Bible Studies in the Life of Paul Part 3

+Companions of the Journey+, Barnabas and Saul (Acts 13:2) and John Mark (Acts 13:5). Barnabas has been called the discoverer of Saul. He was probably a convert of the day of Pentecost. He was a land proprietor of the island of Cyprus and early showed his zeal for Christ by selling his land and devoting the proceeds to the cause in which he so heartily believed (Acts 4:36, 37). He early sought out and manifested, in a very practical way, his friendship for Paul (Acts 9:27; 11:22, 25, 30; 12:25). John Mark, who started on this journey with Barnabas and Saul, was a nephew of Barnabas (Acts 13:5, 13; 12:25; Col. 4:10).

+Paul Comes to the Front+ when his company leave Paphos and ever after he has the first place (Acts 13: 13). Here also he is called Paul for the first time, a name which he retains.

+Extent and Time+--This was the shortest of the three journeys (about 1,400 miles). It extended over the island of Cyprus and a part of Asia Minor. In time it occupied about three years, 47-50 A.D.

+Rulers+--Claudius was the emperor of Rome, since 41 A.D. Herod Agrippa was king of Chalcis, Ananias was high priest in Jerusalem.

THE ITINERARY

NOTE.--The cities, which Paul visited in this and the other journeys, should be located upon the map by the student. It will greatly increase the interest to consult some good Bible dictionary and get well acquainted also with the history of the places.

+Salamis+, on the island of Cyprus, was the first place reached, after sailing from Seleucia (Acts 13:4, 5) the sea-port of Antioch. It was the natural thing to go first to this island as it had been the home of Barnabas and many Jews had settled there; it was about eighty miles to the southwest of Seleucia.

+Paphos.+--After pa.s.sing through the island from east to west the missionaries came to Paphos. This city was the seat of the worship of Venus, the G.o.ddess of love.

This worship was carried on with the most degrading of immoralities.

The chief incidents in the ministry here were the smiting of the Jewish sorcerer, Elymas, with blindness for his persistent opposition and the conversion of the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus (Acts 13:6-12). Saul is filled with an unusual power of the Spirit for his work in this city and takes the name of Paul. It is now no longer Barnabas and Saul, but Paul and Barnabas.

+Perga in Pamphylia+--(Acts 13:13, 14). The missionaries take ship from Paphos and sail in a north-easterly direction across the Mediterranean Sea to this city of Asia Minor. John Mark, doubtless appalled by the difficulties which had already been experienced and now that the journey seemed to promise still greater hardships, left the company and returned to Jerusalem.

+Antioch in Pisidia+ (Acts 13:14-52) was about ninety miles directly north of Perga. It was a good-sized city with a large Jewish population. Luke's account of this visit is notable in that we have the chief points in Paul's speech in the synagogue set down. This address is worth study from the fact that it is the first sermon of Paul of which we have any record, and is probably the usual way in which he began his work in a great many Jewish synagogues. Paul is asked to speak to the a.s.sembled Jews.

He begins upon the common ground of the history of Israel. He declares the promise of a Savior. This Savior is to be of the seed of David. Then Paul sets forth that Jesus is the promised Savior. He reminds them of the testimony of John and of those who had seen Jesus before and after His resurrection. He declares unto them the glad tidings of a Savior. He warns them of their peril in rejecting Jesus Christ. Paul is invited to speak upon the next Sabbath, but there is a division and those who oppose Paul try to drive him out of their city which they finally succeed in doing. But the Word has fallen into good soil and there is the beginning of a Christian church.

+Iconium in Lycaonia+ (Acts 14:1-5) is over one hundred miles distant from Antioch. The missionaries were now in a country of a people with strange ways. They remained here for some time and their ministry was attested by "signs and wonders." But again some of the Jews opposed them and stirred up the mult.i.tude. A plan was made by the ringleaders of the opposition to stone them, but being made aware of it Paul and Barnabas "fled unto Derbe and Lystra." They had, however, the satisfaction of leaving behind "a great mult.i.tude of believing Jews and Greeks" (Acts 14:1).

+Lystra and Derbe in Lycaonia+ (Acts 14:6-21).--"And there they preached the gospel." There is no mention of any Jewish synagogue at either of these cities.

The inhabitants were worshippers of the heathen G.o.ds.

The healing of a lame man at Lystra brought Paul and Barnabas directly into touch with the heathen priests and populace. When they saw this miracle of healing, they thought that the G.o.ds had come down to earth in the likeness of men. Barnabas was called Jupiter "and Paul Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker." When Paul and Barnabas sought to restrain the priests and people from doing sacrifice to them, it is interesting to note what words Paul uses in addressing them. As with the Jews he here seeks first of all a common ground. He says, "We are men of like pa.s.sions with you and preach unto you that you should turn from these vanities unto the living G.o.d, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein; who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways.

Nevertheless He left not Himself without a witness, in that He did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness" (Acts 14:15-17). We find the same earnestness the same desire to preach the gospel to the heathen here as to the Jews elsewhere. But the Jews who had made trouble in Antioch and Iconium for the missionaries came to Lystra and, forming a plot against Paul, persuaded the people and stoned him so that he was drawn out of the city, they "supposing he had been dead." But he was not dead, he soon rose up and came back into the city and the next day departed with Barnabas to Derbe, where they preached the gospel and taught many.

+The Return Journey+ is very briefly recorded (Acts 14:21-28). The missionaries returned through the same cities, Lystra, Iconium, Antioch, and so back to Perga.

But from the last city they did not sail to the island of Cyprus, but took a different course, westerly along the coast to Attalia in Pamphylia and from thence they sailed to Antioch, the starting point of their trip. During this return journey they proved to their friends and enemies that, in departing from the cities where mobs threatened them, it was through no cowardice on their part, but for other reasons and for the purpose of preaching the gospel in the regions beyond. They "confirmed the souls of the disciples exhorting them to continue in the faith." They also further perfected the organization of the churches, ordaining elders in every church. They prayed with and for the disciples and commended them to the Lord.

When the missionaries at last entered the city of Antioch, "they rehea.r.s.ed all that G.o.d had done with them, and how He had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles." There must have been great rejoicing over this happy return of Paul and Barnabas.

THE JERUSALEM COUNCIL

_Acts 15:1-35_

+One Problem of the Early Church+ was how to reconcile the commandments of Moses with the new law of liberty in Jesus Christ. Ought the Gentile Christians to observe the law of Moses? Ought they to become Jews before they became Christians? Were there to be two churches? One for Jewish and another for Gentile Christians? These questions are obsolete now, but then they were burning ones and hotly debated. Hence this Jerusalem Council, where the matter was debated and settled, was exceedingly important and fraught with great and grave consequences for the future welfare of the church.

Because certain of the Jewish brethren came to Antioch and began to teach that it was necessary to salvation that a certain Jewish ordinance and the law of Moses be kept, it was determined to send Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem.

A council of "the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter" (Acts 15:6). At this council in Jerusalem, Peter, Paul, Barnabas, and James were the chief speakers. All matters were carefully gone over. Of all the speeches made, Luke records only the two made by Peter (Acts 15:7-12) and James (Acts 15:13-2l), which must have embodied the sense of the meeting in that both spoke for liberty, from the Mosaic yoke, in Christ.

+The Decision+ of the council was for the freedom of the Gentile Christians and that they should not be obliged to become Jews before they became Christians. Thus was one of the grave crises of the early church safely pa.s.sed.

Paul and Barnabas went back happy in that great victory for Gentile Christianity to their brethren at Antioch.

It should be borne in mind, however, that while the question of the relation of the Gentile Christians to the law of Moses was decided at this council, it was one which came up again and again to hamper and bother Paul in his missionary work.

QUESTIONS

What is to be considered in the introduction to the three missionary journeys? By whom was the call to this work? What is the significance of the journeys? The extent and time? What can be said of the record? Were there other long journeys by Paul? What was the method of work and support? What was the message? The first journey; what was the preparation for it?

Who the companions? Time and extent? Rulers? Give some of the incidents that took place upon the Itinerary, at Salamis, Paphos, Perga, Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe? What can be said of the return journey? Why was the Jerusalem Council necessary, and what was decided by it?

II. PAUL'S JOURNEYS

_Acts 13:1-28:31_

STUDY IV

SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY

_Scripture, Acts 13:36-18:32_

a.n.a.lYSIS

+Second Missionary Journey+--The Inception. The Companions.

The Wide Scope. Value to the World. Time and Rulers.

Epistles to the Churches.

+The Itinerary+--Through Asia Minor. In Europe (Philippi.

Thessalonica. Berea. Athens. Corinth).

+The Return Voyage+--Ephesus. Caesarea. Antioch.

II. PAUL'S JOURNEYS

_Scripture, Acts 13:1-28:32_

STUDY IV

SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY

_Scripture, Acts 15:36-18:22_

+The Inception+--After the Jerusalem Council Paul returned to Antioch where he spent some time, "teaching and preaching the Word of the Lord with many others also." "And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the Word of the Lord, and see how they do" (Acts 15:35, 36). He felt that he must be advancing the work of Jesus Christ.