the acts of the apostles-第67部分

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And　they　accompanied　him　unto　the　ship。〃

From　Miletus　the　travelers　sailed　in　〃a　straight　course　unto　Coos；　and　the
day　following　unto　Rhodes；　and　from　thence　unto　Patara；〃　on　the　southwest
shore　of　Asia　Minor；　where；　〃finding　a　ship　sailing　over　unto　Phoenicia；〃
they　〃went　aboard；　and　set　forth。〃　At　Tyre；　where　the　ship　was　unloaded；
they　found　a　few　disciples；　with　whom　they　were　permitted　to　tarry　seven
days。　Through　the　Holy　Spirit　these　disciples　were　warned　of　the　perils
awaiting　Paul　at　Jerusalem；　and　they　urged　him　〃that　he　should　not　go　up　to
Jerusalem。〃　But　the　apostle　allowed　not　the　fear　of　affliction　and
imprisonment　to　turn　him　from　his　purpose。

At　the　close　of　the　week　spent　in　Tyre；　all　the　brethren；　with　their　wives
and　children；　went　with　Paul　to　the　ship；　and　before　he　stepped　on　board；
they　knelt　upon　the　shore　and　prayed；　he　for　them；　and　they　for　him。

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Pursuing　their　journey　southward；　the　travelers　arrived　at　Caesarea　and
〃entered　into　the　house　of　Philip　the　evangelist；　which　was　one　of　the
seven；　and　abode　with　him。〃　Here　Paul　spent　a　few　peaceful；　happy　daysthe
last　of　perfect　freedom　that　he　was　to　enjoy　for　a　long　time。

While　Paul　tarried　at　Caesarea；　〃there　came　down　from　Judea　a　certain
prophet；　named　Agabus。　And　when　he　was　come　unto　us；〃　Luke　says；　〃he　took
Paul's　girdle；　and　bound　his　own　hands　and　feet；　and　said；　Thus　saith　the
Holy　Ghost；　So　shall　the　Jews　at　Jerusalem　bind　the　man　that　owneth　this
girdle；　and　shall　deliver　him　into　the　hands　of　the　Gentiles。〃

〃When　we　heard　these　things；〃　Luke　continues；　〃both　we；　and　they　of　that
place；　besought　him　not　to　go　up　to　Jerusalem。〃　But　Paul　would　not　swerve
from　the　path　of　duty。　He　would　follow　Christ　if　need　be　to　prison　and　to
death。　〃What　mean　ye　to　weep　and　to　break　mine　heart？〃　he　exclaimed；　〃for　I
am　ready　not　to　be　bound　only；　but　also　to　die　at　Jerusalem　for　the　name　of
the　Lord　Jesus。〃　Seeing　that　they　caused　him　pain　without　changing　his
purpose；　the　brethren　ceased　their　importunity；　saying　only；　〃The　will　of
the　Lord　be　done。〃

The　time　soon　came　for　the　brief　stay　at　Caesarea　to　end；　and；　accompanied
by　some　of　the　brethren；　Paul　and　his　company　set　out　for　Jerusalem；　their
hearts　deeply　shadowed　by　the　presentiment　of　coming　evil。

Never　before　had　the　apostle　approached　Jerusalem　with　so　sad　a　heart。　He
knew　that　he　would　find　few　friends　and

398

many　enemies。　He　was　nearing　the　city　which　had　rejected　and　slain　the　Son
of　God　and　over　which　now　hung　the　threatenings　of　divine　wrath。　Remembering
how　bitter　had　been　his　own　prejudice　against　the　followers　of　Christ；　he
felt　the　deepest　pity　for　his　deluded　countrymen。　And　yet　how　little　could
he　hope　that　he　would　be　able　to　help　them！　The　same　blind　wrath　which　had
once　burned　in　his　own　heart；　was　now　with　untold　power　kindling　the　hearts
of　a　whole　nation　against　him。

And　he　could　not　count　upon　the　sympathy　and　support　of　even　his　own
brethren　in　the　faith。　The　unconverted　Jews　who　had　followed　so　closely　upon
his　track；　had　not　been　slow　to　circulate　the　most　unfavorable　reports　at
Jerusalem；　both　personally　and　by　letter；　concerning　him　and　his　work；　and
some；　even　of　the　apostles　and　elders；　had　received　these　reports　as　truth；
making　no　attempt　to　contradict　them；　and　manifesting　no　desire　to　harmonize
with　him。

Yet　in　the　midst　of　discouragements　the　apostle　was　not　in　despair。　He
trusted　that　the　Voice　which　had　spoken　to　his　own　heart　would　yet　speak　to
the　hearts　of　his　countrymen；　and　that　the　Master　whom　his　fellow　disciples
loved　and　served　would　yet　unite　their　hearts　with　his　in　the　work　of　the
gospel。




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　38

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Paul　a　Prisoner


When　we　were　come　to　Jerusalem；　the　brethren　received　us　gladly。　And　the　day
following　Paul　went　in　with　us　unto　James；　and　all　the　elders　were　present。〃

On　this　occasion；　Paul　and　his　companions　formally　presented　to　the　leaders
of　the　work　at　Jerusalem　the　contributions　forwarded　by　the　Gentile　churches
for　the　support　of　the　poor　among　their　Jewish　brethren。　The　gathering　of
these　contributions　had　cost　the　apostle　and　his　fellow　workers　much　time；
anxious　thought；　and　wearisome　labor。　The　sum；　which　far　exceeded　the
expectations　of　the　elders　at　Jerusalem；　represented　many　sacrifices　and
even　severe　privations　on　the　part　of　the　Gentile　believers。

These　freewill　offerings　betokened　the　loyalty　of　the　Gentile　converts　to
the　organized　work　of　God　throughout　the　world　and　should　have　been　received
by　all　with　grateful

400

acknowledgment；　yet　it　was　apparent　to　Paul　and　his　companions　that　even
among　those　before　whom　they　now　stood　were　some　who　were　unable　to
appreciate　the　spirit　of　brotherly　love　that　had　prompted　the　gifts。

In　the　earlier　years　of　the　gospel　work　among　the　Gentiles　some　of　the
leading　brethren　at　Jerusalem；　clinging　to　former　prejudices　and　habits　of
thought；　had　not　co…operated　heartily　with　Paul　and　his　associates。　In　their
anxiety　to　preserve　a　few　meaningless　forms　and　ceremonies；　they　had　lost
sight　of　the　blessing　that　would　come　to　them　and　to　the　cause　they　loved；
through　an　effort　to　unite　in　one　all　parts　of　the　Lord's　work。　Although
desirous　of　safeguarding　the　best　interests　of　the　Christian　church；　they
had　failed　to　keep　step　with　the　advancing　providences　of　God；　and　in　their
human　wisdom　attempted　to　throw　about　workers　many　unnecessary　restrictions。
Thus　there　arose　a　group　of　men　who　were　unacquainted　personally　with　the
changing　circumstances　and　peculiar　needs　met　by　laborers　in　distant　fields；
yet　who　insisted　that　they　had　the　authority　to　direct　their　brethren　in
these　fields　to　follow　certain　specified　methods　of　labor。　They　felt　as　if
the　work　of　preaching　the　gospel　should　be　carried　forward　in　harmony　with
their　opinions。

Several　years　had　passed　since　the　brethren　in　Jerusalem；　with
representatives　from　other　leading　churches；　gave　careful　consideration　to
the　perplexing　questions　that　had　arisen　over　methods　followed　by　those　who
were　laboring　for　the　Gentiles。　As　a　result　of　this　council；　the　brethren
had　united　in　making　definite　recommendations　to　the　churches

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concerning　certain　rites　and　customs；　including　circumcision。　It　was　at　this
general　council　that　the　brethren　had　also　united　in　commending　to　the
Christian　churches　Barnabas　and　Paul　as　laborers　worthy　of　the　full
confidence　of　every　believer。

Among　those　present　at　this　meeting；　were　some　who　had　severely　criticized
the　methods　of　labor　followed　by　the　apostles　upon　whom　rested　the　chief
burden　of　carrying　the　gospel　to　the　Gentile　world。　But　during　the　council
their　views　of　God's　purpose　had　broadened；　and　they　had　united　with　their
brethren　in　making　wise　decisions　which　made　possible　the　unification　of　the
entire　body　of　believers。

Afterward；　when　it　became　apparent　that　the　converts　among　the　Gentiles　were
increasing　rapidly；　there　were　a　few　of　the　leading　brethren　at　Jerusalem
who　began　to　cherish　anew　their　former　prejudices　against　the　methods　of
Paul　and　his　associates。　These　prejudices　strengthened　with　the　passing　of
the　years；　until　some　of　the　leaders　determined　that　the　work　of　preaching
the　gospel　must　henceforth　be　conducted　in　accordance　with　their　own　ideas。
If　Paul　would　conform　his　methods　to　certain　policies　which　they　advocated
they　would　acknowledge　and　sustain　his　work；　otherwise　they　could　no　longer
look　upon　it　with　favor　or　grant　it　their　support。

These　men　had　lost　sight　of　the　fact　that　God　is　the　teacher　of　His　people；
that　every　worker　in　His　cause　is　to　obtain　an　individual　experience　in
following　the　divine　Leader；　not　looking　to　man　for　direct　guidance；　that
His　workers　are　to　be　molded　and　fashioned；　not　after　man's　ideas；　but　after
the　similitude　of　the　divine。

402


In　his　ministry　the　apostle　Paul　had　taught　the　people　〃not　with　enticing
words　of　man's　wisdom；　but　in　demonstration　of　the　Spirit　and　of　power。〃　The
truths　that　he　proclaimed　had　been　revealed　to　him　by　the　Holy　Spirit；　〃for
the　Spirit　searcheth　all　things；　yea；　the　deep　things　of　God。　For　what　man
knoweth　the　things　of　a　man；　save　the　spirit　of　man　which　is　in　him？　even　so
the　things　of　God　knoweth　no　man；　but　the　Spirit　of　God。　。　。　。　Which
things；〃　declared　Paul；　〃we　speak；　not　in　the　words　which　man's　wisdom
teacheth；　but　which　the　Holy　Ghost　teacheth；　comparing　spiritual　things　with
spiritual。〃　1　Corinthians　2：4；　10…13。

Throughout　his　ministry；　Paul　had　looked　to　God　for　direct　guidance。　At　the
same　time；　he　had　been　very　careful　to　labor　in　harmony　with　the　decisions
of　the　general　council　at　Jerusalem；　and　as　a　result　the　churches　were
〃established　in　the　faith；　and　increased　in　number　daily。〃　Acts　16：5。　And
now；　notwithstanding　the　lack　of　sympathy　shown　him　by　some；　he　found
comfort　in　the　consciousness　that　he　had　done　his　duty　in　encouraging　in　his
c