236
The Voice in Speech and Song
Thus the apostle varied his manner of labor, shaping his message
to the circumstances under which he was placed. After patient labor
he was successful to a large degree; yet there were many who would
not be convinced.—
Gospel Workers, 118
.
Modest Language—There is a striking contrast between the
boastful, self-righteous claims of those who profess to be without
[370]
sin, and the modest language of the apostle. Yet it was the purity and
faithfulness of his own life that gave such power to his exhortations to
his brethren.—
The Sanctified Life, 86
.
Forcible Manner—With the Spirit of God resting upon him, he
would in a clear and forcible manner carry his hearers down through
the prophecies to the time of Christ’s first advent and show them that
the scriptures had been fulfilled which referred to His sufferings, death,
and resurrection.—
Early Writings, 201, 202
.
Convincing Arguments—Among those who encountered Paul in
the marketplace were “certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of
the Stoics”; but they, and all others who came in contact with him,
soon saw that he had a store of knowledge even greater than their own.
His intellectual power commanded the respect of the learned; while
his earnest, logical reasoning and the power of his oratory held the
attention of all in the audience. His hearers recognized the fact that
he was no novice, but was able to meet all classes with convincing
arguments in support of the doctrines he taught. Thus the apostle stood
undaunted, meeting his opposers on their own ground, matching logic
with logic, philosophy with philosophy, eloquence with eloquence.
His heathen opponents called his attention to the fate of Socrates,
who, because he was a setter-forth of strange gods, had been con-
demned to death; and they counseled Paul not to endanger his life in
the same way. But the apostle’s discourses riveted the attention of
[371]
the people, and his unaffected wisdom commanded their respect and
admiration.—
The Acts of the Apostles, 235, 236
.
Failure of Mere Eloquence and Logic—It had been Paul’s cus-
tom to adopt an oratorical style in his preaching. He was a man fitted
to speak before kings, before the great and learned men of Athens, and
his intellectual acquirements were often of value to him in preparing
the way for the gospel. He tried to do this in Athens, meeting elo-
quence with eloquence, philosophy with philosophy, and logic with