iv. The Gentile Churches of the Pauline WORLD. — With the rise of Antioch a peril threatened the prestige of Jerusalem. Could the fruit of the Spirit thrive equally well in the valleys and on the plains of Syria and Asia as on the isolated plateau of Judoea? If so, it was bound to be very much more abundant. Fortunately, Paul the Apostle to the Gentiles was a man of varied culture. While his world was in cities and he thought imperially, he never treated the Jewish mind lightly, and he knew wh.it that mind wa.s. He understood its worth and its rights. He could discern every wave of feeling, every gust that shivered duskily across it. So St. Paul was him- self the greatest power of his day making for the unity of the Church. It was a passion with him to avert a breach which would be fatal ; and he was successful, for the other Apostles responded nobly as brethren, and gave him the right hand of fellowship (Gal 2-- "). But the sections thus united had to be cemented ; so he devotes much energy to efl'ecting a durable Koivwvia bj' organizing the collection for the poor saints at Jerusalem. In 2 Co 8^ 9'^ and Ro 15=" the word koivuvLo. is trans- lated (RV) ' contribution ' ; but ' there is always at the root of Koivafia, in the NT, the idea of Chris- tian communion in <me form or another. Those who bestow make common cause with one another and with the recipients' (Waite). The collection is a religious act, because it is a mark of Christian fellowship. Indeed, the Macedonians regard it as a signal token of Divine favour to be allowed thus to help those from whom they had received the gospel ; and the jioor Jewish Christians, who had made experience of the liberal Christian kindliness of the Gentiles, could hardly refuse to call them brethren (2 Co 8'"* ^^-'^*).
The Christian fellowship was M-orld-wide. This brotherhood was one everywhere (1 P 5"), and in writing to the Corinthians St. Paul assumes that
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■what he says will be of interest not only to them, but ' to all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours ' (1 Co V). The Church of God whicli is in Corinth is a visible but partial manifestation of the larger whole. This idea persisted afti-ithr .\]i(ist(ilir age ; for ' Brotherhood aiternsitesi willi l-:<r/, .^in in the oldest sets of ecclesiastical cmn'iin, wliili' umnis fraternitas and iraaa -q dSeX^ir?;! are used to de- note the whole of Christendom ' (Lindsay). This world-wide brotherhood was not held together by any outward organization, though the Apostle Paul does group his churches by provinces. But organ- ization is local : it does not follow the lines of provincial units. Of course. Christian life had to be expressed in outward fellowsliip wherever it was possible, so that all the brethren within a con- venient radius, such as a city, would be grouped together to form the Church of God in tliat place. And the Spirit of God supplied these local churches with leaders who had the necessary gifts for the conduct of their life. This became the basis of a permanent ministry.
From the world they became outwardly separate, ' saints ' chosen out of it and consecrated to God (Ro 1', 1 Co 1-, Gal l-"), and so forming one family, ' the household ' of faith {Gal G^", Eph 2"), through- out the empire of this world. Hence great stress is laid upon the grace of hospitality (He 13'- -). In that busy world with its thronged highways, the Christian was alwa3's suie of a warm welcome wherever there was a church or a group of brethren {see per contra SJn"'-)! and the sufferings of the saints were made the occasion of active sympathy (He 61" 10^2-^ 13'). St. Paul experienced many such marked tokens of fellowship, especially at the hands of the Philippians, for whom he cherished the deepest afi'ection. They were unremittingly active in co-operation with him for the spread of the gospel ; and whatever his needs, bodily or spiritual, might be, they were ready to do their best by gifts or sympathy to supply the lack. This was true fellowship (Ph P- ' 2'» 4'^- '■'). Phile- mon also was a real Christian, whose faith in, and love to, the Lord Jesus was manifested in his kindly offices towards all the saints ; and the Apostle delicately suggests that he should not stop till his benevolence becomes complete and embraces even the slave Onesimus (Philem"- ''• ").
This religious idea of brotherhood issues in a new grace, 'love of the brethren' (0iXaSeA0(a), which is to be cherished as an especial sign of Divine life (1 Th 49, Ro 121", He 13^, 1 P 1==). A fine word, airXdrris (' singleness '), is used by St. Paul to denote the quality of the man in whom fellowship {KOivoivla) is a ruling motive. He is oTrXoCs, 'single-minded,' 'liberal.' He does not serve God and RLammon. His eye is single. Looking only at the needs of his brother, he realizes the truth of tlie Lord's words that it is more blessed to give than to receive (Ac 20^^). Among the brethren there is no almsgiving. All that is sordid in almsgiving is removed, and generosity becomes a choice token of fellow.ship (2 Co S'-'g"-!^). 'When men thank- fully receive God's gifts, and in imitation of His bounty use them for the good of others, so that the recipients also thank God for the benefaction, it is as far as it goes the re-establisliment of the right relation between God and men, and men and men.' The slave is not only made partaker of such bounty, but as he posscss.'s this >i.ivit he pays an ungrudging service to lii- m.i-i. 1 1 lli.li ti'*).