Story of the Life of St. Paul, the Apostle

by active 1880-1896 Mary Seymour

A letter was therefore written by him to the Galatians, to warn them against these false doctors who were preaching the obligation of observing the Mosaic law.

Now the Apostle began to attend to the Church in Corinth, reproving error and sin, and separating those who would not obey the law of Christ from the submissive and good. He had warned them many times before he did this, but now he could not permit to be numbered among the followers of Christ those who brought shame upon their profession by openly disobeying His laws.

There were connected with the Christian Churches pious women, who were called "deaconesses." Their charge was to assist the sick, to instruct the catechumens, and help the newly baptized to lead a Christian life. For these duties it was necessary to have persons of experience and great piety, and therefore the age for their admission to the office was first fixed at sixty, but afterwards at forty years.

One of these deaconesses, named Phoebe, was about leaving Corinth for Rome, and by her St. Paul sent an epistle to the people of that city.

He had not yet been there, but he hoped before long to visit the Church which was then being formed, and meanwhile he sent them this proof of love and good-will. It was written in Greek, but for the benefit of those who did not understand that language was translated into Latin. In the arrangement of the Scriptures, this Epistle is always placed first—although not the first which the Apostle's hand has written—because of the great importance of its contents, as well as the pre-eminence of the place to which it was sent.

In it the Apostle first commends the faith of the Romans whom he long[ed] to see, "that I may impart unto you some spiritual grace to strengthen you." He goes on to show how the shameful sins of the pagans were the result of the lack of faith and of humility.

He next censures those Jews who, while they boast of the law, neglect to keep it, and while admitting the advantages of the Jew, "because the words of God were committed to them," he teaches that all men, whether Jew or Gentile, are sinners who must be saved by the grace of God, and not alone by obedience to the law.

This doctrine of salvation by Christ is dwelt upon continually, but St. Paul also insists upon the necessity of good works, and that a Christian must die to sin and self, and live unto God.