the acts of the apostles-第34部分

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the　apostle's　weakness　was　to　remain　as　a　proof　of　his　fallibility　and　of
the　fact　that　he　stood　in　no　way　above　the　level　of　the　other　apostles。

The　history　of　this　departure　from　right　principles　stands　as　a　solemn
warning　to　men　in　positions　of　trust　in　the　cause　of　God；　that　they　may　not
fail　in　integrity；　but　firmly　adhere　to　principle。　The　greater　the
responsibilities　placed　upon　the　human　agent；　and　the　larger　his
opportunities　to　dictate　and　control；　the　more　harm　he　is　sure　to　do　if　he
does　not　carefully　follow　the　way　of　the　Lord　and　labor　in　harmony　with　the
decisions　arrived　at　by　the　general　body　of　believers　in　united　council。

After　all　Peter's　failures；　after　his　fall　and　restoration；　his　long　course
of　service；　his　intimate　acquaintance　with　Christ；　his　knowledge　of　the
Saviour's　straightforward　practice　of　right　principles；　after　all　the
instruction　he　had　received；　all　the　gifts　and　knowledge　and　influence　he
had　gained　by　preaching　and　teaching　the　wordis　it　not　strange　that　he
should　dissemble　and　evade　the　principles　of　the　gospel　through　fear　of　man；
or　in　order　to　gain　esteem？　Is　it　not　strange　that　he　should　waver　in　his
adherence　to　right？　May　God　give　every　man　a　realization　of　his
helplessness；　his　inability　to　steer　his　own　vessel　straight　and　safe　into
the　harbor。

In　his　ministry；　Paul　was　often　compelled　to　stand　alone。　He　was　specially
taught　of　God　and　dared　make　no　concessions　that　would　involve　principle。　At
times　the　burden　was　heavy；　but　Paul　stood　firm　for　the　right。　He　realized
that　the　church　must　never　be　brought　under　the　control

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of　human　power。　The　traditions　and　maxims　of　men　must　not　take　the　place　of
revealed　truth。　The　advance　of　the　gospel　message　must　not　be　hindered　by
the　prejudices　and　preferences　of　men；　whatever　might　be　their　position　in
the　church。

Paul　had　dedicated　himself　and　all　his　powers　to　the　service　of　God。　He　had
received　the　truths　of　the　gospel　direct　from　heaven；　and　throughout　his
ministry　he　maintained　a　vital　connection　with　heavenly　agencies。　He　had
been　taught　by　God　regarding　the　binding　of　unnecessary　burdens　upon　the
Gentile　Christians；　thus　when　the　Judaizing　believers　introduced　into　the
Antioch　church　the　question　of　circumcision；　Paul　knew　the　mind　of　the
Spirit　of　God　concerning　such　teaching　and　took　a　firm　and　unyielding
position　which　brought　to　the　churches　freedom　from　Jewish　rites　and
ceremonies。

Notwithstanding　the　fact　that　Paul　was　personally　taught　by　God；　he　had　no
strained　ideas　of　individual　responsibility。　While　looking　to　God　for　direct
guidance；　he　was　ever　ready　to　recognize　the　authority　vested　in　the　body　of
believers　united　in　church　fellowship。　He　felt　the　need　of　counsel；　and　when
matters　of　importance　arose；　he　was　glad　to　lay　these　before　the　church　and
to　unite　with　his　brethren　in　seeking　God　for　wisdom　to　make　right
decisions。　Even　〃the　spirits　of　the　prophets；〃　he　declared；　〃are　subject　to
the　prophets。　For　God　is　not　the　author　of　confusion；　but　of　peace；　as　in
all　churches　of　the　saints。〃　1　Corinthians　14：32；
33。　With　Peter；　he　taught　that　all　united　in　church　capacity
should　be　〃subject　one　to　another。〃　1　Peter　5：5。




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　20

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Exalting　the　Cross


After　spending　some　time　in　ministry　at　Antioch；　Paul　proposed　to　his　fellow
worker　that　they　set　forth　on　another　missionary　journey。　〃Let　us　go　again；〃
he　said　to　Barnabas；　〃and　visit　our　brethren　in　every　city　where　we　have
preached　the　word　of　the　Lord；　and　see　how　they　do。〃

Both　Paul　and　Barnabas　had　a　tender　regard　for　those　who　had　recently
accepted　the　gospel　message　under　their　ministry；　and　they　longed　to　see
them　once　more。　This　solicitude　Paul　never　lost。　Even　when　in　distant
mission　fields；　far　from　the　scene　of　his　earlier　labors；　he　continued　to
bear　upon　his　heart　the　burden　of　urging　these　converts　to　remain　faithful；
〃perfecting　holiness　in　the　fear　of　God。〃
2　Corinthians　7：1。　Constantly　he　tried　to　help　them　to
become　self…reliant；　growing　Christians；　strong　in　faith；　ardent　in　zeal；
and　wholehearted　in　their　consecration　to　God　and　to　the　work　of　advancing
His　kingdom。

202


Barnabas　was　ready　to　go　with　Paul；　but　wished　to　take　with　them　Mark；　who
had　again　decided　to　devote　himself　to　the　ministry。　To　this　Paul　objected。
He　〃thought　not　good　to　take　。　。　。　with　them〃　one　who　during　their　first
missionary　journey　had　left　them　in　a　time　of　need。　He　was　not　inclined　to
excuse　Mark's　weakness　in　deserting　the　work　for　the　safety　and　comforts　of
home。　He　urged　that　one　with　so　little　stamina　was　unfitted　for　a　work
requiring　patience；　self…denial；　bravery；　devotion；　faith；　and　a　willingness
to　sacrifice；　if　need　be；　even　life　itself。　So　sharp　was　the　contention　that
Paul　and　Barnabas　separated；　the　latter　following　out　his　convictions　and
taking　Mark　with　him。　〃So　Barnabas　took　Mark；　and　sailed　unto　Cyprus；　and
Paul　chose　Silas；　and　departed；　being　recommended　by　the　brethren　unto　the
grace　of　God。〃

Journeying　through　Syria　and　Cilicia；　where　they　strengthened　the　church；
Paul　and　Silas　at　length　reached　Derbe　and　Lystra　in　the　province　of
Lycaonia。　It　was　at　Lystra　that　Paul　had　been　stoned；　yet　we　find　him　again
on　the　scene　of　his　former　danger。　He　was　anxious　to　see　how　those　who
through　his　labors　had　accepted　the　gospel　were　enduring　the　test　of　trial。
He　was　not　disappointed；　for　he　found　that　the　Lystrian　believers　had
remained　firm　in　the　face　of　violent　opposition。

Here　Paul　again　met　Timothy；　who　had　witnessed　his　sufferings　at　the　close
of　his　first　visit　to　Lystra　and　upon　whose　mind　the　impression　then　made
had　deepened　with　the　passing　of　time　until　he　was　convinced　that　it　was　his
duty　to　give　himself　fully　to　the　work　of　the　ministry。　His

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heart　was　knit　with　the　heart　of　Paul；　and　he　longed　to　share　the　apostle's
labors　by　assisting　as　the　way　might　open。

Silas；　Paul's　companion　in　labor；　was　a　tried　worker；　gifted　with　the　spirit
of　prophecy；　but　the　work　to　be　done　was　so　great　that　there　was　need　of
training　more　laborers　for　active　service。　In　Timothy　Paul　saw　one　who
appreciated　the　sacredness　of　the　work　of　a　minister；　who　was　not　appalled
at　the　prospect　of　suffering　and　persecution；　and　who　was　willing　to　be
taught。　Yet　the　apostle　did　not　venture　to　take　the　responsibility　of　giving
Timothy；　an　untried　youth；　a　training　in　the　gospel　ministry；　without　first
fully　satisfying　himself　in　regard　to　his　character　and　his　past　life。

Timothy's　father　was　a　Greek　and　his　mother　a　Jewess。　From　a　child　he　had
known　the　Scriptures。　The　piety　that　he　saw　in　his　home　life　was　sound　and
sensible。　The　faith　of　his　mother　and　his　grandmother　in　the　sacred　oracles
was　to　him　a　constant　reminder　of　the　blessing　in　doing　God's　will。　The　word
of　God　was　the　rule　by　which　these　two　godly　women　had　guided　Timothy。　The
spiritual　power　of　the　lessons　that　he　had　received　from　them　kept　him　pure
in　speech　and　unsullied　by　the　evil　influences　with　which　he　was　surrounded。
Thus　his　home　instructors　had　co…operated　with　God　in　preparing　him　to　bear
burdens。

Paul　saw　that　Timothy　was　faithful；　steadfast；　and　true；　and　he　chose　him　as
a　companion　in　labor　and　travel。　Those　who　had　taught　Timothy　in　his
childhood　were　rewarded　by　seeing　the　son　of　their　care　linked　in　close
fellowship　with　the　great　apostle。　Timothy　was　a　mere　youth　when　he　was
chosen　by　God　to　be　a　teacher；　but　his　principles　had

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been　so　established　by　his　early　education　that　he　was　fitted　to　take　his
place　as　Paul's　helper。　And　though　young；　he　bore　his　responsibilities　with
Christian　meekness。

As　a　precautionary　measure；　Paul　wisely　advised　Timothy　to　be
circumcisednot　that　God　required　it；　but　in　order　to　remove　from　the　minds
of　the　Jews　that　which　might　be　an　objection　to　Timothy's　ministration。　In
his　work　Paul　was　to　journey　from　city　to　city；　in　many　lands；　and　often　he
would　have　opportunity　to　preach　Christ　in　Jewish　synagogues；　as　well　as　in
other　places　of　assembly。　If　it　should　be　known　that　one　of　his　companions
in　labor　was　uncircumcised；　his　work　might　be　greatly　hindered　by　the
prejudice　and　bigotry　of　the　Jews。　Everywhere　the　apostle　met　determined
opposition　and　severe　persecution。　He　desired　to　bring　to　his　Jewish
brethren；　as　well　as　to　the　Gentiles；　a　knowledge　of　the　gospel；　and
therefore　he　sought；　so　far　as　was　consistent　with　the　faith；　to　remove
every　pretext　for　opposition。　Yet　while　he　conceded　this　much　to　Jewish
prejudice；　he　believed　and　taught　circumcision　or　uncircumcision　to　be
nothing　and　the　gospel　of　Christ　everything。

Paul　loved　Timothy；　his　〃own　son　in　the　faith。〃　1　Timothy　1：2。　The　great
apostle　often　drew　the　younger　disciple　out；　questioning　him　in　regard　to
Scripture　history；　and　as　they　traveled　from　place　to　place；　he　carefully
taught　him　how　to　do　successful　work。　Both　Paul　and　Silas；　in　all　their
association　with　Timothy；　sought　to　deepen　the　impression