Sketches from the Life of Paul

334 Pages·2010·1.02 MB·English

by  Ellen G. White

Sketches from the Life of
Paul
Ellen G. White
1883
Information about this Book
Overview
This ePub publication is provided as a service of the Ellen
G. White Estate. It is part of a larger collection. Please visit
the Ellen G. White Estate website for a complete list of available
publications.
AbouttheAuthor
Ellen G. White (1827-1915) is considered the most widely
translated American author, her works having been published in
morethan160languages. Shewrotemorethan100,000pageson
awidevarietyofspiritualandpracticaltopics. GuidedbytheHoly
Spirit, she exalted Jesus and pointed to the Scriptures as the basis
ofone’sfaith.
FurtherLinks
ABriefBiographyofEllenG.White
AbouttheEllenG.WhiteEstate
EndUserLicenseAgreement
The viewing, printing or downloading of this book grants you
only a limited, nonexclusive and nontransferable license for use
solely by you for your own personal use. This license does not
permit republication, distribution, assignment, sublicense, sale,
preparation of derivative works, or other use. Any unauthorized
useofthisbookterminatesthelicensegrantedhereby.
©Copyright2010bytheEllenG.WhiteEstate,Inc.
Formoreinformationabouttheauthor,publishers,orhowyou
cansupportthisservice, pleasecontacttheEllenG.WhiteEstate:
(emailaddress).Wearethankfulforyourinterestandfeedbackand
wishyouGod’sblessingasyouread.
Contents
InformationaboutthisBook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
AbouttheAuthor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
FurtherLinks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
EndUserLicenseAgreement . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Preface. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
ChapterI—SaulthePersecutor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
ChapterII—ConversionofSaul. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
ChapterIII—PaulEntersUponHisMinistry . . . . . . . 32
ChapterIV—OrdinationofPaulandBarnabas . . . . . . 40
ChapterV—PreachingAmongtheHeathen . . . . . . . 52
ChapterVI—JewandGentile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
ChapterVII—ImprisonmentofPaulandSilas . . . . . . 72
ChapterVIII—OppositionatThessalonica . . . . . . . . 81
ChapterIX—PaulatBereaandAthens . . . . . . . . . . 87
ChapterX—PaulatCorinth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
ChapterXI—EpistlestotheThessalonians . . . . . . . . 109
ChapterXII—ApollosatCorinth . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
ChapterXIII—PaulatEphesus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
ChapterXIV—TrialsandVictoriesofPaul . . . . . . . . 140
ChapterXV—PaultotheCorinthians . . . . . . . . . . . 149
ChapterXVI—SecondEpistletotheCorinthians . . . . 172
ChapterXVII—PaulRevisitsCorinth . . . . . . . . . . 183
ChapterXVIII—Paul’sLastJourneytoJerusalem . . . . 194
ChapterXIX—MeetingwiththeElders . . . . . . . . . 207
ChapterXX—PaulaPrisoner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
ChapterXXI—TrialatCaesarea . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
ChapterXXII—PaulAppealstoCaesar . . . . . . . . . 246
ChapterXXIII—AddressBeforeAgrippa . . . . . . . . 252
ChapterXXIV—TheVoyageandShipwreck . . . . . . . 261
ChapterXXV—ArrivalatRome . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
ChapterXXVI—SojournatRome . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
ChapterXXVII—Caesar’sHousehold . . . . . . . . . . 289
ChapterXXVIII—PaulatLiberty . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
ChapterXXIX—TheFinalArrest . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
ChapterXXX—PaulBeforeNero . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
ChapterXXXI—Paul’sLastLetter . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
ChapterXXXII—MartyrdomofPaulandPeter . . . . . 328
Preface
All who have read the life of Christ as presented in volumes
two and three of “The Great Controversy,” will welcome another
bookbythesamewritertreatinginasimilarmanneruponthelife
and labors of the apostle Paul. Among the many valuable works
uponthelifeofPaul,thisbookoccupiesafieldpeculiarlyitsown.
The historical narrative is traced down in a clear and connected
manner,fromthetimeofPaul’sfirstdealingswiththechurchasa
persecutor, until he was “offered up” as a willing sacrifice for the
causewhichhehadlearnedtolovemorethanhisownlife. Besides
this,fromhislaborsandsufferings,andfromtheinstructionwhich
hegavetothechurchesunderhiscare,practicalmorallessonsare
drawnforthechurchoftoday. Thisisthedistinctivefeatureofthe
book,andisthatwhichmakesitparticularlyvaluable.
Thewriterofthisbook,havingreceivedespecialhelpfromthe
SpiritofGod,isabletothrowlightupontheteachingsofPauland
theirapplicationtoourowntime,asnootherauthorsareprepared
to do. She has not suffered herself to be drawn aside to discuss
theories, or to indulge in speculation. No extraneous matter is
introduced. Consequently much that is contained in other books,
which is interesting to the curious, and has a certain value, but
whichisafteralllittlemorethantheory,findsnoplaceinthiswork.
Ofcourseinabookofthissizethevastamountofinstruction
containedinPaul’sepistlescouldbeconsideredonlyinpart. Some
of these are not referred to, others are passed by with a simple
mention, and none of them are fully canvassed. Enough of them
arementioned,however,toenablethereadertoenterintothespirit
whichactuatedthegreatapostle. Andiftheperusalofthisvolume
shallleadthereadertolayholduponthehopewhichsustainedPaul
inhislaborsandtrials,andshallhelphimtofightthegoodfightof
faith,theobjectofitspublicationwillbeaccomplished.
—Publishers
8
Chapter I—Saul the Persecutor
From among the most bitter and relentless persecutors of the
church of Christ, arose the ablest defender and most successful
heraldofthegospel. Withtheapostolicbrotherhoodofthechosen
twelve, who had companied with Christ from his baptism even to
his ascension, was numbered one who had never seen the Lord
while he dwelt among men, and who had heard his name uttered
only in unbelief and contempt. But beneath the blindness and
bigotryofthezealotandthePharisee,InfiniteWisdomdiscerneda
heartloyaltotruthandduty.AndthevoicefromHeavenmadeitself
heardabovetheclamorsofprideandprejudice.Inthepromulgation
of the gospel, Divine Providence would unite with the zeal and
devotion of the Galilean peasants, the fiery vigor and intellectual
power of a rabbi of Jerusalem. To lead the battle against pagan
philosophyandJewishformalism,waschosenonewhohadhimself
9
witnessedthedebasingpowerofheathenworship,andenduredthe
spiritualbondageofPharisaicexaction.
Saul of Tarsus was a Jew, not only by descent, but by the
stronger ties of lifelong training, patriotic devotion, and religious
faith. Though a Roman citizen, born in a Gentile city, he was
educated in Jerusalem by the most eminent of the rabbis, and
diligently instructed in all the laws and traditions of the Fathers.
Thusheshared,tothefullestextent,thehopesandaspirations,the
lofty pride and unyielding prejudice, of his nation. He declares
himself to have been “a Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the
law,aPharisee; concerningzeal,persecutingthechurch; touching
therighteousnesswhichisinthelaw,blameless.” Hewasregarded
by the Jewish leaders as a young man of great promise, and
highhopeswerecherishedconcerninghimasanableandzealous
defenderoftheancientfaith.
In common with his nation, Saul had cherished the hope of
a Messiah who should reign as a temporal prince, to break from
the neck of Israel the Roman yoke, and exalt her to the throne
of universal empire. He had no personal knowledge of Jesus of
Nazareth or of his mission, but he readily imbibed the scorn and
hatred of the rabbis toward one who was so far from fulfilling
their ambitious hopes; and after the death of Christ, he eagerly
joined with priests and rulers in the persecution of his followers
asaproscribedandhatedsect.
TheJewishleadershadsupposedthattheworkofChristwould
end with him; that when his voice was no longer heard, the
excitementwould
10