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Scripture Reading: Acts 24:22-27; Gal. 1:17; Col. 1:25; 1 Tim. 1:3-4; 2 Tim. 1:14; 2:2, 22
In Acts 24:1-9 Paul was accused by the Jews’ advocate, and in Acts 24:10-21 he defended himself before Felix, the Roman governor of Judea. Then in Acts 24:22-27 he was kept in the custody of the unjust and corrupt Roman politician. Acts 24:27 says, “And when two years were completed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus; and wanting to gain favor with the Jews, Felix left Paul bound.” Luke does not disclose what Paul did during these two years. In this message we shall consider what Paul might have done during this period of time.
Luke does not tell us anything about the two years Paul was kept in custody in Caesarea. Neither does Luke say anything about the time Paul spent in Arabia after his conversion. Concerning this, Paul says, “Neither did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away to Arabia, and again returned to Damascus” (Gal. 1:17). It is difficult to trace where in Arabia Paul went and how long he stayed there after his conversion. However, it must have been a place apart from the Christians, and the time of his stay there must not have been short. His purpose in referring to this was to testify that he did not receive the gospel from man (Gal. 1:12). In Arabia Paul must have received some revelation concerning the gospel directly from the Lord.
No doubt, the divine revelation Paul received from the Lord in Arabia came through his knowledge of the Old Testament. Paul was an excellent student of the Old Testament. This is indicated by the way he expounded the Old Testament in the books of Romans, Galatians, and Hebrews. As we read these books, we see that Paul had a thorough knowledge of the Old Testament. Furthermore, he had insight into the Scriptures. An example of this insight is Paul’s allegorizing Sarah, Abraham’s wife, and Hagar, Abraham’s concubine, as two covenants (Gal. 4:22-26). Apart from Paul’s allegorizing of these women in Galatians 4, we could read Genesis again and again without seeing that Sarah and Hagar signify two covenants. But Paul, who was very knowledgeable in the truth in the Old Testament, had the insight to see this. Through his knowledge of the Old Testament the divine light came to him. Therefore, as indicated by his writings, Paul could understand the types in the Old Testament concerning Christ’s Person and work. Paul’s knowledge of the Scriptures was one reason for his receiving so much divine revelation.
Although Paul received a great deal of revelation from the Lord through his knowledge of the Old Testament, certain aspects of the revelation he received from the Lord are not based on the Old Testament. We may take as an example what Paul says concerning the different kinds of law in Romans 7 and 8. In Romans 8:2 he says, “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has freed me from the law of sin and of death.” Here Paul speaks of two laws — the law of sin and death and the law of the Spirit of life. In Romans 7, in addition to the law of God (v. 22), Paul speaks of “the law of my mind” (v. 23), which is the law of doing good. In Romans 7:23 he also mentions “the law of sin which is in my members.” Therefore, in these two chapters Paul speaks of four laws: the written law of God, the law of doing good, the law of sin and death, and the law of the Spirit of life. In contrast to the law of God, the law of doing good, the law of sin and death, and the law of the Spirit of life are not written laws. Rather, they are fixed principles of life.
Every kind of life has its own law. The law of doing good is the law of the human life. The law of sin and death is the law of the sinful, Satanic life. The law of the Spirit of life is the law of the divine life. These three laws are based on the fixed principles of these kinds of life. The human life has its own law, the satanic life has a sinful law, and the divine life, which is the highest life, surely has a divine law.
What was the source of the revelation Paul saw concerning these three laws? I have investigated this matter in the attempt to learn the source, but I have not been able to find it. Probably Paul received the revelation concerning these three laws directly from the Lord. Moreover, his knowledge of these laws was based on his experience. Paul experienced the law of the mind, the law of doing good. Paul also experienced the law of sin and death. Concerning this, he could say, “I see a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind and making me a captive in the law of sin which is in my members” (Rom. 7:23). Earlier in Romans 7 Paul said, “For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but to do the good is not. For the good which I will, I do not; but the evil I do not will, this I practice. But if what I do not will, this I do, it is no longer I that do it but sin that dwells in me. I find then the law that, at my willing to do the good, the evil is present with me” (vv. 18-21). Therefore, from his experience Paul learned that there is such a law as the law of sin and death. To be sure, from his Christian experience Paul discovered that there is a higher law within him — the law of the divine life. Paul certainly received the revelation concerning the law of doing good, the law of sin and death, and the law of the Spirit of life.
Because Paul received so much revelation from the Lord, when he came forth to preach, he could minister to others the riches of these revelations. He was able to write such letters as 1 and 2 Thessalonians, Romans, Galatians, and 1 and 2 Corinthians. As we read Paul’s writings, we see that each one of them is full of divine revelation. The point we are emphasizing here is that Paul must have received a great deal of revelation from the Lord during the time he was in Arabia.
According to Acts 24:27, the Lord set aside a two-year period in which Paul was kept in custody in Caesarea. In these years Paul must have thought about what had taken place in Acts 15 and 21.
In Acts 21 we see the weakness of Paul in facing the religious mixture in Jerusalem. Although Peter and John were with the Lord on the Mount of Transfiguration, they were silent concerning God’s New Testament economy in Acts 21. As we have seen, James spoke on behalf of the believing Jews who were still zealous for the law (21:20). Did James not have any light concerning God’s New Testament economy? It seems that he was very dull in his understanding of this. Although Peter and John had been enlightened regarding God’s New Testament economy, they did not do anything about the situation of the mixture of the New Testament grace with the Old Testament law in Jerusalem. It seems that Paul was the only one burdened about that situation.
As we consider the scene portrayed in these chapters of Acts, we see that the central figure was actually the Lord Himself. He played the major role in these chapters as the One who was sovereign over everything. Eventually, the Lord delivered Paul from the difficult situation in Jerusalem, preserving his life from the plotting Jews, and placed him in custody under the Roman government in Caesarea. Although Paul was in custody, he was not actually in prison. Felix “directed the centurion to keep him in custody, and yet that he should have some liberty, and that no one should prevent his own people from attending to him” (24:23). As 24:26 indicates, Felix’s purpose in allowing Paul’s friends to visit him was to gain money for himself. Although Felix’s purpose was to get money, the Lord had His own purpose in keeping Paul in custody in Caesarea. There in Caesarea Paul did not have anything to do, and he was safely kept from trouble.
What do you think Paul did during those two years of custody in Caesarea? Do you think that, after having passed through so much turmoil, Paul did nothing except read the Scriptures? Paul surely must have recalled his experiences in chapters fifteen and twenty-one. He must have thought about the things through which he had passed. He might have compared his recent experiences with the revelation he had received in the past, especially with the revelation he had received in Arabia. I believe that Paul reviewed the entire situation from Acts 15 onward in the light of the revelation that had been given to him. As he reviewed matters in this way, the light may have become clearer and clearer. This, of course, is our inference based upon the study of the New Testament.
As Paul considered the situation in Acts 21, he may have felt unhappy with James and also with Peter and John. He may have regretted what had happened. Then Paul may have realized that it was necessary for him to write more Epistles. The content of Hebrews, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians may have been deep within him during the years in Caesarea.
I have spent time studying what Paul did for two years in Caesarea. I believe that during this time Paul reviewed his experience from Acts 15 and 21, comparing it with the revelation he had received from the Lord and with the situation he had observed in Jerusalem with James, Peter, and John. I believe that the more Paul reviewed his experience, the more burdened he became to put out further writings. Paul may have realized that he would not soon be released from the custody of the Roman government. He may have anticipated a lengthy stay in Caesarea. I believe that during the two years he was there, he was prepared by the Lord to write the eight Epistles of Hebrews, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, and Philemon.
Books like Hebrews and Ephesians could not have been written without adequate preparation. The writing of such Epistles requires a great deal of preparation. Before Paul could write Hebrews and Ephesians, he first had to enter into the depths of God’s revelation. Before writing these Epistles, he needed a time of thorough consideration. Paul was given this time, a time of preparation, during the two years he was kept in custody in Caesarea. Later, when he was transferred from Caesarea to Rome, he had the opportunity to put out the books of Hebrews, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians. Of course, he was also able to write 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, and Philemon. It would be very helpful to review especially Hebrews, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians against the background of Acts 15 through 24. If we do this, we shall visualize these four Epistles in a new way with more light.
Paul was heavily burdened concerning God’s New Testament economy. Although he was not able to continue to work this out personally, he was given the opportunity to write the divine revelation. In Colossians 1:25 he says, “I became a minister according to the stewardship of God, which was given to me for you, to complete the word of God.” Here we see that Paul’s writing of the book of Colossians was for the completing of God’s New Testament economy. Without the books of Colossians, Philippians, Ephesians, and Hebrews, we would not have a clear view of God’s New Testament economy.
Actually, the Greek word for “economy” (oikonomia) is a word used particularly by Paul, especially in the book of Ephesians. Although Paul uses this word in 1 Corinthians 9:17, he does not use it there for the specific purpose of unveiling God’s New Testament economy. But he does use the word oikonomia for this purpose in Ephesians. Ephesians, we know, is a book on the church. But if we have only this understanding of Ephesians, our comprehension of this book will be too superficial. We need to see that Ephesians is a book on God’s economy.
We have emphasized the fact that regarding the situation in Acts we can see the Lord’s sovereignty. Neither Judaism nor Roman politics could defeat the sovereign Lord. On the contrary, everything served His purpose. Even Peter’s fearfulness (Gal. 2:12) and the plots of the Jews served the Lord’s purpose. Apparently, these things frustrated His move. Actually, they served His purpose in revealing and then carrying out God’s New Testament economy.
Today we are burdened for the carrying out of God’s New Testament economy. This is the reason I have often pointed out that in the Lord’s recovery we are not doing an ordinary Christian work. On the contrary, by the Lord’s mercy and grace, we are here to carry out God’s New Testament economy.
After studying all the books of the Bible for many years, we began to see the overall revelation in the Scriptures concerning God’s New Testament economy. Through the Word, the Lord showed us that in this economy the Triune God became a man in the Son. This means that the accomplishment of God’s New Testament economy began with the incarnation. Through Christ’s human living, death, resurrection, and ascension, everything necessary for the accomplishment of God’s economy was done. After breathing the Spirit into the disciples essentially (John 20:22), the Lord, in His ascension, poured out the Spirit upon His Body economically (Acts 2:17). That outpouring of the Spirit was the completion of the accomplishment of God’s New Testament economy. Now the Triune God as the processed all-inclusive Spirit is both within His chosen people and upon them, and with them He is carrying out the New Testament economy. The Lord is propagating Himself by imparting Himself to His believers to make them living members of His universal Body to be His corporate vessel for His expression. Today this corporate vessel is expressed in various localities as local churches, and all these churches are lampstands shining in this dark age. Eventually, all the shining local churches will consummate in the New Jerusalem, which will be the ultimate consummation of God’s move in His New Testament economy.
The crucial focus of God’s New Testament economy is the all-inclusive Christ as our life, our person, and our everything. The divine economy is not focused on any law, regulation, teaching, philosophy, or practice. God’s economy is focused on one all-inclusive, wonderful Person. This Person is the embodiment of the processed Triune God, and He is realized as the all-inclusive life-giving Spirit, who is within us and upon us. This Spirit is working in us so that we may be brought back directly to Christ to enjoy Him as everything. I hope that we shall all have a clear view concerning this.
If we see the vision of the divine economy, we shall praise the Lord for the two years He kept Paul in custody in Caesarea. Those years were a time of preparation for Paul, a chosen vessel, to put forth the completing revelation which he received of the Lord. After the preparation in Caesarea, Paul was transferred to Rome. Then he wrote the excellent completing Epistles of Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Hebrews. If we would be constituted of Paul’s ministry, we need to study these four books.
In addition to writing these four Epistles, Paul also wrote 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, and Philemon. In 1 Timothy 1:3 and 4 Paul said to Timothy, “Even as I urged you, when I was going into Macedonia, to remain in Ephesus in order that you might charge certain ones not to teach differently, nor to occupy themselves with myths and unending genealogies, which give occasion for questionings rather than God’s dispensation which is in faith.” Here Paul charged us not to teach differently, but to teach God’s economy. According to the Epistle of 1 Timothy, God’s economy is focused on God manifested in the flesh (1 Tim. 3:16). According to 1 Timothy 3:15, the church of the living God, the house of God, is the pillar and base of the truth, and this truth is actually the reality of the New Testament economy.
In 2 Timothy 1:14 we have this charge: “Guard the good deposit through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.” Then in 2 Timothy 2:2 Paul went on to say, “The things which you have heard from me through many witnesses, these commit to faithful men, who will be competent to teach others also.” Here Paul charged Timothy to pass on to others what he had received so that they might in turn teach others.
Furthermore, Paul told Timothy to “pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart” (2 Tim. 2:22). Here we see that calling on the name of the Lord has a definite place in the carrying out of the New Testament economy of God. For the carrying out of God’s New Testament economy, we need to call on the name of the Lord continually. Not only should we ourselves call individually; we should also call on Him with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
We thank the Lord for the last eight Epistles written by Paul. If we did not have these books, I do not know where we would be today with respect to God’s New Testament economy. We also thank the Lord for the picture portrayed for us in Acts. After considering the remaining chapters of this book, we shall have an even clearer view of the carrying out of God’s New Testament economy.
