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brace a preacher leaving for a new charge today, but these demonstrative expres sions of affection are in accordance with Eastern customs (cf. Gen. 45:14; 46:29). Dr. Schaff points out that the word is a strong one, and might be rendered, “They kept tenderly kissing him.” Strange to say, the same word is used in the de scription of the traitor Judas kissing the Lord in Gethsemane, where it describes the affected earnestness of the fatal kiss. In the case before us, it reveals the depths of true affection in which Paul was held by those who profited by. his, ministry. One of the greatest earthly Compensa tions of the Christian minister is the re membrance of the eternal friendships made in Christ. P hebe Rom. 16 records Paul’s greetings to many individuals, a b o u t one-third of whom are women. The list shows the high place the apostle accords to women in the church and his personal '.regard of some who had done eminent service. We cannot but be struck by the great influ ence Paul must have exerted ■ that he should have so many friends in a place he had never visited. No classic authors have preserved for us the record of so many friends, arid the mention of their friends, usually notable persons, has not awakened so great an interest as this list of humble people mentioned by Pauli most of therii people who would have been despised. It iS interesting to know that Bishop Lightfoot finds that most of the names re corded in this chapter occur also in in scriptions discovered in recently exca vated burial places at Rome. These in scriptions refer mainly to freedmen and slaves of emperors, so it is a fair infer ence that some of the imperial household are included here (cf. Phil. 4:22). Phebe is referred to as a deaconess and she was notable for the fidelity with which she had fulfilled her duty. The duty of a deaçaness was to look after the sick and poor in the female portion“of the churches. The rigid separation of the sexes made this more necessary. In the Greek church, deaconesses were main tained for. centuries and the office has been revived in recent years in some sections of the Protestant church. Phebe was a servant, of the church at Cenchrea and Paul asks that the Roman believers give her a Christian welcome and assistance in the business which took her to Rome. This he asks upon the ground that she had been a blessing to so many by her sacrificial service, and that she had been very kind to him. Where she had assisted him is unknown. It may be possible that Paul had suffered some illness on one: of his visits to Cenchrea, or he may have stopped at her home as in the case of Lydia, at Philipui. ! Paul felt that what she had done for other members of th é -Body of Christ, gave her a claim on the helpful ness of the Roman believers. —o— P riscilla and A quila We are next introduced to Priscilla and Aquila. The wife seems to have been the. more prominent and active Chris tian. Her name appears first both here and in Acts 18:18. This couple, tent-
makers like Paul (Acts 18:3), had been expelled from Rome as Jews under Claudius and had been converted at Corinth under Paul’s preaching (Acts 18:1). They had liter migrated to Ephesus (Acts 18: 18, 26; 1 Cor. 16: 19). At this writing they must have been at Rome, but 2 Tim. 4:19 would seem to show that later they were at Ephesus. Wherever they were they took their religion with them. Paul called them%‘‘fellow workers,” which means not only in their common handicraft but in service for Christ. In behalf of Paul, they had been willing to risk their necks. Either at Ephesus or Corinth they had evidently undergone peril of their lives for the sake of their friend. In both places Paul had been ex posed to violerice, and anyone protecting him would be in equal danger. The case was; so. well known that the G e n t i l e churches acknowledged the great debt of gratitude they owed for what these loyal friends had done for the apostle. E paphroditus In Epaphroditus (Phil. 2: 25-30) we meet another Christian friend, for whom Paul prayed much because he was in ill health. Paul refers to him as "my brother and fellow worker and fellow sgldiH.” The latter title implies that he had npt;Only been a faithful laborer for Christ, but that he had been called upon to resist many enemies. Epaphroditus had been a Gospel mes senger to Philippi and no doubt was the representative of the Philippian church in the mission to Rome. "He longed after you all,” Paul testifies, "and was sore troubled because ye had heard that he had been sick.” ' The apostle plainly implies that his friend had over-exerted himself and so brought on his sickness. This had become known at Philippi and hence the anxiety, of his friends had been reported at Rome, and Epaphroditus longed to be back horiie where he might more thoroughly recover. "He was sick nigh unto death,” says Paul. Such a sickness probably extended over a long time. God had spared his life, which Paul accepted as a special mercy to himself, for there appears only to have been Epaphroditus and Timothy to whom the apostle could iook with confidence at that time. He felt that to have lost such a friend, at such a time would have been a crushing blow, for it would have brought him "sorrow upon sorrow”f By this he does not mean that he would unduly mourn (IThess. 4113), but that it would have been an unbear able addition of grief at a time when he ■was already greatly burdened and in need of true friends (Acts 20:23). "I have sent him therefore the more diligently,” writes Paul, "that when ye see him. ye may rejoicef” The word in dicates that Paul had allowed no time to elapse after the recovery of his friend, before he sent him away. The whole language suggests the apostle’s deep af fection for the sick man and his friends at home. Though Epaphroditus was, a great comfort to him, Paul would not keep him a moment longer than was needful for he knew of the anxiety there would be at home until this servant of God was safely back among them.
FRED S. SHEPARD ’S BLACKBOARD OUTLINE
¡ \ LAN IJuRPOSE | ROTECTION » ERFORMANCE For I believe God.—Acts 27:25.
though Paul was a prisoner, he bravely stood up for the Lord and showed his colors wherever he was. Do we?'(Finish this fascinating story, vividly picturing the landing on Melita, serpent, centur ion’s act of sparing prisoners for Paul’s sake, emphasizing Paul’s heroism arid his reliance on God.) (Prayer.); D ecember 16, 1928 Paul and His Friends Text: Acts 20:36-38; Rom. 16:1-4; Phil. 1. Elders at Ephesus. Acts 20:36-38. 2. Phebe, Priscilla, and Aquila. Rom. 16:1-4. 3. Epaphroditus. Phil. 2 :25-30. II. Paul’s Slave Friend, Onesimus, and His Master, Philemon. Philemon 1-J 25. 1. Salutation of letter. 1-3. 2. Paul’s gratitude and prayer. 4-7. 3- Paul’s plea to Philemon. 8-20. 4. Paul’s intended visit with his friend, Philemon. Vs. 21, 22. 5. Salutation and prayer. Vs. 23, 25. V \7E have seen much of the enemies of vv Paul who, inspired by Satan, con trived every device to block his testimony and put him out of the world. Wé pause whom Paul constantly prayed. The first text (Acts 20:36-38) gives us a glimpse of the devotedness of the Chris tians at Miletus and especially the elders of the Ephesian church for whom Paul had sent, that he might have a parting word with them before leaving for Jeru salem. Gathered about him there on the shore while the ship awaited him, these believers knelt in prayer and Paul offered his parting supplication. The historian seems to shrink with natural reverence from recording that prayer, but Dr. Plrimptre suggests that Eph. 3 :14-21 may enable the thoughtful reader to represent to himself its substance, perhaps even its very thoughts and words. The Christians, we are told, "fell on Paul’s neck and kissed him.’’ It might not be regarded as proper to thus em 2 :25-30; Philemon. L esson in O utline I. Paul’s Different Friends. now to realize that Paul also had many loyal friends among the converts of the churches which he visited; friends who m a d e great sacri fices to aid him in his work and for
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