the acts of the apostles-第41部分

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〃Stand　fast；　and　hold　the　traditions　which　ye　have　been　taught；　whether　by
word；　or　our　epistle。　Now　our　Lord　Jesus　Christ　Himself；　and　God；　even　our
Father；　which　hath　loved　us；　and　hath　given　us　everlasting　consolation　and
good　hope　through　grace；　comfort　your　hearts；　and　stablish　you　in　every　good
work　and　work。〃　〃The　Lord　is　faithful；　who　shall　stablish　you；　and　keep　you
from　evil。　And　we　have　confidence　in　the　Lord　touching　you；　that　ye　both　do
and　will　do　the　things　which　we　command　you。　And　the　Lord　direct　your　hearts
into　the　love　of　God；　and　into　the　patient　waiting　for　Christ。〃

The　work　of　the　believers　had　been　given　them　by　God。　By　their　faithful
adherence　to　the　truth　they　were　to　give　to　others　the　light　which　they　had
received。　The　apostle　bade　them　not　to　become　weary　in　well…doing；　and
pointed　them　to　his　own　example　of　diligence　in　temporal　matters　while
laboring　with　untiring　zeal　in　the　cause　of　Christ。　He　reproved　those　who
had　given　themselves　up　to　sloth　and　aimless　excitement；　and　directed　that
〃with　quietness　they　work；　and　eat　their　own　bread。〃　He　also

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enjoined　upon　the　church　to　separate　from　their　fellowship　anyone　who　should
persist　in　disregarding　the　instruction　given　by　God's　ministers。　〃Yet；〃　he
added；　〃count　him　not　as　an　enemy；　but　admonish　him　as　a　brother。〃

This　epistle　also　Paul　concluded　with　a　prayer　that　amidst　life's　toils　and
trials　the　peace　of　God　and　the　grace　of　the　Lord　Jesus　Christ　might　be
their　consolation　and　support。




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　26

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Apollos　at　Corinth


After　leaving　Corinth；　Paul's　next　scene　of　labor　was　Ephesus。　He　was　on　his
way　to　Jerusalem　to　attend　an　approaching　festival；　and　his　stay　at　Ephesus
was　necessarily　brief。　He　reasoned　with　the　Jews　in　the　synagogue；　and　so
favorable　was　the　impression　made　upon　them　that　they　entreated　him　to
continue　his　labors　among　them。　His　plan　to　visit　Jerusalem　prevented　him
from　tarrying　then；　but　he　promised　to　return　to　them；　〃if　God　will。〃　Aquila
and　Priscilla　had　accompanied　him　to　Ephesus；　and　he　left　them　there　to
carry　on　the　work　that　he　had　begun。

It　was　at　this　time　that　〃a　certain　Jew　named　Apollos；　born　at　Alexandria；
an　eloquent　man；　and　mighty　in　the　Scriptures；　came　to　Ephesus。〃　He　had
heard　the　preaching　of　John　the　Baptist；　had　received　the　baptism　of
repentance；　and　was　a　living　witness　that　the　work　of　the　prophet　had　not
been　in　vain。　The　Scripture　record　of　Apollos　is　that　he

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〃was　instructed　in　the　way　of　the　Lord；　and　being　fervent　in　the　spirit；　he
spake　and　taught　diligently　the　things　of　the　Lord；　knowing　only　the　baptism
of　John。〃

While　in　Ephesus；　Apollos　〃began　to　speak　boldly　in　the　synagogue。〃　Among
his　hearers　were　Aquila　and　Priscilla；　who；　perceiving　that　he　had　not　yet
received　the　full　light　of　the　gospel；　〃took　him　unto　them；　and　expounded
unto　him　the　way　of　God　more　perfectly。〃　Through　their　teaching　he　obtained
a　clearer　understanding　of　the　Scriptures　and　became　one　of　the　ablest
advocates　of　the　Christian　faith。

Apollos　was　desirous　of　going　on　into　Achaia；　and　the　brethren　at　Ephesus
〃wrote；　exhorting　the　disciples　to　receive　him〃　as　a　teacher　in　full　harmony
with　the　church　of　Christ。　He　went　to　Corinth；　where；　in　public　labor　and
from　house　to　house；　〃he　mightily　convinced　the　Jews；　。　。　。　showing　by　the
Scriptures　that　Jesus　was　Christ。〃　Paul　had　planted　the　seed　of　truth；
Apollos　now　watered　it。　The　success　that　attended　Apollos　in　preaching　the
gospel　led　some　of　the　believers　to　exalt　his　labors　above　those　of　Paul。
This　comparison　of　man　with　man　brought　into　the　church　a　party　spirit　that
threatened　to　hinder　greatly　the　progress　of　the　gospel。

During　the　year　and　a　half　that　Paul　had　spent　in　Corinth；　he　had　purposely
presented　the　gospel　in　its　simplicity。　〃Not　with　excellency　of　speech　or　of
wisdom〃　had　he　come　to　the　Corinthians；　but　with　fear　and　trembling；　and　〃in
demonstration　of　the　Spirit　and　of　power；〃　had　he　declared　〃the　testimony　of
God；〃　that　their　〃faith　should　not　stand　in　the　wisdom　of　men；　but　in　the
power　of　God。〃
1　Corinthians　2：1；　4；　5。

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Paul　had　necessarily　adapted　his　manner　to　teaching　to　the　condition　of　the
church。　〃I；　brethren　could　not　speak　unto　you　as　unto　spiritual；〃　he
afterward　explained　to　them；　〃but　as　unto　carnal；　even　as　unto　babes　in
Christ。　I　have　fed　you　with　milk；　and　not　with　meat：　for　hitherto　ye　were
not　able　to　bear　it；　neither　yet　now　are　ye　able。〃　1　Corinthians　3：1；　2。
Many　of　the　Corinthian　believers　had　been　slow　to　learn　the　lessons　that　he
was　endeavoring　to　teach　them。　Their　advancement　in　spiritual　knowledge　had
not　been　proportionate　to　their　privileges　and　opportunities。　When　they
should　have　been　far　advanced　in　Christian　experience；　and　able　to
comprehend　and　to　practice　the　deeper　truths　of　the　word；　they　were　standing
where　the　disciples　stood　when　Christ　said　to　them；　〃I　have　yet　many　things
to　say　unto　you；　but　ye　cannot　bear　them　now。〃　John　16：12。　Jealousy；　evil
surmising；　and　accusation　had　closed　the　hearts　of　many　of　the　Corinthian
believers　against　the　full　working　of　the　Holy　Spirit；　which　〃searcheth　all
things；　yea；　the　deep　things　of　God。〃　1　Corinthians　2：10。　However　wise　they
might　be　in　worldly　knowledge；　they　were　but　babes　in　the　knowledge　of
Christ。

It　had　been　Paul's　work　to　instruct　the　Corinthian　converts　in　the
rudiments；　the　very　alphabet；　of　the　Christian　faith。　He　had　been　obliged　to
instruct　them　as　those　who　were　ignorant　of　the　operations　of　divine　power
upon　the　heart。　At　that　time　they　were　unable　to　comprehend　the　mysteries　of
salvation；　for　〃the　natural　man　receiveth　not　the　things　of　the　Spirit　of
God：　for　they　are　foolishness　unto　him：　neither　can　he　know　them；　because
they

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are　spiritually　discerned。〃　Verse　14。　Paul　had　endeavored　to　sow　the　seed；
which　others　must　water。　Those　who　followed　him　must　carry　forward　the　work
from　the　point　where　he　had　left　it；　giving　spiritual　light　and　knowledge　in
due　season；　as　the　church　was　able　to　bear　it。

When　the　apostle　took　up　his　work　in　Corinth；　he　realized　that　he　must
introduce　most　carefully　the　great　truths　he　wished　to　teach。　He　knew　that
among　his　hearers　would　be　proud　believers　in　human　theories；　and　exponents
of　false　systems　of　worship；　who　were　groping　with　blinds　eyes；　hoping　to
find　in　the　book　of　nature　theories　that　would　contradict　the　reality　of　the
spiritual　and　immortal　life　as　revealed　in　the　Scriptures。　He　also　knew　that
critics　would　endeavor　to　controvert　the　Christian　interpretation　of　the
revealed　word；　and　that　skeptics　would　treat　the　gospel　of　Christ　with
scoffing　and　derision。

As　he　endeavored　to　lead　souls　to　the　foot　of　the　cross；　Paul　did　not
venture　to　rebuke；　directly；　those　who　were　licentious；　or　to　show　how
heinous　was　their　sin　in　the　sight　of　a　holy　God。　Rather　he　set　before　them
the　true　object　of　life　and　tried　to　impress　upon　their　minds　the　lessons　of
the　divine　Teacher；　which；　if　received；　would　lift　them　from　worldliness　and
sin　to　purity　and　righteousness。　He　dwelt　especially　upon　practical
godliness　and　the　holiness　to　which　those　must　attain　who　shall　be　accounted
worthy　of　a　place　in　God's　kingdom。　He　longed　to　see　the　light　of　the　gospel
of　Christ　piercing　the　darkness　of　their　minds；　that　they　might　see　how
offensive　in　the　sight　of　God　were　their　immoral　practices。　Therefore　the
burden　of　his　teaching　among　them　was　Christ　and　Him　crucified。　He

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sought　to　show　them　that　their　most　earnest　study　and　their　greatest　joy
must　be　the　wonderful　truth　of　salvation　through　repentance　toward　God　and
faith　in　the　Lord　Jesus　Christ。

The　philosopher　turns　aside　from　the　light　of　salvation；　because　it　puts　his
proud　theories　to　shame；　the　worldling　refuses　to　receive　it；　because　it
would　separate　him　from　his　earthly　idols。　Paul　saw　that　the　character　of
Christ　must　be　understood　before　men　could　love　Him　or　view　the　cross　with
the　eye　of　faith。　Here　must　begin　that　study　which　shall　be　the　science　and
the　song　of　the　redeemed　through　all　eternity。　In　the　light　of　the　cross
alone　can　the　true　value　of　the　human　soul　be　estimated。

The　refining　influence　of　the　grace　of　God　changes　the　natural　disposition
of　man。　Heaven　would　not　be　desirable　to　the　carnal…minded；　their　natural；
unsanctified　hearts　would　feel　no　attraction　toward　that　pure　and　holy
place；　and　if　it　were　possible　for　them　to　enter；　they　would　find　there
nothing　congenial。　The　propensities　that　control　the　natural　heart　must　be
subdued　by　the　grace　of　Christ　before　fallen　man　is　fitted　to　enter　heaven
and　enjoy　the　society　of　the　pure；　holy　angels。　When　man　dies　to　sin　and　is
quickened　to　new　life　in　Christ；　divine　love　fills　his　heart；　his
understanding　is　sanctified；　he　drinks　from　an　inexhaustible　fountain　of　joy
and　knowledge；　and　the　light　of　an　eternal　day　shines　upon　his　path；　for
with　him　continually　is　the　Light　of　life。

Paul　had　sought　to　impress　upon　the　minds　of　his　Corinthian　brethren　the
fact　that　he　and　the　ministers　associated　with　him　were　but　men　commissioned
by　God　to　teach　the

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truth；　that　they　were　all　engaged　in　the　same　work；　and　that　they　were　alike
dependent　upon　God　for　success　in　their　labors。　The　discussion　that　had
arisen　in　the　church　regarding　the　relative　merits　of　different　ministers
was　not　in　the　order　of　God；　but　was　the　result　of　cherishing　the　attributes
of　the　natural　heart。　〃While　one　saith；　I　am　of　Paul；　and　another；　I　am　of
Apollos；　are　ye　not　carnal？　Who　then　is　Paul；　and　who　is　Apollos；　but
ministers　by　whom　ye　believed；　even　as　the　Lord　gave　to　every　man？　I　have
planted；　Apollos　watered；　but　God　gave　the　increase。　So　then　neither　is　he
that　planteth　anything；　neither　he　that　watereth；　but　God　that　giveth　the
increase。〃　1　Corinthians　3：4…7。

It　was　Paul　who　had　first　preached　the　gospel　in　Corinth；　and　who　had
organized　th