The Pulpit Commentary — Acts — Volume 2 — Section 8

that they should take John Mark as their companion. Here we eeem to detect tl,e entrance in of human motives. Hie partiality for his cousin ; possibly the foelin.~ that his own softer character needed the support of a steady ally to enable him to hold his own against the strength of Paul's will; possibly too some leaning towards the Jewish party in the Church, or at least an unwillingness to offend thero,-made him blind to the inconvenience of taking II half-hearted companion with them. He was consulting with flesh and blood, and not with the Spirit of God, when he made the suggestion. We cnn imagine that Paul objected at first with mildness, and pointed out the evils that might ariso. He would dwell upon the vital interests of the mission, the dangers and diffi- culties of the work, the insufficient guarantee that John Mark's constancy would be equal to the task. It is, of course, possible, though it does not appear, that Paul may have judged Mark somewhat severely, or may have nrgerl his objections without all tlie tenderness that was due to the feelings of Barnabas. But there is not the slightest evidence that this was so. Probably at first he hoped to persuade Barnabas to give up his project, Probably Barnabas hoped so to state his wish to reinstate John Mark that Paul might give way. But when these hopes broke down on either side, then gradually, no doubt, the discussion assumed a growing tone of asperity, till at length the paroxysm came on. Barnaba.a cut the discussion short by turning upon his heel, and separating himself from his old companion and friend, and going forth in self-will with his cousin to Cyprus. The old partnership with Paul was dissolved, and nothing remained for Paul to do but to choose another missionary companion, and pursue his project in sadness, We cannot doubt that the peace a.nd joy of both apostles was clouded by this unfortunate episode. But St. Paul had probably the testimony of his conscience that he had acted from the purest motives, and, from the friendly mention of Barnabas alluded to in the note to ver. 39, we may hope that, when the paroxysm ha.d subsided, the old relations between the two brethren were restored to their former footing of cor- diality and love. But the great practical lesson we learn is the importance of keeping our motives of action pure and simple. We must try a.nd not allow our judgment to be clouded by partialities and personal influences of a.ny kind. We mw,t endeavour never to subordinate the great interests of the Church and of the gospel to any privare feelings or wishes, however innocent in themselves. And even right feelings 3.I!d reasonable wishes_ must be so kept under control a.s never to overflow the banks of reason and of charity, and never to injure the great ea.use of the gospel of Christ, to which they ought always to be ma.de subservient. Generally, the narrative of this paroxysm enforces the wise words of St. James, "Let every man be swift to hear, slo,v to speak, slow to wrath : for the wrath of man worketh not the righteotISness of God" (Jae. i. 20, 21). HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vere. 1-11.-A grave crisis in the kingdom of God: lessona. The crisis of the kingdom will be found in the life of the Divine Leader of the faith. In those hours when all that wa.s human in him shrank from the sufferings and sorrows which were before him, or from the agony which was upon him, or from the darkness which enshrouded him, then was "the crisis of the world" and of the kingdom of God on earth. But this also wa.s a crisis, grave and serious. If the Church at Antioch had yielded to these "false brethren" (Gal. ii. 4), when they came to invade its liberty; or If-a much greater peril-the Church at Jerusalem had decided in favour of the ~udaizers, a.nd had passed a sentence that circumcision was necessary to salvation; a.nd If Christian truth had thus been narrowed to the small dimensions of a mere adjunct to Judaism, where would Christianity have been to-day? From the incident here related we draw the lessons- !. WHAT HARM ZEALOTRY KAY TRY TO oo. These men" who came down from Judrea" (ver. 1) were members of the Pharisaic party "which belitwed'' (ver. 5); they we~e formal adherents of the Christian fnith; they spake reverently of Christ, and believed themselves to be acting in the interests of his kingdom. Yet we know that the! w~re taking o. course which, if they had carried their point, would have simply extingu1s~ed the faith in a few years. Often, since then, has blind zealotry done its best to brmg about a condition which would have proved fatal to the cause of God 11.Ild of redeemed humanity.  10 THE ACTS OF 'l'IIE APOSTLES. [on. xv. 1-41.