THE KING’S BUSINESS
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tracts that present it; they will not permit a candid, frank and thorough conversation on the subject. They oftentimes call them selves .“free thinkers,” but they are, free to listen ,to but one side, and that the wrong side. It is a great step forward when a man says, “I desire to hear.” But too often even then, as with many of these Jews, he will only listen up to a certain point and when self-condemnation and con viction of sin begin, he shuts his eyes and ears. (cf. vs. 24-28). The last part, how ever, of the answer of the Jews has an ominofls sound, “however," as concerning this sect, it is known to us that everywhere it is spoken against.” To many weak and superficial minds if anything is generally spoken against, that proves it is wrong. How wide of the truth this judgment is appears from this verse. In Paul’s day Christianity was everywhere spoken against, nevertheless, Christianity was to conquer the world and save it from moral ruin. Jesus was Himself a sign which was spoken against (Luke 2:34). Man’s judg ments are not God’s judgments, indeed, man’s judgments differ widely from God’s judgments, and the/sect , that is “every where spoken against” may be the sect God has chosen and appointed to bear His truth to the wofld (cf. John 15':18-21, 24). A man once brought me a book (“Millenial Dawn”); treating of profound Christian doctrines, and as a recommendation said, “Men of the world quite generally like this book.” That was a very poor recommenda tion for a book on such a subject. When I read the book and its rank perversions of the truth, I did not wonder that men of the world liked it. Any body of people who are loyal to God and His word are quite likely to be spoken against by a God-hating world (John 15:18-21, 24). Wednesday, May 24 . Acts 28 : 23 , 24 . We see here how all the schemes of Paul’s enemies and the enemies of Christ, had turned out to the furtherance of the Gospel. Indeed in the final outcome, all the schemes of the enemies of Christ will
So he turns first of all to the Jews. He got them together at the very earliest possible moment that he might, preach to them. He avoided antagonizing them and sought to conciliate them. He told them that he had no charge to bring against them. He told them still further that it was “because of th z flope of Israel” he was bound with the chain that they saw upon him. He points to his chain, as he speaks to them and says “because of the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.” It is not pleasant to be bound with a chain, but it is a great pleas ure and a great honor to be bound with a chain for the sake of a good cause. It was entirely through Jewish malice that Paul was now in chains, but strangely enough it was because of loyalty to the great hope of the Jewish nation that he had incurred Jewish enmity. The ‘‘hope of Israel” was two-fold: The hope of a resurrection (Apts 23:6; 24:15; 26:6-8), and the hope of a Messiah in whom they and all the nations of the earth should be blessed (Acts 3:22-24; Luke 1:6-9, 70, 72; Rom. 15:8; Gal. 3:14, 16-18).' In Paul’s preach ing the two hopes were blended, because the Messiah he preached was a Messiah risen from the dead, the first fruits and guarantee of the resurrection of others. (Acts 13:32, 33, 38). Because of preach ing this Christ, the .fulfiller of every Jew ish hope and expectation, he incurred the hatred of the Jews themselves. So it was in a very profound and significant sense that he could say, “because of the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.” Tuesday, May 23 . Acts 28 : 21 , 22 . The first part of the answer of the Jews to Paul is full of encouragement. “We desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest.” That was certainly a hopeful sign. It is often the case that people wijl not even give the truth a hearing. This is the case with the great mass of men in America and Eng land and other lands today, they will not listen to the truth. They will not go to the church where the truth is fearlessly and fully preached; they will not read books or
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