Perhaps none of the great characters of New Testament times were so beset by foes of all kinds as was Paul. He has himself assured us that he was often in perils from his own countrymen, and in perils from false brethren. He was denounced by priests and scribes, and opposed by upstarts in the very churches he had founded. In replying to arguments and meeting objections he sometimes showed his mastery of more than one form of wit,—although the form he most frequently used was irony.
By many his preaching was characterized as “foolishness.” There was nothing in it to commend it to the Jews who “required a sign,” or to the Greeks, “who sought after wisdom.” “Very well,” is his reply, “foolish it may be, but after all it has accomplished more than either Jew or Greek has been able to do for the world. ‘Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?’ What has it achieved? Where are its monuments? ‘For after that the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of (just such) preaching (as mine) to save them that believe.’ This foolishness has lifted men from vile and sinful lives into righteousness and honor. Have your own way about it, O Greeks and Jews; I will be accounted a fool if you will, and am willing to let my words be stigmatized as folly; but you will find that ‘God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty; and base things of the world, and things that are despised hath God chosen; yea, and things that are not, to bring to nought things that are.’ I accept the low estimate you put upon me and my work, but I triumph over you and your work, however exalted. Results shall determine. This is glorious folly!”
In writing to the Corinthians, he says of certain members of the church who thought that in spiritual things they were superior to himself, “Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you. But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power.”
To those thus puffed up, he addresses himself in the following ironical strain: “Now ye are full, now ye are rich; ye have reigned as kings without us; and I would that ye did reign, that we also might reign with you. For I think that God has set forth us the apostles last. * * * We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honorable, but we are despised.”
He denounces certain teachers who were sowing the seeds of discord among his churches, as “false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore, it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.” Such teachers as these pronounced Paul a fool and did everything to bring his work into contempt. “Very good,” says Paul to the Corinthians, “receive me then as a fool,” and then proceeding, with his favorite irony, “For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise!”
How scathing is his rebuke to those who misrepresented his doctrine: “We be slanderously reported, and some affirm that we say, Let us do evil that good may come!—whose condemnation is just.” This is his only answer to evil tongues.
It is conceded by the best authorities that Paul did not write the Epistle to the Hebrews, but there is a passage in that letter not unlike him,—the rebuke to those who ought to be strong, manly and intelligent Christians, but who have not yet gotten out of their swaddling clothes: “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness; for he is but a babe. But strong meat belongeth to those that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”
Similar to this is Paul’s treatment of the Corinthians when they were divided in their allegiance, some claiming to belong to one teacher and some to another. First Paul himself had been there and taught among them in that broad and liberal spirit which always characterized him. He made very little of forms and ceremonies, and very much of charity and brotherhood. Then came Peter who was always more narrow than Paul, but very intense. Paul was a broad river, Peter a mountain torrent. Peter never completely freed himself from the bondage of the Jewish system, and he insisted upon some of the things that Paul discarded. Soon a party was formed. Some thought, no doubt, that Paul was too far away from the Jewish creed, that he was not strict enough, that it was perhaps safer to take Peter as a guide; so while some said, “I am of Paul,” others said, “I am of Cephas.” Then came Apollos who is described as being “very eloquent.” When he stood up to speak, many said, “He beats both Paul and Peter; I am of Apollos.” So there were “envyings and strifes and divisions.” Paul ridicules the Corinthians for these childish quarrels, and says that he must still speak to them as to “babes.” “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!”
Examples from other Apostles.
The epistle of James that has furnished illustrations for some of the preceding chapters, shall yield one for this, in its notice of a grave abuse that existed in the early churches, and that has not entirely died out of modern churches.