THE KING’S BUSINESS
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“ in labors more abundantly, in prisons more abundantly, in stripes above measure, in deaths oft.” He was indeed more than one who merely served Christ, he suffered for Christ, suffered as none o f his oppo nents suffered. How many of us have proved ourselves ministers, o f Christ, by any such a history as this. By the “ deaths oft” of course, he refers to the times when he was at the very point o f death for his testimony to Christ. On one recorded occa sion it seems as if he actually were dead (Acts 14:19), and some think that he actu ally was dead at the time (cf. 2 Cor. 12:3) and that he was afterwards brought to life. Paul’s enemies had very little indeed to set up against a record like that. In a way similar to these enemies o f Paul, a way of empty pretension, the destructive critics today assume that they have all the schol arship; and that those who hold to thev conservative views are persons No f no account. Now and then it seems necessary to show that these lofty pretensions o f the enemies of the truth today have as little foundaion in fact as the lofty pretensions o f the enemies o f truth in Paul’s day. Verses 24 to 33 give us a wonderful insight into what Paul suffered for the name of Jesus (cf. Acts 9:16). It is a filling out in detail' o f what he has referred to in a summary way in verse 23, the things in which he had proved to be more than an ordinary minister o f Christ. Well might Paul say o f those who opposed him, “Are they ministers o f Christ? I more.” Where has this glorious record ever been equalled ? How small the hardships we have to suffer appear when compared with these o f Paul. Yet Paul earlier in this same epistle speaks o f the ’hardships which' he bore as “our light affliction” (cf. ch. 4:17; Rom. 8:18). W e will do well tt> read again and again this catalogue o f sufferings endured by Paul for Christ’s sake. It is evident that Paul endured much more than is recorded in the Acts. There we have the account o f but one scourging (Acts 16:23). Here we have eight, five times with stripes; thrice with rods. The stoning he referred to is recorded
i. e., bondage to themselves and the. law (cf. Gal. 4:17) ; 'they devoured them (cf. Matt. 23:14; Ps. 53 :4 ); they took them captive; they exalted themselves (to posi tions of authority, where they lorded it over them) ; they smote them in the face, it is probable that they did this last liter ally (cf. Neh. 13:25; 1 Kings 22:24; Luke 22:64; Acts 23:2; 1 Tim. 3:3). They did it in assertion o f their authority, and the Corinthians submitted.to' it. Ecclesiastical tyranny had begun to show its head in the church thus early. It is amazing to what assumption and oppression, on the part of self-appointed leaders in the church many willingly submit. But the Holy Spirit here through the Apostle Paul protested against Ecclesiastical tyranny o f this kind. In verse 21 Paul continues, “ I speak by way o f dis paragement (i. e., o f myself) as though we had been weak.” It might appear so—and very likely these tyrants had insinuated it— in his not lording it Over the church in a way similar to that in which they lorded it.over the church. “Yet,” Paul continues, “whereinsoever any is bold (I speak in ■fool ishness), I am bold also.” He has 7 as much to boast o f as they, yes, more. These opponents o f Paul were Jews and boasted Of it, and so Paul says, “Are they Hebrews?, so am I. - Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they thè seed o f Abraham? so am I.”, (cf. Phil. 3:4-6). These opponents o f Paul boasted that they were ministers o f Christ, and so Paul says, “Are they ministers of Christ? I more.” Then Paul goes, on to recount how he had gone beyond them in approving himself a minister o f Christ. Tuesday, March 26 . 2 ' Cor. 1 1 : 24 - 27 . Before doing this he introduced another word o f apology, “ I speak as. one beside himself.” That is to say, he was extremely hesitant to dwell upon these things that he had suffered for the name o f Christ. He seemed to himself like a man beside himself in doing so, but he felt forced to do it by the conduct o f his opponents. The way in which he had approved himself as more than merely a minister o f Christ was,
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