THE KING’S BUSINESS
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another. Each of them gives details that the others omit. The voice of the risen and glorified Saviour that spoke to Saul on this occasion used the Hebrew language. Here Paul tells us that among other things that Jesus said to him was, “It is hard for thee to kick against the goad.” These words are found in the Authorized Version of Acts. 9 :5 but they are not found in the Greek text in that place and are therefore omitted from the Revised Version; but they are found in the best Greek texts here. They show plainly that while Paul was thoroughly conscientious in his opposition to Jesus and His disciples; nevertheless, in his inmost heart the thought often came that he might be wrong and that Jesus might be what He claimed to be. Doubt less Saul felt this especially on the occasion of Stephen’s stoning, when he heard Ste phen cry before his death, “I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man stand ing on the right hand of God.” The thought must have come to Saul at that time, “suppose Stephen should be telling the truth and suppose he does actually see Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and sup pose I am wrong after all.” But Paul would not listen to these deeper voices of his heart. He “kicked against the goad,” and was all the more bitter in his opposi tion to Jesus Christ because there was a deep inner feeling in his heart that he might be wrong. The bitterest infidel is always the one who in his inmost soul doubts his own doubt. Saturday, May 5 . Acts 26 : 15 - 18 . Saul is not yet thoroughly satisfied as to who this is that is appearing to him, but he is satisfied that, whoever He is, He is the Lord. Therefore he addresses Him as Lord, saying, “Who art thou Lord?” The answer that Saul received was crushing, “I am Jesus whom "thou persecutest.” But with this crushing reply there came a word of hope, wondrous hope, “Arise, and stand upon thy feet; for to this end have I appeared unto thee, to appoint thee a min ister and a witness both of the things
wherein thou hast seen me, and of the things wherein I will appear unto thee.” Saul received salvation and a coinmission simultaneously. What he was commis sioned to tell was the “things wherein he had seen” Jesus, and the things wherein Jesus was to appear to him in the future. In other words, Paul’s preaching consists of no speculations of his own, but is a revelation of Himself which Jesus made to him. How foolish, then, are these “mod ern thinkers” who draw contrasts between the theology of Paul and the theology of Jesus. The theolpgy of Paul is the the ology of Jesus, as much as anything in the four Gospels is the theology of Jesus. The same Jesus who spoke to Matthew and Peter and John on earth spoke to Paul from heaven and Jesus certainly knows as much in the glory as He did when He was on earth. The one who discounts Paul’s teachings discounts Jesus and His teach ings. Paul received a five-fold commission and it was a lofty commission: (1) “To open their eyes”. (2) “That they may turn from darkness to light.” There is no other darkness so gross as the darkness of unbelief: there is no other light so glorious as that which shines in Jesus. (3) “To turn them from the power of Satan unto God.” (4)“ That they may receive remis sion of sins.” (5) “That they may receive an inheritance.” Did the Lord Jesus make a mistake in His man when He appointed Paul to do this work? To listen to some modern theologians and what they have to say about “Paul’s perversion of the original Gospel” one would think so, but our Lord Jesus makes no mistakes. These selfsatis fied theologians are making a woeful mis take. So then, let us listen to Paul, whom Jesus Himself appointed, rather than to these theologians who were appointed by themselves. Sunday, May 6 . Acts 26 : 19 - 20 . “Wherefore O ¿ing Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision.” These words afford the key to Paul’s life and successes. Christ spoke,
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