BEN F. VICK, JR.
On Paul's second missionary journey, he arrived in Corinth by himself. He met Aquila and Priscilla, who were of the same craft as he, tentmakers. While laboring with them, he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. Luke records that when Silas and Timothy arrived, Paul was "pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. When the Jews rejected Paul's preaching, he turned to the Gentiles. The inspired historian tells us, "And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized." (Acts 18:8.) Paul labored with the church for eighteen months. The church in Corinth was established. Seven or eight years later, Paul wrote a letter to that church that had significant problems addressed in First Corinthians. The second letter that we have reveals more of this apostle's heart than any of his other writings. In the latter half of the epistle, Paul defended his apostleship because false teachers denied his apostleship.
In Paul's defense, he wrote, "Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds." (2 Cor. 12:12.) Earlier in this letter, he inquired, "Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you? Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart." (2 Cor. 3:1-3.) Why would Paul have to show a letter recommending him? They knew him. He had converted many of them. As further proof, he said, "Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you…."
Judaizing teachers may have claimed to have been apostles or that Paul was not a genuine apostle as Peter or John. So, once again, Paul pulls out his credentials. He said the signs of an apostle had been done among you. Just what were those signs? The text tells us: "…in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds." The "signs" in the text here were miraculous indicators of Paul's message. Not every "sign" is a miraculous sign. Circumcision was a sign, but certainly not miraculous (Rom. 4:11). The "signs" Paul did at Corinth (and other places) were tokens that he was an apostle. In the previous verse, Paul said, "…for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostle, though I be nothing." The signs that Jesus did were to prove that he was the Son of God (John 20:30-31).
"Wonders" would be some miraculous action that caused amazement in the hearts of others. When Jesus healed the man let down from the roof by his friends, the people said, "We have seen strange things today." (Luke 5:26.) On that first Pentecost following the resurrection of Jesus, Peter preached, "Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:" (Acts 2:22.)
"Mighty deeds" would be miraculous deeds. On the day of our Lord's resurrection, two men walking to Emmaus were met by Jesus on that first day of the week. When Jesus asked them what they were discussing and why they were so sad, they said, "Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?" Luke records, "And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:" (Luke 24:19.) They recognized that Jesus was a prophet "mighty in deed and word."
The signs of an apostle were not merely the power to do miracles. Philip, one of the seven selected to serve tables (Acts 6), not one of the twelve apostles, went down to Samaria when the church was being persecuted. Acts 8:5-8 reads: "Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed. And there was great joy in that city." (Acts 8:5–8.) The Holy Spirit, by the pen of Luke, wrote, "But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done." (Acts 8:12-13.)
When word was received in Jerusalem of the conversion of the Samaritans, the apostles sent Peter and John down to Samaria, thirty-six miles north of Jerusalem. (If Peter were the first Pope, do you not think he would have been the one sending, rather one of the two being sent?) When Peter and John arrived, they prayed for the new converts at Samaria that they might receive the Holy Spirit: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) [If they had the Holy Spirit at their baptism, why was there a need to pray for him? bfv) Luke tells us, "Then laid they [Peter and John] laid their hands on them [the Samaritans], and they received the Holy Ghost." (Acts 8:14-17). Now, observe the following two verses: "And when Simon [formerly, the sorcerer] saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost." (Acts 8:18-19.) Simon who before had deceived people to leave the impression that he was some great one, obeyed the gospel under the preaching of Philip, the evangelist (Acts 8:13), but he slipped back to his old ways, wanting to have the power that only the apostles had. And what was that power? The ability to impart spiritual gifts to others. He wanted the same power that only the apostles had. He was willing to pay for it. That is where the expression "simony" originates, which is buying an office.
Paul said to the Corinthian saints: Here is proof that I am an apostle. The power to impart spiritual or miraculous gifts to you is the proof. Those spiritual gifts are listed in 1 Corinthians 12:8-12. There are nine in number.
When the apostles died and those upon whom they laid hands died, the miraculous ceased. The revelation was complete (Jude 3). Today, we have the complete Bible – 39 books in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament.