A Light For The Gentiles
For the last of these studies relating to our witness I return once more to make a start from Paul’s experiences at Antioch as recorded in Acts chapter 13. This time I refer to the direct command that came to Paul that he should go to preach to the Gentiles in preference to the Jews: “For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light to the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth” (v.47). The command, which was the Word of God, came through Isaiah the prophet (49:6). It had primary reference to part of the work of God through Jesus. Yet the same prophetic Word of God involved the Apostolic work of Paul and Barnabas, as we have it here in Acts 13. They were “the light of the world” just as surely as Jesus was the “light of the world”. Just as Jesus was the “light of life”, so were they. Unless the world walked in that light, it was in darkness. There was no intermediate state.
In the context of this chapter in Acts, “the light” is that body of knowledge contained in the teaching of Paul. It was his teaching that was rejected by the Jews, and it was their rejection that led to Paul turning to the Gentiles to preach his message to them, and hence the quotation of the prophecy from Isaiah. So by reading the records of Paul’s teaching in the Acts, “the world” may get to know those teachings which are indeed “the light”, the acceptance of which assures that salvation which is offered in that teaching.
In the past several issues I have been considering this teaching of Paul, and its various elements have been carefully looked at. These are the elements, then, which are essential for one to accept, so that the salvation offered may be won. We have noted how that the elements of the teaching presented to the Gentiles were exactly the same as those offered previously to the Jews; that is, that the gospel according to Paul at Antioch was identical with that delivered by Peter on the day of Pentecost. This “glad tidings” (Acts 13:32) was, and is, the light.
The Hope of Israel
First of all, we have been able to see how these teachings concern the Kingdom of God and Christ the king, teachings which have their roots in the Old Testament. Paul’s preaching to the Gentiles in the Acts is full of references to the things concerning the Kingdom of God – which things were the “hope of Israel”. The exposition of this hope recorded in Acts 26 gives an insight into some different aspects of Paul’s manner Of teaching. Consider the record: “Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come: that Christ (i.e. the coming king) should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should show light unto the people and to the Gentiles…King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest…I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds” (v.22,23,27,29)
There are several things that we might consider from this witness:
This preaching of the Apostle Paul was the “light”, because Christ risen from the dead was the light giver (v.23); and as we have just seen from Acts 13, the apostles were the instruments of the risen Christ in shedding that light.
Again, the light he shed concerned the glad tidings of the coming kingdom, with Christ who had suffered as its king.
His witness was very far-reaching, to the small as well as to the king. That he really wanted everyone to know and to accept his teaching is plain from the way in which he appealed to Agrippa. What Paul had was a message of great importance, and he had to impress all his hearers with it, impress them with the good news of the coming kingdom.
There is clearly nothing new in what I am writing here. It is basic matter. Yet unfortunately there is need to write it. I make two points:
I was at a study day recently. It was a good study. During the day there were six prayers given by various brethren. Many different subjects were mentioned in those prayers, but there was not one single prayer about the kingdom, or for the coming of the King. I wonder, do we really believe the gospel of the kingdom? Do we really want Jesus to come? Do we yearn for God’s will to be done in all the earth, and realise that the only way that this will happen is through the coming of Jesus? Or are we thinking that in our own way we can make things better for the world?
I make no apology for mentioning again the views of some amongst us that the belief of the teaching concerning the second coming of Christ is not essential for salvation. See “Bible Student” Vol.19 no.4. page 122. My understanding is that those who do not walk in the light of the teaching of the Apostles are in darkness and will not see life.
Opposition to our Witness
Perhaps we do well to consider why it is that there is so much lukewarmness at the present time with regard to the things of the kingdom. Reading accounts of the activities of Dr Thomas, it is evident that one great cause for concern in his day was the lack of understanding amongst his contemporaries of the things of the kingdom. There was some appreciation among churchmen of the things concerning Jesus, but not any understanding of the things concerning Christ. And so the Christadelphian community is tending to the same position today; and so there is much less opposition to the established church than there used to be. We are even exhorted, from within the community, to strengthen our bonds with the Church and join with them in our preaching. How different from the attitude of Dr Thomas!
But Dr Thomas’s attitude brought him much contempt from his contemporaries. Is such contempt what we are really afraid of? In the context of this study we are now pursuing, we have to remember that it was Paul, at the end of his first journey, who exhorted new disciples at Lystra, Iconium and Antioch that “we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God”. And we can remember, too, that for the hope of Israel Paul was bound with a chain. The story of the witness to the Gentiles in the Acts of the Apostles is one of continual opposition to the preaching, bringing hardship to the preachers. Is not there a lesson here for us today? Have our present attitudes developed because deep down we do not wish to face hardship, simply because we are too comfortable in our present experience? Is this what we fear?
There is a vicious circle here too. Because we are so comfortable, going along with the world, we have no great longings for the kingdom to come, and so we do not appreciate the very essential nature of the teaching concerning the second coming of Christ. We are then not numbered among those who “love his appearing”. And yet it is only to those who so love his appearing that he will grant the crown of righteousness at that day. And if we do not love his appearing,we are quite happy to join with others who also do not love his appearing.
There is the general feeling amongst us that it is the tolerant attitude of the world that shelters us from the excesses of persecution that the apostles suffered in the first century. Whilst that may be a contributory factor, even to think in that way tends to encourage a soft line towards those who teach wrong doctrine. It is good to remember that opposing the doctrine of the Trinity still produces the most vehement reactions, especially in Pentecostal circles, and that making it known that we are the “light of the world” as true followers of the Apostles will occasion the same disdain as it did when Jesus made the same assertion (John 8). When Paul and Barnabas exhorted that the brethren should “through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God”, they indicated that this would surely come about if they were “to continue in the faith”. The very certainty with which the Apostles gave their exhortation in this place (Acts 14:22) ought, I think, give us cause for concern.
Even when there are blatant assertions from within our community that we should join with other churches and preach only the Christian life-style, and that a doctrine such as the second coming of Christ should not be dogmatically asserted, the repercussions within the community are generally muted. What would Dr. Thomas have said? What would Paul have said? There are too many other considerations, besides continuing in the faith, which seem to have to be taken into account nowadays.
Jesus, the Light
In addition to Paul’s teaching to the Gentiles “the kingdom of God”, he also taught “those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 28:31), i.e. those things which concern Jesus as Lord and Christ (Act, 2:36). This teaching was the other part of the Apostle’s role as the “light of the world”. The teaching of Paul on this particular aspect, as we discussed in the previous issue, was that “Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead” (Acts 17:3). Paul virtually repeats this in his speech before Agrippa, saying that “Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should show light unto the people, and to the Gentiles”.
Now as we have already seen, the teaching of Jesus, and then of the Apostles, was the ‘light’ which came to both Jew and Gentile. Yet, really, that teaching was only the dissemination of the light. The actual light was to be found in the man Jesus himself, in all his ways and in all that happened to him, in fact, his suffering and his resurrection – that was the light of the world. This is spelt out for us in that chapter from which Paul drew his authority to take to himself this role, viz. Isaiah 49. After proclaiming in verse 6: “I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles”, God said to His servant, “I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people”(v.8); in like vein, in Isaiah chapter 42:6: “I will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles”. It was the giving of Jesus, by God, as a covenant which was the “light .of the world”, which covenant was made effective in his sufferings and resurrection.
But Paul and his fellow apostles in their turn took on the role of the “light of the world”, and so it was absolutely essential that on them too fell this mantle of suffering. It was a fellowship of suffering. Thus the record in the Acts of the Apostles is a witness to the sufferings of the Apostles. So that Paul, later, commenting on this situation, could write that knowing Jesus and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, and being made conformable unto his death, meant suffering the loss of all things, and counting them but dung. And again, when he spoke of rejoicing in his sufferings, he said that he was filling up that which was behind of the afflictions of Christ (Co1.1:24).
And we claim to be the followers of the Apostles, thus bringing light to the world. But what of our standing in the light of the world? Are we seen as a community who are prepared to suffer the loss of all things that we may know the power of Christ’s resurrection?
We will give the Apostle Paul the final word, as he spoke to Agrippa: “And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. But rise, stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. Whereupon, 0 king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision”.
Reflections on the Potter and the Clay