The Green Forest tribune., 1916-09-01

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 in weakness.-II Cor. 12:9.
 This letter raises interesting Ques- tions for research and discussion, such as:
 l. What is the difference between Paul's heroism and that of soldier! 2. Is war essential to the development of heroism? g. Which courage is high CT, moral or physical?
 l.Paul, the Hero Q1 :21-22). To a man of sensitive nature, craving perfec- ton, sarcasm stirs up the deepest bit terness of the soul. We do not believe Paul primarily desired to refuse these false chargeS-they were unworthy of him-but the knowledge of his suffer- ings for the cause of Christ and the truth of the gospel would augment his power to serve the church. For the sake of those whom he had reclaimed from heathenism he was willing to seem to be boasting. Literally he says: T speak by way of dfsparage- ment (of mySelf) as though we had been weak" yet he adds: "Whereinso-
 
 had as much to boast of as any one of his Jewish opponents (v. 2D. Are they Hebrews? (Of the pureSt blood, of one nation and languageD So. am l." Are they Israelites, worshiping only one God? Are they of the seed of Abraham, interiors of the ministry of the promise and the MeSsianic hope and the kingdom of God? Are they ministers of the Messiah, seeking to i bring all men into his kingdom! "I speak as q fool. l speak as one beside l himself. l am more.' In labors he was more abundant; he had occupied larger field with greater results. In stripes above measure-thoSe inflicted l by the heather were not limited to forty blowS-besides other beatings re- ferred to in this list. In prisons oft (Acts 16 :23). Frequently exposed to death and to the perils of robbers by land and sea (v. 24). Five times 1 received forty stripes, save one, from the Jews" (v. 25). Thrice was beaten with rods; once was l stoned" (Acts. II 19). "Thrice l suffered ship wreck" evidently not recorded in Acts, for his ShipWreck on the way to Rome was later. "A night and a day in the deep" this not otherwise recorded. "In jOurneyings often" suffering from the perils of hard travel, often on foot in unciviliZed regions. 'In perilS of water" literally 'in rivers Bridges were rare. and floods sudden and ire. quent. "In perils of robbers.' Every road in Asia Minor then as now was infested with robbers. "In perils of his own count$ymen; = 'In perils by the Gentiles ;" "In perilS in the city," "In perils in the wilderness; ;" ''In per ills in the sea- from storms, rocks, pi- rates; Tn perils among false breth- ren"-Judaising teachers who were self-seektng instead of making the gOs- pei first (Gal. ? 4 II Cor, II :13). sIn WearineSS and painfulneSS," literally in labor and travail; Tn watchings oft en;" repeated nights of seeplessness due to anxiety or pain. "In hunger and thirst, in fastings often.' hunger un- satisfied for long time. "In colo and nakedness;" in the mountain passes badly shod and badly clothed. Besides these things which were without in- numerable other trials such as the care of or anxiety over the churches (vv. 32, 33). The story of these suf- ferings for the sake of saving men from sin and ruin proves Paul to have been one of the greatest heroes in all history. Paul's enemies had little in- deed to set up against such a record as this. In contrast, there are those today who assume to have all scholar ship and to be entitled to leadership, but who have neither done nor suffered anything worth while in laying a foun- dation for their pretensions. Their assumptions are baSeleSS and their ig- norance of "the marks of the Lord Je- sus" is oft amazing.
 II. Gods Sustaining Grace Q2:l-10). To Paul God gave one of the greatest tasks over committed to man, viz. the | planting of the gospel in heather | lands; founding churches; teaching l them the gospel truths of the Lord Je- sus. He wrote to these churches two- fifths of the New Testament, thirteen of it's twenty-seyen books, and this work was accomplished under the greatest difficulty, trials and suffering. To sustain and guide, the Lord gave him 'yisions and revelations (v. D. l These revelations came to him from the very beginning of his Christian life eli The first was given at his conversion. twenty years before this letter was written. when be saw Jesus in His glory and received his marching or ders. Again (vv. 2-4), fourteen years before, or about A. D. 43, when he was in Antioch and first entered upon his foreign missionary work. He obtained his gospel directly from the Lord Sub sequently he had other visions to sus- tain and guide him. God gives us vi. Sidns today through his word, his prov. idence and the testimony of his serv- ants. PauPS thorn in the flesh (vv 7-1O) is a matter of conjecture. It was given him, lest he be exalted above measure, and he compares this vexa tion to the irritation of a thorn. Some think he had ophthalmia, common disease of the eyes. Professor Ramsey thinks 1t was chronic malarial fever It apparently affected the dignity o1 his outward appearance GIT Cor, 10 I 10). Paul prayed that this thorI might be removed. The answer wa; to give him grace to bear it, thus mak ing the hindrance means of blessing
 Teachers ought to study this entir, section, beginning at chapter 10. Pau