Greater Men and Women of the Bible by James Hastings: 637. Silas

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Greater Men and Women of the Bible by James Hastings: 637. Silas


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Silas



Literature



Baring-Gould, S., A Study of St. Paul (1897), 197.

Binney, T., St. Paul: His Life and Ministry (1866), 201.

Conybeare, W. J., and J. S. Howson, The Life and Epistles of St. Paul, i. (1877) 268.

Gaebelein, A. C., The Acts of the Apostles, 271.

Haweis, H. R., The Picture of Paul (1887), 100.

Holden, J. S., Redeeming Vision (1908), 101.

Howson, J. S., Scenes from the Life of St. Paul (1909), 116.

Knowling, R. J., The Acts of the Apostles (Expositor's Greek Testament) (1900), 326.

Lefroy, E. C., The Christian Ideal (1883), 60.

Lewin, T., The Life and Epistles of St. Paul, i. (1875) 163.

M‘Garvey, J. W., New Commentary on Acts of Apostles, ii. (1892) 75.

Maclaren, A., Expositions: The Acts of the Apostles xiii.-end (1907), 114.

Maclaren, A., The Victor's Crowns, 104.

Maclaren, A., Christ's Musts (1894), 270.

Marsh, F. E., Flashes from the Lighthouse of Truth, 11.

Peloubet, F. N., The Teachers' Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles (1901), 211.

Rackham, R. B., The Acts of the Apostles (1901), 256.

Seekings, H. S., The Men of the Pauline Circle (1914), 75.

Selwyn, E. C., St. Luke the Prophet (1901), 3.

Stalker, J., The New Song (1888), 168.

Thorne H., Notable Sayings of the Great Teacher, 115.

Trench, R. C., Sermons Preached for the Most Part in Ireland (1873), 142.

Zahn, T., Introduction to the New Testament, i. (1909) 215.



Silas



Sylvanus our faithful brother.- 1Pe_5:12.



Sylvanus is, beyond all reasonable doubt, the same man who is known to us in the Acts of the Apostles by the name of Silas. A double name was very common among Jews whose vocations brought them into close connexion with Gentiles. You will find other instances of it among the Apostles: in Paul himself, whose Hebrew name was Saul; Simon and Peter; and probably in Bartholomew and Nathanael. And there is no reasonable doubt that a careful examination of the various places in which the names Silas and Sylvanus are mentioned shows that they were borne by one person.



Silas glides about in the dim background of the Acts. He is named only when some circumstance arises which makes it necessary, and he is never mentioned save in company with some one else. He is apparently a secondary character, playing a subordinate part in the stupendous endeavour to evangelize the Gentile world. Yet his is by no means an expressionless personality, and his work as an edifier of his brethren lifts him out of the group of the unknown, and makes him something more to us than simply a name.



It is horribly vexatious to be next door to greatness. An old proverb tells us that a miss is as good as a mile; but, like most proverbs, it is as false as false can be. A mile is ever so much better than a miss.1 [Note: F. W. Boreham, Mushrooms on the Moor, 188.]



Janet was one of those rare women who are efficient performers on that useful instrument known as “the second fiddle.” It is a great gift. They make the sweetest music in the world. There are no more essential performers in the orchestra than they.2 [Note: Ellen Thorneycroft Fowler, In Subjection.]



Blessed the man and woman who is able to serve cheerfully in the second rank-a big test.1 [Note: Mary Slessor of Calabar, 298.]