PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS. 1. We know not what is before us, but we commit our whole future to God's wise and loving care. 2. There are many things better than life. To keep the faith, to complete our work, to fulfil our mission, are far more important than to live long. 3. Blessed are they who so live and so teach that they are pure from the blood of souls. 4. Neglect of duty, of warning, of teaching, tempting others to sin, setting a bad example, are ways of becoming guilty for the loss of others' souls. 5. Spiritual power over others depends on what we are ourselves. Therefore let us first take heed to ourselves, that we may be able to teach and care for others. 6. The teacher is to his class what a shepherd is to his flock. He must feed, watch over, defend, train, and lead in the right ways. 7. God's church is very precious to him, it has cost him so much. 8. The greatest dangers arise from those within the church perverting the saving truths of the Gospel, as the tallest and rankest weeds grow in the richest gardens. 9. Ver. 31. The way to overcome these dangers is by watching, by earnestness, love, tenderness, patience. 10. Warnings should always be given with tenderness. trary to the Gospel, and ineffective. Harsh condemnation is con 11. Ver. 32. The Christian is to be built up upon the foundation of Jesus Christ, like a temple, costly, beautiful, lighted, filled with worship and love. 12. The children of God inherit from God (1) his character, (2) his happiness, (3) his home. 13. The most blessed part of life is the giving forth of what we have, not merely money, but knowledge, sympathy, help, character, hope, faith, love. SUGGESTIONS TO TEACHERS. REVIEW. CONNECT. Teach the INTERVENING HISTORY. Put the Epistles in their places. Recall Paul's experiences at Ephesus. SUBJECT, A FAITHFUL TEACHER'S PARTING COUNSELS. THE JOURNEY. Traced out on the map. THE MEETING. When and where and why and with whom. THE RETROSPECT AND THE PROSPECT of the three years at Ephesus (vers. 22–27). Illustration. SAFE AMID STORMS. I have seen a village nestling in the bosom of some great mountain. Speaking one day to the villagers, I ventured to ask if they had many storms during the year. "Oh, yes," was the answer. "If there is a storm anywhere in the neighborhood it seems to find us out." "How do you account for it?" "Those who seem to know say it is due to the mountain which towers above our village." Have you had any accidents from lightning?' "Not one. We have seen the lightning strike the mountain a hundred times, and a grand sight it was, but nobody has been killed." "What have you, then?" "We have the thunder, which shakes our windows and frightens our women and children, but it has not killed anybody; and we have the downpour. The fertility of our village which you so much admire is all due to the thunder showers.” — Henry Simon. Under the shadow of Jesus we are safe, and the very storms fertilize our lives. 66 Illustration. DECLARING ALL THE COUNSEL OF GOD (ver. 27). Bishop Latimer, having one day preached before King Henry VIII. a sermon which displeased his majesty, was ordered to preach again the next Sabbath and to make an apology. After reading the text, he thus began: Hugh Latimer, dost thou know before whom thou art this day to speak? To the king's most excellent majesty, who can take away thy life if thou offendest: therefore take heed that thou speakest not a word that may displease; but then consider well, Hugh, dost thou not know from whence thou comest, upon whose message thou art sent? Even by the great and mighty God, who is all present, and who is able to cast thy soul into hell!" He then proceeded with the same sermon, but with more energy. — Arvine. I. FIRST COUNSEL. TAKE HEED (ver. 28) to self first, then to the flock. II. SECOND COUNSEL. BE ON GUARD AGAINST ENEMIES (vers. 29–31). III. THIRD COUNSEL. ABIDE IN THE GRACE OF GOD (ver. 32). IV. FOURTH COUNSEL. FOLLOW THE TEACHER'S EXAMPLE in daily life. Illustration. Goldsmith says, "They seldom improve much who have only themselves as models." Illustration. But if not a preaching service, what shall we have in the evening? Professor Drummond says, Visit the sick, help the poor, do good, look after the unevangelized. To clinch his argument he tells a story. An Italian coastguard reported to the government in regard to a wreck: "We attempted to give every assistance possible through the speaking-trumpet; notwithstanding which next morning twenty corpses were washed ashore." The churches are trying to do too much of their work through the pastor's speaking-trumpet. The Advance. V. FIFTH COUNSEL. GIVE FREELY. LESSON VII. AUGUST 13. PAUL AT JERUSALEM.—ACTS 21: 27-39. GOLDEN TEXT. - For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake. PHIL. I: 29. Paul's abode was with Mnason in the city. TIME. Tuesday, May 23, A.D. 58, one month after our last lesson. PLACE.- Jerusalem, the temple area. PERSONS. — Paul, aged 56; Luke and Trophimus, his companions; Josephus the historian, aged 20. THE SECTION OF HISTORY extends from 21: 1 to 22: 30. PRONUNCIATIONS. — Acre = A'ker; Ag'abus; Căsărē'ă; Cili'ciă; Cō'os; Cōs; Cy'prus; Mna'son (Nason); Păt'ără; Phoeni'ciă; Ptolema'is (Tõlĕmā'is); Rhōdes; Trophĭmus. EXPLANATORY. I. The Journey to Jerusalem. At the close of his address Paul and his companions again embarked, and set sail for Jerusalem. According to Lewin's Fasti Sacri, the itinerary was as follows: Monday, April 24, A.D. 58, Paul sails from Miletus to Coos. Tuesday, April 25, from Coos to Rhodes. Sunday, April 30, to Sunday, May 7, remains Monday, May 15, leaves Cæsarea for Jeru- Wednesday, May 17 (Pentecost), reaches Thursday, May 18, Paul's report to James Wednesday, May 24, brought before the It is well to note briefly some incidents on this journey. FIRST. At Tyre, he searched and found a band of disciples with whom he spent a week. The journey had been so prosperous that he did not have to hasten to Jerusalem for Pentecost. The apostle's example may well be followed by those who go from place to place in these modern days. Instead of waiting in silent obscurity till some Christian finds them out, let them search for the disciples, and seek to do Christian work, speak to Christians, take part in meetings, go to the Sabbath school, and then many a complaint will be removed, and many a dark day among strangers will be made light. SECOND. At Cæsarea, he found an example of woman's work in the church, in the four unmarried daughters of the prophet Agabus, who themselves did prophesy; that is, they spoke out the truths that God inspired them to speak, whether to men or to women or to both, we do not know. THIRD. Both at Tyre and at Cæsarea, prophets warned Paul of the danger of going to Jerusalem. It was revealed to them, not that Paul should not go, but that if he went, he would go into bonds, prison, sufferings. The prophets inferred from this foreknowledge that Paul should not go on. But Paul recognized more clearly the voice of the Spirit, and his duty to proceed in spite of warnings and remonstrances. For he had a clear vision of the great and glorious work to be accomplished by his visit. (1) He would unite the two great branches of the church, the Jewish and the Gentile, between whom there seemed to be growing up an incurable schism, more to be dreaded than death. He had had new revelations through his experience; he was bringing a peaceoffering in the form of a collection for the poor among the Jews; he would correct the false rumors and misrepresentations as to his teachings and work; he would show the approval of the Holy Spirit in the gifts and graces bestowed upon the Gentiles. (2) In Romans, written shortly before this time, Paul expresses his intense desire for the salvation of his countrymen. Now he would make one last effort for them. It was his one opportunity remaining. Might not the aged and weary missionary, wonderfully blessed of God in the hardest of heathen fields, come home and persuade his friends to accept of the Gospel, and be saved from the destruction he saw overhanging the nation (and which came within 12 years), as well as from individual eternal ruin. II. The Returned Missionaries report to the Home Church. From Cæsarea, Paul went up to Jerusalem in time for the Feast of Pentecost, and made his home with an early disciple, one Mnason. This was his fifth visit at Jerusalem since his conversion 20 years before. The next day he made a report of his missionary work to the leaders, of whom James, our Lord's brother, was the chief. SUMMARY OF WHAT GOD HAD WROUGHT BY PAUL. In the eight years since Paul had reported his work to the church at Jerusalem at the great conference (Acts 18: 21, 22), he had (1) made two long missionary tours; (2) revisited and strengthened the churches in Asia Minor; (3) he had carried the Gospel into Europe; (4) he had founded large churches in Philippi, Corinth, Thessalonica, and Ephesus; (5) he had been the means of great numbers of conversions, and the great extension of the Gospel; (6) some of the converts had been willing to endure much for the Gospel; (7) they had sent large contributions by Paul to the poor at Jerusalem; (8) special miracles had been wrought by the hand of Paul. III. The Attempt to harmonize the Two Parties. -THE POSITION OF PAUL AND THE GENTILE CHRISTIANS. Paul believed and taught according to the decision of the council at Jerusalem eight years before. (1) The Gentiles need not become Jews, and obey the Jewish ritual. (2) The law was not necessary for salvation. No forms could save any one, not even a Jew, but only faith in the Lord Jesus. (3)_The promises to the Jews were to be fulfilled by the Gentiles becoming Christians. The Gentiles were children of Abraham through faith. (4) At the same time he himself obeyed the Jewish law, but not as a condition of salvation. THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS POSITION was very great. (1) For the foundation of Christianity lay in salvation, not by forms, but by a new heart of faith. (2) It broke the bondage of laws and ceremonies, and brought in the glorious liberty of the Gospel. (3) It enabled the religion of Christ to become universal. The temple and its ceremonial was destroyed in a few years, providentially, for this very purpose. (4) It took away a great and unnecessary hindrance to the conversion of the Gentiles. THE POSITION of the JudaizeRS. Many of the Jewish Christians, notwithstanding the decision of the council, were exceedingly zealous for the law. They wanted the Gentiles to be saved, but only by becoming Jews, the true people of God. They opposed Paul (1) Because many believed that to become a Jew was essential to salvation. (2) Because the law, which they thought he opposed, was the divine foundation of their nation and their hopes. All that they held dear was built upon it. (3) Paul's position seemed an insult to God and the Bible. Their religion was divine. It had stood for 1500 years. So that "those who supported the cause of Paul rendered themselves liable to those charges, so terrible to a Jew, of laxness, of irreligion, of apostasy, of unpatriotism, of not being believers in revealed truth. Was not Moses inspired? Was the sacred Pentateuch to be reduced to a dead letter? Were all the curses of Ebal to be braved?" (4) They did not see how Paul's teachings were for the fulfilling of the law, and the enlargement and permanence of the nation. (4) They were reluctant to give up their privileges as a chosen race, the highest, the most favored of all nations. (5) There were many great and precious promises given to them, of enlargement, of victory over all enemies, of prosperity and peace, which had not been fulfilled. Could they give up all these hopes? (6) Then the very hope of the world seemed to depend on them. In the seed of Abraham were all nations to be blessed; 27. And when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews which were of Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people, and2 laid hands on him, 3 28. Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all men every where against the people, and the law, and this place and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place. 29. (For they had seen before with him in the city Trophimus an Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.) 4 Acts 20: 4. the kingdom of heaven was to come through their Messiah; Zion was to be the joy of the whole earth. They could not see how only by the truths that Paul taught, and the position he took, could these things come to pass. But they felt that if his teachings prevailed, all was lost. To correct the misrepresentations of his teaching, Paul reluctantly agreed to fulfil a Jewish vow, in connection with several others, in the temple. His principles allowed him to do this. It was no compromise by giving up a portion of the truth. Paul himself lived strictly as a Jew. "It was a wise and noble act of Christian conciliation," and its failure does not brand it as unwise or wrong. IV. The Attack on Paul. Vers. 27-39. Tuesday, May 23, A.D. 58. THE PLACE. The temple courts, where the mob assaulted Paul. THE ASSAILANTS. Besides the two parties in the church spoken of above, there were two other parties outside. (1) The Pharisees, who were bitterly enraged against Paul as a renegade Pharisee and a supposed opponent of Judaism; and (2) the Sadducees, who disagreed with the Pharisees, and with Paul as a defender of the resurrection of Christ and a teacher of immortal life. It was chiefly the Pharasaic element who assailed Paul at this time. 27. The seven days of the vow. The Jews which were of Asia. The western province of Asia Minor, of which Ephesus was the capital. Paul was well known to them, having preached three years there, and been a powerful opponent. When they saw him in the temple. In the court of the women, where was the apartment appropriated to the Nazarites. The entrance to this court was by the Beautiful Gate. - Lewin. And laid hands on him. Not a legal arrest, for they had no authority, but the beginning of the mob violence. 28. That teacheth all men every where. A sweeping charge, yet showing how extensively the apostle's influence had been felt. - Riddle. Against the people. The Jews. And the law, and this place. What he had really taught, we saw in the last lesson. But to them it seemed against them and their law and temple. And further brought Greeks also into the temple. He had not done this, but they supposed he had (ver. 29). The temple refers to the inner courts. Any one could enter the outer court of the Gentiles. Within this was a series of terraces, rising one above the other. "A balustrade of stone fenced off these more sacred enclosures. This was the middle wall of partition alluded to (Eph. 2:14). This was four and a half feet high, with small obelisks at regular distances, bearing inscriptions in Greek and Latin that no Gentile might enter on pain of death.". Lewin. The recent excavations of the Palestine Exploration Society (Report for 1871, p. 132) have brought to light a slab with an inscription, discovered and deciphered by M. Clermont Ganneau, which must have formed part of the low wall just mentioned: "No MAN OF ALIEN RACE IS TO ENTER WITHIN THE BALUSTRADE AND FENCE THAT GOES ROUND THE TEMPLE. IF ANY ONE IS TAKEN IN THE ACT, LET HIM KNOW THAT HE HAS HIMSELF TO BLAME FOR THE PENALTY OF DEATH THAT FOLLOWS." This, accordingly, was the punishment which the Jews of Asia were now seeking to bring on St. Paul and on his friends. - Plumptre. And hath polluted this holy place. By bringing Greeks, i.e. uncircumcised Gentiles, into the Holy Place, i.e. beyond the middle wall of partition. 29. For they had seen before with him in the city Trophimus an Ephesian. Trophimus was one of the little band which accompanied Paul from Philippi in Macedonia to Jerusalem. Being an Ephesian, he would be well known by sight to many of the Jews from Asia. Schaff. Whom they supposed. Contrary to fact. 30. And all the city was moved, and the people ran together: and they took Paul, and drew him out of the temple and forthwith the doors were shut. 31. And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar: 32. Who' immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down unto them: and when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, they left beating of Paul. 33. Then the chief captain came near, and took him, and2 commanded him to be bound with two chains; and demanded who he was, and what he had done. 34. And some cried one thing, some another, among the multitude: and when he could not know the certainty for the tumult, he commanded him to be carried into the castle. the temple. And all the city 30 was moved, and the people ran together: and they laid hold on Paul, and dragged him out of the temple: and straightway the doors were shut. And as they were seek-31 ing to kill him, tidings came up to the (a) chief captain of the (6) band, that all Jerusa And 32 lem was in confusion. forthwith he took soldiers and centurions, and ran down upon them: and they, when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, left off beat ing Paul. Then the chief hold on him, and commanded captain came near, and laid' him to be bound with two chains; and inquired who he was, and what he had done. 33 And some shouted one thing, 34 some another, among the crowd: and when he could not know the certainty for the uproar, he commanded him to be brought into the (a) Or, military tribune. Gr. chiliarch; and so throughout this book. (b) Or, cohort. THEY SUPPOSED. How many false accusations against Paul in this lesson from " supposing" without knowing. They supposed that (1) Paul was an enemy of his nation; (2) that he was an enemy of the law; (3) that he was a defiler of the temple. (4) The chief captain supposed that Paul was a bad man; (5) that he was an Egyptian pretender. There are many like suppositions against others in our day, as to other denominations, as to other parties, as to other Christians. · - From Dr. Broadus. 30. And all the city was moved. Stirred, excited. Ran together. In the court of the Gentiles. And they took Paul, and drew him. Rev. Ver., they laid hold on laul, and dragged him, etc. Their design was probably to get him out of the temple precincts before they proceeded to further violence. Out of the temple. The inner sacred court. Forthwith the doors were shut. This was obviously the act of the Levite gate-keepers. The doors were those of the Gate Beautiful, between the Court of the Women and the Court of the Gentiles. They were of Corinthian brass, 60 feet high, and it took 20 men to shut them.- Lewin. The obvious reason why the doors were shut was, (1) to guard against the spaces of the temple being stained by the shedding of blood (De Wette, Meyer), and (2) as it was already supposed that the inner court had been polluted by the entrance of a Gentile, to prevent its further pollution.· Lechler. (3) The holy places must be guarded against the rush of the excited mob. THE RESCUE. 31. And as they went about to kill him. They were already beating him (ver. 32), and would have soon put an end to his life. Tidings came unto the chief captain. Greek chiliarch, or commander of a thousand men. His name was Claudius Lysias (23:26). Of the band. Cohort, a body of 1000 men, who were the Roman garrison at Jerusalem, and were stationed in the castle Antonia which joined the temple area on the north-west. 32. Centurions. Captains of a company of 100 men. Left beating of Paul. The mob probably knew that Roman law would do justice; and that if the apostle were found by the chief captain to have been wrongfully treated, they would be brought to an account. Cambridge Bible. 33. Bound with two chains. One from each of his arms to a soldier on each side of him (compare chap. 12:6). This secured the prisoner, yet left him free to walk away with his guards when the detachment was marched off. Riddle. The prophecy of Agabus was here fulfilled (chap. 21:11). The chains were at hand because, as Josephus states, every Roman soldier carried with him a chain and also a thong.-Lewin. And demanded. Old English for 'asked." Inquired of the bystanders. 34. Some cried one thing, some another. As in the riot at Ephesus (19: 32), most did not know just what Paul had done. Carried into the castle of Antonia. |
