The story of the Church in Acts begins at Jerusalem and ends in Rome. As Acts comes to a close, we are given the story of Paul’s travels from Jerusalem to Rome as a prisoner. Paul here, emblematic of Christianity after his departure from the Church, thus summarizes the beginning of God’s work in power on the day of Pentecost at Jerusalem and the end of it in chains in Rome. Acts really gives us the journey of the Church from Jerusalem to Rome—of how the early Church went from one earthly center to another, giving up its heavenly hope.
The primitive church soon left its first love and returned to the world out of which the Apostles and other great servants called it by the preaching of the gospel. At the close Paul wrote to Timothy of the state of things in Asia, the pinnacle of his work— “you know this, that all who are in Asia . . . have turned away from me” —2 Tim. 1:1515This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes. (2 Timothy 1:15). Ephesus was the capital of Asia, and the scene of Paul’s mighty works. When the Lord, acting in the capacity of a judge, gives John a message to “the angel” (that is the representative) of the Church of Ephesus, He says “remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works, or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of its place, except thou repent” —Rev. 2:55Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. (Revelation 2:5). But Ephesus did not repent any more than Israel, and its candlestick is gone—that is, it no more sheds its light in the world. God knew the end from the beginning and has given us the story of the fall of the early Church under the symbolism of Paul’s shipwreck and voyage to Rome, which we will now consider.
Part 1—Sailing and “the Ship” in Acts
Luke’s account of the voyage of Paul’s second ship, the storm, and shipwreck, rate high as history. In fact, they give us the best account extant of ancient sailing vessels and how they were managed in distress. But every word of Scripture is God-breathed—divinely inspired. Scripture is not written to gratify our curiosity about happenings in the past. This is the work of the historian. It is true that Scripture contains much history, but the record is for our instruction, not our mental gratification. When history is given to us in Scripture it has a moral bearing. God has given to us “all things that pertain to life and godliness” —2 Pet. 1:33According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: (2 Peter 1:3). If it does not pertain to life and godliness it will not be recorded in the Scriptures. Since the story of Paul’s shipwreck is recorded in great detail, we do well to consider the lessons the Holy Spirit would teach us in the account. We shall carefully support our study from the Holy Scriptures, and not draw on our imaginations. Some writers prefer to inveigh against all attempts to unfold the underlying spiritual teaching of Paul’s shipwreck without defending their objections from Scripture. But “the servant of the Lord must not strive” —2 Ti. 2:2424And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, (2 Timothy 2:24). Instead like the Bereans let us search the Scriptures to see whether these things are so.
Sailing With Paul
the Ship in Acts As a Figure of the Church
A huge ship plowing its way through a mighty ocean is an inspiring sight. It is as much a center of administration as a city, governed by maritime law, self-contained, with its officers and crew performing their allotted duties—making use of the seas for its own purposes yet riding on the surface of them. As such it is a fitting figure of the Church and is so employed in Acts.1 We say “fitting figure” because the seas in Scripture are often used symbolically to depict the wild unruly nations. Passing through the nations the Church was to be morally above them—a witness to them. The Roman Catholic Church calls itself “the ship of Peter”, thus endorsing the figurative meaning of the ship. However, though Peter was a fisherman in the gospels he is a landsman in Acts. It is Paul and his associates who sail in Acts.
The record of Paul’s sailings is almost a chronicle of his works. With the aid of a good concordance we see that sailing in Scripture, with minor exceptions, is almost entirely confined to the Book of Acts. Also, the word “ship” is never found in the New Testament after the Book of Acts, in which it is prominently featured. What is more the word “ship” does not appear in the text in Acts until quite late—20:13—although Paul had sailed a great deal before that. What is the meaning of these design features? Some of the answers start to show up as soon as we search for meaning in the way “ship” appears in the text. There is a design behind its usage, which we have grouped under three headings:
Spiritual declension and Paul’s decision to visit the temple—The word “ship” does not appear in the text until the things causing the Church’s later break-up become evident. The first mention of “ship” followed the fall of Eutychus—a figure of a believer who is bored listening to Paul, drops asleep, and falls. The fall of the individual believer can be contagious. “I’m going fishing” Peter said. The others told him they would go too. And so “ship” appears again following Paul’s warning to the Ephesian elders about those who would ravage the Church after he left it—20:29, 30. The spiritual leadership of the Church was wanting. The Lord gave Ephesus time to repent—read Rev. 2:1-71Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; 2I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: 3And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast labored, and hast not fainted. 4Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. 6But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. (Revelation 2:1‑7). Instead the Church became more and more involved with the world. This is indicated by the stop at Tyre, the city of the world’s commerce in Scripture. Here the Spirit warns Paul not to go up to Jerusalem—21:4. After a final warning from Agabus of coming imprisonment, Paul leaves for Jerusalem.
The Storm—A tree’s dead branches break in a winter storm even nature teaching us that what is lifeless or weak is most vulnerable. It was for this reason Satan, using the Roman emperors as his instrument, persecuted the Church. God allowed it to purge the Church of its worldliness, spiritual declension generally, and return to externals. The figure of this is Paul’s ship wallowing in the storm Satan originated. As the Prince of the power of the air he whipped the seas—(the nations)—to fury against the Church.
The Shipwreck—The Centurion (representative of the power of Rome) wants to save Paul (representative of Christianity). But his terms are the abandonment of the ship, followed by the captivity of Paul (Christianity) in Rome. We will explain this more fully to our readers in Part 2.
Part 2—The Three Ships Which Took Paul to Rome
The first ship on which Paul sails is a figure of the Church still under Paul’s leadership. It comes from Adramyttium— “meaning to sail by the coasts of Asia” —thus being clearly identified with the Roman Province of Asia where Paul’s teaching reached its zenith. The next two ships— (one of which sustained shipwreck and the other which took Paul to Rome) both came from Alexandria, a city identified with opposition to Paul’s teachings. Now let us look at the voyage of the first ship.
The First Ship-Figure of the Church Under Paul’s Leadership
The voyage of the first ship is divided into two parts—the commencement of the voyage and “the next day.”
Aristarchus accompanies Paul at the commencement. He is a Macedonian and described as Paul’s travelling companion in 19:29 during the riot at Ephesus. Here we have a figure of Paul’s work among the Gentiles with others sharing in it. The ship meant “to sail by the coasts of Asia.” This was Paul’s great field of labor. In 20:4 Aristarchus accompanied Paul into Asia. This part of the voyage is uneventful.
A change is indicated on “the next day.” On “the next day” the ship touched at Sidon. Sidon is the sister city of Tyre, with which it is generally linked in the Bible. Tyre speaks of the world’s commerce; Sidon of its industry. We believe that the ship touching at Sidon is a foreshadowing of the ultimate involvement of the Church with the goods of this world. The reason for this belief is that Paul was warned at Tyre by the Spirit not to go up to Jerusalem—21:4 but the ship does not dock at Sidon until now. Indeed, the two great things which characterize “the next day” are the touching at Sidon and Julius the Centurion the symbol of the power of Rome. Cyprus also arrests our attention. “We sailed under Cyprus because the winds were contrary.” Barnabas sailed away to Cyprus following his dispute with Paul. Is the mention of Cyprus here a veiled allusion to this in contrast to the mention of Aristarchus who travelled with Paul? However, this may be the contrary winds do not prevent the first ship from entering harbor. As long as Paul is listened to there is progress. But now the prisoners are transferred to the second ship.
The Second Ship—Shipwreck of the Church Through Ignoring Paul
No man is named on the second ship except Paul, who becomes the central figure. Those who listen to Paul are “we” or “us” —those who don’t— “they” “them” or “the sailors” “the centurion” “the soldiers.” Through this device we are informed that there are two parties on board, and our attention is drawn to those who accept or reject Paul’s counsel, and to the roles they play.
The second ship is from Alexandria, the great Greek intellectual city of the ancient world with its library and university. It was the home of theological speculation—of Philo and Origen. It is not drawing idle conclusions to suggest that when the Centurion “put us therein” that is on the ship of Alexandria—we get the foreshadowing of the first great departure from Pauline doctrine, for it is an historical fact that this took place under Origen of Alexandria. Those familiar with Church history do not need to be reminded of Origen’s role as an architect of the disaster of the early Church. Being personally pious and holy, zealous for the faith, and heedless of the risk of martyrdom were good traits we find in Origen. But Paul writes— “though I give my body to be burned and have not love it profiteth me nothing” —1 Cor. 13:33And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:3). Origen moved away from the love of the truth Paul taught and mingled Christianity and the speculations of philosophy. Of him Carron writes— “heretics and philosophers attended his lectures and he wrote much on philosophy and religion and won over many of the intelligentsia of his day by his arguments. The effect was to mingle philosophy and Christianity to the great detriment of the latter . . . he pursued a fanciful and allegorical method of interpreting the Scriptures rather than teaching the plain sense of the Word. His methods of interpretation set a fashion for after ages which was not seriously checked until Reformation times.”2 Origen himself was influenced by Clemens Alexandrinus, preceptor in the Catechetical School of Alexandria. Origen became the chief exponent of the tenets of the Alexandrian school and fiercely assailed certain aspects of Paul’s doctrine which disagreed with his philosophy. Thus we see how the ship of Alexandria led the way to Rome. Babylon—the Rome of Rev. 17:55And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. (Revelation 17:5)—means ‘confusion by mixing.’ Paul taught “ye are complete in Him who is the Head of all principality and power” —Col. 2:1010And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: (Colossians 2:10). Since we are complete in Him why should we add the vain philosophical vaporings of the human mind to spoil everything?
The natural man cannot understand this principle. A professor at the University of Toronto once challenged a Christian student “why did St. Paul not visit Alexandria in view of its intellectual prominence in the ancient world? All the New Testament says about Alexandria is that two ships came from there and that it was the birthplace of Apollos!” He forgot that it was the synagogue of the Alexandrians which disputed with Stephen. Even before Christianity its doctrines troubled Judaism. So Paul wisely avoided Alexandria. He also left his Colossian letter to the Church as a warning against philosophy. But it was ignored because those who followed Paul didn’t understand that to mingle Christianity with philosophy is to adulterate the former. Philosophy is the great external enemy of Christianity because it is the mind of man opposing the divine revelation and substituting its own thoughts. Philosophy leaves man in his natural darkness; Paul’s doctrine is a revelation from God and brings man into the light. With these remarks we will return to our second ship the ship from Alexandria.
On the second ship we “sailed slowly many days.” Even so it makes harbor at Fair Havens. As long as Paul’s voice is heard at all winds may be contrary or the ship may be virtually becalmed still, enough progress is made to reach harbor, and the ship remains intact. The ship here, we must emphasize, speaks not only of the Church but of the Church when it was a united whole, testifying to a world it is morally above. But now a change takes place. A council is called on board ship which the principal men attend. Surely, they think, there must be a better harbor than Fair Havens for the ship. The majority overrule Paul’s wise counsel 27:12 and the stage is set for the Church’s shipwreck. The failure of the Church as a united testimony to the world can be traced to disregarding Paul’s doctrine and allowing majority rule to take its place. The form this took in the actual history of the Church was to suppress Paul’s teaching, using the universal authority of the Church as man saw it.
At first the South wind blows softly, and they suppose that they have gained their purpose. The South wind blowing softly is a figure of Satan prospering those in the Church who do their own will gain their purpose and ignore Paul. Even in the first century the Church wanted a form of Christianity less offensive to the world than Paul’s gospel. “All those who are in Asia have turned away from me” Paul said 2 Tim. 1:1515This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes. (2 Timothy 1:15). So God allowed the early Church to experience what the world really was. He who understands what is happening allows Satan to persecute the Church to restore it to its faithfulness, even if its outward unity is destroyed in the process. Satan cannot touch us unless God permits it. When He allowed Satan to touch Job “behold there came a great wind from over the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men and they died” Job 1:1919And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. (Job 1:19). So here “there arose against it a tempestuous wind called Euroclydon.” All progress is stopped at once and the ship is driven helpless up and down in Adria. “Adria” is the present Mediterranean3— “our sea” to the Romans and marks the extent of the persecution Satan organized against the Church throughout the whole of the Roman Empire. Believers suffered unspeakable torments such as being thrown to lions in the arenas, burnt alive, tortured, etc. No wonder that “all hope that we should be saved was then taken away” — (v. 20).
At this juncture the sailors, who aren’t really interested in the fate of the ship or its passengers, see the chance of saving themselves. First, they cast four anchors out of the stern. Then, pretending that they are going to drop anchors out of the prow, they make for the ship’s lifeboat, planning to abandon the ship and its passengers to their fate. Paul discovers their plans and the soldiers stop them. When it is day, and just before the end, they discard the sea anchors, letting them drift away. The ship’s security on the open seas is therefore gone, and it must make for land at once.
To interpret these actions “the sailors” are a figure of those who think they can run the Church without Paul the four anchors are Paul’s four great doctrines (which we shall consider later) the prow (the leading part of the ship) speaks of the position occupied by the leaders of the Church who misguided the people with false anchors (anchors of pretense) which are worthless. To make sure the reader does not think this is spiritualizing Scripture let us test the interpretation against the actual history of the early Church.
After Paul left the Church, those who moved up to the prow of the ship that is the leaders who came after him ignored his doctrines. They threw his four anchors into the sea and pretended that the anchors in the prow where they were in other words their teachings should point the way for the Church. Self-interest was their motive, for, while they were at the prow, they tried to save themselves at the expense of those in the ship.
A ship’s anchor is the symbol of its security. On board the ship Paul’s four anchors—that is his four great doctrines—were a constant reminder that the ship’s true anchorage is in heaven. But the crew were not interested in the ship’s security, only their own. Pretending they were dropping anchors out of the front of the ship they were actually lowering the ship’s boat, so they could escape. The real anchors had been thrown into the sea. The remaining anchors are associated with deception. We are deceived when we substitute something else for the heavenly hope Paul left us— “which hope we have as an anchor of the soul” —Heb. 6:1919Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; (Hebrews 6:19). This is what the early leaders of the Church did. Why did they do it? Verse 29 says it was fear of hitting rocks. This simply means they thought that holding on to Paul’s doctrine might cause the ship to drift onto the rocks and be broken. In plain language they feared it would divide the Church which by now preferred a worldly Christianity. A heavenly Christianity would only ensure the continuing hostility of the world. At periodic intervals the Church had been persecuted by the Empire. Generations of believers had been forced to live and die in the Catacombs for their faith—see illustrations. The time had come for a truce with the world. Since Paul’s teachings opposed this, they must be watered down. The Empire too assessed the persecutions. They had cost it some of its most able and educated people. It was time for compromise. The Empire would meet the Church halfway. The persecutions would cease—Christianity would be the official religion. What could the Church offer? We get the answer in Paul’s shipwreck. Those in charge started to discard Paul’s four anchors one by one. They got rid of the anchor that Christ is the Head in heaven of His body the Church on earth. They substituted a man on earth—the Pope. They got rid of another anchor—the Lord’s Supper. This was changed into the Mass. They got rid of the doctrine of the first resurrection. Instead there was the hope of a precarious passage through purgatory. They got rid of the doctrine of the Lord’s second coming. Instead the Church is to establish the millennium on earth, and to speed this happy day the Pope was granted temporal as well as spiritual power—hence the term “Christendom” —Christ’s Kingdom. See how the Lord anticipated their actions in another portion of Scripture—Mat. 24:48-51.
After Paul’s doctrine was given up in the early Church nearly everything else went too. This is the meaning of “they lightened the ship and threw the wheat into the sea.” The wheat is a figure of the Bible, the food of God’s people. They were starving on a wheat ship, for that is what Paul’s ship was. To carry the figure through to its logical conclusion, the Bible, the food of God’s people, was kept out of circulation, chained to pulpits, and sound teaching suppressed.
The change that occurred in the Church when Paul’s doctrine was given up is indicated most subtly in the text by the use of the words “sailors” and “soldiers.” The sailors—those who think they can run the ship without any advice from Paul—fail miserably. They try to escape with their own lives and leave the ship to its fate. At that point the soldiers take over from them. “The soldiers” represent the secular power of Rome which took over the reins from “the sailors” —the ecclesiastical authorities who exposed themselves to this danger by not obeying Paul’s teachings.
Preparations now begin to beach the ship. “And having cast off the anchors, they left them in the sea.” These are the four sea anchors which they had previously dropped from the stern for fear of falling on the rocks. “Anchor” does not convey the meaning. We think of an anchor as a weight dropped to the bottom to hold a ship steady at one point. These “anchors” were really brakes. They floated on the surface and their function was to impede the progress of a ship. They had previously been lowered into the sea for fear of the rocks (symbolically the shattering power of division). Still trailing behind the ship, they provide a link with Paul’s doctrine and slow down the progress of the ship towards destruction. Now this link is snapped. The anchors are cast off and left in the sea . . . that is, Paul’s restraining influence is removed. Their own direction takes its place for they loosen the lashings of the rudders. These would normally be drawn aboard and fastened while the ship was anchored but are now made ready for steering. Also, they hoist the foresail to the wind. The rudder is human direction; the sail human means—all a substitute for Paul’s doctrine. Significantly both were missing in Noah’s Ark which ended in triumph on Mt. Ararat in the face of a greater storm, because of entire dependence on God. Here, ignoring God’s Apostle, and substituting man’s thoughts and means, all ends in ruin.
The ship now fell into “a place where two seas met” —that is ran together and merged. Here they beached the ship. A ship is built for the seas, not for land. As soon as it is beached the breakup begins. Could this be the time when, under the Emperor Constantine Christianity became the official religion of the Empire? After that the Church was stuck fast to the earth like Paul’s ship—its heavenly testimony to the nations ended, and itself exposed to the battering of the seas. “The bow stuck fast and remained unmoveable” speaks of the leaders’ rigid adherence to the earthly connection which exposed the Church to breakup, for as a witness for God it was finished. “And the counsel of the soldiers was that they should kill the prisoners, lest anyone should swim off and escape. But the Centurion, desirous of saving Paul, hindered them of their purpose.” Here we have a picture of the early Church after Paul but before Constantine— “prisoners” —subject to death at any time at the whim of the secular power—the soldiers—in persecution after persecution. Now their commanding officer interferes to halt the intended slaughter. The Centurion here is a figure of Constantine, who ended the persecutions— “desirous of saving Paul” —that is Christianity. But he exacts a price—leaving the ship for the land. What a contrast we have between Eutychus, the Fair Havens, and this moment. “Eutychus” means “well off” —the position of the believer. “The Fair Havens” stands for the early Church at anchor after its initial apostolic testimony to the nations, not able to continue sailing like that anymore, but safe and secure in all the good of the ministry Paul left it. Now all on board are told to leave the ship entirely and head for Malta. They do not even know the name of the land until they get there. Malta is another island, true, but not the island Paul chose, and here there is no anchorage for the ship but breakup.
So the Centurion gives the order to abandon ship, for the secular power of Rome did not want the true Church anyway. Constantine saw that it was politically expedient to recognize Christianity and so terminate strife in the Empire. But it would be absurd to call this man a Christian. Within three years of his championship of orthodox Christianity at the Council of Nicaea, he put a nephew to death, drowned his wife in a bath, and murdered a son.4 Coming back to the shipwreck we see that the Centurion ordered those who could swim to get to land by their own efforts. The rest made shore by clinging to pieces of the ship. Thus, it did not all go into the sea.
A closing comment on the word study of “land” in Acts would be profitable. We will bypass 5:2 (read ‘possession’) and 5:8 (read ‘the estate’). “Land” then, is found at the beginning in 4:37 where Barnabas filled with the heavenly hope, laid the proceeds of a land sale at the Apostles’ feet. It is found at the end in Paul’s shipwreck—27:39, 43, 44, for when the Church ceased sailing the seas and reached land, it repudiated Barnabas’ action in the beginning and became rich and wealthy. Thus does the text draw the terminal points together showing us the work of the Spirit in man in the beginning and the work of the flesh in man in the end.5
The Third Ship—Paul and His Doctrine Carried Captive to Rome
Satan hindered the first ship, where Paul was in control, prospered the second ship when Paul’s counsel was ignored, and then wrecked it. The voyage of the third ship is uneventful, prospered by the South wind. Satan has no complaint against the third ship, for it comes from Alexandria too, indicating the continuing influence of teaching which will set aside everything Paul taught. This ship, appropriately enough, carries Paul captive, bound for Rome.
The prow of the third ship is adorned with idols. This was customary in the ships of the time. They had an image of a tutelary god on the stern and a carved or painted figurehead of a god on the prow—the meaning of “whose sign was Castor and Pollux.” The prow, as already mentioned, speaks of what leads. The prow of the second ship had stuck fast to the earth. It broke up, as the primitive Church did. The prow of the third ship led the way to Rome. No wonder the soft South wind blew once more as it did when the second ship left Fair Havens. There Satan, in the figure of the South Wind blowing softly, prospered those who ignored Paul and chose their own way; now he is prospering those who carry Paul himself away.
“Fair Havens” was on the island of Crete. Paul wanted the ship to winter there. Looking ahead he could see the winter of the Church coming up—when he should leave it. So at the close of his life he did everything possible to strengthen things. He wrote Titus saying— “for this cause I left you in Crete that you should set in order the things that are wanting and ordain elders” —Titus 1:55For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee: (Titus 1:5). Even before the shipwreck he was concerned with the Church’s spiritual leadership, saying to the Ephesian elders— “I commend you to God and to the Word of His grace” —20:32. This was the “Fair Havens” position on Crete where the ship should have anchored during the winter season of “the last days” —a New Testament expression for the period commencing with Paul’s departure from the Church.
But the warnings went unheeded. All was over now. There is no mention of a passenger list on the third ship—only “we” —Paul and his associates. Soon the Apostle will be a prisoner in Rome and with him the doctrine which is proper Christianity.
Part 3—Survival After Shipwreck—the Believer’s Position Today
With the trees of Israel felled and the Church shipwrecked we might be filled with discouragement if we did not know God and His ways. But should we expect more from fallen man in the New Testament than in the Old? When we read the Old Testament, we see how God overcame all the works of Satan. Was the old-world chaos? Gen. 1:22And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. (Genesis 1:2). Then out of it God shapes a world of ordered beauty. When man falls, He promises a Savior for him. Do His chosen people Israel fall? He sends them prophets. So with us. The good has been of God; the evil of ourselves. Depend upon it, God allowed the divisions of the Church though He was not the Author of them. His purpose in all this is not only to reveal His heart but ours too, so that “no flesh should glory in His presence” —1Cor 1:29. He established the Church in power and in unity. Man divided it. No matter, it shall be restored in glory one day by His hand, and we shall behold its unity, unattainable here, in and through the eternal glory. But what of the present—what is the character of Christianity today, with the outward unity of the Church gone? How are we to carry on? What about those who want to obey the great Apostle’s admonition— “be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ?” —1 Cor. 11:11Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:1). Well, their position is given to us in two figures following two of the ships we have been considering. The shipwreck of the second ship was followed by security on the island of Malta, the warmth of a fire following the ordeal, and blessing flowing out to others on the island. The third ship landed, Paul was taken prisoner to Rome, and dwelt in his own rented house—a figure of those who cling to Paul’s doctrine to the very end. These two figures give us a picture of the personal and collective position of every true follower of Paul. The Lord has provided for every Christian to be faithful to the truth even under the most adverse circumstances.
The Island Position of the Believer
To go back a little: following the shipwreck Paul and his companions are on an island. It is on an island too that the Apostle John finds himself—the isle of Patmos— “for the Word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus” —Rev. 1:99I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 1:9). These two great Apostles are found on an island because of faithfulness. When we think of an island, we picture a body of land surrounded by sea. Those on it are sheltered from the sea but cut off by it. So an island is a figure of both personal security and of isolation—alone, cut off from the world because we belong to Christ. Thus, the world will say of a believer— “he is a good worker but odd—he won’t drink with us” etc. So we are isolated now from the surging seas of this world, which only spew out waste and dirt. The island position of the believer is an involuntary one—that is to say he has no choice about it—it is the position God has brought him into because he has the life of Christ which man does not want. Paul didn’t arrive in Malta by choice, nor John in Patmos. How then did these two great Apostles get off their respective islands?
As to John the Lord said— “if I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to you?” —John 21:2222Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me. (John 21:22). John goes on to the end in his written ministry. What end, you say? Well, John was on the isle of Patmos, in spirit, when he hears the words— “come up here.” Rev. 4:11After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter. (Revelation 4:1). This is how John leaves his island. So will it be with us as individual believers when we hear the Lord’s voice summoning us off our island to the sunshine of His smile in the glory. Not so with Paul, whose ministry is collective. Paul’s ministry concerns the Church as John’s concerns the individual. Therefore, it is not surprising to see Paul taken off his island by ship and brought to Rome a prisoner, where he rents a house. Here the great teaching Apostle “received all that came in to him.” The thought here is not isolation like the island, but separation. No one enters Paul’s hired house without making a choice to hear and obey Paul’s teaching.
Paul’s Hired House
To follow Christ as Paul did and thus, so to speak, to company with Paul, we must break with the great worldly religious system which has corrupted his doctrine and in figure still keeps him and it in chains. We need the fellowship of other believers. God has met this need. What followed the shipwreck was the fire on the island to comfort and cheer. Paul picked up brushwood and threw it on the fire. If this warmth of individual fellowship is to be continued, we must follow Paul corporately into his own hired house. Paul of course is in chains, bound by the power of Rome. No doubt there are still many true believers in the Church of Rome. To them comes a voice from heaven saying “come out of her, My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins” —Rev. 18:44And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. (Revelation 18:4). To the very end of things Rome dominates the scene of the outward profession of Christianity, and men of the world refer to her as “the Church” when she speaks. With her doctrines which the gullible believe, she keeps the Apostle’s words from the people. The spires of her great cathedrals rise to heaven. Filled with gold and treasure, fragrant with incense, echoing with music, they enthrall those who are not born of the Spirit. She sits a queen, knowing no sorrow, and says ‘I am Peter.’ And she has daughters—Rev. 17:55And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. (Revelation 17:5)—protestant bodies who imitate her worldliness and imprison Paul’s true Christianity.
In sharp contrast “Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house.” This is the present character of true Christianity—not a great edifice whose construction spans a thousand years. Simplicity. Paul only rented his house—he did not buy it. This is an indication of the transient nature of Christianity in the world. The true Church has no inheritance down here, having its hope in heaven.
The “two whole years” in which Paul dwelt in his house hint at the duration of Christianity on the earth—approximately two thousand years.6 We get the same thought in the parable of the Good Samaritan. The Good Samaritan was the Lord, who journeyed from heaven to meet our needs, put us up in an inn when He left, and paid our room rent with two denarii. Like Paul’s rented house the inn is a temporary consideration. How long we stay in the inn is hinted at in broad terms also, for two denarii would be about two day’s wages—enough for two thousand year’s lodging in God’s way of looking at a day—see 2 Pet. 3:88But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. (2 Peter 3:8). In these two figures—the inn and Paul’s rented house—we see that God takes care of His people on earth until Jesus comes again.
Well, in Paul’s hired house the great Apostle preaches the Kingdom of God and teaches those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the note on which Acts ends. The range of Paul’s ministry is so vast and our comprehension of it so limited that it might be best to concentrate on fundamentals. The heart of Paul’s doctrine is the four great revelations which he received from the Lord. These are the four great anchors in 27:29, 40 which the early Church discarded to its loss. Let us then come into Paul’s rented house—and hear what the great teaching Apostle has for the Church of God on this subject. His instruction is for all ages.
Paul’s Doctrine—The Four Great Anchors of the Church
Many years ago, the late H.E. Hayhoe was preaching the gospel in Brooklyn, New York. After the service he was approached by the janitor of the building, who had listened to him and was in an irate mood. “Why do you introduce Paul’s doctrine when preaching the gospel?” he demanded. Without waiting for an answer, he went into a tirade, denouncing various teachings of Paul in the Scriptures with which he disagreed. “ONLY PAUL SAID THAT” he kept on repeating, making it clear that his opinion was as good as Paul’s. The preacher listened to him patiently and when he finished asked him one question— “how do you know you are saved?” At once the man replied triumphantly— “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” —16:31. “Not at all” replied the preacher— “ONLY PAUL SAID THAT. If he’s wrong on all these other things you’re telling me about I’m sure he’s wrong on that too, and you’re not saved.” The poor man did not know what to say and walked away crestfallen.
The Christian is to acknowledge that the things Paul wrote are the commandments of the Lord—1 Cor. 14:3737If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. (1 Corinthians 14:37). When God speaks man is to be silent and listen. It is not only that Paul’s written ministry comprises most of the New Testament after the gospels, but he has a special apostolic calling and ministry from the risen and ascended Lord. Out of this rich ministry there are four great truths which are the kernel of Paul’s doctrine. These were all given to him by revelation from the Lord. Failure to obey Paul’s doctrine is to flout divine revelation and invite shipwreck concerning the faith. Obedience is the path of safety through the troubled sea of life. The Lord will be with us as He was with Paul in the storm. The crown of righteousness is the reward of the overcomer at the end.
The Four Doctrines
Paul Received by Revelation From the Ascended Lord
Paul’s four revelations cover the whole range of the truth of the Church, beginning with what it is—the expression of its unity, and its disappearance from this world at the second coming of Christ. For the sake of order only we will give a reference number to each of these doctrines to identify them for comment. This does not mean that any one is more important than another.
First—The first revelation we will consider is that the Church is the mystical body of Christ, and that He is the Head of that body and we are the members of it. Paul writes— “He is the Head of the body, the Church” —Col. 1:1818And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. (Colossians 1:18)—and again “gave Him to be the Head over all things to the Church, which is His body, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all” —Eph. 1:2222And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, (Ephesians 1:22). Paul received this revelation on the way to Damascus, when a glorified Christ asked him “why persecutest thou Me?” —9:4. When the Lord said “I am Jesus whom thou persecutest” he suddenly saw that in persecuting Christians he was persecuting Christ, for they are members of a mystical body of which He is the Head.
Only true believers as distinct from mere professors of Christianity are members of the body of Christ, and so really in the Church. This is an exceedingly practical truth, not to be held in the head but in the heart. We are to love all believers not because of who or what they are, but because they are members of the body of Christ, and we are members of one another. We must not allow the present manmade divisions of the Church to obscure from our vision that real unity in which God sees it, and which will be visibly displayed at the second coming of Christ.
Second—The next revelation concerns the Lord’s Supper. Following the deliverance of His people Israel from Egypt, the Lord instructed Moses to build a tabernacle after the pattern He had showed him. In this was to be a table of showbread—Ex. 23:3030By little and little I will drive them out from before thee, until thou be increased, and inherit the land. (Exodus 23:30)—with twelve loaves (cakes) on it—Lev 24:66And thou shalt set them in two rows, six on a row, upon the pure table before the Lord. (Leviticus 24:6). When the same Lord instituted His Supper, He took one loaf and gave thanks for it. Thus, He set aside the old order and introduced the new one. The twelve loaves on the table of showbread visibly represented the twelve tribes of Israel: the one loaf, still unbroken, which the Lord took and blessed, anticipated the present unity of Jew and Gentile in His mystical body the Church. From this viewpoint then, the Lord’s Supper is the expression on earth of the unity of the body of Christ. We cannot see that unity visibly among men because division has come into the Church. So God has provided us with a visible figure of the mystical body of Christ—the Church—at the Supper, in the very unity with which He views us.
The Lord’s Supper, though, is primarily a memorial of the death of Christ and is to keep our affections tender with the memory of His love. In the broken bread we see His body, given up in death for us. The wine speaks of His precious blood, separate from His body, having been poured out in atonement for our sins. With the sense of the love that God has to us, our worship ascends to the Son and to the Father who sent Him. “The desire of our soul is to Thy Name and to the remembrance of Thee” —Isa. 26:88Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O Lord, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee. (Isaiah 26:8).
Having surveyed the general meaning of the Supper, a difficulty arises. Some might say, What is there in all this that the Lord Himself did not institute—in other words why should the Lord’s Supper be viewed as a distinctively Pauline doctrine? First of all Paul claims that it is— “I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you” —1 Cor. 11:2323For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: (1 Corinthians 11:23). Note the language, indicating it is a fresh revelation, supplemental therefore to the Lord’s own institution of the Supper. The additional truth which the Lord revealed to Paul concerns the duration of the Supper and who should observe it. Without His further revelation to Paul, who could say, for example, whether or not Israel might continue to observe it in the millennium? But in the revelation He gave Paul, and which Paul has delivered unto us, it is clear that the Supper is to be observed only until Jesus comes—see 1 Cor. 11:2626For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come. (1 Corinthians 11:26). Thus the Lord’s Supper is only for the Church period. The next question that arises is whether the Lord’s Supper is for Jews only or for all believers, be they Jew or Gentile. This point is only raised because certain false teachers have taught that since only Jews were present when the Lord instituted His Supper, only Jews are entitled to partake of it. The Lord foresaw the possibility of this error creeping in, and in Paul’s special revelation which we have been considering, gave us (that is Gentiles) authority to observe His Supper—for Paul delivered his revelation to Gentiles. This corresponds with what we said earlier—the truth that the loaf expresses the unity of believers in one body, whether Jews or Gentiles.
Third—The first resurrection of those who have fallen asleep in Jesus from the Day of Pentecost, when the Church was first formed, until the second coming of Christ. Paul never taught a general resurrection of all men but a selective resurrection of all saints—the “first” resurrection—followed at a later time by a resurrection of the lost for judgment. John gives us the truth of the latter in Rev. 20:11-1511And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:11‑15). Concerning the saints, not the world, Paul writes— “Behold I show you a mystery, we shall not all fall asleep, but we shall all be changed, in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” —1 Cor. 15:51-5251Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (1 Corinthians 15:51‑52). The verses preceding this quotation make it clear that this is the first resurrection—for the saints, not the world. The first resurrection is for believers only. This is a resurrection “from among the dead” —meaning that the lost, who have no part in it, are left in their graves to face the resurrection of judgment later on. An exception which in no way affects this central truth is found in Rom. 1:44And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: (Romans 1:4). The thought there is the power of Christ in His own resurrection, not that power used to resurrect others. The English word “resurrection” is a translation of a Greek word literally rendered “up standing” —i.e. the standing up of a dead man in bodily form once more—to be blessed or judged for his sins.
“Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. On such the second death has no power” —Rev. 20:66Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. (Revelation 20:6). None of us know for certain whether we will be alive on the earth at the rapture. Should the Lord call us home before that great event, how comforting it is to have God’s thoughts concerning us—that we are blessed and holy because we are in Christ.
“Asleep in Jesus, blessed sleep
From which none ever wakes to weep
A calm and undisturbed repose
Where pow’rless is the last of foes.
Asleep in Jesus: oh how sweet
To be for such a slumber meet
With holy confidence to sing
That death has lost its venomed sting
Asleep in Jesus, peaceful rest
Whence waking we’re supremely blest
No fear, no woe shall dim that hour
That manifests the Savior’s power.”
Fourth—This doctrine is that the whole Church shall meet the Lord in the air at His second coming—the dead saints being resurrected, and the bodies of the living ones changed—to be forever with the Lord. Again, this is by revelation— “for this we say unto you by the Word of the Lord” —1 Thess. 4:1515For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. (1 Thessalonians 4:15). Now the reader versed in Scripture may wonder what is new in this. Didn’t the Lord teach the same thing in John 11? In principle yes, but without any suggestion of how it would be carried out until He revealed it to Paul. Let us therefore compare the two passages.
The setting of John 11 is the grave of Lazarus. His sisters mourn his departure, which is natural. The Lord, always the source of true comfort to His own, tells Martha— “I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live and whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die.” Thus, the Lord taught clearly that those who believe in Him shall live again even though they die but if they are alive, they shall never die. But when, and in what manner shall this take place? By revelation the Lord made known to Paul the truth he has communicated to us— “for the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first.” Following this the bodies of those who are alive on the earth and believing in Christ shall be changed into bodies of glory— “for this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality” —1 Cor. 15:5353For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. (1 Corinthians 15:53). All this happens “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump.” The two classes of saints the Lord told Martha about are reunited “to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord” —1 Thess. 4:1717Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:17). Thus Paul teaches how those who believe in Christ are taken out of this earth to heaven whether they are dead or alive at His coming again.
Paul also teaches that this great event precedes those judgments which fall upon the world in order to introduce Christ’s millennial kingdom. In 1 Thess. 5 “the day of the Lord” comes as a thief in the night. The day of the Lord is not His second coming for He is not a thief to us, and we are not of the night but of the day (vs 4, 5). The day of the Lord is the character of His appearing to judge the world. So Paul speaks of “they” not “we” as in the previous chapter.
A Brief Summary of Paul’s Doctrine
In summary, Paul’s doctrine gives us the heavenly hope of the Church and anchors us where Christ is—in glory. Consider the doctrine of Christ as the Head of His body the Church. Our responsibility to our Head in heaven is at once established, and we are not to look for a visible Head of that body on earth. What is visible is provided for us when we are present at the Lord’s Supper. This keeps our hearts fresh with the sense of His love until He comes in glory to take us to His Father’s house where we shall see His face.
“And shall we see Thy face,
And hear Thy heavenly voice?
Well known to us in present grace
Well may our hearts rejoice.”
Should we die before this happens, we are assured part in the first resurrection and are blessed and holy. Still, the resurrection of the body brings us back to life on this earth—but what then? Ah! Paul unfolds still another truth—the rapture of the Church to meet the Lord in the air—the dead first, then the living whose bodies are changed—all in the twinkling of an eye. The pattern is the same as with Christ for “ye are Christ’s and Christ is God’s” —1 Cor. 3:2323And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's. (1 Corinthians 3:23). He was the firstfruits of the first resurrection, and then “a cloud received Him out of their sight” —1:9. So shall we too be “caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord” —1 Thess. 4:1717Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:17).
The effect of believing these truths is to bring us into the enjoyment of the benediction which closes this chapter— “now the God of peace Himself sanctify you wholly, and your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” 1 Thess. 5:2323And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 5:23).