the acts of the apostles-第60部分

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394

unto　you　all　the　counsel　of　God。〃　No　fear　of　giving　offense；　no　desire　for
friendship　or　applause；　could　lead　Paul　to　withhold　the　words　that　God　had
given　him　for　their　instruction；　warning；　or　correction。　From　His　servants
today　God　requires　fearlessness　in　preaching　the　word　and　in　carrying　out
its　precepts。　The　minister　of　Christ　is　not　to　present　to　the　people　only
those　truths　that　are　the　most　pleasing；　while　he　withholds　others　that
might　cause　them　pain。　He　should　watch　with　deep　solicitude　the　development
of　character。　If　he　sees　that　any　of　his　flock　are　cherishing　sin　he　must　as
a　faithful　shepherd　give　them　from　God's　word　the　instruction　that　is
applicable　to　their　case。　Should　he　permit　them　in　their　self…confidence　to
go　on　unwarned；　he　would　be　held　responsible　for　their　souls。　The　pastor　who
fulfills　his　high　commission　must　give　his　people　faithful　instruction　on
every　point　of　the　Christian　faith；　showing　them　what　they　must　be　and　do　in
order　to　stand　perfect　in　the　day　of　God。　He　only　who　is　a　faithful　teacher
of　the　truth　will　at　the　close　of　his　work　be　able　to　say　with　Paul；　〃I　am
pure　from　the　blood　of　all　men。〃

〃Take　heed　therefore　unto　yourselves；〃　the　apostle　admonished　his　brethren；
〃and　to　all　the　flock；　over　the　which　the　Holy　Ghost　hath　made　you
overseers；　to　feed　the　church　of　God；　which　He　hath　purchased　with　His　own
blood。〃　If　ministers　of　the　gospel　were　to　bear　constantly　in　mind　the　fact
that　they　are　dealing　with　the　purchase　of　the　blood　of　Christ；　they　would
have　a　deeper　sense　of　the　importance　of　their　work。　They　are　to　take　heed
to　themselves　and　to　their　flock。　Their　own　example　is　to　illustrate

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and　enforce　their　instructions。　As　teachers　of　the　way　of　life　they　should
give　no　occasion　for　the　truth　to　be　evil　spoken　of。　As　representatives　of
Christ　they　are　to　maintain　the　honor　of　His　name。　By　their　devotion；　their
purity　of　life；　their　godly　conversation；　they　are　to　prove　themselves
worthy　of　their　high　calling。

The　dangers　that　would　assail　the　church　at　Ephesus　were　revealed　to　the
apostle。　〃I　know　this；〃　he　said；　〃that　after　my　departing　shall　grievous
wolves　enter　in　among　you；　not　sparing　the　flock。　Also　of　your　own　selves
shall　men　arise；　speaking　perverse　things；　to　draw　away　disciples　after
them。〃　Paul　trembled　for　the　church　as；　looking　into　the　future；　he　saw　the
attacks　which　she　must　suffer　from　both　external　and　internal　foes。　With
solemn　earnestness　he　bade　his　brethren　guard　vigilantly　their　sacred
trusts。　For　an　example　he　pointed　them　to　his　own　unwearied　labors　among
them：　〃Therefore　watch；　and　remember；　that　by　the　space　of　three　years　I
ceased　not　to　warn　everyone　night　and　day　with　tears。

〃And　now；　brethren；〃　he　continued；　〃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。　I　have　coveted　no　man's　silver；　or
gold；　or　apparel。〃　Some　of　the　Ephesian　brethren　were　wealthy；　but　Paul　had
never　sought　personal　benefit　from　them。　It　was　no　part　of　his　message　to
call　attention　to　his　own　wants。　〃These　hands；〃　he　declared；　〃have
ministered　unto　my　necessities；　and　to　them　that　were　with　me。〃　Amidst　his
arduous　labors　and　extensive　journeys　for　the　cause　of　Christ；　he　was

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able；　not　only　to　supply　his　own　wants；　but　to　spare　something　for　the
support　of　his　fellow　laborers　and　the　relief　of　the　worthy　poor。　This　he
accomplished　only　by　unremitting　diligence　and　the　closest　economy。　Well
might　he　point　to　his　own　example　as　he　said；　〃I　have　showed　you　all　things；
how　that　so　laboring　ye　ought　to　support　the　weak；　and　to　remember　the　words
of　the　Lord　Jesus；　how　He　said；　It　is　more　blessed　to　give　than　to　receive。

〃And　when　he　had　thus　spoken；　he　kneeled　down；　and　prayed　with　them　all。　And
they　all　wept　sore；　and　fell　on　Paul's　neck；　and　kissed　him；　sorrowing　most
of　all　for　the　words　which　he　spake；　that　they　should　see　his　face　no　more。
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

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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

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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　lea