 |  |
"For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you, with many tears;
not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more
abundantly unto you" (II Cor. 2: 4).
There could be no doubt, suggested the Apostle, of his unselfishness and the intensity
of his concern for all who came under his ministry. From the commencement of that
ministry the Jews had been his enemy, had stirred up opposition, and had laid wait for
him, plotting against his life. This is recorded in Acts 9: 23, and Acts 23: 12 gives
the account of a further plot. Again, in Acts 13:, 14:, 17:, 18:, 19: and 20:, we read
of Jews following the Apostle from one city to another stirring up opposition, but there is
no record of his meeting with such antagonism in Asia itself. The Apostle appeals to
what was common knowledge among his hearers, though not recorded in detail by Luke.
In the same way, Paul speaks of scourgings, beatings, shipwrecks, prisons, and many
perils when writing to the Corinthians (II Cor. 11: 23-28), but we should have remained in
ignorance of these many sufferings had not the Apostle become "a fool" in boasting.
"I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you" (Acts 20: 20).
Hupostello, "to keep back", is a word used for the reefing of a sail (Pind. 1: 2. 60), and
the Apostle uses it as a man of keen perception, possessed of a ready use and appreciation
of language, as an intimate study of his writings reveals. He had possibly heard the word
in use during his voyages, and, with the ministry of the word ever in mind, he seized
upon its applicability to his own attitude in the case in point. He has not "lowered sail",
but with every stitch of canvas set he had fulfilled his ministry of the Word and Gospel.
He did not however make the unqualified claim that he had "kept back nothing", but
added the words, "that was profitable for you". He had but recently written the Epistle to
the Corinthians, where he plainly says that he had, of purpose, "kept back" certain
doctrines because of the immaturity of the Corinthian saints (I Cor. 2:, 3:). But nothing
was kept back because of fear, or policy, or self-seeking. Our English word "profitable"
is not full enough to convey the Apostle's meaning here. The word he used was
sumphero, which is often translated "expedient", but even this word has taken upon itself
a somewhat sinister meaning. The Greek word occurs twice in the Acts, the first
occurrence being Acts 19: 19, where it is translated "brought together".
"Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned
them before all men" (Acts 19: 19).
In Acts 19: 19 the word is used transitively, but in all other passages it is
intransitive. While therefore we cannot translate "I kept back nothing that would bring
you together", we must not import into either the word "profit" or "expedient" some of
their modern meanings. The Apostle lets a little light into the nature and method of his
teaching.
"I have showed you, and taught you publicly, and from house to house" (Acts 20: 20).
"Showed."--This word must not be confused with an entirely different word that is
translated "showed" in verse 35. Here, the original is anaggello (pronounced anangello)
and means "to declare", as in verse 27, where the Apostle uses the word a second time.