In Sholem Asch’s great novel, “The Apostle,” the closing scene is set in a dungeon in Rome. Hundreds of Christians have been lowered into the dungeon through a little trap door, and they know that they will never come out except to die in the arena. Many of them die in the dungeon. The scene as described by Sholem Asch is one of darkness and horror. Suddenly the trap door opens and there is a shaft of light for a brief moment as a man is lowered. And as the man descends into this place of indescribable darkness, death and despair, he is singing songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. The word spreads like wildfire among the people in the dungeon: “It’s Paul! It’s Paul! Paul has come!” And Paul’s joy is so contagious that before long he has all the people in he dungeon singing songs of praise and thanksgiving. A whole new spirit has taken hold of them. In this, Sholem Asch…
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