The life and work of St. Paul

ON JEWISH SCOUKGINQS.
a master 6n hia slave, (vii.) Lastly, there is no other reasonable explanation of tha
circumstance that, when St. Paul had uttered an indignant answer to the High
Priest, and had been rebuked for it, he at once frankly offered his apology by
saying that "he had not recognised the speaker to have been the High Priest." Now,
considering the position of the High Priest as Nasi of the Sanhedrin, seated at the end
of the hall, with the Ab Beth Din on one side of him, and the Chacham on the other, 1
it is almost inconceivable that Paul should not have been aware of his rank if he had
not suffered from defective sight. All that his blurred vision took in was a white figure,
nor did he see this figure with sufficient clearness to be able to distinguish that the
overbearing tyrant was no less a person than the High Priest himself. 2
But if these conjectures are correct and to me they seem to be almost certain how im
mensely do they add to our conception of Paul's heroism ; how much do they heighten
the astonishment and admiration which we feel at all that he endured and all that he
accomplished ! This man, who almost single-handed carried the Gospel
Damascus to Rome, was so great a sufferer from inflammation of the eyes that he was often
pitiable to look upon ; was unable to write except with pain, and in large letters ; was
liable to attacks of severe agony, accompanied at times with loss of consciousness. He
was so weak and ailing that under circumstances of danger he was personally helpless ;
715
of Christ from
that be had to be passively conducted from place to place ; that it was almost impossible
for him, I will not say only to preach, but even to get through the ordinary routine of
life without companions to guide, and protect, and lead him by the hand. 3 We can then
see how indispensable it was that St. Paul should have some " that ministered unto him ;"
how strongly he would feel the necessity of being always accompanied upon his missions
by faithful friends ; 4 how much anguish might lie in his remark that in his strong affection
for the Thessalonians he was even ready for their sakes to part with his beloved
Timotheus, and to be left at Athens alone. 5 How close, then, and how tender would be
the bond of mutual gratitude and affection which would inevitably grow up under such
circumstances between himself and the little band of disciples by whom he was usually
accompanied ! With what deepened bitterness would he feel the cruelty of neglect "~>v
ingratitude when, at his first answer, no man stood with him, but all forsook * him '
EXCURSUS XI. (p. 127).
ON JEWISH SCOUBQINQS.
EVEN a single Jewish scourging might well entitle any man to be regarded as a martyr.
Thirty-nine blows were inflicted, unless, indeed, it was found that the strength of the
patient was too much exhausted to admit of his receiving the full number. Eoth of his
hands were tied to what is sometimes called a column, but which was in reality a stake a
1 Acts xxiii. 5. It is possible that the presence of Roman officials disturbed this order.
* The expression " fixing an earnest gaze "
(dTei/iVa?) has often been adduced as yet another sign
that St. Paul's eyesight was weak, and therefore that he had acquired the intent stare so common
in short-sighted people. This argument is, however, untenable, since the word is a favourite one
with St. Luke (Acts xiii. 9 ; xxiii. 1) and is applied not only to St. Paul, but also to St. Peter, St.
Stephen, and even to whole bodies of men (Luke iv. 20 : xxii. 56 ; Acts i. 10 ; iii. 2 1 ; vL 15 ;
vii. 55).
3 Acts XViL 14, rov IIouXov efaire'oreeAav ot a&e\ol; 15, oi S KafltOTai/ovres (Kaffierriavre^, E, G, II)
TOV UaOXov mayov ews 'Aflrji-coi'. These phrases seein more specific than those in Gen. xviii. 16:
Rom. XV. 24 (Trpoirfn9rjv