the acts of the apostles-第62章

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thought　to　see　him　come　as　a　prisoner；　but　his　sufferings　only　endeared　him
to　them　the　more。　The　distance　from　Puteoli　to　Rome　being　but　a　hundred　and
forty　miles；　and　the　seaport　being　in　constant　communication　with　the
metropolis；　the　Roman　Christians　were　informed　of　Paul's

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approach；　and　some　of　them　started　to　meet　and　welcome　him。

On　the　eighth　day　after　landing；　the　centurion　and　his　prisoners　set　out　for
Rome。　Julius　willingly　granted　the　apostle　every　favor　which　it　was　in　his
power　to　bestow；　but　he　could　not　change　his　condition　as　a　prisoner；　or
release　him　from　the　chain　that　bound　him　to　his　soldier　guard。　It　was　with
a　heavy　heart　that　Paul　went　forward　to　his　long…expected　visit　to　the
world's　metropolis。　How　different　the　circumstances　from　those　he　had
anticipated！　How　was　he；　fettered　and　stigmatized；　to　proclaim　the　gospel？
His　hopes　of　winning　many　souls　to　the　truth　in　Rome；　seemed　destined　to
disappointment。

At　last　the　travelers　reach　Appii　Forum；　forty　miles　from　Rome。　As　they　make
their　way　through　the　crowds　that　throng　the　great　thoroughfare；　the
gray…haired　old　man；　chained　with　a　group　of　hardened…looking　criminals；
receives　many　a　glance　of　scorn　and　is　made　the　subject　of　many　a　rude；
mocking　jest。

Suddenly　a　cry　of　joy　is　heard；　and　a　man　springs　from　the　passing　throng
and　falls　upon　the　prisoner's　neck；　embracing　him　with　tears　and　rejoicing；
as　a　son　would　welcome　a　long…absent　father。　Again　and　again　is　the　scene
repeated　as；　with　eyes　made　keen　by　loving　expectation；　many　discern　in　the
chained　captive　the　one　who　at　Corinth；　at　Philippi；　at　Ephesus；　had　spoken
to　them　the　words　of　life。

As　the　warmhearted　disciples　eagerly　flock　around　their　father　in　the
gospel；　the　whole　company　is　brought　to　a

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standstill。　The　soldiers　are　impatient　of　delay；　yet　they　have　not　the　heart
to　interrupt　this　happy　meeting；　for　they；　too；　have　learned　to　respect　and
esteem　their　prisoner。　In　that　worn；　pain…stricken　face；　the　disciples　see
reflected　the　image　of　Christ。　They　assure　Paul　that　they　have　not　forgotten
him　nor　ceased　to　love　him；　that　they　are　indebted　to　him　for　the　joyful
hope　which　animates　their　lives　and　gives　them　peace　toward　God。　In　the
ardor　of　their　love　they　would　bear　him　upon　their　shoulders　the　whole　way
to　the　city；　could　they　but　have　the　privilege。

Few　realize　the　significance　of　those　words　of　Luke；　that　when　Paul　saw　his
brethren；　〃he　thanked　God；　and　took　courage。〃　In　the　midst　of　the　weeping；
sympathizing　company　of　believers；　who　were　not　ashamed　of　his　bonds；　the
apostle　praised　God　aloud。　The　cloud　of　sadness　that　had　rested　upon　his
spirit　was　swept　away。　His　Christian　life　had　been　a　succession　of　trials；
sufferings；　and　disappointments；　but　in　that　hour　he　felt　abundantly　repaid。
With　firmer　step　and　joyful　heart　he　continued　on　his　way。　He　would　not
complain　of　the　past；　nor　fear　for　the　future。　Bonds　and　afflictions　awaited
him；　he　knew；　but　he　knew　also　that　it　had　been　his　to　deliver　souls　from　a
bondage　infinitely　more　terrible；　and　he　rejoiced　in　his　sufferings　for
Christ's　sake。

At　Rome　the　centurion　Julius　delivered　up　his　prisoners　to　the　captain　of
the　emperor's　guard。　The　good　account　which　he　gave　of　Paul；　together　with
the　letter　from　Festus；　caused　the　apostle　to　be　favorably　regarded　by　the
chief

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captain；　and；　instead　of　being　thrown　into　prison；　he　was　permitted　to　live
in　his　own　hired　house。　Although　still　constantly　chained　to　a　soldier；　he
was　at　liberty　to　receive　his　friends　and　to　labor　for　the　advancement　of
the　cause　of　Christ。

Many　of　the　Jews　who　had　been　banished　from　Rome　some　years　previously；　had
been　allowed　to　return；　so　that　large　numbers　were　now　to　be　found　there。　To
these；　first　of　all；　Paul　determined　to　present　the　facts　concerning　himself
and　his　work；　before　his　enemies　should　have　opportunity　to　embitter　them
against　him。　Three　days　after　his　arrival　in　Rome；　therefore；　he　called
together　their　leading　men　and　in　a　simple；　direct　manner　stated　why　he　had
come　to　Rome　as　a　prisoner。

〃Men　and　brethren；〃　he　said；　〃though　I　have　committed　nothing　against　the
people；　or　customs　of　our　fathers；　yet　was　I　delivered　prisoner　from
Jerusalem　into　the　hands　of　the　Romans。　Who；　when　they　had　examined　me；
would　have　let　me　go；　because　there　was　no　cause　of　death　in　me。　But　when
the　Jews　spake　against　it；　I　was　constrained　to　appeal　unto　Caesar；　not　that
I　had　aught　to　accuse　my　nation　of。　For　this　cause　therefore　have　I　called
for　you；　to　see　you；　and　to　speak　with　you：　because　that　for　the　hope　of
Israel　I　am　bound　with　this　chain。〃

He　said　nothing　of　the　abuse　which　he　had　suffered　at　the　hands　of　the　Jews；
or　of　their　repeated　plots　to　assassinate　him。　His　words　were　marked　with
caution　and　kindness。　He　was　not　seeking　to　win　personal　attention　or
sympathy；　but　to　defend　the　truth　and　to　maintain　the　honor　of　the　gospel。

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In　reply；　his　hearers　stated　that　they　had　received　no　charges　against　him
by　letters　public　or　private；　and　that　none　of　the　Jews　who　had　come　to　Rome
had　accused　him　of　any　crime。　They　also　expressed　a　strong　desire　to　hear
for　themselves　the　reasons　of　his　faith　in　Christ。　〃As　concerning　this
sect；〃　they　said；　〃we　know　that　everywhere　it　is　spoken　against。〃

Since　they　themselves　desired　it；　Paul　bade　them　set　a　day　when　he　could
present　to　them　the　truths　of　the　gospel。　At　the　time　appointed；　many　came
together；　〃to　whom　he　expounded　and　testified　the　kingdom　of　God；　persuading
them　concerning　Jesus；　both　out　of　the　law　of　Moses；　and　out　of　the
prophets；　from　morning　till　evening。〃　He　related　his　own　experience；　and
presented　arguments　from　the　Old　Testament　Scriptures　with　simplicity；
sincerity；　and　power。

The　apostle　showed　that　religion　does　not　consist　in　rites　and　ceremonies；
creeds　and　theories。　If　it　did；　the　natural　man　could　understand　it　by
investigation；　as　he　understands　worldly　things。　Paul　taught　that　religion
is　a　practical；　saving　energy；　a　principle　wholly　from　God；　a　personal
experience　of　God's　renewing　power　upon　the　soul。

He　showed　how　Moses　had　pointed　Israel　forward　to　Christ　as　that　Prophet
whom　they　were　to　hear；　how　all　the　prophets　had　testified　of　Him　as　God's
great　remedy　for　sin；　the　guiltless　One　who　was　to　bear　the　sins　of　the
guilty。　He　did　not　find　fault　with　their　observance　of　forms　and　ceremonies；
but　showed　that　while　they

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maintained　the　ritual　service　with　great　exactness；　they　were　rejecting　Him
who　was　the　antitype　of　all　that　system。

Paul　declared　that　in　his　unconverted　state　he　had　known　Christ；　not　by
personal　acquaintance；　but　merely　by　the　conception　which　he；　in　common　with
others；　cherished　concerning　the　character　and　work　of　the　Messiah　to　come。
He　had　rejected　Jesus　of　Nazareth　as　an　impostor　because　He　did　not　fulfill
this　conception。　But　now　Paul's　views　of　Christ　and　His　mission　were　far
more　spiritual　and　exalted；　for　he　had　been　converted。　The　apostle　asserted
that　he　did　not　present　to　them　Christ　after　the　flesh。　Herod　had　seen
Christ　in　the　days　of　His　humanity；　Annas　had　seen　Him；　Pilate　and　the
priests　and　rulers　had　seen　Him；　the　Roman　soldiers　had　seen　Him。　But　they
had　not　seen　Him　with　the　eye　of　faith；　they　had　not　seen　Him　as　the
glorified　Redeemer。　To　apprehend　Christ　by　faith；　to　have　a　spiritual
knowledge　of　Him；　was　more　to　be　desired　than　a　personal　acquaintance　with
Him　as　He　appeared　on　the　earth。　The　communion　with　Christ　which　Paul　now
enjoyed　was　more　intimate；　more　enduring；　than　a　mere　earthly　and　human
companionship。

As　Paul　spoke　of　what　he　knew；　and　testified　of　what　he　had　seen；　concerning
Jesus　of　Nazareth　as　the　hope　of　Israel；　those　who　were　honestly　seeking　for
truth　were　convinced。　Upon　some　minds；　at　least；　his　words　made　an
impression　that　was　never　effaced。　But　others　stubbornly　refused　to　accept
the　plain　testimony　of　the　Scriptures；　even　when　presented　to　them　by　one
who　had　the　special　illumination　of　the　Holy　Spirit。　They　could　not　refute

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his　arguments；　but　they　refused　to　accept　his　conclusions。

Many　months　passed　by　after　Paul's　arrival　in　Rome；　before　the　Jews　of
Jerusalem　appeared　in　person　to　present　their　accusations　against　the
prisoner。　They　had　been　repeatedly　thwarted　in　their　designs；　and　now　that
Paul　was　to　be　tried　before　the　highest　tribunal　of　the　Roman　Empire；　they
had　no　desire　to　risk　another　defeat。　Lysias；　Felix；　Festus；　and　Agrippa　had
all　declared　their　belief　in　his　innocence。　His　enemies　could　hope　for
success　only　in　seeking　by　intrigue　to　influence　the　emperor　in　their　favor。
Delay　would　further　their　object；　as　it　would　afford　them　time　to　perfect
and　execute　their　plans；　and　so　they　waited　for　a　while　before　preferring
their　charges　in　person　against　the　apostle。

In　the　providence　of　God　this　delay　resulted　in　the　furtherance　of　the
gospel。　Through　the　favor　of　those　who　had　Paul　in　charge；　he　was　permitted
to　dwell　in　a　commodious　house；　where　he　could　meet　freely　with　his　friends
and　also　present　the　truth　daily　to　those　who　came　to　hear。　Thus　for　two
years　he　continued　his　labors；　〃preaching　the　kingdom　of　God；　and　teaching
those　things　which　concern　the　Lord　Jesus　Christ；　will　all　confidence；　no
man　forbidding　him。〃

During　this　time　the　churches　that　he　had　established　in　many　lands　were　not
forgotten。　Realizing　the　dangers　that　threatened　the　converts　to　the　new
faith；　the　apostle　sought　so　far　as　possible　to　meet　their　needs　by　letters
of　warning　and　practical　instruction。　And　from　Rome　he

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sent　out　consecrated　workers　to　labor　not　only　for　these　churches；　but　in
fields　that　he　himself　had　not　visited。　These　workers；　as　wise　shepherds；
strengthened　the　work　so　well　begun　by　Paul；　and　the　apostle；　kept　informed
of　the　condition　and　dangers　of　the　churches　by　constant　communication　with
them；　was　enabled　to　exercise　a　wise　supervision　over　all。

Thus；　while　apparently　cut　off　from　active　labor；　Paul　exerted　a　wider　and
more　lasting　influence　than　if　he　had　been　free　to　travel　among　the　churches
as　in　former　years。　As　a　prisoner　of　the　Lord；　he　had　a　firmer　hold　upon　the
affections　of　his　brethren；　and　his　words；　written　by　one　under　bonds　for
the　sake　of　Christ；　commanded　greater　attention　and　respect　than　they　did
when　he　was　personally　with　them。　Not　until　Paul　was　removed　from　them；　did
the　believers　realize　how　heavy　were　the　burdens　he　had　borne　in　their
behalf。　Heretofore　they　had　largely　excused　themselves　from　responsibility
and　burden　bearing　because　they　lacked　his　wisdom；　tact；　and　indomitable
energy；　but　now；　left　in　their　inexperience　to　learn　the　lessons　they　had
shunned；　they　prized　his　warnings；　counsels；　and　instructions　as　they　had
not　prized　his　personal　work。　And　as　they　learned　of　his　courage　and　faith
during　his　long　imprisonment　they　were　stimulated　to　greater　fidelity　and
zeal　in　the　cause　of　Christ。

Among　Paul's　assistants　at