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It should be noticed with heart searching seriousness, that each one of the "witnesses"
enumerated in the list above, were actually "martyrs". John the Baptist was beheaded,
The Lord Jesus Christ was crucified, Peter was forewarned by the Lord as to the death he
should die and spoke of the near approach of his "decease" in his second epistle, and Paul
wrote his second epistle to Timothy in view of his approaching death which tradition
says, as well as the evidence of the epistle, was by execution. They were witnesses in the
double sense of the word. It cannot be too strongly emphasized therefore that only in a
secondary sense can any one of us to-day be called "witnesses".
JOHN THE BAPTIST.--"How far was he an eye-witness"?
"The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto Him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which
taketh away the sin of the world. THIS IS HE OF WHOM I SAID . . . . . and John bare record
(martureo same word `bear witness' John 1: 7), saying I SAW the spirit descending from heaven
like a dove, and it abode upon Him. And I knew Him not; but He that sent me to baptize with
water, the same said unto me, Upon Whom thou shalt SEE the spirit descending and remaining on
Him, the same is He which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost" (John 1: 29-33).
THE TWELVE.--"How far were these eye-witnesses"?
"Wherefore of these men which had COMPANIED with us ALL the time that the Lord Jesus
went in and out among us, BEGINNING at the baptism of John, UNTO that same day when He was
taken up from us, MUST one be ordained to be a WITNESS of His resurrection" (Acts 1: 21, 22).
PETER.--"He was seen of Cephas" (I Cor. 15: 5).
PAUL.--"Chosen . . . . . see that Just One and . . . . . hear His voice' (Acts 22: 14).
As we trace the unfolding purpose in the New Testament we observe that at each
central epoch, a witness is raised up.
Witnesses for Pentecost and its message are abundant in the early Acts. Even the
number "twelve" had to be made up--for had not the Lord spoken of "twelve thrones"
that must be occupied by the "twelve apostles"?
With the call and commission of Paul, however, a new witness appears and his advent
indicates another dispensational change. He is given a number of titles, "A chosen
vessel" being the earliest recorded. Paul was to bear the name of the Lord before the
Gentiles, and Kings and the children of Israel. "Gentiles" occupying the first place even
as they do in the prophetic utterance of old Simeon (Luke 2: 32). The emphasis upon the
Gentiles in these passages, cannot be disassociated from the withdrawal of favour from
Israel.
"It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you; but
seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn
to the Gentiles" (Acts 13: 46).
From Acts 22: 6-15 we learn more fully the commission given to Paul following his
conversion on the road to Damascus:
"For thou shalt be His witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard" (15).