Acts 13:9-11

DISCOURSE: 1775
ELYMAS THE SORCERER STRUCK BLIND

Acts 13:9. Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, and said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? And, now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a season.

IN general, the duty of ministers is to “have compassion on them that are ignorant and out of the way,” and to “instruct in meekness them that oppose themselves:” but there are occasions whereon it is necessary for them to “rebuke men sharply,” and with all authority. We do not indeed think that it would be proper for an uninspired minister to use exactly the language of our text, because he could not tell what measure of impiety existed in the mind of the person reproved: but, whether inspired or not inspired, it becomes every servant of God to make a firm stand against infidelity and impiety, and to declare without reserve the judgments of God against the enemies of his Gospel. St. Paul was certainly under no bad impression when he addressed Elymas; for, it is said, he was “filled with the Holy Ghost:” and under the influence of that same blessed Spirit we may speak with all boldness, and yet not violate, in any degree, the decorum or the charity which our office requires.
In the address before us, we notice,

I. The true character of the Gospel—

None of the inspired writers ever spoke in a doubting manner respecting the truth or excellence of the Gospel: convinced in their own minds, they uniformly spake with the decision that became them. St. Paul here calls the Gospel “the right ways of the Lord:” and this is indeed its proper character; for it contains the only right way,

1. Of seeking his favour—

[It offers salvation freely through the blood and righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ — — — It requires nothing in those to whom it is offered, but an humble sense of their own guilt and misery, and an entire surrender of themselves to him, to be washed in his blood, and to be sanctified by his grace.
This is the “right way” of seeking favour with God. All the ways of man’s devising are delusory. Not only is all hope of “establishing a righteousness of our own “vain, but even the smallest attempt to blend any thing of our own with his meritorious death and sacrifice will deceive us [Note: Romans 10:3.] — — — Salvation must be of grace, from first to last [Note: Ephesians 2:8.] — — —]

2. Of glorifying his name—

[The Gospel calls us to a life of universal holiness [Note: Titus 2:11.]; and requires us to “live, not unto ourselves, but unto Him who died for us, and rose again [Note: Romans 14:7.].”

And this also is exclusively the “right way” of serving God. If we imagine that a barren unproductive faith will suffice, we shall find ourselves fatally mistaken. Nor will a partial obedience to God’s will be accepted: his law, his whole law, must be written in our hearts, and exemplified in our lives. A wilful retaining of a single lust would prove as fatal to us, as a rejection of his Gospel altogether [Note: Matthew 5:29.] — — —]

The attempts of Elymas to “pervert” the Gospel lead us to consider,

II.

The opposition it meets with—

We are not now called to speak of persecution, but only of those arts which were used by this malignant sorcerer. We doubt not then but that he withstood the Apostles,

1. By subtle disputations—

[As a Jew, he would bring forward all the arguments he could against Christianity itself. And such opposers are still found amongst those who “name the name of Christ.” There are infidels who deride Christianity as much as the most inveterate Jew could do. But where the Gospel is admitted as true, the fundamental doctrines of it are not uncommonly assailed with all the powers of reason. The total depravity of our nature, the truth and efficacy of Christ’s atonement, the influences of the Holy Spirit, and the necessity of an entire surrender of ourselves to God, are all denied; and a religion little better than heathen morality is substituted in the place of that which Christ has revealed. He must be a stranger indeed in our Jerusalem, who does not know how fiercely even the first principle of the Gospel, the doctrine of salvation by faith in Christ, is decried — — — The sons of Jannes and Jambres, and of Alexander the coppersmith, are as subtle and malignant as their fathers were [Note: 2 Timothy 3:8; 2 Timothy 4:14.] — — —]

2. By base calumnies—

[We can have no doubt but that Elymas would endeavour to discredit the testimony of Paul and Barnabas by evil insinuations against their character and designs; nor would he fail to load their doctrine also with all the reproaches which Jewish malignity could suggest. And are not these weapons still used against the Gospel? Are not the preachers of it represented as “the troublers of Israel,” as “deceivers,” as “turning the world upside down?” Are they not often spoken of as crafty men, who in their hearts are adverse to the civil and ecclesiastical establishments of the land wherein they dwell? Is not their doctrine traduced precisely as in the days of old? St. Paul’s complaint was, “We be slanderously reported, and some affirm that we say, Let us do evil that good may come:” and for the same complaint there is abundant occasion, wherever the Gospel is faithfully preached: nor can any better answer be made to our accusers than Paul himself made, namely, that “their damnation is just [Note: Romans 3:8.].” Indeed it is not possible for any one to embrace the truth in sincerity, without becoming an object for the envenomed shafts of slander: and it is worthy of observation, that, as this treatment is experienced by those universally who preach or profess the Gospel, so it is experienced by them exclusively: a man may preach or profess what else he will, and yet be at peace with the world: but the moment he becomes a decided follower of Christ, a warfare is commenced against him, even by his nearest relatives; yea “his greatest foes are generally those of his own household.”]

In the Apostle’s answer, however, we observe,

III.

The evil and danger of opposing it—

The evil of it is marked in the terms which the Apostle used—

[We will grant that there was in Elymas a peculiar malignity of character, which justified the severity of St. Paul’s address; and that the same severity would not be just, if used against many who oppose the Gospel: but still, in proportion as our character or conduct resembles that of Elymas, the terms in which he was addressed may be applied to us.
It is a fact, that the greater part of those who raise up opposition to the Gospel, are men of a subtle and mischievous disposition: and it is equally true that they act under the immediate influence of Satan [Note: Ephesians 2:2.]. Now the great employment of Satan is to blind men’s eyes, so that they may not see the Gospel; precisely as the great office of the Holy Spirit is, to open men’s eyes, that they may behold it [Note: 2 Corinthians 4:4; 2 Corinthians 4:6.]: and, consequently, in doing Satan’s work, they approve themselves his children [Note: John 8:44.]. And are they not in this enemies of all righteousness? Where is there any true righteousness to be found, but among those who embrace the Gospel Look at the life of Christ and his Apostles, and see, if any thing like it ever was produced under the influence of false religion? It is a curious fact, that they who are most adverse to the principles of the Gospel, are always complaining that its friends are too strict, and too precise, and “righteous over-much;” and thus they shew themselves enemies no less to the holiness of the Gospel, than to its free and full salvation.

How great then must be the evil of a conduct which entails on men such epithets as these!]
The danger of it is marked In the judgment he denounced—

[God smote this malicious adversary with blindness, agreeably to the declaration of St. Paul: and this blindness was an awful emblem of the blindness of his soul. We do not indeed expect that the enemies of the Gospel shall now receive such open demonstrations of God’s displeasure; (though we are far from thinking that such judgments are never executed:) but we are sure that spiritual blindness is the common fruit of hostility to the Gospel; and that they who labour to blind others, can expect nothing but to be blinded themselves [Note: Isaiah 6:9. with Mark 4:11.]. The blindness of Elymas was inflicted only “for a season,” that he might repent, and “recover himself out of the snare of the devil, by whom he was led captive at his will:” and in like manner there is yet space given for repentance, even to the most inveterate opposers of the Gospel: but if they do not speedily acknowledge their guilt, they have reason to fear that ere long they will be given over to final impenitence, and their present blindness be succeeded by “the blackness of darkness for ever [Note: Isaiah 28:22 and Jude, ver. 11, 13.].”]

Address—
1.

Those who are inquiring after truth—

[Of Sergius Paulus it is said, “He was a prudent man;” and “he called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God.” Moreover, when he had heard it, he disregarded all the attempts of Elymas to pervert it, and himself became an avowed disciple of Christ. This was a conduct worthy of him, and worthy to be pursued by every wise and “prudent” man. We earnestly recommend it then to all to follow his example. Be diligent in inquiring, and avail yourselves of every opportunity of gaining instruction in the religion of Christ — — — Be candid in judging, and do not suffer yourselves to be prejudiced by the scoffs or calumnies of the unbelieving world — — — Be firm also in acting: do not be afraid of following the convictions of your own conscience; or think, that your being in a place of great power and authority will be any excuse for not obeying its voice: it is rather a reason why you should be the more bold for the Lord, because you may influence so many more by your example. Had this Roman governor put off his convictions, like Felix, he would probably have been left to perish in his sins: but now he enjoys, in all its richness, the truth he embraced. Know then, that ye likewise will soon receive the final recompence of your conduct; in happiness, if faithful to your convictions; but in misery inexpressible, if you dissemble with God.]

2. Those who are opposing it—

[Greatly is it to be regretted that the Gospel has still its adversaries, and that persons in authority are peculiarly beset with them. Satan knows how extensive is the influence of the great: and therefore he sends forth his emissaries to encompass them around, and to prejudice their minds against the faith of Christ. But be it known to all, that Christ will triumph at last, and that “his enemies ere long shall surely become his footstool.” By some it may be thought a light matter to dispute against the Gospel, and to obstruct its influence on the minds of men: but our Lord has told us, that “it were better for us that a millstone should be put round our necks, and that we should be cast into the midst of the sea, than that we should offend one of his little ones.” Let those then who will not embrace the Gospel, beware how they labour to pervert the faith of others: if they must perish, they had better perish alone, than under the guilt of destroying the souls of others. But let us hope, that those who have acted thus as Satan’s instruments, will do so no more; but that rather their own eyes shall be opened, and that they will embrace the faith which they have endeavoured to destroy. If however any will persist in their impiety, let them tell us what are those ways which they call “right;” and let their principles be compared with those of the Apostle. We fear not the issue, if only this comparison be made: we have no doubt but that the Gospel alone contains the “right ways of the Lord,” and that those only who embrace and walk in them will ever enter into life.]