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APOSTLE
53
THE CARE OF ALL THE CHURCHES.
Who is weak, and I am not weak?
Who is offended, and I burn not?'
Twice does the apostle use a term that is reminiscent of Galatians 2, `the very chiefest apostles' - `extra super' as
one has well rendered it - and he follows the line of Galatians 2 where he not only establishes equality with Peter,
James, and John, but in the case of Peter, shows that he had to withstand him to the face. But in 2 Corinthians the
apostle not only says `so am I', but also `I more'.
It was for the establishing for all time of the personal integrity and the absolute apostleship of Paul, the apostle to
the Gentiles, that the Acts of the Apostles was written: and in humbler form, and in faulty fashion, but with the same
end in view, this Analysis is largely penned. To rehabilitate Paul as the minister of the risen and ascended Christ to
the Gentiles would of itself revolutionize Christianity today. We entertain no vain hopes, however. A little
company has always guarded the sacred deposit, and will do so until the dispensation closes, but the generality of
Christians care for none of these things.
On occasions Paul makes the specific claim that he was the apostle of the Gentiles.
`I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office' (Rom. 11:13).
`I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in
faith and verity (truth)' (1 Tim. 2:7).
`I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles' (2 Tim. 1:11).
Paul clearly recognized two things. He knew and taught that there was but one Lord, one Mediator, one Head,
one Offering, one Saviour, Jesus Christ, and that he was but an earthen vessel, a planter, and in comparison
`nothing' (1 Cor. 3:7). On the other hand, he knew and taught that he was a chosen vessel, that neither Peter, James
nor John had received the commission that he had received, and while he could not and would not magnify himself,
he could and did magnify his office, for as one that had been chosen, separated and sent to the Gentiles he had no
option but to faithfully discharge so solemn a trust.
APPEARING, Greek epiphaneia. This word which occurs six times is derived from phaino to appear, bring to light,
shine.
2 Thess. 2:8.
`The brightness of His coming'.
1 Tim. 6:14.
`The appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ'.
2 Tim. 1:10.
`The appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ'.
2 Tim. 4:1.
`His appearing and His kingdom'.
2 Tim. 4:8.
`Them also that love His appearing'.
Titus 2:13.
`The glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ'.
This subject is part of a greater one, namely the coming of the Lord, and the relationship of the Hope entertained
by the believer, the calling he has received, and the sphere of his blessing. It must be related with the other key
words parousia and apocalupsis which are dealt with under the word HOPE2. All that we will say here is that
whereas parousia is used to define the hope of the kingdom (Matt. 24:3) and of the Church of the Acts period
(1 Thess. 4:15, 2 Thess. 2:1), epiphaneia is reserved for the hope of the Church of the Mystery.
The one occurrence in an epistle before Acts 28, is no exception. `His coming or parousia' is the subject and in
this passage `brightness' or epiphaneia but qualifies that `coming', whereas after Acts 28 parousia is dropped and
`the appearing' is used of the first phase of the Second Coming, a phase that belongs to things above where Christ
sits on the right hand of God, and not to the second sphere which is associated with the Archangel and the air. These
aspects are fully discussed in the main article HOPE2 to which the reader is directed.