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Paul Visits Jerusalem
After Paul’s conversion, he visited Jerusalem and there preached
Jesus and the wonders of His grace. He related his miraculous
conversion, which so enraged the priests and rulers that they sought
to take his life. But that he might be saved, Jesus again appeared to
him in a vision while he was praying, and said unto him, “Get thee
quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony
concerning Me.” Paul answered, “Lord, they know that I imprisoned
and beat in every synagogue them that believed on Thee: and when
the blood of Thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by,
and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that
slew him.” Paul thought that the Jews in Jerusalem could not resist
his testimony; that they would consider that the great change in him
could be wrought only by the power of God. But the reply was more
decided than before: “Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the
Gentiles.”
During Paul’s absence from Jerusalem, he wrote many letters
to different places, relating his experience and bearing a powerful
testimony. But some strove to destroy the influence of those letters.
They were forced to admit that his letters were weighty and powerful,
but they declared that his bodily presence was weak and his speech
contemptible.
The facts in the case were that Paul was a man of great learning,
and his wisdom and manners charmed his hearers. Learned men
were pleased with his knowledge, and many of them believed on
Jesus. When before kings and large assemblies, he would pour
forth such eloquence as would fascinate all before him. This greatly
enraged the priests and elders. Paul could readily enter into deep
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reasoning and, soaring up, carry the people with him in the most
exalted trains of thought, bringing to view the deep riches of the
grace of God and portraying before them the amazing love of Christ.
Then with simplicity he would come down to the understanding
of the common people and in a most powerful manner relate his
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