The National tribune., 1892-11-10
SUNDAY MEDITATION.

A Study of the International Sunday
School Lesson Appointed for Nov.
20, 1892.
Subject. st. Paups First Missionary Sermon.
Acts, IS 26-43.
Zone reading these notes should first carefully
study the paragraph from the Holy Scriptures ~
indicated Rbove.l
INTRODUCTION.
We are now following up the first missionary
tour of st. Paul. So far it is as follows:
1871. Antioch.
g. Antioch to Selencia, 10 miles.
4, 5. Selencia to Salamis, 125 miles,
g. Salamis to Paphos 100 miles.
b. Paphos to Perga. 155 miles.
ID Perga to Antioch (Pisidia), 80 miles.
The figures above give distances in straight,
not in travel, lines
We have for our study the first missionary
address of st. Paul. We recall the extended
speeches of st. Peter-one on Pentecost day
(Acts 2: 1886; in Solomon's Porchl3: 12- 1867;
before the Sanhedrm "a: S-12); the grand
speech of st. Stephen e.: 2-53), and then st.
Peter again at the house of Cornelius 10: "a
49,, and before the Apostolic Council at Jeru-
salem 11:4-17).
y ~.
and should be studied with special care We
shall find him eloquent, logical convincing,
sincere, earnest. His oratory was without the
shams of Gorgias. whom Socrates so justly
and soundiy ridieuled and rebuked. He spoke
because be could not help it; because silence
would have been repression Of truth because
he had not only knowledge bat experience.
Rev. J. r. Miller (Presbyterian once said of
this sermon: I" 1t is remarkable for it's kind,
concliatory spirit, for its fullncss of Christ for
its scripturalness, and for its directnes5 and
point. First be traces the history of the Nation
in a few well-chOsen sentences. Then he an
nounces that according to his promise, God has
raised up in the kingly line of David, Saviour.
Jesus, aud the news of this Saviour comes now
to them"
Rev. J. r. Kendrick, d. d. remarks: paul
tbereupou proceeded todeliver one of the long
est of his reported sermons. After reviewing
the tender dealings of God with Israel, he
showed that the ancient promise of q Saviour
had been fulfilled in Jesus, dwelling particu-
larry upon his resurrection as proof of this.
He closed his sermon with an exhOrtation
awfully solemn in its warnings"
/. Data.
We stndy Acts, 10: 26-41 The speech in
fact covers verses is to Al. It is best. Also Ia
connection with the speech to study the intro
ductory verses Ia, Is, and the concluding versss
az, Dc. This plan gives unity to our work.
2. Time.
We may say A. D. 45. It was on Saturday.
~ 80
The scene of this lesson is Antioch in Pisidia
(V IA We are not to confound this with An
tioch in Syria, where disciples of Jesus were
first called Christians.
Pisidia was division Of Asia Minor. The
first mention of it is in Xenophon's Anabasis.
have afor TT
with the doing5 of Alexander the Great. IL ia
thought the people were mostly Semitic.
Antioch. There were 16 cities 80 named,
and we see good reason for saying Antioch in
Pisidia 1t was founded by Sseucus Nicanor.
There are found now ruins ut that place of
magnificent aqneduct, some temples and
great theater. 1t must once, say in the time of
st. Paul, have been magnificent and quite
extended city. Its inhabitants were evidently
unusually deprayed, for when SITS. Paul and
Barnabas left it, "they shook off the dust of
their feet" Y. 81, indicative of their great
indignation against the residents.
The place in which the address was delivered
WAS q synagog in Antioch. SITS. Paul and Bar
nabas were very like Christ, who made it
rule every Saturday to find a place of worship.
From ST. PauFs bringing up, from his nation
atty, from his religions inclinations, it was
very natural for him to go to the synagog.
That was the place for the worship Of God
by Jews. And ST. Paul WIS Jew. Chris
tianity could not change his racial connections
nor rob him of sympathy for his own people,
descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. tSee
our fathers" V. IL. CT. Abraham" V. 26.)
4. Speaker.
The orator WAS ST. Paul. ". 49, Is is
pleasant to think Of what great change had
come over tho speaker. We can hardly imag-
inc him holding the clothes of those who
stoned st. Stephen to death and asserting to
approving of such cruelty. SD 1t is hard
to think he once made havoc of Christians.
ts:s.) Now we see him the bold. noble. eIo-
auent defender of Jesus, and the most able sx-
FOUNDER of the religion of Christ.
S. Hearers.
Since the address of st. Paul was delivered
in synagog, We may infer the audience was
mostly Jewish. We notice st. Paul addresses
his hearers thus: Men of Israel" U.s. 16, 26,
3S) people of Israel" ". IL. Indeed, tho
hearers are called Jews in VS.. AZ, 49, 1t seems
from V. AZ that Gentiles were not of the con-
grsgation ". 49, addressed by st. Paul.
g. Circumstances.
Sts Paul and Barnabas were strangers In An
tioch. Going to the synagog they were, it
would seem, received conrte0usly. According
to Jewish custom selection of the Scriptures
was chosen each Saturday to be read in every
Jewish synagog. The portion was prescribed |
and was uniform for any particular Saturday
(Sabbath) throughout the Jewish places of wor-
ship. After the reading of said selection it was |
customary to have one more addresses. 1t |
was very common to invite in particular any |
strangers who CHANGED to be present. We re- |
member the incident of our Savior thus read |
ing and expounding in the synagog at Naza-
reth. (St. Luke, A: 1929 When &C Salamis |
SITS. Panl and Barnabas went to the synagog. |
". So ST. Paul did not slight his own race,
but rather made it specially. (Ro., l: 16; |
10: L.
z. Divisions.
We may consider the address from three |
and 60 have three paragraphs for
our study.
a. Verses 10 to 25 inclusive.
B. Verses 20 to 81 inclusive.
c. Verses 38 to Al inclusive
g. Verses 16 to 25 incIusirs.
This paragraph is not embraced within the |
lesson appointed. 1t gives q summary history
of the jews from the time Of the Exodus to the i
preaching of st. John Baptist, covering about
], 800 years. Chanaan ". 49, 10 the same ~
Canaan. st. Paul shows that Christ was the
Qae toward whom the Jewish race had been
all along looking-a ,Jew-Ons whom Jaws
should welcome a'a /
8. Verses 90 to 81 inclusive.
This paragraph continues tho speech Of st.
Paul. 1t can be surely said he preached
Christ and Him crucifed The speech 10 d.
rect, plain, bold, personal. The recital covers