. The 
 rich rejoiced in every imaginable refinement of sensu- 
 ality, and the poor wallowed in the mire. 
 
 Here one might see heathenism in its most enticing 
 form, and its most revolting rottenness. On this city 
 the eyes of all the world were focussed. 
 
 The Christian Church in Rome. 
 
 There is uncertainty as to how this Church came to 
 be founded. But this much is certain, that it was not, 
 as the Roman Catholic Church claims, founded by the 
 apostle Peter. Nor is there any better foundation for 
 the claim that Peter was for 25 years the bishop of 
 Rome. Peter remained all his life an apostle, and was 
 never the bishop of a Church. It may be, however, that 
 like the apostle Paul he died the death of a martyr in 
 Rome. It is said that his body is buried in the Church 
 
171 
 
 called after him, "San Pietro in Vaticano," while the 
 grave of Paul is supposed to be in the Church "San 
 Paoli fuori le mura. ,, 
 
 It is estimated that at the time here dealt with there 
 were in Rome about 50,000 Jews, and they had a syna- 
 gogue. — All roads led to Rome, and the news of the 
 great empire did not take long to reach the city. Thus 
 the Jews in Rome must very soon have heard of Jesus 
 and the new religious movement in Palestine. In Acts 
 2 : 10 we see that there were Romans present in Jeru- 
 salem at the time of the first Pentecost. And it is pos- 
 sible that one or more of them were among the converts. 
 
 The persecutions which the Jews began in Jerusalem 
 drove many out of the city, and the easiest place for 
 them to reach was Rome. Strangers were all the time 
 coming to Rome, and among them many Jews. Thus 
 the fame of Jesus came to the capital. First to the 
 synagogue; for here was the meeting-place of all the 
 Jews and proselytes. And when some men began talk- 
 ing to these Jews about Christ there was trouble in the 
 camp. The heathen historian Suetonius says that the 
 emperor Claudius "drove the Jews out of Rome, be- 
 cause they all the time were in a state of revolt, incited 
 thereto by one Chrestos. ,, This took place while Paul 
 was in Macedonia on his second missionary journey. 
 
 It is probable that events shaped themselves in Rome 
 in about the same manner as that with which we are 
 familiar from the history of Paul's work in other places. 
 The Gospel was first preached to the Jews; and when 
 they rejected it and refused to have anything further 
 to do with the Christians, these found it necessary to 
 organize a Church of their own. 
 
 At any rate there was in Rome such a Congregation 
 of Jewish and* Gentile converts. The Gentiles were in 
 the majority; and many of them had been converted by 
 the work of Paul. Many men and women from dif- 
 
172 
 
 ferent Pauline Churches had either taken up their homes 
 in Rome, or visited the city, before Paul's arrival. This 
 is indicated by the names of those to whom, at the close 
 of his letter, he sends special greetings. These people 
 had placed the stamp of Paul on the Church in Rome. 
 Among them were Aquila and Priscilla. They had come 
 from Rome to Corinth, where they were converted 
 through Paul; and then they returned to Rome (Romans 
 16:3). Epaenetus had come to Rome from Ephesus 
 (16:5). Here we find also Simon of Cyrene — the 
 man who had carried the cross of Christ — and his wife 
 and their son Rufus. Paul had become acquainted with 
 them in Jerusalem. There were also many others. 
 
 That a majority of the Church members were Gen- 
 tiles appears from several statements in the letter (1:5; 
 15:16; 11:13, 17-22). But it is just as certain that 
 there were a number of Jewish converts. This plainly 
 appears in Chap. 2, where in the 17th verse Paul ad- 
 dresses them in particular: "Thou art called a Jew." 
 The same thing is presupposed in Chap. 3 ; otherwise 
 the question in verse 29 would be meaningless. See 
 also 7:1-6; and the whole argument in Chapters 9-11 
 must have the Jews in mind. 
 
 The preaching in the Church was according to the 
 Pauline Gospel. Thus we see that he praises the Con- 
 gregation (1:8; 15: 14) and approves of their form of 
 doctrine (6: 17). There is nothing in the letter to sug- 
 gest that the Judaists had accomplished anything in 
 this Church. The Gentiles w r ould seem to have been so 
 strong in numbers that the Jewish Christians rather felt 
 themselves pushed into the background. For Paul finds 
 it necessary to remind the Romans that the Jews after 
 all had certain advantages, even if they as a people had 
 rejected the grace of God in Christ. But at the same 
 time he impresses with great force on all that no man 
 is justified before God through the Law, but only 
 
173 
 
 through faith, which accepts the salvation in Christ. 
 Before God there is no difference between Jew and 
 Gentile. 
 
 Why and When Did Paul Write This Letter? 
 
 Paul had for a long time hoped to be able to visit 
 Rome (Acts 19:21; Romans 1:13; 15:23). But his 
 work as a missionary in Asia Minor and Greece had 
 kept him too busy. Now this work was, in a way, fin- 
 ished. The Churches in Asia were clustered about 
 Ephesus, and those in Macedonia and Greece about 
 Corinth, as their administrative centers. So it seemed 
 to Paul that he might bring his work in the eastern 
 part of the empire to a close. The West was calling 
 him ; he was at one of the turning points in his career. 
 And the natural headquarters of his work after this 
 must be the magnificent capital of the empire (Romans 
 15:19, 23, 28). 
 
 He wished, before coming in person, to establish 
 some sort of relations with the Church in Rome. Though 
 he had never been there, this Church was no stranger 
 to him. And he understood very well that the Church 
 in Rome was destined to hold a commanding position 
 in all Christendom. Rome was the center of the world. 
 Therefore it was especially important to formulate the 
 Christian doctrine in plain words and present it to this 
 Church, and maintain peace and unity among the faith- 
 ful in Rome. 
 
 Still, Paul could not go to them at once ; he was 
 collecting money for the poor in Jerusalem among the 
 brethren in Macedonia and Achaia, and he himself 
 wanted to carry this money to Jerusalem. While en- 
 gaged in this labor of love he spent much time in 
 Corinth ; and here he, in the year 59, wrote his Epistle 
 to the Romans. (See I, page 116.) The letter was 
 probably sent by the hand of the deaconess Phebe from 
 
174 
 
 the port of Cenchrea, near Corinth (16: 1), as she was 
 to go to Rome, and could take the letter with her. Paul 
 at the same time bespoke for her the good-will of the 
 Christians in Rome. 
 
 THE PlyAN OF THE LETTER. 
 Introduction and greeting. 1 : 1-17. 
 
 I. The righteous by faith shall live. 1 : 18-8 : 39. 
 
 1. All men, both Jews and Gentiles, are under the wrath of 
 God. 1 : 18-3 : 20. 
 
 a. The Gentiles are under the wrath of God. 1 : 18-32. 
 
 b. Over the Jews also rests the wrath of God. 2:1-3:8. 
 
 c. All are, therefore, sinners. 3 : 9-20. 
 
 2. God has in Christ brought about the righteousness which lost 
 man so sorely needs. 3:21-31. 
 
 3. The proof of this doctrine of Paul's concerning righteousness. 
 4-5. 
 
 a. Proof from the history of x\braham. 4. 
 
 b. Proof furnished by Christian experience. 5:1-11. 
 
 c. Proof from a comparison, or contrast, between Adam and 
 Christ. 5:12-21. 
 
 4. The new life. 6-8. 
 
 a. Believers are by the grace in Christ made free from the 
 power of sin. 6 : 1-7 : 6. 
 
 b. As long as man is under the power of the Law he also is 
 under the power of sin. 7 : 7-25. 
 
 c. The new life in Christ is a life in the spirit of Christ. 8. 
 
 II. For the Jews first, and then for the Greeks. 9-11 
 
 1. The Jews have misunderstood God's promises. 9:1-29. 
 
 2. The condemnation of the Jews is their own fault. 9 : 30- 
 10:20. 
 
 3. God's plans for this subborn people. 11. 
 
 III. The new life in its relations to the affairs of our daily life. 
 12:1-15:13. 
 
 Closing remarks. 15 : 14-16 : 27. 
 
175 
 
 Introduction and Greeting (1:1-17). 
 
 Paul Is the Messenger of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles. 
 
 1 : 1-17. It was the usual custom in those times to 
 begin a letter by mentioning who the writer was, and to 
 whom it was to be sent; and then followed greetings. 
 As Paul was personally unacquainted with most of the 
 members of the Church in Rome, the introduction to 
 this letter is somewhat more extended than is generally 
 the case. 
 
 The apostle begins by explaining by what right he 
 sends this letter. The Lord Jesus has made him His 
 messenger to bring to the Gentile world the glad news 
 that God had now sent the salvation promised through 
 the prophets and revealed in the Sacred Writings of 
 Israel. God has given this salvation to the world 
 through His Son, who after His human nature is a scion 
 of the royal house of David. In the spirit of holiness 
 Jesus fulfilled His mission as the Savior; and God 
 placed His stamp of approval on Him and His work by 
 raising Him from the dead and making Him the Lord 
 of the Church. Paul is the servant of this Savior, and 
 brings the news of Him to the Gentiles. Therefore he 
 comes with this Gospel to the Congregation in Rome. 
 For they, also, are God's dear children, called of God 
 to belong to the communion of the saints. So the 
 apostle greets them with the wish that they may have 
 grace and peace from God our Father, and from our 
 Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
 The apostle has in these few words found a terse 
 expression for his view of his apostolic calling, and for 
 the Gospel which he preaches. God has appointed 
 Christianity to be the world religion. The Gospel is for 
 all men. Salvation- is by grace. — These are the great 
 ideas which he wishes to present to the Church. 
 
176 
 
 How He Longed to Bring the Gospel to Rome. 
 
 1 : 8-17. Paul had all the time longed to visit Rome; 
 always there had been something to prevent it. Now, 
 however, he hopes soon to come; for he is a debtor to 
 all men, and the purpose of his life is to pay this debt 
 by preaching the Gospel. This he wants to do in Rome 
 also. He is not ashamed to preach the Gospel in any 
 place; for the Gospel alone is the power of God unto 
 salvation to all that believe ; to the Jews first, and also 
 to the Greek. None is excluded, and none has any ad- 
 vantage; Jew and Gentile here stand on the same foot- 
 ing. All need this message of salvation; for in it God 
 has revealed the righteousness which saves us ; that we 
 may stand, and not fall, when we come to judgment. 
 This righteousness, which no man can bring about, 
 God has Himself brought, to light, and gives it as a free 
 gift to all who in childlike confidence receive the joyful 
 tidings ("of faith") ; and by this same gift men are 
 kept in the faith ("to faith"). Salvation can be had 
 only through faith. He who believes the Word of salva- 
 tion, and holds it fast, he is thereby in the right relation 
 to God, and has life in Jesus Christ; as it is written: 
 
 I. THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH. 
 
 Here the apostle has reached the leading thought of 
 the letter, the greatest of all questions, the deepest thing* 
 in all religion : How r may we reach the point where we 
 have God with us, and not against us? Israel sought 
 to answer this by arranging their life and worship to 
 conform with the precepts of the Law ; and the Gentiles, 
 by sacrifices, learned speculations, and the like. But 
 none found the answer; for they w r ent about it in the 
 wrong way. Therefore all were without this righteous- 
 ness. The answer can come from God only; and it is 
 this which the apostle brings. 
 
177 
 
 He shows first: How the whole human family, Jews- 
 and Gentiles, are under the -wrath of God. All are 
 sinners (1: 18—3:20). 
 
 And then: That God in Christ has provided the 
 righteousness which lost humanity so sorely needs^ 
 (1:21-31). 
 
 1. THE WHOLE HUMAN FAMILY, JEWS AND GEN- 
 TILES. ARE UNDER THE WRATH OF 
 GOD (1:18—3:20). 
 
 a. The Gentiles Are Under the Wrath oe God 
 
 (1:18-32). 
 
 The misery into which the Gentile world is sunk is 
 the punishment of God's wrath upon them, for that they 
 by their wickedness and unrighteousness prevent the 
 truth from gaining power over their mind. They could 
 have knowledge of God; for God has with all necessary 
 clearness revealed Himself in His creation. The created 
 world speaks, in a way not to be misunderstood, of 
 God's eternal power and divine glory. But men have 
 shut their eyes to it; they neither honored nor thanked 
 Him. Therefore the hand of God has been heavy upon 
 them. In spite of the wisdom of which they boasted., 
 they have been struck blind, and they have given them- 
 selves up to a foolish worship of idols. 
 
 This spiritual poverty has moral degeneracy as its 
 companion ; idolatry and immorality go hand in hand.. 
 This is the universal rule. God has in His anger suf- 
 fered them to sink down into all sorts of vices, even 
 the most disgusting and unnatural. And the result has 
 been unspeakable misery. Though they understand how 
 wrong and ruinous such conduct is, they not only prac- 
 tise it. themselves, but they even find delight in seeing; 
 others also wallow in the mire. 
 
ITS 
 
 b. Over the Jew Also Rests the Wrath of God 
 
 (2:1-3:8). 
 
 The first thing of which the Jews boasted as proof 
 that they were in favor with God, was the circumstance 
 that they had the Law (2: 1-16). 
 
 The Jews and the Law. 
 
 If the Gentile is without excuse before God for hav- 
 ing refused to see the light which God gave him in ex- 
 ternal nature, this is in a still higher degree true of the 
 Jew. Both are found equally guilty, and both are with- 
 out excuse. 
 
 The Jew was not slow to pass judgment on the Gen- 
 tiles for their corrupt life. He knew the difference be- 
 tween right and wrong ; for he had from his youth been 
 instructed in the Law of God. But he did not con- 
 sider that in judging the Gentiles he judged himself; 
 for he himself did just those things for which he con- 
 demned the Gentiles. But we know that God's judgment 
 on men is based on what they do, and not on what they 
 know. So the Jew must not count on God's great 
 goodness and patience; if these do not accomplish that 
 which God intends, namely, a change of heart. Failing 
 in this, the punishment is as sure and severe on Jew as 
 on Gentile. For God is not a respecter of persons. 
 
 On the great day of judgment God shall not divide 
 mankind into Jews and Gentiles, but into two classes: 
 those who are obedient to the will of God, and those 
 who are disobedient. The former He rewards; and the 
 others He punishes, without distinction of Jew and 
 Gentile. For He is a righteous Judge. 
 
 God, then, is no respecter of persons; He judges all 
 by the same rule. If the Jews violate the Law it will 
 profit them nothing that they hear it read on the Sab- 
 bath. Nor will the heathen escape punishment merely 
 
179 
 
 because they do not have the written Law. For it is 
 often seen that, hearing the voice of conscience, they 
 obey some of the Commandments, though having no 
 knowledge of the Law. Thus they show that there is 
 something in them which tells them what is right, and 
 what is wrong, and which condemns their acts, or ap- 
 proves of them. Even if they hide this now it will come 
 to light on the last great day, when God appoints Jesus 
 to judge the world. 
 
 The Jewish Name Indicated That They Were God's 
 
 Chosen People. 
 
 2: 17-24. In the next place, the Jews prided them- 
 selves on their name. They were God's Chosen People 
 and had been given a peculiar position above the other 
 peoples. This was their strength and pride. The Roman 
 was proud of his pow r er, the Greek of his wisdom, and 
 the Jew of his name. The Jews took pride in their 
 God; He was their own God, and they were His people. 
 They alone knew the Law; they looked down on the 
 Gentiles as being people who walked in darkness, with 
 no understanding of God and His will; and they re- 
 garded themselves as appointed of God to be teachers of 
 the Gentiles. 
 
 But the name in which they trust, and of which they 
 boast, would not help them; for their life and their 
 doctrine were too wide apart. They were severe in 
 condemning the Gentiles for the two great sins : the 
 love of money and the lusts of the flesh. But they 
 themselves were guilty of both — in a somewhat more 
 refined form. They looked with disgust on idolatry; 
 but they did not hesitate to make money on it by fraud. 
 Instead of living like God's own people, they lived in 
 a way to cause the name of God to be blasphemed 
 among the Gentiles. 
 
180 
 
 The Jew and Circumcision. 
 
 Still another thing of which the Jews boasted, and 
 in which they put their trust, was their circumcision. 
 This marked them as children of Abraham, and was to 
 save them from the judgment. But circumcision would 
 not in the judgment be any protection for violators of 
 the Law. When Gentiles, who have not the Law, still 
 do the Law's commands, they stand as living witnesses 
 against the Jewish violators of the Law. So God's 
 judgment will not be a question of whether or not they 
 are circumcised. It is not circumcision in the flesh 
 which makes one a member of God's people, but the 
 spiritual circumcision of the heart by the Spirit of God. 
 The slave of the letter of the Law may be admired by 
 men, but he does not win the favor of God. 
 
 This declaration of Paul that their Law, their elec- 
 tion and their circumcision did not benefit them; that 
 God loved Gentile as well as Jew, — made the Jews fu- 
 rious and aroused their bitter enmity toward the apostle. 
 Their ideas of the Law and election and circumcision 
 were bred in the bone; so that the Jew found it very 
 difficult to give them up, even when he had become a 
 Christian. Paul continually rubbed up against these 
 contradictions. Here he fought the great fight of his 
 life. Therefore he again and again returns to this sub- 
 ject. 
 
 Has the Jezv, then, no advantage? (3: 1-8). 
 
 The Advantage of the Jew. 
 
 3 : 1-4. Since their ownership of the Law, their 
 election as a Chosen People, and their circumcision do 
 not profit the Jews, do they, then, have no advantage 
 over the Gentiles? This was, no doubt, a common per- 
 version of Paul's words. But what he has said is, that, 
 these things do not have the effect with which the Jew 
 
181 
 
 credits them; that is, the power to save him in the judg- 
 ment. There is but one thing which can do this, and 
 that is that he keep the Law. In the sight of God the 
 Jew who violates the Law is no better than the Gentile 
 transgressor. The Jews have no right to expect more 
 lenient treatment than the others in the judgment. But 
 Paul does not by this mean to say that the Jew has no 
 advantage of any kind whatever. In Chap. 9-11 he 
 takes up this matter and deals with it at some length. 
 The great advantage of Israel is, according to Paul, the 
 peculiar position which God has given them before all 
 other peoples in the history of His Kingdom of grace. 
 Salvation comes from the Jews. 
 
 In this place the apostle mentions only the one great 
 advantage: God has committed His Word to the Jews; 
 to them and none others. They despised the Word ; but 
 their unbelief does not make the faith of God without 
 effect. God abides by that which He has said, even if 
 every man be a liar; and some time all shall be forced 
 to admit that the righteousness of God reigns supreme. 
 
 An Objection and Its Answer. 
 
 3 : 5-8. When Paul's opponents attacked him they 
 put a wrong construction on his stand in this matter. 
 They charged that his doctrine contradicted itself, and 
 that it led to results which were against morality. They 
 said: If my sin makes the righteousness of God to shine 
 the brighter, and if my faithlessness makes His truth 
 appear the more glorious, it is meaningless to teach that 
 God will condemn these sins of mine. It would not be 
 right of Him to punish them that glorify Him; they 
 rather deserve a reward. 
 
 As against this argument Paul lays down the propo- 
 sition that when God condemns sin, He does not ask 
 whether or not it in some way redounds to His greater 
 glory. This question as to how God may turn even 
 
182 
 
 men's sins to some good, is a matter apart. God con- 
 demns all sin as such, and all who violate His Law de- 
 serve punishment. This must be God's verdict as the 
 Judge of the world. Though He may turn the evil into 
 good, this does not in any manner make us the less 
 guilty. However, the whole chain of reasoning is a 
 malicious perversion of what the apostle has said. He 
 has never meant to argue that we should do evil in 
 order that good may come of it. Such a statement is 
 shocking blasphemy; and they who make it can not 
 escape God's righteous wrath and punishment. 
 
 c. Therefore: Au, Are Sinners, and Deserving of 
 Punishment (3:9-20). 
 
 After these incidental remarks in verses 5-8 the 
 apostle returns to the main argument; showing that, 
 so far from its being true that the Jews has any ad- 
 vantage, Jew and Gentile are alike in being sinners be- 
 fore God. None has the righteousness needed in order 
 to stand before God in the judgment. And if the Jews 
 will not accept, the word of the apostle they must still 
 accept that which God Himself says to them in the holy 
 Scriptures. The apostle then quotes a number of pas- 
 sages from the Old Testament which declare with all 
 possible clearness that the Law condemns all men with- 
 out exception as sinners. Thus all the world is guilty 
 before God. And the Law, in which the Jews put their 
 trust, has for its very purpose to stop their mouth, and 
 show them that they are no better than others, but like 
 them deserve punishment. For none can obtain right- 
 eousness by keeping the Commandments; on the con- 
 trary, by trying it they learn that they are sinners. This 
 is one purpose of the Law. 
 
183 
 
 2. GOD HAS IN CHRIST BROUGHT TO LIGHT THE 
 
 RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH LOST MAN SO 
 
 SORELY NEEDS (3:21-31). 
 
 God's Plan to Make Man Righteous. 
 
 The picture of mankind which the apostle here paints 
 is a dark one. No matter which way he turns, he can 
 find no righteousness that can stand before God; but 
 only sin and guilt. There seems to be no hope ; Gentile 
 and Jew alike are in a bad way. 
 
 But then the new light from Heaven, shining 
 through the Gospel, is all the more bright: God's plan 
 of righteousness for guilty humanity; but not through 
 their own hopeless efforts to obtain it by obeying the 
 Law. No, God has Himself brought it about, as fore- 
 told by the Law itself and the Prophets ; and He gives 
 it as a free gift to all who believe in Christ. All may 
 have this righteousness. All being sinners, there is but 
 one way for all to obtain righteousness — the way of 
 faith. Having nothing, they must receive all as a gift. 
 In no other way can we become righteous before God. 
 But He could not have given us this grace, had not Jesus 
 Christ borne the punishment of our sins. So, when 
 God deals out the gift of righteousness, He does not 
 consider what we are, or what we have done; but He 
 looks to Jesus Christ, and to what He has done. There- 
 fore we do not stand in the sight of God as guilty, but 
 as guiltless creatures; and therefore God does not de- 
 mand anything of us in order that He may declare us 
 righteous. 
 
 When Jesus willingly gave His life, and with His 
 own blood redeemed fallen humanity, God presented 
 Him before the eyes of all the world as One who gave 
 all that to which the great Day of Atonement had 
 pointed. On that day the high priest went every year 
 into the holy place and sprinkled the blood of the sacri- 
 
184 
 
 lice on the mercy-seat as atonement for sin. But this 
 foreshadowed the atonement through Jesus. Him God 
 set forth as a mercy-seat, through His blood, for all 
 who, in faith, accept His atoning sacrifice. In this way 
 God wanted to show that He is a just God whose judg- 
 ments are true and righteous altogether. In His great 
 forbearance He had tolerated the sins of man from the 
 fall to the time of Christ. But this forbearance might 
 easily lead people astray in regard to the justice of God. 
 For sin had not been adequately punished, nor had it 
 been properly atoned for. But now that Jesus has by 
 His blood paid the penalty of sin for all the world, there 
 is made full atonement for all guilt. Thus God may as 
 a just God grant righteousness as a free gift of His 
 grace to all who believe in Jesus. 
 
 This being so, we have absolutely nothing of which 
 to boast. It would have been otherwise had we been 
 able to earn our own righteousness by obedience to the 
 Law; but now we must accept it as a free gift through 
 faith. 
 
 Had salvation been of the Law it would have been 
 limited to Israel. For the Law had been given to them ; 
 and the Gentiles must, in order to be saved, have been 
 adopted into the Jewish people. However, there being 
 but one God, He must be the God of all men, and not 
 of the Jews alone; and help them in their sore need by 
 means of a way which all may go : the way of faith. 
 
 But does not this mean that the Law is made void, 
 or is suspended? This was one of the complaints made 
 by the Jews against the preaching of Paul. Here he 
 merely repudiates the charge. Instead of making the 
 Law void, he has, on the contrary, given it the place 
 which God wants it to have. Later on he goes into the 
 matter more in detail. 
 
 Thus we have in these pregnant verses a summary 
 of the Pauline Gospel : One God and one atonement ; 
 
185 
 
 one Savior and one way of salvation for all men, who 
 were equally lost. The salvation in Christ is for all. 
 Xone receives it. as having deserved it by his own 
 works; but because God in His infinite love has had 
 mercy on all men, and offers them righteousness as a 
 free gift of His grace to be received through faith. 
 This is the leading thought in the Gospel of Paul ; and 
 this is the true Christianity. 
 
 3. THE PROOF OF THIS DOCTRINE OF PAUL'S CON- 
 CERNING RIGHTEOUSNESS (4-5) 
 
 These great thoughts, which God had appointed Paul 
 to preach, meant nothing less than the tearing down 
 of the whole religious structure of the Jews. There- 
 fore the Jews hated the new preaching, and the 
 preacher. It came to be a war to the death. 
 
 But it was more than this. The new preaching- 
 meant that the Old Covenant was of the past, and that 
 now it was to be replaced by a Xew Covenant. 
 
 Was Paul's preaching true, then, according to the 
 Scriptures? Was it or was it not supported by the 
 Word of God in the Old Testament? If Paul had the 
 Old Testament against him, his preaching could not be 
 true. Here the apostle had an enormous task. We 
 have seen him, in these first chapters, read the Bible to 
 Jews and Christians, and point out what it says concern- 
 ing all men. Xow he proceeds : Take your Bible and 
 read it; — God's plan of salvation has always been ex- 
 actly the one which I have now preached. The history 
 of Abraham must, be especially competent proof ; for it 
 was as the children of Abraham that the Jews found 
 themselves having a sure salvation. What does, then, 
 the history of Abraham teach in this matter? — Paul 
 finds another proof in the Christians' own erperience ; 
 and then he pieces together the history of Adam and 
 that of Christ, and shows how closely they fit each other. 
 
136 
 a. Proof from the History of Abraham (4: 1-25). 
 
 Abraham Was Not Justified by Works. 
 
 4 : 1-8. Let us begin with our father Abraham, says 
 the apostle, and see how it came about, that he was 
 justified before God. The Jews went wide of the mark 
 when they imagined that Abraham found favor with 
 God because of his good works. For Scripture says 
 distinctly that Abraham believed God, and this was 
 counted to him for righteousness (Gen. 15:6). The 
 way of salvation preached by Paul applied to Abraham 
 also. — But he who has works of which to make boast 
 has the right to demand a reward, and then grace is out 
 of the question. But when one has no works to boast 
 of, but turns to God in faith, as did Abraham, then his 
 faith is counted to him for righteousness. The idea 
 that one is justified by reason of his good works is the 
 exact opposite of the truth; for it is to the ungodly, 
 who has no works of which to boast, that God can 
 grant righteousness, because this man in faith puts all 
 his trust in God. 
 
 This is the testimony of David also, the great Jewish 
 ideal, the man after God's own heart: The glory of 
 justification consists in this, that God forgives us our 
 transgressions. 
 
 Circumcision Does Not Avail. 
 
 4 : 9-12. Good works, then, had nothing to do with 
 the justification of Abraham. But how was it with his 
 circumcision? Here was the next objection with which 
 the enemies of the apostle met him: Without circum- 
 cision faith could be of no benefit; for to become a 
 child of God one must be circumcised and thus become 
 one of God's people, a son of Abraham according to the 
 flesh. 
 
 Again Paul points to the history of Abraham; faith 
 
187 
 
 was counted to him for righteousness, long before he 
 was circumcised (read Gen. 15 and 17). It is not nec- 
 essary to be circumcised in order to be declared right- 
 eous of God. Thus God has made Abraham the father 
 of all the faithful, whether they be circumcised or not. 
 
 The Law, the Promise, Faith, Righteousness. 
 
 4: 13-25. Nor are God's promises dependent on the 
 Law. This, also, is shown by the history of Abraham; 
 for he received the promise because he was justified 
 through faith. No other solution was possible. Had 
 the promises been conditioned on the keeping of the 
 Commandments, none could have made them his own; 
 for the Law calls down the wrath of God on all who 
 violate it; as all men do. Faith would then be useless, 
 and the promise of no account. But if the promise is 
 not conditioned by any law, there would be no violation 
 which could take away the promise ; one can not violate 
 a law which does not exist. But that the promise might 
 be absolutely sure, God made it of faith) for then He 
 could give it to man as a free gift of grace. Then the 
 Gentiles, also, could be made partakers of the promise ; 
 and Abraham would be the father of all the faithful, 
 whether Jew or Gentile. Thereby is fulfilled the word 
 of Scripture; "I have made thee a father of many na- 
 tions." That the faithful are the true children of 
 Abraham appears in this also, that their faith is of the 
 same nature as his, Abraham believed in God as the 
 God who quickens the dead. And in faith he trusted 
 the power and truth of God, even when the fulfilment 
 of the promise seemed humanly impossible. He "against 
 hope believed in hope" ; and he did not let unbelief 
 seduce him to doubt God's promises. So his faith was 
 strengthened; and God regarded him as being a right- 
 eous man. 
 
 Now, that which holds true of Abraham holds true 
 
188 
 
 of us also, if we have the same faith. Then God counts 
 us as righteous. We believe, as did Abraham, in God, 
 who quickens the dead. God raised our Lord Jesus 
 from the dead; who died to atone for our sins, and 
 was raised again, in order that, we through faith in Him 
 might stand justified before the judgment seat, and that 
 God might see us in the same light in which he saw 
 Abraham. 
 
 b. Proof Furnished by Christian Experience "(5: 1-1 1). 
 Our Gracious Communion with God. 
 
 From the time of our being justified by faith we have 
 peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. There- 
 by we have access to that gracious communion with God 
 in which we now live. And this grace and peace where- 
 in we daily stand fills us with joy, and we count our- 
 selves happy in the sure hope of glory. This hope sup- 
 ports us in all the trials of life; for we feel our hearts 
 filled with the love of God through the Holy Spirit, 
 given us to be our help. God has showered upon us 
 the greatest love which it is possible to imagine. At 
 the appointed time Christ died for us, who were not 
 righteous men — for a good friend one might give his 
 life — but we were sinners, ungodly. But if our Lord 
 Jesus could by His death reconcile us to God, while we 
 were sinners, how much more must He now, that He 
 lives at the right hand of the Father, have power to give 
 eternal life and salvation to us, who are reconciled to 
 God. Therefore we boast, not of our deeds, but of our 
 God, who of His mercy through the atonement of Christ 
 gives us eternal salvation. 
 
 Thus Christian experience, also, shows us the truth 
 of Paul's Gospel preaching: that, we are justified by 
 faith. 
 
189 
 
 c. Proof from a Comparison, or Contrast, Between 
 Adam and Christ (5:12-21). 
 
 Sin and Death. 
 
 5:12-17. We are justified by faith, because Jesus 
 has with His blood atoned for our sins. But this Cov- 
 enant of grace in Jesus corresponds precisely to the 
 fall in Adam. 
 
 Through the guilt of one man, Adam, sin entered 
 the world; and with it. came the punishment, namely 
 death, into the world. From that time these two, sin 
 and death, are inseparable companions. All men sin; 
 therefore all must die. By the fall of Adam all came 
 under the power of sin, and thus also under its punish- 
 ment 
 
 With this connection between sin and death the Law 
 has nothing to do ; for sin came into the world long- 
 before the Law was given to Moses. That which makes 
 sin sinful is not, then, that it. violates a commandment 
 of the Law; and punishment was not a punishment for 
 the violation of a law not yet given. One is not pun- 
 ished for violating a law which does not exist. 
 
 But death is from the beginning the appointed 
 punishment for sin, and such it has remained. Since 
 the fall of Adam sin has come like a deadly infection 
 and poisoned the whole human family. Thus all the 
 children of Adam must die, even though they did not 
 sin in exactly the same manner; such far-reaching re- 
 sults did the sin of Adam have. But the first Adam is 
 a prototype of the second Adam, who was to come and 
 be the founder of a new generation of men. 
 
 Life and Righteousness. 
 
 As the fall of Adam brought so much misery upon 
 all men, so the act of grace and love which God per- 
 formed by the one man Jesus Christ must be even more 
 
190 
 
 far-reaching in its results. The sin of Adam having 
 brought upon us the judgment of condemnation, the 
 gift of grace must bring the opposite, that is, a verdict 
 of acquittal. Thus if death reigned over the generation 
 of Adam because of the sin of the ancestor, the grace 
 and righteousness in Christ must even more shed their 
 rich abundance over the generation of Christ, giving 
 them life and power over all things. With Christ the 
 history of mankind is turned into a new channel; there 
 is born a new generation of men, the generation of 
 believers. 
 
 SUMMARY. 
 
 5:18-21. In these verses the apostle sums up the 
 deep thoughts just presented. As the guilty act of one 
 man caused God to pronounce the judgment of condem- 
 nation on all men, so the righteous act of one man 
 has caused God to pronounce the life-giving verdict of 
 righteousness over all men. And in like manner as the 
 many came to stand as sinners condemned to death by 
 the disobedience of one, so shall also the many be 
 counted as righteous by the obedience of one. 
 
 In other words: The merciful grace of God em- 
 braces all who are touched by the ravages of sin ; Christ 
 builds up again all that which Adam destroyed. In 
 other passages the apostle explains how the individual 
 sinner is to become a partaker of this grace. Here his 
 purpose is to point out and emphasize that, the way 
 of salvation is open to all sinners. 
 
 With this matter the Law has nothing to do ; the Law 
 can not save. Far be it from that. Much more it came, 
 siding with sin, in order that its many precepts might 
 show us the terrible power of sin. But where sin 
 abounded, grace did even more abound. God has so 
 directed things, that where sin uses its power to bring 
 death to the sinner, there the grace of God proves itself 
 as having still greater power ; for it is able to bring us 
 
191 
 
 that righteousness which gives eternal life through Jesus 
 Christ our Lord. 
 
 Here ends this strong section of the letter to the 
 Romans. The apostle has in a unique religious-his- 
 torical review shown us the struggle between grace and 
 salvation on the one hand and sin and death on the 
 other. He has pointed out how God has guided events 
 to bring about victory for the forces of life and sal- 
 vation. The last verse is a song of triumph to the 
 praise of God's love and the riches of his grace. The 
 power of sin is great; but the power of grace is im- 
 measurably greater. 
 
 4. THE NEW LIFE (6-8). 
 
 The apostle has pictured to his readers the lost con- 
 dition of all men, the Gentiles without the Law, and the 
 Jews with their Law and Circumcision. All must be 
 lost, for none can save himself. But now God has re- 
 vealed his righteousness, which He gives to all who 
 accept it in faith. In the last two chapters which we 
 have considered the apostle shows that only such a way 
 of salvation is in accord with the Word of God and his 
 dealings with the individual and with humanity; and he 
 defines the mutual relation of God and the believer. 
 In the following chapters he shows the effect of this 
 justification on our inner life and our conversation. 
 
 a. BeuEvers Are by the Grace in Christ Made Free 
 from the Power of Sin (6:1—7:6). 
 
 Christians Are Through Baptism Dead Unto Sin. 
 
 6 : 1-14. As we have seen, the enemies of the apostle 
 claimed that his teaching encouraged people to lead an 
 immoral life. Here we again collide with this idea. 
 The apostle asks if it is right to construe his teaching 
 concerning the free grace of God as meaning that we 
 
192 
 
 should sin the more in order to give God the better op- 
 portunity to show His mercy. And the answer of the 
 apostle is short and clear and sharp : "God forbid. " We 
 Christians are dead unto sin, and so it is not possible 
 that we can live therein. In Baptism we were most inti- 
 mately united with Jesus, our Savior. But to have part 
 in Jesus means first of all to have part in His death and 
 burial. When Jesus died we died; and when He was 
 buried we were buried. With the death and burial of 
 Jesus His earthly relations with sin were closed; and 
 thereby our life in sin is closed also. We are dead and 
 buried with Jesus. But when we are united with our 
 Savior in Baptism we must have part also in His resur- 
 rection. When God raised Him from the dead Christ 
 ■entered on an entirely new life. When our Savior arose 
 from the dead we arose with Him; and when He re- 
 ceived the new life we received it also. Into this union 
 with Jesus we have come through Baptism. We are 
 dead from sin through the union with Jesus, and there- 
 by we also have received a new life with Him. When 
 He suffered Himself to be nailed to the cross we also 
 were crucified. Our "old man" — that is, the natural 
 man, with his life, natural leanings and purpose — was 
 then crucified, that we may no more live the old life in 
 bondage to sin. None is a bondman after his death. 
 If we are dead with Christ, God has declared us free 
 from bondage under sin; and we shall live with Him 
 the life which He lives, the life eternal ; for He dies no 
 more. Christ has put sin and death behind Him in 
 order to take eternal life as His own. Now He lives 
 unto God. Our baptismal union with Christ therefore 
 means that we in Him are dead unto sin and live unto 
 God. For this reason Christians must guard against 
 following the lusts of the flesh, and coming again under 
 the bondage of sin. They are translated from death to 
 life, and thus they must fight for God with the weapon 
 
193 
 
 of righteousness, and remember that the power of sin is 
 broken. For they are no longer bound fast to sin by 
 the bonds of the Law (see 5:20) ; but of God's grace 
 they are free men through their union with Christ, the 
 dead and risen Savior. — The life of the Christian is a 
 life in holiness. 
 
 Christian Liberty Adust Not Be Abused. 
 
 6: 15-23. The apostle repeats the question which he 
 asked in verse 1, and again answers emphatically no; 
 and then he proceeds to explain more fully what is 
 meant by his doctrine concerning sin and grace. It is 
 the nature of man to serve something or somebody. 
 Either he serves sin, and the end is death ; or he follows 
 the will of God in order to obtain righteousness. 
 
 Thank God, the Christians have made the right 
 choice. Having been made free from the power of sin ; 
 they cheerfully become the servants of righteousness, 
 even as Paul had presented the matter to them. But 
 this doctrine of Christian liberty must not be misunder- 
 stood or abused, — a thing which is very easily done. 
 They can not serve both sin and righteousness, but must 
 serve either one or the other. Once they were the ser- 
 vants of uncleanness, and so their life itself was unclean. 
 Now that they have become Christians, they must obey 
 the will of God, and their life must be a life in holiness. 
 When they were in the bondage of sin they were free 
 from righteousness. But the fruit of such a life was 
 something of which to be ashamed; for the end of it 
 was death. But now that they are free from sin, and 
 have become servants of God, the fruit is one of which 
 they need not be ashamed, namely sanctification : and 
 the end is eternal life. 
 
 In the war waged by sin the soldier receives death 
 as his wages. But the free gift which God gives His 
 servants is Jesus Christ, and in Him eternal life, 
 
 7 
 
194 
 
 By Death the Christian Is Discharged from His Duty 
 
 Under the Layv. 
 
 7 : 1-6. The apostle now turns to the Jewish con- 
 verts. He wants especially them fully to understand his 
 Gospel. Naturally, they found it difficult to grasp his 
 statement concerning freedom from the Law, and to 
 take the full step from life under the Law over into the 
 estate of Christian liberty. The matter seemed doubt- 
 ful to them; and the apostle must explain it. again and 
 again in order to give them the full assurance of faith. 
 This question of Law and liberty is one which every 
 man, passing over from death to life, must settle in his 
 own experience : From sin through Law and death, to 
 Christ with life and liberty. 
 
 We all understand that no law can be of force be- 
 yond the time of one's death. By death every duty 
 under the law is ended, as under the law concerning 
 marriage. While the husband lives the wife is bound 
 to him by the law; but when he dies she is free, and 
 may, without being faithless, contract a new marriage. 
 
 So it is with the Christians. When Christ died we 
 died also. Then we were discharged from the Law ; 
 and we can in honor give ourselves wholly to Christ, 
 and in communion with our risen Savior bring forth fruit 
 unto God. This we did not do while we were in bond- 
 age under the Law. Then we were the slaves of sin 
 also; for the two go hand in hand (see 6: 14 and 5 : 20). 
 The Law aroused the sinful passions in our members, 
 and death harvested the fruit. But now that we are 
 Christians, we are dead unto the Law, and thus free of 
 it. We have, then, nothing more to do with the bondage 
 of Judaism under the letter of the Law. There is now 
 a new force controlling our lives — the Holy Spirit of 
 God. 
 
195 
 
 b. As Long as Man Is Under the Power of the Law, 
 He Aeso Is Under the Power of Sin (7:7-25). 
 
 The Law Does Not Make Free; It Enslaves. 
 
 7: 1-13. This statement by the apostle concerning 
 the close relation between the Law and sin was one at 
 which the Jews were deeply offended. To them it seemed 
 as if Paul taught that the Law was sin, or that it was 
 at fault. This objection, also, he must meet; and he 
 repudiates their conclusion as not warranted by the 
 premises. The fault is not in the Law. Out of his own 
 experiences he outlines the Law and its purpose : 
 
 I had never known the power of evil except, through 
 the Law. If the Law had not said : "Thou shalt not 
 covet," I would never have known how strong this lust 
 may be. Thus sin, through the Commandment, came to 
 excite in me the desire to do evil. The lust of sin 
 caused me to do that which the Law forbids. On the 
 other hand, in those things of which the Law makes no 
 mention the lust of sin is dead; it has nothing to do 
 with them. 
 
 As a child I, also, lived without being conscious of 
 the Law. But as I grew older and was instructed in 
 the Law, I found that sin lived in me. Then the happy 
 days of childhood were past. I died ; and the Com- 
 mandment, which promised me life, if I kept it (see 
 Lev. 18:5), proved to be an instrument of death. Sin 
 took occasion by the Law to lead me wrong, represent- 
 ing the unlawful as something to be desired, and that 
 which brings ruin as something profitable. In that way 
 sin, through the Commandment, gave me into the power 
 of death, and killed me. 
 
 So the fault is not in the Law ; it has done me no 
 evil. It could not; for it is God who has given it; and 
 therefore the Law and all its Commandments are holy, 
 righteous and good. That which has brought death to 
 
196 
 
 me is sin, not the Law. God gave me the Command- 
 ments, in order that my * eyes might be opened, that 
 I might see how terrible a danger sin is; it puts me to 
 death. The Commandment was to show me the inner- 
 most nature of sin. It is death, said the Law, when- 
 ever the lust of sin seduced me into violating the Com- 
 mandments. 
 
 The War in the Christian Between the "Flesh" and the 
 
 "Mind." 
 
 7: 14-25. I and all other Christians have in the 
 school of life learnt to understand that it is God's Spirit 
 who speaks to me through the Law; and for my good. 
 The reason for the pain which I experience is not in 
 the Law, but in myself. I am Hesh\ and in this my 
 corrupt, sinful, weak human nature I am wholly in the 
 power of sin; I am the slave of sin. Such is now my 
 experience. I wish to do one thing, but I do something 
 widely different. Thus I bear witness with the Law 
 that it is good. This being so, it is not, strictly speak- 
 ing, "I myself" who does evil, but it is the sin which 
 dwells in me. That is the cause of my weakness, and 
 makes use of it. 
 
 This, then, is my sad experience: In me, that is in 
 my flesh, dwells no good thing. My "self" is corrupt 
 to the bone. I have the will to do good, but it is power- 
 less. Evil, sin, which dwells in me, has control. 
 
 Thus I see that there is in me a double nature. One 
 impulse is to delight in the Law of God> and to do that 
 which is good; but with this there is another, over- 
 powering impulse, which wars against the first, and ir- 
 resistibly masters me. The first is of my "mind" ; the 
 other rules my conduct. I am dragged on like a 
 chained prisoner of war. As long as I am in this body 
 of death I can not escape this awful war. Who shall 
 deliver me from this miserable existence? 
 
197 
 
 God be praised. While I have reason to complain 
 and to long for deliverance, feeling, as I do in this life, 
 the mighty power of sin in my corrupt nature; I also 
 have abundant reason to thank God, that my "mind," 
 set free through our Lord Jesus Christ, is become God's 
 obedient servant. 
 
 The apostle has now shown us how helpless man is 
 when left to his own devices. Neither the Law nor 
 man's own strength can help him. Man is the certain 
 prey of death. — Then comes the joyous contrast : There 
 is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. 
 On the one side the despairing cry : Wretched man that 
 I am; left to myself; standing on the verge of the pit, 
 looking into the terrible jaws of death, which would 
 swallow me. On the other side: A happy life, an open 
 Heaven. God be praised through Jesus Christ our 
 Lord. 
 
 c. The New Life in Christ Is a Life in the Spirit 
 oe Christ (8:1-30). 
 
 God Does That Which the Law Could Not Do. 
 
 8: 1-11. No condemnation awaits those who through 
 faith and Baptism are united with Christ Jesus; while 
 the Law condemns all who are outside of this com- 
 munion with Christ. In this communion with Christ I 
 have the liberty which He has bought me; deliverance 
 from the power of sin and death. An entirely new life 
 lies before me. Now I am led onward by the Spirit 
 of eternal life, who has quickened me, and has the de- 
 termining influence over my life. For that which the 
 Law could not do, God has done. The Law could com- 
 mand, but the "flesh" made it powerless. Law could not 
 conquer over sin. But God did it in an entirely dif- 
 ferent way. He sent His Son to our earth, and gave 
 Him a body; such as our bodies, in which sin exercises 
 
1 OS 
 
 its power. It was to atone for sin that God did this ; 
 and that He might pronounce judgment on sin in the 
 flesh. In the flesh of Christ God executed the judg- 
 ment of death on sin, dethroned sin as the ruling force 
 in human nature, and stripped it of its power. And 
 now that could come about which had been impossible : 
 The demands of God's Law could be fulfilled in us. 
 For through our coming into communion with Christ, 
 the Spirit of God is become the living force in our life. 
 This was God's purpose. So there is among men a 
 great difference in their whole scheme of life. They 
 who do not belong to Christ desire to follow the lusts 
 of the flesh. But sin reigns in the flesh, and it wants to 
 do only that which is contrary to the will and Law of 
 God. It is not in this nature to do otherwise. But God 
 can not, have pleasure in him who lives in this wise, 
 and the end of it is death. They, on the other hand, 
 who allow themselves to be led by the Spirit of God 
 have their joy in that which is of the Spirit: life in God, 
 and peace with God. Christians do not live according 
 to the desires of the flesh; they live in the Spirit of 
 God, who dwells in them, and directs their life ; and 
 only these belong to Christ. To be sure, the body of 
 the Christian is mortal, for sin still dwells in it ; but the 
 new spiritual man can not die, as through righteousness 
 he is the owner of life. Even the body can not remain 
 dead always. For if the Spirit of God, who raised Christ 
 from the dead, dwells in us, our bodies, also, must 
 arise from the grave, that the whole man with body 
 and soul may live in everlasting bliss with God. 
 
 The Bondman and the Child. 
 
 8: 12-17. We have, then, no obligations toward the 
 flesh; for to follow^ its desires is death. But if by the 
 Spirit of God we put to death the life in sin, we have 
 life eternal. God's children shall live. Now, the proof 
 
199 
 
 that we are the children of God is this, that, in our life 
 we are led by the Spirit of God. The Spirit which 
 God gave us is not the spirit of bondage, which would 
 make us to continue in fear of death and the judgment. 
 But we received the spirit of adoption as children, so 
 that we may confidently and gladly trust our all in the 
 hands of our heavenly Father. This spirit of adoption 
 is not an empty dream, but something real, resting on 
 the testimony of the Spirit of God in our heart. But 
 if children, then we are heirs of God. We shall divide 
 the inheritance with Christ, our Brother. Even if we 
 here must suffer for a time, glory awaits us. As the lot 
 of Christ is, so shall ours be. 
 
 Creation Is Waiting for the Liberty of God's Children. 
 
 8 : 18-27. It may be a heavy road we have to travel 
 here below; but this suffering is as nothing compared 
 with the resplendent glory awaiting us. To reach this 
 is the longing and yearning of all creation. Now it 
 groans in pain under the yoke of corruption, which God 
 laid upon it for the sake of man's sin. But at the same 
 time it is hoping for the liberty which God's children 
 are to receive on the day of glory. Then shall creation 
 also be delivered from the bondage of corruption. 
 
 God's Children Are Waiting. 
 
 A still deeper groan is ascending to God; the groan 
 rising from the hearts of His children. God has given 
 us His Spirit as the first installment of our inheritance. 
 We are waiting, therefore, for the remainder of the 
 heritage, including the redemption of our body. We 
 own all now in hope. The greatest and best part of our 
 inheritance is not yet ours. This, then, we await with 
 patience. 
 
200 
 
 The Spirit of God Is Waiting. 
 
 The Spirit also is waiting for this consummation, and 
 teaches us to pray as God wants us to pray. Often we 
 can not put our longing into words; but that is of no 
 importance. For the omniscient God knows the mean- 
 ing of the unuttered longing which the Spirit has put 
 into our heart. The Spirit makes intercession for God's 
 children before the throne of grace. God has so or- 
 dered it. 
 
 God's Eternal Fore ordination. 
 
 8 : 28-30. The surest proof, however, that we are 
 to reach the heavenly glory is this, that God has so de- 
 cided in his eternal decree. That which sustains the 
 Christian in his times of trouble is his assurance that 
 our salvation rests secure in the decree of God. If God 
 has begun the good work He will know how to finish 
 it. God will find a way of carrying out His plan of 
 salvation. God has so ordered it. that all things, even 
 afflictions, must serve to further the salvation of them 
 that love God. These are they whom God in His eternal 
 decree decided to call as His children. He foreknew 
 them all, each individual among them. And concerning 
 them He has ordained that they are to be conformed in 
 glory to the image of His Son. That which Jesus re- 
 ceived, His brethren also shall receive. God so wills it. 
 
 And that which God has decreed He also performed ; 
 for there is no wavering in Him. Whom he foreknew 
 and forordained, He also called. And whom He called, 
 and who in faith obeyed the call, them He justified; 
 and whom He justified, them He also glorified. 
 
 This is God's great plan of salvation, which is from 
 everlasting; and it is as sure as though it were al- 
 ready consummated. 
 
 8:31-39. Conclusion. Nothing — no accusation, and 
 no judgment of condemnation — can be laid to the charge 
 
201 
 
 of God's elect; and no power in the zuorld can separate 
 them from the love of God in Christ Jesus. 
 
 What result have we now attained? asks the apostle 
 in conclusion. As we have heard, many charges had 
 been made against his teaching. His opponents con- 
 tended that it led to sin, and that it was condemned by 
 the Law. But the contention is not true. Paul's ex- 
 position of his doctrine has led to this result: God is 
 for us. Who can then be against us? Who shall lay 
 anything to the charge of one whom God defends? 
 
 That God is for us is shown most clearly in this, 
 that in the greatness of His love He sacrificed His own 
 Son to save us; and it must then be sure that He will 
 freely give us all things else necessary to our salvation. 
 
 And when God's elect are pronounced righteous by 
 Him, none other can lay anything to their charge. There 
 can be no condemnation for us, since Christ died for us ; 
 yea, rather was raised from the dead, and now sits at 
 the right hand of God, and is our Advocate with the 
 Father. There is, then, no condemnation to them that 
 are in Christ Jesus. 
 
 How glorious is the Christian estate! Nothing can 
 separate us from the love of God and of Christ. Paul 
 here makes mention of all the suffering and adversity 
 which may be our lot, and especially of injustice done 
 us by others. Often it seems as though God had for- 
 gotten us. But, says the apostle, in all this we are more 
 than conquerors. Nothing could separate us from the 
 love of Christ. We remain victors through Him who 
 loved us. So he closes with the triumphant declaration : 
 Nothing, nothing whatever, shall be able to separate us 
 from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 
 
 These words, with which this section of the letter is 
 brought to a close, have been called "Paul's 'Song of 
 Songs'." It is one of the most wonderful passages in 
 Holy Writ, a true fount of salvation. Here is put into 
 
202 
 
 words an assurance of salvation which is not of earth or 
 of time. It is a song of triumph over sin and death; 
 all things must yield to the spirit of life in Christ. With 
 this the apostle has crowned his argument for the truth 
 of his Gospel. In the face of this God-given assurance, 
 all the objections raised by the Jews and all the doubts 
 harbored by the Jewish converts must fall to the 
 ground. It is the sun of God's righteousness whose 
 rays dispel all the dark clouds, and fill the Christian 
 heart with the joy of Heaven. 
 
 II. FOR THE JEWS FIRST, AND THEN FOR 
 THE GREEKS (9-11). 
 
 The apostle has now set forth the plan of salvation 
 in all its perfected glory and unerring certainty. This 
 Gospel raised many doubts among the Jewish Christians^ 
 and the Jews made war on it with all their might. 
 
 Besides, the Jews were offended by the success of 
 Paul's missionary work; and many of the Jewish Chris- 
 tians also looked upon this work with serious shakings of 
 the head. For it developed that the Gentiles were coming 
 to be much more numerous than the Jewish converts in 
 the Christian Churches. Was this right? This state of 
 affairs might lead to the result that the Gentile Christ- 
 ians Avould look down on the Jews as a wicked and in- 
 ferior people. The apostle now takes this up, and sets 
 forth the truth of the matter. 
 
 1, THE JEWS HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD GOD'S 
 PROMISES (9:1-29). 
 
 Paul Has Great Sorrow for His People. 
 
 9:1-5. The apostle has sorrow and bitter pain in 
 thinking of his own people. God had showered His 
 
203 
 
 favors upon them with incredible lavishness, and had 
 now at last let His own Son, who is true God with the 
 Father, be born as one of the Jewish people. In spite 
 of all this the Jews have not been saved, but have hard- 
 ened their hearts against the grace of the Gospel. 
 
 The Jews Thought That as Descendants of Abraham 
 They Were the Rightful Owners of the Promises 
 
 of God. 
 
 9:6-13. The Jews did not understand the Word of 
 God; and thus they did not now see that the promises 
 w T ere fulfilled. They had invented their own special 
 theories and doctrinal system; and so the Word of God 
 had to be forced to agree with their ideas. The one 
 thing certain to them was that Israel was God's chosen 
 people; and it was to this people that God had given all 
 His promises. The descendants of Abraham were of 
 this people, they and none others. This was what they 
 found in Scripture. But now Paul takes up this Sacred 
 Book, and proves that they have completely misunder- 
 stood God's Word. It is not the descent from Abraham 
 which makes one a true Israelite and heir to the prom- 
 ises of God. This was made plain even when God gave 
 to Abraham the promise concerning Isaac. For Abra- 
 ham had then many sons ; and had God counted their de- 
 scent from Abraham after the flesh as the one important 
 thing, these sons ought first to have been counted his 
 heirs ; nevertheless Isaac was the "child of the promise," 
 and was to be the father of Israel. Descent from Abra- 
 ham does not, then, of itself necessarily mean owner- 
 ship of the promises. Worldly goods descend by in- 
 heritance from father to son ; but the promises of God 
 are a different matter. These are property of quite an- 
 other kind. 
 
 The same rule held good in the next generation. The 
 promise did not descend to the firstborn after the flesh. 
 
. 204 
 
 — Neither birth nor works can determine the plan of 
 God. This He showed most, clearly by the decree that 
 Jacob, the younger son, was to take over the right of 
 the firstborn, and thus inherit the promise, while the 
 elder brother was to be the servant of the younger. 
 The reason given is this, that God loved Jacob, but. 
 hated Esau. Thus God had made clear that He will 
 be bound by nothing of earth, but will be free to adopt 
 as His children any whom He in His wisdom and love 
 may elect. 
 
 God's Fore ordination Can Never Be Unjust. 
 
 9: 14-16. But, one may ask, is not this an injustice 
 on the part of God? Paul repudiates any such sugges- 
 tion. Injustice — on the part of God ! God's foreordina- 
 tion can never be unjust or unrighteous. Such a thing 
 is unthinkable. God is not a fickle tyrant. Our election 
 is in the hands of Him w r ho is compassionate and gra- 
 cious, long-suffering and rich in mercy. Had God de- 
 cided that they only who are descendants of Abraham 
 after the flesh, were to inherit the promise, this would 
 have been unjust to the others. And if God had limited 
 His mercy to certain individuals of especially strong 
 and enterprising character, this would have been unjust 
 to the many who are not so well equipped, and who 
 could not have made the race. No, if God is to be just 
 toward all, His merciful love must not depend on any- 
 thing of this earth, but solely on His own will and 
 power to save. 
 
 God Is Just, Even When He Hardens Whom He Will. 
 
 9 : 17-18. We reach the same result if we look at 
 the matter from the opposite direction. As God has 
 mercy on whom He will, so He also hardens whom He 
 will. In both cases He acts with righteousness. This 
 
205 
 
 appears in the history of Pharaoh. God raised him up 
 in order to show in him the power of God ; that all men 
 might see that even earth's mightiest king is powerless 
 to prevent God from carrying out. His plan of salvation. 
 Thus God has mercy upon whom He will, and hardens 
 whom He will. The very fact that God's will is 
 supreme, is the surest guaranty against all manner of 
 injustice and of acting without purpose; for there is no 
 such thing as unrighteousness of any sort in God (9: 
 14). A man's fate can be in no better hands than in 
 the hands of God. 
 
 God's Decree of Election Is in the Service of His 
 
 Saving Love. 
 
 9 : 19-29. Against that which Paul here says might 
 be raised the objection, that man's responsibility then 
 ceases; for none can withstand the will of God. To 
 this the apostle answers that it is not seemly for any 
 man thus to reply against God. For as against God, 
 man is merely like clay in the hands of the potter. The 
 potter has a right over the clay to make it into any kind 
 of a vessel. Thus God has the same right and power, if 
 He wishes to use them. God has, however, not chosen 
 to crush those who have aroused His anger, and were 
 fit for nothing but to be cast out from His face; but 
 He has endured them with much long-suffering. And 
 this He did, in order that He might make known to 
 those whom He has fitted for the glory, how infinitely 
 great that glory is which He has prepared for them on 
 whom He ha's had mercy. And in choosing us to be 
 such vessels of mercy God has not taken into account 
 whether we were Jews or Gentiles. This is just and 
 merciful, and none has any right to complain. Thus 
 God has kept His promise through the prophet Hosea, 
 to make the heathen His chosen people, His beloved 
 children. God has also foretold through the prophet 
 
206 
 
 Isaiah that only a small remnant of Israel shall be saved. 
 Had not God in His mercy preserved this remnant of 
 the faithful among the Israelites, all Israel would have 
 suffered the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah. 
 
 2. THE CONDEMNATION OF THE JEWS IS THEIR 
 OWN FAULT (9:30—10:20). 
 
 The Salvation of the Gentiles Is No Violation of the 
 Rights of the Jews. 
 
 9 : 30-33. When the Christian Churches mostly con- 
 sist of Gentile converts, and have but few Jews, this 
 state of affairs is in full accord with that which God 
 had foretold. Israel had been warned many times ; 
 therefore no injustice has been done them. It is their 
 own fault that not all of them have become partakers of 
 the promise. It is this which the apostle now wishes 
 to make clear. 
 
 When the Gentiles, w r ho did nothing whatever to at- 
 tain to righteousness before God, still did reach it, 
 while the Jews fell short in spite of all their efforts ; 
 this is to be explained by the circumstance that the 
 Gentiles were willing to attain righteousness in the only 
 way possible, that is, by receiving it in faith as a gift of 
 God. The Israelites, on the other hand, wanted to earn 
 their own righteousness by keeping the Commandments. 
 Thus they collided with the Stone of Stumbling, Christ ; 
 whom God had given to the Jews, that they might be 
 saved by Him. But they rejected Him; and it was with 
 them even as it is written: They did not believe in 
 Him, and their unbelief caused their downfall. 
 
 The Jews Wish to Bring About Their Own 
 Righteousness. 
 
 10: 1-4. It is the apostle's great sorrow in life that 
 such is to be the fate of his own people ; and he all the 
 
207 
 
 time prays for their salvation. He sees that they strive 
 continually to become righteous before God. They can 
 not understand, and will not follow that way of right- 
 eousness which God has pointed out to them. Nor do 
 they understand the Laze; for its true purpose is to 
 drive men to Christ, in order that through faith in Him 
 they may receive righteousness as a free gift. 
 
 The Righteousness by Way of the Law, and the 
 
 Righteousness Which Is of Faith. 
 
 10:4-13. Between the way of the Law and the way 
 of faith in the attainment of righteousness there is a 
 very wide difference. The Law says : Do these things, 
 and you shall live. But the righteousness of faith does 
 not demand of us the impossible. It points to Christ, 
 who came down to us from Heaven, and is risen from 
 the dead ; and it says, that if in your heart you believe 
 on Jesus, and confess Him with your mouth, you are 
 righteous and shall be saved. This salvation is offered 
 to all, Jew and Greek ; for Jesus is the Lord and Savior 
 of all. His love is great enough to save all who cry to 
 Him in their- trouble, as the prophet Joel has said. 
 
 Israel Has Heard the Word of Faith, But Has 
 Rejected It. 
 
 10:14-21. To believe on Jesus, then, and to call 
 upon His name, is the way in which to become righteous 
 before God. But had the Jews been given the oppor- 
 tunity to hear of Jesus, that they might come to Him? 
 They most certainly had; — and with the outcome which 
 Isaiah had prophesied. God has sent His messengers 
 with the Good Xews to every part of the world where 
 Jews are to be found. They can not make the excuse 
 that they have not heard the Glad Tidings. But, un- 
 fortunately, thev have made true another statement by 
 
208 
 
 the same prophet: They closed their heart to the mes- 
 sage. Thus they did not come to believe in Christ. 
 
 The Jews had been informed, also, that God would 
 turn to the Gentiles with His Gospel of salvation, in 
 order, if possible, to stir the Jews to take serious 
 thought of the matter. But nothing came of it; Israel 
 is a people that will not obey. This and nothing else 
 is the reason for Israel's condemnation. But the Gen- 
 tiles accepted the salvation which God revealed to them. 
 — Thus are the Words of the prophets fulfilled. "Read 
 the Holy Scriptures," says the apostle to the people of 
 his own race, "and you will see that the ways of the 
 Lord are justice and mercy. " 
 
 3. GOD'S PLANS FOR THIS STUBBORN PEOPLE 
 
 (11:1-36). 
 
 God Has Not Cast Off Israel. 
 
 11:1-10. We have seen how Israel has behaved 
 toward God ; and one might have expected that God 
 would in revenge have cast off his people. But Paul 
 declares that God has not done this. "Of this I am," 
 says he, "a living witness." God foreknew the people, 
 and yet he chose it to be his own people. This he did 
 not do in order to cast it. off. But it is now as in the 
 days of Elijah. Then everything seemed so dark that 
 even the Lord's prophet was near despair. Yet even so 
 God had preserved a remnant] which had remained loyal 
 to him. But God had not chosen even these for their 
 good works ; but because He had mercy on them. 
 
 The others God has hardened, so that, they neither 
 see nor hear. Israel is now what it was of old. This 
 has been the plaint of the men of God from Moses to 
 Isaiah. 
 
209 
 
 The Problem Solved. 
 
 11:11-23. Are we to understand, then, that God 
 has done this in order that they might fall? Of course 
 not But God let them fall on account of their own 
 stubborn behavior; and in His wisdom and goodness 
 God so ordered it that their fall must further His plan 
 of salvation. God now will try a new way of winning 
 them. He therefore turned with his offer of salvation 
 to the Gentiles, hoping thereby to induce Israel again 
 to seek earnestly the favor of God. But if the fall of 
 Israel brought the riches of God's grace to the Gentiles, 
 how much more glorious must not the results be when 
 Israel as a people is saved! "This/ 5 says the apostle, 
 "is the great purpose always before me. God has made 
 me His witness among the Gentiles ; and it is the 
 greatest happiness of my life to do this work. But the 
 salvation of my own people is never out of my thoughts. 
 For if the rejestion of the Gospel by the Jews has 
 caused the Gentile world to have a part in the glorious 
 gift of the atonement, then will its acceptance by the 
 Jews be followed by the life eternal. For after the con- 
 version of Israel shall come the end of the world, and 
 thereafter everlasting life/' 
 
 [Some understand this rather vague expression, 
 "life from the dead," to mean a great awakening in the 
 Church when Israel is saved.] 
 
 God can not have cast Israel off for good and all. 
 For if Abraham, the first fruit and root of the people, 
 was holy, his people also must be holy. That, is, not 
 every individual Israelite. We have seen that most of 
 them have rejected the Gospel; and so God has cut 
 them off as dead branches on the tree of Israel. They 
 were of the seed of Abraham, but were not connected 
 with him in the bond of faith, and thus did not in truth 
 belong to the people of God. In their place God has 
 chosen people of Gentile birth and made them members 
 
2 1 
 
 of the true Israel. Thus the history of Israel is the 
 preface, as it were, to the history of Christ's Church 
 among the Gentiles. This we Gentile Christians must 
 not forget. Israel is the root, and the Gentiles are the 
 branches ; and the branches do not nourish the root, but 
 are nourished by the root. The Gentiles must not boast 
 that God has cast off the Jews in order to put the Gen- 
 tiles in the vacant place. The reason for the rejection 
 of the Jews was their unbelief. God will regard Gen- 
 tiles as His people, as long as they remain in the faith ; 
 and with fear realize that God treats all alike, both 
 when He has mercy on man and when He casts him off. 
 
 The Great Purpose of God in All That He Does Is the 
 
 Salvation of All. 
 
 11 : 25-36. If God could graft the Gentiles into His 
 Israel, He surely can do it with the Jews also, when 
 they turn to Him. God has shaped the course of his- 
 tory, and revealed His plan to His apostle ; else neither 
 Paul nor any other man could have known anything of 
 these things. A "hardening in part has befallen Israel" ; 
 and it will continue until God shall have led the great 
 army of saved Gentiles into His Church. Then salva- 
 tion shall come also to Israel as a people; as it is writ- 
 ten, that "when Christ, the Deliverer, comes, He shall 
 turn away ungodliness from Jacob ; and forgiveness of 
 sins shall be the foundation of His New Covenant w T ith 
 the Jewish people." 
 
 By reason of their rejection of the Gospel the Jews 
 are, to be sure, the objects of God's anger, while salva- 
 tion is given to the Gentiles. But as His Chosen People 
 God loves the Jews for the sake of Abraham, Isaac and 
 Jacob ; for He never repents of His goodness. 
 
 The Gentiles were in time past disobedient to God, 
 yet they have obtained mercy. Now the Jews are dis- 
 obedient ; and God has given them over to such dis- 
 
211 
 
 obedience, in order that He might thereby draw them 
 to Himself, and again cover them with mercy. 
 
 Thus. God deals in the same way with all; and His 
 great purpose is salvation for both Jew and Gentile. 
 Both are deep in the mire of sin; and God has shaped 
 history in such a way that He has gathered all together 
 into the great mass of sinners, in order that He might 
 show to all the same great mercy. 
 
 Unsearchable as are God's judgments, and His ways 
 past tracing out, it will appear at last that here is a 
 dept of riches both of wisdom and mercy, far beyond 
 our power to understand. For of Him, and through 
 Him, and unto Him, are all things ; He is the begin- 
 ning and the end of it all. To Him be the glory for 
 ever. Amen. 
 
 The apostle has now unfolded to us this wonderful 
 picture of God's eternal plan of salvation, and has 
 shown us how God has directed human history. Back 
 of this history of the peoples stands the living God, who 
 holds all the threads in His hands. His ways are past 
 finding out, but His aim is the salvation of mankind. 
 
 It is God's providen'ee in the history of the peoples 
 which the apostle here sets forth ; not the manner in 
 which God leads the individual upward to life and 
 salvation. He does not say that Israel is to have a po- 
 sition of vantage in the Church of the Xew Covenant r 
 nor that the Jews are to receive something withheld 
 from the Gentiles. In the Xew Covenant there is but 
 one Israel, the true, believing, spiritual children of 
 Abraham. But God, who forgets none of His creatures, 
 will not forget the Jewish people. He is the God of 
 all ; and He will do everything possible, that the Jews 
 also may be saved. And it shall come to pass. Before 
 the end of the world there will be a great revival among 
 the Tews. 
 
212 
 
 III. THE NEW LIFE IN ITS RELATION TO THE 
 AFFAIRS OF OUR DAILY LIFE (12: 1-15 : 13). 
 
 Paul has now laid before the Romans the Gospel 
 which God had given him to preach. In the last part 
 of the letter he points out how Christians must show 
 their faith by their attitude in the different affairs of 
 life. The power of God, which is in the free Gospel, 
 must develop into a life in holiness. Paul puts all this 
 into the form of an admonition. 
 
 The Life of the Christians in the Church. 
 
 12 : 1-8. The mercy which God has shown to the 
 Christians is to be the new and motive power in them, 
 causing their whole life to be devoted to the service of 
 God. In their relations with their Christian brethren 
 they are to be sober, and in their Church work they are 
 to be faithful. 
 
 Admonition to Brotherly Love and a Forgiving Spirit. 
 
 12:9-21. Brotherly love is to be without hypocrisy; 
 all their inner life full of the glow imparted by the 
 Spirit of God. In prosperity and adversity alike, strong, 
 helpful and hospitable, magnanimous toward enemies, 
 and always sympathetic toward friends. None shall set 
 himself up above others ; and as far as possible, Christians 
 shall keep peace with all men. God will care for His 
 own. They shall overcome that which is evil by doing 
 that which is good. 
 
 Obedience to the Government. 
 
 13 : 1-7. The temporal powers are ordained of God 
 to administer justice on earth. The Christian shall 
 therefore honor them as God's servants, and do his 
 duty as a citizen of the State; not because of the fear 
 
213 
 
 of punishment, but out of respect for the government 
 and its high calling. 
 
 Love Is the Fulfilment of the Law. 
 
 13:8-14. Christians must not in any way molest 
 others, or work them any injury. They are to have 
 self-respect, and keep themselves free of heathenish im- 
 morality. They are the children of light, and have put 
 on the Lord Christ. He shall soon come again. It is 
 important, therefore, to be always on guard. 
 
 The Habit of Judging Others in the Church. 
 
 14: 1 — 15: 13. It is not the business of one Chris- 
 tian to judge the other. It is the province of the master 
 to judge the servant; hence it is not ours to judge the 
 servant of another, of Christ. Let each be allowed to 
 arrange his own life as his own conscience dictates ; and 
 then Christ shall at last pronounce the final judgment. 
 Especially are they who have more advanced ideas to 
 be charitable and considerate in dealing with such as 
 have their doubts and scruples about the right to do 
 certain things. Let all remember that the Kingdom of 
 God is not eating and drinking. Therefore none shall 
 bring strife into the Church because of such things as 
 these, but rather bear the infirmities of the weak. In 
 this matter, also, Christians shall try to follow in the 
 footsteps of their Master. He became the servant of 
 all; of the Jews first, and then by God's grace of the 
 Gentiles also. Therefore God's name is praised among 
 all, both Jews and Gentiles. Thus are fulfilled the Old 
 Testament prophecies. None, then, shall exalt himself 
 above the other. 
 
 This part of the letter closes with the wish that God 
 may fill the Christians in Rome with all joy and peace. 
 
214 
 
 Closing Remarks (15:14—16:27). 
 
 The main part of the letter is finished. There fol- 
 low some closing remarks of a more personal nature, 
 together with a final greeting. 
 
 15:14—21. The apostle makes a forceful statement 
 of his reasons for writing this letter. Then he tells 
 (15:22-33) that it is his purpose to visit Rome on his 
 way to Spain; but first he must carry the money which 
 he has collected to Jerusalem. He begs (16:1-2) the 
 Church in Rome to receive with all kindness sister 
 Phebe, who brings them the letter and who is from Cen- 
 chrea, the port of Corinth. Then he sends special^greet- 
 ings to a number of persons (16:3-16). Last of all 
 (16: 17-27) he issues a warning against all things con- 
 trary to the true doctrine; and he prays that God, may 
 strengthen and guide the Roman Christians in all 
 things. 
 
The Two Letters to the Church at Corinth* 
 
 These letters cast a flood of light on conditions in 
 the earliest Christian Churches, as do no other writings 
 of those times. The German scholar. Prof. Dr. Wei- 
 szaecker, says : "These two letters are in an eminent 
 degree historical. They describe a series of conditions 
 and facts in such a way as to be a good substitute for 
 the usual historical documents. In many respects these 
 letters are the only, and in others the best source of 
 knowledge which we have. Even if we had nothing- 
 more than these letters, they would be sufficient to show 
 us the oldest form taken by the Christian religion in 
 Greek-Roman soil." And the French scholar, Prof. 
 Godet, says : "These two letters have a special interest 
 to the Church. They unfold to us, as do no other let- 
 ters, the inner life of a large Congregation in those 
 earliest times. They let us see the magnitude of the 
 war waged by the apostle of the Gentiles ; and they 
 give us a deep insight into his character, his emotional 
 nature, and his whole personality." 
 
 The letter to the Romans shows us the apostle in his 
 fight against Jewish ideas and traditions, which threat- 
 ened to destroy the Gospel and the Church ; while the 
 letters to the Corinthians show him in his fight against 
 heathen ideas and traditions, which threatened the Gos- 
 pel and the Church from the opposite direction. 
 
 Concerning the city of Corinth and its Congrega- 
 tion, read Part I of this volume, pages 97-102, 110-112. 
 
First Epistle to the Corinthians* 
 
 This letter begins, as is usual, with greetings and an 
 introduction (1 :l-9), and ends with some personal clos- 
 ing remarks and a farewell greeting (chap. 16). The 
 main body of the letter deals with the many difficulties 
 of the Congregation, torn as it was by disputes con- 
 cerning Christian duty and Christian liberty; and an- 
 swers the many questions put to him; trying in general 
 to bring order out of the chaotic conditions in this 
 Church. 
 
 THE PLAN OF THE LETTER. 
 
 Salutation. 1 : 1-9. 
 
 1. Against sectarianism. 1:10-4:21. 
 
 2. Against immorality and dissensions in the Church. 5-6. 
 
 3. Concerning marriage. 7. 
 
 4. Of Christian liberty and its limitations. 8: 1-11:1. 
 
 5. Answers to a number of questions in regard to conditions in 
 the Congregation, and in regard to the public Church service. 
 11:2-31. 
 
 6. Of God's Spirit, and of spiritual gifts. 12-14. 
 
 7. The resurrection of the dead. 15. 
 Conclusion and greeting. 16. 
 
 Introduction and Salutation. 
 
 1 : 1-9. The letter begins with a greeting to the 
 brethren; and the apostle expresses his joy in the knowl- 
 edge that the truths of the Christian religion had gained 
 a foothold among them, and that the spiritual gifts had 
 
217 
 
 been poured out abundantly upon them. He prays God 
 that their lives may always be marked by true holiness. 
 Thus the introduction is characteristic, in that it 
 gives the Congregation an inkling of those things which 
 are weighing on the mind of the writer. 
 
 1. AGAINST SECTARIANISM (1:10-4:21). 
 Away with Party Divisions. 
 
 1 : 10-16. The apostle denounces the party feeling, 
 which always brings strife and divisions, and which 
 threatens to disrupt the Congregation; and he urges 
 them to be quit of this unseemly contention, and to be 
 of one mind. They are not to worship men; and they 
 must not use his name, or that of any other leader, as 
 a party slogan. None of these names can save them. 
 Paul has not been crucified for them, nor have any been 
 baptized into his name. Christians are to belong to 
 Christ, and to none other. Therefore Paul is glad that 
 he has baptized only two persons in Corinth; so that 
 people can not boast of being better than others because 
 of having been baptized by Paul himself. 
 
 The Wisdom of the World, and the Foolishness of God. 
 
 1 : 17-31. "Christ has not sent me to baptize/' says 
 the apostle, "but to preach the good news of salvation." 
 And this is what the apostle does ; and he never asks 
 what and how the people would like to have him preach. 
 He knows that the Jews want proofs which they can 
 see and handle; and that the Greeks have a weakness 
 for philosophical essays set forth in polished language. 
 But he does not resort to such means; for thereby the 
 wisdom and power of God in the Gospel are weakened ; 
 the hearers are interested in the style of the discourse, 
 and forget the matter itself. For the Word of the 
 
218 
 
 cross is widely different from the wisdom of this world. 
 This wisdom can not rise to such heights. Therefore 
 the Word of the cross seems foolishness to the great 
 mass of the "w r ise" in this world. But they who in sim- 
 plicity of heart, believe this Word, and are saved by it, 
 experience that it is the power of God. Through the 
 preaching of this Word, which was to the Jews a stum- 
 blingblock, and to the Greeks foolishness, God has 
 shown it to be both wisdom and power; for this Word 
 alone was able to raise up and save that which the world 
 looked down on and despised. Thus God puts to shame 
 that which is great and strong and wise in the eyes of 
 the world. The Christian has, therefore, nothing of 
 which to boast before God; for all that he is or has is 
 given him by reason of his being in Christ, and Christ 
 in him. 
 
 Paul's Preaching. 
 
 2 : 1-5. Paul did not come to them in the character 
 of a traveling lecturer, with smooth speech or deep 
 speculations. But in simple language he preached to 
 them the testimony of God concerning salvation in the 
 crucified Jesus ; that all might understand that the per- 
 suasive power of his words was not a result of his skill 
 as an orator, but was caused by the Holy Spirit, who 
 through these words showed forth His power. 
 
 Wisdom Among the Full grown. 
 
 2: 6-16. However, Paul also can speak wisdom. He 
 can do it, he says, to them that are somewhat advanced 
 in Christian knowledge. But remember that, it is God's 
 wisdom which he speaks ; the wisdom that has been 
 hidden, God's eternal decree of salvation, whatsoever 
 thing God prepared for them that love Him. This is 
 something which no man of himself could ever con- 
 
219 
 
 ceive. For the mind of man, drawing its wisdom out 
 of its own depths, can not. grasp the thoughts of God ; 
 these are of another nature, and to the natural man 
 they are foolishness. Only God's Spirit can reveal God's 
 thoughts to us ; for the Spirit alone knows God's heart ; 
 and the Spirit alone can teach us to present these 
 thoughts of God in the right way. It is not possible to 
 judge the thoughts of God by means of our little sys- 
 tems of so-called philosophy. None but such as have 
 the Spirit of God in their heart can judge of these mat- 
 ters. Neither can men properly judge the children of 
 God; for they do not know the Lord's mind, nor can 
 they instruct God's children in spiritual things. But we 
 Christians have the mind of Christ. 
 
 Spiritually, the Christians in Corinth Have Xot Come of 
 
 Age. Their Partisan Strife Is Evidence of 
 
 Their Childishness. 
 
 3:1-15. The Church in Corinth has not reached 
 such spiritual maturity that the apostle can lay before 
 them the deeper things. In the matter of religion the 
 Corinthian Christians are as little children who need 
 milk. There is too much of carnal jealousy and strife 
 among them,, as evidenced by their violent partisanship. 
 What can it profit them to wrangle about Apollos and 
 Paul? These are but God's servants. Thfcy may plant 
 and water, but God must give the increase. They may 
 build the Church of God, but there is only one sure 
 foundation, Jesus Christ. The several builders build, 
 each as well as he can. Some do better, and some 
 poorer work. The great day of judgment shall reveal 
 whether or not the work of each can stand the test. 
 Therefore we would better leave the question open till 
 that dav comes. 
 
220 
 
 The Congregation Is God's Temple. 
 
 3 : 16-23. God dwells in the Congregation, and there 
 he will be worshiped. Therefore the Church is holy 
 and must not be destroyed; for if any man destroy it, 
 him shall God punish. It is not only unwise teachers 
 who may destroy the Congregation. It may be that 
 some member of the Church is puffed up, is wise in his 
 own conceit, and fondly imagines that he surely knows 
 a thing or two. If such there be, he should know that 
 God takes the wise in their craftiness, which in the sight 
 of God is mere vanity and foolishness. Let the mem- 
 bers of the Church in Corinth be on their guard. And 
 then they must no longer boast of being followers of a 
 certain teacher. They are to ? bear in mind that all the 
 teachers, no matter what their name, are sent of God to 
 show them the way, and that whatever meets them is 
 sent for their good ; and first of all they must remember 
 that they belong to Christ, and through Him are the 
 children of God. 
 
 Paul Is the Lord's Servant, and the Lord Is 
 Paul's Judge. 
 
 4: 1-5. They whom the Lord has called to preach 
 the Gospel are servants of Christ; and the Lord de- 
 mands that they be faithful. The servant, must render 
 an account t<? his master; and only the master has any 
 right to judge the servant. This has been the apostle's 
 rule of action. He leaves the judgment to the Lord; 
 and when the Lord comes to hold judgment, much that 
 was hidden will be brought to light, and we shall see 
 that we often were mistaken in our judgments. 
 
 Paul's Defense of Himself. 
 
 4:6-21. The apostle fairly lashes the Corinthians 
 in most scathing terms for being puffed up and for their 
 
221 
 
 foolish and conceited idea that they were the proper 
 persons to judge him and Apollos. With fiery eloquence 
 he describes his life in strife and suffering because of 
 them. This part of the letter especially shows Paul as 
 a man who could put. his words cunningly together, and 
 who was a brilliant orator. One is in reading it strongly 
 reminded of the Old Testament prophets. 
 
 The Corinthians are arrogant and overbearing. They 
 think themselves so superior, wise and strong, that they 
 can look down on their foolish, despised and maltreated 
 apostle. They imagine themselves as perfectly able to 
 sit in judgment on him. The apostle does not, how- 
 ever, now wish to put them to shame; he merely re- 
 minds them that no matter how many teachers they may 
 have, they have him, Paul, as their only spiritual father. 
 Therefore it. is highly improper of them to put them- 
 selves up as his judges. They should imitate him rather 
 than judge him. 
 
 They must not think that he fears them because of 
 their arrogance, and dares not come to them. But he 
 sends his faithful friend Timothy to look into the mat- 
 ters complained of among them. And now it will de- 
 pend on the behavior of the Corinthians themselves, 
 whether Paul is to come to them in a spirit of gentle- 
 ness, or come to punish them. 
 
 2. AGAINST IMMORALITY AND DISSENSIONS IN THE 
 CHURCH (5:1-6:20). 
 
 Sexual Immorality in the Church. 
 
 5 : 1-13. Paul has said what he had to say against 
 the spirit of partisanship; and he has spoken his mind 
 on the subject without himself becoming a partisan of 
 either faction. But there were other causes of com- 
 plaint also against the Corinthian Church. All sorts of 
 offenses against sexual morality are a part of the 
 
099 
 
 heathen life ; and it takes a long time for converted 
 heathen to rid themselves of these vices. The reports 
 of missionary workers have always and everywhere told 
 the same story. 
 
 There had been an especially flagrant instance of 
 such vice among the Corinthian Christians. One of 
 these lived in incest with his stepmother. But the Co- 
 rinthians had in their arrogant conceit been so busy 
 passing judgment on the apostle, that they had found 
 no time to punish this outrage against all decency. It is 
 a matter easily disposed of, says the apostle. There is 
 but one thing to do, and that is to expel the man from 
 the Congregation ; turn him out into the wicked world, 
 where Satan rules, and there will soon be made an end 
 of such an unclean animal. Or it might be that the sin- 
 ner would come to another way of thinking, and be 
 saved, before the day of grace is ended. 
 
 The Congregation must cease their boasting, and 
 rather begin a thorough house-cleaning. This would 
 be especially appropriate at this season, just before 
 Easter. Let them shun the company of those w T ho call 
 themselves brethren, but who openly lead vicious lives. 
 Such people should not be tolerated in the Church. 
 
 Members of the Congregation Go to Law with One 
 Another before the Heathen Courts. 
 
 6: 1-11. There are other matters also that cause the 
 apostle much sorrow. Christians have suits at law con- 
 cerning things of only temporal importance, and before 
 heathen judges. It is a disgrace that Christian Church 
 members cannot settle such little matters among them- 
 selves. Some time the Christians are to judge even 
 angels. These suits at law are a blot on the Church. 
 Christian people should rather suffer than do wrong. 
 Licentiousness, covetousness, drunkenness and backbit- 
 ing are sins which exclude one from God's Kingdom. 
 
22;} 
 
 While the Corinthians vet lived as heathens, many of 
 them had been guilty of these sins. But they had been 
 washed in Baptism, and sanctified and justified in the 
 name of the Lord Jesus, and in the Spirit of God. They 
 are set free from their former life of sin, and have be- 
 gun a new life in purity and holiness, having received 
 forgiveness of sin. 
 
 Christians Must Lead a Chaste Life. 
 
 6 : 12-20. Christian liberty is a great thing, but it 
 must not be abused. It must not be made into liberty to 
 do wrong. Unchastity is not to be regarded as something 
 of little account, as merely an innocent gratification of 
 a natural want, like that of hunger. For the body is 
 "not for fornication, but for the Lord." The body of 
 the Christian is a member of Christ, and a temple of 
 the Holy Spirit. Therefore the Christian must shun all 
 forms of unchastitv, and lead a clean life to the glorv 
 of God. 
 
 3. COXXERXIXG .MARRIAGE (7:1-40). 
 
 The Congregation in Corinth had sent a letter to 
 Paul, asking him a number of questions, mostly concern- 
 ing matters of discipline. These questions he answers 
 in the chapters now before us. One delicate matter with 
 which to deal in the earliest. Gentile Churches was the 
 question of marriage. In heathen circles there were 
 even at this time certain persons who praised the un- 
 married estate as being morally more clean than the 
 married estate. It is not difficult to understand how 
 such an idea came to be born in the Churches. Later 
 on this idea was to spread and gain strength, until it 
 ruled the Church. It still holds full sway among the 
 Roman Catholics. Another difficulty was caused by the 
 so-called mixed marriages, in which one of the parties 
 
224 
 
 was an unbeliever and the other a Christian. The 
 apostle deals with these matters carefully and tactfully. 
 
 Marriage Is Not a Sin. 
 
 7:1-9. Marriage is not an immoral institution. 
 Quite the reverse. The unmarried are exposed to much 
 temptation. Therefore, in the case of most people, mar- 
 riage is advisable. 
 
 Divorce. 
 
 7: 10-16. It is not advisable to dissolve the mixed 
 marriages. Interest in the Christian training of the 
 children should keep the Christian husband or wife from 
 taking such a step. Besides, the unbeliever might pos- 
 sibly be converted to the Christian faith. But if the un- 
 believing husband divorces his Christian wife, this is 
 another matter. Then it is he who has dissolved the 
 marriage. The wife is not a slave. God has called us 
 to live our life in peace. 
 
 Christians Are to Remain in Their Old Calling. 
 
 7:17-24. In general, it is a good rule that the 
 Christian should remain in his old calling and condition 
 of life; and he must obey the laws of the State. This 
 the slave also should remember. The liberty to which 
 they are called is liberty in Christ. It is to make them 
 spiritually free that Christ, has bought them with His 
 blood. 
 
 Young People and Marriage. 
 
 7 : 25-38. To the young people, and particularly to 
 the young girls, the apostle gives the advice that on ac- 
 count of the distress and dangers threatening the Chris- 
 tians, they would better remain unmarried. For the 
 affliction may be more keenly felt when one is living 
 with a wife or husband. Paul wants to spare his young 
 
225 
 
 friends this greater sorrow. And then, the unmarried 
 are more free to take the proper measures when the 
 troubles come. But the apostle does not want, them to 
 be understood as holding the view that the unmarried 
 state has any peculiar sanctity. 
 
 Widows. 
 
 7 : 39-40. Widows have full liberty to marry again ; 
 but they should then see to it that they find a Christian 
 husband. Under the existing circumstances they prob- 
 ably do best, however, in remaining unmarried. 
 
 4. OF CHRISTIAN LIBERTY AND ITS LIMITATIONS 
 
 (8:1-11:1). 
 
 One of the questions put to him by the Congrega- 
 tions causes the apostle to take up this matter of Chris- 
 tian liberty in temporal matters. The city markets sold 
 meat which had been bought from the heathen temples. 
 In the sacrifices to the idols the whole carcass of the 
 animal was not used, and what remained of it was sold. 
 This placed many Christians in a difficult, position. Some 
 said: "All things are lawful/' while others had their 
 serious scruples. To these it seemed that the meat in 
 question was not exactly as other meat. Even though 
 the Christians believed in the one true God only, and re- 
 garded idols and their worship as an empty farce; still 
 the minds of many were muddled in this matter. They 
 had grown up as heathens in heathendom, and had 
 feared the gods. It was, therefore, not easy to break 
 loose from all this. The old feeling that the idols might 
 be something after all was hard to be rid of. They 
 might be demons or other mysterious beings, and might 
 be dangerous. Now, the whole carcass of the animal 
 had been dedicated to the idol; and if a man should eat 
 some of this meat, he would in a way be forced into this 
 
mystic circle of witchcraft. He would in some degree 
 come into a sort of relationship with the idol, which 
 would thus gain some power over him. Again, even if 
 one did not himself buy such meat, he might be invited 
 to a meal with a friend who was a heathen ; and there 
 the meat was on the table. What was a Christian then 
 to do? — The liberals simply laughed at. the matter; but 
 there were others, whose conscience was troubled, and 
 who did not see their way clear. 
 
 The answer of the apostle is marked by far-seeing 
 wisdom. On the one hand it. is important to hold fast 
 the principle of Christian liberty in such things ; while 
 on the other hand one must avoid becoming a stumbling- 
 block to the weak brethren. 
 
 Puffed-up Knowledge and Brotherly Love. 
 
 8 : 1-3. All have made up some kind of an opinion 
 concerning the sacrifices to the idols. That is an easy 
 matter. But there is this danger in connection with 
 "puffed-up knowledge/' that people who have it, and 
 are so sure of always being in the right, are also prone 
 to act with no regard for others. And then things go 
 wrong. Such people forget that "love edifieth!' One 
 who thinks that he understands it all, merely because he 
 has framed up some kind of opinion, is apt to find him- 
 self badly mistaken. His knowledge is very superficial. 
 But if we love God, we are known of God; and he will 
 help us to understand aright and to act in accordance 
 with the law of love. 
 
 The Bating of Meat Sacrificed to Idols. 
 
 8:4-13. On these premises it is not difficult to see 
 the true answer to this question concerning the eating 
 of meat which has been sacrificed to the idols. This 
 much is certain, that there is but one God. As Christians 
 
227 
 
 we are His own. The idols do not. exist; they are 
 nothing. But all Christians have not reached any clear 
 conviction on this point; and they may take offense if 
 we make use of our proper and undoubted Christian 
 liberty. Then it is better to let love rule, and to abstain 
 from eating the meat in question. 
 
 Paul as an Example for Imitation, 
 
 9 : 1-27. In this matter, says the apostle, Christians 
 may well follow his example. None had spoken 
 stronger words concerning Christian liberty; and Chris- 
 tianity had come to the Corinthians through Paul's 
 preaching. He had the right to marry, as the other 
 apostles had done; but he had not done it. He had the 
 right to be paid for his work, as had every soldier, or 
 laborer, or beast of burden, or the priest in the temple ; 
 but he had not made use of this right. However, they 
 must not understand him as meaning to say that he was 
 at liberty to preach the Gospel, or not to preach it. No, 
 he must preach. This was the deepest desire of his 
 heart, besides his greatest happiness. So his reward is, 
 that he can give them the Gospel without charge; that 
 the cost could keep none away from hearing his preach- 
 ing. "For though I was free from all men, I brought 
 myself under the bondage to all, that I might gain the 
 more." 
 
 On this rule Paul had acted. Among the Jews he 
 lived as a Jew, observing the Law; and among the 
 Greeks as a Greek, free from the bonds of the Law; 
 — "not being without law to God, but under law to 
 Christ." So the rule of his life had been: All things 
 to all men, that he might by all means save some. He 
 does all for the sake of the Gospel. In the games held 
 near Corinth they had seen how every man who was 
 to take part in the race trained himself for it, hoping to 
 
22 S 
 
 win the prize. This is what Paul does also, he says. 
 He runs, he fights, he brings his body into bondage ; 
 that he, who preaches to others, may not. himself be re- 
 jected, but may receive the incorruptible crown. 
 
 Here the apostle has given us a beautiful picture, a 
 grand charter of liberty: Willing surrender of one's 
 personal rights; in love making one's self the servant 
 of all in order to save as many as possible. 
 
 Admonition from Israel's History. 
 
 10: 1-13. The Christians in Corinth are asked to 
 take warning from the old Israelites, who are the fathers 
 of the Christian converts among the Gentiles also (Ro- 
 mans 4: 12-11: 17). God was with them with His pro- 
 tecting love. When they passed through the Red Sea 
 they received a Baptism which united them with their 
 deliverer, Moses ; and they were fed by supernatural 
 means, — a Lord's Supper. They ate the Spiritual Bread 
 and they drank from the Spiritual Rock. In the Old 
 Testament the Lord is often called a Rock; and the 
 apostle here speaks of this Rock as being Christ, the 
 Messiah. In spite of all this the Israelites gave them- 
 selves over to one sin after the other ; and they again 
 and again brought down upon themselves the anger of 
 God, because they did that which was evil in His sight. 
 And "these were our examples, to the intent we should 
 not lust after evil things," but shun them. 
 
 Of Taking Part in the Sacrifices to the Idols, and in 
 the Feast Connected with Such Sacrifices. 
 
 10:14—11:1. Christians must have nothing to do 
 with any form of idolatrous worship. They know that in 
 the Lord's Supper we have communion with Christ and 
 with one another. Thus it was also with the old Israel- 
 ites. In eating the sacrifices they came into communion 
 
229 
 
 with God, to whom the altar with everything on it was 
 dedicated. To eat the sacrifice is to come into com- 
 munion with the god to whom the sacrifice is offered, 
 and with them that worship him. So if one take part 
 in the sacrifices and feasts to the idols, he comes into 
 communion — not with the idols, for they do not exist — 
 but with the demons, or evil spirits who stand back of it 
 all, and have seduced the heathen, and caused them to 
 worship idols. 
 
 It is not specially difficult to do the right thing in 
 these matters. Every man must do that which his con- 
 science dictates, with all deference to the opinions of 
 others. But first of all he should remember that all his 
 acts should redound to the glory of God. Thus he best 
 promotes the salvation of others. This has been the 
 apostle's rule of life, and Christians do well to follow 
 him; for he walks in the footsteps of Christ. 
 
 5. ANSWERS TO A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS IN RE- 
 GARD TO CONDITIONS IN THE CONGREGATION. 
 AND IN REGARD TO THE PUBLIC CHURCH 
 SERVICE (11:2-31). 
 
 11:2-16. As Christianity made its way to the 
 peoples, and gained adherents among Jews and Greeks, 
 and these were to be organized into Congregations, 
 there naturally were many new questions demanding an 
 answer. The Jews and the Greeks had their different 
 ideas and customs ; and it was not in every case an easy 
 thing to decide as to what might be best. Naturally, 
 then, these people looked to the apostle for advice ( 1 1 : 
 2, 16). Such a question it no doubt was which the 
 apostle here undertakes to answer: the. question in re- 
 gard to the proper dress for women in attendance at 
 the public Church service. With the Greeks it was the 
 custom for men and women to perform their religious 
 ceremonies with unveiled faces. With the Tews it was 
 
230 
 
 an ancient custom to veil the head when they offered 
 prayer. Of course, it took some time before a new 
 Christian custom was established. In the meantime 
 some Christians were offended by what the others held 
 to be entirely proper; and so there was a great oppor- 
 tunity for wrangling. 
 
 As to whether or not women should be veiled dur- 
 ing the public Church service, the apostle emphasizes 
 that this is not a specially important matter; but at the 
 same time he points out that even in such a question 
 as this the new Christian view of life will have certain 
 results. Christ is the Head of the man, and the man 
 is the head of the woman. It is most seemly that a 
 man prays to God with unveiled head, while a woman 
 should be veiled, as a sign of womanly modesty. Na- 
 ture itself seems to have suggested this. Man was 
 created first, in the image of God, and with the dignity 
 of a ruler. But woman receives her dignity through 
 the man ; and nature suggests this, also in that there is 
 given to woman a natural veil in her long and lux- 
 uriant hair. Therefore women should have a sign of 
 respect on their head, because of the angels. 
 
 There has been much controversy as to what the 
 apostle means by this "because of the angels." It may 
 be that here, as in 4:9 (cf. Hebrews 1: 14 and Gala- 
 tians 3:19), the angels stand as representatives of 
 natural law ; or we may understand it to mean that 
 each Christian has his angel, who is always with him, 
 rejoicing or grieving because of his good or bad deeds. 
 
 Love Feasts and the Lord's Table. 
 
 11:17-34. The apostle here utters a sharp repri- 
 mand because of certain much worse things complained 
 of as having occurred in connection with the Church 
 service. 
 
231 
 
 In the Greek Churches it was a common and favor- 
 ite custom to serve a full meal whenever they celebrated 
 Holy Communion. The custom of having such ban- 
 quets was one of long standing. In the Churches cer- 
 tain abuses now crept in. The members belonging to 
 the more wealthy class brought with them more and 
 better food than the poor could afford; and they hur- 
 riedly ate and drank what they had brought, while the 
 poor went from the table as hungry as when they sat 
 down. So it was very far from being a love feast. 
 The poor felt themselves slighted and despised; and in- 
 stead of being a joy and a means of closer brotherhood, 
 these common meals became a cause of unseemly con- 
 tentions. 
 
 Such conduct is an insult to the Church of God, and 
 a most improper preparation for receiving Holy Com- 
 munion. Here is a matter of grave importance. There- 
 fore the people are admonished to remember and bear 
 in mind what Paul has taught them concerning the 
 Lord's Holy Supper. It was instituted by the Lord 
 Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed. He gave 
 them with the bread and wine His body and blood. 
 When partaking of the Supper they should remember 
 Jesus and keep clearly in mind, that in His blood, which 
 He shed for them, there is made a New Covenant be- 
 tween them and God. By coming together about the 
 communion table they proclaim the Lord's death till He 
 come. But. by their unseemly conduct they show con- 
 tempt for the Lord's body and blood, and they shall be 
 held to answer before God for this wickedness. There- 
 fore each man shall prove himself before going to Com- 
 munion; for he who goes to the Lord's Table in the 
 same way in which he goes to another meal, brings 
 down upon himself God's judgment. The many cases 
 of sickness and death in the Corinthian Church at this 
 time should cause the members to take serious thought, 
 
282 
 
 and to pass judgment on themselves. If we do this we 
 are not judged of God. Yet the judgments of God 
 during our days of grace have the purpose to promote 
 our salvation. If the Corinthians wish to continue their 
 common meals in the Church, they must conduct them 
 in a Christian way. If they want to make them just 
 like ordinary meals, it would be as well for each family 
 to eat in its own home; else these Church gatherings 
 may bring down the judgment of God upon the Con- 
 gregation. 
 
 6. OP GOD'S SPIRIT, AND OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS 
 
 (12:1-14:40). 
 
 On the day of Pentecost the Spirit of God had been 
 poured out on the new Church; and with the Spirit 
 came a fulness of spiritual gifts as evidence of the new 
 life which so mightily stirred the Congregation of be- 
 lievers. These spiritual gifts were the clearest mark of 
 cleavage .between the Christians and the unbelievers, 
 showing that the souls of the Christians were mightily 
 stirred with aspirations of a higher nature. These gifts 
 and the expectation of Christ's speedy coming again to 
 judgment characterize the earliest. Church more markedly 
 than any Church of later date. "The Lord will soon 
 come again" and "we have the Holy Spirit,'' these are 
 the thoughts that sustained the earliest Christians in 
 time of trouble, and gave them the courage and the wish 
 to work for God's Kingdom. But even these things 
 could be misused and become a source of dissensions, 
 envy and fanaticism. This is what had happened in 
 Corinth, and it caused much irritation. They quarreled 
 over the question as to which of the spiritual gifts was 
 the greatest. Some held the gift of prophecy to be the 
 greatest; but the one gift which had the strongest party 
 of admirers was the gift of speaking in tongues. None 
 other was so much admired as the one who had this gift. 
 
233 
 
 No doubt the Congregation had in their letter asked 
 the apostle to instruct them in this matter also; and so 
 he takes up the question, and answers it at some length. 
 In this he has done the whole Church a great service. 
 He saved it from disintegration through ecstatic excite- 
 ment. The apostle holds fast that these gifts come from 
 the Spirit of God; but for all that they are dangerous 
 if put to a wrong use. 
 
 The Spiritual Gifts Are Gifts from the Spirit of God. 
 
 12 : 1-3. The difference between a heathen and a 
 Christian is this, that the heathen is led by the dumb 
 idols, while the Christian is inspired and guided by the 
 Holy Spirit. So much the Christians in Corinth know 
 of their own experience. The Christian is known in 
 this, that he confesses Jesus as the Lord. If he has 
 the testimony of the Holy Spirit he can not do other- 
 wise. With this statement the apostle lays the sure 
 foundation of his later argument. The unanimous con- 
 fession of all Christians shows that in all of them the 
 source of life is the Holy Spirit; and that the work of 
 the Spirit in the Churches has the one purpose: that 
 from everything, from all hearts and all lips, shall come 
 the confession, that Jesus is Lord. 
 
 There Are Diverse Gifts, but the Same Spirit and the 
 Same End in View. 
 
 12: 12-31. It is with the Church of Christ on earth 
 as with our body. This consists of many members. 
 Each member has its purpose. All are necessary. No 
 member can be lopped off without injury to the whole 
 body. When all the member work together the body 
 prospers and finds life enjoyable. 
 
 So it is also with the Church. It is the body of 
 Christ, and the Christians are its members. Each re- 
 
234 
 
 ceives his special gift and must use it for the benefit 
 of the whole body. But all shall try for the greatest of 
 all spiritual gifts. To this the apostle now wants to 
 point out the way. 
 
 The Greatest Spiritual Gift of All. 
 
 13: 11-13. The several spiritual gifts are good, and 
 it is well enough to desire them. But there is a still 
 better way of service in God's Kingdom ; and this way 
 may be found and followed by all Christians. This is 
 the bright and flowery way of love. It is better than 
 the gift of prophecy and speaking with tongues ; better 
 than the greatest knowledge, the strongest faith, the 
 most sure hope. Everything here on earth is imperfect 
 and incomplete; we can not see the innermost kernel of 
 things. But when everything is at last open before us, 
 there shall abide faith, hope, love, these three ; and 
 standing out in the brightest splendor of Heaven and 
 eternity is love. It is the greatest of all. 
 
 In this hymn to the praise of love the spirit of the 
 apostle has soared to heights unknown, as we some- 
 times find him doing. There is not in the world's litera- 
 ture anything to bear comparison with this inspired 
 "Love's Song of Songs." No other eye has looked so 
 deep into the heart of God as did the eye of Paul ; and 
 therefore these things could be better depicted by him 
 than by any other tongue or pen. How small every- 
 thing else seems! Strive to reach the greatest — Love! 
 
 Speaking in Tongues, and the Gift of Prophecy. 
 
 14: 1-25. Striving after love can well go hand in 
 hand with the striving after other spiritual gifts. And 
 the highest of these is the gift, of prophecy. It is not 
 true, as many in Corinth thought, that speaking in 
 tongues is the greatest. Paul gives the simple, plain 
 
235 
 
 words which all can understand a much higher place 
 than the incomprehensible speaking in tongues, which 
 many looked up to with admiration, regarding it as the 
 highest inspiration. 
 
 There is a wide difference between speaking in 
 tongues, as it was called, and prophecy. The man who 
 "spoke in tongues'' spoke to God, and none understood 
 what he said, unless some man at the same time re- 
 ceived the gift of interpretation and was thus able to 
 explain what was being said, and edify the others. The 
 gift of prophecy was something entirely different. The 
 "prophet" was inspired to speak in a way to be under- 
 stood by all. He received grace from God to reveal the 
 hidden thoughts of the heart, and God's thoughts of 
 mercy; and God opens the eyes of the prophet, that he 
 may see the meaning of the Scripture and of God's pro- 
 vidence. Thus the prophet may with divine authority 
 comfort, admonish and edify the Congregation ; so that 
 all, whether they belong to the Church or not, may 
 understand that here is revealed the power of God. The 
 speaking with tongues may be well enough, but the 
 speech of prophecy is much more to be desired. The 
 first is compared by Paul to the noise of a musical in- 
 strument which "gives not a distinction in the sounds." 
 It is speaking into the air, and means no more to the 
 hearers than if they heard a language of which they 
 had no knowledge. The man who speaks in tongues 
 has some sort of spiritual exaltation, but his sober judg- 
 ment has nothing to do with the matter. It is much 
 better, then, to pray to God, or sing his praise, in words 
 which all can understand, and by which they may be 
 edified. This is what Paul himself does. "I had rather 
 speak five words with my understanding than ten thou- 
 sand words in a tongue" which nobody understands. 
 The putting of too high a value on the gift of tongues 
 is childish. The Word of God wants to be spoken in a 
 
236 
 
 way to be understood. A stranger coming into a Con- 
 gregation in which all were given to this form of re- 
 ligious ecstacy, or frenzy, must regard them as demented. 
 But if they prophesy, his conscience will be touched, and 
 he will fall down and worship, declaring that God is 
 among you indeed. 
 
 Decorum in the Public Church Service. 
 
 14 : 26-40. The purpose of the service is edification ; 
 and the spiritual gifts are to be used with this purpose 
 in view, so that all things may be done decently and in 
 order. The speaking with tongues is to be limited to 
 not more than two or three persons; and if there is no 
 interpreter, it should be stopped. Two or three prophets 
 may speak, each in his turn, that all may be instructed 
 and exhorted. Good order must be maintained ; for God 
 is not a god of confusion, but of peace. Women are to 
 keep silence in the Churches. If they are inspired to 
 pray and prophesy, they may be given the opportunity 
 (11:5); but if they would learn anything, let them ask 
 their own husbands at home. In Corinth they had fol- 
 lowed another rule; but this could not decide the matter 
 for other Churches. People of spiritual discernment 
 should agree with the apostle in this matter. At any 
 rate, let them desire to prophesy, and not forbid to speak 
 with tongues ; only that all be done decently and in order. 
 
 7. THE RESURRECTION OP THE DEAD (15: 1-58). 
 
 Here we come to the last of the questions asked by 
 Corinthians. It concerns one of the most important 
 articles of the Christian faith, that dealing with the 
 resurrection of the dead. In the Congregation there 
 have been some whom this question has involved in dif- 
 ficulties. To many it was a stumbling-block. The doc- 
 trine concerning resurrection from the dead had not 
 
237 
 
 stood out clearly among the people of Israel. It is one 
 of the truths which did not come fully out into the light 
 till brought out by the resurrection of Christ. To the 
 Greek way of thinking, this doctrine was meaningless or 
 something to be laughed at (see verses 12 and 35). So 
 it is not strange that the Christians were sometimes 
 troubled with doubts. But this very dogma is especially 
 prominent in the preaching of Paul. Christian faith and 
 hope grow. in this soil; take it away, and they wither. 
 Paul, therefore, discusses this important matter soberly 
 and without reservation, in order that all may under- 
 stand that their faith and hope have a sure foundation. 
 
 Christ Dead and Risen Again. 
 
 15: 1—11. Paul first reminds the Corinthians that he 
 had always preached to them as the fundamental truths 
 of salvation: that Christ, died for our sins, that he was 
 buried, and was raised on the third day according to the 
 Scriptures. He had also told them that this was some- 
 thing on which they could firmly rely; for many men 
 and women had with their own eyes seen the risen 
 Savior; and many of these witnesses were still living. 
 Paul himself, also, can bear testimony to this truth. For 
 he also had seen Jesus ; and this sight had changed him 
 from a persecutor into a confessor of Christ. It can, 
 then, be no mere hallucination; it is something about 
 which all Christians are agreed. 
 
 // Christ is Not Risen, the Whole Christian Religion 
 Falls to the Ground. 
 
 15: 12-19. The resurrection of the dead must not be 
 denied; for such denial would be the same as a denial 
 that Christ was raised from the dead. But if this denial 
 were true, the preaching of the apostles would be a great 
 swindle. For the central idea of their preaching was 
 
238 
 
 Christ's death and resurrection. And the Christian faith 
 would be vain; there could be no forgiveness of sins. 
 Forgiveness depends on the death and resurrection of 
 Christ. If he is not risen, then they that have died in 
 faith in the crucified and risen Savior are now lost ; for 
 they believed a lie. And we who live are the most 
 pitiable of all men ; for we cling to a hope which does 
 not reach out beyond this present life. 
 
 Now Christ Is Risen; and Salvation Is Sure. 
 
 15:20-28. However, thank God, the doubters are 
 wrong; Christ is risen. And so all who believe in Him 
 shall rise also. It is certain that death came upon all 
 by the sin of Adam; and it is equally certain that all 
 who belong to Christ shall be made alive. With Adam 
 begins the long line of those who die. With Christ 
 begins the line of those who rise again, each in his own 
 order, till the last among them is saved. For Christ 
 shall not lose any of them that are His own. When 
 He shall have finished His work of salvation, and con- 
 quered the last enemy, which is death, He shall place in 
 God's hand that kingdom of grace in which God had 
 made Him Lord and King; and God shall then be all in 
 all. The love and glory of God shall shine upon and 
 bless the hosts of the saved in the New Heaven and the 
 New Earth. 
 
 In Their Habits of Life the Christians Show that They 
 Are Sustained by Their Faith in the Resurrection. 
 
 15 : 29-34. If there were no resurrection it would be 
 meaningless to follow the custom, which was common 
 in Corinth and other places, of letting one's self be bap- 
 tized for the dead; that is, for deceased brethren in the 
 faith. x\nd if there were no resurrection it would be 
 the greatest foolishness to submit to all those severe 
 
239 
 
 trials which afflict all who believe in Christ. Then it 
 were better to live after the heathen adage : Let us eat 
 and drink, for tomorrow we die. — The subject is of 
 prime importance; they may lose their souls if they 
 foolishly listen to the false and confusing talk concern- 
 ing this matter. They must awake to soberness in their 
 Christian life, and shun evil companionship. 
 
 The Body Which Dies, and the Body Which Is Raised 
 
 Again. 
 
 15:35-58. But just how is the resurrection of the 
 dead to be understood? One must guard against speak- 
 ing lightly of this deep truth. All nature here testifies 
 through a striking analogy. It is with us somewhat as 
 with the grain of corn; this is deposited in the earth, 
 and dies. But God gives it a new body, to each seed 
 a body of its own; of the wheat comes wheat. 
 There are also many different kinds of flesh, and dif- 
 ferent bodies, differing in glory. And all this is God's 
 creation. He can give us a body as it pleases Him, 
 and change it as He wills. This is evident in the resur- 
 rection of the dead. The circumstance that death de- 
 stroys our body has no bearing on the case; God gives 
 us a new body, incorruptible and glorified. The body 
 we now have is in the image of the first Adam ; in its 
 origin and nature it is of the earth. But the body which 
 God shall give us in the resurrection is in the image of 
 the Heavenly Adam, Christ, and is therefore a heavenly 
 and spiritual body. 
 
 Our earthly body of flesh and blood is corruptible, 
 and can therefore not have part in the incorruptible life 
 in God's Kingdom. Not only shall they who have died 
 before the coming again of Christ be raised with a new 
 and incorruptible body; but we also, who still live, shall 
 at the last trump be changed, and put on an incorruptible 
 body. Here again Paul soars to one of his must sub- 
 
240 
 
 lime heights. Triumphantly he looks beyond death and 
 the grave to the day when the corruptible shall put on 
 incorruption, and this mortal shall put on immortal- 
 ity. Then is God's great promise fulfilled : Death is 
 swallowed up in victory. Then sin also, the sting of 
 death, is forever done away with ; as also the Law, whose 
 barbs have entered deep into the tortured heart. Thanks 
 be to God, who gives us victory through our Lord 
 Jesus Christ. 
 
 The Christian must, then, stand steadfast against 
 every objection and doubt, and live a full Christian life 
 in the Lord's service. Work for the Lord shall never 
 fail to bear fruit. After the night of death comes the 
 glorious resurrection morning. 
 
 Conclusion and Grating (16). 
 Concerning the Collection for Jerusalem. 
 
 16 : 1-4. Finally the apostle here answers the last 
 question of the Corinthians, as to how they are to go 
 about the work of collecting money for the poor breth- 
 ren in Jerusalem. He gives them some pointers as to 
 the best procedure. 
 
 16 : 5-24. The apostle concludes the letter with the 
 announcement that he intends coming to Corinth as soon 
 as possible; and he bespeaks their good will for Tim- 
 othy. Apollos can not come to them at this time. The 
 apostle particularly asks the Congregation to do proper 
 reverence to Stephanus and his family, who have done 
 so much for the Church in Corinth. 
 
 Then follow a salutation and Paul's signature with 
 his own hand. At the very last, before the benediction, 
 Paul writes: "Maranatha." A comparison with Phil. 
 4: 5 suggests that this mysterious "Maranatha" probably 
 means: The Lord comes; or: The Lord is near. 
 
 The letter was written at Ephesus in the year 57. 
 
2 Corinthians 
 
 In regard to conditions in the Church during the 
 time elapsing between the sending of the two letters, 
 see Part I, pages 114-115. 
 
 THE PLAN OF THE TETTER. 
 
 I. Paul's apostolic office. 1-7. 
 
 II. The collection for the poor in Jerusalem. 8-9. 
 III. Defense and attack. 10-13. 
 
 1. PAUL'S APOSTOLIC OFFICE (1-7). 
 
 Superscription and Salutation. Affliction and Comfort. 
 
 1:1-11. The letter begins in the usual way, with 
 a superscription and a greeting (v. 1-3 ) ; and then fol- 
 lows: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord 
 Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all 
 comfort. 
 
 We see right here in the beginning that the heart, of 
 the apostle is filled with deep joy. In Ephesus he has 
 just lived through a time of heavy trouble; and he has 
 experienced that when the heart is racked with pain 
 the harp of joy is tuned again, that it may sound the 
 better. The child has been wonderfully helped and com- 
 forted by his heavenly Father. This fills his heart with 
 thanksgiving and praise. And he is especially glad to 
 have suffered for Christ's sake. The world hated and 
 persecuted Christ while he was on this earth; and that 
 is what they do who hate and persecute His disciples. 
 
242 
 
 Thus the sufferings of Christ are continued in the suf- 
 ferings which His disciples bear for His sake. To the 
 disciples there is wonderfully sweet comfort in this 
 thought. God has caused His apostle to be trained in 
 this school of suffering and comfort, that he might, learn 
 how to comfort others who suffer for Christ's sake. 
 
 In Ephesus the enemies of Paul had nearly taken his 
 life, but God saved him. Thus God had again shown him 
 that his life was safe in the keeping of his heavenly 
 Father. — Paul had also found great help and comfort in 
 the prayers of his brethren in the faith. 
 
 Now the Congregation in Corinth, also, had ex- 
 perienced what is meant by suffering for Christ's sake ; 
 therefore they are to have the same comfort. 
 
 It is a rich and warm heart which is revealed to us 
 in these words. Ten times the apostle here uses the 
 word comfort. He shows us a heart which has been 
 comforted by the Lord, and has ceased from troubling'; 
 and which now longs to help others who are afflicted 
 to find the same peace. 
 
 Charges Against the Apostle. 
 
 The apostle dwells on the thought of peace and com- 
 fort; and then he also remembers the strife and trouble, 
 which are always present. His enemies were all the 
 time busy with all sorts of charges against him, hoping 
 to ruin his character with the Congregation. The Juda- 
 ists were especially diligent in this. Now they had la- 
 bored with great zeal among the Corinthians, and, of 
 course, with some measure of success. There always 
 are people to believe those who speak ill of others. In 
 Corinth the apostle was charged with double dealing 
 and want of courage; he wrote one thing, and meant 
 something else ; and he postponed his coming, as he was 
 afraid to show himself in Corinth according to promise. 
 Paul had learnt of these charges, and he now answers 
 them. 
 
243 
 
 Dishonesty. 
 
 1 : 12-14. There is one thing, says the apostle, in 
 which he takes pride : He knows in his own heart that 
 he always had tried in the grace of God to lead a life 
 in holiness and sincerity ; and that he had not, as his 
 enemies charged, been actuated by any sordid motives. 
 Nor is there in his letters anything hid behind the plain 
 meaning of his words. There is nothing to be read be- 
 tween the lines ; and he hopes that the Corinthians will 
 more and more learn to understand this. On the Lord's 
 great day all shall see it. Then they who now do not 
 understand him, shall see that "we are your glorying, 
 even as ye also are ours." 
 
 Cowardice. 
 
 1 : 15-22. Xor need the Corinthians think it strange 
 that he had changed his route in coming to visit them. 
 He is not a man who is all the time changing his mind. 
 Of his gracious God and Father he has learnt that "yea" 
 should mean ''yea/' and "nay" should mean "nay." This 
 is right; as God has shown in Christ, whom Paul and his 
 friends have preached. For Christ was not yea and nay 
 at the same time. He is the yea and Amen of all God's 
 promises. And God has sealed us to Christ and given 
 us His Spirit, and placed His own stamp upon us. We 
 have His mark; and we are to be trusted. And God 
 gave us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. 
 
 The True Reason Why He Did Xot Come m Sooner. 
 
 1 : 23-2 : 4. Paul declares before God, that the only 
 reason for the postponement of his visit to the Cor- 
 inthians was his wish to spare them. He did not want 
 to give them the impression that he was a lord over 
 their faith. On the contrary, he wished to do every- 
 thing possible to make them happy; for they stood fast 
 
244 
 
 in the faith. He had no wish to cause them any grief. 
 It was with a heavy heart that he had written his former 
 letter to them ; that they might understand how he loved 
 them, and be able, before he came, to correct the abuses 
 of which he complained, and that their joy in meeting 
 one another might be the greater. 
 
 (There has been much discussion as to the identity 
 of the letter mentioned in 2:3; and the question will, 
 probably, never be definitely settled. Some scholars 
 assume that the letter referred to is chapters 10 to 13 
 of the Epistle here under consideration; while other 
 scholars hold that the letter referred to is one which 
 has been lost.) 
 
 A Case of Discipline, 
 
 2:5-11. There was a member of the Church in 
 Corinth who had caused the apostle and the Congrega- 
 tion much sorrow. We do not know who this man w^as, 
 nor w T hat he had done. It is reasonably certain that this 
 is not the man referred to in 1 Cor. 5 : 1 as being guilty 
 of incest. It is more probable that he was one who had 
 brought dissension into the Church by slandering the 
 apostle and his supporters. Paul had written to the 
 Congregation about this matter and asked them to put 
 a stop to the activities of this man ; and this the Congre- 
 gation had now done. Therefore they must now forgive 
 the offender, says the apostle, even as he, the apostle, 
 had forgiven him. Now they must let love rule, in 
 order that "no advantage may be gained over us by 
 Satan; for we are not ignorant of his devices." 
 
 Days of Anxiety. ' 
 
 2: 12-17. The apostle goes on to say that he came 
 to Troas to preach the Gospel, and all went well. But 
 he was troubled in mind; as Titus, whom he was ex- 
 pecting with a message from Corinth, did not come. So 
 
245 
 
 Paul went on to Macedonia, hoping to meet Titus ; and 
 there he at. last received the long-expected message. 
 (See Chap. 7.) — Thank God, who always gives us vic- 
 tory in Chirst. In every place where the Gospel had 
 been preached it had shown its power. To them that 
 received it in faith it brought salvation; to the others, 
 death. But what man is fit to do this work? Certainly 
 not one who corrupts the Word of God for his own 
 profit. But Paul has as the servant of Christ preached 
 the pure doctrine, such as God gave it to him. There- 
 fore God had so wonderfully blessed his labors. 
 
 The Ministry, Old and New. 
 
 3: 1-11. Do I write this in order to commend my- 
 self? asks the apostle. His enemies charged him with 
 being given to boasting. No, declares the apostle ; his 
 enemies may need some letters of recommendation, but 
 he does not. His recommendation is written in the 
 hearts of the Corinthians ; written there by the Spirit of 
 God. For through Paul's work they were become an 
 epistle from Christ to all men. Of himself he could 
 not have accomplished this ; but God had given him the 
 ability to be a minister of the New Covenant established 
 through Christ. And this ministration far exceeded in 
 glory that of the Old Covenant established through 
 Moses. For the letter of the Law, written on stone, 
 kills and condemns the man who tries to keep it. To 
 be sure, the Old Covenant also has a certain glory ; for 
 it is given of God. But its glory is as nothing com- 
 pared with that of the New Covenant; for the glory 
 of the old shall pass away (Romans 7). The same 
 holds true in regard to the ministry of the t.w r o cove- 
 nants. The new is engraved by the Spirit of God on 
 our hearts ; and by our ministration God works, not 
 death and condemnation, as did the Law, but life and 
 
246 
 
 righteousness. The glory of the New Covenant sur- 
 passes all other glory, and shall never pass away. 
 
 "Seeing We Have This Ministry, We Faint Not." 
 
 3 : 12-4 : 6. As ministers of the New Covenant we 
 may proceed with boldness; and we do not need, as did 
 Moses, a veil to hide the truth that the glory passes 
 away. This veil even now prevents Israel from under- 
 standing the Holy Scriptures of the Old Covenant. Not 
 until they turn to the Lord do they see that the Old 
 is replaced by the New Covenant in Christ. In the Old 
 was a trinity of the Law, the letter, bondage; in the 
 New it is Christ, the Spirit, liberty. Here we see with 
 unveiled face the glory of the Lord, as in a mirror suited 
 to the spiritual eye which we now have. And thereby 
 we are changed more and more by the Spirit into the 
 image of the Lord. 
 
 Thus, as the Lord's servants, we do not lose courage, 
 nor do we follow ways of craftiness. We do not cor- 
 rupt God's Word, but preach the truth as it is, and thus 
 win souls for Christ. The fact that not all accept the 
 Gospel need not surprise us; for the god of this world 
 has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that they may 
 not see the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, in 
 whom we see the image of God. Him we preach. God 
 has made His glory to shine into our hearts, in order 
 that we may let it shine on others. 
 
 The Glory of the Apostolic Office Compensates for All 
 
 Afflictions. 
 
 4 : 7-5 : 10. This glorious treasure is ours to keep, 
 says the apostle; but that we may ascribe the honor to 
 God, and not to ourselves, we are as earthen vessels ; 
 and furthermore we are pressed on every side by at- 
 
247 
 
 fliction and persecution. But we do not despair or lose 
 heart ; for that which we suffer we suffer for Jesus' sake. 
 He is the real object of the persecution; Him they 
 would put to death. But the only result of their efforts 
 is to make the eternal life of Jesus to be manifested in 
 us and in the Congregation. For as we suffer for Jesus' 
 sake, continues the apostle, so also for your sake; that 
 through your afflictions and our words the grace may be 
 multiplied, and cause thanksgiving to abound the more 
 to the glory of God. 
 
 Even if these afflictions cause our outward man to 
 decay, we do not lose courage; for the inward man is 
 renewed day by day. The affliction is light and but for 
 a moment, and is followed by an eternal weight of glory. 
 We do not look on the visible and temporal, but. on the 
 invisible and eternal things ; for we know that when 
 the earthly tabernacle of our soul is dissolved, God will 
 give us a new body, eternal, in the heavens. For this 
 we long when the troubles come upon us ; for we know 
 that we shall exchange this earthly life for a real life 
 in Heaven, and not, as is the heathen idea, for a life 
 which is but the shadow of a dream. 
 
 God, who has made us able to reach the glorious 
 goal, gives us the earnest of the Spirit. So we are of 
 good courage ; for we know. Here on earth we must be 
 satisfied to believe without seeing. We often wish that 
 we were already at home with the Lord. Therefore we 
 make it our aim to live in a way well-pleasing to Him. 
 Some time we must, before his judgment-seat, answer 
 for everything done in the body; and so will be decided 
 what the judgment shall be. 
 
 In this beautiful section of the letter, where every 
 line shows us the skill of a great literary artist in find- 
 ing gripping words in which to clothe his sublime 
 thoughts, the apostle lets us look into his heart. We see 
 a deeply emotional religious life, a spirit of resignation. 
 
248 
 
 a courage in affliction, a confident hope, such as is not 
 often seen. All for God! All for his fellow-men! 
 
 Self-Defense and an Explanation. 
 
 5: 11-21. Knowing that he is to answer before God 
 for everything, he is striving to win souls for the Lord, 
 says the apostle. This is known to God ; and also to the 
 members of the Church in Corinth, if these will but ask 
 their own conscience. Of this glory they can not rob 
 him; though this is more than can be said for his ene- 
 mies, who had wormed their way into the Church. If 
 he had been "beside himelf, ,, or had been in an ecstatic 
 mood, it had been unto God. But he had not, as his 
 enemies charged, boasted that his being given a special 
 commission made him the special friend of God on high. 
 And when we are sober-minded, continues the apostle, 
 it is for your sake. For the love of Christ constrains 
 us; who died and rose again for us all, to the end that 
 all may die unto themselves and live unto Him. There- 
 fore we no longer base our knowledge of people on 
 externals ; and even if I, before my conversion, did know 
 and judge Christ from such an outward viewpoint, I do 
 it no more. 
 
 No, if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; 
 the old things are passed away. But. all this is the work 
 of God; who in Christ has reconciled the world unto 
 Himself, in that He laid all the sin of the world on 
 Him, the innocent, that we in Him might be righteous 
 before God. And He has sent us as embassadors to 
 announce this good news to reconciliation to all the 
 world. Therefore we beseech all on behalf of Christ : 
 be ye reconciled to God. 
 
 Paul and the Church in Corinth. 
 
 6 : 1-7 : 16. Paul here continues : Truly, the apos- 
 tolic office is one of great honor, and God has given me 
 
249 
 
 this office among you. And the purpose of our preach- 
 ing has always been that you might accept the grace 
 which God gives you, and be blest by it; and we have 
 tried in everything to show that we are ministers of 
 God who go on with their work in spite of all afflic- 
 tions and anxieties; through evil and good report; as 
 deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well 
 know ; n ; as dying, and behold, we live ; as chastened, and 
 not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, 
 yet making many rich ; as having nothing, and yet pos- 
 sessing all things. 
 
 You have, he continues, a warm place in our heart, 
 you Corinthians. We have dealt openly and honestly 
 with you, and now you must do the same toward us. 
 Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers ; for believing 
 Christians can have no fellowship with unbelieving 
 heathens in their iniquity. God can no more dwell to- 
 gether with idols in a man's heart than Christ can 
 dwell with Satan. If we would inherit God's promises, 
 we must shun the wickedness of the unbelievers. 
 
 But you should open your hearts to us ; for we have 
 always tried to do you good. I have said to you be- 
 fore, that we are bound together in life and death. I 
 have great confidence in you, and I am not afraid to 
 glory on your behalf ; and in the midst, of our many 
 trials I still look confidently to the future. The reports 
 which Titus brought from Corinth were very comfort- 
 ing. He told me of your longing for me, your sorrow 
 over the pain which you had caused me, and your 
 earnest desire that all might again be well; so that I 
 rejoiced yet more. 
 
 Now, even if I made you sorry through the letter I 
 sent you, I do not repent of it; for it was a godly sor- 
 row, which works repentance unto salvation. Such re- 
 pentance brings no regret; but the sorrow of the 
 worldly-minded brings death. Your love for me has 
 
250 
 
 filled me with great joy. Titus, also, has come to love 
 the Congregation in Corinth. 
 
 2. THE COLLECTION FOR THE POOR IN JERUSALEM 
 
 (8-9). 
 
 The apostle here begins to discuss the collection in 
 which he is interested. He tells of the splendid rcord 
 made by the Churches in Macedonia, though they had 
 been in all sorts of trouble, and were very poor. And he 
 urges the Corinthians to show similar zeal in the -cause. 
 Titus is to encourage them in this matter. They must 
 not forget God's many benefits ; and the remembrance 
 of these should make them zealous in this labor of love. 
 Above all things they must keep Jesus before their eyes ; 
 who though rich bcame poor in order to make them 
 rich. So they must go to the work cheerfully, and finish 
 it to the best of their ability. 
 
 He is glad that the Congregation sent one of the 
 Christian brethren to him (verse 18 sqq.) ; for thus he is 
 guarded against any possible charge of dishonesty in 
 connection with the large charity fund. He wants to 
 have clean hands before God and men. 
 
 Let every man give, then, according to his means ; 
 for the Lord loves a liberal and cheerful giver. And 
 as these gifts were to relieve the distress of breth- 
 ren in the faith, the Corinthians would gladden the 
 hearts of these brethren also by showing them the 
 genuine Christian spirit of charity, and causing them 
 to thank God for the power of His Gospel everywhere. 
 Thus the bond of fraternal union will be the stronger. 
 
 3. DEFENSE AND ATTACK (10-13). 
 
 With cutting severity Paul here, in the closing chap- 
 ters of his letter, attacks his Judaistic opponents. With- 
 out mincing matters he shows up their double-dealing 
 
251 
 
 and hypocrisy. And with equal emphasis he defends 
 the truth of his preaching and his right to speak with 
 authority as the apostle of the Lord. And so the Cor- 
 inthians must choose whom they will follow. 
 
 The Attitude of Paul in This Fight. 
 
 10: 1-6. I entreat you, that you do not by your con- 
 duct compel me to use my full authority as an apostle 
 when I come to you. Thus the apostle introduces his 
 powerful plea in the pending controversy. It is the 
 trumpet-call to battle. It is not true, as his enemies 
 have asserted, that he is brave when at a distance, but 
 loses his courage when face to face with the danger. 
 He does not want to be unduly severe with those who 
 charge him with walking according to the flesh. It is 
 that that he walks in the flesh; but it is not true that 
 he employs other than spiritual weapons. Fleshly 
 weapons would have no value in a war of this kind. 
 No, his weapons are mighty before God to overcome 
 any strongholds which human ingenuity may seek to build 
 against the true knowledge of God ; and they are able even 
 to take the thoughts captive, and make them obedient ser- 
 vants of Christ. And Paul declares himself prepared to 
 punish those who continue to be disobedient after the obe- 
 dience of the Congregation has been fully reestablished. 
 
 Paul's Work Is His Witness. 
 
 10:7-18. If they would but look to that which is 
 before their face, they should have no difficulty in under- 
 standing on which side the truth is. Paul's opponents 
 are sure that they "are Christ's," and it is this, they 
 claim, which inspires their efforts. But then they should 
 in common fairness give him the benefit of the same 
 presumption. He might well boast of the power which 
 God has given him to build up the Congregation, and 
 not, like his opponents, to tear down what others have 
 
252 
 
 built; but he does not do it. For he does not want to 
 give his enemies any excuse for saying that he is bold 
 in his letters, but cowardly when with them in person. 
 He asks those who say this to take notice that he is con- 
 sistently the same when writing and when present with 
 them. But he does not pretend to be able to compete with 
 them in the art of boasting. They measure themselves 
 by their own yardstick, and compare themselves with 
 themselves ; in which they show a plentiful lack of sense. 
 No, he can not compete with them in boasting" of 
 himself. But he measures himself with the measure 
 which God had apportioned to him: That he might 
 reach Corinth with the Gospel. To this measure he 
 comes up, but does not go beyond it. He does not push 
 his way into another man's field of labor, nor does he 
 give himself credit for the work of others. And he 
 hopes to be equal to his duties in Corinth, in order that 
 he then may extend his efforts still farther toward the 
 west. To commend one's self profits nothing. But 
 when the Lord commends a man by prospering him in 
 his work, this is something really worth while. 
 
 Paul's Praise of Himself. 
 
 11: 1-15. Still, Paul says, they must put up with a 
 little foolishness from him also. For his soul burns with 
 godly zeal for them. He had hoped to present the Con- 
 gregation in Corinth as a pure virgin to the heavenly 
 Bridegroom. But now there seemed to be danger that 
 the crafty old serpent might destroy the Congregation 
 and lead them away from the simple faith in Christ. 
 For they willingly open the doors to any strolling 
 preacher who may come to them; without taking any 
 thought of the fact that these Judaistic exhorters come 
 with another Christ, another Spirit, and another Gospel 
 (Gal. 1:7). 
 
253 
 
 The apostle continues by saying with biting scorn, 
 that if there must be a comparison of men, he hopes not 
 to be a whit behind the very chiefest apostles. Even 
 though he be rude in speech, he surely has made it plain 
 to them that he was not absolutely ignorant of spiritual 
 matters. Or had he, perhaps, done wrong to preach the 
 Gospel to them without, being paid for it? He did not 
 wish to be a burden on them ; so he let the brethren 
 in Macedonia supply his necessities. They deserved 
 thanks for their liberality. He had acted out of love 
 for the Corinthians, God knows. And his purpose was 
 to continue to work without pay; so that those false 
 apostles, those deceitful workers, those servants of 
 Satan, who masked themselves as ministers of righteous- 
 ness, might be compelled also to work without pay. if 
 they wanted to boast, that they were Paul's equals. They 
 shall lie on the beds they themselves have made. 
 
 11:16-33. Even if it be foolish to boast, says the 
 apostle, he must be excused for doing it. For it does 
 seem as though the church members in Corinth, them- 
 selves so wise in their own conceit, have a weakness for 
 fools; they allow themselves to be enslaved, eaten, op- 
 pressed, slapped in the face, by these braggarts, who can 
 put forth nothing in which they excel. If there is to 
 be any competition in such childish amusement as boast- 
 ing, then the apostle may say that he, also, as fully as 
 any of them, is a Hebrew, an Israelite, a son of Abra- 
 ham, a servant of Christ. Yes, more truly than any of 
 the others; for none of these can show up anything 
 equalling Paul's experience. 
 
 On this subject the apostle grows violently and in- 
 dignantly eloquent. His anger because of the efforts 
 of these mischief-makers to destroy him and his Con- 
 gregations inspires him with a forceful eloquence which 
 is irresistible. 
 
 12 : 1-10. Now that he is touching on this theme, on 
 
254 
 
 which it is not profitable to dwell at any length, he must 
 mention briefly the visions and revelations which God 
 has given him. He, Paul, had been allowed to look 
 straight into God's Paradise; and there he heard and 
 saw things which it is not lawful for a man to utter. 
 This might, tempt one to boast. But in order that Paul 
 might not be great in his own conceit there had been 
 given him a thorn in the flesh. When he prayed three 
 times that he might be rid of it, he received the an- 
 swer: My grace is sufficient for thee; for my power is 
 made perfect when exercised through weak instruments. 
 Wherefore, says Paul, I glory in my weakness, that 
 nothing of my own may keep the power of Christ from 
 resting upon me. And I am of good cheer in every 
 affliction suffered for Christ's sake; for I know that 
 when I am weak, then am I strong. 
 
 This "thorn in the flesh" probably is a reference to a 
 painful disease of which the apostle often had violent 
 attacks, and which had a peculiarly depressing influence 
 on his mind. 
 
 12:11-21. The others have forced him into this 
 boasting, though he does not like it; the others should 
 rather have done the boasting of him. They knew very 
 well that he had done signs and wonders and mighty 
 works in their midst, thus proving himself one of the 
 Lord's apostles. There is only one thing in which the 
 Congregation in Corinth has been slighted : He had not 
 been a burden on them; a slight which he hopes- that 
 they will forgive him. Nor does he intend in the future 
 to take any money from them; neither he nor his mes- 
 sengers. What he has said here is not to be understood 
 as a defense. He is a servant of Christ, and has laid 
 all these matters in the hands of God. But all is to be 
 for the edification of the Corinthians, whom he tenderly 
 loves. However, he is afraid that the expected meeting 
 between them and him will not be exactlv such as thev 
 
^55 
 
 might wish. It looks as if God would humiliate him 
 through the dissensions and the wrangling in the Con- 
 gregation. Moreover, the apostle had been deeply 
 grieved by learning that many of those who had offended 
 by their immoral life had not yet repented and changed 
 their shameless conduct. 
 
 13: 1-10. As he has said beforehand; if conditions 
 are not improved before he comes, he will not spare the 
 Corinthians. They shall find that it is not the weak apostle 
 who is speaking; but that Christ himself, who sits at the 
 right hand of the Father, is speaking through his servant. 
 
 Now they must try their own selves, whether Christ, 
 is in them. The apostle earnestly hopes that he may not 
 be obliged to deal harshly with them. He could wish 
 to be weak, were they but strong. Therefore he now 
 writes to them; in order that when he comes to them, 
 he may be able to use the time in building up, and not 
 in tearing down. 
 
 13:11-13. The letter closes with a salutation and 
 hearty good wishes, and the benediction. 
 
 That was a hard fight which Paul had in the Church 
 at Corinth. His enemies, and especially the Judaists, 
 had been willing to use any means through which they 
 might hope to undermine his apostolic authority. What- 
 ever he said and did they managed to turn into weapons 
 against him. They would stoop to anything; falsehood 
 and slander and all sorts of secret schemes. But Paul took 
 up the gauntlet thrown down to him, and he won the vic- 
 tory. Titus had in this war been his active lieutenant. 
 
 Soon after writing this letter the apostle did visit 
 Corinth; and his stay in that Congregation seems to 
 have been peaceful and in every way satisfactory. The 
 letter to the Romans, which he wrote in Corinth, shows 
 him as one whose mind was at peace. 
 
 The present letter was, as we have seen, written from 
 Macedonia, though the particular place is not mentioned. 
 It was written in the year 57. 
 
The Letter to the Galatians 
 
 It appears from the superscription that this letter is 
 not addressed to any one Congregation, but is a circular 
 letter to the Christians of Galatia. Just where these 
 several Congregations were, and at what time Paul had 
 first visited them, are questions which have been much 
 discussed, but have not been answered. 
 
 In the fourth and the third century before Christ 
 great numbers of the Celts, living in western Europe, 
 went east and overran the peninsula of Greece. During 
 these plundering expeditions an army of the robbers, 
 twenty thousand strong, separated from the main force, 
 and under the leadership of thirteen chieftains they went 
 over to Asia Minor. As chief among the leaders are 
 mentioned Leonorios and Lucrarios. The army was 
 an army of brigands ; and they laid the lands waste with 
 fire and sword, until they were conquered and their 
 depredations stopped by the brave king Attalos I. of 
 Pergamus. They were then forced to retreat; and they 
 settled on the beautiful plain around the headwaters of 
 the rivers Halys and Sangarios in the central districts 
 of Asia Minor. 
 
 There were three separate branches of these Celts, 
 or Galatians. The territory was divided among them; 
 and they formed three kingdoms, each with its own 
 capital. In the course of time they were merged more 
 and more into one people; and they continued to have a 
 weakness for setting out on expeditions of plunder. 
 
 When the Romans made their way through Asia 
 
257 
 
 Minor they had little trouble in getting the upper hand 
 over the Galatians; but they let these keep their own 
 rulers and have political liberty, on condition that they 
 no longer follow their old trade as robbers. The Ga- 
 latian princes found it necessary to keep faith with 
 Rome; and Rome repaid them by giving them more 
 territory. Under king Amyntas, who had won the favor 
 of Caesar Augustus, Galatia had its borders extended to 
 embrace, besides Galatia proper, the countries of Pisidia 
 and Isauria and parts of Lycaonia and Pamphylia, Phry- 
 gia and Cilicia. After the death of Amyntas the whole 
 kingdom was made a Roman province, under the direct 
 rule of Rome, and an imperial propraetor was appointed 
 governor. He had his capital at Ancyra, and the whole 
 district received officially the name of Galatia. 
 
 During these two centuries in Asia Minor the orig- 
 inal national characteristics of the Galatians had grad- 
 ually disappeared, owing to the influence of the neigh- 
 boring Greeks. Thus at the time of Christ the old 
 Celtic language had died out; as may be seen by in- 
 scriptions dating from that time. 
 
 The religion of the Galatians had become identical 
 with that, of the Greeks and Romans. Thus there was 
 in Tavium a colossal statue of the god Zeus. Festivals 
 were held in honor of the Greek gods, and Galatian 
 women then acted as priestesses. In Ancyra the Gala- 
 tians had built a most splendid temple to the divine 
 Augustus and the goddess Roma. 
 
 It may be mentioned that there were in Galatia also 
 many Jews ; especially, according to Josephus, in the 
 capital Ancyra. They were in lively communication with 
 the Jews in Jerusalem. 
 
 Now, where are the Congregations to whom this 
 letter is sent? Some hold that they were in the Roman 
 province of Galatia, and think that the letter is intended 
 for the Churches of Antioch, in Pisidia, of Iconium, 
 
258 
 
 Lystra and Derbe, and other places visited by Paul on 
 his first missionary journey (Part I, p. 64-65). 
 
 Other scholars hold, that the people in these cities 
 hardly have been called "Galatians" as Paul addresses 
 them (Gal. 3), and think that the Galatians are the in- 
 habitants of Galatia proper, and that Paul came to this 
 part of Asia Minor for the first time on his second mis- 
 sionary expedition (Part I, p. 82-83). When he came 
 there, sickness obliged him to stay there quietly for a 
 time. He made use of this enforced vacation to preach 
 the Gospel, and his labor bore abundant fruit (Acts 
 16:6; Gal. 4:13 sq.). 
 
 On his third journey Paul came to this place for the 
 purpose of strengthening the brethren (Part I, p. 104 
 sq.). The Judaists had at that time begun their efforts 
 to destroy Paul's work; and the apostles impressed on 
 the brethren how dangerous it was to listen to these 
 false teachers (1:9; 4:16; 5:3). 
 
 When he had gone away the matter took a turn for the 
 worse. The Judaists became more active, and the results 
 to the Churches were most serious. Their loyalty began 
 to waver. It was to save the Church that Paul wrote 
 this letter, so full of vigorous determination to fight. 
 
 The Judaists had among the Galatians taken the po- 
 sition that righteousness was to be reached through the 
 Law; and that they must through circumcision be 
 grafted on to the Jewish people if they wished to be 
 joint heirs with them in the kingdom of the Messiah. 
 When God had given the Law, said they, it must have 
 been his purpose that it should be obeyed. For this very 
 reason Christ had come to the world. Christ had Him- 
 self put Himself under the Law and followed its pre- 
 cepts; and the same thing was true of the Congrega- 
 tion in Jerusalem. 
 
 In this manner they addressed the Galatians. who 
 still were young children in the Christian faith. 
 
259 
 
 The Galatians loved and admired their apostle; and 
 this bond must be severed before the Judaists could hope 
 to gain a foothold. So, in order that they might intro- 
 duce their doctrine, they tried first to undermine the 
 authority of the apostle. They contended that Paul was 
 not rightfully an apostle at all. Jesus had not called 
 him; and Paul had, in fact, never even seen the Savior. 
 So it could not be right to follow Paul in matters of 
 faith. 
 
 Thus it became necessary for the apostle to guard 
 these dear Congregations against the impending danger ; 
 therefore he sends them this circular letter. He points 
 out the injustice of the personal attacks made on him by 
 the enemy; and then he reminds the Galatians that both 
 his apostolic office and his preaching were endorsed by 
 the council of apostles and the Mother Church in Jeru- 
 salem. Finally he shows them, by proofs from the 
 Scriptures, the radical differences between his preaching 
 and the false doctrine of the Judaists. 
 
 THE PIvAN OF THE LETTER. 
 
 Salutation and introduction. 1 : 1-10. 
 I. Paul has received his apostolic office from God. 1 : 11-2: 21. 
 II. Christian liberty. 3-5:12. 
 III. The use and abuse of liberty. 5: 13-6: 10. 
 Conclusion. 6:11-18. 
 
 Salutation and Introduction (1 : 1-10). 
 
 1 : 1-5. As is the case of those already discussed, we 
 often find in Paul's letters the gist of the letter sum- 
 marized in the introduction; naturally enough, since 
 those are the thoughts which for the time are upper- 
 most in the writer's soul. The words are, of course, to 
 some extent colored by the impulses which for the mo- 
 
200 
 
 ment are stirring the heart. The introductory words are 
 therefore, as a rule, the key to the apostle's thoughts 
 and present state of mind. 
 
 This is especially striking in the case of the letter 
 now before us. 
 
 The efforts of his Judaistic enemies occasioned the 
 writing of this letter. They had done what seemed like 
 irreparable damage to the Churches of Galatia. 
 
 The apostle had more than once experienced that he 
 lived in an evil world. His whole life as a messenger 
 of Jesus Christ had been a life of ceaseless trouble. 
 When he had begun the work in a new place, and it 
 seemed to prosper, the billows of sorrow and adversity 
 were not far away. War and wounds had been his lot 
 and life. And back of nearly all his troubles stood the 
 fanatical Jews. They hated the apostle, and did every- 
 thing possible to bring ruin upon him. They incited 
 the Gentiles against him; they had no difficulty in mak- 
 ing fanatics of their own compatriots; and they forced 
 their way by hook or crook into his Congregations, and 
 there did their nefarious work. In the Galatian 
 Churches they had found a favorable field of operations, 
 and had been exceedingly active ; hoping that they might, 
 by slandering the apostle's character, prevent the spread 
 of his Gospel. 
 
 Their main argument was this: that Paul could not 
 rightfully be an apostle; for the other, real apostles re- 
 ceived their commission direct from Jesus, while He was 
 on earth. This was well known. And everybody also 
 knew that Paul had not been called in this way. He 
 had merely been sent by certain men. Therefore his 
 "free" Gospel could not be true; the Churches must 
 listen to the real apostles, and not give ear to this teacher 
 of false doctrines. 
 
 At the thought of what the Judaists had done, the 
 apostle loses patience; and we see his grief and indig- 
 
261 
 
 nation expressed in the very first words of this letter. 
 We feel that they contain a sting. 
 
 Paul here declares that he has received his apostolic 
 office of no man, directly or indirectly. He had been 
 given his commission from God the Father through the 
 Lord Jesus. When God had raised Jesus from the dead, 
 and Jesus had taken His seat at the right hand of the 
 Father, He had called Paul to be an apostle; and the 
 apostolic office of Paul was thus just as regular as that 
 of any other apostle. 
 
 Paul has submitted this letter to the Christians in 
 Ephesus, and they have endorsed it; and thus it is to be 
 regarded as coming from them also. 
 
 In the superscription Paul has defended his claim to 
 apostolic authority, and thus his divine commission to 
 care for his Church. In his salutation he now gives 
 them the kernel of his preaching : Grace and peace from 
 God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ; who gave 
 Himself to die for our sins, in order to deliver us out 
 of this evil world, even as the Father in His wisdom 
 had determined ; to whom be the glory for ever. Amen. 
 
 The Galatian Attitude of Uncertainty Toward the 
 
 Gospel. 
 
 1 : 6-10. Here is the joyful message of grace which 
 the apostle had brought to the Galatian Churches, and 
 they had received it in faith. It became their life and 
 comfort. Therefore it fills him with grief and surprise 
 to learn that they are so easily led to doubt and to turn 
 away from God, who had called them through the mes- 
 sage of grace in Christ, and to accept another gospel 
 than the one which Paul had preached to them. Albeit, 
 there is only one Gospel. Therefore, if any come with 
 another doctrine this is really nothing but an attempt to 
 distort the Gospel of Christ. And this is the greatest 
 possible sin. If anyone preaches another gospel, even 
 
262 
 
 though he be an angel from heaven, let him be accursed. 
 Now, does it seem to the Galatians that Paul here 
 was writing like one to whom the most important thing- 
 was to win the favor of men? This was one of the 
 charges made against, the apostle by the Judaists. — Was 
 Paul seeking the favor of men, or of God? If it were 
 the purpose of his life to gain the favor of men, he 
 would not be the servant of Christ. As a messenger 
 from Christ he must say that which Christ had told him 
 to say, no matter whether men liked it or not. 
 
 I. PAUL HAS RECEIVED HIS APOSTOLIC OF- 
 FICE FROM GOD (1:11-2:21). 
 
 His Apostolic Calling Is of God, Not of Man. 
 
 1 : 11-24. The situation in the Churches of Galatia 
 makes it necessary for the apostle to defend himself and 
 his preaching against the attacks of the Judaists. And 
 he does this by the simple method of telling the history 
 of his life, in order that every unprejudiced person may 
 judge for himself as to the merits of the controversy. 
 
 When he is able to speak with such assurance con- 
 cerning his Gospel, — as he does in v. 8 and 9, — declar- 
 it to be the only true Gospel, the reason is this, that he 
 knows beyond the least shadow of doubt that this Gos- 
 pel is not of human invention. Paul has not invented 
 it; nor has he received it of other men. It has been 
 revealed to him by Jesus Christ Himself. In this re- 
 spect Paul stands on the same footing with the other 
 apostles. Jesus revealed Himself to him; the first time 
 on the road to Damascus, when Jesus appeared to him, 
 and told him what he was to preach ( 1 Cor. 1 1 : 23 ; 
 15:3,4). 
 
 Paul submits that all who are acquainted with his 
 life must understand that no man could have induced 
 
263 
 
 him to believe in Christ. Before his conversion he was 
 the most fanatical of all Jewish fanatics. The goal of 
 his life was to exterminate the Christian Churches; so 
 he became the worst among the many who persecuted 
 the Christians. He saw clearly that the victory of 
 Christianity meant the death of Judaism; and so there 
 must be a fight to the bitter end. How could, then, any- 
 body think that one of these Christians, whom he so 
 cordially hated and despised, could induce him to become 
 a Christian? And yet — just as he was carrying on his 
 persecution of the Christians with the most senseless 
 zeal, the change suddenly came on him. No man could 
 have stopped him ; none but God could do it. The risen 
 Savior had met him on the way near Damascus. The 
 scales then fell from his eyes ; and all at once the funda- 
 mental fact stood revealed: Jesus is risen, and lives. 
 This fact sheds new light on the death and the teaching 
 of Jesus. Then came to Paul the change of heart ; and 
 he now saw T Christ by the bright light of God. Through 
 this revealing of Jesus, Paul had been called of God to 
 the apostolic office. Now Paul saw clearly that God had 
 far other plans with him than any of w T hich he himself 
 could dream. While Paul was yet unborn God had 
 chosen him to go out as a missionary with the Gospel 
 to the Gentiles. 
 
 Thus it had come about that Paul confessed the faith 
 which he had persecuted, and which to that moment he 
 had sought utterly to destroy. Such a change is not the 
 work of man; it was brought about by God himself. 
 God called him to be an apostle, and God gave him the 
 Gospel. 
 
 From this moment of his conversion three things 
 became clear to him : He was a new man ; he had a new 
 purpose in life ; he had been entrusted with a new mes- 
 sage. Everything from God. And when Paul saw that 
 this was God's will he determined in his own mind that 
 
264 
 
 he would preach only that which God told him to preach. 
 God must Himself give him the needed instruction. So 
 Paul conferred with no man. He let himself be baptized 
 by Ananias in Damascus; but he received no instruction 
 from Ananias, nor from any other man. 
 
 Had Paul wanted any endorsement or any guidance 
 from others, he would, as a matter of course, immedi- 
 ately after his conversion have gone to the Mother 
 Church in Jerusalem, to meet the older apostles and re- 
 ceive instructions from them. But this was the very 
 thing which he did not do. No man should meddle with 
 the history being enacted in the soul of Paul. Therefore 
 he went to the desert of Arabia) that he might study 
 the matter undisturbed, and learn to see clearly and ex- 
 actly what it was the will of God that he should do. 
 Then he returned to Damascus and began his labors as 
 an apostle, preaching that Jesus was the Son of God 
 (Acts 9:20-22). So far no man had anything to do 
 with Paul's apostleship and his preaching. 
 
 In order that he might not appear to be in any way 
 dependent on the Church and the apostles in Jerusalem, 
 he purposely kept away from that city for three whole 
 years. Then at last he went to Jerusalem, and stayed 
 there fifteen days. The purpose of his visit was not to 
 secure any sort of endorsement of his office and his 
 preaching, but to become personally acquainted, es- 
 pecially with the apostle Peter. During this visit he was 
 the guest of Peter. But during these two weeks there 
 could not, of course, be time for any sort of instruction. 
 He became acquainted also with James, the Lord's 
 brother. The other apostles seem to have been absent 
 on their travels. 
 
 This is the true and the whole history of this visit. 
 So Paul solemnly declares before God. And when the 
 Judaists tell another story they do not tell the truth. 
 
 Paul's stay in Jerusalem was brought to a sudden 
 
265 
 
 close. His enemies conspired to kill him, and he was 
 compelled to leave the city. He then went to Syria and 
 Cilicia and there preached the Gospel. But the Jewish- 
 Christian Churches in Palestine did not know Paul per- 
 sonally, as he was entirely independent of them. That 
 which they knew of him and his work was only that 
 which had been reported to them. But. these reports 
 caused their hearts to swell with joy. They glorified 
 God for that the former persecutor of the Christians 
 now confessed the faith which he had formerly wanted 
 to destroy. 
 
 The Conference of Apostles in Jerusalem. 
 
 2 : 1-10. Then fourteen years pass by. The apostle 
 says nothing about those years, as they had no bearing 
 on the present case. But then was held that conference 
 in Jerusalem of which his enemies had tried to make so 
 much of a story. So now he wants to make a statement 
 of the actual facts. During these fourteen years Paul 
 had worked as a missionary and founded a number of 
 Gentile-Christian Churches without any aid whatever 
 from the Church or the apostles in Jerusalem. He had 
 stood absolutely independent in his missionary work. 
 So it was not for his own sake, or for the sake of his 
 work, that he went up to Jerusalem. Nor had any man 
 told him to come. But the Church in Antioch had 
 wanted him to do in order to bring about a settlement 
 of the controversy raised by the Judaists on account of 
 their demand that the Gentile-Christians should be cir- 
 cumcised. For his own part Paul did not need any de- 
 cision in this matter from the Church or the apostles in 
 Jerusalem; for in his mind there was no doubt. He 
 showed this by taking with him his co-laborer Titus, 
 who was an uncircumcised Greek ; he was living evidence 
 that circumcision was not practiced in Paul's Mission 
 Churches. Paul did not wish to go to Jerusalem before 
 
260 
 
 receiving a plain sign from God; for he knew how his 
 opponents would misconstrue his action. But when 
 God revealed Himself to him, and said that he was to 
 go, he at once went. Barnabas and Titus, who were 
 with him, could testify to the truth of his statement. 
 
 In the conference which then was held Paul laid be- 
 fore the Church, and particularly before the apostles 
 present as being highest in authority, the Gospel which 
 he had preached to the Gentiles ; and he asked for a 
 positive statement from them as to whether he had or 
 had not been running in vain. Had his work been right, 
 and for the salvation of the Gentiles? This question and 
 nothing else was discussed at the conference. 
 
 And the victory of Paul was complete; not even 
 Titus was urged to allow himself to be circumcised. 
 
 But the Judaists, these omnipresent false brethren, 
 were in Jerusalem also ; and they did everything in their 
 power to destroy the liberty of the Gentile Christians 
 and place the yoke on their necks. However, they had 
 only their labor for their pains. Paul stood firm on the 
 truth of the Gospel, and did not yield an inch. Any 
 compromise with the Judaists was out of the question. 
 But for the sake of the Church he could make the con- 
 cession, that his Gentile Christians were to keep away 
 from certain things which were especially offensive to 
 the Jews; for such a concession was not a yielding up 
 of Christian liberty, but merely an act of Christian love. 
 The plain truth is, that instead of being in any way en- 
 dorsed by the conference, the Judaists suffered a crush- 
 ing defeat. 
 
 With regard to the men of greatest repute among 
 the apostles, whom Paul's enemies exalted in order to 
 humiliate him the more, it makes no matter to him how 
 great they were, says Paul; "God accepteth not man's 
 person." The important thing is, that they had nothing 
 to say against his work. Quite the reverse; they fully 
 
267 
 
 approved of it. They saw that God had called Paul to 
 preach the Gospel to the Gentiles, even as Peter was to 
 preach it to the Jews; and James, Peter and John, re- 
 garded as the foremost men among the apostles, ex- 
 tended to Paul the right hand of fellowship. 
 
 Paul Opposes Peter. 
 
 2: 11-21. Paul has never recognized these men or 
 any others as having authority over him. He could 
 not ; for they had no such authority. He was absolutely 
 independent of them; he had received his office and his 
 doctrine from God. His independent position was 
 brought out clearly when he felt himself forced to op- 
 pose and take to task even the apostle Peter himself. It 
 happened in this wise : 
 
 Peter — the rock — the foremost of the apostles, cam^ 
 on a visit to Antioch. At first he freely associated with 
 the Gentile Christians, adopting for the time being their 
 manner of living. God had in Jaffa shown him (Acts 
 10) that, the rules of the Mosaic law corcerning clean 
 and unclean animals did not apply to the Gentiles who 
 became Christians. When Peter had spent some little 
 time in Antioch there came to him some messengers 
 from Jerusalem. They were adherents of James — the 
 righteous, as he was called — and belonged to the more 
 strict sect of Jews, and their view of the situation was 
 different from that of Peter. They held that Peter had 
 gone too far in yielding to the Gentile converts ; and he 
 was not strong enough to be uninfluenced by their repre- 
 sentations. He felt less sure of his ground, and with- 
 drew from the Gentile brethren and their more liberal 
 Pauline customs. Then there was great confusion in the 
 Church. People naturally looked up to Peter with the 
 greatest reverence; and they did not now know just 
 what to think. Even Barnabas, Paul's close friend and 
 co-laborer, began to waver. It goes without saying that 
 
268 
 
 the situation was critical. If this noxious weed were 
 not nipped in the bud, it would grow up to choke the 
 Congregation. 
 
 When Paul came to the city and saw the sad trouble 
 which the unmanly and hypocritical conduct of Peter 
 had brought upon the Congregations, he was filled with 
 indignation. So he called a meeting, and there set forth 
 only his complaints against Peter. Paul pointed out 
 to Peter how unreasonable he was in trying to force the 
 Gentiles to conform to the precepts of the Law, which 
 did not at all apply to them. 
 
 It is probable that Peter tried to defend his action 
 in going over to the more strictly Jewish party by urging 
 that he himself, being a Jew by birth, had no right to 
 ignore the precepts of the Law, and that these were 
 binding on him, even if they were not binding on the 
 Gentiles; he must keep to his own people. 
 
 At the meeting this or a similar statement by Peter 
 gave Paul the chance to show him, without mincing- 
 matters, how indefensible his position of uncertainty 
 was, and what the result of this w r avering attitude must 
 be for Peter himself and for all other Christians. Here 
 was not a mere difference of opinion concerning non- 
 essentials, but a radical disagreement touching the very 
 foundations of the faith. Peter's attitude would deny 
 and reject the grace of God unto salvation in Christ. 
 Peter was now tearing down that which he himself had 
 built up; to become righteous in the sight of God he 
 was leaving the way of faith and putting his trust in 
 the works of the Law. 
 
 The settlement which here took place of the contro- 
 versy between Paul and Peter is one of the most im- 
 portant single events in the history of God's Kingdom. 
 Here there is for the first time presented a clear state- 
 ment of the wide distinction between the Old and the 
 New Covenant, between Judaism and Christianity. Here 
 
269 
 
 are brought to the front those fundamental truths which 
 Paul later on outlines with such wonderful clearness in 
 his letter to the Romans. Here we have the meat of 
 them in a few strong words. However, the contem- 
 poraries of the apostle were not able fully to grasp the 
 mighty meaning and great depth of his Gospel. The 
 storm in Antioch was stilled; but the wavering attitude 
 of Peter had its aftermath, and was the cause of trouble 
 long after the death of both Peter and Paul. In fact, 
 it lay as a cloud upon Christendom for 1,400 years; 
 until Paul's greatest disciple, our own Church Father 
 Martin Luther, again placed the Pauline Gospel in the 
 candlestick and let it shine brightly as the light of God's 
 Church on earth. 
 
 This wavering between the way of the Law and the 
 way of grace has recurred again and again. There 
 have been many movements toward a more strict bond- 
 age under the Law. They have appeared under new 
 forms, but have had their roots in the same old opposi- 
 tion to the Gospel of free grace. And every Christian 
 has felt this opposition in his own life. There is, how- 
 ever, but one Gospel which give peace to the heart; the 
 Gospel of free grace according to St. Paul. 
 
 The great central idea of Paul in the settlement of 
 this controversy with Peter is expressed in the words : 
 I live in faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and 
 gave Himself up for me. — If that is clear, everything 
 else is clear also. This is the deep undercurrent in the 
 w T hole religious life of Paul, and on it is carried his view 
 of the salvation in Christ. This is the innermost kernel 
 of the Christian religion. 
 
 Paul begins his argument to Peter in this wise : Both 
 of us are by birth Jews', and thus we have from our 
 birth belonged to God's chosen people, to whom He has 
 given His promises and blessing (Romans 2: 17; 3:2). 
 As true Jews we led an upright life according to the 
 
270 
 
 Law. Like other men we were sinners ; but we were not 
 "sinners" in the sense in which the term is applied to the 
 Gentiles. These Gentiles led a life of idolatry, godless- 
 ness and the most, abominable vices (Romans 1 : 18-32). 
 This we did not do ; and if any could be saved by 
 works, it should have been we. Yet we are the very 
 ones who have found that we must seek salvation 
 through means entirely different from this. Our eyes 
 were opened, and we saw that it was impossible to be^ 
 come righteous before God by keeping the Law. We 
 had tried it, but it could not be done. And it was given 
 us to see that the righteousness which we never could 
 earn by keeping the Law, that righteousness was to be 
 had as a free gift of God through faith in Christ and 
 His atonement for us. When this was made clear to us 
 we in faith laid hold on Christ, in order that we might 
 on this foundation stand as justified before God ; and in 
 this matter the deeds of the Law were of no account 
 whatever. Any suggestion of their merit in this place 
 would mean that we are trying to make ourselves right- 
 eous by our own works. But we can not reach the goal 
 in this way, for no man can fulfil the Law's demands. 
 The Law makes all men to be transgressors, and con- 
 demns them. So that way of obtaining righteousness 
 was closed to us. 
 
 But when we thus resigned every thought and ef- 
 fort to obtain righteousness before God by fulfilling the 
 Law, and turned in faith to Christ, then we showed by 
 the very act of seeking our righteousness in Him, that 
 we did not have it in ourselves, but were sinners, as are 
 all others. Thus, even though we were not "sinners" 
 like the heathen, we were condemned and powerless, 
 with no means of helping ourselves to become righteous 
 before God. No other way of salvation w T as open to us 
 than that open to the heathen: The faith which accepts 
 the grace of God in Christ. 
 
271 
 
 But. do we not by this teaching make Christ the min- 
 ister of sin ? 
 
 This was the steady complaint of the Judaists against 
 Paul. They said that in teaching the impossibility of 
 coming into right relations with God by obeying the 
 Law, he in effect abrogated the Law entirely. And when 
 Christ, according to Paul's teaching, gave righteousness 
 as a gift to persons living in sin and doing nothing to 
 obtain it, this was equivalent to declaring people right- 
 eous who were not righteous in fact. Instead of taking 
 sin seriously, and punishing it, and demanding of people 
 that they live a righteous life according to the Law, 
 Christ, as presented by Paul, seemed to be at the service 
 of sinners, and to smooth over their sin with His right- 
 eousness; and thus the most upright Jew would seem 
 to be no. better in the sight of God than the most wicked 
 heathen. Can this be good doctrine? asked they. Paul 
 made Christ out to be the minister of sin, the friend of 
 publicans and sinners. 
 
 Paul repudiates this idea. Xo, he says, but if I, like 
 the Judaists, "build up again those things which I de- 
 stroyed, I prove myself a transgressor/' When they 
 through Baptism became members of Christ's Church, 
 they discarded their old doctrine concerning righteous- 
 ness by the deeds of the Law. Had they been able to 
 save themselves by their own works, they would not have 
 needed Christ. By joining the Christian Church they 
 had broken with the old ideas of the Law ; and now 
 they are beginning to rebuild the broken-down structure, 
 teaching that one must obey the Law in order to be- 
 come righteous before God. Thus they really admit that 
 they committed a sin when they gave up the attempt to 
 earn righteousness, and accepted it as a free gift of 
 God. It is they, and not Paul, who are transgressors 
 and make Christ a minister of sin. The apostle could 
 
272 
 
 never have been guilty of such inconsistency; first to 
 leave a way, and then return to it Never! 
 
 I could not act in that way, says the apostle. I am 
 not a transgressor in that sense. It is the Law itself 
 which has forced me to go the way which I have gone ; 
 which forced me to accept Christ, that I might in Him 
 find the righteousness which it was beyond my own 
 power to reach. And this was the very purpose of the 
 Law. The Law put me to death (Romans 7: 10 sq.), 
 showed me my utter inability to keep the commandments, 
 and showed me my own sin (Romans 3:20). But the 
 Law did not. help me to keep the commandments, nor did 
 it give me forgiveness of sins ; and it was even more 
 impossible that the Law could make me righteous be- 
 fore God. It would not give me any of these things ; 
 for it could not, and should not. It was the purpose of 
 the Law to bring not life, but death. "Through the Law 
 I died unto the Law" ; and the Law has nothing to do 
 with one who is dead ; when it has killed him its work 
 with him is done. But the purpose of God in all this is 
 that I might live unto God. 
 
 Through Baptism I was crucified with Christ, and 
 became partaker of the righteousness which is of grace, 
 and which Jesus earned for me by His death of atone- 
 ment on the cross. His death was my death. But when 
 I thus became partaker of the grace which Christ 
 earned by His death on the cross, there was also some- 
 thing in me which was crucified. That was "the old 
 man" (Romans 6:6; Gal. 5:24) with its sinful lusts. 
 And the result of this crucifixion is that "I" no longer 
 live, but that Christ lives in me. To accept the right- 
 eousness in Christ means to break with the old life in the 
 flesh. One can not at the same time have the grace of 
 God and live in sin. The life of Christ was to do the 
 will of God. Thus when Christ lives in me, my life 
 becomes a life unto God. Still, the circumstance that 
 
273 
 
 Christ lives in me does not change the fact that here on 
 earth I always have the "flesh," the weak and sinful 
 human nature. This is the great change which came 
 upon me when I became a Christian, that I now live in 
 the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, 
 and gave Himself up for me. When I believe in Jesus- 
 I live unto God. 
 
 After this statement the apostle summarizes it: 
 Now, do I make Christ a minister of sin? Do I despise 
 the grace of God? No, it is not / who do this; but 
 the Judaists, who again want to burden the Christians 
 with the yoke of the Law. I will not abandon my way 
 of grace, and of righteousness through faith, and fol- 
 low the Judaists. That would be to make void the grace 
 of God. For if righteousness were to be had by obe- 
 dience under the Law, we could help ourselves, and 
 would have no need of Christ. Then had Christ, died 
 on the cross for nought; He had died absolutely to na 
 purpose. 
 
 In this strong statement the apostle has thus pre- 
 sented the very fundamentals of Christianity. Our re- 
 lations to God can not be built on the loose sand of our 
 own works, but must stand on the foundation which 
 God has laid in Christ. And all vital morality is 
 grounded in our communion with God in Christ. I live 
 my life in faith on the Son of God, who died for me; 
 and thus I live unto God. The distinction between the 
 way of the Law and the way of the Gospel has never 
 been put more plainly into words. God had set Paul 
 the task of lighting up this particular domain, where 
 there are so many pitfalls, and where even Peter made 
 a false step. 
 
 Though Peter thought otherwise, there is no com- 
 promise possible between the view of Paul and that of 
 the strictly Jewish Christians. Paul's statement stands, 
 for all time as a guidepost for the Christian Church. 
 
274 
 CHRISTIAN LIBERTY (3: 1-5: 12). 
 
 Paul has now confuted the slanders of the Judaists, 
 and shown that in his office as an apostle of the Lord he 
 was wholly independent of the other apostles. And then 
 he has defended the truth of his Gospel as the only 
 teaching in full harmony with God's gracious plan of 
 salvation. 
 
 Now, there was in Paul's teaching especially one 
 point with which his opponents found fault, and that was 
 his doctrine concerning Christian liberty. To the Juda- 
 ists this doctrine seemed a denial of all religion. It 
 was blasphemy, and it meant the throwing away of 
 everything which God had given to his chosen people 
 through Moses and the prophets ; it was contempt for 
 God, and an insult to his people. And, as Paul was 
 made to feel, the Jew is a fanatic in that which touches 
 the national religion. 
 
 Not by the Works of the Law, but by the Message of 
 Faith the Galatians Received the Holy Spirit. 
 
 3: 1-5. That which is true of the other points con- 
 cerning our relations with God, holds good in regard 
 to the question of religious liberty also : It can not be 
 rightly understood unless it is seen in its connection with 
 Christ and faith. These form the groundwork of the 
 apostle's explanation of the principles of Christian lib- 
 erty. To the apostle this doctrine is the very apple of 
 his eye. It is a necessary inference from the doctrine 
 of justification by faith. One must not muddle the doc- 
 trine of justification by dragging into it the works of the 
 Law; and so it is also with the question of Christian 
 liberty. By confusing the doctrine of justification with 
 the keeping of the Law the Judaists robbed the Chris- 
 tians of their certainty in regard to their state of grace: 
 and in like manner they robbed people of their Christian 
 
275 
 
 liberty. These truths the apostle had all the time been 
 preaching with all the force of his fervent soul and his 
 keen mind. Therefore the wavering attitude of the 
 Galatians grieved and disappointed him. His troubled 
 state of mind is strikingly revealed in the series of terse- 
 questions put to them. The questions strike down among 
 them like flashes of lightning from the lowering thunder- 
 clouds. 
 
 He addressed them as "foolish Galatians." He can- 
 not understand how people who have heard what they 
 have heard, and have had their experience, can have let 
 themselves be so easily led into the snares of the Juda- 
 ists. To be sure, his Judaistic enemies are cunning de- 
 ceivers; but the Galatians should not have been such 
 easy prey, allowing themselves to be cheated of their 
 evangelical liberty, and to be led into bondage under 
 the Law. They must have been bewitched. The Gospel 
 which Paul had preached to them had left no room for 
 any misunderstanding of its meaning. The apostle could 
 boldly declare that before their eyes ''Jesus Christ was 
 openly set forth crucified" Christ crucified was at all 
 times the apostle's one great theme. It was the picture 
 which his teaching had continually painted before the 
 eyes of his hearers. Earnestly and vividly he had de- 
 scribed to them the crucified Savior as the only way of 
 salvation. They must have understood that there was 
 here no room for any salvation through their own works. 
 Nothing but the atonement of Christ, received through 
 faith, could lead them to God in Heaven. 
 
 Not only had Christ been thus painted before their 
 eyes by the apostle, who preached to them the plain 
 gospel truths, but they had been further taught by their 
 own spiritual experiences. Should not these have kept 
 them free from these dangerous Judaistic errors? They 
 had received the Holy Spirit as earnest of God's power 
 and their salvation; and miracles had been wrought. 
 
276 
 
 among them, showing that here was a power greater 
 than any power of man. This every one of them knows ; 
 and there is not one among them who in answer to the 
 apostle will declare that it was obedience under the Law 
 which helped them to accept the Spirit, and which caused 
 the miracles to be wrought in their midst. Far from it. 
 When the way of faith was preached to them as the 
 only way of salvation, and they accepted this Gospel of 
 grace, then they received the Spirit, and miracles were 
 worked among them. 
 
 The apostle then fires one question after the other 
 at them. He asks if they really have gone so far in their 
 foolishness, that they, who had begun in the Spirit, now 
 wish to finish in the flesh. It was by the work of the 
 Spirit that they began their life as Christians ; and they 
 did not then build their hopes of salvation on anything 
 of the flesh, anything of their own, any outward ful- 
 filment of the Law. No, they began in the Spirit, in 
 faith, accepting the salvation in Christ as a free gift of 
 God's grace. But now r it seems that they want to build 
 and finish their Christian estate "in the flesh," turning 
 aside to follow the way of the Law and its w 7 orks, cir- 
 cumcision, and the like fleshly things. It would be easy 
 to see the inconsistency of such conduct. 
 
 Another question: Can it be possible that all their 
 experiences have been to no purpose? If they end "in 
 the flesh," these Christian experiences will have done 
 them no good. Paul loved his erring brethren too much 
 to believe that such is to be the end ; that which he and 
 they have lived together can not have been in vain. 
 When he now has explained these matters to them again, 
 and the brethren have had time to think it over, they 
 w r ill, he makes no doubt, return to the good old paths 
 of God's gracious mercy. 
 
/ 7 
 
 The Way of Faith is the Only Way Which Leads to 
 Salvation, as Shown by the Example of Abraham. 
 
 3:6-14. The "Spirit," not the "flesh," is the impor- 
 tant thing in God's Kingdom, as always has been the 
 case. But now the Judaists are trying to seduce the 
 Galatians into thinking that the "flesh," the externals 
 of religion, is the thing of prime importance ; that none 
 can be justified before God except through the deeds 
 of the Law ; that to become a child of God, one of the 
 children of Abraham, one must by circumcision be made 
 a member of the Jewish people. The Judaists wish to 
 make a carnal matter of that zi'Jiich God wants to be a 
 spiritual matter. They were all the time boasting that 
 they were the true children of Abraham, and that they 
 had the Law and the promises ; the Gentiles could come 
 to God only by becoming Jews. 
 
 Now let us see what God says about this matter, 
 continues the apostle ; see how it came about that Abra- 
 ham was justified. There is no mistaking the words of 
 Scripture: Abraham was justified in exactly the same 
 way as were the Galatians. In Genesis 15:6 it is de- 
 clared in plain words that Abraham believed God, and 
 it was counted to him for righteousness. To be right- 
 eous means, then, to have been counted as such, or that 
 God has declared one to be righteous. And He does 
 this in the case of such as believe. God did not look to 
 Abraham's deeds, but to his faith, when declaring him 
 to be a righteous man. So it was when the Galatians 
 became righteous. They had not tried to wipe out their 
 sins by doing the deeds of the Law, but they believed 
 what God told them of grace in Christ Jesus ; and then 
 God no longer counted or treated them as sinners, but 
 as being righteous. 
 
 So it was not his "flesh," but his faith which caused 
 Abraham to be counted as righteous ; and it follows, 
 despite the assertion of the Judaists to the contrary, that 
 
278 
 
 it can be nothing of the "flesh" which causes one to be 
 counted a son of Abraham. No, it is faith) for right- 
 eousness and sonship go together. 
 
 And God, who knew, and in his wisdom had fore- 
 ordained, that He would grant the grace of justification 
 to Gentile believers also, announced the good news to 
 Abraham, saying: In thee shall all peoples be blest. 
 He says not a word of the Law, or circumcision, or any- 
 thing "fleshly." Thus, according to God's own word, 
 the faithful are the true children of Abraham, no matter 
 whether J&w or G entile \ and being his children, they 
 receive the same blessing which he received. In God's 
 Kingdom it is not carnal, but spiritual relationship which 
 counts, and this spiritual relationship depends on the 
 common faith. The blessing, then, is dependent on faith 
 and the promises', while it is the haw that condemns. 
 The Word of God is as clear in regard to the curse as 
 in regard to the blessing. For it is written, in Deuter- 
 onomy 27 : 26 : "Cursed is every one who continueth not 
 in all things that are written in the book of the Law, to 
 do them" But who dares to boast before God that he 
 has kept all the commands of the Law? The harvest 
 of his efforts reaped by one who is under the bondage 
 of the Law is, then, not a blessing, but a curse. 
 
 Nor has it ever been God's purpose that man was 
 to obtain righteousness by keeping the commandments. 
 It is not possible by this means to escape the curse and 
 the eternal death. God has not willed that the way of 
 works should be the way of life. Therefore He has said 
 through His prophet: The righteous shall live by faith. 
 
 If our status before God were to be determined by 
 the Law, faith would count, for nothing. For the Law 
 does not say: Believe this. It says: Do this. Thus it 
 is declared in plain words in Lev. 18:5: He that doeth 
 them shall live in them. — Thus the apostle refutes by 
 the Word of God one Judaistic doctrine after another. 
 
279 
 
 Now. which way will the Galatians choose? God's way, 
 or the way of the Judaists? Can any thinking person 
 doubt which is the right way? The way of faith leads 
 to righteousness and blessing, while the way of the Law 
 leads to condemnation. 
 
 Through the Law we can merely come in under the 
 curse\ the curse resting on all the people of Israel, and 
 keeping them in prison, as it were, because they were 
 under the Law, and still did not do that which the Law 
 commanded. The Jews should therefore be the very 
 first to rejoice and to accept in faith the great message 
 of liberty: "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the 
 Law, having become a curse for us" And this is con- 
 firmed beyond all doubt by the declaration in Deut. 
 21:23: "Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree/' 
 The cross of Christ is our banner of liberty. And now, 
 asks the apostle, will the Galatians place upon them- 
 selves the yoke of the Jewish ^aw, which God never 
 has imposed on the Gentiles, and from which Christ has 
 redeemed the Jews? 
 
 The purpose of God in letting Jesus die the death of 
 a malefactor on the cross was to make the Gentiles par- 
 takers in the blessings promised to Abraham. When 
 Christ died on the cross the old dispensation of the Law 
 was closed, and the way of salvation to all men through 
 faith was opened, and the promises to Abraham could 
 now be fulfilled. Israel was then redeemed from the 
 bondage of the Law; they were no longer subject to the 
 Law. Thereby the Gentiles, also, were redeemed from 
 the Law. If Christ had not died, and thus opened a new 
 way of salvation, the Gentiles as well as the Jews would 
 have been compelled to bear the yoke of the Law r . But 
 now all this had been done away with by the death of 
 Jesus on the cross. There is but one way for all, both 
 Jew and Gentile; and through faith we can receive the 
 Holy Spirit, which God has promised us. 
 
280 
 
 The Law Cannot Disannul the Promises. 
 
 3: 15-18. Here the language of the apostle becomes 
 more calm. Brethren, he writes, let us take an illustra- 
 tion from our everyday experience. It is a matter of 
 common knowledge that when a man has drawn up a 
 legal instrument, as a last will and testament, and it 
 has been witnessed in the regular way, and is made a 
 matter of record, no man may come and make this 
 document void or add anything to it, but must let it 
 stand as recorded. 
 
 Now, God gave the promises to Abraham and his 
 descendants (Gen. 13:15; 17:8). But when God at 
 that time said "seed" and not "seeds," he had in mind 
 one, not many; and this one is Christ. In Him and of 
 Him are all the promises ; and there is no promise ex- 
 cept through Him. 
 
 God made this definite promise to Abraham ; and 
 then, after the lapse of 430 years, the Law was given. 
 But it is not possible that this Law could disannul the 
 covenant made 430 years before the giving of the Law ; 
 for God does not have one mind today and another to- 
 morrow. The Law could not make void the provisions 
 in regard to the inheritance. If we received this as a 
 result of obeying the Law, then the provision that we 
 are to receive the inheritance by faith in God's promise 
 concerning Christ, would be made of none effect Our 
 right to inherit the promise can not be conditioned on 
 two provisions, one of which directly contradicts the 
 other. We receive it either by obeying the Law, or by 
 believing the promise ; there is no third alternative. But 
 God granted it to Abraham by promise. Thus, he who 
 believes God's promise regarding Christ, is heir to all 
 that which God has promised. 
 
281 
 
 The Office of the Law Was Merely Temporary. 
 
 3 : 19-29. What good purpose, then, could the Law 
 serve? The Judaists were all the time complaining that 
 Paul wanted to repeal the Law. To them the Law was 
 the way by which God had appointed us to reach right- 
 eousness; and as to Paul, who taught the directly op- 
 posite, they held him to be an anarchist in God's King- 
 dom. This charge was made against Paul in all his 
 Congregations; and so he was compelled to be all the 
 time defending his position, and pointing out what it is 
 that the Word of God teaches of the relation between 
 the Law and the promises. 
 
 The Law has nothing to do with the question of our 
 receiving the inheritance. What, then, is the office of the 
 Law? It has a merely temporary purpose, says the 
 apostle. It was added as a means of teaching that sin 
 is disobedience to God (Romans 3: 19; 4: IS), and how 
 sinners stand convicted before God as deserving of 
 punishment — until Christ came, concerning whom the 
 promise had been made. This is in agreement with 
 the manner in which the Law was givoi\ Boui *iie Law 
 and the promise are given of God. He gave the pro- 
 mise to Abraham in person, without any mediator. But 
 in the giving of the Law there were two parties to the 
 covenant: God, who gave the Law, and Israel, who 
 were to keep it. And where an agreement is to be made 
 between two parties, one or more mediators, or agents, 
 are needed to conduct the negotiations. Thus it was 
 when God gave the Law. Angels brought it; and a 
 mediator, Moses, received it. But in the case of a 
 promise — as when God gave the promise to Abraham 
 unconditionally — there is no need of a mediator. 
 
 But since the Law, in its purpose and the manner of 
 its giving, is so widely different from the promise, in 
 that the Law, instead of securing to us the inheritance, 
 
282 
 
 makes sinners of us, and instead of coming directly from 
 God alone, was given through angels and a mediator, 
 does it not follow, then, that the Law is against the 
 promises of God? By no means. For God never in- 
 tended that we were to obtain life and righteousness 
 by keeping the commandments of the Law. No, Scrip- 
 ture clearly says that God has "shut up all unto dis- 
 obedience," that all mankind are helpless in the power 
 of sin, and deserving of punishment (Romans 3:9-20; 
 11 : 32) ; in order that. God may according to His prom- 
 ise give life and righteousness to all who in faith ac- 
 cept His grace in Christ Jesus. 
 
 Thus the Law was to serve a merely temporary pur- 
 pose. Before faith came we — particularly the Jews — 
 were to be "kept in ward under the Law," that we might 
 not escape, but all the time feel the heavy yoke upon 
 us. The Law was a wall which God built up between 
 Israel and the heathen world, in order to keep Israel 
 from sinking down into idolatry, and from losing the 
 revelation which God had given them. 
 
 In the meantime the Law was to stand over us as 
 a schoolmaster, with its commands and restrictions, that 
 we might see our misery and look to God for help; in 
 order that we might be ready to receive Christ when 
 He came, and to find our righteousness in Him through 
 faith. 
 
 Now, however, the situation is entirely changed. For 
 after faith came we Christians are no longer under the 
 schoolmaster ; but all who believe in Christ are God's 
 freeborn children. This change came when they were 
 united with Christ through Baptism. Then all national 
 and social barriers were broken down, for all men are 
 one in Christ Jesus. The Law made a separation be- 
 tween Jew and Gentile; Christ and His salvation unite 
 them. And they who by faith and Baptism belong to 
 Christ are the seed of Abraham and inherit the blessing 
 
283 
 
 according to God's promises. The circumstance that 
 the Jews are the seed of Abraham after the flesh does 
 not give them any advantage over the Gentiles ; and it is 
 not true, as the Judaists asserted, that the Gentiles must 
 through cricumcision become members of the Jewish 
 people and put themselves under the Law in order to 
 become partakers of the inheritance. 
 
 The Position of Israel in the Old Covenant Was That 
 of a Child not yet Come of Age. 
 
 4: 1-7. The apostle has drawn a sharp line of dis- 
 tinction between the time "before faith came" and now 
 "that faith is come." And he has explained in respect to 
 the Jewish Christians, that not until Christ came, and 
 with Him faith and the glad tidings of salvation, had 
 they been made free from bondage and come into their 
 full heritage as the children of God. He also explained 
 that at the same time the Gentiles who accepted Christ 
 in faith were thereby placed in the same happy position 
 as the Christian Jews without having been under the 
 yoke of the Law. 
 
 This placing of the Gentiles on an equality with the 
 Jews was most offensive to the Judaists ; they never 
 could be reconciled to it. The Jews were God's children 
 long before the coming of Christ; this was a preroga- 
 tive of w T hich none could rob them. God himself had 
 said it ( Exodus 4 : 22 ; Hosea 11: 1 ) . 
 
 Of course, Paul did not deny this. Certainly, the Jews 
 had the adoption of sonship (Romans 9:4) ; they were 
 God's chosen people. But their position under the Old 
 Covenant was that of children not yet come of age. 
 Israel was as the son of a man who has left a large 
 fortune. But as long as the heir is a child, he is under 
 guardians and stewards until the day fixed in the father's 
 will. Not until then does the heir come into full pos- 
 
284 
 
 session of the property. Before that time he has, with 
 respect to control of the inheritance, been no better off 
 than the bondservant. This was the situation till the 
 coming of Christ. We were "in bondage under the rudi- 
 ments of the world." 
 
 But in the fullness of time, when the heir w r as to 
 reach his majority, and when Jew and Gentile, each in 
 his own way, had been made ready to receive the ful- 
 filment of the promise ; God sent His Son from Heaven, 
 where he had been with God from everlasting, let him 
 be born of a woman, being made in the likeness of men,, 
 that He might take the form of a servant (Phil. 2:7). 
 And God let Him be born as one of the Jewish people,, 
 who were under the Law, and thus Christ Himself came 
 under the Lcfav also. 
 
 God's purpose in this was a double one. Christ must 
 be a man, and be under the Law, first of all in order that 
 the Law might, make its demands on Him, and that He 
 might by His death on the cross set free the children 
 of Israel, who were under the yoke of the Law (3: 13; 
 Deut. 21-23). And then God wanted to open the way 
 to sonship for the Gentiles without first placing upon 
 them the yoke of the Law. 
 
 In order that we all, whether Jew or Gentile, may be 
 sure of our adoption as God's children, he has sent forth 
 the Spirit of His Son into our hearts ; and it is this 
 Spirit who makes us to cry: Abba, Father. He warms 
 our hearts with the blessed assurance that we are in truth 
 God's children; and may call God by the name of 
 Father; and that we may with confidence and without 
 fear approach God as our heavenly Father, in the same 
 way as Jesus did (Mark 14: 36). The Father knows the 
 child's voice, no matter what the language; Jews and 
 Greeks are alike His dear children. 
 
 There can be no better proof that the time of bondage 
 is past You no longer are a bondservant, nor a minor 
 
285 
 
 child, but a son who has come of age. The inheritance 
 is now yours; you have received it of God, your Father 
 in Heaven. It is this blessed assurance and confession 
 which the Spirit wishes to create in the hearts of God's 
 children. They are not to be in the state of uncertainty, 
 as not having reached their majority, nor in the state of 
 anxious servitude ; their estate is that of the free son full 
 grown. And yet the Judaists want to put the yoke upon 
 such a son, and again make of him a mere bondservant ! 
 
 The Gentiles Also Were in Bondage. 
 
 4:8-11. It was not the Jews only who were in 
 bondage, and were set free through Christ; the same is 
 true of the Gentiles. These, also, have ceased to be 
 bondmen, and have become children. They were in even 
 worse bondage than were the Jews. The Jews were in 
 bondage, to be sure, but under the true and living God ; 
 while the Gentiles were slaves under the idols, who did 
 not even exist. The Gentiles created their own gods 
 and then served them. This was the situation of the 
 Galatians before they became Christians. 
 
 That they had formerly put up with this slavery was 
 not so strange; for they did not then know better. But 
 when they were converted they came to know the true 
 God; or, as Paul would prefer to put it, to be known of 
 God. For the important thing in our Christianity is not 
 that which we may have done, but that which God has 
 done for and with us. To be known of God means to be 
 known by Him as one of His own, to be embraced in 
 His grace and love. And to think that anybody could 
 want to throw away this glorious liberty and the estate 
 of sonship, in order to follow Judaism and be made a 
 slave! Would it not be the very height of foolishness? 
 Formerly they were in slavery under the idols ; and now 
 they seem in a fair way of making themselves slaves 
 
286 
 
 under the yoke of the Law. Now they desire to be in 
 bondage over again to the weak and beggarly rudiments, 
 to the former teaching; which can neither give them 
 righteousness before God, nor anything else of that 
 which they so sorely need; because it is "weak through 
 the flesh ,, (Romans 8:3). It only demands; weak and 
 poor as it is, it has nothing to give. 
 
 The fear of the apostle that the Galatians might 
 change their liberty for the old bondage is not without 
 cause. They had in fact already taken the first fatal 
 step which will, unless they are stopped betimes, reduce 
 them to bondage under the Law. They had begun to 
 observe the rules of the Law in regard to Sabbaths and 
 new moons and seasans and years; which rules were of 
 force as regards the Jews, when these were under the 
 Law as children not yet of age. And now that even 
 the Jews have been set free, the Galatians seem dis- 
 posed to place the yoke on their own necks. Yet the 
 foolish people do not see the danger. But if they con- 
 tinue in their course Paul's work among them will have 
 been done in vain ; they will be led astray from the good 
 way of salvation. 
 
 Admonition to Remain Loyal to the Apostle and to the 
 
 Gospel. 
 
 4 : 12-20. After this severe reprimand and warning 
 the apostle here changes his tone, using words of en- 
 dearment which show how tenderly he loved these Con- 
 gregations. He is like a mother anxiously correcting 
 an erring child. He uses all his arts of persuasion. He 
 begs them as a brother: Become ye as I am; live in 
 faith as God's free children; for I am as you, I have 
 left Judaism in order to be saved in the same manner 
 as the Gentiles. The Galatians must not think that he 
 feels himself personally aggrieved. They have not done 
 him any wrong. He reminds them of the love and en- 
 
287 
 
 thusiasm with which they met him when he preached 
 the Gospel to them for the first time; in spite of the 
 fact that he was sick, so that his appearance and man- 
 ner could not have inspired confidence. But now all 
 this is changed, and his heart is full of grief as he asks : 
 Am I become your enemy by telling you the truth? Is 
 their love turned to hatred, because he has warned them 
 of the danger of losing their soul? Do they prefer the 
 false flattery of the Judaists to the truthful admonitions 
 of the apostle ? The only purpose of the Judaists is to 
 estrange the Galatians from their apostle, and induce 
 them to join and support the party of the Judaists. They 
 are actuated by selfish motives, not by interest in the 
 welfare of the Galatians. Therefore the apostle warns 
 the Galatians again these false friends, and urges them 
 to be as zealous in the good cause when he is absent 
 as when he is present. Then he closes his winning ap- 
 peal with the loving declaration: My little children, of 
 whom I am again in travail until Christ be formed in 
 you; I could wish to be present with you now, and to 
 change my tone; for I am perplexed about you. 
 
 Ishmael and Isaac as Prototypes of the Bondman and 
 
 the Free Christian. 
 
 4:21-31. After these admonitions the apostle re- 
 turns to his explanation of the difference between the 
 Law and the promise. — Now, you Galatians,who so much 
 desire to be under the Law, why do you not read the 
 books of the Law? Do read the history of Abraham; it 
 is most instructive. 
 
 Abraham had two sons, Ishmael and Isaac. They 
 were sons of the same father; in that respect there was 
 no difference between them. But in respect to the con- 
 dition of their mothers there zvas a wide difference. 
 Ishmael's mother was the handmaid Hagar; while 
 
288 
 
 Isaac's mother was the free woman Sara, Abraham's 
 rightful and lawful wife. This of itself would imply 
 that Ishmael is born to bondage, and Isaac to the free- 
 dom of sonship. 
 
 Furthermore, Ishmael was begotten and born in the 
 natural way, (i 'after the flesh'' ; while Isaac was born 
 ''through promise." The birth of Isaac was one of 
 God's miracles, as Sara was at the time far beyond the 
 natural age of child-bearing. 
 
 But there is a deeper meaning in all this. The two 
 women represent the two covenants in God's kingdom. 
 Hagar is Mount Sinai, the Old Covenant of the Law. 
 As Hagar bore Ishmael into the estate of bondage, so 
 the covenant of Sinai means spiritual bondage under 
 the Law, which all the time says : Thou shalt, thou shalt 
 not. It. brings nor peace nor happiness, but hopeless 
 labor; and we are never done with it. 
 
 Mount Sinai is in Arabia, not in the land of Canaan. 
 The children of Ishmael are to dwell outside of the land 
 which God gave to Abraham and his children. The 
 children of Ishmael and the covenant of the Law did 
 not really belong in the Promised Land. They corre- 
 spond to (( the Jerusalem that now is" ; and Paul as well 
 as the Galatians know very well that this Jerusalem is 
 in bondage with her children, the Jews. These had re- 
 jected the Gospel of salvation and liberty in Chirst; and 
 in their unbelief they clung to the Law as their means 
 of salvation. Thus they were in spiritual bondage. They 
 are born "after the flesh" as the children of Abraham, 
 but spiritually they are Ishmaelites. Their true home is 
 not in Canaan, but at Sinai in Arabia. They are slaves, 
 and their children are born into slavery. 
 
 The freewoman, on the other hand, is not representa- 
 tive of the Jewish Jerusalem, the capital of old Israel; 
 but of the Jerusalem that is above, is free, and is our 
 mother. This new, heavenly Jerusalem is the Congre- 
 
289 
 
 gation of the saved in Heaven (Hebr. 12: 22) ; but as 
 we see from the words of the apostle in the passage be- 
 fore us, it embraces also the Church of God here on 
 earth. There is no sharp line of cleavage. Christ is the 
 Head of the Church ; and in Him the Church in Heaven* 
 and the Church on earth are one. From Him the vital 
 force goes out to the members of His body, the Church. 
 This Jerusalem is free from the curse and bondage of 
 the Law, owns the grace of Christ, and its citizens are 
 free children of God. The Church of Christ is a Free 
 Church ; and it is our mother. Here we have this beau- 
 tiful statement, that the Church is our mother; the most 
 beautiful thing which can be said of it. This is a divine 
 arrangement : God's children are born of God's Church ; 
 and the children are to revere the Church as their 
 mother. 
 
 It is with this mother as with Sara. The children 
 born of the Church are children born of the promise, 
 as was Isaac. On the Church is fulfilled the promise 
 made through Isaiah (54: 1). It is this Jerusalem which 
 is to become the mother of many children, embracing all 
 Christians. These are born by the power of God through 
 a miracle of grace, as was Isaac. The earthly Jerusalem 
 has many children after the flesh; but the heavenly 
 Jerusalem shall have many more, born through the 
 quickening power of God in the Gospel. 
 
 These two women and their sons being representa- 
 tive of the Jews and of the Christian Church, we may 
 expect to find other incidents in their life illustrative of 
 later conditions also. As he that was born after the flesh 
 persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, so also it 
 is now, says Paul. Jews and Judaists persecute the 
 Christians. It can not be otherwise; for the son of the 
 handmaid hates the son of the free woman. 
 
 Jews and Judaists shall, therefore, share the fate of 
 Ishmael and his children. They have no place in the 
 
 10 
 
290 
 
 Christian Church; they are to be driven out. The Ga- 
 latians are to drive out. the teachers of false doctrines; 
 exclude them from the Church, in which they have no 
 business. The heritage belongs to the sons of the free 
 woman, not to the sons of the handmaid. Ishmael was 
 not heir to the estate of Abraham. 
 
 This the Galatians must not forget. They belong to 
 the Christian brotherhood ; they are children of the 
 free woman, and must not associate themselves with 
 the children of the slave. If they do this they lose 
 the free and happy mind of the child, and lower them- 
 selves to the estate of slaves, and fall into the slaves' 
 way of thinking; and they lose the adoption of children 
 and the right of inheritance. 
 
 Stand Fast in Your Freedom. 
 
 5 : 1-12. "For freedom did Christ set us free." It 
 sounds like a trumpet blast. It is the war cry, which 
 puts mettle into the soldier, and mans him with courage 
 to stand to his guns in the face of the enemy. For 
 freedom did Christ set us free. He bought our free- 
 dom for us by His death on the cross. Thereby He 
 redeemed us from the curse of the Law, and purchased 
 freedom for all who are His own. It is dangerous to 
 waver at this point, and to listen to those who would 
 try to bring Christians again under a yoke of bondage. 
 And the apostle plants himself squarely before the 
 Galatians, and shouts to them through this letter, and 
 asks them to mark his words: "If ye receive circum- 
 cision, Christ will profit you nothing." And he urges 
 on them one thought, concerning which the Judaists 
 preferred not to say anything; that he who allows him- 
 self to be circumcised has thereby obligated himself 
 to keep the whole Law. And the Law pronounces a 
 curse upon every one who does not continue in all 
 
291 
 
 things that are written in the book of the Law, to do 
 them (3 : 10). 
 
 To be circumcised is therefore to separate one's 
 self from Christ. He who seeks righteousness through 
 the Law 7 is fallen from grace. Christ and grace are 
 inseparable. 
 
 The Christian Galatians had begun well. Who is 
 it, then, that has caused them to waver? Surely, it is 
 not of God. But a little leaven can leaven the whole 
 lump ; a single error may destroy the Congregation, 
 corrupt their whole conception of Christianity, and 
 spoil the Christian life. When the Galatians have taken 
 time to think, they surely will agree with the apostle; 
 but the judgment of God will certainly fall upon those 
 wiio have brought this confusion into the Church. If 
 Paul would yield in this one matter, concerning circum- 
 cision, the persecutions would soon be ended. His op- 
 ponents made no special complaint of his preaching 
 about the death of Christ on the cross. This preach- 
 ing would not then be offensive to them; for the Law 
 would then have been given its old place as a means 
 of salvation. 
 
 Through the Spirit the Christian life is a life in 
 faith, hope, and love. It is a beautiful life, a happy 
 lot. But in Christ neither circumcision nor uncircum- 
 cision avail anything. Circumcision helps nobody into 
 Heaven, nor does the want of it keep anybody out of 
 Heaven. These things are not essential. But in the 
 Spirit we await that which righteousness gives us the 
 hope of obtaining in the life eternal. But while we are 
 here on earth, faith works through love, in that we 
 render service to our fellow-men. 
 
 The apostle is filled with indignation when he thinks 
 of the persistent efforts of the Judaists to induce the 
 Gentile Christians to be circumcised; so that he fairly 
 shouts at them : I would that they might even go be- 
 
292 
 
 yond circumcision; or that they would mutilate them- 
 selves so badly that they were beyond being repaired. 
 
 III. THE USE AND THE ABUSE OF LIBERTY 
 
 (5:13-6:10). 
 
 As is so often the case with the letters of Paul, the 
 latter part of this letter to the Galatians is in the form 
 of a direct admonition. 
 
 The Limitations of Christian Liberty. 
 
 5 : 14-34. This Christian liberty does not mean 
 giving a free rein to the flesh and its lusts. No, Chris- 
 tian faith is to show itself in loving service to others ; 
 for such love is fulfilment of the whole Law. Love 
 does away with bickerings and dissensions, which 
 would destroy the individual members and the Congre- 
 gation. The flesh and the Spirit are all the time striv- 
 ing for ascendency over the will of the Christian. The 
 believer has no choice ; his orders are : Walk by the 
 Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 
 There is no difficulty in distinguishing between the 
 works of the flesh and the fruits of the Spirit. The 
 flesh urges one to do that which is evil and destroys ; 
 the Spirit, on the other hand, brings forth good and 
 blessed fruits. Against these the Law T can make no 
 complaint. They that are of Christ Jesus are at war 
 with the flesh. Their liberty is something entirely dif- 
 ferent from the liberty of the flesh ; they have cruci- 
 fied the flesh with its passions and lusts. This they 
 did in their baptism (Romans 6:2-8). 
 
 Thus is refuted the Judaistic slander that Paul 
 taught a spiritual liberty which really meant liberty to 
 commit sin. 
 
293 
 
 A way with the Spirit of Partisanship. 
 
 5 : 25-6 : 10. They who live by the Spirit must show 
 this in a spiritual life; so that they do not become 
 vainglorious, or show that uncharitable conduct which 
 is the cause of so much trouble in the Churches. But 
 if one does something wrong, the others must help 
 him in a spirit of gentleness ; each one looking to him- 
 self, lest he also fall in the hour of temptation. They 
 must be charitable toward all, and do good to all, but 
 especially to their brethren in the faith; and they 
 should see to it that their teachers do not suffer want. 
 Let all bear in mind at all times, that God is not 
 mocked; for what a man sows, that he shall reap. He 
 that soweth unto his own flesh shall of the flesh reap 
 corruption; but he that soweth unto the Spirit shall 
 of the Spirit reap eternal life. 
 
 Conclusion (6:10-18). 
 
 6:11-18. Paul did not, as a rule, write his letters 
 with his own hand, but dictated them to one of his 
 assistants, as we see in Romans 16 : 22. So he dictated 
 the present letter also. Then with his own hand he 
 subscribed his name and wrote these closing remarks. 
 Once more he calls the Judaistic heretics to account and 
 asks the Galatians to make their choice between him 
 and these false teachers. The Judaists live only to re- 
 reive praise and escape persecution. They care little 
 about the Law, if they can only secure a large personal 
 following in the Church. They are sure of having on 
 their side those Church members who have been per- 
 suaded to let themselves be circumcised. To me the 
 world and the approval of the world mean nothing, says 
 the apostle; I have died to it. My glory is in the cross 
 of our Lord Jesus Christ. Circumcision and uncircum- 
 
294 
 
 cision have nothing to do with one's relation to God. 
 The great and serious question is whether or not one has 
 been born again. 
 
 It is not worth while, says Paul, for any one to 
 trouble him with more questions in regard to these 
 matters. What he has written must suffice. He is a 
 soldier of Christ, and bears the marks of it branded on 
 his body. The letter closes with a benediction. 
 
 This letter is written from Ephesus; and it seems 
 from Chap. 1 : 6, that Paul must have been with them 
 only a short time before writing the letter. It was, 
 therefore, probably written in the year 56. 
 
 It seems that the letter accomplished the apostle's 
 purpose. The Galatians turned away from their false 
 teachers and again gave their allegiance to their apostle. 
 The Galatians took an active part in the collection by 
 Paul, 2 or 3 years later, of money for the poor in 
 Jerusalem. And we see from 2 Tim. 4:10, that the 
 friendship between Paul and the Galatians remained 
 unbroken. 
 
 This letter is, to the Christian Congregation and to 
 the individual believer, the great charter of liberty, a 
 supporting pillar of the Church and of the Christian 
 doctrine. In the providence of God it has been the 
 special duty of the Lutheran Church to guard against 
 the tearing down of this support. God grant that we 
 may never waver, as did the Galatians, but that we may 
 stand fast with the Lord's apostle. 
 
The Letter to the Ephesians 
 
 This letter is not addressed to the Church in the city 
 of Ephesus. In the other letters of Paul there are al- 
 lusions to local conditions in the particular Church to 
 which he is writing; but there are none such in this 
 letter to the Ephesians. The writer seems to have no 
 personal acquaintance with those to whom he writes 
 (see 1: 15); and the greetings in the first verse of the 
 letter is put into very few words. Chapter 4:21, also, 
 and some other circumstances indicate that this is a 
 circular letter to the Churches in the western districts 
 of Asia Minor — Churches founded by missionaries 
 from Ephesus. Thus Paul's Church at Ephesus was in 
 a way the mother of the others ; and this gives Paul 
 the right to offer them advice and admonition. 
 
 The letter now before us is in many things different 
 from those already dealt with. There we have seen 
 the apostle in the strength of his manhood fighting 
 against the Judaists, clearing away the difficulties in 
 the new Congregations, and defending the truth of his 
 preaching. Here it is different. Here we have the 
 apostle writing from prison and in the evening of his 
 life, to the Christian brethren, strengthening them and 
 warning them against the new danger of Gnosticism, 
 as it is called, which would change the Gospel into a 
 sort of Greek system of philosophy. To the Gnostics, 
 simple faith was not enough; they wanted some kind 
 of philosophic interpretation. As against this the 
 apostle impresses on his readers that they need a 
 
296 
 
 deeper Christian conception of the Christian faith and 
 life; and that they must not lose themselves in philo- 
 sophic speculation which would rob them of faith, and 
 corrupt their life. As a protection against these dangers 
 they need a more thorough understanding of the deep 
 foundation of their Christian estate in the grace of 
 God, and of the Christian Church as a unity, with Jems 
 Christ as its head. 
 
 The theme of the letter to the Romans is the evan- 
 gelical faith ; the letter to the Galatians discusses Chris- 
 tian liberty; and this letter to the Ephesians treats of 
 God's Church here on earth. 
 
 In regard to Ephesus, Paul's work and conditions in 
 general at that place, read Part I of the present volume, 
 pages 104-107, 112-114, 147-149. 
 
 THE PLAN OF THE LETTER. 
 
 Introduction and salutation. 1 : 1-2. 
 I. The glory of redemption and the Christian estate. 1 : 3-3 : 21. 
 II. Admonitions to lead a Christian life. 4-6 : 20. 
 Conclusion and benediction. 6 : 21-24. 
 
 Introduction and Salutation (1:1-2). 
 
 This is here very short; and yet we find in these 
 opening words a suggestion as to the main purpose of 
 the letter. The apostle wants his readers to bear in 
 mind always, that they now are something entirely dif- 
 ferent from what they were. They were buried in the 
 spiritual darkness of heathenism, and lived in the lusts 
 and vices of the flesh. Now they are saints) through 
 their union with Christ and through the grace of the 
 Spirit they now belong to God, and live in His holy 
 Church. Now they believe in Christ) and thus God is 
 their Father, and Jesus Christ their Lord. Therefore 
 God's grace and peace rest upon them. Thus the 
 
297 
 
 apostle gently smoothes the way to a consideration of 
 the subject which he especially wants to discuss in this 
 letter. 
 
 I. THE GLORY OF REDEMPTION AND THE 
 CHRISTIAN ESTATE (1:3-3:21). 
 
 In Favor with God. 
 
 1 : 3-14. In spite of persecution and suffering, in 
 spite of anxieties and crushed hopes, in spite of un- 
 certainty with regard to the future; the imprisoned 
 apostle here sings joyous praises to God for His in- 
 finite mercy. The heart of Paul is full to overflowing. 
 The rules of prosody and logic are swept away by the 
 flood. His heart simply must have air; he gives vent 
 to his feelings, packing all the thoughts possible into 
 few words. It is the depth of the riches and wisdom 
 and knowledge of God which wells up in his soul and 
 sweeps him off his feet, as it were. "Blessed be the 
 God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" . . . "unto 
 the praise of his glory" ; thus begins and ends this 
 short, but so infinitely rich and deep section of the 
 letter. God our heavenly Father has through the Holy 
 Spirit and through Jesus Christ His Son overwhelmed 
 us Christians with numberless blessings, so that we 
 really are in Heaven already. God had done this, be- 
 cause in His eternal love He has chosen us in Christ, 
 before the foundation of the world, to be His children. 
 Thus God's children have from everlasting been in His 
 heart. God knew them for His own, elected them, and 
 made His plans to save them, — all in Him, Christ, 
 who is the perfect expression of God's eternal love. 
 And God chose us as His own, that we might stand 
 before Him as holy and without blemish in Christ. 
 
 This was, then, the decree of God's eternal love 
 
298 
 
 concerning us : We were to receive the adoption as 
 sons of God through Jesus Christ. In resolving to do 
 this for us God was moved by nothing whatever ex- 
 cepting His own free will, which is the same thing as 
 His love. The children of God shout with joy, because 
 the glory of God is shown in all its wealth and splendor 
 through the grace with which He enriched us in Christ, 
 His beloved Son. For Christ gave His life in obedient 
 service for us. His blood was the price paid to set us 
 free and make it possible for us to receive the remission 
 of our sins. If we in faith lay hold on Christ, all these 
 treasures are ours. This is altogether of God's grace ; 
 for when God measures out salvation to us, he gives 
 us according to the riches of His grace. Thus only 
 can we receive a sufficient measure. His mercy is great 
 beyond compare; and he gives us the open eye of wis- 
 dom to look into the mystery of His gracious decree 
 and plan, and the open ear to hear and understand that 
 which He speaks to us. And in making known to us 
 what He of His own good pleasure has done for our 
 salvation, God makes it possible for us to lead a life 
 which is pleasing to Him. He had decided on two 
 things. In the first place He would in the fulness of 
 time establish a new dispensation. Until God made 
 this known through the Gospel it had been hid in Him ; 
 none other knew of it, but it was then revealed to all. 
 In the second place, God purposed that He would then 
 sum up all things in Heaven and earth, and make them 
 one in Christ. Then should be restored the great har- 
 mony of creation, which sin had disturbed ; and Heaven 
 and earth should resound with the praises of God's 
 glory. Thus the whole structure of salvation is built 
 on Christ, and our share as Christians in the Kingdom 
 of God with all its treasures is dependent on Christ. 
 He that believes in Christ receives the heritage. Thus 
 it has been foreordained from eternity in the counsel 
 
299 
 
 of the divine will ; to the end that we should be to the 
 praise of His glory ; whether we be of the Jews, who 
 were awaiting the fulfilment of God's promise of a 
 Messiah; or we were Gentiles who had heard the good 
 news of salvation, and had accepted it in faith. Being 
 united with Christ through faith in Him, the Gentile 
 Christians also have received the Holy Spirit ; who has 
 sealed the word in their hearts, and thus made them 
 sure of their being God's own children, and who is 
 likewise an earnest that they shall surely receive all that 
 which God has promised. The redemption of God's 
 people is at hand. The joyful songs of praise shall thus 
 sometime ascend to the throne of God's glory from the 
 hosts of the saved, from Heaven and earth; a joy 
 greater than all other joys, a joy without end.. 
 
 Interceding with God for the Readers, that They May 
 Come to Understand the Glory of the Christian Estate. 
 
 1 : 15-23. The heart of the apostle has been glad- 
 ened, he says, by his "having heard of the faith in the 
 Lord Jesus w 7 hich is among you, and the love toward 
 all the saints." For these things prove that there is 
 among them a strong and healthy Christian life. There- 
 fore the apostle brings them before the throne of God 
 with thanksgiving; praying that God may for Christ's 
 sake give them His Holy Spirit, to the end that they 
 may be preserved through the dangerous times, await- 
 ing them. False prophets are beginning to make 
 themselves heard; and if the Christians are to remain 
 in faith and love, the Spirit must give them wisdom, 
 that with their hearts they may see and understand 
 God's revelation concerning Himself; that they may 
 understand the hope to which they are called, and the 
 rich inheritance laid by for them; the exceeding great- 
 ness of God's power, and that He will use for the 
 
300 
 
 benefit of us who believe. The power of God used 
 in furthering our salvation is the strength of His 
 might which he wrought in Christ, when He raised 
 Him from the dead, and made Him to sit above all 
 rule as Lord over the hosts of Heaven, and over all 
 things in this w r orld and the world to come. And Him 
 who sits at the right hand as Lord of all things in 
 Heaven and earth, Him God has made the head of the 
 Church, and made the Church to be His body. The 
 two can not be separated ; Christ lives in and governs 
 His Church. Thus the Church has a share in Christ's 
 dignity and power. Through Him the Church is ruler 
 over all things in Heaven and earth. If the Church 
 should be separated from its head, it would die; and if 
 Christ is separated from His Church, he can not do 
 His appointed work on earth. For that which He wants 
 to have done he w r ants to have done through His body, 
 the Church, and through its members. The great dig- 
 nity of the Christians is that they are members of 
 Christ's body. 
 
 What the Power of God Can Do. 
 
 2 : 1-10. This mighty power of God you have, de- 
 clares Paul, experienced on yourselves. Once you were 
 spiritually dead through your trespasses and sins. You 
 lived as did the other children of the world ; obeyed 
 the suggestions of the devil, the prince of the air round 
 about us ; and led the same ungodly and immoral life 
 as do the heathen unbelievers. And it was no better 
 with us Jews. Like you we led a life of sin, and were by 
 nature children of wrath. But God, who is rich in 
 love and mercy, took pity on us, and raised us from 
 the dead, and gave us the life in Christ, so that now, 
 by reason of our union with Christ, we live in Heaven ; 
 for there is the home of Him who is our head. And 
 God has done this for us, in order that in the ages to 
 
801 
 
 come He may show the exceeding riches of His grace 
 in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. God's children 
 shall receive all the wealth of mercies to be found in 
 the heart of God ; and His heart is so rich that it needs 
 all eternity in which to expend its riches upon us. 
 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the 
 knowledge of God ! Who hath first given to Him, that 
 it should be recompensed unto Him again? To God 
 be the glory for ever and ever. 
 
 By grace have you been saved, by accepting the 
 gift of salvation from God through faith; not as a re- 
 ward for anything done. There is no room for boast- 
 ing; for it was not through our own good works that 
 we became Christians ; it is altogether the work of 
 God. He made new creatures of us when we received 
 the life in Christ Jesus. Then for the first time we 
 were made able to do truly good works, which God 
 afore prepared that we should walk in them. We need 
 be in no uncertainty on this point. In Chap. 4—6 of 
 this letter we have a picture of what the Christian life 
 should be. 
 
 This beautiful description is a song of praise to the 
 honor of God's mercy. We see how God in Christ leads 
 a lost sinner from death to life, from wickedness and 
 misery to the bliss of Heaven. The apostle can not find 
 words strong enough to picture man's lost condition in 
 all its misery, nor to show us clearly the measureless 
 love of God and the glory of His salvation. So the 
 apostle piles up words and strings them together and 
 builds of them a mighty temple to the honor of God. 
 We feel how his whole being is shaken by the deepest 
 emotions and by a great joy which is not of earth. He 
 has more clearly than any other man seen God's glory 
 in the countenance of Christ; and thus he can speak 
 of it as can no other man. 
 
302 
 
 Through Christ's Work of Redemption Jew and Gentile 
 Have Become One People. 
 
 2:11-22. In the preceding verses the apostle has 
 reminded the Christians in and around Ephesus of the 
 great change which has taken place in their inner lite. 
 They were translated from death to life, from being 
 lost to being saved. Now he calls their attention to 
 the outward changes also. The old things have passed 
 away ; all ijs become new. They must not forget the 
 difference between that which was and that which is. 
 By bearing this change in mind they will be better able 
 to resist the false teaching which w r ould have them be- 
 lieve that they have not experienced the great conver- 
 sion. But this is the very change which they have ex- 
 perienced, says the apostle. 
 
 They were Gentiles, and they can not have forgotten 
 the hatred and enmity between them and the Jews ; 
 especially bitter on the part of the 'Jews, who regarded 
 the Gentiles with disgust as something unclean. The 
 Jews expressed their disgust and contempt in the word 
 "Uncircumcision," which # they applied to the Gentiles ; 
 while they spoke with pride of their own "Circum- 
 cision." They bore the mark in their body showing 
 that they were of God's people. However, the saddest 
 thing in regard to the condition of the former Gentiles 
 was not that they were hated and dispised by the Jews, 
 but that they then lived zvithout Christ, and had no 
 part in the Kingdom of God with its promises. They 
 were without God and without hope in the world; with 
 no comfort in life, no light in the darkness of death. 
 Truly a sad and hopeless existence. 
 
 And then, think how different from this their life 
 now is. Now they live in communion with Christ, and 
 have the whole grace of God in Him ; so that they, 
 who were strangers and far away from God, now are 
 
303 
 
 His own dear children, through the blood of Christ, by 
 His atoning sacrifice (Eph. 1:7; Rom. 3 : 25 ; 5:9). For 
 Christ is our peace. The peace is in Him; and all who 
 have Christ have peace. All, whether Jew or Gentile, 
 who by faith are united with Christ are in the common- 
 wealth of the Prince of Peace, as promised by the pro- 
 phets (Micah 5:4; Isaiah 9:6). There is peace with 
 God, and therefore peace between men. When Christ 
 died He broke down the wall of partition, the enmity, 
 which separated Jew from Gentile. 
 
 But if there were to be true peace "the Law of com- 
 mandments contained in ordinances" must be abol- 
 ished : for the Law is the foundation on which the wall 
 of partition is built. It stood between Jew and Gentile ; 
 and while this Law was of force in God's Kingdom, 
 Jew and Gentile never could become one. The wall 
 must be broken down ; and this was accomplished by 
 Christ when He became a man like unto us (Gal. 4: 
 4—5) and was nailed to the cross and was made a curse 
 for us (Rom. 8:2; Gal. 3: IS). Then all enmity, every 
 wall of partition, between God and man, between Jew 
 and Gentile, was sunk in the bottomless sea of mercy. 
 Thus was peace established between the two former 
 enemies; and in Christ there zuas created a new gener- 
 ation of men, and a new God's people. The Lord's pro- 
 mise through the prophet Ezekiel (37 : 22-27) was ful- 
 filled. 
 
 By His death on the cross Christ brought about the 
 great reconciliation between God on the one side and 
 Jews and Gentiles on the other. In dying he destroyed 
 the enmity. It is dead, and must not be recalled to 
 life. And as peace came through Him, so it also is He 
 who through His messengers announces the happy 
 news of peace to all men; even as long ago foretold 
 by the prophet of the Lord (Isaiah 57:19). For He 
 has ooened to all, whether Tew or Gentile, the door to 
 
304 
 
 the Father's throne of grace ; and He gives to all the 
 one and the same Holy Spirit, the Spirit of adoption, 
 the Spirit of prayer. 
 
 The blessed result, then, of that which Christ has 
 done for them (v. 13-18), is that they, who were 
 heathen and therefore strangers and aliens, now no 
 longer are in this condition, but are members of God's 
 holy people and Church. They do not only belong to — 
 they are God's house and Church ; for in becoming 
 Christians they were placed as living stones on the 
 foundation laid by the teaching of the prophets and 
 apostles. But the chief Stone of the Corner, on w r hich 
 the w T hole building rests, and without which it crumbles 
 to earth, is Christ Jesus Himself. Through their vital 
 union with Him all parts of this great temple are 
 formed into one harmonious whole; and there is built 
 up a mighty and holy temple of the Lord, consisting' 
 of all who are moved by the same Holy Spirit. And 
 among these are the members of the Christian Churches 
 in western Asia, to whom Paul is here writing. 
 
 Paul Has Preached the Mystery of the Gospel to the 
 
 Gentiles. 
 
 3 : 1-13. This wonderful message concerning salva- 
 tion and peace in Christ, and concerning the Church 
 as the holy temple of God, has been preached to these 
 Congregations also, and they have been incorporated 
 into the Holy Catholic Church on earth. As the 
 readers know, -God has appointed Paul a minister of 
 the message of salvation to the Gentiles ; and it is for 
 this his work in the service of the Gospel that he now 
 is a prisoner. God has revealed to him the eternal 
 decree concerning salvation in Christ, and the adoption 
 of the Gentiles into the Church ; and when they now 
 read this letter they will understand that the apostle 
 
805 
 
 has some insight into the mystery of Christ, which was 
 not formerly made as plain as it now is revealed to the 
 holy apostles and prophets of God by the Spirit poured 
 out upon them. To be sure, God had during the time 
 of the old dispensation said that the Gentiles were some 
 time to come into the. Kingdom ; but not until now. 
 in the new dispensation, had it been made clear just 
 how the Gentiles were to come. This it was which 
 God had made it the special duty of Paul to preach 
 to the Gentiles. Paul, who had persecuted the Church 
 of God, him God had chosen to preach to the Gentiles 
 the unsearchable riches of Christ and the heretofore 
 unknown dispensation of grace; namely, that God, the 
 Almighty Creator of all things, would through His 
 Church make known His manifold wisdom according* 
 to the eternal purpose which He purposed and now has 
 fulfilled in Christ. This message of salvation in Christ 
 gives us boldness in our prayers to Him, and makes 
 our faith sure; and the wonderful wisdom of God, as 
 made known through the Church, causes principalities 
 and powers in the heavenly places to be filled with joy. 
 So the Christians to whom this letter is sent are urged 
 not to lose heart when they see the apostle's many 
 tribulations. They are to know that he suffers all for 
 their sake. His tribulations are their glory ; something 
 which should not cause them to faint, but to rejoice. 
 
 Intercession for the Churches. 
 
 3: 14-21. Having been chosen to be the apostle of 
 the Gentiles, Paul makes intercession for these Churches 
 whenever he bows his knees to the Father, asking that 
 God may make them to understand the unsearchable 
 riches of His love, and that His Spirit may make them 
 to be strong Christian characters. Where the Spirit 
 creates a healthv Christian life, there Christ dwells 
 
306 
 
 through faith in the hearts of the believers, and there 
 they are rooted and grounded in love. Such close 
 communion with the Lord in faith and love will in 
 them, as in all the saints, have as its precious fruit a 
 deeper insight into the love of Christ which passes all 
 knowledge. And they will be filled more and more 
 with all the fulness of God, and the fulness of His love 
 and mercy, until God at last becomes all in all (1 Cor. 
 15:28). This is the wonderul hope and high calling 
 of the individual Christians and of the Christian 
 Churches. 
 
 As is always the case with Paul when his thoughts 
 dwell on God's infinite grace and love, his words swell 
 into a joyful song of praise. In no other way can he 
 relieve the tension of his heart. Now unto Him that 
 is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we 
 ask or think, according to the power that worketh in 
 us, unto Him be the glory in the Church and in Christ 
 Jesus unto all generations for ever and ever. Amen. 
 
 II. ADMONITIONS TO LEAD A CHRISTIAN 
 
 LIFE (4-6). 
 
 Admonition to Preserve Peace and Unity in the Church. 
 
 4 : 1-16. The apostle has in the foregoing chapters 
 described the glory of the Christian estate and the 
 Church ; from which he naturally goes on to admonish 
 the Christians to conduct themselves as is seemly in 
 those who have been called of God to be His children 
 and a light to the world; not in pride and wilfulness, 
 but in humility and love. This should especially ap- 
 pear in their life as Church members ; so that the unity 
 which the Spirit has created in the Congregation may 
 be preserved, and the peace which they received in 
 Christ may be the strong tie binding them together as 
 
307 
 
 brothers and sisters in the Lord. The Christian Con- 
 gregation is one body, and has one Spirit. One faith, 
 one hope, one Baptism, make all the members one in 
 the one Lord Jesus Christ. Through Him all are be- 
 come the beloved children of the one Father. This 
 Father is over all, and thus is able to keep and protect 
 them; all owe it to His mercy that they are His chil- 
 dren; and He dwells with all His grace in the hearts 
 of His children. 
 
 This unity among members of the Church does not 
 mean that all are exactly alike in all things. The 
 Christian Congregation is a living body, a body with 
 many members. And each member is framed by the 
 Creator to do its appointed work ; and thus each in its 
 own way is a servant of the body as a whole. So it 
 is with each of us Christians. Each has his special gift 
 which Christ has meted out to him. It was to pur- 
 chase these gifts and distribute them to the several 
 members of His body, the Church, that the Son of God 
 came down to earth and won the great victory over 
 our enemies, sin, death, and the devil — and established 
 his Church ; after which He ascended to Heaven, 
 whence He now governs the Church and distributes 
 His gifts among its members. The apostle puts these 
 thoughts into words taken from the Old Testament. 
 In the 68th Psalm David sings his joy for that God 
 has cared for His own people, is come down to the 
 earth, and has scattered the enemies of His people ; 
 and one of the fruits of this was to be the conversion 
 of the Gentiles. And then, His work of salvation com- 
 pleted, the Lord returns to His heaven on high. But 
 that which God then did for His people Israel, Christ 
 has now done in a higher sense for God's people in 
 the New Covenant, the members of the Christian 
 Church. So he has power to equip His servants with 
 the spiritual gifts necessary for the edification of the 
 
308 
 
 Church ; in order that all who are in the Church may 
 be one in the faith, and may reach a deeper under- 
 standing of the Son of God and His work. In this 
 way the individual Christian and the Congregation as 
 a whole may reach the stature of a full-grown man. 
 They will then be strong in the Lord ; and will have 
 reached such a measure of spiritual growth as will 
 enable them to receive and keep that fulness of grace 
 and gifts with which Christ wishes to endow 7 them. 
 
 When the Christians have been thus equipped by 
 the Lord they will not allow 7 themselves to be carried 
 away like babes by every wind of doctrine ; but will 
 have the mature judgment of full-grown Christians, and 
 understand how to prove the spirits whether they are of 
 God (1 John 4:1). They will not let themselves be 
 tossed to and fro by false teachers, as dice are thrown 
 by the players; but they will beware of such teachers. 
 For the false prophets are crafty and know how to 
 present their teaching in such a form that the unsus- 
 pecting may easily be led astray. We need to be ani- 
 mated by loyalty to the truth of the Gospel, and in all 
 things to be actuated by love ; and in that way we shall 
 grow. We thus come nearer to Christ, who is our 
 Head ; and He becomes the bond between us, and pro- 
 motes our growth, and love is increased in the Church, 
 and every spiritual gift is allowed to be developed in 
 accordance with the will of God. 
 
 Christians Must Shun the Vices of the Unbelievers and 
 Lead a Christian Life. 
 
 4:17-5:21. Now 7 it goes without saying, and must 
 not be forgotten by the individual Christians, that in 
 joining the Christian Congregation they have renounced 
 their former way of living. The mind and will of the 
 heathen are groping in darkness, and conscience has 
 
300 
 
 been blunted. But they who know Jesus are to put 
 off "the old man," their old nature, that it may no 
 more control their life, lead them astray, and bring ruin 
 upon them. They are to put on "the new man/' whom 
 God has created ; a new person, with a new w r ay of 
 thinking, a will turned in a new direction, a new faith, 
 new hope, new love. This new man is in the image of 
 God; and being a result of the truth in Christ, this 
 will show itself in righteousness and holiness. 
 
 Therefore they must put away deceit, anger, covet- 
 ousness. filthy talk; and in place of these things be 
 truthful, exercise self-control, be honest, diligent, use 
 becoming language, and try to be like God. Him they 
 are to follow ; for they are His beloved children, and 
 should walk in love, and shun all uncleanness in deed 
 and word and conduct. They should walk as children 
 of light, hear what the Lord says to them in His Word, 
 and encourage one another with speech and spiritual 
 songs, always to give thanks to God the Father for all 
 things in the name of our Lord Jesus, and subject 
 themselves one to another in the fear of Christ. 
 
 The Christian Family Life. 
 
 5:22-6:9. In their homes, also, Christians must 
 show that they are God's children. Let them consider 
 the relation between Christ and His Church. Here 
 man and wife may learn of the one great example what 
 love means ; and thus they may learn to build a truly 
 Christian home. 
 
 And if all is to be well, the will of God must govern 
 also in the relation between parents and children, be- 
 tween master and servant. Whatsoever good thing- 
 each one doeth, the same shall he receive again from 
 the Lord, no matter what his position may be. 
 
310 
 
 Final Admonition to Fight the Good Fight. 
 
 6 : 10-20. The Jife of the Christian on this earth is 
 a continuous fight against strong and evil powers sup- 
 ported by the wiles of the devil. If the Christians 
 are to stand in this fight they must have put on the 
 whole armor of God, and watch and pray without 
 ceasing, for themselves and for all the saints. These 
 Christians to whom the letter is addressed are asked 
 also to pray for their friend, the "ambassador in chains," 
 that he may boldly make known the mystery of the 
 Gospel. 
 
 Conclusion and Benediction. 
 
 6 : 21-24. Tychicus, who is the bearer of the letter, 
 will tell them how the apostle is getting on. Then the 
 letter closes w T ith a "peace be to the brethren . . . and 
 grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ." 
 
 Paul was a prisoner in Rome at the time of writing 
 this letter. Probably, the reference is to his first im- 
 prisonment in that city; in which case the letter must 
 have been written in the year 62 or 63. With it, by 
 the same hand, were sent the letters to the Colossians 
 and to Philemon. 
 
The Letter to the Philippians 
 
 Concerning the Church in Philippi and Paul's re- 
 lation with it, see Part. I, pages 84-89, 145-146. 
 
 This letter to the Philippians is in one respect much 
 different from the others ; in that the apostle here has 
 no complaints to make, and no enemies to meet. The 
 Church was in a healthy condition, and the members 
 were leading a blameless Christian life. This was 
 his dearest Congregation, the child of his heart; who 
 had given him so much joy and comfort in all his 
 many trials. So the letter has the character of a loving 
 communication from the spiritual father to his dear 
 children. He tells them how it is with him, lays before 
 them the sorrows and the hopes of his heart, and calls 
 their attention to some matters in regard to which he 
 thinks that they might have done better than they have 
 done. Information and admonition here go hand in 
 hand. Therefore it is not easy to divide this letter 
 into separate sections. One thought suggests another ; 
 and we have a beautiful chain of them strung together 
 in this most lovable letter. 
 
 Superscription and Salutation. 
 
 1:1.2. Even in the superscription we find a sug- 
 gestion of the intimate tone of this letter. Paul does 
 not here find it necessary to mention his authority as 
 an apostle : nor does he make any allusions to faults 
 which the Church should correct. There is the most 
 cordial mutual affection between the apostle and the 
 
312 
 
 members of this Church, and all the officials of the 
 Congregation were his intimate personal friends. To 
 these people he can say: "Grace and Peace to you/' 
 without accompanying the wish with a sigh. 
 
 Thanking God for the Congregation and Making Inter- 
 cession for It. 
 
 1:3-11. The apostle has many tender recollections 
 of his stay in Philippi. He here tells the Philippians 
 that he often thinks of the many happy hours spent 
 with them; and that he thanks God for all the joy they 
 have given him by their fellowship in furtherance of the 
 Gospel from the first day until now. They have sup- 
 ported him in his work as a missionary, and they have 
 cheerfully sent money to help the Church in Jerusalem 
 (2 Cor. 8:1-5). This shows that God has begun His 
 good work in them; and He will surely keep them safe 
 in His mercy, until Christ comes in the clouds and has 
 their reward with Him. The apostle always has them 
 in his heart, and longs after them in the tender mercies 
 of Christ Jesus. He especially prays God that their 
 love to one another may be even more strengthened, 
 and that they may all the time gain a deeper insight 
 into the revelation from God, and have a clearer under- 
 standing of life's many vicissitudes, in order that they 
 may discern and approve the good things and do that 
 which is right. Then they will be void of offense when 
 Christ comes, and be filled with the fruits of righteous- 
 ness in Christ, unto the glory and praise of God. 
 
 Paul's Imprisonment and Future Prospects. 
 
 1 : 12-26. The apostle then gives them an account 
 of himself. He knows that these friends are anxious to 
 know from himself how he is getting on. He is able 
 
313 
 
 to tell them the good news that his imprisonment has 
 not injured, but rather helped the cause of the Gospel. 
 Even his keepers, the praetorian guard in Rome, have 
 understood that he is not a criminal, but is in chains 
 for Christ's sake; and the brethren have come to have 
 confidence in the imprisoned apostle. They, also, 
 understand that he is persecuted for his faith in Christ. 
 This has given them courage to preach the Gospel 
 without fear. Unfortunately, however, it is not the 
 whole Church in Rome which has this mind toward 
 the apostle. There are some Jewish-Christian ex- 
 horters who preach the Gospel, not because it is in 
 their hearts, but because they are envious of the 
 apostle, and are trying to build up an opposition party 
 against him. They are bringing discord into the Con- 
 gregation in order to make the chains of the apostle 
 the more heavy. Nevertheless, since it is Christ that 
 is being preached the apostle rejoices in it, even while 
 deploring that the preaching is done in such an un- 
 worthy spirit. But he knows that this also shall turn 
 out to his salvation; for the brethren in Philippi are 
 praying for him, and the Spirit of Christ is all the time 
 near him w T ith comfort and help. His one earnest hope 
 is that he may never disgrace the Lord's cause, but 
 may boldly speak the truth and magnify God. And 
 then it is not important whether he himself lives or 
 dies. In either case he will be well satisfied ; for he 
 knows that, whether living or dead, he belongs to 
 Christ. For himself he would like best to depart and 
 be with Christ. But he feels that it might be a good 
 thing for his Congregations if he could be with them 
 and guide them, and visit them once more, and have 
 the pleasure of spending some time with them. And 
 he is confident that he will see them again, and that 
 there then will be great joy among them. 
 
314 
 
 Admonition to Harmony and Humility, After the 
 Example of Jesus. 
 
 1 : 27-2 : 18. Christians must always remember to 
 let their manner of life be worthy of the Gospel, and to 
 stand fast in one spirit, striving for faith in the Gospel, 
 and not to let themselves be frightened by the adversaries. 
 If they stand fast in the fight, it will to the adversaries 
 be a token of perdition, while to the Christians it will 
 mean salvation. And this shall be from God ; for it is 
 one of God's mercies when we are permitted to suffer 
 for Christ's sake. 
 
 If there is any comfort in belonging to Christ and 
 living in communion with* Him; if there is any true 
 brotherly love ; any fellowship of the Spirit, and hence 
 any feeling of compassion and sympathy with one an- 
 other; then the dear Christians in Philippi will gladden 
 the apostle by showing that they are of one mind, and 
 are not actuated by empty vainglory, but by that 
 mutual regard and respect which will cause them to 
 promote the welfare of one another. Let them in this 
 matter in all humility follow the example of Jesus. He 
 might have appeared here on earth in divine majesty ; 
 for as the Son of God He was possessed of all the 
 glory of God. It was His, and now that He is exalted 
 He is again clothed with this divine glory. But He 
 did not count this equality with God as something to 
 be grasped and held fast. On the contrary, He of His 
 own free will emptied Himself of this glory and took 
 the form of a servant, that He might do the work 
 which God had given Him to do (Matt. 20:28). To 
 do this He must be found in fashion as a man, so that 
 there was no difference between His estate and that of 
 other men. He humbled Himself even more. He was 
 obedient unto death, the most ignominious death which 
 a man can suffer, the death of a criminal nailed to a 
 cross. 
 
315 
 
 Jesus thus proved Himself God's obedient servant, 
 who willingly took upon Himself al! the duties of the 
 service; therefore God has raised Him to the highest 
 pinnacle of honor, and given Him the greatest name 
 in heaven or on earth, the name of Jesus, Savior. In 
 that name every knee shall bow, of things in heaven 
 and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue 
 shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of 
 God the Father. 
 
 Thus the way of Jesus led through humble obedi- 
 ence to the will of God onward and upward to the seat 
 of honor in Heaven. This is the way of the Christians 
 also : In obedience to God's will they must work out 
 their own salvation with fear and trembling. They 
 must feel and understand their own personal responsi- 
 bility in the matter of their salvation, in order that they 
 may not by disobedience or carelessness prevent God 
 from carrying out His purpose ; and they must put 
 themselves with their will and their actions under God's 
 orders, that He may through them accomplish His 
 good pleasure : their salvation. This thought, that with 
 the inner life and the outward conduct they are in the 
 hand of God, should help them to drive out all mur- 
 murings and questionings, which steal their strength. 
 The Christians are to walk as God's blameless children 
 in the midst of a perverse generation, and be as shin- 
 ing lights to the world, holding forth to men the Word 
 of Life. Then the apostle will glory in them when 
 Christ comes again; and it shall be made clear to all 
 that he has not labored in vain. I stand before God 
 as His minister, says the apostle; and the offering 
 which I desire to place on the Lord's altar is your 
 faith. This work is the great joy and pride of my life ; 
 and should my life be sacrificed in this ministry, I shall 
 still rejoice ; and so shall the Church in Philippi. 
 
316 
 
 Timothy and Bpaphroditus Are Soon to Visit the 
 
 Philippians. 
 
 2 : 19-30. Paul has good news for the Philippians, 
 which he knows will make them happy : It is his pur- 
 pose soon to send Timothy to them, that he may bring 
 back to the apostle a true report in regard to con- 
 ditions among them. Timothy is a man whom he can 
 safely send; for none other is so loyally devoted to the 
 apostle. The two have faithfully shared each other's 
 joys and sorrows. Others have sought their own, not 
 the things of Christ; but Timothy has served Paul as 
 a son serves a father. So Timothy is interested heart, and 
 soul in the welfare of the Churches ; and he will be sent 
 to Philippi as soon as the apostle learns the outcome of 
 his own case before the Roman court of justice. 
 
 Epaphroditus, whom the Congregation in Philippi 
 had sent to the apostle in Rome with encouraging 
 words and more substantial gifts, has been sick nigh 
 unto death, and is longing to go home. Therefore 
 the apostle now sends him back to Philippi. Paul knows 
 that the Philippians will be glad to see him. Men like 
 Epaphroditus, who risk their life in the service of 
 Christ, are to be loved and honored. His health is 
 broken, and so he is a source of anxiety to the apostle, 
 in place of being any assistance to him, and would 
 therefore better be sent home. 
 
 Let Them Rejoice in the Lord, and Stand Fast Against 
 All Who Would Lead Them Astray. 
 
 3 : 1-16. Finally, my brethren, says the apostle, 
 rejoice in the Lord. It is this joy which supports the 
 whole Christian life, and gives courage to fight against 
 the false Judaistic teachers ; evil workers, who go about 
 like hungry dogs. They boast of their circumcision, 
 which in their case has meant nothing more than that 
 
317 
 
 they have been mutilated in the flesh. But we, says 
 Paul, who serve God in the Spirit, and do not seek 
 honor nor put our trust in anything of the flesh, but 
 who have our everything in Christ — we have the true 
 circumcision. In regard to any "fleshly" advantage 
 Paul was in as good position as anybody. He had 
 everything of which a Jew could boast. But the things 
 which he as a Jew had regarded as gain, he now 
 counted loss for the sake of Christ; for they would 
 have hindered him in finding Christ and the righteous- 
 ness in Him. There is only one thing really worth 
 while: the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord. If 
 w T e have Him and are His, nothing else counts. 
 Through faith in Him we have the righteousness which 
 God gives to all who believe in Christ, and not a right- 
 eousness which we must strive to reach by keeping the 
 commandments. In this way we learn to know Christ 
 and that He is mighty to save, and we experience what 
 the power of His resurrection can do in us and for us ; 
 but we also experience something of that which He 
 suffered. It is possible, says Paul, that I am to suffer 
 death, as He did ; to die with Him. Blessed hope : I 
 may with Him attain to the resurrection from the dead. 
 To suffer with Christ and with Hirn gain the reward 
 of victory ; this would be a gain which would more than 
 outweigh any possible loss. 
 
 But none must think that when he is justified, he 
 has attained everything and is already perfect, so that 
 he no longer needs to work out his own salvation with 
 fear and trembling. No, this is the exact reverse of the 
 truth. Just because I was laid hold on by Christ Jesus, 
 I press on toward the goal. I forget the things which 
 are behind, and stretch forward to the things which 
 are before. There I see the prize of the high calling 
 of God in Christ Jesus. 
 
 All adult Christians must have this mind. Thev 
 
318 
 
 may hold different opinions in regard to certain ques- 
 tions ; but God will give them light in these matters 
 also, if they do but agree in the one main purpose : 
 We press on toward the goal. 
 
 Warning Against a Worldly Christianity. 
 
 3: 17 — 4- : 1. Brethren, be ye imitators of me. Thus 
 Paul introduces a new admonition. In the life of 
 the apostle they may see what the life of a Christian 
 is; and they will be saved from the seductions of cer- 
 tain persons against whom the apostle has before 
 warned them. These persons call themselves Chris- 
 tians, as do the Judaists; but in truth they are enemies 
 of the cross of Christ. They want no religion which 
 has a "cross" in it, and therefore their end is perdition. 
 They live to fill the belly; this is their god, and their 
 glory is in their shame. And with all their soul and 
 desires they mind earthly things. There were many 
 such worldly-minded Christians. But this is not Chris- 
 tianity. The citizenship of the Christian is in Heaven ; 
 there is his home and country. Now we are waiting 
 for Christ to come from Heaven with the fulness of 
 salvation which He has promised to all who believe in 
 Him. Then he shall fashion anew this our body, weak 
 and mortal as it is under the curse of corruption, and 
 make it like to the body of His glory, resplendent in 
 the light of Heaven. Then shall we even in our body 
 experience something of the power of Christ. 
 
 "Wherefore, my brethren, beloved and longed for, my 
 joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my beloved." 
 
 Anything more beautiful can not be found than 
 these tender words addressed by the apostle to the 
 Congregation which he loved so well. If any man 
 ever had a heart beating with love for his brethren, it 
 surely was the apostle Paul. He had the mind of 
 
319 
 
 Christ in a higher degree than any other man whose 
 name we know. He lived closer than others to the 
 heart of his God and Savior; and therefore he is what 
 he is. This is the secret of his faith, his hope, and his 
 love. And he has been able as no other man to clothe 
 his thoughts in words which make their way to the 
 heart. 
 
 Admonition and Thanks. 
 
 4:2-23. There were two women who had helped 
 to spread the gospel, and who now had fallen out over 
 some matter. Paul here exhorts them to be of one 
 mind; and he asks his true "yokefellow" Synzygos to 
 help them in this matter and thus show that he de- 
 serves his name. For Synzygos means yokefellow. 
 
 Then the apostle again exhorts the Congregation to 
 rejoice in the Lord, and to let all their requests be made 
 known to God, and to be diligent in doing that which 
 is honorable and of good report; then shall the God of 
 peace be with them. 
 
 Finally, the apostle expresses his hearty thanks to 
 the Philippians for the gift which they have sent him. 
 It has done his heart so much good to see this beauti- 
 ful proof of the love which they feel for him in these 
 troublous times. Under such circumstances it especi- 
 ally warms his heart to see that he has such true 
 friends. And the Philippians have always been loyal 
 friends. The mutual love between them and the apostle 
 was something unique. They were the only ones from 
 whom he would consent to accept money support for 
 himself. From them he accepted it with joy. God is 
 well pleased in their kindness, and will reward it. Then 
 follows a cordial salutation. 
 
 This letter was written while Paul was a prisoner 
 in Rome ; probably, shortly before he was set free, hence 
 in the vear 63 or 64. 
 
The Letter to the Colossians 
 
 This letter, like the one to the Romans, is addressed 
 to a Congregation which Paul had not himself founded. 
 
 The city of Colossae had a most beautiful situation 
 on the banks of the river Lychus in the province of 
 Phrygia. At one time Colossae was a city of consider- 
 able importance, but it fell behind Laodicea and Apa- 
 mea ; and now nothing but ruins remain to mark the 
 site of the once beautiful city. 
 
 The Congregation in Colossae was founded by 
 Epaphras, whose home was in this city (Col. 1:7; 4 : 
 12). It is probable that he had been converted by the 
 preaching of Paul during the long stay of the apostle 
 in Ephesus, and that he then w T ent back to his native 
 town as a preacher of the Gospel. So it was the 
 Pauline method of preaching which became the ruling 
 system in this place ( 1 : 3, 8, 23, etc. ; 2:1,6, etc. ; 4:1, 
 etc.). As was to be expected in that district, a large 
 majority of the Church members were Gentile converts 
 (1:21, 27; 2: 11, 13). The Congregation seems to have 
 been pretty large and to have had their meeting-place 
 in the home of Philemon (Philemon, v. 2). Later on 
 we hear verv little of this Church. It led a somewhat 
 retired life and did not become as important as the 
 Churches in Laodicea and Ephesus and some others in 
 the Asiatic provinces. 
 
 Epaphras came to Rome while Paul was a prisoner 
 in that city (1:7; 4: 12). There came also a runaway 
 slave named Onesimus. He was well known to the 
 
321 
 
 Christians in Colossae, as he was the bondman of 
 Philemon. Both Epaphras and Onesimus brought Paul 
 some quite disturbing reports in regard to conditions 
 in Colossae. 
 
 It was not the work of the Judaists which now was 
 the great danger to the Pauline Churches. A new in- 
 tellectual movement was spreading over those districts. 
 It had a strong hold on the minds of many, and it 
 robbed many of their Christian faith. 
 
 The time was full of religious syncretism. The old 
 heathen religions were passing away. There were not 
 many who believed in them ; especially not among the 
 more intelligent classes. These were more interested 
 in "the higher thought/' or philosophy. 
 
 The theory was then advanced that all religions were 
 merely fantastic expressions of certain fundamental re- 
 ligious and moral ideas. These ideas were the kernel, 
 and religion merely the shell. Now the shell must be 
 removed by the aid of this wonderful philosophy. Then 
 one would find that every religion enclosed some pe- 
 culiar moral principle ; and it would be possible to get 
 at the truth by taking the best in each religion and 
 making them all one. 
 
 This idea came to the fore especially in the Egyptian 
 city of Alexandria. And from this place it spread over 
 Asia Minor. Then it spread over a still wider area; 
 and we now know it under the name "Gnosticism" 
 
 The people in Phrygia, where Colossae was situated, 
 were known as visionaries, easily moved to fanaticism. 
 Two or three hundred years later these districts were 
 swept by a wave of the fanatical movement called Mon- 
 tanism. But it was Gnosticism which toward the close 
 of Paul's life began to bring confusion into the 
 Churches. It was Jewish theosophy and Greek phil- 
 osophy and certain oriental "mysteries" that were to be 
 put in the melting-pot and made into one. 
 U 
 
322 
 
 To these false teachers, faith in Christ was not 
 enough. They wanted to come into some sort of con- 
 nection with the mysterious supernatural agencies. In 
 their doctrinal system they had some thoughts bor- 
 rowed from the Judaism of the time concerning God 
 and angels, and to these thoughts were added certain 
 ideas borrowed from the Christian religion. Christ 
 was supposed to be chief of the angels, and the angels 
 occupied a position midway between God and man. 
 It was important, then, to come into communication 
 with these angels ; and it was supposed that this could 
 be most surely done by rigid abstinence in the matter 
 of satisfying natural wants and desires, and by self- 
 torture of various kinds. Everything material was evil, 
 and should therefore be done away with. 
 
 This philosophic system they presented with great 
 persuasiveness of speech (2:4); and they led astray 
 many who regarded their abstinence as an evidence of 
 piety (2:23). These false teachers treated themselves 
 with great severity. 
 
 By reason of his being a prisoner Paul could not 
 himself in person be at the front in this war; therefore 
 he sends the Colossians this letter. Their false wisdom 
 he opposes by setting up the true Christian knowledge 
 concerning the person and the work of Christ. 
 
 The Contents and the Line of Thought in This Letter. 
 
 It 'is not an easy matter to divide this letter into 
 sections. It is one continuous whole, in which the 
 thoughts follow each other without any special scheme 
 of arrangement. In every part of the letter the apostle 
 sets forth the true Christian doctrine, gives his readers 
 due admonishment, and exposes and denounces all 
 heresv. 
 
328 
 
 Thanksgiving and Intercession for the Church. A State- 
 ment as to What Christianity Is. 
 
 1:1,2. The usual superscription and s'alutation. 
 
 1 : 3-14. The apostle begins by mentioning what 
 joy he has had in the reports from the Church in 
 Colossae. The members stand fast in the faith, and 
 there is among them a strong feeling of brotherly love. 
 But their faith and love have their strength in the hope 
 which is laid up with God in Heaven. This the Gospel 
 has brought them; and the Gospel is the word of 
 truth and the gift of God to all the world. This word 
 has been preached to the Colossians by Epaphras, and 
 they received it in faith ; and thus they are no longer 
 like the Gentiles without hope and without God in the 
 world (Eph. 2:12). But they stand on the immovable 
 rock of truth, and not on the loose sand of empty 
 speculations. Among them also the Gospel has brought 
 forth rich fruit in their hearts and in their lives. The 
 message of God's grace is everywhere victorious. The 
 reports sent him have rilled the apostle's heart with joy. 
 Therefore he must needs give thanks and pray. He 
 prays earnestly to God, that the Colossians in these 
 dangerous times may be preserved from the false 
 teachers, who would pervert the Christian doctrine and 
 corrupt their Christian life. And he prays that the 
 Colossians may be filled with the knowledge of God's 
 will concerning man's salvation, and may learn how 
 God wants Christian people to conduct themselves. 
 May the Holy Spirit give them such wisdom and 
 knowledge. Then they will understand that when the 
 apostle speaks to them of "wisdom" and "knowledge" 
 and "understanding," these words have an entirely dif- 
 ferent meaning from that in which they are so boldly 
 used by the false teachers. To him they do not express 
 mere empty speculations, but the fruits of the labor of 
 
324 
 
 the Spirit in the hearts of men. It is to be hoped that 
 the Christian Colossians may have the knowledge con- 
 cerning God which is a fruit of the Spirit; and it will 
 make them able to lead a life worthy of God's children 
 and pleasing to God, so that they will bear fruit and 
 increase in every good work. And they will feel them- 
 selves strengthened with the might of God's glory, and 
 be patient in times of affliction, and thank God for His 
 grace in Christ, for the grace which the Christians 
 have, and for that which they shall receive. 
 
 It is God who has delivered us out of the power 
 of the prince of darkness, to whom we by nature be- 
 longed ; and who has made us His children and citizens 
 of the Kingdom of His beloved Son. It was the Son 
 who opened the way to the Father's mercy. None 
 other than He could do it. But that which He has 
 done is done for good and all; for the Father is well 
 pleased in whatever the Son does. In Him we have 
 redemption; in Him it is sure; nothing can take it 
 away from Him. He has cancelled our debt, delivered 
 us from the power of the devil, saved us from all 
 danger; in Him we have forgiveness of sins. In this 
 way we have been prepared to have our inheritance 
 with God's people in the blest estate in which all dark- 
 ness has been for ever dispelled. 
 
 What Christ Is. 
 
 1 : 15-23. Our estate of grace and our hope of 
 Heaven depend, then, on Christ. But He could not 
 give us these things, if He were not much more than 
 that which the teachers of Gnosticism would make of 
 Him. An angel, no matter how high in rank, would 
 not have been able to perform the work of Christ's 
 atonement. Had Christ been no more than that, there 
 would have been no salvation through Him. However, 
 
325 
 
 thank God, He is something more. Christ is the image 
 of the invisible God. No human eye can see God; but 
 in Christ we may see His exact image. When God 
 wished to reveal Himself exactly as He is, He chose 
 to do it through Christ, who in his every feature is like 
 God. Thus He could say, John 1 : 18 : "No man hath 
 seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is 
 in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him." 
 And John 14:9: "He that hath seen me hath seen the 
 Father." He can be the perfect image of God; for He 
 is the Son, born of the Father, and thus above any 
 creature. He was before anything was created; and 
 hence He is not one of the things created. He could 
 not be : for all things are created through Him. With- 
 out Him nothing would have been made ; the whole 
 world with all things in it is created in and through 
 and unto Him. In Him is the first beginning of all 
 things ; they are made and preserved by Him. All 
 things must finally find Him; Him they seek, con- 
 sciously or unconsciously, as the magnetic needle, 
 which does not come to rest before it points to the 
 pole. He is born of God, while all things else are 
 created through Him. Here is the wide distinction 
 between God and His creation; and it is not true, as 
 asserted by Gnosticism, that Christ is a part of creation ; 
 that all other creatures spring from Him, but that He 
 is one of them. No, He is of the very essence of God. 
 Neither is it true, as taught by Gnosticism, that matter 
 is eternal as God himself. No ; matter is created, made 
 by the power of Almighty God through Christ: for 
 Christ is the "Word," through whom God carried out 
 His plan of creation. Thus all things were made, the 
 visible and invisible, heaven and earth, and the count- 
 less host of angels. In Him is the beginning and the 
 end of all things. Without Him nothing could be that 
 which the Creator intended it to be. 
 
326 
 
 The highest of His creations here on earth is His 
 Church. It stands in a relation to Him as peculiar to 
 itself; it is His body, and He is its Head (Rom. 12:4; 
 1 Cor. 12: 12-27). Without Him the Church could not 
 have been ; and without Him it can not stand. He 
 is exalted above the Church ; His life courses through 
 it, and His thoughts lead it. When He arose from the 
 dead He took a position which none other can reach : 
 He was crowned Lord of all. 
 
 More than this : When He was raised from the 
 dead He sundered the bonds of death. From that 
 moment death has lost its power. Christ was the first- 
 born from the dead, translated into life eternal with 
 God. And after Him follow the long line of the faith- 
 ful in His Church. They, follow Him from the land of 
 death to the bliss of eternal life in Heaven. For where 
 the head is the body must be. Thus has Christ brought 
 the life into the world. 
 
 Christ could not have won this great victory with all 
 that it implies, if God had not decided to dwell in Him 
 with all the fulness of the divine being, with all God's 
 attributes and power. This God did when Christ be- 
 came man. As He is God from everlasting, He is from 
 His incarnation both God and man. As such He carried 
 out the work of redemption; by His death on the cross 
 He made peace between God and man. Thereby God 
 reconciled all things to Himself; sin was taken away, 
 and thus the w r all of partition between God and His 
 creatures was torn down. A new generation of men, 
 a new heaven and a new earth are thus made possible. 
 Christ could bring about the reconciliation; standing, as 
 he did, the accredited representative of both sides, he 
 being both God and man. This is the firm rock of our 
 salvation, something entirely different from the vain 
 vaporings of Gnosticism. 
 
 So now you also are reconciled with God, says the 
 
327 
 
 apostle; applying that which he has said (v. 12-20) as 
 to the case of the Christian Colossians. Even them who 
 in time past were alienated and enemies in thought and 
 deed, God has once for all reconciled with Himself when 
 Christ died on the cross. Now they have forgiveness 
 of sins, and the grace and favor of God, in order that 
 they may present themselves holy, without blemish and 
 unreprovable before Him; and this they can do if they 
 continue grounded and steadfast in the faith, and cling 
 to the hope which the Gospel gives to all who believe 
 the glad tidings. The good news has been preached to 
 the Colossians. The Gospel was for all men ; and God 
 has in His great mercy made Paul an apostle and sent 
 him out to the great world of Gentiles with orders to 
 light the torch of hope in the places where all was dark 
 and hopeless. 
 
 When the apostle here has laid so much stress on 
 the body of Christ, the body of His flesh, the blood of 
 the cross, death, — the occasion of it is the perversion 
 of the truths of salvation by the vain speculations, or 
 what we may call the transcendentalism, of the Gnostic 
 heresy. As against these false teachers the apostle 
 points out to the Christians that their salvation does not 
 rest, in any philosophical system of mental gymnastics, 
 but rests on definite facts; on Christ, such as He was 
 and lived and suffered and died while here on earth, 
 a man of flesh and blood. Our Savior is a reality. 
 Faith grasps something which actually is, and thus the 
 believer is saved. 
 
 Paul Is the Minister of God for the Spreading of 
 
 the Gospel. 
 
 1 : 24-2: 5. Paul was a prisoner at the time of writ- 
 ing this letter. His life has been full of suffering; but 
 he is happy in the thought that he is suffering for 
 Christ's sake. 
 
328 
 
 His troubles and suffering will soon be over. He 
 can not have much farther to go; and "I now fill up on 
 my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ 
 in my flesh." And he is filled with joy because God 
 has deemed him worthy to suffer for Christ's sake; and 
 his joy is the greater at the thought that his afflictions 
 are for the benefit and the honor of the Church (2 Cor. 
 1:6; Eph. 3:13); for it has been his great happiness 
 in life to be the servant of the Church. This was 
 the place assigned to him in the Lord's house, that he 
 should fulfil the Word of God, that, is, preach the whole 
 truth. In this light they must view his imprisonment and 
 his afflictions; and not listen to those who say that his 
 sufferings have nothing to do with his apostolic office. 
 
 In God's Word the great "mystery," God's plan of 
 salvation in Christ, which had so long been hid, was now 
 revealed to God's children, His saints. And now God 
 had also made known to the Gentiles what is the riches 
 of the glory of this mystery. In this mystery is re- 
 vealed to us God's innermost being and His infinite love. 
 
 This mystery is Christ in the midst, of the generation 
 of men: Salvation for a lost world, and the hope of 
 glory for despairing mankind. This was something 
 different from the esoteric "mysteries" of Gnosticism, 
 from which all but the initiated were excluded. 
 
 And it was this Christ whom Paul and his co- 
 workers proclaimed, admonishing and teaching every 
 man in all wisdom, in order that all might be made 
 perfect in Christ. 
 
 As Christ is the Savior of each and all, so the Gos- 
 pel is for every man, and every man is to be instructed 
 in the way of salvation. All have a right to these 
 things; and so it is entirely wrong when the Gnostics 
 make salvation dependent on some sort of mysterious 
 wisdom which is known only to the initiated, and which 
 these select few want to keep as a secret among them- 
 
329 
 
 selves. Such is not God's salvation. This is revealed 
 to all through the Gospel; it is to come to the knowl- 
 edge of all. 
 
 This is the end toward which the apostle labors, 
 striving to reach it with all the strength which God 
 gives him. 
 
 Though not personally known to the brethren in 
 Colossae and Laodicea, the apostle has suffered great 
 anxiety as to how they will meet the false teachers ; and 
 he has prayed earnestly for them, that they might, be 
 comforted and knit together in love, and reach a full 
 assurance of understanding, and know the riches of the 
 mystery of God, even Christ. There is no better pro- 
 tection against error than brotherly love; in that Chris- 
 tians are united, and together try to reach a deeper 
 understanding of Christ. For in Him only do we have 
 all the treasures of God's wisdom and knowledge; but 
 they are hidden, so that only he who seeks with all dili- 
 gence may find him. To understand Christ is to under- 
 stand God. Knowledge of Christ should therefore be 
 sought by all who desire wisdom. 
 
 If they have this knowledge they will not fall into 
 the hands of the false teachers, who try to delude them 
 with the persuasiveness of speech. But the danger is 
 great, and hence the apostle gives them this warning. 
 Even if he can not come to them in person, he is with 
 them in the spirit, and he is made glad by their stead- 
 fast faith in Christ. This faith will be a good line of 
 defense and a strong bulwark against the assaults of 
 the enemy. 
 
 Steadfastness in the Faith in Christ. 
 
 2 : 6-23. Now, if the Christian Colossians have ac- 
 cepted Christ as their Lord through the preaching of 
 the Gospel, they must be steadfast in their faith in Him ; 
 be rooted in Him, so that they draw their life and 
 
330 
 
 strength from Him. This is what they have been 
 taught; and now they should with all their heart thank 
 God for salvation in Christ. 
 
 Again and again in this letter (1:11; 2:7; 3: 15-17 ; 
 4:2) the apostle returns to this: Thank God. As the 
 letter to the Philippians is the "letter of rejoicing," this 
 letter to the Colossians is the "letter of thanksgiving/' 
 These two emotions belong together, and they sound the 
 keynote of the Christian life. The prisoner, awaiting in 
 Rome the sentence of death, is in spite of his chains 
 and other anxieties full of joy and thanks to God; and 
 he urges his Congregations to follow him in this mat- 
 ter. The Christian heart is something marvellous. As 
 the afflictions in this world become heavier, the joy in 
 communion with the Lord becomes deeper, and grati- 
 tude toward God becomes warmer. The apostle has 
 experienced this in abundant measure; and the experi- 
 ence is a lesson to his Congregations and to the Chris- 
 tians in all ages. The apostle Paul has learnt much in 
 God's hard school; and he knows how to admonish and 
 comfort others in the heavy trials of life. Rejoice 
 alway. Abound in thanksgiving. 
 
 Let them thus conduct their Christian estate, he says ; 
 and the heresy of Gnosticism will not gain any foothold. 
 These false teachers come with their worldly wisdom 
 and their mouthy philosophical ranting of their own in- 
 vention; but there is nothing in it. It is altogether a 
 vain deceit. These fine, philosophical phrases, with 
 which they would make spoil of people, they have re- 
 ceived from other mere men; and the whole is nothing 
 more than the "weak and beggarly rudiments" of the 
 world (Gal. 4:3,9). With Christ it has nothing to do. 
 
 The Savior does not deceive; in Him is no empty 
 cant. In Him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead 
 bodily. As God and man He is now at the right hand 
 of God on high. He not only has all the fulness of the 
 
331 
 
 Godhead, but he also has a body. He is not, as the 
 Gnostics would have people think, a sort of spiritual 
 figment of the imagination, but a bodily reality. 
 
 If they have Christ, the apostle goes on, they have 
 in Him the whole fulness of God in respect to a life 
 worth living, a life true and eternal. They need none 
 other than Him in order to receive all which God has 
 for His children; and in Christ is given them all that 
 they need and can receive. The frothings of the false 
 teachers they do not need; these teachers have nothing* 
 to give them. There is nothing of this which can 
 satisfy them. No, let. them be filled with Christ ; then 
 they have God. And Christ is the head of all princi- 
 pality and power. He is the Lord ; and no matter how 
 great and mighty the angels may be, they are but. His 
 servants. But if the Christians in their communion with 
 Christ have everything that they need unto life and sal- 
 vation, it is meaningless to worship the angels, or to 
 ask anything of them, as urged by the false teachers. 
 If we need angels, their Lord Jesus will send them to 
 help His believers ; for He knows our wants, and how 
 they can best be satisfied. 
 
 But if they in Christ have all that they need for 
 salvation, it follows that, they do not need circumcision 
 of the flesh in order to be saved, as these same heretics 
 would have them believe. How could such circumcision 
 profit them? In their union with Christ they have the 
 true circumcision, that of the heart ; alluded to even in 
 the Old Covenant of the Law (Deut. 30:6; cf. Rom. 
 2:29). This circumcision is not made with hands; 
 for how could something done to the body by the hands 
 save the soul? No, the Christian circumcision, which 
 Christ has instituted, is performed by the Holy Spirit, 
 and consists in putting off the body of the flesh by re- 
 nouncing the carnal and sinful lusts. This circumcision 
 they received when they were baptized ; then they were 
 
332 
 
 buried and raised again with Christ (Rom. 6:4); then 
 they came into the most intimate communion with Him, 
 and experienced the power of His death and the glorious 
 fruits of His resurrection. Then "the flesh" died, and 
 a new life was born, the life of faith ; which was created 
 by the same quickening power of God that raised Christ 
 from the dead. 
 
 This great change you have experienced, says the 
 apostle. You were dead by reason of your transgres- 
 sions and your sinful nature, and by the uncircumcision 
 of your flesh. Thus you were aliens to God and the 
 life in Him. But you, even you, God raised from the 
 dead, and gave you the life in Christ; in that He for- 
 gave you all your sins, for when we have forgiveness 
 of sins we also have life and salvation. 
 
 In like manner as the old circumcision is done away 
 with through Christ, and no more has any importance 
 whatever, so also has the Law been abolished as a con- 
 dition of our salvation. It was false doctrine when any 
 said that the Law still was in force. The Law drew up 
 "the bond written in ordinances that was against us." 
 Our debt was large ; we were hopelessly insolvent. The 
 Law condemned us. Then God took the bond of our 
 indebtedness and nailed it to the cross. Christ took upon 
 Himself the whole debt and the curse of the Law. He 
 paid for us, and He suffered the curse; and thus these 
 barriers between God and us were removed. They no 
 more exist (Gal. 3: 13). Thus the Law can no more be 
 a condition of salvation; God has in Christ done away 
 with it. When we wish to know whether or not we are 
 righteous and have the favor of God, we must not seek 
 information in the Law, but look to Christ and ask if 
 we are in Him and are justified before God through 
 faith in Christ (Eph. 2 : 15, 16 ; Gal. 2 : 15-21 ; 3 : 21-29) . 
 If we have Him, nothing separates us from God; we are 
 His rightful children. 
 
The great victory was won on the cross, and it was 
 complete. Christ despoiled the principalities and powers 
 of their armor and weapons; He put them to rout, and 
 made them harmless. Thus God's Kingdom came to 
 mankind, and His grace could now rule. The spiritual 
 powers can no longer stand between us and God. This 
 was clearly shown when God by the death of Christ sur- 
 mounted every obstacle and removed every barrier. Sal- 
 vation is the work of God through Christ, It is an ac- 
 complished fact; and Christians must not let themselves 
 be induced by the false teachers to place themselves 
 under the power of something which God has abrogated. 
 They must not be guilty of this sin. 
 
 Now that Christians are set free from bondage under 
 the Law, they should not lend an ear to those who 
 would judge them in respect of the old rules about eat- 
 ing and feast days and the like; for the Law and its 
 precepts are only a "shadow" of the ''body" that is to 
 come. But the body which the old commandments 
 vaguely foreshadowed, is the Church, and the Church 
 belongs to Christ. Who will stretch his hands after an 
 empty shadow when he can lay hold on the body itself? 
 
 Therefore, says the apostle to the Church: Let no 
 man rob you of your prize. Salvation, which Christ has 
 earned for them, is sure; it is laid by for them in 
 Heaven. The false teachers will try with all their might 
 to induce the Colossian Christians to come over to them. 
 They will say that, little man can not approach the most 
 high God, but must worship the angels and beg them to 
 intercede for him. And this, they will insist, is evi- 
 dence of humility. And they will tell of revelations and 
 visions which they will claim to have had. But instead 
 of being humble they are in the highest degree puffed 
 up with conceit. They trust their own natural reason 
 rather than the Gospel of Christ. They do not hold 
 fast the Head, Christ; they do not need Him. There- 
 
334 
 
 fore they have broken off relations with the Church, 
 His Body. For Christ and the Church can not be 
 separated; to break with one is to break with the other. 
 It is Christ who with His strong bands holds the body 
 together. Life issues from Him ; and it. is through 
 being knit together with Him that the Church, His Body, 
 can increase with the increase of God. 
 
 Being thus joined with Christ, they are "dead from 
 the rudiments of the world.'' And one who is dead 
 surely can not subject himself to such rules as these: 
 Handle not, nor taste, nor touch. If they still lived 
 without Christ, out in the world, the rudiments of the 
 world might be for them, but now they are not. The 
 life in God does not, as claimed by the false teachers, 
 consist in abstinence from meat and drink ; for God 
 has given us these things, that we may use them for 
 our good. But men think of so many foolish things and 
 call it deep wisdom. When they are not satisfied with 
 the manner in which God wants to be worshiped, they 
 invent some worship of their own, which has a finer 
 appearance and may impress people as being evidence of 
 great humility. They maltreat their bodies in order to 
 show that they are altogether spiritual and lifted high 
 above all bodily things. They want us to think that they 
 live "in the spirit" ; and that the body, being merely a 
 hindrance in this living, is to be submitted to torture. 
 However, the whole thing is mere empty talk. These 
 people are the very ones to indulge their "flesh" ; and 
 their carnal mind and their vanity overleap all bounds. 
 
 Seek the Things That Are Above. 
 
 3 : 1-4. If you are raised together with Christ, you 
 should bear in mind that you are dead from the things 
 of earth, and have the life with Christ in God. There- 
 fore it is not seemly in you to be earthly-minded; but 
 you must set your mind on Heaven, where Christ is. 
 
335 
 
 Now this your life is hid, and none may see its glory ; 
 but when Christ comes in the clouds, all shall see you 
 with Him in glory. 
 
 Put Away All Things Smacking of Heathenism. 
 
 3:5-11. Being dead with Christ, they must put to 
 death the carnal lasts, which flourish freely among the 
 heathen, but should have no place among God's children. 
 For these have put off the old man like a worn out 
 garment, and have put. on the new man with a new- 
 rule of thinking and of living. As this new man attains 
 a stronger growth by the grace of God, they will the 
 better learn to understand what God expects of them. 
 And where Christ dwells in the hearts, the wall of 
 partition between man and man will be broken down ; 
 all will be one in Him, who is all, and in all. 
 
 Lead a Christian Life in the Congregation. 
 
 3: 12-17. As God's elect and saints they must show 
 a Christian spirit and lead a Christian life in the Con- 
 gregation, Christ being their great, example. Him they 
 must imitate, especially in the matter of charity. They 
 must let the peace of Christ rule in their hearts, and 
 the Word of Christ dwell in them richly. Let. them 
 praise God; and whatever they do, let it be done in the 
 name of Jesus, and let them give thanks to God for all 
 His grace and gifts in Christ our Lord and Savior. 
 
 The Christian in His Home. 
 
 3: 18-4: 1. Love and the fear of God must rule in 
 the Christian homes. All that they do they are to do as 
 in the sight of God and in the service of our Lord 
 Jesus ; and the heritage of Heaven shall be their reward. 
 
336 
 
 Sundry Admonitions. 
 
 4 : 2-6. Continue in prayer and thanksgiving, says 
 the apostle; and pray for me, that God may open to me 
 a door for the preaching of the Gospel ; and be at all 
 times careful in your speech. 
 
 Conclusion. 
 
 4 : 7-18. The letter closes with the announcement 
 that the bearers, Tychicus and Onesimus, will give the 
 Colossians further information concerning the apostle 
 and his affairs. 
 
 Then there is a salutation and the name of the 
 apostle written in his own hand. 
 
 This letter was written and sent at the same time 
 with the letter to the Ephesians. 
 
The Letters to the Church in Thessalonica 
 
 In regard to the city of Thessalonica and the Church 
 at that place, read Part I, pages 89-92, 100. 
 
 1 Thessalonians 
 
 THE PLAN OF THE LETTER. 
 
 I. The- historical part: Paul praises the Congregation, and 
 
 speaks of his longing to visit them again. 1 : 2-3 : 13. 
 II. Admonition and instruction. 4:1-5:25. 
 Conclusion and salutation. 5 : 26-28. 
 
 I. THE HISTORICAL PART: PAUL PRAISES 
 
 THE CONGREGATION, AND SPEAKS 
 
 OF HIS LONGING TO VISIT 
 
 THEM AGAIN (1-3). 
 
 Thanks to God for the Good State of the Congregation. 
 
 1 : 1-10. Paul and his co-workers, Silvanus and 
 Timothy, send their best wishes to the Church in Thes- 
 salonica, and express their thanks to God and their joy 
 because of the rich life of faith and love in the Con- 
 gregation, and because of the perseverance in hope of 
 this Congregation in the time of trouble. For we know, 
 say they, that you are God's beloved children, His elect. 
 When our Gospel was preached to you it did not come 
 as empty words, but in the power of the Holy Spirit; 
 and it was preached in the full assurance of faith. The 
 Thessalonians surely had not forgotten Paul's stay 
 
 12 
 
338 
 
 among them. He made many friends; and they turned 
 from their idols to the true God, receiving the Gospel 
 with gladness, in spite of all the persecution and the 
 affliction which they must suffer. All Macedonia and 
 Achaia had spoken of how the Thessalonians had turned 
 from the worship of idols to serve the living God; and 
 how they were waiting for the coming again from 
 Heaven of His Son Jesus, whom God had raised from 
 the dead, and who was coming to deliver His own 
 from the wrath of God sweeping over the wicked world. 
 In verses 9 and 10 we have a short summary of the 
 missionary sermon which Paul preached whenever he 
 appeared before an audience of Gentiles: Faith in the 
 true and living God, and in Jesus His Son ; who died for 
 our sins, and was raised again for our righteousness ; 
 and in His coming again to save His own in the last 
 judgment. 
 
 Paul's Conduct Among Them. 
 
 2 : 1-16. Paul's enemies, the Judaists, followed close 
 at his heels wherever he went. They began this on the 
 very first day on which he began to preach the Gospel, 
 and they continued it to the end of his life. As soon 
 as he had founded a Congregation, and everything was 
 in good order, so that he might go on to a new place, the 
 Judaists put in their appearance and began to slander 
 the apostle in order to make Judaists of these new 
 converts. 
 
 This was the case in Thessalonica also, though the 
 Judaists had not as yet been able to accomplish any 
 great results. In order to stop them in their work of 
 tearing down, the apostle reminds the Thessalonians of 
 his own coming to them and his stay with them. They 
 must remember that in spite of the way in which he 
 had been maltreated in Philippi, he had preached the 
 Gospel boldly, without being frightened by the pros- 
 
339 
 
 pect of a controversy. But in the consciousness of being 
 a messenger from God he preached the Gospel pure 
 and without guile, that it might be pleasing to God. 
 And God, who sees the most secret thoughts of the 
 heart, knows that Paul had no other purpose. His 
 enemies slandered him when they said that he had at 
 any time been actuated by dishonest or sordid motives. 
 He had never flattered people; nor had he used the 
 preaching of the Gospel as a means of drawing money 
 out of their pockets. And he had not sought honor 
 of men; not even the honor which he might justly have 
 claimed as an apostle of Christ. 
 
 It was fervent love which moved him to give them 
 not only the Gospel, but his own life if necessaray. 
 They must remember how he worked early and late at 
 his trade in order to earn enough for his wants, and 
 not burden any of them. These were the conditions 
 under which he preached the Gospel to them. 
 
 All this they must know very well. They had seen 
 that he walked uprightly among them; and they re- 
 member how with the love of a father he had exhorted 
 them to walk worthily of God, who had called them. 
 
 Paul thanks God unceasingly that the Thessalonians 
 accepted his preaching as a message from God. That 
 the believers had experienced the power of it was 
 shown when they were being persecuted by their own 
 countrymen. Thus they had become fellow-sufferers of 
 the Christians in Judaea, who also had been persecuted 
 by their countrymen, the Jews. And these Jews had 
 been true to their traditions. They killed the Lord 
 Jesus, as they had killed the prophets who prophesied 
 concerning Him; and they persecuted those who now 
 preached Him. They respect neither God nor men, 
 says Paul. Now they wanted to prevent him from 
 speaking to the Gentiles, that these might be saved. But 
 they succeed only in filling the measure of their sins; 
 
340 
 
 and when it is full the wrath of God will come upon 
 them. 
 
 The Apostle's Longing to Visit the Congregation Once 
 
 More. 
 
 2 : 17-20. The difficulties under which the new Con- 
 gregation labored caused the heart of the apostle to be 
 filled with anxiety and longing to come to their assist- 
 ance. Several times he had hoped that now he would 
 be able to do it; but each time something happened 
 to prevent it. The blame for this must be placed on 
 Satan, the origin of everything evil, Paul says; but we 
 do not know exactly what the hindrances were. In 
 most fervent and affectionate terms the apostle speaks of 
 his love for this Congregation ; it is the address of a 
 father to the child of his heart. 
 
 He Sends Timothy to Them. 
 
 3 : 1-13. The longing of Paul had been so strong 
 that, not being able to come himself, he had sent his 
 friend and co-worker Timothy to them from Athens, 
 that he might comfort and admonish them in their 
 afflictions, in order that they might not waven in their 
 faith. God's children can not hope to escape affliction. 
 
 Paul was made very happy and thankful to God 
 when Timothy came back with good reports of their 
 faith and love, and told how they cherished the memory 
 of their apostle. These reports made it so much easier 
 for him to keep up his courage through his own times 
 of trouble. The joy he feels in the Congregation at 
 Thessalonica is a rich recompense for all his anxieties. 
 The only thing that he can do for them in return is to 
 thank God for all His mercies, and to pray that God 
 may give them an abundance of love one toward an- 
 other, and strengthen their hearts for a holy life before 
 
341 
 
 our God and Father, that they may be unblamable at the 
 coming of the Lord Jesus with all His saints on the day 
 of judgment. 
 
 The apostle again expresses the fervent wish that 
 God might so direct his way as to make it possible for 
 him once more to visit the brethren in Thessalonica. 
 
 II. ADMONITION AND INSTRUCTION (4-5). 
 
 Admonition to Lead a Holy Life. 
 
 4: 1-12. The Christians of Thessalonica have made 
 a good beginning in their Christian life and in the 
 setting in order of their Congregation; but they must 
 bear in mind that in these things there is to be growth. 
 They know the Lord Jesus and the will of God: their 
 sanctification ; and therefore they must shun the vices 
 of the Gentiles : lust and covetousness. They must lead 
 a clean moral life and be honest in all their dealings. 
 God has called them to a life in holiness, and will punish 
 all unrighteousness. To make this matter of little ac- 
 count is to show contempt, not. toward men, but toward 
 God ; who has given them the Holy Spirit, so that their 
 own hearts also urge them to lead a holy life. 
 
 Brotherly Love. 
 
 In like manner God has taught them the great com- 
 mandment of love toward one another. In this they 
 must grow; and it must be a point of honor with them 
 to live quietly and not meddle with other people's busi- 
 ness. They are to work diligently with their hands, in 
 order that they may not be a burden on others; and 
 they must behave properly toward those who are out- 
 side of the Congregation. 
 
342 
 
 The Coming Again of the Lord. 
 
 4:13-5:11. Christians must not grieve over their 
 dead, as do those who have no hope. It is quite a 
 different matter with the Christians. They must not 
 feel anxiety with regard to those who die before the 
 coming again of the Lord; nor must they think that 
 these are not saved. Such thoughts are not in agree- 
 ment with the Christian faith. For we believe that Jesus 
 died and rose again) and God will see to it that those 
 who are fallen asleep in Christ shall be brought to- 
 gether with Christ, that where he is there shall they be 
 also. 
 
 The apostle goes on to explain this more in detail, as 
 the Lord has revealed it to him. They that are alive 
 at the coming of the Lord shall not precede them that 
 are fallen asleep. At the sound of the last trump, when 
 the Lord comes, the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then 
 they that are alive (1 Cor. 15 : 51) shall be changed and 
 meet the Lord in the air; and then they shall be for- 
 ever with Him. This must be their comfort. 
 
 Be Ready to Meet the Lord. 
 
 None knows the exact time of the Lord's coming. 
 On that subject the apostle can give no information. 
 The Lord shall come as a thief in the night to them 
 who have not made themselves ready to meet Him. 
 However, the brethren are no longer in the darkness of 
 heathenism, but have the light, in Christ. Therefore, 
 says the apostle, let us watch and be sober, put on the 
 armor of God, and be on our guard; for God has not 
 appointed us to wrath, but to the obtaining of salvation. 
 For this reason it was that Christ died for us ; that we 
 might live with him for ever, whether we are fallen 
 asleep or are alive at the time of His coming again. 
 
343 
 Closing 'Exhortations and Benediction. 
 
 '& 
 
 5 : 12-28. As usual, the letter closes with divers ex- 
 hortations. The apostle reminds the Thessalonians of 
 their duty to esteem the leaders and teachers in the 
 Church, to keep the peace among themselves, to ad- 
 monish the disorderly, to encourage the faint-hearted, to 
 support the weak, to be patient with all, not to return 
 evil for evil, but be good toward all men. Their key- 
 note is to be gratitude and joy, resting on ceaseless com- 
 munion with God in prayer; for such is the will of God. 
 They must not quench the Spirit, nor despise that which 
 the Spirit says through the prophets. On the other 
 hand, they must not accept without question everything 
 offered them as truth, but carefully prove if it be from 
 God. They must hold fast the good, and abstain from 
 evil. Then they may put their trust in God; He shall 
 lead them on the way of sanctification, that spirit and 
 soul and body may be preserved blameless till the com- 
 ing of the Lord. 
 
 Finally, the apostle asks the Congregation to pray 
 for him, to salute all with a holy kiss, and to let this 
 letter be read to all the brethren. 
 
 The letter must, have been written shortly after the 
 visit of Paul in Thessalonica. The plane on which the 
 Congregation stands shows that it has but recently been 
 founded. The anxiety felt by the Congregation in re- 
 gard to such questions as that concerning the fate of 
 the dead would not have been possible among more en- 
 lightened Christians. According to chapter 3 : 6 the 
 letter was written after the coming of Timothy and 
 Silas to Paul in Corinth. This probably was shortly 
 after the arrival of Paul himself in Corinth ; that is, in 
 the year 53. 
 
344 
 
 2 Thessalonians 
 
 The apostle soon received reports concerning con- 
 ditions in the Congregation. We see from the first 
 chapter of this letter that the Congregation continued to 
 increase in faith and brotherly love, and that they re- 
 mained steadfast and brave under their persecutions and 
 other trials. 
 
 The first letter had rid them of their worries in re- 
 gard to the second coming of Christ. But now there 
 were other causes of anxiety. Some had conceived the 
 idea that the Lord's coming might be expected at any 
 moment; and this caused all their thoughts and their 
 longing to be all the time busy with this one thing. 
 One result of this was an alarming tendency to shirk 
 their earthly duties; they neglected their work and 
 showed a disposition to become purposeless enthusiasts. 
 
 This disease of fanaticism had grown worse by rea- 
 son of the circumstance that certain persons among them 
 claimed to have received divine revelation in regard to 
 this matter. They had even gone the length of forging 
 a letter, which purported to have been written by Paul, 
 arid which gave them his approval (2:2) ; and of course 
 they had tried to explain his first, letter as endorsing 
 their position, and had quoted such passages as 1 Thess. 
 5 : 2, 3 ; 4: 15, 17 in support of this claim. 
 
 Thus it came about that Paul found it necessary to 
 send a new letter of instruction and exhortation in order 
 to stop the false movement which threatened to corrupt 
 the Congregation, and for the purpose of encouraging 
 them to continue with a good heart in the way of faith 
 and perseverance. 
 
345 
 
 THE PLAN OF THE LETTER. 
 
 Introduction and salutation. 1 : 1-2. 
 I. Praise for the Congregation. 1 : 3-12. 
 
 II. Christ's coming again, and the appearance of the Anti 
 christ. 
 III. Exhortation. 2:13-3:16. 
 Conclusion. 3 : 17-18. 
 
 Introduction and Salutation (1:1-2). 
 
 Paul begins this letter like the first one by sending 
 the Thessalonians a cordial greeting from himself and 
 his co-workers Silvanus and Timothy. 
 
 I. PRAISE FOR THE CONGREGATION (1 : 3-12). 
 
 Paul can not sufficiently thank God for the Chris- 
 tians in Thessalonica ; for the fact that such a rich 
 Christian life is to be found among them, in spite of 
 their many trials and temptations. Their faith has in- 
 creased, and their mutual love has become more fervent ; 
 so that they are a beautiful example of patience and 
 faith in afflictions and persecutions (1 : 3-4). 
 
 Therefore they are to be a living proof of God's 
 justice. Through tribulation they must enter the King- 
 dom; but God shall punish those who have brought 
 these troubles upon the Church. When Christ comes 
 again He shall bring rest to the afflicted children of God, 
 while those who have persecuted them shall feel the 
 hand of vengeance upon them (1:5-10). 
 
 The apostle therefore prays for them always, that 
 they may be preserved and that they increase in that 
 which is good (1 : 11-12). 
 
 13 
 
346 
 
 II. CHRIST'S COMING AGAIN, AND THE AP- 
 PEARANCE OF THE ANTICHRIST (2: 1-12). 
 
 Here the apostle comes to the point which more than 
 any other one thing has caused him to write this letter. 
 The Thessalonians need further instruction concerning 
 u the last things" — eschatology, as it is called. This is 
 the case even today also. In the later history of God's 
 Church it has not been unusual for people to give ear to 
 all sorts of loose talk on this subject, resulting in 
 scruples and visionary ideas. The apostle issues a most 
 solemn warning. They must use sober common sense 
 and not allow themselves to be frightened out of their 
 wits by people who preach that the day of the last judg- 
 ment is at hand, and that the Spirit of God speaks 
 through them; or who tell them stories about Paul, or 
 even read to them a letter which he is supposed to have 
 written. These people have no word or letter from 
 him for the Congregation ; and the brethren must have 
 a care lest they be led astray in this matter. 
 
 It is true, to be sure, that nobody knows the day 
 or hour when Christ will come; but they must not con- 
 clude from this that they may believe any enthusiast 
 who may take it into his head to shout: "Now He is 
 coming. ,, For before the last day there will be a great 
 falling away from the Christian faith, and the Anti- 
 christ will appear. In him will be revealed just what 
 sin is in its innermost, nature, and he will be the chief 
 traitor toward the Christian religion. He will brazenly 
 exalt himself against God and everything holy; drive 
 God out of His temple on earth, and set himself up as 
 God. All this Paul had told the Thessalonians when he 
 was with them. 
 
 However, before the Antichrist can appear certain 
 hindrances must be removed. There is already enough 
 
of active antichristian wickedness ; but it hides its true 
 character. The mystery of lawlessness is working, only 
 until he who restraineth is removed. When that takes 
 place, when the restraining influence is taken away, the 
 Antichrist will show his true shape. The Antichrist 
 shall not be victor, however; for Christ shall come and 
 destroy him. Satan has equipped this Antichrist with 
 all the powers at his disposal, with signs and lying 
 wonders, and with all the deceit of unrighteousness for 
 them that perish. And many fall into his snares, be- 
 cause they do not receive the love that would lead 
 them to a knowledge of the truth, that they might be 
 saved. So God punishes them by giving them over to 
 the wiles of the Evil One, that they should believe a 
 lie (Rom. 1 : 20-28), and thus become ripe for the 
 judgment, as they had pleasure in unrighteousness and 
 believed not the truth. 
 
 III. EXHORTATION (2:13-3:18). 
 
 Hold Fast That Which You Were Taught. 
 
 2: 13-17. After looking on the dark picture which 
 he has just now unfolded, the apostle turns his thoughts 
 back to the great and glorious things for which he can 
 not thank God enough: the great mercy which God has 
 shown them, when He called them through the preach- 
 ing of the apostle to obtain the glory of the Lord Jesus 
 Christ, and gave them grace to increase in holiness and 
 faith in the truth. So now they must stand fast; and 
 this they do if they hold that which they have been 
 taught by the apostle. Then shall they also receive help 
 and strength from God the Father, who in love gave 
 His children eternal comfort and good hope through 
 grace. 
 
348 
 
 Paul Asks Them to Pray for Him. 
 
 3 : 1-5. As the apostle has them in his heart and in 
 his prayers to God, so must they pray for him ; that the 
 Word of the Lord may be preached and glorified in 
 other places also, and that God may deliver him from 
 evil and unreasonable men; for there are many un- 
 relenting enemies of the truth, who never will receive 
 the preaching of faith. It is probably the Judaists whom 
 the apostle here has in mind. But he feels sure that 
 the Congregation in Thessalonica will give ear to his 
 admonition and instruction; and that the Lord will be 
 with them and save them from all evil, and so direct 
 their hearts that they will love God and in patience await 
 the coming of Christ. 
 
 They Will Show Obedience, and God Will Keep Them. 
 
 3 : 6-13. Before closing, the apostle again tenderly 
 admonishes them regarding the disorder which had 
 crept into the Church. He urges them to shun those 
 members of the Congregation who do not lead lives 
 worthy of Christians, and especially to hold themselves 
 aloof from them that teach another doctrine than the 
 one taught by the apostle. They must beware of idle- 
 ness; let every man earn his bread by his own labor. 
 In this matter they may imitate the apostle. Idleness 
 causes people to lead a disorderly life, and to become 
 mere useless busybodies. Let them do that which is 
 right before God. 
 
 3 : 14—16. Discipline must be maintained in the 
 Church. If any one will not obey the word of the apostle 
 in this letter, the others should have no company with 
 such a man, to the end that, he may be ashamed. Yet 
 they must not in fanatical zeal count such a man an 
 enemy, but admonish him as a brother. 
 
349 
 
 Conclusion. 
 
 3 : 17, 18. The letter closes with Paul's personal auto- 
 graph and benediction. 
 
 In all probability this letter was written not long 
 after the other letter to the Thessalonians. Both deal 
 with the same difficulties and contain the same admoni- 
 tions. It would seem, then, that this second letter was 
 written during the same visit in Corinth, at the time 
 when Paul was being persecuted by the Jews (3:2). 
 According to 1:4 several Congregations had been 
 founded in the environs of Corinth ( 1 Cor. 1:2; Rom. 
 16: 1). So we may fix the date of this letter at some 
 time in the early part of the year 54. 
 
 The Pastoral Letters 
 
 All the letters so far discussed are addressed to 
 whole Congregations. The letters to Timothy and Titus 
 are something new, in that they are addressed to a single 
 person; and then there is the one to Philemon, which 
 is a purely personal and private letter. The two letters 
 to Timothy and the one to Titus form a separate group 
 and have from old been called the pastoral letters. They 
 are directed to Paul's tried and true co-workers Timothy 
 and Titus in order to counsel and guide these men in 
 their pastoral work. Thus the letters may be called 
 official. 
 
The Letters to Timothy 
 
 Timothy was, probably, a native of Lystra in Asia 
 Minor, His mother was a Christian Jewess named 
 Eunice; and his father was a Greek (Acts 16: 1; 2 Tim. 
 1:5). His grandmother Lois also was a Christian; and 
 thus he had in his home received a Christian training* 
 (2 Tim. 1:5; 3:14-15). 
 
 Timothy was already a Christian when Paul on his 
 second missionary journey became acquainted with him. 
 It may be that the family w^as converted to Christianity 
 when Paul visited Lystra for the first time (Acts 14: 
 6-7). At that time Timothy was a young boy. Thus he 
 was educated in the Gospel as preached by Paul. From 
 the time when he met Paul in Lystra on the occasion of 
 Paul's second visit, Timothy became the faithful com- 
 panion and trusted assistant, of the apostle. As express- 
 ing their spiritual relationship, Paul often calls Timothy 
 his "child.'' Timothy accompanied Paul through Asia 
 Minor: and then over to Macedonia, Philippi, and 
 Berea. Here he remained behind for a time, and then 
 joined Paul in Athens. From this city he was sent to 
 Thessalonica (1 Thess. 3 : 2) ; then he joined Paul in 
 Corinth, and was with him there w r hen the apostle wrote 
 his two letters to the Thessalonians ( 1 Thess. 1:1; 
 2 Thess. 1:1). 
 
 On the third missionary journey we find Timothy 
 with Paul in Ephesus. From this place he was sent to 
 Macedonia (Acts 19: 22) and to Corinth, in which latter 
 
351 
 
 place he was to help the Congregation in the settlement 
 of some difficulties (1 Cor. 4: 17; 16: 10). 
 
 Timothy was with him in Macedonia when Paul 
 wrote his second letter to the Corinthians (2 Cor. 1:1). 
 Then he went with Paul to Corinth (Rom. 16:21), and 
 afterward through Macedonia to Philippi. After that 
 he crossed over by himself to Asia Minor and w r aited 
 for Paul in Troas (Acts 20: 1-6). Later we find him 
 with Paul in Rome, when the apostle was a prisoner 
 (Phil. 1:1; Col. 1:1; Philemon 1). From Phil. 2 : 19 
 and following verses we see that it was the intention of 
 the apostle to send Timothy to Philippi. 
 
 We see from 1 Tim. 1 : 3, that when he had been re- 
 leased from prison in Ephesus, Paul went on a journey, 
 leaving Timothy behind in Ephesus to hold the false 
 teachers in check. Later, when Paul was a prisoner in 
 Rome, he w r rote to Timothy, asking him to come to 
 Rome before the winter set in, and to bring with him 
 a number of things which Paul had left behind in Troas 
 (2 Tim. 4:9-23). 
 
 In Hebrews 13 : 23, it is mentioned that Timothy at 
 the time when that letter was written had been in prison 
 and had just been set free. There is a legend which 
 says that he was the first bishop of Ephesus, and that 
 he suffered death in the persecutions under the emperor 
 Domitian. 
 
 Introduction and Salutation. 
 
 1 : 1,2. The superscription is short, but suggests the 
 thought with which the letter will deal. It is not pri- 
 marily the man Paul writing to his dear friend, but 
 rather the apostle writing to his co-worker and child 
 in the faith. In the controversies in which Timothy is 
 involved with the Gnostic heretics, it may be some help 
 to him to be reminded of the fact that his fatherly friend 
 is one of the Lord's own apostles. 
 
352 
 
 A Call to Arms Against False Doctrine. 
 
 1 : 3-30. Timothy had, as Paul here reminds him, 
 him, been left behind in Bphesus in order that he might 
 take up arms against the false teachers, whose doctrine 
 was not in accord with the Gospel. They were not 
 preaching God and Christ as our salvation and hope; 
 but they were inventing fantastic fables and piecing to- 
 gether endless genealogies of the angels; this foolish- 
 ness was their religion. It leads to dissensions in the 
 Church, and should be promptly put down. These 
 teachers can not serve as God's ministers; for they do 
 not believe the Gospel of salvation. The Christian 
 preaching is not to deal in endless and unprofitable 
 speculations, nor in wild flights of a diseased imagina- 
 tion; but is to teach love, which springs out of a pure 
 heart and a good conscience and a faith unfeigned, or, 
 in other words, to teach the necessity of being and liv- 
 ing as a "new man." 
 
 But there are some who do not like this simple 
 doctrine of faith and so they have turned to empty 
 and foolish fables. They pretend to be teachers of the 
 Law, and they use some high-sounding phrases which 
 they do not themselves understand; even as they have 
 no understanding of the subject on which they talk with 
 so much assurance. 
 
 We Christians, who hold fast the sound doctrine of 
 the Gospel, know that the Law is good, if it be used 
 in accordance with God's will. But God has never 
 willed that His children were to be under the yoke of 
 the Law. This has nothing to do with people who are 
 righteous (Gal. 5:22). It is the wrongdoer, following 
 his own will and living an ungodly and immoral life, 
 who is amenable to the Law. This is the sound doc- 
 trine. It does not abrogate the Law, but gives it its 
 rightful place (Rom. 3 : 31-8 : 3) . 
 
353 
 
 The heart of the apostle swells with joy and grati- 
 tude at the thought that he, who had been a blasphemer 
 and persecutor and had done much injury, had not only 
 found salvation; but that the Lord had even appointed 
 him to the service, sending him out to preach this great- 
 est of all truths, that Christ came to the world to save 
 sinners. If anything on earth is well worthy of ac- 
 ceptation, it is this truth. Now unto the King eternal, 
 immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory 
 for ever and ever. Amen. 
 
 As the true spiritual son of the apostle, Timothy 
 must hold fast this pure Gospel, in order that the 
 prophecies concerning him at the time when he was 
 dedicated to the service, may be fulfilled (4: 14; 2 Tim. 
 1:6); in that he with a good conscience wars the good 
 warfare. Some have thrust this Gospel from them and 
 suffered spiritual shipwreck. This was the case with 
 Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom Paul had for that 
 reason been obliged to deliver unto Satan, in order that 
 perhaps they thus might be taught not to blaspheme 
 (1 Cor. 5:5). 
 
 Intercession for the Government. 
 
 2 : 1-7. First of all the apostle exhorts to inter- 
 cession and thanksgiving for all men, and particularly 
 for those in authority; that we may lead a tranquil 
 and quiet life in all godliness and honesty. For such is 
 the will of God our Savior, who would have all men 
 to be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth. 
 There can be but one truth) for there is but one God 
 and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ 
 Jesus (Gal. 3 : 19). And he is a true man; not an angel 
 of high rank, as taught by the heresy of Gnosticism. 
 He, the man Jesus, it was who gave His life as a ran- 
 som for all from the guilt and the punishment ; and 
 therefore there can not be redemption through any 
 
354 
 
 other, or by any other means. There is no help for 
 anybody in the speculations of the Gnostics. The testi- 
 mony concerning redemption from guilt and punishment 
 is presented at this time, now that the salvation in Christ 
 is come, and the fulness of time has arrived; and God 
 had appointed Paul an apostle, that he should go out 
 into all the world and announce the Good News, es- 
 pecially to the Gentiles. This is immovably true; while 
 the false teachers in question never have received any 
 credentials from God to preach their heretical doctrine. 
 
 Men and Women Must Conduct Themselves in a 
 Christian Manner in the Congregation. 
 
 2: 8-15. There were other things also that had gone 
 wrong in the Congregation at Ephesus, which Timothy 
 must try to set right. The men were disputatious, and 
 the women had a passion for finery and did not con- 
 duct themselves with becoming modesty. 
 
 Timothy is therefore instructed to urge upon the men 
 that they must, lift up holy hands to God when they 
 offer prayer at their Church services ; and they must not 
 make a mockery of their prayers by wrath and a pas- 
 sion for bandying words. 
 
 The women must curb their love of finery and other 
 vanities. They are to wear modest apparel, becoming 
 to women who profess godliness ; and whose proper 
 ornament is not. costly clothes and the like, but good 
 deeds. Women have their mission in the home; they 
 are not fitted to be the teachers of the Church. Even 
 the history of the fall in the garden of Eden shows that 
 woman was not created for the leadership. She is 
 more easily persuaded than is the man by the arts of 
 seduction. She is, therefore, not to be the teacher and 
 ruler of the man; her life is to be the more secluded 
 life of the wife and mother. She shall be saved through 
 
355 
 
 her childbearing, says the apostle ; if as a Christian 
 mother she "continue in faith and love and sanctification 
 with sobriety. " 
 
 The Church Officials. 
 
 3:1-13. Furthermore it was the duty of Timothy 
 to keep an eye on the different servants and officials of 
 the Church; and in this matter also the apostle gives 
 his young friend some good counsel. 
 
 The office of a bishop, or a minister, in the Church 
 is a high calling and much to be desired. But he who 
 is to fill such a position must keep clear of the loose 
 and immoral life of the heathen. A bishop, or minister 
 of the Church, should be the husband of one wife, and 
 must be temperate and sober-minded. A man who can 
 not maintain order in his own home is not fit to care for 
 the Church of God. And he must be a mature Chris- 
 tian, a man of some dignity ; else he may easily fall into 
 the snare of the Devil, and come to be regarded as one 
 not to be taken seriously. 
 
 The deacons of the Church, also, must conduct 
 themselves in a seemly way, be honest in money matters, 
 temperate and otherwise fitted for their position. And 
 the same holds true of the deaconesses. 
 
 They that serve well will have the love and esteem of 
 their Congregations, and will be able to do their work 
 with boldness in the faith in Christ. 
 
 How Timothy is to Behave Himself in the House of 
 
 God. 
 
 3 : 14-16. The apostle has written these things, he 
 says, that Timothy may know "how men ought to be- 
 have themselves in the House of God." The office of 
 a bishop is so great and holy, because the Congregation 
 is not. a mere worldly institution ; it is the House of 
 God and has its own domestic government. The Church 
 
356 
 
 belongs to the living God, and He has given it a 
 unique and most important mission: It is to be the 
 pillar and ground of the truth. The Church of Chris- 
 tian believers and confessors is to hold the truth unto 
 salvation up before the eyes of men, in order that they 
 may see it and believe. In the Church the truth is safe ; 
 none can destroy the Church of God. It is the keeper 
 of the great mystery of godliness: Jesus Christ, mani- 
 fested in the flesh, certified by the Spirit as being He 
 whom He claimed to be, seen of angels, preached and 
 believed on among the nations, and now in glory at the 
 right hand of God the Father almighty. 
 
 The False Doctrine with Which Timothy Will Have to 
 
 Contend. 
 
 4, 1-5. The apostle again returns to the subject 
 of false teachers. The Church of God is facing great 
 difficulties; this has been expressly revealed to the 
 apostle. Timothy must therefore be on his guard and 
 have his weapons at hand. There shall come false 
 teachers, to whom the simple truth of the Gospel is 
 not enough. They fall away from the faith, giving heed 
 to all sorts of lying doctrines, which come from the 
 Devil. Instead of leading people to faith in God they 
 seduce them into hypocrisy, though branded in their 
 own conscience as hypocrites. They put forward as 
 patterns of Christian piety the people who do not marry, 
 and who punish their bodies by abstinence from food. 
 The apostle also might have advised Christians not 
 to marry ( 1 Cor. 7 : 7, 26) ; but that advice was due to 
 the dangers and uncertainties of the times, and did not 
 assume that people who did not marry were for that 
 reason any better Christians than those who did. The 
 apostle might also under certain peculiar circumstances 
 counsel abstinence in regard to meet and drink (Rom. 
 
357 
 
 14: 15,21) ; but he had never regarded such abstinence 
 as indicating a higher degree of sanctity. But these 
 Gnostics wanted to be regarded as more spiritual and 
 saintly than the apostle. His manner of life was not 
 holy enough to suit them. They wanted to demonstrate 
 their spirituality by showing that they were independent 
 of the mere bodily demands; they despised the body as 
 being the prison house which kept the soul from making 
 its highest flights. But the apostle was able to see 
 through this hollow spiritual pride, and he stamps the 
 whole thing as sheer hypocrisy. Their talk about ab- 
 stinence is very far from being godliness ; for that 
 which God has created is good. And we must not for- 
 get that the good things come from God, and are to be 
 received with thanks to Him, and to be sanctified 
 through the Word of God and prayer. 
 
 . Timothy Is to Remain True to That Which the Apostle 
 
 Has Taught Him. 
 
 4:6-12. Timothy is instructed to put down all this 
 talk of the Gnostics as profane, and old wives' fables. 
 not to be tolerated in the Church of God. As a good 
 minister of Christ he is to find nourishment for his 
 spiritual life in the good doctrine of faith which he so 
 far has followed. There is little profit in self-torture, 
 such as is urged by the false teachers; but godliness is 
 profitable for all things, as it has God's promise for the 
 present life and the life to come. The salvation which 
 is worth all our labor and striving is not founded on 
 abstinence and good works, which may delude certain 
 shallow minds; but we build our hope of it on the 
 living God, who wishes to save all men, and will bring 
 safely home to heaven all those who live their life in 
 faith on Him. 
 
 Timothy is not to trouble himself with unnecessary 
 anxiety on account of his youth, but must so conduct 
 
3DS 
 
 himself as to win respect. In doctrine and life he must 
 be an example to others, and make good use of the 
 gift which was given him with the laying on of hands 
 when he was ordained as one of the Lord's ministers. 
 Then his work in the Church .shall be blest, and he shall 
 save himself and them that hear him. 
 
 How Timothy Is to Deport Himself Toward His 
 
 Congregation. 
 
 5 : 1-8. Timothy is to use Christian tact in his de- 
 portment toward old and young. Especially should he 
 show deference to the old widows among the members 
 of the Church, and see to it that they want for nothing. 
 If they have children he must urge upon these the duty 
 of caring for their old parents. But he shall also ad- 
 monish the widows to lead a blameless life in godliness 
 and chastity. 
 
 5 : 9-16. Old widows of good report in the Church 
 may be very useful in the work of the Congregation. 
 But the young widows are not suited for such work. 
 They think more of marriage than of serving the Lord : 
 and they soon come to be suspected of having violated 
 their pledge to work for the Church. And there is 
 danger that they learn to be idle and to be tattling busy- 
 bodies. It is better that they marry again and are kept 
 busy with their own household duties. 
 
 The Elders of the Church 
 
 5 : 17-25. It is important to be careful and tactful 
 in dealing with the elders in the Congregation, especially 
 if complaint is made against any of them. Great care 
 must be exercised in the selection of a man to be an 
 elder; in order to avert the danger that something may 
 come to light which, had it been known at the time, 
 would have prevented the man's appointment. 
 
359 
 
 Some Final Exhortations. 
 
 Chapter 6 begins with an exhortation to the bond- 
 servants (6: 1-2) ; and then there is a sharp attack on 
 teachers of false doctrine. These are actuated, declares 
 Paul, by love of money, "supposing that godliness is a 
 way of gain" (6: 3-10). Then follows an earnest ad- 
 monition to Timothy to shun the false teachers and their 
 hypocrisy, and to follow after godliness and charity. 
 Let him fight the good fight of the faith and remember 
 the good confession which he has confessed. He is to 
 live his life in the sight of God and Christ Jesus, and 
 do his duty ; that he may be without reproach when the 
 Lord comes again to judgment; — He who is King of 
 Kings and Lord of Lords ; who alone has immortality. 
 To whom be honor and power eternal. Amen. (6: 
 11-16.) 
 
 After this comes a reminder to Timothy that he 
 must urge the rich to give liberally to the needy (6: 
 17-19) ; and then a final admonition to turn away from 
 the profane babblings of science, falsely so called. And 
 the letter closes with the short benediction : "Grace be 
 with you." 
 
 This letter was probably written during the time 
 between Paul's first and second imprisonment. Paul 
 had made Titus overseer of the Churches in Crete, had 
 put Timothy in charge of the work at Ephesus, and 
 had himself gone to Macedonia. 
 
2 Timothy 
 
 This letter is the latest we have from the hand of the 
 apostle Paul. It bears the stamp of having been written 
 with death at the writer's elbow. An undercurrent of 
 melancholy runs through it. The apostle feels the near- 
 ness of death, and longs for the presence of his dear 
 son Timothy to relieve his loneliness. 
 
 It was two or three years since the apostle wrote 
 the first letter to Timothy. He was now again a pris- 
 oner in Rome, had been once before his judges, and 
 was now awaiting the final verdict (1:8; 2:9; 4: 16) ; 
 and he did not doubt what that would be (4:6). He 
 expected the death of a martyr. The only one of his 
 co-workers now with him was Luke; and Paul was 
 hoping that Timothy might come and spend the winter 
 with him (4:9,21). 
 
 Timothy had during these years continued his work 
 as pastor of the Church in Ephesus ; and it had not al- 
 ways been easy. False teachers had kept up their 
 ruinous agitation, and there had been all sorts of un- 
 pleasantness ; so that Timothy was near losing heart 
 (1:6-8; 2: 1-13; 4: 1-2), and could well stand in need 
 of some encouragement. Therefore the apostle sent 
 him this letter. The imprisoned apostle, who was wait- 
 ing for the sentence of death to be pronounced on him, 
 sent a message of comfort to his young friend. 
 
 Introduction and Salutation. 
 
 1 : 1, 2. The letter opens with a superscription and a 
 greeting which shows the love and intimate friendship 
 between the two men. 
 
361 
 
 Thanks to God. 
 
 1 : 3-5. The apostle thanks God that he had come 
 from a home in which piety was practised, and that he 
 had enjoyed the happiness of giving his life to the 
 service of God in a pure conscience, with no sordid ends 
 in view. "And I remember you always in my prayers," 
 he assures Timothy, "and my thoughts are with you 
 day and night. I long to see you; and I have not. for- 
 gotten how hard it was last time to part from you. 
 Therefore it has done my heart good to hear of your 
 unfeigned faith; which was no more, however, than I 
 expected from you, who were so piously brought up 
 by your good grandmother and mother." 
 
 Keep a Stout Heart. 
 
 1 : 6-14. Now Timothy must not lose courage, but 
 stir up the gift of God received through the laying on 
 of hands when he was ordained to the ministry by Paul 
 and others. He must bear in mind that the Spirit of 
 God is not a spirit, of fearfulness, but of power and 
 love and discipline. Therefore he must not be ashamed 
 of the Gospel, nor of the imprisoned apostle; but must, 
 like the apostle, be willing to suffer for the cause of 
 the Gospel. "Then the power of God shall be with us," 
 says the apostle, "and we will never be forsaken of God ; 
 who saved us, and called us with a holy calling to be 
 His children and the heirs of Heaven, not according to 
 anything which we have done, but because He had from 
 times eternal purposed to give us His grace in Christ 
 Jesus. But this eternal decree God has now carried out 
 by the appearing of our Savior, who abolished death, 
 and brought life and immortality to light. God has 
 called us to have a part, in this salvation. And to me 
 He has assigned the glorious privilege of going to the 
 Gentiles with this wonderful Gospel message. There- 
 
362 
 
 fore I am not ashamed of the Gospel, nor of my suffer- 
 ings for the cause; for I know Him whom I have be- 
 lieved; and I know that He is able to care for the work 
 which He has given me to do, against the coming of the 
 day when each man's work shall be laid bare, that all 
 may see what sort it is" (1 Cor. 3 : 13). 
 
 Timothy must in his preaching hold fast the sound 
 words which he had heard from Paul, in faith and love 
 in Christ, Jesus; and he must guard the good treasure 
 committed to him by the Holy Spirit dwelling in the 
 heart. 
 
 Some Sad Experiences. 
 
 1 : 15-18. During his imprisonment the apostle has 
 had a number of disappointments which have touched 
 him to the quick. In Rome there were quite many 
 Christians from Asia who might have appeared in the 
 court as witnesses for the apostle. But they kept away, 
 either because they were ashamed of the prisoner, or 
 because they were afraid. He mentions especially two 
 who had disappointed him : Phlygelus and Hermogenes. 
 But then, he had been made the more happy by another 
 man from Asia, one Onesiphorus; who came to Rome 
 and allowed himself no rest until he had found the im- 
 prisoned apostle. God will reward him for what he had 
 done for the apostle, and for his services to the Church 
 in Ephesus. 
 
 Diverse Exhortations. 
 
 2:1-13. The apostle again turns to Timothy, his 
 beloved spiritual son, and exhorts him to seek his 
 strength in the grace of God in Christ Jesus. Only in 
 this way can he become strong to work and to suffer. 
 And he must find a number of faithful men who shall 
 be able to teach others; and he must instruct them in 
 the truths of the Christian faith, which Paul has 
 preached, and with which the many who have heard 
 
363 
 
 Paul must be familiar. As a good soldier of Jesus 
 Christ, Timothy must make it the business of his life 
 to please Him who enrolled him as a soldier. It is 
 with a Christian as with the man who contends in a 
 manly game. Unless he goes into it with a firm resolve 
 to win the prize according to the rules of the game, he 
 can not succeed. So it is with the Christian ; he can 
 win the prize only by contending manfully for it ac- 
 cording to the rules which the Lord has laid down. The 
 husbandman must do much work before he can reap the 
 harvest; and so it is with the Christians. But. when they 
 do the Lord's will the reward is sure. 
 
 If the work of Timothy is to be successful, he must 
 learn to understand these things ; and in this the Lord 
 will help him. 
 
 To a soldier of Christ there is no better cure for 
 discouragement than always to remember Jesus Christ r 
 who by His resurrection proved Himself the great victor 
 over death; in whom all God's promises concerning the 
 Messiah have been fulfilled, according to the Gospel as 
 preached by Paul. For His sake the apostle endures 
 hardship. The Lord's soldiers may be thrown into 
 prison, but the Word of God can not be bound. Paul 
 is willing to" endure all things, that the elect may ob- 
 tain eternal salvation in Christ. Thus Timothy may 
 learn from the example of his old friend that hardship 
 and suffering are the lot of those who preach the Gos- 
 pel. It is a divine order: If we would live with Christ, 
 in glory, we must suffer with Him here. We can not 
 have one without the other. And the saying of God 
 is always faithful. 
 
 A Pure Life and a Pare Doctrine. 
 
 2 : 14-3 : 9. Timothy must charge the Christian 
 brethren that they desist from wordy warfare, of which 
 no good can come: it does not edify, but subverts them 
 
364 
 
 that hear. He must also be diligent to handle the 
 Word of Truth aright and shun the profane babblings 
 of the false teachers. False doctrine and a godless life 
 go hand in hand. And among the false teachers Tim- 
 othy must especially mark Hymenaeus and Philetus; 
 who deny the resurrection of the dead, explaining re- 
 surrection as being a mere spiritual awakening. How- 
 ever, even if some are caught in the snares of these 
 false teachers, the firm foundation of God stands ; and 
 it has this seal: "The Lord knoweth them that are 
 His," and, "Let every one that nameth the name of the 
 Lord depart from unrighteousness. " This is the Lord 
 bound to His Church. He knows its members and 
 acknowledges them as His own; and they boldly con- 
 fess their Lord and lead a godly life in His sight. But 
 in a great house — like the Church — all the vessels 
 can not be of the precious metals ; there will be some 
 which are not an honor to the house. Timothy is urged 
 to purge himself from these, and strive to be a holy 
 instrument in God's hand, that he may be to the honor 
 of God, prepared unto every good work. And this he 
 will be, if he flee the lusts which are the special danger 
 of youth, and strive to have a pure heart and lead a 
 godly life. Impertinent questions he must refuse to 
 answer; they have no purpose but to cause trouble. 
 But a servant of the Lord must be gentle toward all, 
 be patient in teaching and explaining, and learn to be 
 meek and not. to avenge an insult. He is to correct 
 mischief-makers without losing his temper. If God 
 should give them repentance, they will learn the truth ; 
 and then they will discover with terror, that they are in 
 the snare of the Devil and are doing his will. 
 
 But this he must know, that as the end of time 
 draws near ungodliness will increase; and the seducers 
 will be more dangerous and lead many — particularly 
 silly women — astray ; for they w T ill know how to throw 
 
Q 
 
 05 
 
 a certain appearance of godliness over even the most 
 abominable vices. But in good time their hypocrisy 
 shall be unmasked and a stop be put to their further 
 efforts. This is the kind of false teachers with whom 
 Timothy also will have to deal ; and therefore he must 
 all the time be on his guard. 
 
 Use the Holy Scriptures, and be a Soldier of Christ. 
 
 3 : 10-4 : 8. As Timothy has so far faithfully fol- 
 lowed his fatherly friend in doctrine and conduct, 
 through labor and persecution, and has seen how God 
 all the time held His protecting hand over the apostle; 
 so he must continue, knowing that such persecution is 
 the common lot of all Christians. But evil men and im- 
 posters are a curse to themselves and to others. 
 
 Timothy is fortunate in that he grew up in a Chris- 
 tian home, and from a babe has known the Sacred 
 Writings ; which are inspired of God, and therefore are 
 profitable to teach us to know God and the way of 
 salvation, to instruct the heart in regard to sin and 
 righteousness, and to correct all errors ; to the end that 
 the inner man, which belongs to God and is to serve 
 Him, may attain full growth and be furnished com- 
 pletely unto every good work. 
 
 Toward the close of the letter the admonitions be- 
 come more urgent. The apostle feels that he is near the 
 end of his life. He charges Timothy in the sight of 
 Jesus, who shall come in might and glory to establish 
 His Kingdom and to judge the quick and the dead; to 
 preach the Word as a tireless servant of Christ, in 
 season and out of season, to reprove, rebuke, exhort, 
 soberly and clearly. This is to be his work while he lives, 
 and as long as people are willing to hear the sound 
 doctrine; for there will come a time when people with 
 itching ears will run after teachers who are more to 
 
;\66 
 
 their liking, and who will feed them on foolish fables. 
 But Timothy must be sober in all things, hold a steady 
 course, and fulfill his ministry which God has given 
 him, and preach the good Gospel tidings, even though 
 he suffer persecution for it. Now Timothy must take 
 charge of the work; for Paul is near the goal. He 
 has fought the good fight, finished the course, kept the 
 faith. And he knows that the crown of righteousness 
 is laid up for him, which the Lord, the righteous judge, 
 shall give to him at. that day; and not to him only, but 
 also to all them that have loved the Lord's appearing. 
 Soon the apostle will be at home and stand before the 
 throne. He is ready to quit the war and enter into 
 everlasting peace and rest. He has not. lived in vain, 
 and therefore he now loves to think upon death. This 
 is the apostle's swan-song of joy and victory as he stands 
 on the threshold of eternity. 
 
 Conclusion. 
 
 4:9-22. The letter concludes with an earnest appeal 
 to Timothy, that he come soon to the apostle in Rome. 
 Then there are some instructions and requests of a more 
 personal nature, and finally a benediction. 
 
 This letter was, as we have seen, written shortly 
 before the apostle's death. 
 
The Letter to Titus 
 
 We know but little about Titus. He was a Greek 
 Gentile, and must have been converted to Christianity 
 by Paul some time in the early years of this apostle's 
 work. 
 
 In Titus the apostle found a talented and energetic 
 co-worker, to whom was often entrusted work of the 
 greatest difficulty and delicacy. In respect to natural 
 endowments he seems to have been the superior of 
 Timothy. Gal. 2 : 1 tells us that Paul took him with 
 him on the memorable visit to Jerusalem. Titus was 
 to be a living example of the uncircumcised Christian. 
 Later the apostle sent him on the delicate mission to 
 Corinth, where he was to adjust certain unpleasant dif- 
 ficulties in the Congregation; and Titus did it to Paul's 
 entire satisfaction (2 Cor. 2 and 7). Then he rejoined 
 the apostle in Macedonia. The reports which he brought 
 from Corinth caused Paul to write his second letter to 
 that Congregation ; and Titus took the letter with him 
 when he returned to Corinth. There he also finished 
 the work, which Paul had begun, of collecting money 
 for the poor in Jerusalem. 
 
 When the apostle had been set free after his first 
 imprisonment in Rome, he and Titus went to Crete ; 
 where Paul left Titus with instructions to set in order 
 the things that were wanting in the Church (Titus 
 1 : 5). He did not remain there long, however; for he 
 soon received the letter from Paul urging him to come 
 to him in Nicopolis. From '2 Tim. 4:10 we see that 
 
368 
 
 during Paul's second imprisonment in Rome Titus was 
 in Dalmatia. 
 
 We know nothing more of him. There is a legend 
 that he was the first bishop in Crete, and that he died 
 on that island at the age of 94 years. 
 
 The Contents of the Letter. 
 Superscription and Salutation. 
 
 1 : 1-4. The superscription over this letter is un- 
 usually elaborate; and in forming it the apostle plainly 
 has in mind those same Gnostic heretics, against whom 
 Titus also was waging war. The apostle makes a plain 
 statement of the purpose and foundation of his apostolic 
 office. He has been commissioned an apostle of Jesus 
 Christ, in order that he might lead God's elect to the 
 faith, and teach them the truth which is according to 
 godliness, and which gives a sure hope of salvation, 
 promised before times eternal. This it is which Paul 
 preaches in accordance with orders from God our Sa- 
 vior. Therefore he does not, as do the Gnostics, in- 
 dulge in profane fables ; and his preaching does not lead 
 to an immoral life and a death without hope. So now 
 he turns to Titus, his true child after a common faith, 
 with the wish: Grace and peace from God the Father 
 and Christ Jesus our Savior. 
 
 Concerning Elders in the Church. 
 
 1 : 5-9. Titus also has been appointed to this work 
 of a preacher, and it must be continued. For this rea- 
 son Paul had left him in Crete, and given him authority 
 to appoint ministers, or elders, in every city. But in 
 his choice of these men he must be careful; find men 
 who lead a Christian life in the home, who show self- 
 control and a friendly spirit in their conduct toward 
 
369 
 
 others ; and who are able to exhort in the sound doc- 
 trine, and to hold their own against the teachers of 
 falsehood. 
 
 . The Mouths of Deceivers Mast Be Stopped. 
 
 1 : 10-16. Only such Congregations as are firmly 
 grounded in the sound doctrine of God's Word, and 
 have pious and capable pastors, are able to stand in 
 the fight against the teachers of false doctrines. Of 
 these teachers there were many in Crete, and they had 
 done much to bring confusion into the Churches. With 
 their vain talk they had seduced whole families to 
 apostacy, especially among the Jewish Christians. The 
 mouths of these deceivers must be stopped before they 
 do more damage in the Congregations. They are ac- 
 tuated by a love of filthy lucre. In Crete they have 
 found a good field for their operations ; for the Cretans 
 were not generally people of good report. If one will 
 not believe the testimony of others in this matter, one 
 may believe that which one of their own, the poet Epi- 
 menides, says of them: that they are distinguished by 
 their lying, their coarse sensuality and their idleness. 
 — It will not do to handle these people with soft words. 
 They must be reproved sharply, if they are to be made 
 sound in the faith, and taught not to listen to the false 
 teachers; who had taken some Judaistic ideas, and out 
 of them had spun some fantastic fables, and invented 
 some new commandments in regard to clean and un- 
 clean food. However, it is not that which a man eats 
 which makes him clean or unclean; this will depend on 
 the state of his mind and conscience. To the pure all 
 things are pure. But if one has an impure mind, his 
 whole life is defiled and brings forth nothing but evil 
 fruits. 
 
370 
 
 The Life of Christians Must Be in Accordance with 
 
 God's Word. 
 
 2 : 1-10. The life of Christian people must be widely 
 different from that, of the unbelievers. Titus must 
 point out to all what a godly life really is when it is 
 grounded in the sound doctrine. Regarding this he 
 must instruct old and young, men and women, masters 
 and servants; that they may learn to live in accordance 
 with God's Word. 
 
 The Grace of God Results in Holiness of Life. 
 
 2: 11-15. It is for the purpose of enabling us to- 
 lead a holy life, that God reveals His grace. The grace 
 of God is for the salvation of all men. It would in- 
 struct us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to 
 live a godly life in the present world; while in hope we 
 look forward to the day on which God shall fulfil all his 
 promises in Christ; who gave His life to redeem us 
 from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a people for 
 his own possession, zealous of good works. This is the 
 goal aimed at by God's whole dispensation of grace. 
 And this truth Titus is to teach with all authority 
 against the Gnostic heresies in regard to doctrine and 
 conduct. 
 
 The New Life Must Manifest Itself in Humility and 
 
 Meekness. 
 
 3:1-7. Titus must remind the Christians in Crete 
 that Christian people are to obey the authorities, and to 
 live in peace with their fellowmen. In this matter the 
 people of Crete seem to have been found wanting, self- 
 willed and quarrelsome as they were. They are to re- 
 member, that through God's goodness and love toward 
 all men they have been saved from their former life of 
 sin and shame, and have been made children of God 
 
and heirs to eternal life. And this change did not take 
 place in them or any others by reason of their own 
 works of righteousness; for they had no such works to 
 put forward. But God took pity on us ; and in holy 
 Baptism we were born again of the Spirit to a new life. 
 Then our Savior, having ascended into Heaven, poured 
 His Spirit in full measure upon us (2 Cor. 3:3-17): 
 to the end that by His saving grace we might stand 
 justified before God, and be made heirs according to the 
 hope of eternal life (Eph. 2). The thought of God's 
 mercy should create in us the humble mind which alone 
 is seemly in the Christian. 
 
 3 : 8-1 S. Once more the apostle repeats to them that 
 believe in God the exhortation to live a godly life and 
 shun the oft-mentioned foolish questionings ; and then 
 the letter closes with an appeal to Titus to come to the 
 apostle in Nicopolis, in Epirus on the Adriatic, where 
 the apostle planned to spend the winter. Then there is 
 a salutation and after that a "grace be with you all." 
 
 The letter was written, probably, in the fall of the 
 vear 65. 
 
The Letter to Philemon 
 
 This short, and beautiful letter has been much ad- 
 mired by both Christians and infidels. The famous 
 Frenchman Ernst Renan calls it a "true masterpiece'' ; 
 and Holtzmann, the German scholar, says of it that it 
 is a "model of delicacy, tact, and lovableness." 
 
 In this letter we see the character of the great 
 Gentile apostle from a new angle. He, who could 
 fight so valiantly against heretics and all manner of 
 wickedness, also understand the art of using the utmost 
 delicacy with even an admixture of harmless pleasantry 
 (18,19). It is a kind and lovable heart which speaks 
 to us in every line of this letter. 
 
 Philemon was one of Paul's very dear friends. His 
 home was in Colossae, and he had been converted to 
 Christianity by the preaching of Paul. He became a 
 zealous Christian, was a diligent worker in the Church, 
 and may have been a minister, or elder, in the Congre- 
 gation jointly with Archippus. The Congregation held 
 their meetings in his house. We know nothing more 
 about him. There is a legend, that he was bishop of 
 Colossae and died as a martyr in the persecutions under 
 the unspeakable Nero. 
 
 Philemon's bondservant, or slave, Onesimus had been 
 guilty of some misdemeanor toward him, and had fled 
 to escape punishment. This runaway slave made his 
 way to Rome. There he fell in with Paul, who was then 
 a prisoner; and he was converted to the Christian faith, 
 and Paul came to be very fond of him. 
 
8 t 3 
 
 Now, when Tychicus was to go to Colossae with the 
 letter which Paul had written to the Church at that 
 place, Paul advised Onesimus to go with Tychicus ; 
 and he sent by him this letter to his master, bespeaking 
 for Onesimus a kind reception. 
 
 1-3. The imprisoned apostle sends this letter to his 
 dear friend and fellow-worker, with a greeting to his 
 wife; and to Archippus, who was the minister of the 
 Colossian Church (Col. 4: 17), and is said to have been 
 the son of Philemon; and to the Church in Philemon's 
 house. 
 
 4—7. In words full of love the apostle speaks of 
 his joy in the good reputation of Philemon for Chris- 
 tian faith and charity, and in the hearty good-will be- 
 tween him and the other members of the Congregation. 
 
 8-21. Paul feels sure that his dear friend will take 
 it in good part when he, Paul — his old friend and now 
 a prisoner of Christ — now begs him to receive his run- 
 away servant with forgiveness and love. Onesimus 
 comes home as a new man. Formerly he had not been 
 very useful to his master; but now this is all changed. 
 Paul would have liked to keep Onesimus with him as a 
 dear friend and servant, but did not. want to do it 
 without the consent of Philemon. So now Philemon 
 must receive Onesimus as a brother in the Lord ; a 
 brother whom he will never again lose. Therefore he 
 must receive his servant as he would have received Paul 
 himself. "And if he owe thee aught," says Paul, "put 
 that to mine account." Paul is willing to be in the debt 
 of Philemon, even as Philemon is in the debt of his 
 spiritual father Paul. So the account may balance. The 
 name Onesimus means : Profitable ; and there is here a 
 play on this name: Be profitable to me, as he is to you. 
 Paul does not doubt that Philemon will do what he 
 asks of him. 
 
 22-25. The letter closes with a greeting from the 
 
374 
 
 apostle and the friends with him, and then with the 
 
 usual benediction. 
 
 This letter is in many respects something apart from 
 
 the others. Paul does not say that Philemon must set 
 
 his servant free, but that he must treat him as a brother 
 
 in Christ. In other places ( Eph. 6:9; Col. 4:1) he 
 
 exhorts the Christian masters to treat their slaves with 
 
 kindness. In this way Christianity brought relief to the 
 
 bondservants. The heathen masters treated them as 
 
 dumb brutes ; and this the Christians could not do. And 
 
 Paul exhorts the servants to remain as they are, and to 
 
 serve their masters faithfully (1 Tim. 6:1; 1 Cor. 7: 
 
 21 ) . But the Gospel of St. Paul (Gal. 3 : 28 ; Col. 3:11) 
 
 would some time necessarily lead to the abolition of 
 
 slavery. 
 
 ^ % * 
 
 We have now finished with the life-work of the great 
 apostle. No man has ever occupied a more difficult or 
 more important position than he. His soul was filled 
 with the most profound problems ; and with God's help 
 he was able to point out to coming generations till the 
 end of time the way to God through faith in the grace 
 in Christ Jesus. Paul is the foremost man in God's 
 Kingdom. Through him Christianity emerged out of 
 Judaism and became a world religion. 
 
 Let me close my presentation of Paul by quoting 
 the beautiful words of the brilliant Godet: "If it be 
 true that a man is great after the measure in which the 
 contradictions united in his person are great and mani- 
 fold, then there has perhaps never lived a man on earth 
 who could bear comparison with Paul. A man with the 
 broadest vision and the keenest intellect; a man most 
 deep and tender in his sympathies, yet always immov- 
 ably sober in his judgments ; a man in whom the most 
 brilliant intellectual gifts were united with the kindest 
 heart and the deepest feelings — we may understand 
 
) i .) 
 
 that Christ had need of such an instrument to carry on 
 the greatest work in the world after His own; and that 
 Christ, there being no other way, took Paul as His 
 servant by main force. " 
 
 We can do no greater service to the Church of God 
 than to hold up the Pauline Gospel in all its shining 
 splendor before the eyes of mankind. 
 
About the Author of This Work 
 
 The author of this work on Paul and his letters, Rev. Prof. 
 Erik Kristian Johnsen, was born in Stavanger, Norway, in 1863, 
 and is a graduate in theology from the university at Christiania. 
 At the age of 29 he emigrated, and has now for more than a 
 quarter of a century been a teacher in the Norwegian Lutheran 
 Church of America. He was for some years a professor in the 
 theological seminary at Red Wing, Minn. Then he served for 
 three years as pastor at Ellsworth, Wis., and since 1900 he has 
 been a professor in the theological seminary of the Lutheran 
 Church at St. Anthony Park, St. Paul. He is known as a keen 
 scholar and a most lovable Christian gentleman. 
 
 As a teacher he has devoted himself, during the years 1887- 
 1900, especially to a thorough study of the apostle Paul and his 
 letters ; and many of his students have urged him to publish his 
 lectures on these subjects. This he did in 1917, thus making his 
 book a souvenir of the quadri-centennial of the Lutheran Refor- 
 mation. 
 
 Of late years Prof. Johnsen has been studying the old history 
 of Israel, and the Prophets, and has also delved into Babylonian 
 and Assyrian history; and on these and kindred subjects he has 
 published many brochures and pamphlets. In connection with 
 his work as teacher and preacher he has been a prolific and 
 versatile author. 
 
 The present volume is most interesting as coming from the 
 pen of a devout and careful theological scholar. 
 
 PEER Str^mme. 
 
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