Chapter XII. - Apollos at Corinth.
After leaving Corinth, Paul's next scene
of labour was at Ephesus. He was on his way to Jerusalem to celebrate the
approaching festival; and his stay at Ephesus was necessarily brief. He reasoned
with the Jews in the synagogue, and produced so favourable an impression that he
was entreated
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to continue his
labours among them. His plan to visit Jerusalem prevented him from tarrying; but
he promised to labour with them on his return. He had been accompanied to
Ephesus by Aquila and Priscilla, and he now left them to carry forward the good
work which he had begun. {LP 118.1}
It was at this time that Apollos, an
Alexandrian Jew, visited Ephesus. He had received the highest Grecian culture,
and was a scholar and an orator. He had heard the teachings of John the Baptist,
had received the baptism of repentance, and was a living witness that the work
of the prophet was not in vain. Apollos was a thorough student of the
prophecies, and an able expounder of the Scriptures, publicly proclaiming his
faith in Christ, as far as he himself had received the light. {LP 119.1}
Aquila and Priscilla listened to him, and
saw that his teachings were defective. He had not a thorough knowledge of the
mission of Christ, his resurrection and ascension, and of the work of his
Spirit, the Comforter which he sent down to remain with his people during his
absence. They accordingly sent for Apollos, and the educated orator received
instruction from them with grateful surprise and joy. Through their teachings he
obtained a clearer understanding of the Scriptures, and became one of the ablest
defenders of the Christian church. Thus a thorough scholar and brilliant orator
learned the way of the Lord more perfectly from the teachings of a Christian man
and woman whose humble employment was that of tent-making. {LP 119.2}
Apollos, having become better acquainted
with the doctrine of Christ, now felt anxious to visit Corinth, and the Ephesian
brethren wrote to the Corinthians to receive him as a teacher in full harmony
with the church of Christ. He accordingly went to
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Corinth, and laboured with the very Jews
who had rejected the truth as preached to them by Paul. He reasoned with them
from house to house, both publicly and privately, showing them Christ in
prophecy; that he was Jesus whom Paul had preached, and that their expectations
of another Messiah to come were in vain. Thus Paul planted the seed of truth,
and Apollos watered it; and the fact that Apollos supported the mission of Paul
gave character to the past labours of the great apostle among them. {LP 119.3}
His success in preaching the gospel led
some of the church to exalt his labours above those of Paul, while he himself
was working in harmony with Paul for the advancement of the cause. This rival
spirit threatened to greatly hinder the progress of truth. Paul had purposely
presented the gospel to the Corinthians in its veriest simplicity. Disappointed
with the result of his labours at Athens, where he had brought his learning and
eloquence to bear upon his hearers, he determined to pursue an entirely
different course at Corinth. He presented there the plain, simple truth,
unadorned with worldly wisdom, and studiously dwelt upon Christ, and his mission
to the world. The eloquent discourses of Apollos, and his manifest learning,
were contrasted by his hearers with the purposely simple and unadorned preaching
of Paul. {LP 120.1}
Many declared themselves to be under the
leadership of Apollos, while others preferred the labours of Paul. Satan came in
to take advantage of these imaginary differences in the Corinthian church,
tempting them to hold these Christian ministers in contrast. Some claimed
Apollos as their leader, some Paul, and some Peter. Thus Paul, in his efforts to
establish Christianity, met with conflicts and trials in the church as well as
outside of it.
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{LP 120.2}
Factions also were beginning to rise
through the influence of Judaizing teachers, who urged that the converts to
Christianity should observe the ceremonial law in the matter of circumcision.
They still maintained that the original Israel were the exalted and privileged
children of Abraham, and were entitled to all the promises made to him. They
sincerely thought that in taking this medium ground between Jew and Christian,
they would succeed in removing the odium which attached to Christianity, and
would gather in large numbers of the Jews. {LP 121.1}
They vindicated their position, which was
in opposition to that of Paul, by showing that the course of the apostle, in
receiving the Gentiles into the church without circumcision, prevented more Jews
from accepting the faith than there were accessions from the Gentiles. Thus they
excused their opposition to the results of the calm deliberations of God's
acknowledged servants. {LP 121.2}
They refused to admit that the work of
Christ embraced the whole world. They claimed that he was the Saviour of the
Hebrews alone; therefore they maintained that the Gentiles should receive
circumcision before being admitted to the privileges of the church of Christ.
{LP 121.3}
After the decision of the council at
Jerusalem concerning this question, many were still of this opinion, but did not
then push their opposition any farther. The council had, on that occasion,
decided that the converts from the Jewish church might observe the ordinances of
the Mosaic law if they chose, while those ordinances should not be made
obligatory upon converts from the Gentiles. The opposing class now took
advantage of this, to urge a distinction between the observers of the ceremonial
law and those who did not
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observe it, holding that the latter were
farther from God than the former. {LP 121.4}
Paul's indignation was stirred. His voice
was raised in stern rebuke: "If ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you
nothing." The party maintaining that Christianity was valueless without
circumcision arrayed themselves against the apostle, and he had to meet them in
every church which he founded or visited; in Jerusalem, Antioch, Galatia,
Corinth, Ephesus, and Rome. God urged him out to the great work of preaching
Christ, and him crucified; circumcision or uncircumcision was nothing. The
Judaizing party looked upon Paul as an apostate, bent upon breaking down the
partition wall which God had established between the Israelites and the world.
They visited every church which he had organized, creating divisions. Holding
that the end would justify the means, they circulated false charges against the
apostle, and endeavoured to bring him into disrepute. As Paul, in visiting the
churches, followed after these zealous and unscrupulous opposers, he met many
who viewed him with distrust, and some who even despised his labours. {LP 122.1}
These divisions in regard to the
ceremonial law, and the relative merits of the different ministers teaching the
doctrine of Christ, caused the apostle much anxiety and hard labour. In his
Epistle to the Corinthians, he thus addresses them on the latter subject:-- {LP
122.2}
"Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name
of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no
divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind
and in the same judgment. For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren,
by them
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which are of the house of Chloe, that
there are contentions among you. Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I
am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ
divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?"
{LP 122.3}
He also explains the reason of his manner
of labour among them: "And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto
spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with
milk, and not with meat; for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet
now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal; for whereas there is among you envying,
and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?" {LP 123.1}
He thus shows them that he could not, when
with them, address them as those who had an experience in spiritual life and the
mystery of godliness. However wise they might have been in the worldly
knowledge, they were but babes in the knowledge of Christ; and it was his work
to instruct them in the rudiments, the very alphabet, of Christian faith and
doctrine. It was his part to sow the seed, which another must water. It was the
business of those who followed him, to carry forward the work from the point
where he had left it, and to give spiritual light and knowledge in due season,
as the church were able to bear. {LP 123.2}
When he came to them, they had no
experimental knowledge of the way of salvation, and he was obliged to present
the truth in its simplest form. Their carnal minds could not discern the sacred
revealings of God; they were strangers to the manifestations of the divine
power. Paul had spoken to them as those who were ignorant of the operations of
that power upon the heart. They were
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carnal-minded, and the apostle was aware
that they could not comprehend the mysteries of salvation; for spiritual things
must be spiritually discerned. He knew that many of his hearers were proud
believers in human theories, and reasoners of false systems of theology, groping
with blind eyes in the book of nature for a contradiction of the spiritual and
immortal life revealed in the Book of God. {LP 123.3}
He knew that criticism would set about
converting the Christian interpretation of the revealed word, and scepticism
would treat the gospel of Christ with scoffing and derision. It behoved him to
introduce most carefully the great truths he wished to teach them. True
Christianity is a religion of progress. It is ever giving light and blessing,
and has in reserve still greater light and blessing to bestow to those who
receive its truths. The illuminating influence of the gospel of Christ, and the
sanctifying grace of God, can alone transform the carnal mind to be in harmony
with spiritual things. {LP 124.1}
Paul did not venture to directly rebuke
the licentious, and to show them how heinous was their sin in the sight of a
holy God. His work was, as a wise instructor, to set before them the true object
of life, impressing upon their minds the lessons of the divine Teacher, which
were designed to bring them up from worldliness and sin to purity and immortal
life. The spiritual senses must be matured by continual advancement in the
knowledge of heavenly things. Thus the mind would learn to delight in them; and
every precept of the word of God would shine forth as a priceless gem. {LP
124.2}
The apostle had dwelt especially upon
practical godliness, and the character of that holiness which must be gained in
order to make sure of the kingdom
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of Heaven. He wished the light of the
gospel of Christ to pierce the darkness of their minds, that they might discern
how offensive their immoral practices were in the sight of God. Therefore the
burden of Paul's preaching among them had been Christ, and him crucified. He
wished them to understand that the theme for their most earnest study, and
greatest joy, should be the grand truth of salvation through repentance toward
God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. {LP 124.3}
The philosopher turns aside from the light
of salvation, because it puts his proud theories to shame. The worldling refuses
to receive it, because it would separate him from his earthly idols, and draw
him to a holier life, for which he has no inclination. Paul saw that the
character of Christ must be understood, before men could love him, and view the
cross with the eye of faith. Here must begin that study which shall be the
science and the song of the redeemed through all eternity. In the light of the
cross alone can the true value of the human soul be estimated. {LP 125.1}
The refining influence of the grace of God
changes the natural disposition of man. Heaven would not be desirable to the
carnal-minded; their natural, unsanctified hearts would feel no attraction
toward that pure and holy place; and if it were possible for them to enter, they
would find nothing there congenial to them, in their sinful condition. The
propensities which reign in the natural heart must be subdued by the grace of
Christ, before fallen man can be elevated to harmonize with Heaven, and enjoy
the society of the pure and holy angels. When man dies to sin, and is quickened
to new life in Christ Jesus, divine love fills his heart; his understanding is
sanctified;
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he drinks from an inexhaustible fountain
of joy and knowledge; and the light of an eternal day shines upon his path, for
he has the Light of life with him continually. {LP 125.2}
Paul sought to impress upon his Corinthian
brethren the fact that he himself, and the ministers associated with him, were
only men, commissioned of God to teach the truth; that they were individually
engaged in the same work, which was given them by their Heavenly Father; and
that they were all dependent upon him for the success which attended their
labours. "For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are
ye not carnal? Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye
believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered;
but God gave the increase." {LP 126.1}
The consciousness of being God's servant
should inspire the minister with energy and diligence perseveringly to discharge
his duty, with an eye single to the glory of his Master. God has given to each
of his messengers his distinctive work; and while there is a diversity of gifts,
all are to blend harmoniously in carrying forward the great work of salvation.
They are only instruments of divine grace and power. {LP 126.2}
Paul says: "So, then, neither is he that
planteth anything, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one; and every man shall receive
his own reward according to his own labour. For we are labourers together with
God; ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building." The teacher of Christ's
truth must be near the cross himself, in order to bring sinners to it. His work
should be to preach Christ, and studiously to avoid calling
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attention to himself, and thus encumbering
the sacred truth, lest he hinder its saving power. {LP 126.3}
There can be no stronger evidence in
churches that the truths of the Bible have not sanctified the receivers, than
their attachment to some favourite minister, and their unwillingness to accept
the labours of some other teacher, and to be profited by them. The Lord sends
help to his church as they need, not as they choose; for short-sighted mortals
cannot discern what is for their highest good. It is seldom that one minister
has all the qualifications necessary to perfect any one church in all the
requirements of Christianity; therefore God sends other ministers to follow him,
one after another, each possessing some qualifications in which the others were
deficient. {LP 127.1}
The church should gratefully accept these
servants of Christ, even as they would accept the Master himself. They should
seek to derive all the benefit possible from the instruction which ministers may
give them from the word of God. But the ministers themselves are not to be
idolized; there should be no religious pets and favourites among the people; it
is the truths they bring which are to be accepted and appreciated in the
meekness of humility. {LP 127.2}
In the apostles' day, one party claimed to
believe in Christ, yet refused to give due respect to his ambassadors. They
claimed to follow no human teacher, but to be taught directly from Christ,
without the aid of ministers of the gospel. They were independent in spirit, and
unwilling to submit to the voice of the church. Another party claimed Paul as
their leader, and drew comparisons between him and Peter, which were
unfavourable to the latter. Another declared that Apollos far exceeded
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Paul in address, and power of oratory.
Another claimed Peter as their leader, affirming that he had been most intimate
with Christ when he was upon the earth, while Paul had been a persecutor of the
believers. There was danger that this party spirit would ruin the Christian
church. {LP 127.3}
Paul and Apollos were in perfect harmony.
The latter was disappointed and grieved because of the dissension in the church;
he took no advantage of the preference shown himself, nor did he encourage it,
but hastily left the field of strife. When Paul afterward urged him to visit
Corinth, he declined, and did not again labour there until long after, when the
church had reached a better spiritual state. {LP 128.1}