Paul and Elymas
B. Kent, M. A. Acts 13:3-12 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.… 1. Among the chief enemies to the gospel in early times was the sorcerer. He was the degenerate descendant of the astrologers and wise men of the courts of Pharaoh, and Babylon. They interpreted dreams, explained the language of the stars, and had knowledge of the laws of nature. We can account for their ascendency. It would be easy, e.g., for the wise man to account for the cure of disease, by ascribing it to his power over occult qualities or evil spirits. A mysterious look would do much! 2. They were the Jesuits of antiquity. Their one object was to make all things work together for the glory of their order. The stars, the past, the future, the dream, the disease, the earthquake, the eclipse, were all taxed for their interest. All depended on making men think that they had influence over nature. Thus their power rested on a lie. 3. The light of the East was waning, the craft of the sorcerer, therefore, moved westward, and the Rome of Tiberius was inundated with them. I. THE SORCERER LIVES ON FROM AGE TO AGE. He belongs to no particular profession, he is in all. There is the sorcery of the political economy school; the magician of literature; the false prophet of science; last, but not least, worse than all, is the Church Magus, who calls attention to himself instead of directing it to God. To make use of the Bible, of sacraments, of heaven and hell, to terrify men into conviction of our authority and influence, is the essence of modern sorcery. The ancient used a star, the modern a cross; the old Magus availed himself of diseases of the body, the new of diseases of the mind. For one man to stand up and proclaim himself to be possessed of power or privilege not possessed by all, is to write Elymas in large letters on his forehead. II. YES! AND THE CURSE OF ELYMAS IS ON YOU! The gospel darkens and blinds this sorcerer, by showing what are "the right ways of the Lord." The apostle disclaimed all power. He came to turn men away from man; to say that all were sinners, he the chief; that all must turn to God, from all false and hollow supports; and being converted from man to God, they became, through faith in Christ, priests — offering up their bodies a living sacrifice through Christ. And anyone who calls away the attention of the priestly people offering themselves to God, to himself, is a thief and robber. The glory of the gospel is that it gives glory to God only. "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom," etc. The glory of the gospel is, that it points sinners to God, away from all human, secret ways of giving aid. These are the "cunning craftiness," the "sleight of men," which the apostle denounces; the "enticing words of man's wisdom," "the hidden things of dishonesty," which he disclaimed. The doctrine of the universal Christian priesthood, of the one sole High Priest, is, therefore, Paul meeting Elymas. This it is most needful to ponder; for human indolence, guilty fear, and love of power are all equally interested in the support of the sorcerer ecclesiastic. III. THEY ARE BLIND, BOTH SORCERER AND VICTIMS. How blind to think it a greater thing to make himself mysterious, than to be simply a channel of God's truth to a soul! How blind to think it better to seem than to be! How much more glorious to break in on superstition with, "We are men of like passions with you," and come to turn you away from idols to the "living God"! How much greater to wake men up to a sense of their priesthood, than to claim an exclusive priesthood which degrades them! There is absolutely, then, but one way of dealing with Elymas and his victims, that is to preach the whole truth of Christ respecting the lofty privileges of the sons of God. We cannot, if we would, strike the sorcerer blind. He is blind, blinder he cannot be; but we can proclaim the truth he hides. We can tell them that the only way to be sure of "the doctrine of the Lord," is to receive and experience its gracious influence; that we preach "the unsearchable riches of Christ, to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery." (B. Kent, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. WEB: Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.