CYPRUS, a considerable island in the Mediterranean Sea between Syria and Cilicia, was renowned in heathen story for its fertility so as to be called the happy island; but it was also sadly renowned for the profligacy of its inhabitants. But even to the inhabitants of this island the grace of God appeared and was made effectual to the sheaving forth that, in all cases where it is received, it “teaches to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people zealous of good works.”
The first mention made of a disciple of the country of Cyprus, is the honourable testimony to “Joses, who by the Apostles was surnamed Barnabas (which is being interpreted, The son of consolation), a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus, having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the Apostles’ feet.” But there were early in the Church other disciples of the country of Cyprus; for we read, “Now they that were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only. And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus: and the hand of the Lord was with them; and a great number believed, and turned to the Lord” (Acts 11:19-2119Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only. 20And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus. 21And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord. (Acts 11:19‑21)). The disciples of Cyprus were thus among the first to preach the Lord Jesus, outside the Jews.
When Paul and Barnabas were specially selected by the Holy Ghost, for the work of carrying the name of Jesus among the Gentiles, they immediately “departed” from Antioch to Selucia, and from thence they sailed to Cyprus. They visited the two chief cities in the island, Salamis and Paphos, and their ministry was no less strikingly marked by the conversion of Sergius Paulus, the Roman deputy, than by the infliction of blindness on Elymas the sorcerer.
On the occasion of the humiliating breach between Barnabas and Paul, two servants of the Lord sent forth on a common work by the direct appointment of the Holy Ghost, “Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus.”
On Paul’s last eventful visit to Jerusalem, after he and his companions had landed at Caesarea, “they went up to Jerusalem. There went with us also certain of the disciples of Caesarea, and brought with them one Musson of Cyprus, an old disciple, with whom we should lodge.” The generous love for the truth which had wrought in Barnabas of Cyprus to sell is possession for the good of others, was evidenced in Mnason by his willingness to be the host of the Apostle and his companions in travel. But the distinctive notice of Mnason is, that he was “an old disciple,” in reference not merely to his age, although that would necessarily come in, but to his being one of the early converts, who had “continued steadfastly in the Apostles’ doctrine.” He knew it to be a high honor to lodge them. His value for the truth had not subsided as he advanced in age, and he had not been led to trim the doctrine of Christ so as to make it more compatible with the world or worldly religion. He had respect to “the old paths, where is the good way, and had walked therein.” He had known no improvement in the doctrines originally taught by the Apostles. Doubtless, he had witnessed the rise of many novelties in his, time, and seen many turned aside, and, then recovered; but all these things were turned to account by one who knew Christ to be both the teacher and the doctrine of God, and had learnt to call no man master on earth; for one is our Master, even Christ.
It may be thought but a poor notice of an individual, that he was “an old disciple;” but one of the most common, and at the same time sorrowful trials to the Apostles was the readiness of their disciples to give heed to novelties. “Continuance” marks the “ways” of God (Is. 64:5), instability those of men. In those described in the parable of the sower, both the stony and the thorny ground hearers appeared promising for a while, but there was no “continuance.” Those represented by the good ground bring forth fruit with patience. On one occasion a sudden impulse seems to have come over the Jews, as Jesus taught in the temple. “As He spake these words, many believed on Him. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him, “If ye continue in My word, then are ye My disciples indeed, and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:30-3230As he spake these words, many believed on him. 31Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:30‑32)). Their seeming faith speedily passed into angry wrangling. Gracious indeed were the words of the Lord to His weak, wavering and ignorant disciples, “Ye are they which have continued with Me in My temptations” (Luke 22:2828Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations. (Luke 22:28)).
How the heart of the Apostle dilates with gladness, when he writes to the Philippians, “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all, making request with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now.” There were others to whom he had to write in a very different tone. “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel” (Gal. 1:88But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:8)). To the Thessalonians the Apostle writes not only with thanksgiving, but to show how much his soul was wrapped up in their patient continuance in well doing. He says, “For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord.” In a similar strain, the aged John writes both to the elect lady, and to Gains. “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.”
Such expressions give an interest and meaning to the notice by the Holy Spirit of an “old disciple.” Of all “the names written in heaven,” very few comparatively are recorded on earth, but among them is “one Mnason” —apparently an obscure individual— “unknown, yet well known.” His characteristic is, “an old disciple;” his service, hospitality to the ministers of Christ.
“An old disciple” is one who “continues in the things which he has heard and been assured of.” In hearing Christ preached, and by the grace of God receiving the testimony, he has laid hold of “the truth.” He has already before him in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ an object of the highest interest. “The Lord is his light and his salvation.” To this test he brings everything. He weighs all human pretensions in this balance. However high men may aspire, he finds that, weighed in this balance, they are lighter than vanity, and that their boasted wisdom and righteousness shrink into insignificance, when set side by side with Christ, the wisdom, righteousness, and holiness of God.
The old disciple has witnessed many novelties in his day, and in all probability has been in some measure ensnared by them, or entangled in them. There is something so plausible and fascinating in pursuits which have the alleviation of human misery, moral or physical, for their object, that Christians often engage in them actively, without any suspicion that the honor of Christ may be compromised. For wherever Christ is not decidedly and avowedly the object, the believer will sooner or later find himself “unequally yoked.” But all these things turn to him for a testimony as to the impossibility of serving God and mammon. If the continuous effect of man is to contradict the truth of God, as to the reality of the condition of man that he is a lost and ruined sinner, “without strength,” and “ungodly,” the continuous effort of Christians has been to achieve the impossibility of making the service of the world compatible with Christ. To this end Christians have “labored in the fire, and wearied themselves for very vanity;” and instead of finding Christ, their object, advanced by the attempt, they have invariably found themselves outwitted by the exaltation, not of Christ, but of man.
In the affectionate and paternal Epistles of Paul to his own child in the faith, Timothy, there are several intimations of too great a readiness in Timothy to disputation, rather than “continuance in the things which he had learned and been assured of.” The conscious possession of the truth in the knowledge of Jesus, as a standard by which to test everything, is a prominent mark of an old disciple, whilst restlessness of enquiry and proneness to dispute is often the snare of the young disciple. The Grecian tendency, as manifested in the Athenians (Acts 17), “to hear or tell something new,” has always had its place in the Church of God, and been the danger of those not well grounded in the faith. The old disciple, having his soul occupied with Christ Himself, will find neither heart nor opportunity for discussing each novelty as it presents itself. There is one great safeguard to prevent the old disciple being carried away by any existing topic of the day. It is not his province to discuss the truth of any new theory, but he is in possession of a summary process to dismiss many things which are of absorbing interest to others. They are “rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” Their tendency is to make the Christian who meddles in these things practically to let go the Head, so that however humanly exalting these novelties may be, they really end in degrading Him; for is not any human attainment degradation when put by the side of being “filled to the full in Him,” “in whom dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily?”
Much of the tuition of an old disciple has been in the most difficult school, that of unlearning. The Apostle Peter speaks of redemption by the precious blood of the Lamb, as redemption from his hereditary and traditional religion. But neither that Apostle nor any of his followers have found it an easy thing to emancipate themselves from hereditary and traditionary religion. “No man having drunk old wine straightway desireth new; for he saith, the old is better.” “To know Him that was from the beginning,” is the characteristic of a father in Christ; and he has made no little proficiency in the school of Christ, who has discovered that He is “the Omega” as well as “the Alpha,” “the last” as well as “the first,” “the end” as well as “the beginning.” An old disciple finds that the first truth that beamed on his soul, even the glory of Christ and the perfection of His work on the Cross, is so comprehensive and wonderful, as not only to be his study here, but that it will be his study throughout eternity. He has been unlearning many things which were of interest in their “time and season,” in order to learn Him, through many an anxious exercise of soul, whom he looks forward to learn perfectly in glory. “That I may know Him,” is the suited prayer of the old disciple. An old disciple has learned not “to glory in men.” This is by no means an easy lesson. Many who are thoroughly distrustful of their own hearts, have to learn the difference between the Master and the choicest of His servants. The Lord never disappoints, but is always better than our expectations. We raise our expectations from man to a great height, and then comes some painful disappointment; but our hope from the Lord never makes ashamed. To expect nothing from ourselves, and not to reckon on others, but to expect everything from the Lord must necessarily require time and experience. And happy is he who thus turns experience (always painful in itself) to account, in that it works hope, and such “hope that maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given to us.” According to this rule, the old disciple is encouraged to expect every thing from that God who has manifested His love in already giving to him the greatest and all-comprehensive gift of His Son. “Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift.”
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EVIL REPORT AND GOOD REPORT.—If we are what we are called to be, “as lights in the world,” the evil or good report will no more move us than the thoughts of men affect the course of stars above. Through night and day, they keep the path appointed to them; whatever names or notions men may invent for them, they are above it all, because they are in heaven, and yet shining for the guidance of those on earth. There may we abide, having our conversation in heaven, not falling thence into the tumults or contentions of this sinful world: if we so fall, we know the effect of fallen stars—the waters are made bitter. May the Lord preserve us to His praise. In His hand alone are we in safety.
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The Lord sometimes humbles us more than we reckon on, that we may the better learn of His Spirit to humble ourselves, that He may exalt us in due time.
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Moses, the “faithful” servant, said, “Who is on the Lord’s side?” (Ex. 32:2626Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the Lord's side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him. (Exodus 32:26).) Jehu, the zealous servant, said, “Who is on my side?” (2 Kings 9:3232And he lifted up his face to the window, and said, Who is on my side? who? And there looked out to him two or three eunuchs. (2 Kings 9:32).)