26
Sketches from the Life of Paul
with them. The heathen might well call them Christians, since they
preached of Christ, and addressed their prayers to God through him.
In the populous city of Antioch, Paul found an excellent field of
labor, where his great learning, wisdom, and zeal, combined, exerted a
powerful influence over the inhabitants and frequenters of that city of
culture.
Meanwhile the work of the apostles was centered at Jerusalem,
where Jews of all tongues and countries came to worship at the temple
during the stated festivals. At such times the apostles preached Christ
with unflinching courage, though they knew that in so doing their
lives were in constant jeopardy. Many converts to the faith were
made, and these, dispersing to their homes in different parts of the
country, scattered the seeds of truth throughout all nations, and among
all classes of society.
Peter, James, and John felt confident that God had appointed them
to preach Christ among their own countrymen at home. But Paul had
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received his commission from God, while praying in the temple, and
his broad missionary field had been distinctly presented before him.
To prepare him for his extensive and important work, God had brought
him into close connection with himself, and had opened before his
enraptured vision a glimpse of the beauty and glory of Heaven.
God communicated with the devout prophets and teachers in the
church at Antioch. “As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the
Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work where-
unto I have called them.” These apostles were therefore dedicated to
God in a most solemn manner by fasting and prayer and the laying
on of hands; and they were sent forth to their field of labor among the
Gentiles.
Both Paul and Barnabas had been laboring as ministers of Christ,
and God had abundantly blessed their efforts; but neither of them had
previously been formally ordained to the gospel ministry by prayer
and the laying on of hands. They were now authorized by the church,
not only to teach the truth, but to baptize, and to organize churches,
being invested with full ecclesiastical authority. This was an important
era for the church. Though the middle wall of partition between Jew
and Gentile had been broken down by the death of Christ, letting the
Gentiles into the full privileges of the gospel, still the vail had not
yet been torn from the eyes of many of the believing Jews, and they