The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1893-08-17
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
International Lesson for August go, 1898
Paul Before Felix--Acts 24:1O-2H.


Paul Before Felix--Acts 24:1O-25.
Especially Arranged from Peloubets Notes.l
GOLDEN TExT.-watch We. stand fast in the
faith, quit you like men, be strong. Cor
| 1918
TIME-Tuesdsy, May 30, A. d. 5s, a week
after the last lesson. Paul remained in prison
| at CRsarea, from the last of May, A. ID. So to
midsummer. A. u. GO
| PLACE.-Cesarea, the residence o.. the Ro-
man governor of Judea. 1t was on the Medit-
! erranean, forty seven miles northwest Of Jeru-
salem. Here q Roman centurion, Cornelius
had been converted eighteen years before.
Here lived Philip the evangelist
RULERs.-Nero, emperor of Rome Felix,
governor of Judea, A. d. $3.50 Agrippa, king
of Trachonitis, etc
LESSON NOTES.
The Course of Events.--In our last
lesson we left Paul as he was being
rescued from the mob after his address
upon the stairs leading from the court
of the Gentiles to the tower of Antonia
May 23).
Pauis Roman citizenship did him
good service on this occasion: for when
the chief captain Lysias, supposing
him of course to have been some kind
of malefactor, since he aroused such
bitter opposition. ordered him to be
bound and scourged, Paul made an ap-
peal for his rights. He was released
from bonds and saved from the scourg-
ing, but detained in prison.
Before the Jewish Council. Jerusa-
lem, Wednesday, May "a. The next
morning Lysias brought Paul before
the Jewish sanhedrim to learn what it
was they accused him Of Note (1)
Pauls righteous indignation at the in
sulting and brutal shifting him on the
face. Note (2) Paul's noble apology
for his sharp words, when he learned
that he had spoken them to the high
priest. He could not have imagined
that one who uttered SO unjust and un-
worthy command could be high
priest. Note (3) the lesson on speak
ing evil of rulers and leaders. |. The
tendency is to criticise severely all
their acts that work against us, how
ever good for the whole people, q 1t
is easy to find fault with others whose
circumstances and limitations we do
not wholly understend. 8. Speaking
evil of rulers tends to disobedience and
lawlessness, lessening the power of
those who would execute law. 4. 1t
tends to irrevcrence toward God. 5.
we should respect the office, even
when we cannot the officers. 6. This
does not forbid a fair and candid
discussion of the actions of rulers. or
of their character SO far as necessary
to prevent the election of bad men, or
the imitation of their conduct. Note
(4) Paul's shrewd use of the diversity
of the council to escape from their con-
demnation. But it was the shrewd-
ness of pure honesty and sincerity,
seeking to advance the cause of the
Lord rather than his own safety, vet it
brought safety. Honesty proved to
be the very ''best policy"
The Plot-Thursday May 25.. Early
the next morning forty Jews plotted
to kill Paul, binding themselves not to
eat or drink till they had murdered
him. These bitter enemies were afraid |
that they had no case against him
which would hold in a Roman court:
and even the sanhedrim were divided. !
But Paufs nephew in some way learned
of the plot and revealed it to the COM
mander.
Paul Sent to Casarea. The night of
May 25, 20. The conspirators were
foiled, and Paul was sent under guard
by night to Cesarea, the political capi-
tai. Here he remained five days May
26 to 30), while Gov. Felix sent for his
accusers to come from Jerusalem and
present their charges.
Paul's Appeal to Felix and Drusilla.
Yer. "a, 25. The Audience. Q) |
Felix, the governor of Judea, original
ly slave, who, together with his
brother Pallas, was bought by An
tonia, the mother of Emperor Claud-
ius. They were both smart, capable
young men, and in time received the
gift of their freedom. After Antonia's
death they served Emperor Claudius;
Pallas as sort of major-domo of the
palace in Rome, while Felix rose rap
idly in the army, and at length in
SO was appointed procurator of Judea.
''Tacitus writes of him as one who,
to his brothers powerful in
huence at court, knew he could COM
NIT any wrong with impunity. He
was notoriously avaricious, cruel and
but withal man of great
energy and talent, welding, however,
as Tacitus tells us, 'the power of ty-
rant in the temper of slave. Ac-
cording to Josephus, he was one of the
most corrupt and oppressive governors
ever despatched from Rome to Judea."
.nN