Notes for22 November 2020

Paul's words that he is "pure from the blood of all men" because throughout his ministry, he announced to each the counsel of God, remind the words pronounced by God to one of the great prophets of Israel, to Ezekiel, which meaning was that the duty of the prophet is to witness what God revealed to him. The reaction of those to whom he witnesses, in what is heard - is not his problem: if somebody does not listen to the words of the witness, it will be his sin and his responsibility, and the witness, as someone having achieve his duty, will not bear the responsibility of the one who did not listen to his words. If the witness keeps silent, hides his testimony, and the one he had to rebuke sins because of the silence of the prophet, the prophet will be responsible for the sin committed by the sinner in the same measure as the one who sinned. The principle, as seen, is simple: the silent witness, refusing to testify becomes the accomplice of another’s sin.

And obviously Paul holds the same position: he was always a faithful witness of Christ and the Kingdom, he never hid his testimony to anybody, and now the one who did not find necessary to listen to his words, will answer himself for the consequences of his choice. But, of course in the case of Paul things are complicated with a new measure of responsibility for the testimony, and for its rejection. Of course, even the ancient prophets testified from the spiritual point of view vital things: if, for example, they rebuked individuals or entire nations for the violation of the commandments, it was really quite often about life and dead, about the way of righteousness leading to life, and the ways of sin leading to death.

But here it was still more about the choice in the current frame of the not transformed order of things. Paul testifies of Christ and the Kingdom, putting the one who listens in a situation of absolute choice, choice between definitive salvation and definitive perdition. Of course, the responsibility of the witness in such a situation is considerably higher. But the responsibility of the listener for the choice made by him is also much more serious. And understanding it, the apostle sums up his ministry: he repelled nobody, hid nothing to anybody, he did everything he could. The rest depends only on the listeners themselves.