The Pulpit Commentary — Acts — Volume 2 — Section 181

far things Bliould be" _en reg-le," nnd that nothing should be wanting on his part in ordor to ~ecnre a ~rm and umted front. How m11ny throw the hindrances of eelf-will and of crotchetf' mto the way at moments the most critical, most inopportune I It is with some particularity that we arn here shown how Paul did the opposite. Let us notice- !. 'l'HE FORMAL VISIT OF PAUL TO THE CONSTJTUTJ,;D CHURCH. It is I\ visit to the Churc~ as represented by James (who was e,·ide~tly at present acting as its chief pastor m Jermalem) and by the elders. 'l.'here might have been plau~ible excuse for it if Paul had ~10t thus reported himself to the Church, but he docs not put any to the need of searchmg for its warrant. He comes to the Church; recognizes its reality as a power; recognizes its unity; recognizes it e.s the source aud the depository of much possible future knowledge and wisdom; and recognizes it as the one earthly bar of Judgmcnt (so far as there can be one at all) before which either Christian disciple or Christian a.post.le may stand without infringing the allegiance due either to individual conscience or to the great bar of judgrnent above, invisible, but ever open and effective. II. THE SALUTATION OF PAUL. What this salutation was we may gather sufficiently from a comparison of the instances, in all about seventy, in which reference is made to it in the New Testament. In the English Version the thin" intended appears under the description of "saluting," "greeting," "cmbracin"'," and "taking leave." There can be little doubt that, in the case of persons present with one another, the outward act of recognition, whether of a more or less intimate kind, was accompanied by some expression of Christian wish, or prayer, or gratitude; while in the case of messages, so many of which are found conveyed in the Epistles, the essence of the salutation consisted generally in the ever-grateful significance that lay in the fact of the remembrance of the absent. .All the rest,- Christian wish, prayer, or thanks- giving, would be readily taken as "understood.'' In the present instance the special mention of the salutation reminds us justly of the humane and inartificial character- istics of Christianity. In sketches of its history of the most solemn import, nothing forbids, conceals, or even obscures their entering in as constituent elements of the whole scene. Even prominence is given to them, and they are not unfrequently the light and colour of the history. The unmeasured steadfastness of Christian principle 1nd truth, is a thing utterly different from unfeeling severity and the expression of the natural instincts of human hearts. III. 'l'HE ADDRESS OF PAUL. It consisted of a faithful-we might almost call it also a dutiful-report of his own mission to the Gentile world. We can see, but, perhaps, can scarcely enter into, the exceeding interest of the subject at Jerusalem, So much hinged on exactly what had ta.ken place, and upon the exact statement by one com- petent and trustworthy of what had ta.ken place. Hence we may observe the par- ticularity with which even the history rehearses and repeats it. 1. Paul gives God, indeed, the glory of what had been done, but probably also means to make a very pronounced affirmation before the Church at Jerusalem, that the work was indeed the work of God, to stop the unbelieving mouth or mind. 2. Paul speaks of the work of his own ministry. It is no hearsay, no impression, no hopefulness with which he entertains the listeners. There was not a statement he made, nor an incident he described "particularly," for the full weight and force of which he was not prepared to become guarantor. 3. Paul's subject of address was specially kept to the things that had been accomplished. among the Gentiles. Yet we very well know how much of thrilling interest he had met with in his associations with his own people, in addition to the occasions when their fortunes were inevitably linked with the things that hap- pened. to the Gentiles. Throughout it is evident what the returned ambassador of Jesus Christ had in his eye and on his heart. In a sense, he staked all on accrediting the Gentiles as heirs of the grace of God, and to be acknowledged as fellow-heirs with himself and the Church he was addressing. His own singleness of eye and purity of mind and fidelity to his ori!rinal ca.11 appear in bright and bold relief in all this. IV. THE RECEPrION .Acco'ii>ED TO PAtJL's BEPOBT. Paul's character was no longer the thing it was when, some years ago, he had first visited the Church at Jerusalem as a convert. This is his filth visit since his conversion. Now for him to testify, and to testify" particularly," was to secure a ready hearing and a trusted attention. 1. They believe him. 2. And they "glorify" God. Envy, and bigotry, and pride, anti exclusiveneu are felling away from that typical Church, "the mother of UB all." on. xn 1-40.] THE AC'fS OF THE APOSTLI~S. 187