The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-11-01


FOURTH QUARTER-LEssoN VII.
November 12:h, 1876. Acts TX: 1880
sAUL's EARLY MINISTRY.
GOLDEN TEXT" He which prosecuted us
in times past now preacheth the faith when once
he destroyed. Gal. i 90
READINGS FOR THE WEEK.
S.-Acts tx: 1880 The Lesson
MI Cor. xi.--PaurS trials
TIL Cor xii He glories IN intfrmttteS
W.-Gal. Zeal false and true.
P-Eph. vi: lO-24.-The Christian arnaor
F-Matt. K: l-22. The ldborers' cork and
S-Matt. x: 23-42 enCOurdgentuntS.
NOTES ON THE LESSON.
Saul at Damascus, VS.. 1922.
V. 10. Saul's unnatural condition, which
began with the binding vision of Jesus in the
way, was now ended; and after fast OF
three days he received food, and was strength
ened. The assertion here made, that Saul
was with the disciples" means that ne was
with them as disciple, as one of the body Of
believers. "Certain days" or some days,
suggests short time and can hardly in
clude the three years mentioned in Gal. /;
Is. During his stay at Damascus, he made
visit to Arabia and returned again to this
city, (Gal. i: II
V. 20. "Straightway" is to be applied to
the beginning of the certain days, and not
their end. "He preached Christ" Christ
the Messiah, was the subject of his preaching
in the beginning of his ministry, as it was in
his maturer years, Il Cor. ii 2. SIN the
synagogue" Saul had letters to these syn
agogues authorizing him to arrest any follow
ers of Jesus he might fad; but the convert
ed Pharisee now proclaimed to them that Je
sus was not only the Christ, the promised
Messiah; but that he was indeed the Sor
of God" partaker of the divine nature.
V. q. The surprise here expressed waI
from the Jews of those Synagogues. The
Christians were probably already apprized Of
Saul's conversion and baptism. Christians
are here again designated as those who cal
on the name of Jesus, that is worship him
". 14) The object of Sall's visit is here
stated to have been to carry the followers o.
Jesus bound to the chief priests at Jerusalem
V. % "Saul increased the more il
strength" As he preached, he continued
to grow in strength. This term may include
the strength of his own convictions, but tht
prominent idea, no doubt, is his power as 6
preacher of Christ, in proclaimiug and de
Tending the truth, and thus " cOnfoundipg
the Jews" and "proVing that this Jesus il
the very Christ" Saul no doubt deduceC
his proof from the prophecies, which h
showed to have been fulfilled in Jesus.
HIS escape from Damascus, VS.. 1926.
V. %. The "many days" of this verse ii
altogether an indefinite expression; yet i
seems to cover the same period as the tire,
years mentioned in Gal. {: Is. During thi
period he had made his visit to Arabia. Al
the name Arabia was applied to region
whose limits were not clearly defined, we hav'
no means of knowing where Saul went; mo-
does the history give US information as Il
how he was occupied. He may have gon
into Arabia Petr@a, which includes the noun
tains of Sinai; and if SO, probably to its cap
ital Petra, the residence of king Aretas.-
He had returned to Damascus, and no doub
was still preaching Christ, when the Jew
formed the plot against his life.
V. "a. The guarding of the gates day AM
night may not have continued many days
possibly only single day and night. Pau
informs us III Cor. XII: 32,) that the eth
march, English version, "governOr") unde
Aretas the king, guarded the city of the Da
mascenes, desiring to apprehend him. HerO'
Autipas had married the daughter of Aretas
king of Arabia Pehea, but had repudiatec
her for the sake of Herodias, who was hi
niece, and his brothers wife, Mat. xiv: 3
~ A war followed between Aretas ant
Herod in which the former was victorious
1t is by some supposed, that it was after thi
victory, and during inaction on the part O.
the Romans, caused by the death of the EN-
peror Tiberius, which occurred at this time
that Aretss seized Damascus. Others sup
pose that as his enemy, Herod Antipas Wal
banished to Lyons "a. D., 39) after the &C
cession of Caligula, that the Emperor, il
the changes which he made 10 the East
added Damascus to the dominions of Aretas
But whether he got possession of the city BY
force, or by authority from Rome, it is
pleasant coincidence between Pauls account
and Luke's, consistent with the history o
the times, that deputy of Aretas now held
the city. 1t was no doubt the influence o
the Jews that led this officer to seek SAUL
life. If in his visit to Arabia, the apostle
went to Petra, Aretas' capital, the opposi
ton may have originated with the Jew'
there, and followed him back to Damascus
V.25. Whilst the gate was guarded, Sau
escaped in way not anticipated by the gar
rison. He was let down by the wall from
window, III Ger. XII 33) Houses are a
this day seen projecting outside from the toE
of the city wall in Damascus, and We suppose
that it was from the window of such one
that Saul was lowered.
Saul among the disciples at Jerusalem, vs.
26-29.
V. &c. As Saul returned to Jerusalem
/ 1 1 j - Ca.4L n uaalo.,n non