The life and work of St. Paul

4122 THE LiirE AUD wofcs or ST.
doing all he could, again and again, to repair it. Lastly, lie had a hope-*
sometimes strong and sometimes weak that so striking a proof of disin-
terested generosity on the part of the Gentile Churches which he had founded
would surely touch the hearts of the Pharisaic section of the mother Church,
and if it eonld not cement the differences between the Christians of Judsea
and Heathendom, would at least prevent the needless widening of the rift
which separated them. At moments of deeper discouragement, writing from
Corinth to Rome, 1 while he recognises the ideal fitness of an effort on the
part of Gentile Christians to show, by help in temporal matters, their sense
of obligation for the spiritual blessings which had radiated to them from
the Holy City, and while- he looks on the contribution as a harvest gathering
to prove to Jewish Christians the genuineness of the seed sown among the
heathen, he yet has obvious misgivings about the spirit in which even this
offering may be accepted, and most earnestly entreats the Romans not only
to agonise with him in their prayers to God that he may be delivered from
Jewish violence in Judsea, but also that the bounty of which he was the chief
minister might be graciously received. It may be that by that time experiences
of conflict with the Judaisers in Corinth may have somewhat damped
the fervour cf his hopes ; for before his arrival there, 2 he gives expression to
glowing anticipations that their charitable gifts would not only relieve undeserved
distress, but would be a proof of sincere allegiance to the Gospel of
Christ, and would call forth deep thankfulness to God. 3 Alas ! those glowing
anticipations
were doomed there is too much reason to fear to utter dis-
appointment.
Having finished his work in the whole of Macedonia, and finding no more
opportunity for usefulness in those parts, 4 he at last sot out on Ids way to
Corinth. It was probably towards the close of the year 57, but whether Paul
travelled by sea or land, and from what point he started, we do not know.
After his journey into Macedonia Quarta, he perhaps returned to Thessalonica,
which was a convenient place of rendezvous for the various brethren who
now accompanied him. The number of his associates makes it most probable
that he chose the less expensive, though, at that late season of the year,
more dangerous mode of transit, and took ship from Thessalonica to Cenchreae,
The care of the money, and his own determination Co have nothing to do with
it, rendered it necessary for the treasurers appointed by the scattered communities
to accompany his movements. The society of these fellow-travellere
must have been a source of deep happiness to the over-tried and over-wearied
Apostle, and the sympathy of such devoted friends must have fallen like dew
upon his soul. There was the young and quiet Timothy, the beloved com-
panion of his life there was ; Tychicus, who had been won in the school of
Tyrannus, and 6 remained faithful to him to the very last there was Gaius of
;
Derbe, a living memorial of the good work done in his earliest missionary
1 Rom. xv. 2532. * 2 Cor. viii. 24 ; ix. 1215.
2 Cor. ix. 14,
* Bom. XV. 23, JU^KCTI TOTTOV l\