In Mine Heart as a Burning Fire

On Paul’s first mission, he and Barnabas “came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down.” Paul rehearsed unto them a brief history of Israel and then declared unto them this about the Savior: “Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.” These Jews, though, did not receive his message: “They were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.” Luke recorded the reaction of these two missionaries: “Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles” (Acts 13:14, 38, 45-46). Paul of course had a great mission to perform to the Gentiles, but despite this declaration that they were going from henceforth to the Gentiles, in the next city (Iconium), “they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed” (Acts 14:1). I wonder if Luke put this verse right after to highlight that though Paul was frustrated with the rejection of the Jews, and though he had declared he was going to turn to the Gentiles, deep down he still yearned to bring the Jews (along with the Gentiles) to salvation. He would indeed preach to both groups. It reminds me of what happened to Jeremiah when he taught the wicked Jews at Jerusalem and they similarly rejected and mocked him. He wrote: “I am in derision daily, every one mocketh me…. Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay” (Jeremiah 20:7, 9). He tried to stop bearing witness of Jehovah but he simply couldn’t—the fire of the covenant was burning within him and he continued despite the rejection.

                On Paul’s second mission he spent a long time in Corinth where he dwelt with Aquila and Priscilla. Luke recorded, “he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks…. Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.” Again, the Jews were not receptive: “And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed.” Paul’s response was similar to before: “Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.” He was fed up with the rejection and wickedness of the Jews, and so he declared to them that he was going to focus on the Gentiles from thenceforth. But right after this declaration that the Savior came to Paul with a message: “Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city” (Acts 18:4-6, 9-10). Perhaps what the Savior was telling him was in essence, “No, Paul, you can’t stop preaching to the Jews here. Continuing teaching them and they will not hurt you.” This feels a lot like what happened to Alma at Ammonihah: the Nephites there “hardened their hearts” and “withstood all his words, and reviled him, and spit upon him, and caused that he should be cast out of their city.” He departed and probably felt much like Paul, thinking it was time to go to someone else. But the Lord stopped him and turned him around: “An angel of the Lord appeared unto him, saying: Blessed art thou, Alma; therefore, lift up thy head and rejoice, for thou hast great cause to rejoice;… behold, I am sent to command thee that thou return to the city of Ammonihah, and preach again unto the people of the city” (Alma 8:11-16). Paul did not leave Corinth but “continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.” Though the text doesn’t say specifically, surely he continued preaching to both Jew and Gentile there despite his earlier declaration. That he was not truly turning only to the Gentiles is evidenced by what he did in the next city: “he came to Ephesus, and… entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews” (Acts 18:11, 19). Paul continued throughout his life to preach both to the Jews and the Gentiles, for like Jeremiah, his witness of Jesus Christ “was in [his] heart as a burning fire shut up in [his] bones… and [he] could not stay.”