The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1893-08-17
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON FOR SUNDAY, AUGUST 81,
-Psui Before Agrippa." Acts xvi, lc
sz' Golden Text Cor. t.. "a.
Commentary.


was succeeded by Festus, and Paul was still
aprisoner. The high priest and the Jews
soon made mention Of Paul, the prisoner.
and asked that he might be brought TO Jeru.
salem Tor trial, hoping to kill him on the
way (xxv., 2, ~. They were compelled how.
ever, to appear against him at Cmsarea. ana
II was then that Paul appealed to Cesar,
which necessltated HIS being sent To Rome
Meantime King Agrippa and Bernice visited
Festus. and he tells them Of Paul and OF his
appeal TO Cmsar, but that he has no definite
accusation against him, upon which Agrippa
desires to hear him. Paul IN now before
Agrfppa and Festus and the chief captain and
principal men OF the city. and has gotten as
TAR In his story as his conversation the way
10 damascus and his consequent readiness
to obey his new Masters orders. See IL Sam
xy.. 10 Isa. l., 10, and take heed
~ That they should repent and turn 10
Goa ana do works meet for repentance
He began at Damascus, then at Jerusalem
and SO on IN all the world, preaching these
things. Compare | Thrss. L. 9, 10; Titus IL
ILLS, and see how he insisted on these
things. We are all by nature against God,
II. "For these causes the Jews caught mo
In the temple and went about 10 kill mo.
IL does not seem possible that people would
bate man and even try to kill him Just for
being good. but the hatred OF Joseph by his
brethren, and Of Dan'el by his fellows. and
OF Paul by the Jews simply prove the enmity
OF man against God. and II was fully shown
out In the persecution and cruciilNion ofthc
Lord Jesus
r. Saying none other things than thosp
which the prophe's OF Moses did say should
come by the help OF God he continued
Witnessing to small and great. reasoning out
OF the Old Testament. Hs we call IT, concern.
ing Jesus Chapters xvii, 2, 3 NNyiii. 23l
Jesus Himself taught that all Scripture re-
ferred 10 Him (Lukc xiv. %, an philip
preached Jesus to the Ethiopian from Isr
liii.
23 That Christ should suffer. and that
He should be the first that should rise from
the dead and should show light unto the
people and To the Gentiles.' The suffering
and death OF Christ are seen in Gen. ill.,. 10
xxii.l 2. with Gal. ill.,. III Ps. xxii.. /. III
lisa. Hi, .. g, and elsewhere. His resurrection
Is referred to In Ps xvi, TO- with Acts ill.,
10 lsa. ILL.,. 10 Hos. vi. 9. rtc while lIi,
being light 10 the nations is seen IN ISl
xiii. q; Xix, q. etc. Although all was So
plainly foretold. the Jews shut their eyes To
tho true Significance Of these things and
would not hear OF Il suffering Messiah (John
xiii, $3.50
"a "And as he thus spake for himself
Festus said with Il loud voice. Paul thou
art beside thyself much learning doth make
thee mad lIo that departoth from evil is
accounted mad lisa. lix.. 10, margin) The
prophet Is n fool the spiritual man IL mad
(Hos. ix., ~. Jesus Himself was repeatedly
told that He had "A devil CJohn vli., 20 viii,
4s). IL we make Christ our center. W. must
Of necessity be- eccentric IN the eyes of 9th
ers and seem to them to be beside ourselves
20. "But he said. am not mad most no
BILE Festrs, but speak forth the words OF
truth and sOberness.' Paul knew whereof
he affirmed and realized that he was speak.
ing In the hearing OF greater than Festus
or Agrippa. He had no ambition TO please
men Gal 1. 10; Thcss. H.. ~, but he did
desire to please Him who had called him.
On Cor. ", ., and III Tim. H.. l5). And he
had great ambition to win men to Christ
q Cor. ix., 22) and TO magnify Christ In his
body whether by life or death (Phil. T., 20).
20 xFor the king knoweth OF these
thingx before whow also speak freely. for
this was not '"ne in "A corner" When
RIO ,IIgn pfIsi, s------ e.l.'ss - 's'.-ir"l
He said, ~ spake openly TO the world 1
ever taught In the synagogue and In the
| temple, whittier the Jews always resort. aud
| In secret have | said nothing" (Jobn Xyii..
| 2O) The story OF Jesus of Nazareth was
| known far and wide. but II was TO the great
majority simply story of lone Jesus. who
was dead, whom some affirmed To be alive"
| Acts XIV, 19). II Is not much more to most
! people even now.
81. "King Agrippa. believest thou tho
| prophets! know that thou belieyest." " one
| Ot Paufs notices was, believing all things
| which are written IN the law and in the
! prophets (NNiv IL. Jesuss rebuke To- the
| two disciples was, 80 fools and slow Of heart
| to believe all that the prophets avespOken'
luke xiv, 25). Surely the Lord God will
do nothing but lie reyealeth His secret unto
His servants the prophets amos ill.,, y .
therefore II we care anything about the secret
Of the Lord we will surely study prophecy
%. Then Agrppa said unto Paul Al.
most thou persuadcst mntp boa Christian
The II. V. makes Agrippa say, with but
little persuasion thou wouldst fain make me
Christian " Herod heard John the Bap-
tist gladly and did many things Felix trem-
hled under the Spirits words through Paul.
nnd now Agrippa is moved, but nothing
lasting ever came Of II ia either ease as far ~
We know. The word preached does not
profit unless mixed with faith In those who
hear II Heb. w., ~. We have greut need to
take heed Of the evil heart of unbclicf, and
20 take heed how we hear (lleb. ill.,, II
Luke Will. lS).
30. "And Paul said, would to God that
not only thou. but also all that hear ms this
lay, We're both almost and altogether such
as | am, except these bonds II was not
liberty that Paul sought, nor personal com
tort, except "a he could use these for the
glory Of God, but he did always ami every.
where seek to win men to Christ. Whether
they were rulers Ike Agrpph. Festus or
Felix, or public servants like the jailer at
Philippi or slaves like Onesimus, he re-
ggrded not their circumstances. sought not
their favor, daspised not their poverty, but
most earnestly coveted their eternal welfare.
3U-32. Tins man uOeth nOthlnS worthy
Of death or of bonds. This man might haze
been set ut liberty II he had not appealed
unto Caesar" These three verses OF our les
son tell OF the private conference Of the king
the governor, Bernice and they that sat with
them when they had retired from the public
assembly after Paul had finished his test
mOny. The two sentences | have quoted
give their decision, and IA we read them W,
feel like wishing that Paul mad not appealcg
unto Caesar. But when we read chapter
xiii, IL, "The night following the Lord
stood by him and said, Be of good cheer
Paul, for as thou has testified OF Me in Jeru
salem so must thou bear witness also a.
Rome" we are compelled to be still and see
God working out His own purposes in Hi
own way.-Lessor Helpa.