§. But they were all affraid of him, and believed not that he was a Disciple.
This very thing hath caused some to conceive that Paul had a journey to Jerusalem a lit∣tle after his conversion, and before ever he went into Arabia: because they cannot con∣ceive how it should be possible, that he should have been a convert and a Preacher of the Gospel three years together, and yet his conversion and his present qualities should be unknown to the Church at Jerusalem: and the rather because he himself saith that the wonder of his conversion was not done in a corner, Acts 26. 26.
Answ. But these two or three considerations may help to resolve the scruple. 1. The distance betwixt Damascus and Jerusalem, which was exceeding great. 2. The quarrels betwixt Herod and Aretas, which were a means to hinder intercourse betwixt those two places. 3. The persecution that continued still upon the Church of Judea, which would keep Disciples of Damascus from going thither. And 4. the just fear that might possess the Disciples at Jerusalem, in the very time of persecution: For though it was said before, the Church at Jerusalem and of Judaea injoyed a great deal of rest and tranquility after the conversion of Paul their great persecutor, in comparison of what they had done be∣fore, yet was not the persecution of the Church utterly extinct to the very time of Pauls coming up to Jerusalem, but continued still, and therefore it is the less wonder if the Disciples there, be the more fearful and cautelous.
Vers. 27. But Barnabas took him, &c.
How Barnabas came acquainted with the certainty of Pauls conversion, better than the other Disciples, is not easie to resolve: It is like that he being abroad for fear of the persecution, as the other of the Preachers were, (all but the Apostles) went in his travails towards Damascus or Arabia, and so had heard and learned the certainty of the matter: However it is pregnant to our observation, that he that was afterwards to be fellow traveller and labourer with Paul in the Gospel to the Gentiles is now made the in∣strument and means of his first admission to the society of the Apostles. It is possible that there had been some acquaintance betwixt these two men in former times, they being both Grecizing Jews, the one of Cyprus, the other of Cilicia, and both in all probability brought up and educated at Jerusalem; but whether it were so or no the hand of God is to be looked after in this passage, when Pauls future partner in the ministry to the Gentiles, is now his first intertainer into the society of the Church at Jerusalem.