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The Apostle of the Reconciliation - Charles H. Welch
Index - Page 77 of 159
RECONCILIATION AND FAILURE OF THE LAW 77
In Romans 15:31 the apostle evidences two apprehensions: (1) He evidently expected great difficulty with the
unbelievers of Judaea; and (2) He had an uneasy suspicion that his offering from the Gentile churches would not
prove very acceptable. As to the first apprehension, Acts 20:22-24 testifies to the reality of his fears, while Acts
21:16-25 finds the apostle lodged with an old disciple. Not one word about the burden of the apostle's heart - the
gift of love for the Jewish believers from their Gentile fellow-believers.
In Romans 16:1 Phebe is commended, `a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea'. Cenchrea was the eastern
harbour of Corinth, and it appears most probable that before leaving the city and harbour, the apostle penned this
marvellous epistle, and entrusted it to the faithful care of Phebe of that church.
The chronological place of the epistle to the Romans is the last of the series, and the bounds are set between Acts
19:21 and 21:14. Acts 20:2,3 seems to be the only place where the apostle could have written it, while near Corinth
and Cenchrea, and we therefore consider that the epistle was written during the period of three months there
indicated.
We will now set out in tabular form the relation of the epistles with the narrative of the Acts; the dates are not
important; the chronological order and connection with the narrative of the Acts are.
Chronological order, and when written
Epistle
Where written
Place and Period
1.
Galatians
Antioch
Acts 15 to 16:1.
2.
1 Thessalonians
Corinth
Acts 18:5 to 20:1.
3.
2 Thessalonians
Corinth
Acts 18:5 to 20:1.
4.
1 Corinthians
Ephesus
Acts 19:22,23.
5.
2 Corinthians
Ephesus
Acts 19:23.
6.
Romans
Cenchrea
Acts 20:2,3.
The peculiar fitness and relationship of these epistles of the reconciliation will appear as we seek to understand
their distinctive messages. Sufficient for the moment will be the following simple arrangement:
A Galatians. Paul, an apostle.
B a 1 Thessalonians. Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy.
b 2 Thessalonians. Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy.
a 1 Corinthians. Paul, and Sosthenes.
b 2 Corinthians. Paul, and Timothy.
A Romans. Paul, a servant.
The Epistles of Faith, Love, and Hope
1 and 2 Thessalonians
While we trace the traducer in the first epistle to the Thessalonians, we are nevertheless in a much quieter
atmosphere than that of the epistle to the Galatians. The first two chapters introduce the theme:
`Remembering without ceasing your
work of faith, and
labour of love, and
patience of hope',
and illustrate each item in the words:
`... how ye turned to God from idols to
serve the living and true God; and to
wait for His Son from heaven' (1 Thess. 1:3,9,10).
The outline for studying the two opening chapters is simple: