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The Acts of the Apostles
“in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.”
1 Corinthians 2:3
.
He trembled lest his teaching should reveal the impress of the human
rather than the divine.
“We speak wisdom among them that are perfect,” Paul afterward
declared; “yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this
world, that come to nought: but we speak the wisdom of God in a
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mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the
world unto our glory: which none of the princes of this world knew:
for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have
entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for
them that love Him. But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit:
for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For
what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is
in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of
God.
“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit
which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given
to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which
man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing
spiritual things with spiritual.”
1 Corinthians 2:6-13
.
Paul realized that his sufficiency was not in himself, but in the
presence of the Holy Spirit, whose gracious influence filled his heart,
bringing every thought into subjection to Christ. He spoke of himself as
“always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the
life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.”
2 Corinthians
4:10
. In the apostle’s teachings Christ was the central figure. “I live,”
he declared, “yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.”
Galatians 2:20
. Self
was hidden; Christ was revealed and exalted.
Paul was an eloquent speaker. Before his conversion he had often
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sought to impress his hearers by flights of oratory. But now he set
all this aside. Instead of indulging in poetic descriptions and fanciful
representations, which might please the senses and feed the imagina-
tion, but which would not touch the daily experience, Paul sought by
the use of simple language to bring home to the heart the truths that
are of vital importance. Fanciful representations of truth may cause
an ecstasy of feeling, but all too often truths presented in this way do
not supply the food necessary to strengthen and fortify the believer