Acts 16:17 The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God… Truth is truth, by whomsoever confessed, for whatever motive, and in whatever way. Here it was confessed by a devil-possessed girl. Perhaps her better nature was in the ascendant at the time. As we know from the Gospels demoniacal possession was intermittent, and the poor creatures had their lucid intervals. So this damsel, conscious for the moment of her misery and degradation, may have meant this as a sort of appeal for help. Perhaps, however, it may have been in mockery. No doubt the apostles had asserted their authority as servants of the most high God, and certainly "the way of salvation" was their constant theme. And the girl gifted with powers of mimicry may have reproduced their peculiar accent for the purpose of creating amusement. On the former hypothesis Paul's pity was excited: on the latter his indignation and alarm lest the gospel should be brought into contempt. Anyhow the testimony is true as a description of: — I. THE CHARACTER OF GOSPEL MINISTERS. 1. They are men(1) Not angels; do not therefore expect angelic attributes of them. One of the greatest hindrances to the work of the Church is the extravagant demands which are made of the ministry. It discourages the men, and induces indolence in the people. (2) They are men having knowledge of human needs, invested with human sympathies, gifted with the faculty of communicating Divine thought in human language. 2. They are servants. (1) A humbling thought. All magisterial airs, all pomp and show, are utterly inconsistent with this character. A servant is a subordinate and has simply to do what he is told. (2) A suggestion of responsibility and labour. What is a servant for but for work? And for the efficient discharge of that work he is held responsible. 3. They are servants of the Most High God. (1) Their office therefore is invested with the loftiest dignity. What greater honour than to be the servant of a sovereign. Our Lord Himself gloried in this title. (2) Their persons are secure. God will protect His servants till they can say, "I have finished my course."(3) Their reward is great; as is to be expected from such a Master. "Be thou faithful," etc. II. THEIR WORK. "To show the way of salvation." 1. There is a way of salvation. (1) A way to it — i.e., means whereby it may be secured. (a) Repentance — consciousness of being in the wrong way, regret for it, confession of it, and desire to get out of it. (b) Faith. Acceptance of the right way; of Him who is the Way; walking in that Way — i.e., humble dependence on Christ. (2) Salvation itself is a way — a progress from darkness to light, from misery to blessedness, from sin to holiness, from uselessness or injuriousness to usefulness, from earth to heaven, from grace to glory. Salvation is a state, but it is an endlessly progressive state. No matter however high the attainment the saved one is to "forget the things that are behind," etc. So viewed salvation is the right way, the happy way. 2. This way has to be shown. (1) Hence the guide must know it, and not theoretically, from books or from what others have told him; but from being in it. Personal salvation is the essential qualification for a minister, and a guarantee of his competency for his work. (2) Knowing it the guide must show it; by precept and example: simply, clearly, powerfully. (J. W. Burn.) Parallel Verses KJV: The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. |
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