In the first place, the door of faith had been opened to the Gentiles.
Surely by “the door of faith” we must understand that “new and living
way” of which we read in Hebrews. {71} And what is that way? Is not
this explained by the previous verse, “Having, therefore, boldness to
enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus.” It is the free access to
the throne of Grace through the finished, final propitiation, there
described as “the blood of Jesus.” When He died, the veil of the temple
was rent in twain from the top to the bottom, and the mercy-seat was laid
open to the sinner drawing near in faith, and the invitation was
proclaimed to all. The throne of righteousness became the throne of
mercy, and the throne of judgment became approachable even to the sinner,
for it was transformed into a throne of grace.
This is the door of faith that had been opened to the Gentiles, and it is
very difficult for us to realize all that was involved in such a fact.
There was a middle wall of partition between Jew and Gentile which kept
them as wide asunder as if there had been no common Saviour. But now St.
Paul reported that the middle wall had been broken down. {72a} Every
stone of it had been swept away, and, according to the covenant of God,
all were invited as one flock around one Shepherd.
But this was not all that had been done. The great work of that
missionary journey was the turning of the hearts of both Jews and
Gentiles to enter in by that open door. It is one thing to set a door
open before a person, but often a much more difficult thing to induce him
to enter in. Now the great result of this journey was that many precious
souls were brought in through the open door, and in Christ Jesus were
saved. This was the work of which St. Paul gave an account on his return
to Antioch. If he mentioned individuals he doubtless told them of
Sergius Paulus, the Roman pro-consul at Paphos, that “prudent man,” {72b}
one of the first converts given to the Apostle. Then, again, he
doubtless told them of the great multitude both of the Jews and also of
the Greeks in Iconium who believed. {72c} And if he were asked as to the
reality of the work in their souls, he doubtless told them of the
beautiful character of the Christians in the other Antioch, Antioch of
Pisidia, of whom it is said, “the disciples were filled with joy, and
with the Holy Ghost.” {73}
They had, indeed, entered in by the open door. They had tasted the joy
of the living way, they had been brought under the shadow of the
mercy-seat. They had sat down under His shadow with great delight, and
had found the fruit sweet to their taste. So marvellous had been the
change that the very men who before this memorable journey had been
living, some in Jewish hostility, and some in heathen abomination, were
now happy, holy, thankful believers, and were actually filled with the
Holy Ghost. We see, then, what had been done. The next question is—