The influence of this Eastern religion — one nature with many varieties — was widely spread ; and it was inevitable that the new religion, which was strongly opposed to its methods of dominating its votaries and crushing their per- sonality and individuality, should often be brought in col- lision with its teachers. Bar-jesus represented the strongest influence on the human will that existed in the Roman world, an influence which must destroy or be destroyed by Christianity, if the latter tried to conquer the Empire. Herein lies the interest of this strange scene ; and we cannot wonder that to Luke, familiar with the terrible power of that re- ligion, the Magian seemed the prominent figure round whom the action moved.
At Philippi, and at Ephesus also, collisions took place between the two influences, of slavery and of freedom for the human mind ; but neither was so impressive as this at Paphos.
It is characteristic of the simple and natural evolution of the incidents, that no calculation of these great issues is represented as influencing the drama. Human action is swayed for the most part by trivial motives; and the Magian here was actuated chiefly by the fear of losing his prominent place in the governor's train. His position as friend and associate {amicus and comes were the technical terms to denote his position) of the governor was an honourable one, gratifying at once to ambition,
8o Journey of Barnabas and Saul. Chap. IV.
to vanity, and to worse passions. In this position he could learn a great deal about people and events. In the East it is always believed that the governor's friend may influence his judgment ; and every suppliant, every litigant, and every criminal tries to propitiate or to bribe the friend. We cannot tell in what proportion the more noble and the baser motives were mixed in the Magian's mind ; but they all lie on the surface of the situation, and each had doubtless some effect on him. He saw in the new teachers mere rivals trying to supplant him ; and human nature could not accept defeat without a struggle.
Another point of method to note in the narrative is that no reason is stated for the Magian's opposition. It is a general rule throughout Acts that facts alone are stated, and causes left to the reader to gather from the facts : the author sees the causes so clearly that he does not think of stating them. In this case he even omits part of the sequence of facts : he does not say that the Apostles expounded their views, but leaves the reader to understand that the proconsul's desire was obeyed ; and the words of verses 8, 10 (" seeking to turn aside the pro- consul from the faith," and " pervert the right ways of the Lord ") imply that the exposition was made. Then we may be certain that the Magian would not so far violate politeness and the respect due to the proconsul as to interrupt them, unless he had seen that a marked effect was produced on the governor's mind ; and he interfered from fear that, if he did not put the strangers down or turn them into ridicule, they might supplant himself in the governor's society.
This view of the situation lies implicit in the text ; and it is put explicitly by the Bezan Reviser, who makes
Sec. 3. The Magian and the Apostle. 81
Bar-jesus "stand forth in opposition to them, seeking to divert the proconsul from the faith, because he was listening with much pleasure to them ". If the added words are a gloss, they are inserted with great skill and judgment. But to me they appear to be an addition, inserted to make the narrative simpler and easier : the author, as usual, left the reason unstated.
4. SAUL, otherwise PAUL. The name Paul, here applied for the first time by the historian to the person whom he has hitherto called Saul, has given rise to much discussion and many theories. We shall not begin by theorising as to the names of this individual, but by inquiring what was the meaning of that very common formula, " Saul, otherwise Paul " (ZavXo? 6 koX IJaOA.05), in the society of the Eastern provinces ; and shall then apply the results to this case.