PAUL GOES TO EUROPE THE SECOND TIME 1. We learn (1 Corinthians 1:8) that Paul remained in Ephesus at this time, A. D. 57, till after Pentecost, which was early in June, fifty days after April 14, having written the first Corinthian letter and sent it on to them by Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus... [ Continue Reading ]
Spending the summer in the churches of Northern Greece, meanwhile Timothy and Titus with their comrades at different times have gone down into Achaia and preached to the Corinthians; bringing him word in reference to the effect of his first epistle, he writes the second [methinks at Berea] and sends... [ Continue Reading ]
Meanwhile his evangelistic comrades, Sopater of Asia, Aristarchus and Secundus, Gaius and Timothy, Tychicus and Trophinius, embarking, sail directly to Asia, landing at Troas, whither Paul and Luke, leaving Philippi after the Passover, April 14, arrive in five days, and there remain for a week, prea... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SABBATH CHANGED 7. _“On the first day of the week we assembling to break bread,” i. e_., to celebrate the love-feast and the eucharist. Paul spoke to them, being about to depart the following day, and continued his discourse till midnight. Justin Martyr was a disciple of Polycarp, a disciple of... [ Continue Reading ]
Here we see the church at Troas, the capital of Mysia; occupying a room in the third story. Church houses were never built till the middle of the second century. Till that time the Lord's army were constantly marching to the conquest of the world. When they built houses and went into winter quarters... [ Continue Reading ]
Mitylene is on the east coast of the Island of Lesbos. Chios is celebrated as the birthplace of Homer, the prince of uninspired poets, author of the “Illiad” and “Odyssey.” They pass in front of the Bay of Ephesus, run on and land at Miletus, the ancient capital of Ionia, thirty miles from Ephesus,... [ Continue Reading ]
From which he sends for the elders of the Ephesian Church, testifying to them the humility and fidelity with which he had served the Lord the three years of his ministry among them.... [ Continue Reading ]
Preaching and teaching publicly and from house to house, “the whole counsel of God,” _i. e_., _“repentance toward God,”_ as all violation of law is high treason against the divine government. Hence repentance is purely Godward. The sinner sees that God Almighty has a quarrel against him. Therefore h... [ Continue Reading ]
Paul, like the saints frequently in all ages, had a presentiment of the trouble awaiting him at Jerusalem, yet impelled on by the divine leadership. Bishop Marvin, not even a member of the General Conference, running on the Mississippi River, had a real presentiment of his election to the episcopacy... [ Continue Reading ]
_“And now behold I know that you shall all see my face no more, among whom I came preaching the kingdom.”_ This was A. D. 58. I believe with the critics that he had a second imprisonment at Rome before his martyrdom, being acquitted the first time for the want of criminal charges against him, and af... [ Continue Reading ]
MINISTERIAL RESPONSIBILITY 26, 27. Paul here certifies that he is _“pure from the blood of all men,”_ and gives as a reason because he did not _“shun to declare to them all the counsel of God.”_ Hence we see there is only one way for us to be pure from the blood of souls and ready to meet all the p... [ Continue Reading ]
_“Therefore take heed to yourselves and to the whole flock over whom the Holy Ghost has appointed you bishops, to feed the church of God, which he purchased through his own blood.”_ The word _“bishop”_ here occurs in the Greek, _episcopos_ from _epi_ “over,” and _skopeoo_, “see.” Hence it means pers... [ Continue Reading ]
HERESY PREDICTED 29. _“I know that after my departure grievous wolves will come in unto you, not sparing the flock;_... [ Continue Reading ]
_“And from you yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, in order to draw away disciples after them._... [ Continue Reading ]
_“Watch, therefore, remembering that three years, night and day, I ceased not warning each one of you with tears.”_ Paul was a weeping prophet, his tears giving a force to the truth as nothing else could. I preached fifteen years with dry eyes. Then sanctification, breaking up the fountains of my te... [ Continue Reading ]
_“And now I commend you to God and the word of his grace, being able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all the sanctified.”_ How infinitely potent the precious Word of God! and how little appreciated by His professed followers, while it is despised and hated by the wicked. The Bible... [ Continue Reading ]
Here Paul protests to the Ephesian elders his felicitous salvation from paltry pelf, asseverating that he had toiled with his hands making tents, not only for his own temporal support, but that of his evangelistic helpers and the Lord's poor. Paul is clear in his deliverances on ministerial support... [ Continue Reading ]
_“Saying these things, putting down his knees, he prayed along with them all.”_ If you would be in the Apostolic succession you must always have an ample supply of kneeling grace. Prayer is the greatest privilege on earth, magnetizing heaven and bringing it into the heart. Without it this world is t... [ Continue Reading ]
_“Great was the lamentation of all, and falling on the neck of Paul they continued to kiss him,_... [ Continue Reading ]
_“Especially grieving over the word which he had spoken, that they are about to see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship.”_ Some of the holiness people emphasize the holy kiss, not without ample divine warrant, as we see in case of this memorable valedictory.... [ Continue Reading ]