when he found him he returned with him to Antioch, where they preached to great multitudes for a whole year. "And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch." a The church at Antioch having been informed by the prophet Agabus of an impending famine, "determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea," which they did "by the hands of Barnabas and Saul." Thus the Gentiles, having been made partakers of the spiritual blessings of the Jewish Christians, showed their gratitude by ministering unto them in "carnal things." The historian now comes back to things which occurred in Jerusalem, giving an account of the slaying of James, the brother of John, by Herod, with the sword. And when he saw that this "pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also." Here follows the history of Peter's imprisonment, the incessant prayer of the church to God for him, his deliverance at night by the angel of God, his reception at the house of Mary, the mother of Mark, "where many were gathered together praying," and the smiting of Herod and his violent death.

After this we are informed that "the word of God grew and multiplied, and Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem where they had fulfilled their ministry and took with them John whose surname was Mark." e

Here at Antioch began the real life-work of Saul. From this on we have to look to the record of Saul's travels and preaching for the history of all specific

a Acts xi. 26.

b Acts xi. 30.

d Acts xii. 12.

c Rom. xv. 27. e Acts xii. 24, 25.

And

cases of pardon. After the close of the 11th chapter of Acts we have no further record of the preaching of any apostle or the pardon of any sinner, except what we learn through Paul and his traveling companions. We are informed that "in the church at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers" who, "as they ministered unto the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them they sent them away. "a Here we have the church at Antioch with its large Gentile membership sending Saul with Barnabas on the first missionary journey. Paul made three missionary tours, the first through Asia Minor, the last two through Asia Minor and part of Europe. He began all three of these journeys from Antioch, and closed the last one at Jerusalem. The city of Antioch, aside from Jerusalem, was the most important place connected with the early spread of Christianity. So far as the record shows it was here that Christianity first took root among the Gentiles. This church was large, for we are informed that "a great number believed and turned unto the Lord"; and again, under the preaching of Barnabas, "a great multitude was added to the Lord." Here the disciples were first called "Christians," which has designated them both in suffering and triumph through all the ages since. During the first part of this missionary tour of Saul and Barnabas, Mark was with them. They sailed to Cyprus and a Acts xiii. 2, 3.

preached in the synagogue of the Jews. But the firstmentioned convert is a Gentile, Sergius Paulus, the proconsul of the country, "Who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God." But "a certain sorcerer, a false prophet—a Jew-whose name was Bar-Jesus, withstood them, seeking to turn away the proconsul from the faith." He was smitten with blindness.

a

Saul is here for the first time called Paul. And from this on he is designated by the name of Paul. "And when the pro-consul saw what was done he believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord."b Here it will be observed that only belief is stated, but it is not stated to the exclusion of any other requirements. After this "Paul and his company having set sail from Paphos came to Perga in Pamphylia; and John, departing from them, returned to Jerusalem. But when they departed from Perga they came to Antioch in Pisidia and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day and sat down. And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them saying, Ye men, and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, speak." c When this invitation was extended Paul arose and delivered a discourse covering the whole sweep of Jewish history from the time of the captivity in Egypt until the death of Jesus under Pilate. He appealed to the Law and the Prophets and the Psalms, the testimony of John the Baptist and the fulfilment of all that was written in regard to Jesus, to His death and to the b Acts xiii. 12.

a Acts xiii. 6-8.

c Acts xiii. 13, 15.

с

ample testimony of many witnesses in regard to His resurrection, and concludes by saying: "Be it known unto you, therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins, and by him all that believe are justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." a No wonder, after hearing such startling news, that "when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath. And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God. But when the Jews saw the multitude they were filled with envy and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first be spoken to you, but seeing ye thrust it from you, and judge yourself unworthy of eternal life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. For so hath the Lord commanded us saying, I have set thee for a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. And the Gentiles hearing this rejoiced and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as were disposed to eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord was spread abroad throughout all the region." Here again we are informed that the Gentiles hearing believed. But the Jews raised "persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts, but they shook off the dust of their feet against them and came a Acts ix. 13-32. b Acts xiii. 46-49.

unto Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit." a

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Being again driven through the influence of the Jews from Iconium, they went to Lystra and Derbe. Here they preached the gospel, and at Lystra Paul healed a man who had been lame from his birth, which, when the people saw, they said, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker." Then the priest brought oxen and garlands and would have offered sacrifice with the people. We will now quote in full the first recorded speech of Paul to the Gentiles: "Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, and saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein: who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good and gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. And with these sayings scarce restrained they the multitudes from doing sacrifice unto them." We call attention to this argument in contrast with his preaching to the Jews, and that he made no reference to prophecy and the Jewish Scriptures. After all this, through the influence of b Acts xiv. 14-18.

a Acts xiii. 50-52.