the acts of the apostles-第29节

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cross。　He　had　yet　to　learn　to　face　danger　and　persecution　and　adversity　with
a　brave　heart。　As　the　apostles　advanced；　and　still　greater　difficulties　were
apprehended；　Mark　was　intimidated　and；　losing　all　courage；　refused　to　go
farther　and　returned　to　Jerusalem。

This　desertion　caused　Paul　to　judge　Mark　unfavorably；　and　even　severely；　for
a　time。　Barnabas；　on　the　other　hand；　was　inclined　to　excuse　him　because　of
his　inexperience。　He　felt　anxious　that　Mark　should　not　abandon　the　ministry；
for　he　saw　in　him　qualifications　that　would　fit　him　to　be　a　useful　worker
for　Christ。　In　after　years　his　solicitude　in　Mark's　behalf　was　richly
rewarded；　for　the　young　man　gave　himself　unreservedly　to　the　Lord　and　to　the
work　of　proclaiming　the　gospel　message　in　difficult　fields。　Under　the
blessing　of　God；　and　the　wise　training　of　Barnabas；　he　developed　into　a
valuable　worker。

Paul　was　afterward　reconciled　to　Mark　and　received　him　as　a　fellow　laborer。
He　also　recommended　him　to　the　Colossians　as　one　who　was　a　fellow　worker
〃unto　the　kingdom　of　God；〃　and　〃a　comfort　unto　me。〃　Colossians　4：11。　Again；
not　long　before　his　own　death；　he　spoke　of　Mark　as　〃profitable〃　to　him　〃for
the　ministry。〃　2　Timothy　4：11。

After　the　departure　of　Mark；　Paul　and　Barnabas　visited　Antioch　in　Pisidia
and　on　the　Sabbath　day　went　into　the　Jewish　synagogue　and　sat　down。　〃After
the　reading　of　the　law　and　the　prophets　the　rulers　of　the　synagogue　sent
unto

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them；　saying；　Ye　men　and　brethren；　if　ye　have　any　word　of　exhortation　for
the　people；　say　on。〃　Being　thus　invited　to　speak；　〃Paul　stood　up；　and
beckoning　with　his　hand　said；　Men　of　Israel；　and　ye　that　fear　God；　give
audience。〃　Then　followed　a　wonderful　discourse。　He　proceeded　to　give　a
history　of　the　manner　in　which　the　Lord　had　dealt　with　the　Jews　from　the
time　of　their　deliverance　from　Egyptian　bondage；　and　how　a　Saviour　had　been
promised；　of　the　seed　of　David；　and　he　boldly　declared　that　〃of　this　man's
seed　hath　God　according　to　His　promise　raised　unto　Israel　a　Saviour；　Jesus：
when　John　had　first　preached　before　His　coming　the　baptism　of　repentance　to
all　the　people　of　Israel。　And　as　John　fulfilled　his　course；　he　said；　Whom
think　ye　that　I　am？　I　am　not　He。　But；　behold；　there　cometh　One　after　me；
whose　shoes　of　His　feet　I　am　not　worthy　to　loose。〃　Thus　with　power　he
preached　Jesus　as　the　Saviour　of　men；　the　Messiah　of　prophecy。

Having　made　this　declaration；　Paul　said；　〃Men　and　brethren；　children　of　the
stock　of　Abraham；　and　whosoever　among　you　feareth　God；　to　you　is　the　word　of
this　salvation　sent。　For　they　that　dwell　at　Jerusalem；　and　their　rulers；
because　they　knew　Him　not；　nor　yet　the　voices　of　the　prophets　which　are　read
every　Sabbath　day；　they　have　fulfilled　them　in　condemning　Him。〃

Paul　did　not　hesitate　to　speak　the　plain　truth　concerning　the　rejection　of
the　Saviour　by　the　Jewish　leaders。　〃Though　they　found　no　cause　of　death　in
Him；〃　the　apostle　declared；　〃yet　desired　they　Pilate　that　He　should　be
slain。　And　when

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they　had　fulfilled　all　that　was　written　of　Him；　they　took　Him　down　from　the
tree；　and　laid　Him　in　a　sepulcher。　But　God　raised　Him　from　the　dead：　and　He
was　seen　many　days　of　them　which　came　up　with　Him　from　Galilee　to　Jerusalem；
who　are　His　witnesses　unto　the　people。〃

〃We　declare　unto　you　glad　tidings；〃　the　apostle　continued；　〃how　that　the
promise　which　was　made　unto　the　fathers；　God　hath　fulfilled　the　same　unto　us
their　children；　in　that　He　hath　raised　up　Jesus　again；　as　it　is　also　written
in　the　second　psalm；　Thou　art　My　Son；　this　day　have　I　begotten　Thee。　And　as
concerning　that　He　raised　Him　up　from　the　dead；　now　no　more　to　return　to
corruption；　He　said　on　this　wise；　I　will　give　you　the　sure　mercies　of　David。
Wherefore　He　saith　also　in　another　psalm；　Thou　shalt　not　suffer　Thine　Holy
One　to　see　corruption。　For　David；　after　he　had　served　his　own　generation　by
the　will　of　God；　fell　on　sleep；　and　was　laid　unto　his　fathers；　and　saw
corruption：　but　He；　whom　God　raised　again；　saw　no　corruption。〃

And　now；　having　spoken　plainly　of　the　fulfillment　of　familiar　prophecies
concerning　the　Messiah；　Paul　preached　unto　them　repentance　and　the　remission
of　sin　through　the　merits　of　Jesus　their　Saviour。　〃Be　it　known　unto　you；〃　he
said；　〃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。〃

The　Spirit　of　God　accompanied　the　words　that　were　spoken；　and　hearts　were
touched。　The　apostle's　appeal　to　Old　Testament　prophecies；　and　his
declaration　that　these　had　been　fulfilled　in　the　ministry　of　Jesus　of
Nazareth；

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carried　conviction　to　many　a　soul　longing　for　the　advent　of　the　promised
Messiah。　And　the　speaker's　words　of　assurance　that　the　〃glad　tidings〃　of
salvation　were　for　Jew　and　Gentile　alike；　brought　hope　and　joy　to　those　who
had　not　been　numbered　among　the　children　of　Abraham　according　to　the　flesh。

〃When　the　Jews　were　gone　out　of　the　synagogue；　the　Gentiles　besought　that
these　words　might　be　preached　to　them　the　next　Sabbath。〃　The　congregation
having　finally　broken　up；　〃many　of　the　Jews　and　religious　proselytes；〃　who
had　accepted　the　glad　tidings　borne　to　them　that　day；　〃followed　Paul　and
Barnabas：　who；　speaking　to　them；　persuaded　them　to　continue　in　the　grace　of
God。〃

The　interest　aroused　in　Antioch　of　Pisidia　by　Paul's　discourse　brought
together　on　the　next　Sabbath　day；　〃almost　the　whole　city　。　。　。　to　hear　the
word　of　God。　But　when　the　Jews　saw　the　multitudes；　they　were　filled　with
envy；　and　spake　against　those　things　which　were　spoken　by　Paul；
contradicting　and　blaspheming。

〃Then　Paul　and　Barnabas　waxed　bold；　and　said；　It　was　necessary　that　the　word
of　God　should　first　have　been　spoken　to　you：　but　seeing　ye　put　it　from　you；
and　judge　yourselves　unworthy　of　everlasting　life；　lo；　we　turn　to　the
Gentiles。　For　so　hath　the　Lord　commanded　us；　saying；　I　have　set　thee　to　be　a
light　of　the　Gentiles；　that　thou　shouldest　be　for　salvation　unto　the　ends　of
the　earth。〃

〃When　the　Gentiles　heard　this；　they　were　glad；　and　glorified　the　word　of　the
Lord：　and　as　many　as　were　ordained　to　eternal　life　believed。〃　They　rejoiced
exceedingly　that

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Christ　recognized　them　as　the　children　of　God；　and　with　grateful　hearts　they
listened　to　the　word　preached。　Those　who　believed　were　zealous　in
communicating　the　gospel　message　to　others；　and　thus　〃the　word　of　the　Lord
was　published　throughout　all　the　region。〃

Centuries　before；　the　pen　of　inspiration　had　traced　this　ingathering　of　the
Gentiles；　but　those　prophetic　utterances　had　been　but　dimly　understood。
Hosea　had　said：　〃Yet　the　number　of　the　children　of　Israel　shall　be　as　the
sand　of　the　sea；　which　cannot　be　measured　nor　numbered；　and　it　shall　come　to
pass；　that　in　the　place　where　it　was　said　unto　them；　Ye　are　not　My　people；
there　it　shall　be　said　unto　them；　Ye　are　the　sons　of　the　living　God。〃　And
again：　I　will　sow　her　unto　Me　in　the　earth；　and　I　will　have　mercy　upon　her
that　had　not　obtained　mercy；　and　I　will　say　to　them　which　were　not　My
people；　Thou　art　My　people；　and　they　shall　say；　Thou　art　my　God。〃　Hosea
1：10；　2：23。

The　Saviour　Himself；　during　His　earthly　ministry；　foretold　the　spread　of　the
gospel　among　the　Gentiles。　In　the　parable　of　the　vineyard　He　declared　to　the
impenitent　Jews；　〃The　kingdom　of　God　shall　be　taken　from　you；　and　given　to　a
nation　bringing　forth　the　fruits　thereof。〃　Matthew　21：43。　And　after　His
resurrection　He　commissioned　His　disciples　to　go　〃into　all　the　world〃　and
〃teach　all　nations。〃　They　were　to　leave　none　unwarned；　but　were　to　〃preach
the　gospel　to　every　creature。〃　Matthew　28：19；　Mark　16：15。

In　turning　to　the　Gentiles　in　Antioch　of　Pisidia；　Paul　and　Barnabas　did　not
cease　laboring　for　the　Jews　elsewhere；　wherever　there　was　a　favorable
opportunity　to　gain　a　hearing。

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Later；　in　Thessalonica；　in　Corinth；　in　Ephesus；　and　in　other　important
centers；　Paul　and　his　companions　in　labor　preached　the　gospel　to　both　Jews
and　Gentiles。　But　their　chief　energies　were　henceforth　directed　toward　the
building　up　of　the　kingdom　of　God　in　heathen　territory；　among　peoples　who
had　but　little　or　no　knowledge　of　the　true　God　and　of　His　Son。

The　hearts　of　Paul　and　his　associate　workers　were　drawn　out　in　behalf　of
those　who　were　〃without　Christ；　being　aliens　from　the　commonwealth　of
Israel；　and　strangers　from　the　covenants　of　promise；　having　no　hope；　and
without　God　in　the　world。〃　Through　the　untiring　ministrations　of　the
apostles　to　the　Gentiles；　the　〃strangers　and　foreigners；〃　who　〃sometimes
were　far　off；〃　learned　that　they　had　been　〃made　nigh　by　the　blood　of
Christ；〃　and　that　through　faith　in　His　atoning　sacrifice　they　might　become
〃fellow　citizens　with　the　saints；　and　of　the　household　of　God。〃　Ephesians
2：12；　13；　19。

Advancing　in　faith；　Paul　labored　unceasingly　for　the　upbuilding　of　God's
kingdom　among　those　who　had　been　neglected　by　the　teachers　in　Israel。
Consta