Gallio was boss in Corinth. He had powers of life and death. He did not suffer fools gladly. When opponents of Paul sought to bring the law down on him, Gallio was the man in the driving-seat. It was Gallio who heard the complaint that what Paul was doing was against the law: it was claimed he was trying to promote an illegal form of worship. Gallio would have none of it. He said he was concerned with crime and misdemeanours, not bickering about terms and conditions of the Jewish law. He suggested that the complainants settle the matter amongst themselves and not waste his time. ‘’I do not intend to be a judge of these matters.’ He sent them packing. He did not show himself as any more unbending when ruffians beat up Sosthenes, the president of the synagogue, in front of him.
Gamaliel was as shrewd as Gallio was impassive. He found himself among his fellow lawyers and councillors sitting in judgment on the apostles, who were regarded as nothing other than trouble-makers by those in high office. Gamaliel advised them to beware. He must have known that the men in front of him had been miraculously sprung from prison. ‘Let them alone,’ he said. ‘If this is a commonplace people’s revolt it will come to nothing. If it is God’s doing then we shall be well advised to consider the consequences.’ There was the risk of finding themselves at war with God. Gamaliel was foreshadowing Asquith in the game of ‘Wait and see.’
In Philippi Paul and Silas were flogged, jailed and shackled. A timely earthquake allowed them to escape. The jailer treated them kindly, fearful about losing his job and perhaps more. The magistrates sent officers to tell the prisoners they were free to go. Paul did not take that lying down. ‘We are Roman citizens. They gave us a public flogging and threw us into prison without trial. Are they now going to smuggle us out by stealth? Not likely! Paul was not prepared to be treated like something that the cat had brought in. The magistrates, wanting a quiet life, apologised and escorted them out. No involvement for them. No benefits from the Gospel either.
In Athens Paul argued the case for believing there to be a Creator, one who moreover had revealed himself and appointed Jesus as judge of all the earth. Some scoffed. Others came up with the classic formula: ‘We’ll hear what you have to say some other time.’ In other words, they said they had more important things to think about. They temporized. No involvement.
DOWN UNDER
In the cosmopolitan city of Melbourne, All Saints church, Clayton, near Monash University, is avowedly multi-cultural. With a modern church building it has services in English and Dinka (the Dinka people originating in South Sudan). Its Dixon House centre (a former vicarage) serves the community in a variety of ways. ‘We are growing into our name – All Saints,’ they say.
Mullum Mullum, Ringwood, Melbourne not only has a chocolate factory. It has a lively Anglican church housed in a 2018 building. Its programme includes Alpha courses.
Just started is the first Art and Faith class at Nungalinya College, Darwin. The Combined Churches Training College for Indigenous Australians started in 1974 and draws students from a hundred communities all over Australia each year.
Supporting Nungalinya College is St Peter’s Nightcliff, a suburb of Darwin. With a ministry team led by Joshua Kuswadi the church also supports the Church Mission Society and Scripture Union.
The Church of the Resurrection, Kallaroo, Perth also supports the Church Mission Society together with Wycliffe Bible Translators. Leading the ministry team is Gordon Killow.
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