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Christian Chronicles, December 2002 - Volume 6, Issue 84
| The
Editor's Pen | Perspectives | Mid-East Update | Fruit of the Vine |
What Was Paul Like? |
| Paul's Unique Apostleship | Of
Whom I Am Chief... | Ministering to the
End | The Prize |
It is probable that no other Biblical figure suffered the consistent perils and injuries that the Apostle Paul suffered during the long years of his ministry. Deeply ensconced in the ruling hierarchy at Jerusalem, a Pharisee, Saul was a zealous persecutor of the Church. Indeed, it was his thirst for the blood of Christian martyrs that drove him to travel the Damascus Road on that fateful day when he met the risen Lord. It must have been a very compelling moment. There is no sense of hesitancy in Saul’s decision to drop his earlier lifestyle and occupation and ambitions in favor of service to this God who had so spectacularly revealed Himself to him. A shaft of light, a word, and Paul was reborn! Saul receded into the recesses of memory as Paul became progressively stronger in knowledge and faith.
It was when Paul turned his back on his Jewish friends that he began to suffer their persecution. O, the betrayal they felt! O, how deep the anger, that one of their own, whom they had nurtured from a lad, preening him for greater things, should turn from them to serve the very God whom they had murdered. How it must have smitten their consciences. And then, as Paul began to be fruitful in his ministry — to those dogs, those Gentiles — why, it was more than a body could abide. They’d have killed him if they could, but God was his hedge. They beat him, stoned him, fed him to the lions, but the more one crushes myrrh, the greater the fragrance it gives off. The more they beset Paul, the greater his influence and his fruitfulness grew, until, at the end, he was the greatest of all of the followers of Christ Jesus; the great theologian and thinker, the teacher extraordinaire, that great evangelist. How galling that he should turn from his Jewish name, Saul, and become known by his Roman name, Paul. “Who would’ve thought,” they might’ve asked one another, “that this little bantam rooster would turn into such a widely known and loved man, and loved by Gentiles at that?” God would’ve thought it.
...account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
(2 Pet 3:15-16)
S
ome say that he was short, fat and ugly, with a squeaky voice. Others, that he was short, slight, near-sighted and bald. Few expositors or scholars will contend that the Apostle Paul was a handsome man. We have a clue to his appearance in a fourth century painting, which agrees with a large medallion discovered in the Roman cemetery of Domitilla. There is a second century apocryphal text entitled, “Acts of Paul,” which declares, “He was a man of little stature, partly bald, with crooked legs, of vigorous physique, with eyes set close together and nose somewhat hooked.” Fulton Oursler (“The Greatest Faith Ever Known”) says of Paul, “He was not more than three cubits tall… less than five feet. But he was broad-shouldered. Early athletic victories had hardened his well-conditioned body. He was sinewy and graceful in spite of his prematurely balding head and the early gray that encroached on the close-knit eyebrows and thick beard in this his thirtieth year. Yet it was not his stalwart figure, nor his fair complexion, nor the decision suggested by the long, aquiline nose, nor yet his impelling manner that held the crowded synagogue silent. What transformed Paul, bespelling his hearers, was his fire of faith, a zeal that flashed and flared in those enormous eyes that were like two draught windows in a human furnace…” Working the looms in his father’s tent-making shop would have strengthened him greatly.Many things that Paul revealed of himself seem to accord with these writings, lending an air of credibility to that which cannot be conclusively proven. He said, “I was with you in weakness and in fear, and in much trembling” (1 Cor 2:3). And again, “Through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel” (Gal 4:13). Paul says another revealing thing by which we may deduce something of his lack of physical appeal. He says, “For you see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called, but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And the base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are: That no flesh should glory in His presence” (1 Cor 1: 26-29).
The Apostle Paul was well-born, a skilled tradesman, educated, well-traveled, erudite, but he saw himself as a lowly servant of God, a bondservant. He was both wise and mighty. His particular “weakness” was probably in both speech and appearance, though the “portrait”, depicted at right, characterizes him somewhat otherwise. No doubt, in his earlier life, his lack of physical stature contributed to his drive to succeed: joining the ranks of the Pharisees, studying under Gamaliel, zealous in his persecution of that upstart sect not yet called Christians. Paul had much to prove about himself, to himself. Until he met the Lord on the road to Damascus. His entire life up to that point had revolved around himself and his successes. Surely, he was among the most useless of men in God’s eyes. And so, God appeared to him and removed those subconscious chains that drove him to worldly successes, replacing them with a confidence born of real knowledge, a zeal born of love and not jealousy of others, and a drive that was motivated by a heartfelt desire to reap the rich rewards that await every faithful servant of God in the Kingdom Age. Paul’s treasure shifted from earth to heaven, and he kept his eye on the prize. Earthly ambition gave way to fruitful service. Self-will surrendered to the will of God, and Paul became one who could write of his weaknesses as well as his strengths. In Paul, as in us, Christ’s strength was made perfect in weakness.
It seems the bloodletting will never stop. The scarlet flow that intermittently covers the hills and valleys of Israel has spread beyond the borders of that tiny land, streaming down now into Africa. Rather than diminishing their campaign of terror, the Arabs have escalated it. They have ratcheted their blood-lust up to new heights, and have begun to employ methods of killing that only a desperate and an uncivilized people would utilize. Or one, perhaps, a Machevellian regime would use. It is a cold and pragmatic escalation, designed to pressure Israel into submission with the greatest possible gains for the Arabs, even to include East Jerusalem, the seat of Israel’s spirit. When it becomes impossible for women and children to sleep securely in hotels in foreign lands, when Jewish grandparents must fear to fly on commercial airliners, well, perhaps it is nearing the time when Israel must sink her fangs into the neck of the beast and shake him until the whining ceases, until the instructions can no longer be given that open the taps of the bloody effusion of God’s chosen people. One does not negotiate with an asp. The head must be cut off.
If it is time for Saddam Hussein to go in Iraq, then it is far past time for Arafat to be taken. Exile will not end the crimson tide. Israel is now dependent upon the United States for much vital intelligence (Ha’aretz 12/2/02), but the U.S. has adopted Israel’s tactic of targeted assassinations. There is a new paradigm, and the world is flailing wildly in the dangerous waters of failed diplomacy and heightened militancy. The gods of war are rousing. Those leaders who stand against the will of the U.S. or Israel will be neutralized or killed. That is the bottom line. Watch the things a man (or nation) does, not the things he says. Diplomacy is the art of lying, smoothly and inoffensively. Diplomacy is the art of letting others have your way. All we ask is an honest advantage...
If Israel were to take a firm stand against the partitioning of her covenanted land, and if she took it on the basis of faith in her Messiah, He would bless those actions. As things stand today, however, if she should take such an action, it would be (in Israel’s eyes) as a demonstration of her own power, and not of the awesome power of her God. Ariel Sharon’s own words give the lie to any suggested reliance upon God to provide, protect and defend. It seems that the position of the Israelis is that God hasn’t done a very good job of protecting them, and so, they must do it on their own. God will yet avenge Israel, but it will not happen before that nation repents and gladly welcomes the Messiah it crucified. Not until then shall Israel rejoice. Then, her joy will be full.
In electoral primaries in Israel, Ariel Sharon soundly defeated Benyamin Netanyahu as Likud’s chosen candidate for Prime Minister. It is becoming increasingly clear that Amram Mitzna will be Labor’s candidate. In an unprecedented move, the Palestinian press is calling upon Israelis to vote for Mitzna. He has promised to withdraw from Gaza and the West Bank unilaterally, and to negotiate with Arafat.
It seems likely that the doves will win in Israel. The hawks have had their turn. Everyone is tired of the bloodshed, the uncertainty when one ventures outside the relative safety of his own home. With the terror campaign being ramped up all around the world, the Jews are increasingly seeking a way out of the morass of fear and death.
It is quite possible that we are witnessing the elections that will usher in that era of false peace that culminates in Armageddon. What neither Israel nor the Palestinians nor, especially, the world realizes is that every step taken toward some “final” settlement of the Middle East problem is a step toward the judgment of Gentiles and Jews; toward punishment, for partitioning God’s land. Although the Bible clearly declares that all of “Palestine” is Israel’s, the world, and Israel itself, is determined to partition that land in order to arrive at some humanly-arranged peace. The devil would love to thwart the Word of God, but he shall not succeed.
God’s Word is certain, and all that it proclaims shall come to pass. Just when the world believes it has solved the problems, then shall the real troubles commence. The Church shall be raptured, and that “comprehensive” treaty will be ratified. Seven years later, after a time of trouble such as has never been, the rejected Messiah shall finally rescue His people, who will be found standing at the very brink of annihilation, their toes hanging over the edge of the precipice of total destruction. Neither hawk nor dove shall win: God shall be the Victor! He has declared it Himself, and He will not fail.
Ah, fruit! That was Paul’s chief aim. In all his work and service to God, the thing that most concerned him was fruitfulness. He wanted it for himself, and he wanted those to whom he ministered to be fruitful as well. Paul knew that whatever fruit they bore was added to his own account as well as to theirs; and he wanted them to fund and assist him in his ministry because he wanted the fruit that he bore to abound to their accounts (cp Phil 4:17). Everywhere he went, Paul sought converts. The “pyramid” scheme originated with Paul, and the pyramid of God actually makes folks rich. The treasures that are laid up in heaven for the fruitful Christian are beyond temporal measure or value. May we all be as conscious of the rewards of fruitfulness as Paul!
The reason that Paul’s letters are so filled with promises of good things to come for Church Age saints, and with the blessings and advantages that accrue to Christians in this life, is because he knew first-hand that it is the goodness of God that leads man to repentance. Paul knew that it is not necessary to threaten Christians in order to persuade them to serve God, but merely to give them the real hope that is ours, in plain words that are words of promise.
When Paul went out to witness to lost souls, his message was not a dark message of judgment, but the promise of free grace to all who would receive it. His message was the Gospel, or, “Good News.” Paul’s message was not of man’s morality, but of God’s mercy; not of sin, but of salvation. His message was not of things earthly, but of things heavenly. Let ours be also!
Isn’t that a fascinating question? Do you sometimes wonder what it would have been like to walk and talk with the Apostle Paul? Every serious student of the Scriptures, especially among the saved, holds Paul in a peculiar place in his heart. Every Biblical character evokes a different response in our minds as we study God’s Word, but there is something about Paul that sets him apart in our hearts. That is so, in part because Paul declares himself to be our example. And so, we relate to Paul in a special way. This article will present a somewhat speculative appraisal of the man based upon what facts we have. It is largely a deductive piece, and ought not be considered dogma. At the same time, the very nature of the deductive process allows a general accuracy, being based upon known fact.
The Domitilla medallion (see “Perspectives”) shows him to have a large, hooked nose. Athletic, his fingers and hands would have been very nimble and quite strong from long years working the fine, black goat hairs of the region around Tarsus (“no mean city”) into thread, and then operating the looms that turned the thread into the strong tent and sail fabric known as “cilicium.” Saul was an educated man, but he was a relatively uneducated youth by worldly standards, gleaning his store of knowledge from his training in the Jewish school at Tarsus. It was sometime late in his apprenticeship in his father’s shop that he determined to improve his lot in life through study. Nestor taught at the university in Tarsus, and it is possible that young Saul met him, or had contact with some of his students. His great intellect was piqued, but being a devout Jew, he could hardly expect to study at a Gentile university. Thus, he went to Jerusalem to study under Gamaliel, the renowned Jewish philosopher/theologian, and President of the Sanhedrin.
A small man with a large attitude, Paul was probably ambitious. His was a fiery nature. He had a bit of a bulldog personality, tenacious and determined. This trait can be seen in his persistent relationship with rebellious people like the Galatians and the Corinthians. It is also revealed in his willingness to continue his missionary efforts in the face of stonings, imprisonments, beatings and many other forms of persecution. He was a gregarious fellow, outgoing and friendly, perhaps with a bit of a chip on his shoulder. He had something that many of his friends and colleagues did not have, Roman citizenship. It was probably a point of pride with him, especially in his youth. He had not bought his citizenship, as many did in those days, but was born a citizen, as was his father.
Among the friends of his youth was a young man from the island of Cyprus, a fellow named Joseph. It may be inferred that Joseph’s father was a sailor, maybe the captain of his own vessel, who visited Saul’s father’s business frequently for the repair of sails or the fabrication of tarpaulins. Joseph naturally would have sailed with his father, learning his trade from his father as many another youth in those days did. As many sons do in many parts of the world still today. Possibly, Joseph determined early on to forego the life of a sailor in favor of the more home-bound life of a sail maker, and worked with young Saul in the tentmaker’s shop. While it cannot be stated with certainty that such was the case, we do know that Joseph was from Cyprus, and that he and Saul were friends from youth (Acts 4:36; 9:27; 11:25). An alternative view is that perhaps Joseph attended the Gentile university at Tarsus, and that Saul had met and befriended him in some other manner in that city. However, since they worked together as tentmakers later in life (1 Cor 9:6), the former suggestion seems preferable. It was a friendship that would last throughout Paul’s life.
Gamaliel, Saul’s teacher in Jerusalem, was the grandson of the famous Hebrew philosopher Hillel, and was among the most respected Jewish teachers of the pre-Christian era. It will be remembered that Gamaliel was the one who suggested that the apostles not be killed when they were tried before the Sanhedrin (Acts 5:33-40). Some have suggested that he was a secret believer in Christ, though that cannot be proven, and the evidence is slight indeed. Unlike many of the Pharisees, Gamaliel was relatively liberal, seeking more the spirit and not so much the letter of the Law.
Surely, young Saul knew of Gamaliel’s liberal theology when he determined which teacher of the Jews he should study under upon his arrival in Jerusalem. This says something of his essential character. Raised as he was in a Greek city, and one in which a famous Gentile university was situated, it is likely that Saul resented the rigid conservatism that must have characterized the synagogue in Tarsus. The synagogue there would have been very conservative in order to counteract the Greek influence upon the Jews of the Diaspora, seeking to minimize the effect of living so far from Israel among a city of unbelievers. The university in Tarsus was a school of the Stoics. Their approach to learning was not oriented to the God of the Jews. That Saul had absorbed at least something of the teachings of the Stoics is obvious from his quotation of a line by Aratus, a Stoic philosopher from Cilicia, in his sermon on Mars Hill, in which he said, “...as certain of your own poets have said, for we are also his offspring…” (Acts 17:28). The Rabbi of the Jewish synagogue in Tarsus was surely very conservative, while all the citizens of Tarsus would have assimilated at least something of the attitudes of the Stoics, whose emphasis was ethical. Saul was probably intrigued by the notion of studying under Nestor, and would have sought a more liberal teacher in Jerusalem than would have been found in Tarsus. Besides, if a young Jew wanted to learn and advance among his people, Jerusalem was the place to be.
Saul journeyed to Jerusalem. By the time he was a young adult, it appears that his friend Joseph had acquired some measure of wealth and had purchased some land in that vicinity, so that the two men renewed and strengthened their friendship. Little is known of Joseph's career in Jerusalem while Saul was studying under Gamaliel. It is evident that he had acquired some wealth, however, because he would later dispose of his assets and surrender the proceeds to the burgeoning sect of Christians at Jerusalem. But let us not get ahead of ourselves.
Saul came to Jerusalem to study, and this he did. It is likely that he established a branch of his father’s shop in or near Jerusalem in order to fund his living expenses. It is also possible that Joseph worked with Saul in Jerusalem. There, they would have made more tents and tarpaulins than sails, providing the needs of the caravans that passed through on their mercenary travels. However, there would have been some manufacture of sails also, as Jerusalem is not situated far from the Mediterranean coast. Each morning Saul would walk to the Temple, where he sat at the feet of Gamaliel in Solomon’s Porch, soaking in the rich instruction of one who was President of the Sanhedrin under three successive Roman Emperors, Tiberius, Caligula and Claudius. Saul was not only well-versed in Hebrew literature through his studies in Jerusalem, but he was also familiar with many Greek writings, as evidenced above, as well as by his quotation of a Cretan poet in his letter to Titus.
There is some question as to the location of Saul during the time of Jesus’ ministry on earth. It may be that he had come to Jerusalem to study under Gamaliel prior to Christ’s ministry, and returned to Tarsus for a time, only to come back to Jerusalem afterward. Or it may be that he did not arrive in Jerusalem at all until after Christ’s resurrection and ascension. If that were the case, however, it would seem that his studies in the Temple would have been strongly shaped by an anti-Christian influence. In addition, he would not have had time to complete his studies before young Stephen was killed, by which time Saul was already a Pharisee. What seems most likely is that he studied in Jerusalem and went home to Tarsus, serving in the synagogue there, and then returned again to Jerusalem at some point not long after the ascension of Christ. Never a frivolous youth, he was becoming a formidable man.
Completing his education, Saul become a Pharisee. At some point, obviously, he did return to Jerusalem. Perhaps his friend Joseph had written him with news of the crucifixion of One who claimed to be the Messiah, and of His subsequent ascension into heaven. It may be that Saul returned to Jerusalem in time for the feast of Pentecost. It is also possible that he returned to Jerusalem for an entirely unrelated reason or purpose. In any case, he did come to Jerusalem, and was present in the very first weeks of the Church Age, even though he apparently was not present in the city during the years that Jesus ministered there and was crucified.
There were several synagogues in Jerusalem. Among them were two in particular, the synagogue of the Libertines, and that of the Cilicians. Saul might have attended either, and it is very likely that he attained a senior position at one or the other of them, possibly even becoming the chief Rabbi. The Cilician synagogue is where many of his countrymen would probably have gone, while the Libertine synagogue was frequented by many of the followers of Gamaliel.
Saul, a young adult, was a fiery speaker, passionate in his beliefs and vocal in expressing them. His sharp mind, coupled with an unrestrained tongue and lively spirit made him a rising star in Jerusalem. As his life indicates, he was a man of great energy and dedication. Whichever synagogue he joined was sure to grow and prosper by his gifted teaching and spirited oratory.
The feast of Pentecost following the ascension of Christ saw the conversion of three thousand souls. Here we begin to see at least one cause of Saul’s great rage toward Christianity. He was becoming established in the synagogue and, now, the new sect was beginning to draw away his members in droves. Ambitious, young Saul must have been outraged to see his congregation being diminished week by week, just as he was embarking upon an ambitious career in Jerusalem. Even his friend Joseph had been converted, and his name had been changed by the Christian leaders to Barnabas (Acts 4:36). It was probably from the very first few days after Pentecost that the high priest Caiaphas, learning of Saul’s zeal from Gamaliel, recruited the young Pharisee to join the ranks of Jews who were attempting to stamp out the Christians before they overcame the Jews altogether.
One of the early preachers among the Christians was a young man named Stephen, who was greatly beloved for his gentle nature and his deep understanding of the theology of the nascent sect. His self-deprecating style and generous nature gave him a charisma that did not emanate from a zealous tongue as much as from a compassionate heart. His followers in Jerusalem, however, were very zealous. The Pharisees, having failed to effect the execution of Peter and John, upon the advice of Gamaliel, were determined to see this young upstart, Stephen, killed. It was a very pragmatic move. They understood that if he were killed, his followers would be much less inclined to bring the same judgment upon themselves. The Pharisees believed that, if they could eliminate Stephen, they could bring an early end to Christianity. Since they could not gather a full quorum, according to their Law, they incited a crowd of zealous Jews to stone him. Stephen’s martyrdom was not in accord with either Jewish or Roman law, but since it was the act, ostensibly, of a rioting crowd, the authorities did nothing in reaction to his illegal and unwarranted death. Affirming the intentions of the crowd, Saul guarded the coats of the witnesses who had testified to Stephen’s blasphemy while they threw the first stones at the young man.
There were several things that must have come together in Saul’s mind, serving to convict him. First of all, the conversion of Joseph must have had a strong effect upon him. Joseph was a young intellectual, like Saul, and a close friend. His conversion must have raised many questions in Saul’s mind as to the truth of his old friend’s claims on behalf of Christ. Then, when Gamaliel, whom Saul greatly respected, subtly defended Peter and John against the execution that Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin intended, that must have made a tremendous impact upon Saul. Finally, Saul must have discerned in Stephen a gentle spirit and a sincere belief in the things he preached. When Stephen prayed that God should forgive his killers, Saul must have been terribly moved to hear such words coming from the lips of the dying saint. Thus, as he traveled on the road to Damascus, he must have been doubly stricken to hear the risen Lord say, “It is hard for thee to kick against the goads…” Pindar, a Greek poet, had written much earlier, “But to bow down the willing neck, and bear the yoke is wise; to kick against the goads will prove a perilous enterprise.” Jesus was appealing to a part of Saul that the young man would not have expected from a Jewish Messiah. Our Lord was quoting a Greek poet to the young Jew, knowing that he would be struck by it. Perhaps there was a hint in that statement by Christ of the nature of the work Saul would do after his conversion. Saul would become the apostle to the Greeks. All of the earlier events in Saul’s life came together in a rush, so that, seeing the Christ that his friend, now called Barnabas, had spoken so passionately about, Saul the Persecutor became Paul the Apostle. Saul, the self-righteous Pharisee, became Paul the sinner.
As a lad, Saul had no doubt been to the slave markets in Tarsus many times, if only in passing. He would have seen the new owners’ marks branded into the foreheads and hands of those sold into slavery. This is why he was prompted to say later of the scars he bore from the many beatings he endured, “I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus…” Saul, the domineering Pharisee, had become Paul the bondservant. He who had been a slave to self-righteousness became a willing recipient of the righteousness of God, enslaved to Christ by his own will thereafter. (There will be yet another mark impressed upon the slaves of sin when this Age ends, the mark of the beast.) Saul was seeking Christians, but Paul found Christ; blinded, as it were, by the Light. He who had formerly burned with the fires of hatred now burned with a raging passion for the One whom he had hated.
Paul went to Damascus as planned, but did not proceed as planned when he arrived. The persecutor was now the preacher. After leaving Cornelius’ house, and able once again to see (though how well, we do not really know — probably not very well), Paul began immediately to preach the Gospel in Damascus. Those who heard him were surely amazed. When word of it got back to Jerusalem, Caiaphas must have been outraged. There is little wonder that he sought Paul’s life from that moment.
Paul left Damascus and journeyed to the Arabian desert, where he dwelt alone, a state in which he was utterly comfortable, absorbing all the instruction in doctrine that the Holy Spirit would give him. He had already studied under the great Gamaliel, so that all that he was learning in Arabia was coordinated in his mind with the Old Testament Scriptures. While Peter and James and John and Matthew and Mark and Luke were inspired writers of the New Testament, Paul alone had the real depth of knowledge and understanding that allowed him to correlate the Old and the New with a depth of understanding of the theological principles that the others could not have had. His studies of Greek literature, as well as his studies under Gamaliel, afforded Paul a breadth of knowledge that made him the most consistent and persistent preacher and theologian that the world has ever known. To the Greeks and to Gamaliel was added the infinitely spiritual tutelage of the Holy Spirit Himself.
The time Paul spent in Arabia was valuable in another way, and formative of the man he would become. It gave him a deep appreciation for living “on the road.” By far the most traveled of the apostles, Paul spent his life as an itinerant. He became comfortable sleeping under a roof of stars, or seeking shelter from rain and snow in the limestone caves among the hills. Saul was a relatively wealthy man, but Paul was not. His world-class hotel was made of sand and stone; his feather-pillow, a saddle. Paul probably spent about as many nights beside a campfire as in a bed. The truth is, he probably preferred the relative safety of mere highway robbers to the dangers he faced in every city he visited. Small though he was, Paul was surely “a man’s man.”
Saul’s confidence was replaced by Paul’s humility. His fiery speech-making never returned and his oratory became simple. Whereas before, it was his tone and delivery that carried his sermons, now it was the content. It was no longer through his own power that he preached, but through the power of the Holy Spirit. All the years of his adult life prior to his meeting the Lord on the Damascus road, Saul had served himself. Now, Paul served the Lord. His great ambitions to rise above his peers in Judaism became his great desire to spread the Gospel of God’s grace. His earthly treasures had been transformed into heavenly treasure. His great zeal had been redirected. Now Paul could say, “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God” (Col 3:2-3).
In the face of all the persecutions and trials that he endured as a Christian minister, Paul remained consistent. He was faithful and retained his dogged determination to accomplish his goals. At the same time, he was just a man. He had both a great love for God’s people and for His work, but he also had a quick temper. His dispute with Mark lasted for years, probably due more than anything else to Paul’s unwillingness to compromise. At the same time, it was that unwillingness to compromise that made him everywhere preach the necessity for sound doctrine, unpolluted by the traditions and commandments of men. Paul was strong-willed. If he, who was our Lord’s greatest servant in all of the Church Age, could disobey the direct command of the Holy Spirit in going to Jerusalem, then he becomes our example in that arena as well. For, enduring the chastening for that act of disobedience, Paul was beheaded in Rome. At the same time, even though he was imprisoned in Rome for the balance of his life, he did not cease ministering. His own spiritual failures had landed him that sorry estate but, once there, he did not rebel against the Lord, but continued to serve in every way that he could find.
That diminutive giant among Christian leaders is our example in every area of our Christian lives. Short, prematurely bald, not very pretty; persecuted by both Jews and his fellow Christians, tortured, beaten, imprisoned, thrown to the lions, ship-wrecked, slandered and stoned, Paul looked beyond the temporal to the eternal, and it is that which enabled him to face his life daily. He kept his eyes on his Lord, and he kept his thoughts directed toward the laying up of heavenly treasure, even as his daily hope was the rapture of the Church. Paul summed up his life in a few words: “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal (2 Cor 4:17-18). Our prayer for ourselves as well as for our subscribers is that we may all maintain an eternal perspective until that Day.
“For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the Apostle to the Gentiles” (Rom. 11:13)
The purpose of the twelve apostles (the eleven plus Mathias), according to Acts 1:22, was that they should be witnesses to Christ’s resurrection. These men had seen with their own eyes the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and had been commissioned as witnesses of these truths, which they knew, not from revelation, but from experience. William R. Newell writes:
This great fact — that is, that the Person that the Jews themselves well knew they had crucified and buried, was risen from the dead and ascended to heaven—this tremendous fact the twelve Apostles witnessed to Israel at Jerusalem, and everywhere else. Thus, we find the opening chapters of the Book of Acts filled with the single testimony that Jesus of Nazareth had risen from the dead; and that remission of sins was through Him.
But to Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, was given direct revelation from the risen and glorified Lord, of mysteries previously unrevealed and the excellent doctrines of our faith. This knowledge, we read, did not come to Paul from man but came, rather, “through the revelation of Jesus Christ” (Gal. 1:12). To Paul was revealed the mysteries of this present age, which he calls the dispensation of grace, and he alone was sent specifically to us who are the uncircumcised.
“...and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised” (Gal. 2:9).
Ministries that focus on the words spoken by Jesus Christ, as Christian truth, while He was on the earth, rather than as Kingdom truth (for this is what Christ came to inaugurate), set aside Paul’s ministry, which is really the ministry of our glorified Lord. But the things which the Lord spoke to the Apostle Paul while risen from the dead and seated at the right hand of God are as far above that which He spoke in His earthly ministry as glorification is above humiliation! The work He came to complete is now finished, so how can one possibly think for a moment that the great sacrifice of Christ made no difference, changed nothing at all, that things are no different now than before He died? But how far reaching are the accomplishments of His death and resurrection, so clearly made known in Paul’s glorious gospel! William Newell goes on to declare:
“No matter how wonderful a man may seem in his gifts and apparent consecration— if his Gospel is not Pauline, it is not the Gospel; and we might as well get our minds settled at once as to that. Paul calls down anathema — that is the curse of God Himself — upon anyone who preaches any other Gospel than that which he declared (Gal 1:6-9). Not for one moment are we to believe that James, Peter and John were at variance with Paul — not in the least. They were given certain things by the Spirit, to say to certain classes of people. They do not conflict with Paul. And their words are included in the statement that ‘All Scripture is profitable’ (2 Tim 3:16). But, nevertheless, Paul is the declarer and revealer of the Gospel to us. Take Romans to Philemon out of the Bible and you are bereft of Christian doctrine.”
Things such as the great mysteries of the Body of Christ, the rapture of the Church and the present setting aside of Israel are contained in Paul’s epistles. Also from the “chief of sinners,” we receive the magnificent doctrines of justification by faith and our identification with the risen and glorified Lord Jesus Christ. These truths ground the believer in his position in Christ and one thus grounded can go to the rest of the Scriptures for nourishment and instruction in righteousness without being moved away from his peculiar heavenly position. Miles J. Stanford exhorts:
“Let us therefore, like Joshua and Caleb, accept the challenge of God and say with respect to our inheritance in the heavenlies: ‘Let us go up at once, and possess it,’ and so appropriate and enjoy by faith ‘all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies’ which are ours in Christ” (Eph. 1:3).
In short, all Scripture is God-breathed and for our benefit, yet not all of it is our own “private mail.” We are charged with rightly dividing the Word of truth (2 Tim 2:15). Paul was the appointed apostle to us who are Gentiles and it is right that, as Gentiles, we understand the great truths he was commissioned to bring us.
Do you suppose Paul was exaggerating just a tiny bit, perhaps, when he referred to himself as the chief of sinners? Could it be that he was just being overly dramatic when he called himself a “wretched man?” Don’t you suppose that, sitting around the campfires late at night on his wearying missionary journeys, perhaps reclining on his back and contemplating the grandeur of the starry heavens, he might have thought about the great works he had accomplished, the strong and vital churches he had helped to establish, the new lands to which he had carried the gospel? Do you reckon that, when he thought on all those things, his sense of accomplishment must have given the lie to that bit about being the chief of sinners? Is it not likely that his pride would have overshadowed his sense of sinfulness, knowing that no other Christian ever had been or ever would be so fruitful?
No! A thousand times no! In the first place, the Bible does not employ hyperbole. If Paul called himself a wretched sinner, you can bet your boots that he was just that. With his own eyes, Paul saw the sin in himself that others could not see. He saw all the little nuances of sin that he could not root out of his character or his life. He was sensitive to the myriad ways he surely offended the God whom he served so poorly every day. When the Apostle Paul examined himself, it was not through prideful eyes, but it was with a sense of the very deepest shame, the most morbid unworthiness. Paul knew that the power that emanated from him, the wisdom that flowed so wondrously from his lips, the persuasive arguments, the gentle counsel, the stern rebuke — he knew that all these things were not of his own wisdom, but were the wisdom of God, pouring from him through the power of the Holy Spirit. No doubt, Paul, chief architect of Christian theology, did indeed see himself as the chief of sinners. Certainly, when he called himself a wretched man, his appraisal was far more accurate than we suppose it to be today.
Just before he wrote to the Corinthians, “Ye see your calling brethren...” (1:26 ff), he had written of his own approach to them, how it had not been with persuasive words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the power of God, with the wisdom of God. He came to them determined to preach nothing except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified (2:2). He knew, by virtue of the fact that God had chosen Him, a former blasphemer and persecutor of Christ, that He had done no differently in His choice of those whom He would save at Corinth. Paul knew that God is consistent with Himself and with His character, and that He would choose the weakest links at Corinth to build the strongest chains of faith and unity, that He might receive the glory Himself and not the saints at Corinth. Surely, Paul understood that a man whose temporal glory is great will seek eternal glory for himself and not for God. So, in His inestimable wisdom and unknowable ways, He chose Paul, that most unlikely of Jews, to serve Him, not so that Paul could be glorified, but so that His own glory might excel.
Now, God can glorify Himself in any man. It need not be a poor man, either morally bankrupt, crippled, uneducated or politically incorrect. God can glorify Himself in anyone because His glory is so far above anyone’s. But He chooses the worst sinners to be the strongest ministers so that they cannot attempt to glorify themselves in the works that He accomplishes in them. Paul knew that it was Christ in him that made Him fruitful. He knew that it was the Holy Spirit who made him such a powerful evangelist. Paul’s faith was rightly placed, and so, he could honestly appraise himself as chief of sinners, and wretched, and still know assuredly that God could make him fruitful beyond any man’s most bizarre estimation, and could use him in ways that he could not use a “better” man. Paul surely was a great sinner, but he knew that, “The just shall live by faith!”
Through all the Caesars, from Augustus to Nero, Saul of Tarsus led a life that prepared him for the end he must face. He, more perhaps than anyone since, including his contemporaries, stood far above compromise. The most expensive thing anyone has is his principle. One cannot stand upon principle without an uncompromising attitude. If it is important to know what one believes, it is doubly important to know why one believes as he does. There can be little doubt that young Saul’s tents were of as fine a quality as he was capable of making them. That same principle carried over into his life as an Apostle. His pronouncements were carefully crafted, inspired by the Holy Spirit, as was his theology. It was because he understood the theology of his faith that his faith was as strong as it was. It was because God had gifted Paul with an ability to both understand and impart the most arcane and convoluted of theological concepts that he was able to present a body of doctrine completely harmonious with itself. Paul knew why he believed what he believed, and his belief was rendered stronger because of it. Wisdom is the right use of knowledge, and Paul was wise.
With some men, thinking things through is like attempting to move swiftly through water. Or, in some cases, through oil: sluggish, restrained and tiresome. With Paul, streams of thought whipped through him like mighty winds whistling through hallways and chambers of flint. Sharp edges. Concise, precise turns, all coming together in one vast cathedral of understanding where everything harmonized with everything else. Surely, it was God working in him.
Until the Romans chopped off his head as he was walking along the Ostian Way, Paul’s holistic approach to doctrine was consistent. At the same time, while he might have enjoyed simply lying upon his couch and contemplating all that he knew, he was a “busy” man. He had not the time for leisure, but when he was awake, he had some service to perform for his Lord. Paul was always working, laboring day and night in the the Lord. God will use any and every Christian to whatever degree that Christian is willing to be used. Paul was willing. Thus did he say, even humbly, “Imitate me, even as I also imitate Christ.” Paul had no “retirement” plan. Paul didn’t say, “Lord, I’ve served You these many years. I’ll serve myself now till I die.” He worked until the very moment when a merciful God took him home. It was easy for Paul to say, “For me, to live is Christ.”
There is a novel by that name, “The Prize.” It describes the political wrangling and infighting that goes into the selection of the person who receives the Nobel Prize; in the case of the novel, the prize for literature.
Paul sought a different prize. He said, “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil 3:14). Paul was an athlete in his youth. He knew the glorious moment when one is crowned with a laurel wreath, signifying his superiority over other men. Now he sought a different crown. The crown he receives on that Day will not be of dead leaves, but of gold, silver and precious stones.
Paul understood that his eternal crown would not represent any superiority over other Christians. He wrote eloquently, more than once, of the fact that every Christian has a particular role to fill in the body of Christ. Each has different gifts, and a diversity of abilities. Paul knew that one gift is not worth more than another, but that each has its place and the body has a need for every member and every gift.
At the same time, Paul also understood that the richness of his crown would depend upon the degree to which he fulfilled his ministry (cp 2 Cor 5:11 and context). Salvation is free; reward is earned. Our faithfulness in our present ministries determines the scope of our service in the Kingdom Age (a principle espoused in the parable of the talents).
Paul did not waste time worrying over the things he had failed to do, but he immediately forgot that which was behind, constantly reaching ahead to find what service he could render to God. Among others, Paul told the Philippians that they were his crown (Phil 4:1), giving us a clue as to how we might lay up treasure in heaven.
It is hard to find writings from Paul that do not in some way make reference to the reward that awaits the faithful servant, the one who actually serves God in whatever ministry, large or small, with which God has blessed him. His letters abound with admonitions and words of encouragement concerning the reward that awaits us at the judgment seat of Christ.
In the Greek, the word for judgment seat is “bema.” It was what they called the place where victorious athletes went to receive their laurel wreaths. Rather than a judgment seat, it really refers to a reward seat.
Immediately following the rapture of the Church will be the bema, the “judgment” seat of Christ. Our sins will not be mentioned at all at that time, or ever. The issue is not sin, but work. The issue is the degree to which we have fulfilled our personal ministries. Paul was constantly conscious of that imminent Day, and we should be as well. He wanted that reward, and so should we!
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