Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-04-04
Sunday Scbeel Lesson Notes.
BY REV. J. o. sHERBURN.
April Ii. saul's Conversion-Acts e:i-s.

April Ii: Saul's Conversion-Acts D:l-s.
The lesson for this week is, in some sense
the most important of all the lessons we have
taken up in Acts. No event in the history
Of the early church exerted more wide
extended influence, or produces greater
results (save as we must except the out
porting of the Spirit, than the conversion
of Saul of Tarsus. This man was Jew
born in Tarsus which was one ofthe great
cities of Asia Minor that enjoyed the
Roman franchise. At first citizenship
under the government of Rome was a
difficult thing to obtain. The rights which
it conferred were very sacredly guarded.
Many times IL not always the vast MAORI
ty of the citizens of Rome itself were not
citizens in the political sense.
By and by as Rome became strong
and her dominions extended, less care was
exercised in this matter; and in many
ways citizenship became cheapened.
Many obtained this right rs an act of
favor from the emperor. Many others
bought it in order that they might Gud the
way added to political preferment and to
the various offices under the government
Then whole cities, if they were discreet;
and yielded without fight to the Roman
power and furnished abundant banquets
the conquering officers were made fire. i,
cities; and all their inhabitants, at least
all the better classes, were made Roman
citizens. Henceforth such cities had some
special protection from Rome, and in
turn gave her often large tribute. Tarsus
was one of these free cities; and hence
while Paul, or Saul, was Jew by race,
and by his religion he was still Roman
citizen as much as the veriest patrician in
the Imperial city. At the time of bis con-
version he was doubtless man under
forty years; thoroughly educated in
the Jewish law, and with no mean
knowledge the literature of his ago.
Though some time had passed since he
"kept the raime mt" of those who stoned
Stephen, he was get breathing ont threat.
enings and slaughter against the disciples
Of Christ. This indicates that as naturally
and as constantly as he drew breath. he
hated and sought to destroy the Christians.
AS was the typical Jew of the age. and in
him the madness of the Jew against
Christianity found fitting expression.
He was of that mental make up, that, in
this as in all matters, his whole being was
given to the cause which he believed to
be the cause of truth and righteousness.
So fiery was his zeal that in distant cities
he sought among the resident Jews any
of their numbers who might be believers
in Christ. Under commission from the
high priest he is on the way to Damascus,
14O miles northeast of Jerusalem, with
this purpose. to arrest and bring bound to
Jerusalem any in that city who were of
this way. Such authority could extend of
course only to believing Jews.
But as he drew near the city suddenly, at
midday there shined about him great
light from heaven above the brightness of
the sun. Such glory shines forth from the
person of the risen Christ. Saul was
overcome and fell stunned to the earth and
heard voice out of the glory reproving
him for his mad career. The most super
fetal student of this passage will note that
Jesus, speaking of the prosecutions suffer-
ed by his people at the hands of Saul says
that they were really prosecutions of
Christ. II am Jesus whom thou perse.
cutes," he declares. Saul saw in the
midst of the binding glory the form of n
person he knew not, but in the presence |
of the excellent glory" he instinctively
calls him Lord; and asks "who art thou?"
Jesus in declaring himself adds sit is hard
for thee to kick against the pricks." This
proverb taken from the action of the
refractory as who kicks at the goad which
annoys him only to be wounded the more
las been variously explained. Some have
thought that the Lord meant to say to
Saul Thou seest some little revelation of
my glory and power, it is hard for weak
man to contend against such odds. Others
have considered that Saul was contendinp
with his own sense of duty, and hence the
The latter view can hardly be
reconciled with Paul's declaration that he
verify thought he ought to do many things
contrary to the name of Jesus, vet one
who has studied the work ings of the mind
and conscience can readily believe that
there were secret misgivings concerning
his course of mad opposition ever after he
witnessed tho glorious death of Stephen.
Conscience and the Almighty were both
against his course of sin, and what harder
thing than to resist their combined power
Saul was vanquished by him whom he
opposed, and at once he voices his surren.
der in the fitting question, "Lord. what
wilt thou have me to dop"
Henceforward God proposed to use the
direct agency of man in the conversion of
this arch-persecutor, hence he is directed
to 60 into the city and there learn the
divine will. Saul arose blinded by the
brilliancy of the vision he had seen, and
was led by his amazed attendants into the
city. Three days of blindness gave him
ample time for meditation. That this
time was so improved we infer from the
fact that he neither ate or drank DURING
that period. A believer at Damascus.
named Ananias is divinely directed to the
very street and house where Saul was
lodged, and commissioned as the Lords
agent in restoring Saul's sight. Though
fearing the very name of Saul, Ananias
goes, and, in brotherly terms, declares his
At once the blindness leaves
Saul, even as if scales had fallen from
before his eyes. At once he enters upon
the duties of tho new, and before dosnised