PAUL AT ANTIOCH IN PISIDIA.
By John O. Corliss
[See Acts 13 and Sunday-school Lesson.] THROUGH all the travels and labors of Paul and Barnabas in the Island of Cyprus, John Mark had attended them, to minister to their temporal needs. But upon their landing in Perga, with the express purpose of penetrating the unknown interior, the young man decided that he would rather return home to city life, and this he did. Acts 13:13. Nothing discouraged, however, the two evangelists, with staves in hand, set out for the north, and in due time arrived at Antioch in Pisidia. Their first appearance in public at Antioch was on the Sabbath, when they went to the Jewish synagogue. With the rest of the congregation they sat with covered heads, and tho they probably differed nothing in dress or appearance from those around them, they were quickly recognized as strangers, and as such were tendered fraternal courtesies. After the preliminary services, such as reading the regular lesson from the law and the prophets, the person in charge sent to them, saying that if they had any word of exhortation, there was opportunity for them to speak. Verse 15. Paul then arose and delivered a short, but very comprehensive discourse. With consummate wisdom he began at a point which would not only please, but assure attention. The history of Israel from their bondage in Egypt to their settlement in Canaan, their demand for an earthly king to rule them, David’s kingship, and the promise that of his seed should come a Saviour, were all beautifully set in their respective places. Immediately following came the climax of this history so familiar to the apostle’s auditors, that Jesus was indeed the fulfilment of that promise. He then quickly recounted the work of John the Baptist as the predicted forerunner of the Messiah, the cruel torture and unmerited death of Christ, and His resurrection from the dead. Then followed an exhortation to believe, and a warning against rejecting the evidence produced. Verses 17–41. All this evidently fell lightly on the ears of many of the Jews, since they quickly left the synagogue at the close of the service. Not so, however, with the Gentile part of the audience, who, it seems, were in the habit of attending the Sabbath services of the Jews. These lingered after the departure of the Jews, and besought the evangelists to preach the same things to them the next Sabbath. Verse 42. As Paul and Barnabas left the synagogue, many devout men, both Jews and proselytes from other nations, followed them. To these the apostles spoke words of exhortation and comfort. This seemed at first to be the extent of the good accomplished by that Sabbath day’s service. But as it is now, the apostles did not know what would grow out of their apparently common experience. In some way the news of the wonderful discourse spread throughout the place, and the next Sabbath day nearly the whole population of the city congregated to hear the Gospel message. This occasion, however, was not destined to be as free from unpleasant features as was the preceding one. The Jews, seeing what an interest had really been created, became envious, and began openly to contradict the statements of Paul, and to oppose his application of Scripture with wicked blasphemy. Verses 43–45. Up to this point the apostles had presented matters in the ordinary general form; but when such persistent opposition appeared, to contest even the truthfulness of God’s Word, immediately the tactics of the messengers were changed, and with great boldness they became personal in their application of truth. “It was necessary,” they said, “that the word of God should first have been spoken to you; but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldst be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.” Verses 46, 47. So personal a talk as this from the Gospel minister of to-day would probably be denounced as discourteous and altogether out of place. But evidently it was just what the Lord desired should be said at that juncture; for it not only placed the Jews of that city in their true position before others, but it also helped the Gentiles to see what the Lord was willing to do for them. As soon as these heard the personal remarks addressed to the opposing Jews, they were rejoiced, and glorified the name of the Lord for the privilege of salvation, which had hitherto been denied them through the teaching of the Jews. Verse 48. By the believers gathered from among the Gentiles at this meeting, the good news of free salvation to all was carried into all the surrounding region. But the Jews, not being able to overthrow the truth by Scripture argument, determined on other and more successful means by which to silence its voice. They organized in a crusade against the evangelists, the principal women of the city, who in turn influenced the leading men to join them, and so finally drove the apostles from that region. Thus it is now. When the truth can not be silenced by fair means, organization is resorted to in order to secure the desired ends. Unfortunately many join this movement who are not well informed; and so in some cases they use their influence in a wholly different way from what they would, were they well informed on every point. It is well, therefore, to study thoroughly every mooted question, especially along religious lines, lest we find ourselves in opposition to the truth of God. J. O. CORLISS.