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"Without were fightings, within were fears."
pp. 175, 176
The opposition to the apostle Paul that came from his own people, the Jews, would
constitute as much as the faith of most of us could endure. When we examine the
Scriptures, however, we find that the opposition and persecution of the Jews were but a
part of a great campaign organized against this chosen vessel. The apostle's life was
continually embittered, and his lot made almost unbearable by the uncharitable
opposition of believers. The chapter in Acts that tells of his conversion, and of the
beginning of Jewish hatred against him, tells also of the beginning of another trial, a trial
that must have cut deeper, because it came from those nearer and dearer than any fleshly
tie. After standing so boldly at Damascus, and having his life threatened by the Jews,
Saul came to Jerusalem, and
"assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed
not that he was a disciple" (Acts 9: 26).
The suspicion was a natural result of his former violent attitude toward the believers,
yet it must have come like a blow in the face to the new convert evidently seeking to
prove the reality of his profession. The earliest epistle that the apostle wrote is
I Thessalonians; in it he reminds them that
"Even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at
Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much
contention, for our exhortation was not to deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile" (2: 2, 3).
Why should an apostle speak like this in a letter unless cowardice, deceit, uncleanness
and guile had been put to his charge? Or again, what a deal of heart-breaking
misrepresentation is behind his statement before God as his witness, when he says:--
"Neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of
coveteousness, nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we
might have been burdensome as the apostles of Christ" (2: 5, 6).
Someone must have accused him of such things, and that more than once, to call for
so strong a negation as this. The apostle had on many occasions to give his very heart's
love only to find it trampled under foot. Instead of deceit and guile, and pretexts for
greed, the two figures he uses to illustrate his attitude are that of a nursing mother (not
merely a nurse), and that of a father. "We were gentle, even as a nursing mother would
cherish her own children. . . .". The apostle reminds them of his yearning over them,
and how he not only imparted the gospel to them, but was willing to impart his very soul
if needs be; "for you remember", he continues, with a yearning for their full trust in his
integrity, "our labour and travail, for labouring night and day, because we would not be
chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God". "Ye are