a night and a day have I been in the deep; in journeyings often, in perils of rivers, in perils of robbers,
in perils from my countrymen, in perils from the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the
wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren: in labor and toil, in watchings often,
in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Besides those things that are without,
there is that which presseth upon me daily, the anxious care for all the churches. Who is weak, and
I am not weak? Who is offended, and I burn not?"^408 Thus he wrote reluctantly to the Corinthians,
in self-vindication against his calumniators, in the year 57, before his longest and hardest trial in
the prisons of Caesarea and Rome, and at least seven years before his martyrdom. He was "pressed
on every side, yet not straitened; perplexed, yet not in despair; pursued, yet not forsaken; smitten
down, yet not destroyed."^409 His whole public career was a continuous warfare. He represents the
church militant, or "marching and conquering Christianity." He was "unus versus mundum," in a
far higher sense than this has been said of Athanasius the Great when confronted with the Arian
heresy and the imperial heathenism of Julian the Apostate.
Yet he was never unhappy, but full of joy and peace. He exhorted the Philippians from his
prison in Rome: "Rejoice in the Lord alway; again I will say, Rejoice." In all his conflicts with foes
from without and foes from within Paul was "more than conqueror" through the grace of God which
was sufficient for him. "For I am persuaded," he writes to the Romans in the strain of a sublime
ode of triumph, "that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor
things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate
us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."^410 And his dying word is an assurance
of victory: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith: henceforth
there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give
me at that day: and not only to me, but also to all them that have loved his appearing."^411§ 33. Paul’s Missionary Labors.
The public life of Paul, from the third year after his conversion to his martyrdom, a.d. 40–64,
embraces a quarter of a century, three great missionary campaigns with minor expeditions, five
visits to Jerusalem, and at least four years of captivity in Caesarea and Rome. Some extend it to
a.d. 67 or 68. It may be divided into five or six periods, as follows:- a.d. 40–44. The period of preparatory labors in Syria and his native Cilicia, partly alone,
partly in connection with Barnabas, his senior fellow-apostle among the Gentiles.
(^408) 2 Cor. 11:24-29.
(^409) 2 Cor. 4:8, 9.
(^410) Rom. 8:31-39.
(^411) 2 Tim. 4:6-8. We may add here the somewhat panegyric passage of Clement of Rome, who apparently exalts Paul above
Peter, Ep. ad Corinth. c. 5: "Let as set before our eyes the good Apostles. Peter, who on account of unrighteous jealousy endured
not one or two, but many toils, and thus having borne his testimony (μαρτυρήσας, or, suffered martyrdom), went to his appointed
place of glory. By reason of jealousy and strife Paul by his example pointed out the price of patient endurance. After having
been seven times in bonds, driven into exile, stoned, and after having preached in the East and in the West, he won the noble
reward of his faith, having taught righteousness unto the whole world and having reached the boundary of the West; and when
he had borne his testimony before the magistrates, he departed from the world and went unto the holy place, having become the
greatest example of patient endurance."
A.D. 1-100.