It is not too much to say that the Apostle did not regard his work in these four great provinces as completed until the fruit of his prolonged labours had been reaped (cf. acppayiad/j-evos, Ro 15-^). So ^ongastliis zealously undertaken (^o-Troi'/Sao-a, Gal 2"*) task remained unfinished he felt himself hindered from extending his missionary operations (touto odv ^TTireX^aas). P'or a long time he was eagerly determined to visit Rome (see Ro 1'^ I5--'-), but at the time of writing to that church he explains that
he is prevented from doing so by an obligation to visit Jerusalem. On this journey he was accom- panied by envoys or messengers (d.ir6(TToXoL, 2 Co 8-^) from the churches contributing (Ac 20^), and so keen was his desire to bring the undertaking to a successful issue that no consideration of the dangers involved could turn him from his purpose (see Ac 203.2if.)_ The result of this visit shows that the risks foreseen and spoken of beforehand (see Ac 2iiuff. 24^^^-, etc.) were neither imaginary nor ex- aggerated.
In order to appreciate rightly the necessity for this work of good-will (evddKTjaav, Ro lo'-**'- ), it will be useful to recall the wretched condition of the poor in Jerusalem at this time (all the Jewish Christians were not amongst the poor [see eis tovs Trrtoxoi'J Ti^v dyioov, Ro 15-'']). The plundering and bloodshed accompanying the successive administra- tions of the procurators Ventidius Cumanus and Felix brought about a state of anarchy, chronic re- bellion, and famine (Jos. Ant. XX. viii. 5, etc.,S.7lI. xii. 1, II. xiii. 2, etc., Tacitus,^wn. xii. 54 ; cf. Ja2'^-* ; W. Fairweather, The Background of the Gospels, 1908, p. 199 f. ; Schiirer, HJP I. ii. [1890] p. 172 f.). The Zealots, whose fanatical policy kept the country seething with the Avildest revolution, were replaced by the Sicarii or Assassins (cf. Ac 21^*^). Murder- ous bands infested the provinces, and the streets of Jerusalem Avitnessed innumerable deeds of cruelty and bloodshed. Those suspected of the least friend- liness with the Romans were unhesitatingly robbed and assassinated ; and although Felix endeavoured to stem the wild religious and political torrent by wholesale crucifixion, the disorders increased. The procurators Festus, Albinus, and Florus, who suc- ceeded Felix, were not less imfortunate in their ex- perience (Jos. Ant. XX. viii. ix. xi.), and the inter- necine struggles of the Jewish factions ended in the advent of Titus and the final destruction of Jeru- salem. Famine, bitter and chronic, was the in- evitable outcome of these conditions, and none suffered so severely as the humble disciples of the despised Nazarene.
The relief-fund, the earliest attempt to organize and perpetuate Christian fellowship, was not only a failure in itself, but must soon have disappeared in these social upheavals. An appeal to outside sources became necessary, and one result of the compromise effected at his meeting with the ' pillar' apostles in Jerusalem was the initiation by St. Paul of his scheme of .systematic collection (see Gal 2^**). There can scarcely be a doubt that the halting decision of the apostles of the circumcision, while it left the cardinal point of difference much where it had been, quickened St. Paul's anxiety to adopt a plan which should emphasize the spirit of toleration and good-will then established (Gal 2^). Having returned to Antioch, he was com- jjelled to renew in a more pronounced form the controversy which had been partially settled at the Jerusalem Conference. After some little time (fierd Si rivas r]jj.€pas, Ac 15^) he proceeded in com- pany with Silas to revisit by the shortest route — ' the Cilician Gate' — the older churches of Galatia. The purpose of this visit was not only to strengthen and establish {iTriarTjprfuv, Ac IS'*') spiritually these communities, but also to set on foot the collection for the poor among the Christians of Jerusalem (cf. Gal 6'"). In spite of the discouraging defec- tion of the Galatian Christians, the Apostle feels himself justified in keeping tliis purpose before them, recalling its origin, and reminding them of its spiritual value (cf. Gal 6*^-)- It was probably early in A.D. 57 that he visited the Galatian churches for this purpose, and from this time imtil he presents the fruit of his toil during the feast of Pentecost in A.D. 58 he never loses sight of the importance and justice of the collection, not alone
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as it affected those who were to receive it, hut also as it affected the givers (see Ro 15^^ 2 Co 9^ g6ff. i2j_ jt jg instructive, too, to note how he stimulates each community by mentioning the others in terms of generous praise (cf. 2 Co 8^'' 9^'*, Ro IS^^*-). It is a good example of the Apostle's method, and recalls the accusation of wiliness {iravovpyos SdXw, 2 Co 12'") brought against him by the Corinthian Christians.
The character of the dispute which raged so long and so fiercely between St. Paul and the ciiurch in Corinth was to a large extent developed and moulded by the niggardliness {iav 5i d^iov y ToO Kdfj.^ iropeveffdai [1 Co 16^; cf. 9"'-, 2 Co IP^- 12'^]) and suspicious meanness of its members. Their response to the appeal of Titus, who was the original deputed organizer of the Corinthian collection, was prompt and willing {rb 64\eiv) ; and yet, in spite of the fact that they had so early (Trpo- ev-qp^affde dirb Tripv(Ti, 2 Co 8'") given their assent to his wishes, they seem to have repented soon of their promised support and to have accused St. Paul of having hurried them deceitfully into an unwelcome undertaking {eyCj oi KaTe'fid.pr}(xa, 2 Co 12"*). The disingenuous nature of their charges appears again and again in his vigorous self-de- fence (see his words, TiSiK-qaaixev, 4(pdeipafiey, eVXeo- veKT-qaaniv, 2 Co 7'^). Of one fact he constantly reminds them — he never accepted the smallest help towards his own support during his two visits to Corinth (cf. Ac 18», 1 Co 9'2- ^5. « o Co W'^-) ; and if, as seems very probable, his Second Epistle to the Corinthians is represented by the last four ciiapters of our Canonical Second Epistle (see J. H. Kennedy, The Second and Third Epistles to the Corinthians, 1900), we find that the Apostle's indignation was so keen that he expressly deter- mined, before he wrote the more conciliatory Third Epistle (2 Co 1-9), never to accept monetary aid at their hands (2 Co ll^- i- 12'^). It is satis- factory to note that this intense and proud in- dependence was met by a complete reconciliation ; and the success of his mission was such that he was moved to exclamations of thankfulness and praise (2 Co 9'*). Perhaps an even more signifi- cant proof of his feeling in this respect is to be discovered in tlie tone of friendliness with which he mentions his Corinthian friends in the docu- ment written immediately afterwards (Ro 16''* ^). At the time of writing the Epistle to the Romans he was the guest of Gains in Corinth, and the un- pleasant character of liis relations with the Cor- inthian Church had undergone a complete change.