before the judgment seat of Christ. Paul has made it clear in his early and in his later

epistles, that there will be an assessment of service associated with reward and forfeiture

for all believers (I Cor. 3: 12, 15; II Cor. 5: 10; Rom. 14: 10; and Col. 3: 22-25).

The received text uses the optative apodoe, "may the Lord reward him according to

his works", here and the revised texts read the future apodosei, "The Lord will reward".

While we cannot decide concerning the question as to which is the true reading here, it is

obvious that many would wish to alter the optative to the future, but it is inconceivable--

if the future had originally been written--why anyone should alter back to the harder

reading. Whichever may prove to the true reading, the sense and purpose remains

unaltered. If the apostle had taught, as we have seen that he did, that every believer must

stand before the judgment seat of Christ, if in this very chapter he has spoken of reward,

using the very same verb:

shall he not with equal intensity speak of the just settlement of evil. Could the apostle

calmly see his life's work attacked, knowing the sacredness of the trust committed to

him, without being glad that, though it was not within the province of any believer to

execute vengeance upon another, yet the Lord Who was able to keep that which had been

entrusted, would most certainly deal with those who had opposed the truth. Such not

only made shipwreck of their own faith and of others, but were destined to suffer loss,

and even though saved, to be saved so as by fire.

Where the apostle does intervene, and express his own mind, is in the verse that

Here, he followed the blessed example of the Lord Himself, who prayed for those who

had delivered Him up saying: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."

"At my first answer no man stood with me." Paul here refers to his trial. He had

appealed unto Cæsar and, theoretically, none but Nero could be his judge. While the

ancient law was still nominally recognized, it was set aside continually in daily practice.

Paul was probably heard in the first instance by the City Prefect. There he had stood,

humanly speaking, alone.  So bitter was the hatred which now had grown, against

"Christians" that no man dared to appear either as his friend or to plead his cause. In the

ordinary course he would have had no difficulty in procuring the services of an advocate,

or of a procurator.

Paul stood his trial alone. Yet, not alone, for the Lord never forsook him but stood by

and strengthened him. The expression "first answer" or "defence" is explained by a note