Acts 18:23-19:7 And he departed there, and entered into a certain man's house, named Justus, one that worshipped God… He is here presented to us as a man of — I. SUPERIOR BIBLICAL KNOWLEDGE. He was "mighty in the Scriptures," and "instructed in the way of the Lord." To be mighty in the Scriptures is not to have a mere knowledge of the letter. A man's verbal knowledge of the Scriptures may be extensive and correct, and yet he may be very ignorant of their spiritual import. True mightiness in the Scriptures includes a knowledge of the leading — 1. Historical facts. These embody principles that have to do both with the procedure of God and the duty and destiny of man. 2. Principles. Facts are valuable only as they are the casket and mirror of principles. These principles are doctrinal and ethical — theoretic and regulative. 3. Aims. The grand aim of the Scriptures is not to build up creeds, to establish sects, to make man the creature of dogmas, rituals, and pietistic moods — such a use is a perversion — but to make men morally good. He who does not understand this to be its grand purpose, however conversant he may be with its leading facts and principles, cannot be mighty in the Scriptures or "understand the way of the Lord." A man may be mighty in linguistical attainments, in classic lore, in general literature, in the arts and sciences, but unless he is "mighty in the Scriptures," he will never be a great preacher. II. EFFECTIVE POWER OF EXPRESSION. Eloquence is influential expression — such an expression of a man's own soul as makes his audience feel one in heart with him in the question discussed. Eloquence will depend mainly on — 1. The power of the subject on the speaker's mind. If he has so compassed it with his intellect that he can hold it before his heart until it melts, thrills, and permeates him, he has in him the first condition of eloquence. 2. Adequate communicative organs. A man may have the subject so in him as to inflame his own soul, and yet be unable to make his audience pulsate with his own emotions. He may lack in — (1) Voice. Its modulations may be incapable of conveying what is in him. (2) Language. His vocabulary may be too poor, and his tongue too hesitant. (3) Gesture. It may be stiff, awkward, repulsive. (4) Countenance. The eye may be too dead to flash the fire; the muscles of the face too rigid to quiver; the whole face too fleshy to radiate the Divine. Although true eloquence is a gift, it may be reached to some extent by cultivation. Men who have it not by nature, and who strive to be eloquent by oratorical contrivances, often disgust their auditory. Daniel Webster says,True eloquence cannot be brought from far. Labour and learning may toil for it, but they will toil in vain. Words and phrases may be marshalled in every way, but they cannot compass it. It must exist in the man, in the subject, in the occasion. Affected passion, intense expression, the pomp of declamation, all may aspire to it: they cannot reach it. It comes, if it come at all, like the outbreaking of a fountain from the earth, or the bursting forth of volcanic fires, with spontaneous, original, native force. The graces taught in the schools, the costly ornaments and studied contrivances of speech, shock and disgust men when their own lives, and the fate of their wives, their children, and their country, hang on the decision of an hour. Then patriotism is eloquent — then self-devotion is eloquent. The clear conception outrunning the deductions of logic, the high purpose, the firm resolve, the dauntless spirit speaking on the tongue, beaming from the eye, informing every feature, and urging the whole man onward to his object. This, then, is eloquence; or, rather, it is something greater and higher than all eloquence. It is action — noble, sublime, godlike action. III. FINE ATTRIBUTES OF SPIRIT. We learn that it was — 1. Earnest. "Being fervent in spirit." Earnestness is the necessary result of genuine faith in the gospel, and is essential to all eloquence in its advocacy. 2. Faithful. He taught faithfully so far as he knew. He did not pretend to a knowledge which he had not. There was much that he did not know, for knowing only the "baptism of John," he had not a knowledge of Jesus as the Messiah. 3. Courageous. He was not satisfied with talking in a more private way, but he entered the synagogue, and, with an undaunted courage, spoke to the bigoted Jews. 4. Docile. This man of genius and eloquence feels his ignorance, and modestly submits to the teaching of Aquila and Priscilla. This beautiful little incident furnishes an example — (1) To hearers. Aquila and Priscilla, though they knew much more of the things of the Lord than Apollos, yet they attended his ministry. If they could not derive much profit from it, they were there to encourage him. They did not scoff at his ignorance, or parade his defects, but endeavoured to give him a more accurate idea of the gospel, not publicly or ostentatiously, but privately and with becoming modesty. Enlightened and experienced Christian hearers may do great service to young ministers in this way. (2) To preachers. This eloquent young man, who had just come from the university of Alexandria, was not above learning of this humble tent maker and his wife. Great souls are always docile. IV. VARIED CAPACITY FOR USEFULNESS. "And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia," etc. He had heard, perhaps, of the triumphs of Paul at Corinth, and desired to help forward the good cause. It would seem from 1 Corinthians 1:12; 1 Corinthians 3:4, 5, that his eloquence had so wonderfully charmed certain members of the Church at Corinth, that division sprang up. The description of his work here shows that he had — 1. A capacity for confirming those who believed. It is said, "he helped them much which had believed." He helped them, no doubt, by dissipating their doubts, enlarging their conceptions, strengthening their faith, argumentatively vanquishing their assailants. 2. A capacity for convincing those who did not believe. He "mightily convinced the Jews, and that publicly." He was a man capable of performing the two grand functions of the true preacher — edifying the Church, and converting the sinner. (D. Thomas, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: And he departed thence, and entered into a certain man's house, named Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue. |
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