The Pulpit Commentary — Acts — Volume 2 — Section 19

L O1'"E ELE~rn:KT OF THE RESPECT DUE TO SCRIPTURE. This is to compare Scripture with Scripture. The slight hint of eh, xiii. 13 lies for a while like ll chance seed dropped in chance ~oil. But now it has appeRred above ground, and it takes ehnP£ and colour, and buds with meaning. Ch. xx. 39 furnishes us with another kind of in~tiince of the value of reading Scripture in this way, where we glean a beautiful saying of "the Lord Jesus," not recoi·ded elsewhere, though the apostle calls on those to whom he was speaking to "remember" it as a thing they had heard or read. II. SCRIPTURE'S EXA?4PLE AS TO OCCASIONAL RETICENCE, Here was e. quarrel undoubtedly. There was, without doubt, Divine reason for writing certain facts of it on the page of inspiration. But how frugal the language is I How utterly absent the least symptom of satisfaction in the narrating of it! And there is not an attempt to dilate or expatiate upon it. III. 8cRIPTURE1S EXAMPLE AS TO PASSING JUDGME1'"'T AND MEASURDIG OUT PRAISE A1''D BLAME, If Scripture is thus cautious, with all the resources, amounting often as in this case to certainty of lrnowledge, which it possesses, how much more careful should we be to avoid a course for which our nature seems often to manifest a strong predilection I It is our very disappointment here that blame is not apportioned between Paul and Barnabas, nor any final verdict pronounced. But, on second thoughts, is that disappointment of worthy sort? IV. How T"\\'O UNDOUBTEDLY CHRISTIAN MEN MAY TAKE VERY DIFFERENT VIEWS OF DUTY IN SOME 01'"E PRACTICAL MATTER. 1. It is even pleasant and suggestive to note that the difference was none of doctrine. The "unity of the faith," at all events, is not wounded in the house of its friends. 2. It is even possible, though perhaps scarcely probable, that thi6 difference of opinion was abundantly legitimate, and that it pro- ceeded from as much excellence of one kind in Barnabas as of another in Paul. Bar- nabas may ha.ve leaned to John in compassion and forgivingness and desire to give him another trial, instead of shutting him out from it for one offence. And strong, trenchant Paul may have been so stricken with the "memory" of the words of "the Lord Jesus" about the man who "pnt his hand to the plough, and looked back," and like words, that he could not feel it was a case for human kindness as against Divine fidelity, and could not entertain two opinions ;upon it. Paul also may have rightly estimated the incalculable disgrace and reproach it would bring upon the work of Christ if at some more unfortunately critical point than before Mark should fail. It must be admitted that both of these good men may have been justified in thinking that the matter was not a little matter and not a matter for yielding, but for allowiD.g conscience " to have her perfect work." V. How TREllBLDIGLY CAREFUL GOOD MEN SHOULD BE IN DIFFEBDIG TO GOVERN TEMPER il'D RESTRAIN ALL BITTERNESS. However possibly motives may have been unimpeachable on this occasion, and justifiable room have existed for two opinions, yet it is impossible to escape the conviction tha.t difference degenerated into dispute. 'l'he passage-at-arms was not altogether that of brethren, but it was "so sharp" that the sacred phraseology uses an equivalent not less forcible than the word "exasperation." VL How MUCH BETTER IT IS TO SEPAilATE, AND BOTH WORK, BATHER THAN FIGHT AND BOTH STOP WORK. The separation of ti:Jis place may be regarded as the typical instance of the New Testament, as the separation of Abram and Lot (Gen. xiii. 6-18) is tha.t of the old, with consequences not altogether dissimilar. For from this point the star of Paul is more and yet more in the ascendant, as it was with Abram, but of Barnabas henceforth the sacred record fails to tell VII. How GRATEFULLY WE SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE THE GOODNESS AND THE PITY THAT STILL USE BO"YOL, lllPEBFECT MEN, AND OUT OF ALL TIIE TANGLE OF BUMAN STRIFB BBDIG TO PABS DIVINE PURPOSES AND TJIE SALVATION OF IJEN, For when all else is BAid, and our whole brief narrative in these few verses is surveyed, we most gratefully gather this residuum of good and of comfort. 1. The purpose that visited Paul's heart and his sharing of it with Barna.bas-a purpose that rose from a heart's deep aud high love, and that was nothiug daunted by the prospect of danger and suffering. 2, 'l'he outspoken and honest objection taken by Pa.ul to the company of Mark. That thia objection, with its blunt honesty, finda rooi:r, given to it on the page may be taken 88 IOIDe indication that the right lay with Paul. Nothing is breathed to detract from the ~ropriety of bis firm veto of Mark u • com~nio11., 3. 'fhe prayers of t~11 bretbre' 1 on. xv.1..-.41.] THE AC11'8 OF THE APOSTLES. 21