Introduction.
Is the Gospel of " The grace of God " as now usually preached, a presenting of the truth in the same form in which it was shown to Saul of Tarsus,-the very same form as that in which Saul, when he was called Paul the Apostle, preached it?
I have raised this question on various occasions; with various results, perhaps, as to details; but generally, if among those who were both acquainted with Scripture and observers of what is passing around them, with the distinct answer, No.
I have put the question to some, whom I esteemed Evangelists and men of God too,- and I have been told, often modestly and humbly, " I do not see what sense of need that preaching could produce in man. You must know yourself a sinner, ere you can feel your need of a Savior "; or again, " What is there in the heart of man down here which could respond to such a proclamation?" etc., etc.
The diffidence and modesty of those that have thus replied, and the felt need which they have expressed for fuller light upon the subject, with the confession made by several of them, of a suspicion of a defect in their light (which, perhaps, left them to use what they did know, instead of the Gospel in its fullness) induce me to endeavor, God helping me, to present a few remarks upon this subject.
Before considering what the form of the Gospel was which delivered Saul, which Paul preached, and which I conceive is the form delivered by him for the evangelists who were to follow after him-and the questions incidental thereto,-I would make a remark or two on the two fold form in which grace may be presented, and on the reason why, of these two forms of grace, the one is better known now and has been more used in our day than the other.
In dealing with souls we may begin with what man was and is, and has done, and go on from that to the answer thereunto, which God has provided in Christ, the Lord of all. Such was the form in which Peter presented grace on the day of Pentecost. He began with what had been seen down here, and then showed God and His thoughts about Jesus as Lord and Christ seated in Heaven. On the other hand, we may begin with what Christ is in Heaven and let that produce its own effect on the sinner; this was the form of grace in Paul's conversion and gospel.
Our first impressions naturally take the deepest and most lasting hold of our minds. Subjects are then new to us, and they form themselves within us according to our first thoughts of them. Often, too, there are at those first hours of our acquaintance with the truth of God, peculiar circumstances which have arrested a former course of life and become turning points through which the outward life got, then and there, a new direction; often too dangers, needs, hopes of a new kind, have been then suddenly discovered, etc., etc. Account for it as we may, first impressions upon all subjects are, I think, in the very nature of things, the most likely to be the more lasting; and, in connection with this, I have remarked that the form in which the truth of God -is apprehended by a man at first, is the form in which the mind is most inclined, most disposed to retain it. This was the case with Peter, it was the case with Paul, it was the case with Timothy, etc., etc. But of this more anon. I have found one corrective to this, in some respects and in so far as it is merely a result of human infirmity in myself and others, to exist in the consideration of the history of the way in which the truth was brought out into the form in which -God-now presents it to us in His written word.
There are two things to be noticed here. Christ is the truth. By Him, where, and as He is, we believe in God who raised "Him from the dead and gave Him glory; that our faith and hope might be in God: that is the first grand lesson; the Christ, Son of God and only begotten Son of the Father, is the medium by whom we believe in God, who raised Him out from among the dead and gave Him glory so as for our faith and hope to be in God. Himself, as He is, is our peace, our hope. But, secondly, there is the way in which God was pleased gradually to bring out the truth until it could be presented as -it now is presented by Him. This, rightly understood, gives the most abundant confirmation to the, Gospel as it is-and is that to which I referred as the good corrective, in some respects, to any imperfect view of the Gospel which may result from an undue cleaving in us, either to the thoughts of our day, or to first impressions of our own. So far as I understand the Gospel, it is Jesus Christ Himself,-seated on the throne of God, from whose face shines the light of the knowledge of the glory of God.
A. Now, the first intimation about Him: was spoken in the declaration to the serpent: It (the seed of the Woman) shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel" (Gen. 3:1515And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. (Genesis 3:15)). " Himself, the head of a family or seed, the overcomer of the serpent and his seed; the Lord God pledging Himself thereto "- was the first announcement. In that declaration the Lord God put Himself forward, pledged Himself that the seed of the woman should bruise the head of the serpent. This was God's first promulgated word or thought (and addressed to Satan) about the scene in which sin was ruling among men. Pass from that first word onward. Trace out, if you will, what may have instruction in it, but notice well as bearing the authority of God's stamp of type upon it (on New Testament authority too) the seed of Abraham (Gen. 12:7;15. 3, 5; 17:7, 8; compare Gal. 3:16-2916Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. 17And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. 18For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise. 19Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. 20Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one. 21Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. 22But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. 23But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. 24Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. 26For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 27For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. 29And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 3:16‑29), etc.), including, as it does, a view of heaven and earth in connection with the seed, etc., etc. Patriarchs (Psa. 105) grew into families; and families into a nation. The paschal-lamb, redemption out of Egypt, the feast of Pentecost and the great Day of Atonement; the mediator, High priest, prophet-the tabernacle, with its altars, etc., etc., all in the nation to whom Jehovah made Him- self God and King, were, according to the New Testament, types of Him that was to come.
Samuel the prophet that judged, and David the king that sat on the throne, were types too. And there were declarations of Moses in the law and in the prophets about Him which aided a man like Philip (John 1:4545Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. (John 1:45)) to recognize the Nazarene. The Lord God pointed onward to what He would do against the evil one. If any one hoped in Him he got faith in so doing and rest. In all this time, from Eden until Caesar,-hope took the lead. Some one was to come,-the Lord God had declared it to the serpent,-some one was to come, the' seed of the woman,-the son of a virgin (Isa. 7:1414Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14), and Matt. 1:2323Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. (Matthew 1:23)), the destroyer of the serpent and His seed. Hope, I say, took the lead, and where there was no hope, there was no faith and no rest. Promises to Messiah, promises in which Jehovah, God and King of Israel, would prove Himself to be with His anointed in blessings of deliverances on earth to Israel, fed the hopes of God's people upon earth. A person was looked for-the Hope of Israel. That was clear; and this was the position in which a Mary, an Anna, a Simeon were found at the time of the birth of Him who was the Hope. We wait, in hope; was faith's word.
B. But when the babe was born, this was, to some extent, changed. The One waited for-the One that was to be the Worker of deliverance-there. He was! The second chapter of Luke's gospel tells us (ver. 7) of the birth of the child. " And she (Mary) brought forth her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn." The angel of the Lord swiftly announced it to certain shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. Upon these, the angel came, and then the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and the shepherds were sore afraid. But the angel said, " Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord" (ver. 10), etc., etc. And a multitude of the heavenly host then joined the angel, praising God, and saying, 64 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, good will toward [or in, among] men." The shepherds went in haste to see and found the child-and "returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things which they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them" (ver. 20). Simeon is then an eye witness, one that embraces the babe, a rejoicer before God in Him. His word to Mary was of God-Behold this One is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; yea, a sword shall pierce through thine own soul also, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed (ver. 34, 35). As though he said; " Himself is the. One who is our Hope!-but Himself has yet conflict before Him before victory." Anna, too, came and saw and gave thanks.
Note it, there is nothing said about the babe, such as mere human affection in nature would have said; but Himself, in all the attractiveness which. He is to faith was there-Himself the stay of their faith, their hope.
C. Hidden in retirement for a season-He in due time goes to be baptized of John; gets there a recognition from God on high, " And, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him; and, lo, a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased " (Matt. 3:16,1716And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: 17And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. (Matthew 3:16‑17)).
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, stood thus confessed at His entering upon service.
His gathering unto Himself (John 1:29-5129The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. 30This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. 31And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. 32And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. 33And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. 34And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. 35Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; 36And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! 37And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou? 39He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour. 40One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. 42And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone. 43The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me. 44Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. 46And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see. 47Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! 48Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. 49Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel. 50Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these. 51And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man. (John 1:29‑51)); His going about doing good; His zeal for God, His readiness to do anything needed by any one in Israel, His miracles, His instructions, etc., etc., trying to reconcile the world unto God,-seeking to gather the children of Jerusalem as a hen doth gather her chickens. What, in all the variety of the three years' active service of His, did faith see in Him? what stay was there in Him? what hope to any save the few that loved Him? But. He Himself was the great book that was open before man: all the fullness of the Godhead dwelling in Him bodily; Himself as a man, the presentation and declaration of the Father. Such was He in life here below.
D. But Israel would not be reconciled to God-would not take the promises under Him. He was there, willing and able to make good all the Messianic promises, all the Jehovah blessing to them,-in spite of all their ruin, if they would but have Him as the sent. One of God. But they would not; and Pontius Pilate, the representative of the Gentile power, concurred with them. He then set His face toward death, the death of the cross; baptism, which He knew all along He would have to pass through if that part of the will of God was to stand that Messiah was to Have: a kingdom and a people upon earth, although that kingdom and that people might in themselves have no heart to have Himself as Messiah. Who can frustrate God? who can escape from the blessing which God thinks to give?
Him crucified! His blood shed! Him put to death. Where were the promises,: where the rest, where the object of faith?
E. All was safe in Himself—the resurrection and the life, according to the thoughts of God and the Father, -though none on earth, none could follow out the thought. What mind, what soul on earth could say " It is well," even as to the counsel of God. Affection to. Himself was deeply tried; hope might be flickering; or to human feeling, even extinct. Faith might be baffled; love, however deeply agonized, still slave to Himself. Yea! His very death revealed the thoughts of the hearts of a Joseph with his tomb, of a Nicodemus with his spices. And dead, as alive, He was to Mary's heart her all. What? Whom had she but Himself?
Her love met its reward. Awake from death when He spake to her and used her as His messenger, these were. His words:-
The Lord is risen! what a thrilling fact! but what a new position was it which He had now taken, which He now held before them! Himself, however, their all still. What the results to them of His new state, they knew not: nay, all such questions seemed foreign to the hearts that loved Him, in the fresh intercourse they had with Him. His intercourse through forty days with them (Acts 1:33To whom also he showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: (Acts 1:3)), and all that passed then, showed that their past, present and future was Himself-unfruitful as their understanding might be.
F. But they saw Him ascend-were told to wait for the promise of the Father, and shortly after at Pentecost the Holy Ghost came down and the assembly of God was formed. Himself made Lord and Christ in heaven, shed abroad that which was seen and heard-the presence, power; anti powers of the Holy Ghost, which nor Satan nor man could deny, though men there were hardy enough to resist it. Stephen was stoned. His martyrdom was the expression of Jerusalem's rejection of Messiah in heaven, God-honored, the Giver of the Holy Ghost; even as the Lord's own death had been the expression of Jerusalem's rejection of the Messiah when on earth.
Paul was converted, and began his labors-Apostle of the uncircumcision, as Peter was of the circumcision. Ere their living testimony closed,-
G. Truth was embodied in books, in the which we find all that God was pleased to reveal in writing of His own thoughts about the life, and death, and resurrection and session in heaven, and coming again, of His Son, whether to fetch His Church home, or to take up a new position of government and of grace in Jerusalem; or after that, to wind all up in the eternal state-a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwells righteousness.
Himself who has triumphed gloriously, and ourselves called by Him to enter into His joy and into all the fruits of His victory as the servant and champion of God, -worster of the serpent, open manifester of all this world's wickedness, and of the poverty of man as a ruined creature,—Himself filling heaven and earth with those that can unselfishly rejoice in His joy and in His triumph,—that is what I wait for to see in the end.
There will be the two spheres, heaven and earth, just as there are now heavenly glories which are His in the presence of God and His Father,-and there were in Him Messianic and Jehovah glories, which though man rejected then, will surely be made good upon earth yet when He comes again. I do not lay stress here upon the difference of the apostleships and of the truths connected with the apostleships of Peter and of Paul. I believe them to be recognized and held by those for whom I write. The truth brought out by Peter goes not into the wide compass of that which it was given to Paul to minister; for Peter teaches not the mystery, nor the union of members down here with a glorified and ascended Lord as Head of a body,-the truth of the assembly of God. Paul teaches all that Peter does, but goes on beyond to a truth which is peculiarly his own. His line includes also (in principle fully, I think), John's line and measure. So that, while Petaean, Johannian, and Pauline truth may be spoken of, as referring to the portions the most connected with each of these servants of the Lord respectively, Paul's measure of truth in a sense included, I judge, both Peter's and John's. Peter, as the Apostle of the circumcision, had a measure of truth measured to him which hardly went beyond conscience formed down here for God and heaven, by the knowledge of the Lordship and Christhood of Jesus seated in heaven, and the Holy Ghost sent to His servants down here. The eternal life in man down here, is John's subject presented in his gospel in all its fullness, in Him who alone had eternal life in Himself, who was and is its source; in his epistles the stream of the river of life flowing in and through men down here, who are sons of God, by faith in Christ Jesus, is traced. The over-ruling governing hand of the Lord God. Almighty in heaven, disposing of everything on earth according to His thoughts of the glory of the Lamb upon the throne, both for the heavenly people down here now and the people that are to succeed us on earth hereafter, is John's subject in the Revelation. The mystery and its attendant truths is peculiar to Paul;-but his line includes, necessarily, in that "straightway he preached Christ (the anointed man) in the synagogues, that he is Son of God" (Acts 9:2020And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God. (Acts 9:20)), all truth.
It does not suppose much light for me to give credit to the disciple that he sees that the conscience of a man needs being made for God as a Creator, and for God as the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ,-if the man is to be at peace and happy.
The epistles of Paul are, some of them, as that to the Romans and the Hebrews, about the truth which can make the conscience of a man down here to be in peace before God. But Paul, in his own conversion, had another turning point, though he had to pass through that same truth, in soul afterward. The union of Jesus in Heaven, as Head of a body, with members down here, when revealed to Paul, led him to take the place of an enquirer both as to the Lord on high and as to what he was to show his subjection to Him in: " Who art thou, Lord?" and " what wilt Thou have me to do?" These were his first lessons,—viz. those, the answers to which he unfolds in his letters to the Ephesians and to the Colossians (in which latter epistle, those to whom he wrote were in danger of letting slip the truth of the Head). If quickened together with Christ, raised up together with Him and made to sit together with. Him in heavenly places according to the. Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, justification, separation to Christ, acceptance, etc., etc., were all settled according to the Spirit and in the new nature given, and as parts of the new creation of which the Lord is the Head. This, however did not prevent his needing to learn justification, separation, acceptance, etc., according to the work of Christ, as for man on earth and as according to what a human conscience down here, with thoughts of what man has been here, and what every man in nature is, would want. Paul goes systematically through the whole question of man in ruin down here in himself, and God's answer to all that ruin by Christ's work, in the epistle to the Romans, in a way addressed to Jew and Gentile; and in the epistle to the Hebrews, in a way more particularly addressed to the Jew; as in the letter to the Galatians in a way more addressed to converts from among the Gentiles when judaizing.
If any man can see no difference between the sufferings and works of Jesus Christ in redemption and His own person as the Redeemer,—I can only say: "if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant " (1 Cor. 14:3838But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant. (1 Corinthians 14:38).).. To one taught in the word tare is a difference and the all-important one.
There is, as I said in commencing, a two-fold form in which grace is presented to us. The one is in the works and sufferings of Christ and in the position taken consequent thereon by Jesus in. Heaven, as Lord of all and. Christ, shedder abroad of power to the people of God down here. In a certain sense, this may be called the more human side of the truth, in that it is, while in itself divine, truth for man as man, a ruined creature;- truth which enables him to know the relationship once denied but now made good for every believing man, relationship in which he can say " My God," and say it heartily and with intelligence. The other form of truth is more connected with the person of the Lord-as second Adam, life-giving Spirit, the one whom the Father of glory has exalted; according to which all that is true of Him as first-born among many brethren " is in a way true of them that are such. All that is true of Him as -Head of a body, the Church-is in a sense true of them that are members of that body of which He is Head. This is the more divine side, if I may so say, of the grace-the revelation of the Father of an only begotten Son.
Now, when I look back from our day to Pentecost, and see how the human judaizing spirit which so opposed itself to Paul among men, so grieved his spirit, has wrought,-and how it completely transformed the house of God down here as set up at Pentecost into a Jewish worldly thing as it was in A.D. 1500, I can say that I believe it was the grace of God, God in His grace, which took up man, afresh, where man had sunk himself down to. As Paul became all things to all men: with the Jew took his ground according to the furniture of thought that, before God, belonged to the Jew; and with the Gentile, according to the furniture of thought which, before God, belonged to the Gentile, (not compromising ever, yet always self-denyingly meeting each man according to God's thoughts about the man at the time being,) so I think it was God in His grace who did meet the Roman Catholics, Luther, Boos, etc., just according to where they were: and that he meets men, often, now just according to where they are. The ten commandments painted on wood have reduced the moral conscience of professors to a very low condition; but grace has met many there and gently shown, or forcibly pressed home, the truth that God's description of what man, as a creature, should have been and should be towards His Creator, will neither give him power to be what he ought to be, nor meet and clear all the arrears of what man has been and done contrary to what he ought. If intelligence sees this, or if the cursing power of the Law has killed any man, he may find to his wants so felt a full answer in Christ in His sufferings and present place on high. In this view of the subject, man begins with himself and finds in the Lord's sufferings and work, the full answer to every need. This is to me the explanation of the prevalency of the lower form of truth and grace. To them that are learning of God, in this form, the blessed work of redemption, I wish God-speed. And when they have learned the work of Redemption, yea! while they are learning it, may they learn not only what suits themselves in their needs, but also who the Redeemer is, and what sort of person He is.
Still Paul's gospel was given to him as the one called' to be the apostle of the uncircumcision: and to this, the higher form of grace and truth, I now turn,' and to the truths incidental to it.
Paul's Gospel. What Is It?
The portions of the, word more especially to be studied in connection with this subject, are such as Acts, Chapter 7 and 8 and 9, which contain the history of Saul's conversion. Then, Chapter 22:1-23, which gives the account of how he, as Paul, put home upon the consciences of his Jewish brethren his own conversion; as in Chapter 26:1-23, he presents it to the king Agrippa. Also, 2 Cor. 4:1-61Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; 2But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. 3But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. 5For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. 6For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:1‑6), in which he connects his preaching and gospel with his own conversion: that which converted him he preached.
1. As to the first of these portions, I would remark that where he says of himself, "sinners of whom I am chief" (1 Tim. 1:1515This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:15)), we must look for the explanation of what he means, in these chapters. Israel had rejected Messiah when upon earth, crucified Him. In the martyrdom of Stephen, they were resisting the Holy Ghost and the power which He in heaven had now shed abroad. Saul got a marked place in that sinful act: " the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul " (Chapter 7:58). " Saul was consenting unto his death " (Chapter 8:1); "As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women, committed them to prison " (ver. 3); and Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, and desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem " (9:1, 2).
In the blindness of his heart he thought he did God, Jehovah of Israel, service, for he was alive without the law once; yet at this, the time of his conversion, he had no sore conscience, no suspicion that he was wrong, for he tells us (1 Tim. 1:1313Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. (1 Timothy 1:13)) " I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief." What! be a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious (ver. 13) ignorantly? Yes, easily enough, when the vail is over the heart, and the mind is set upon the law of God and Jehovah and not upon Christ Jesus. As. Paul says, and it is an awful word in its bearing upon the professed Christianity of our own days; upon the many who are " desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm" (1 Tim. 1:77Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm. (1 Timothy 1:7))-those who would., one way or the other, merge. Christ in the law:-" Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: and not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that thee children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished..But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the Old Testament: which vail is done away in Christ. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart" (2 Cor. 3:12-1512Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: 13And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: 14But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. 15But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. (2 Corinthians 3:12‑15)). This Scripture was not written in vain as to this day (1867) for those that have hearts to be warned. Saul knew it not; nor did he then know the next verse as he did afterward: "Nevertheless, when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away" (ver. 16). The Gospel was hid from him, hid as from one that was lost: in whom the God of this world had blinded the mind as of one who believed not (2 Cor. 4:3,43But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. (2 Corinthians 4:3‑4)). Occupied with the temple and religion of Jehovah, God of Israel, and full of zeal for the law of Moses' etc., etc., his tem- per and tone were like one of old: "Come and see my zeal for the Lord." He had no sense of need of mercy, of grace, or of a Savior. But if he did not feel the need of a Savior, the Savior felt yearning as to him, and made known to him His needs of showing mercy and grace, and the mind of God and of Heaven as in contrast with the mind of man and of earth. This is the proper and true order of grace always and at all times:. "I am the first and the last." But besides this it is the manifested order of grace now, under the apostleship of the uncircumcision; as Paul said of himself, quoting Isaiah in all his very boldness: " I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me" (65:1, and compare Rom. 9:3030What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. (Romans 9:30)). Saul did not seek Christ, yet was Saul found of Christ; Saul did not ask after Christ, but Christ manifested Himself to Saul. This, emphatically true of Paul and his gospel, is the order really of grace; for the lost sheep sought not the shepherd; the piece of lost silver sought not the woman. But by the lost sheep and the piece of lost silver (in Luke 15) the publicans and sinners who knew their lost estate, as saltless salt, were represented; in Saul's case, he had the conscience that he was all right, so far as confidence in himself and a ground for confidence in the flesh went: a Hebrew of the Hebrews, as touching the law a Pharisee; full of zeal.; " touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless'' (Phil. 3:5, 65Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; 6Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. (Philippians 3:5‑6)); " I verily thought with myself that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth " (Acts 26:8,98Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead? 9I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. (Acts 26:8‑9)). But when Christ took up Saul to make a model man of him," Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all long suffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting" (1 Tim. 1:1616Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. (1 Timothy 1:16)); when it " pleased God to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen " (Gal. 1:1616To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: (Galatians 1:16)), when God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness (Gen. 1:33And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. (Genesis 1:3)) shined into his heart, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 4:66For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:6)), what discovery was then made to this Saul? Heaven and earth contrasted stood; Jesus, as He is, in His place on high, in His own character stood in contrast with Saul as he was in his place on earth and in the character natural to him. God and His ways stood in contrast with man in the world and his ways; Christ on one side, Satan on the other; the energy of Jesus working by the truth, and through the Spirit upon a man whose energy was as peculiar as the man was great among and above his fellows,-and yet at this moment detected as identified with Satan in work and way and character, against man and against God, and against one of the dearest counsels of God-the Church. Shut up in his own set of circumstances, as much as the woman of Samaria was in hers, he had only a human mind, and that a fallen one and one under Satan's deluding power, to act by. He leaned to his own understanding and consulted his own wisdom -and his wisdom, perfect in his own eyes, had no standard by which he could measure it. He, was nearing Damascus, his schemes well laid,' his plan well prepared for, when suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven. Fallen to the earth he hears a voice and has to converse with Him who spake.
The Lord.-" Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?"
Saul.-" Who art thou, Lord?"
The Lord.—" I am Jesus whom thou persecutest; it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks."
(Then trembling and astounded.)
Saul.-" Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?"
The Lord.-" Arise and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou shalt do."
Three little sentences dropped from the Lord's lips in heaven,-what discovery did they make to Saul, think you, reader?
First. I must remark that when God, or the Son of God, speaks, it is the speaker who gives the word spoken its power. " And God said, Let there be light, and there was light," etc., etc. The word was God's and the power to accomplish its purport was God's. So was it as to the rainbow and the seasons (in Gen. 9:1212And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: (Genesis 9:12), and xi. 21, 22); so was it in government as to Israel set apart from the nations; so is it with the word, looked at as the word of the living God always. If I preached law with the view of awakening, or if I preached pardon for the guilty sinner, everybody knows it would be just the same as I have said. They that heard my words as if they were the words of a man merely, might gibe and mock;-they that heard them as the word of the living God, would be pricked to the heart by them,-would know the power of God's word,-the two-edged sword, -sword of the Spirit-but they only.
Secondly. Though it is not for me to give an account of what did pass through Saul's mind beyond what is written, I may be allowed to show what may have passed through that mind.
Himself, Saul, surrounded by a light from heaven,-called by his own name, " Saul, Saul,"-and the present purpose and occupation of his soul, his purpose, his plan, his present business called in question by the One above, whose voice spake to him -as being about a business which told of a bitter zeal in Saul's heart against Himself.
" Why persecutest thou me? "
When opposite extremes seem to meet—the human mind feels it. One, an unknown One, in heaven, who had aroused Saul's attention by a flood of light from above; knowing him though Saul knew Him not, accosted him and repeated his name; and knowing what was in his heart, what his business, challenged him as to, the reason of his bitter zeal against Himself. Challenged him as one man might speak to another. " Was; there not, here enough to arrest me?" Paul might surely say. And Saul asked Him who He was, for he knew not, and then the awful discovery, " I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks." The head of the Nazarenes,- Jesus, the Lord of all glory! yet in all the gentleness possible,, arguing-and talking with this mad persecutor„ this; apostle of cutting off of all the innocent Nazarenes. To Saul, at: least; it was as the word: of the living God. His lot was chosen.
Lord, what wilt thou have me to do,?" was word and to the answer he gave a practical reply, by-doing what he was bidden. And the Lord said, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. And he went. The Nazarenes, whom as lion ravening for its prey, he had sought in pride and fierceness and bloodthirstiness, and in ignorant contempt of the Nazarene, now as a lamb he sought; he needed help from one of -them.; and had to be debtor to those that journeyed with him, '.and they led him by the hand and, brought him into Damascus (ver. 8), and-he went. The light was the discoverer to Saul of darkness within and darkness around-that is clear.
Thirdly. Nor, if the acorn contains the -oak-tree; if the moon that shone in paradise lightens: our nights still, if the sun which hid its light at Calvary shines, on us,
there any difficulty in seeing how the scene: just viewed suffice& for: every poor sinner now.. First, how-did heaven stand forth.. 'M contrast to earth, and how did the light of the contrast then shine' out!
Heaven, the dwelling-place of God, had provided the Son of God, who came seeking fruit as the heir from His Father's vineyard. Heaven had received Him back again when earth rejected and cast. Him out. Earth, had given to Him a cross, and then had rejected heaven's recognition of Him, and the Holy Ghost sent down from Him who was Lord and Christ there. Light and darkness stood in contrast. Did not. Saul know when in that light, the darkness which had been, which was still, in him? Set heaven and its thoughts and ways as to Jesus in contrast with earth's thoughts and ways as to Him:- and are the openings in' the sieve too large to catch and' arrest a sinner? If heaven is wholly occupied with Jesus, what was I to think of myself, who never had had one correct thought, one right affection toward Him; who lived as though He were not,—and whose purpose, plan and business, when He met me, were all about myself and the world.
Fourthly. And this unknown Jesus, Lord of all and. Christ in heaven, what His character and what His ways? As Lord, or Master of all, He had all power in heaven and in earth; and now, got back again from: among men, what sort of a person is He, and what does-He do? First, before He went nil high, He said that.
I mercy should he preached, the whole earth over, " beginning at Jerusalem" (Luke 24:4747And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. (Luke 24:47)). For this, too, He gave power on the day of Pentecost; and not only so, but He gathered out from the Jerusalem-sinners 3000 and 2000 unto God. These He made to be a.
house of God, through the Spirit. But the aggressiveness, the craving of His love toward man was not content with this, and. He raised up witnesses and testimony still Jerusalem. Jerusalem would not have Him' with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven, and the bright promise of His return on their repentance; and they of Jerusalem stoned Stephen. Did this change the Lord's character, and stop the outflow of His love? His delight in blessing, and in making man blessed? No. The persecuted went everywhere. " throughout the regions of Judaea, preaching the word." Philip is sent to the city
of Samaria, and preaches Christ unto them; and then to draw the bow and wing the' arrow that should go into distant lands, through the eunuch of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians; and then the Lord, that had looked down and sustained Stephen in his martyrdom, and had seen Saul there-Saul, a Goliath after Satan's own heart, whose mind was held as under Satan with a lie, so that he could not say, " Is there not a lie in my right hand?" and whose heart, in his blindness felt called upon to carry out Satan's love of destroying and pulling everything to pieces-that Saul, who had had no pity for Stephen, no power to appreciate Stephen's character and conduct in contrast with his own-that Saul who breathed destruction-to him spake Jesus, from His own proper glory all divine yet with a gentleness and a tenderness all worthy of Himself. [He wanted one to preach the gospel to every one under heaven, and Saul should be the one.]
Cannot this Person-Jesus, in His own place in heaven, acting according to His own character in contrast with us in our place on earth, and acting according to our own characters, be set forth in preaching? God manifest in flesh, in eternal glory in heaven, cares, and shows He cares, that we (who care nothing about Him or His glory) perish not under Satan. Is not this true? Is it not a reality? Has it no voice to sinful man, dead in trespasses and sins?
Fifthly. God and His ways stood in contrast with man in the world and his ways. His Son, the beginner of the new creation of God, was revealed; where and what now was the first Adam? where and what the world that had crucified Him? where and what the serpent that had wounded His heel? All the wisdom of God, and His righteousness and His power, and His majesty and His love, all stood out in contrast to the folly, unrighteousness, weakness, frivolity, and hatred of men- all showed that God's ways were not as man's ways, nor God's thoughts as man's thoughts.
Sixthly. And not only so, but in this scene He showed how His principles in redemption stood in contrast with His principles in creation, in providence, and in government-
By weakness and defeat,
He trod the victor down;
Trod all our foes beneath His feet,
By being trodden down.
Seventhly. Christ on the one side-Satan on the other. The energy of Jesus, working by the truth and through the Spirit, upon a man-upon men, whose energy, whose plans, purposes, objects, and motives are all selfish and darkness. Man on earth and in time is looked down upon by Jesus in heaven, and from His own proper eternity.
Will man have that Lord Jesus?
To the remark, "You must know yourself to be a sinner, ere you can value a Savior," I would only answer, " If you know Himself, in whom all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily-Him who is the only begotten Son of the Father, full of grace and truth-Him in heaven, according to the ways in which the heaven of heavens stands in contrast with earth-Him calling men down here to notice the light wherewith He has lighted up heaven's high throne-as the Lamb that was slain, but is alive again for evermore; I say, if you know Himself, you will know yourself too. Consciousness of things done down here, which are contrary to a man's duty to God and his neighbor, do give the sense of need of salvation from the just consequences thereof. But what is this compared to the discovery of the contrasts between Himself and myself? Himself, as a Man perfect and His will always, in times past, present, and to come, subject to God; and I, a willful one by nature, glorying to be willful, ere I knew Him, groaning ever since I did know Him, under this part of? my fallen nature, though fully hoping to see Himself soon, and knowing that then there will remain no more will in me. But it is not Himself, as a perfect Man only, that is there; He is God manifest in flesh-He is the faithful servant (though Son) of God, and that which leads Him to reveal His light is the desire that man may become part of the new creation, one Spirit with the Lord.
And will any one tell me that if the curtain that did shut into heaven its light has been rent, and that the light now shines forth from the face of Jesus Christ-I say, will any one tell me that if that light can be brought to bear upon a human heart down here, that its vail will remain untaken away-that this light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus will produce no sense of light and blessing, no sense of sin and of need in man?
What I have done and left undone, and what Adam was in his innocency;
Or between-What Christ is as the last Adam, and what I was when He found me?
What I am, on the one hand, is the root of all that I have done and all that I have left undone-includes it and a great deal more. On the other hand, the last Adam, life-giving Spirit, what is He as to fullness and contrast to the first Adam, when he had become a perishing soul?
God demanding of me, a ruined creature, what, because of sin, I can never pay, is in contrast too with God, as the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, showing to me what He has provided for Himself, in that last Adam-the fountain and channel of His grace and glory. What a contrast!)
And will any one who has a human heart, a human mind, say that he can set Christ Jesus' ways to Saul of Tarsus in contrast to Saul of Tarsus' ways towards Christ Jesus, and find nothing to which he can respond?
Besides the giving of a new nature, making us partakers of the Divine nature, creating us anew in Christ Jesus, born again, not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible, by the word of God, that liveth and abideth forever, one great result of the Spirit of God's presence with man is, that He enables man, and makes him, to see the things of God as he sees the things of man. They become real, have their eternal and their heavenly nature, as he looks upon them; and thus can a believer respond to the vision of the glory of God in the face of Christ most truly and truthfully in spirit and in truth.
And this One-Himself-in all that He is-Himself in heaven, revealed the love that was in Him to Saul of Tarsus. Saul knew Himself-knew the interest which He had in himself in all his littleness-took a living interest in Himself up there, ere ever he knew one office of Christ, or what his own need of offices and the fruits of them was. I cannot doubt but that, like Abraham of old, the knowledge of the Lord Himself decided every question at once summarily to Paul. Nor can I doubt, with Paul's writings in -my hand, that the unsearchableness and the glory of the One that had revealed Himself to him, gave that vividness and that power to all Paul's thoughts about sin-bearing on the cross, atonement made in heaven, acceptance, etc. which is so peculiar to himself among the writers of the New Testament. Rom. 6, Heb. 9 and 10, and Eph. 1 are proofs of this. But Saul knew Who was in heaven, and what was in His heart, and mind, and ways, ere he knew any one office of the Blessed One, either down here or up there-past, present, or to come.
I turn now to Acts 22:1-131Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you. 2(And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he saith,) 3I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day. 4And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women. 5As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished. 6And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me. 7And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 8And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest. 9And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me. 10And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do. 11And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus. 12And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there, 13Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him. (Acts 22:1‑13), which gives the account of how he, as Paul, put home upon the consciences of his Jewish brethren his own conversion; for the facts which he had to record at once fully justified his own course and position, and, while they condemned their conduct and ways whom he loved, presented the only ground of escape, rest or hope for them.
In passing through the history of his conversion I (with, I think, but one exception which I marked of in brackets [ ]) avoided everything which (though he knew afterward) Paul knew not at the time;—such things as Ananias must have told him and the Christians at Damascus; and perhaps some which were revealed to Luke when he wrote the Acts of the Apostles.
These things are now in our hands, and they enable us to set forth what the light is which shines now from Heaven upon a sinful earth. The Lord knew none could arrest Saul save Himself, but He will have His saints down here in fellowship with Him in His work. Himself prepares Ananias, and shows how watchful He had been over His praying yet timid flock. Ananias freely states his thoughts to the Lord. But he has to submit to have this honor put upon him and learns the Lord's own thoughts and intentions about Saul: ".He is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel," and the Lord adds " for I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake " (chap. 9:15, 16). It was a large sphere the Lord meant the light of His glory and love to be proclaimed in, and He chose a special vessel for the work. Tis a new form of truth which Saul preached. " And straightway he preached Christ.... that He is Son of God" (ver. 20). " All that heard him were amazed, and said, Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests? But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt in Damascus, proving that this is very Christ" (ver. 22, 23). Whatever heedless man may think, the powers of darkness were in this beaten back and discomfited for a time, and angels in heaven owned the wondrousness of their Lord's unsearchable ways while they looked on, and learned about Him in His dealings as to the Church. And what comfort of love and encouragement was there to the Damascene Christians in that day, in all this. The Lord was with Saul; and the hearts of Jerusalem converts got strength and comfort—" Then had the churches rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied" (ver. 31), and cannot we see the brightness of Heaven's light and love as it thus shines out and down upon the earth where we still are?
In reading Acts 21 we may well be struck with the unheeded admonitions which were given to Paul, at Tire—certain disciples said to Paul through the Spirit, "that he should not go up to Jerusalem " (ver. 4). Again (ver. 10, 11), there was a certain prophet, named Agabus, " and when he. was come unto us, 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." The apostle of the uncircumcision must live among. the Gentiles,—God's free man, or God's bondsman. " And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem" (ver. 12). Arrived there, he found first the state of James and all the elders there and of the Jerusalem brotherhood (ver. 18-25). The currents were too strong for him, and in the midst of the conflict, Paul has to admit: " I saw Him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem; for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me" (22:18), and after -Paul had argued the point with the Lord—" Depart; for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles (ver. 21).
It is to be noticed that the uproar commenced in the temple with certain Jews, which were of Asia. These appealed to the men of Israel against Paul, then in the temple about his vow:
" This is the man, that teacheth all everywhere against the people, and the law, and this place," that was his first offense; his second was—" and further brought Greeks (Grecians not Hellenistic Jews) also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place " (ver. 28).
Carried off by the chief captain and soldiers to the castle, lie is there permitted to speak unto the people from the stairs.
What strikes one, first of all, in reading this his testimony, is the way in which on one side Paul is himself called in question,—his life threatened, for the truth's. sake, as his Master's life had been taken. In life Paul was now one with that Master; yea Christ was his life, his life hid with Christ in God. If so be we suffer with Him that we may also be glorified together with Him. He had too passed through experiences in nature which httett him to know and to understand thoroughly the position and feelings of the Jews to whom- he had to speak. If Jesus spoke from heaven to Saul as seeing and divinely reading all the secrets of Saul's heart and life to him, Paul could speak to the Jews as one that knew by his own past experience (already judged by him), whereabouts they were to whom he spake. Peter could not have done this. Peter, after he knew the Lord, cursed and swore and denied that he knew Christ, ere he could be trusted to stand forward and charge on Israel that " Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain" (Acts 2:22,2322Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: 23Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: (Acts 2:22‑23)). The Lord upon earth, Peter, having known Him, had denied, whom they, not knowing, had slain. Paul, awakened to Jesus in heaven, got a thorn in the flesh, messenger of Satan to buffet him as his schooling as to himself. I cannot read Peter's life and not see his need of the lesson he learned: perhaps Paul's need of his lesson may be seen too.
But again, Paul, one in life with Christ in glory, and as servant an ambassador for Christ, spake to his Hebrew brethren just that which Jesus had shown and said to himself. Mark this well. And mark too why his witness was that which he had seen and heard. Not a long argument and reasoning built upon it-but the facts formed his testimony. He had seen and heard something, and what he had seen and heard that was what he put forward.
First, he introduces himself: I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day. And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women. As also the high priest cloth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished (ver. 3-6).
Then secondly, comes his report of what he saw and heard.
Ver. 6. That it was "at noon " that the light shined, is noticed for the first time here.
Ver. 8. Our text gives here, " I am Jesus of Nazareth,"
the words " of Nazareth " are not named in chap. 9.
It is written in chap. 9:7, " The men which journeyed
with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man." And in
Chapter 22:9, " But they heard not the voice of him that spake to me." That is, they heard the sound of a voice; but not the words of Him that spake.
Chapter 9:3, " Suddenly there shined about him a light from heaven."
Chapter 22:11, " And when I could not see for the glory of that light," etc.
Paul then adds, that when Ananias (a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews) came to him, he said:
" The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth".(ver. 15). " For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard".(Ver. 16).
The revelation was made to him not only for his own salvation's sake, but also that he might witness unto all men-be His witness, who had shown Himself and who had spoken to him,-of what he had seen and heard.
And, thirdly, came that which to -the earthly mind of the Jew spoiled all; that which, on the, other hand, told out how the Lord knew Israel and would not close up His own bowels of mercies because Israel would reject, but contrariwise would take a larger and a wider range in which to make known His presence in glory, beauty, power and majesty in heaven; and how His voice there would speak to poor sinners down here about Himself and make poor sinners to know how He was their Savior, and to learn the contrasts too between God' and man; Heaven and earth; righteousness and mercy; deserved reward and free grace; the life of God, eternal life, and the life of man, perishing and all spoiled. And mark it, too, His herald was to be a Jew. The Lord of heaven and earth would show His rights over all on earth. Had He not the right to send a Hebrew of the Hebrews, one of the straitest sect of the Pharisees as His messenger sent in the foolishness of God to the wise Gentile in all his liberty-loving contempt of the narrow-minded Jew. The Jews, looking at Paul in his testimony to them according to their own pride, doubtless saw in him nothing but a renegade to the national glory, an enemy to their proud claims: had they looked at him according to that which was in God, they would surely have said, What grace in Messiah, when we had rejected Himself, to send one of our own people, one of His people according to the flesh to the Gentiles! Thus still showing His thoughts of and love for Israel. Paul must become the off-scouring of all things, yet be that part of the channel of testimony which was nearest to the Lord. Taught too by the Lord Himself in heaven-thoroughly taught-in spirit and in truth he loved the Head of the Nazarenes, whom he had seen and heard in heaven.
"And it came to pass, that, when 'I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance; and I saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me. And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee: and when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him. And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles " (ver. 17-21).
Poor but most blessed Paul I Thy testimony is delivered to Israel. Thy Lord knew better than didst thou; His word, not thine, must stand as to the results also of the testimony.
" And they gave him audience unto this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live."
I doubt whether Paul's love to his kindred according to the flesh had not led him, and that too against the word of his Master, to Jerusalem this time. But how blessed is it to see a man thoroughly whole hearted in such cause. And if his being here and his conduct in the next chapter is not fully acceptable-the beauty and the grace of the Lord only shines forth the more brightly (Chapter 23:11), "and the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome." The bondage that follows onward, may have been needful for his too fervent spirit and I am sure it threw out into relief the truth (when before kings and rulers he had to appear in bonds), of the Lord's grace, Paul, himself, the prisoner, was in spirit the free man,-the potentates before whom he appeared were to be pitied. Then all was in time, He was a pilgrim and prisoner down here, but the free man whom the Son had made free and for whom He had gone forward to prepare a mansion.
In dealing with the Jew Paul put home first and foremost the ascended, glorified One, God, manifest in flesh, who had been seen by himself and heard by himself. And there was certainly more to cut to the quick the heart and mind of the Jew in this than there would have been in any preaching of Moses or of law.
"There He is, whom I saw and heard for myself when I was as you are. Himself, God-manifest-in-flesh, now in heaven, is the turning point of everything. I Paul saw, heard, obeyed Him, and am what I am. You, my Jewish brethren, are what you are, will you receive Himself and become as I am?" Where, at such an hour, in such a scene, are the questions of how far have I fulfilled, my whole duty of life as a man down here? how far have I done all that man by nature ought to have done, left none of it undone? Where the question, What will God think and say of my omissions and commissions as to law, when God's whole mind and heart and plan rolls around Jesus of Nazareth, a man glorified in heaven, owned there upon the throne, God manifest in flesh, Himself the answer to all that rebel man is. And will any one that pretends to common sense tell me that there is nothing in such a scene, nothing in such a testimony, calculated' to turn man upside down, inside out, if you please. Stupefied and stultified, altogether besotted the man that maintains such folly:-as ignorant, surely, of the things of man as of God.
Paul had to taste in his own soul as a man, what was that bitterness of man's heart against himself as a member of Christ, which he had shown against Christ Jesus.
Forty Jews made a conspiracy and banded together, and bound themselves under a curse that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed him: and they had the co-operation of the chief priests and elders (Chapter 23:12-14). He appears before Felix, Drusilla, Festus,-appeals to Caesar-which leads to Festus and Agrippa seeing him: that, after examination, had, they may know what to write about him.
Since Porcius Festus was seeking to learn what he should write to Caesar about the prisoner Paul, whom he was about to send to Rome as having appealed to Caesar's judgment (which a Roman citizen was free to do), I do' not think that my taking Paul's confession before Festus and Agrippa as a specimen of his testimony to the. Gentiles, is any forced notion of my own. We find the account of this in Chapter 26 which is my third scripture.
Before Festus, Caesar's representative, and before the: king Agrippa, "expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews," Paul declares; First, That his manner' of life from his youth, at first among his own, nation at Jerusalem., was known to all the Jews'; they could testify' that after the most strictest sect of their religion, he lived a Pharisee. He stood now to be judged about the hope of the promise' made of God: to the fathers-a hope recognized by the twelve tribes in their -faithfulness-for the sake of which he was now accused by the Jews;-
Secondly, That God should raise dead men should not be thought incredible; '
Thirdly,. That he too had thought it his duty to oppose Jesus of Nazareth-at Jerusalem be had imprisoned many saints and been authorized by the chief priests to do so; had punished them- and compelled them to blaspheme; and, being exceedingly mad against them,, persecuted them to strange cities... But when nearing. Damascus, authorized and commissioned by the chief priests;
Fourthly, He had seen something wonderful, viz., at mid-day in the way, a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining about himself and those that journeyed with him (ver. 13);-
Fifthly, Fallen to the ground,. He heard something-astonishing, viz., a voice speaking to himself in the Hebrew tongue and saying: Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks (ver. 14).
Saul asked " Who art thou, Lord? " Taking thus, perhaps for the first time in his life, the place of being an enquirer, one that needed teaching about God at God's own hand,—though, " they shall be all taught of God " was an old promise.
The answer was: "I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: but rise and stand upon thy feet, for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; delivering thee from: the people, and the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, to open their eyes, to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith in me " (ver. 15-18.)
He saw a truly astonishing sight, and heard what-was altogether new to him; about the Son of God -(whose: Father was in heaven), and of the mercy and, grace, the long-suffering patience of that blessed One with sinners, of whom he was chief,-of plans too and purposes of mercy and grace in heaven to man on earth. And,
Sixthly, He was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision. Damascus, Jerusalem, Judea, the Gentiles heard of what he had seen, and heard;-and therefore the Jews caught him and went about to kill him.-To all whom he met he had, through God's help, proclaimed that himself had seen and heard that which proved that all that the Prophets and Moses said should come to pass had stood firm, and was in the way of its accomplishment: that Christ should suffer, and that He should be the first to rise from the dead and that He should show light unto the people Israel and to the Gentiles (ver. 19-23.)
To Porcius Festus he seemed to be mad. To the better knowledge of King Agrippa, who knew what had of late occurred in the land and had read too the prophets,-the appeal of this whole-hearted man was searching. As he said, " Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian" (ver. 24-28).
" Would to God (was Paul's reply) that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost and altogether such as I am, except these bonds " (ver. 29).
That which was seen and that which was heard from Jesus in heaven dwelt in the heart of Paul by faith, and was his and is our blessing for our own souls, and is that which we have to bear witness of to all around.- To Jew, to Gentile, to every creature under heaven, Jesus Christ, in the place which He holds on high, and the fact that He has let the light of His glory shine upon man down here and spoken to man, sinful man, down here is the all-important fact. It is a fact that He is on high,-and it is a fact too that men down here are living in the place on which has shined down the light of the glory of God in the face of that same Jesus Christ.
In conclusion, the fact that he had seen the Lord is used by Paul (1 Cor. 9). Am I not an Apostle? am I not free? " Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? " He had, and he had seen Him in quite another position and place from where Peter, James and John had seen Him., To them He was still upon earth although risen from among the dead; to Paul he showed Himself after the day of Pentecost when the promise of the Father was made good, after that He had ascended up on high.
To this Paul refers in writing to the Galatians (Chapter i.), the Gospel which was preached by me... I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ, etc But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by grace, to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the heathen, etc.; and again (in 2 Cor.) we read " we all beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, with unveiled face, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Lord the Spirit (3:18).
For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake... For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, path shined in our hearts, for (or unto) the radiancy of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (Chapter iv. 5 and 6).
The bearing of this chapter has been gone into by other children of God, I think, in The Present Testimony, so that I leave it. May God guide His children into a full and perfect understanding and taste of what the fullness of the Gospel is.
G. V. W.
I Add a Table of the Three Passages—From a Literal Translation
c. ix. 1 (et seqq.) THE HISTORIC ACCOUNT OF SAUL'S CONVERSION. But Saul, still breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, came to the high priest and asked of him letters to Damascus, to the synagogues, so that if he found any who were of the way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. But, as he was journeying, it came to pass that he drew near to Damascus, and suddenly there shone round about him a light from heaven, and falling on the earth, he heard a voice saying to him: Saul, Saul, why dost thou persecute me? And he said: Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said: I am Jesus, whom, thou persecutest. [T.R. adds, “It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And trembling and astonished he said: Lord, what wilt thou that I do? And the Lord [said] to [him'], But rise up and enter into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. But the men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but beholding no one. And Saul rose up from the earth and his eyes being opened he saw no one. But leading him by the hand they brought him into Damascus. And he was there three days without seeing, and neither ate nor drank. And there was a certain disciple in Damascus by name Ananias. And the Lord said to him in a vision: Ananias. And he said: Behold [here am] I, Lord, And the Lord [said] to him: Rise up and go into the street which is called Straight, and seek in the house of Judas one by name Saul, [he is] of Tarsus; for he is praying, and has seen in a vision a man by name Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he should see. And Ananias answered: Lord, I have heard from many of this man how much evil he has done to thy saints at Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all that call upon thy name, And the Lord said to him: Go, for this [man] is an elect vessel to me to bear my name before nations, and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show to him how much he must suffer for my name. And Ananias went and entered into the house: and laying his hands upon him he said: Saul, brother, the Lord has sent me, Jesus that appeared to thee in the way in which thou camest, that thou mightest see, end be filled with the Holy Spirit. And straightway there fell from his eyes as it were scales, and he immediately saw, and rising up was baptized; and, having received food, got strength. And he [T.R. reads ‘Saul’] was with the disciples who [were] in Damascus certain days. And straightway in the synagogues he preached Jesus [T.R. reads ' Christ'] that He is the Son of God...
c. xxii. 9 (et seqq.) Paul’s Testimony To Israel -His Conversion. I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, educated according to [the] exactness of the law of [our] fathers, being zealous for God, as you are all this day, who have persecuted this way unto death, binding and delivering up to prison both men and women as also the high priest bears me witness, and all to presbytery, from whom, haying received letters to the brethren, I went to Damascus to bring those also who were there, bound, to Jerusalem, to be punished. And it came to pass, as I was journeying and drawing near to Damascus, that, about midday, there suddenly shone out of heaven a great light round about me. And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And I 'answered; Who art thou, Lord? And He said to me: I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom thou persecutest. But they that were with Me beheld the light, and were filled with fear but heard not the voice of him that was speaking to me. And I said: What shall 1 do, Lord? And the Lord said to Me: Rise up and go to Damascus, and there it shall be told thee of all things which it is appointed thee to do. And as I could not see, through the glory of that light, being led by the hand by those who were with me, I came to Damascus, and a certain Ananias, a pious man according to the law, borne witness to by all the Jews where dwelt there, coming to me and standing by me, said: brother Saul, receive thy sight, and I, in the same hour, received my sight and saw him. And he said: The God of our fathers hath chosen thee beforehand to know his will, and to see the Just One, and to hear a voice out of His mouth, that thou mayest be witness for him to all men of what thou hast seen and heard. And now why lingerest thou? Arise and get baptized, and have thy sins washed away calling on His name. [T.R. reads ‘on the name of the Lord.’] And it came to pass when I had returned to Jerusalem and as I was praying in the temple, that I became in ecstasy, and saw Him saying to me: Make haste and go quickly out of Jerusalem, for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me. And I said: Lord, they themselves know that I was imprisoning and beating in every synagogue them that believed on thee; and when the blood or thy witness Stephen was shed, I also myself was standing by and consenting [T.R. adds ‘ to his being killed,'] and kept the clothes of them who killed him. And he said to me: Go; for I will send thee to the Gentiles afar off.
e. xxvi. 4 (et seqq.) His Conversion-His testimony before the Roman Festus and Agrippa My manner of life from my youth, which from its commencement was passed among my nation in Jerusalem, know all the Jews, who knew before from the outset [of my life] if they would bear witness, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. And now I stand to be judged because of the hope of the promise made by God to our [T. R. omits ‘our’] fathers, to which our whole twelve tribes serving incessantly day and night, hope to arrive; about which hope, King Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews. Why should it be judged a thing incredible in your sight if God raises the dead. I indeed myself thought that I ought to do much against the name of Jesus of Nazarene. Which also I did in Jerusalem, and myself shut up in prison many of the saints, having received the authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my vote. And often punishing them in all the synagogues I compelled to blaspheme. And, being furious against them, I persecuted them even to the cities out [of our own land]. And as I also was engaged in this, I was journeying to Damascus, with authority and power from the chief priests, at midday, on the way, I saw, O king, a light above the brightness of the sun shining from heaven round about me and those who were journeying with me. And, when we were all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice to me and saying in the Hebrew tongue: Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against goads. And I said: who art thou, Lord? And He said: I am Jesus whom thou persecutest; but rise up and stand on thy feet, for for this purpose have I appeared to thee, to appoint thee to be a servant and a witness of what thou hast seen, and of what I shall appear to thee in, having taken thee out from among the people, and the nations, to whom now I send thee, to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins and inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in me. Whereupon, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but have, first in Damascus and Jerusalem, and to all the region of Judaea, and to the Gentiles, announced [to men] to repent and turn to God, doing works worthy a repentance.