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TH-E KING’S BUSINESS
interposition was Peter saved from a sim ilar death (12:3-19). Peter is referred to but once after this (Acts 15:7-11) and passes from our view so far. as the story of the progress o f the Church in the Acts is concerned. III. The growth and extension of the Church among the Gentiles— "to the uttermost parts of the earth”— 13:1-28:31— The Acts of Paul. This division may be summarized in sev eral ways; The activities o f Paul, 13-20, the captivities o f Paul, 21-28; or the three great missionary journeys o f Paul—the first, 13-14; the second, 15:36-18:20; the third, .18:21-21:17. We shall consider the contents o f this division in the light o f the apostle’s three •great missionary journeys. 1. The missionaries chosen and set apart by the Holy Ghost and the Church, 1 3 : 1 - 3 , cf. 1 2 : 24 , 2 5 : Antioch, it will be noticed, is now the headquarters o f the Gentile-Christian Church with Paul at its head, just as Jeru salem is the headquarters o f the Jewish- Christian Church with Peter at its head. On the Gentiles, too, had been poured out the gifts o f the Spirit (13:1, cf. 11:15-18). The Holy Spirit calls and separates, and the Church ordains men to the service of God. 2 . The first missionary journey of Paul) 13:5-14:28. ' Now the gospel is proclaimed outside of the boundaries o f the promised land of Palestine. It is beginning to fulfill its des tined mission to “ every creature” in “all the world,” even “to the uttermost parts of the earth.” Beginning at Antioch as the base and headquarters o f all the activity o f the Gen tile-Christian Church, Paul, < accompanied by Barnabas, visits Seleucia (13:4) a sea port in Syria, from which place they 1 set sail for the island o f Cyprus (13:4-13), the home o f Barnabas. They visit two places in Cyprus: Salamis (13:5) where they preach in the synagogue, and Paphos (1 3 :6)
where there was a shrine to Venus, the god o f love, and where all kinds o f gross immorality was practiced under the guise o f worship to Venus. Here the apostles come into contact and conflict with Elymas, the sorcerer, whom Paul smote blind (13:8- 11). Sergius Paulus, probably the gover nor o f the island, was converted (13:7, 12 ). Saul’s name is here changed to Paul, and ever after this it.Js no longer “Barnabas and Saul” (13:7, also 14:14), but “ Paul and Barnabas” (cf. 13:43, 46, 50; 15:2, etc.). Leaving Cyrus they sail to Perga (13:13). Here, Mark, whom they had taken with them as a helper (13:5), left them (13:13). Why? Who knows? Was it because o f the change in leaders from Barnabas' (his uncle) and Saul, to Paul (as leader) and Barnabas? Or was it because o f the dangers o f the journey? Antioch in Pisidia is the next stopping place (13:14-51). Here Paul preaches in the synagogue with some success, but is persecuted by the Jews who reject his tes timony (13:43, 44), finally expelling Paul and Barnabas out o f the coasts (13:50). Here occurred a rejection o f the Jews and a turning to the Gentiles—an event so important that it should not be overlooked (13:46-49). Iconium (14:1-5) is then visited as a refuge from the persecution of. the Jews at Antioch. Unbelieving Jews cause a stir here too, the Gentiles joining with them. The city was divided in its adherence. This opposition caused the apostles to seek ref uge, in Derbe and Lystra (14:6). In Lystra they were .worshipped as gods, until, finally, Jews came from Iconium and stirred up the people so that they stoned Paul and left him for dead (14:19). Did Paul actually die? Is it.to this experience that he refers in 2 Corinthians 12 when he. says, “I knew a man in Christ . . . whether in the body, I cannot' tell ; or whether out o f the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth; such an one caught up to the third heaven and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter?” Is this why he could say in 2 Corinthians 5 :1 __
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