Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1893-07-21


I, Is-Commentary by the Rev. d. NJ.
stearns.
|. After these things Paul departed
from Athens and came to Corinth." His
testimony was not in vain at Athens, for
some clave unto him and believed. See pre-
vious verse He did not expect that all
the seed would fall on good soil; neither
are we SO taught. But he did know that
Gods word would accomplish His pleasure
and not return void, and that his labor was
not in vain in the Lord lisa. ", II; Cor
XIV, 49, His aim was "by all means to save
some" q Cor tx, 22), and this he accom-
plished. The church of Christ is made up
of an elect number out of all nations, given
unto Him out of this world (Rev. v, 9; Eph.
/, 4; John xviii ~, and to this end we, like
Paul, should seek to get the gospel every
where.
2. And found a certain Jew named
Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from
Italy with his wife Priscilla because that
Claudius had commanded all Jews to de
part from Romeo, and came unto them
We cannot help remarking that after $50
years the Jews are still commanded to de-
part from cities and countries on the face
of the earth 1t is the same sad old story
as in the days of Paul. 1t is the fulfllmel.t
of words spoken through Moses over 5000
years ago See Deut. xviii, G3-66. But if
the curse has come so literally and so fully
the blessing shall also come, and THE days
of their mourning shall be ended, " for He
that scattered Israel will gather him." and
the time is even now at hand lisa. TX, 20, 81,
Jer. XXI, 10; Eek. xxxvii, 81, 22).
3. And because he was of the same craft
be abode with them and wrought, for by
their occupation they were tentmakers"
While Paul believed and taught that they
who preach the gospel should live of the
gospel Il Cor. tx, IA, he also took pleasure
in working at his trade that he might min
lister to his own necessities and give the Cos
pei freely (Acts Xxx, "a; Cor. iv, II, ~;
Thess ii, 9; II Thess iii, 81. 1t is a great
advantage under some circumstances to be
able to do this now and thus stop the
mouths of those who say of the preacher,
1T is his business; he makes a good thing
out of it," | am glad that | had three
years experience of ministering to my ne
cessites by working seven hours day, that
might freely give all the rest of my time
to distinctively religious work.
4. And he reasoned in the synagogue
every Sabbath and persuaded the Jews and
the Greeks" He doubtless did as at Thes
salonica and reasoned out of the Scriptures
opening and alleging that Christ must
needs have suffered and risen again from
the dead, and that this Jesus is the Christ
chapter xvii, 2, 81. From his conversion
his one story was that Jesus is the Christ
the Son of God Chapter tx, 2O-22).
8. And when Silas and Timotheus were
come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in
the spirit and testified to the Jews that
Jesus is the Christ" The r. V. says that
he was constrained by the word" This
reminds us of Jeremiah, who when the
word of the Lord was made reproach unto
him. and derision daily said he would not
speak any more in His name, but the word
of God was such fire in his heart that he
was constrained to speak DER. Xxx, s, %.
g. And when they opposed themselves
and blRsphemed he shook his raiment
and said unto them, Your blood be upon
your own heads; am clean; from hence
forth | will go unto the Gentiles." 1t was
his custom everywhere to preach the gos-
pei to the Jew first Rom. i, l6) and then to
the Gentle Compare their conduct at
Antioch in Pisidia (Acts xiii, 45, 4G).
When any one is duly warned of danger
and refuses to take heed, his blood is on
himself (Ezek. XXXiii, 4, 81 Those who
obey not the gospel shall be punished with
everlasting destruction Oh Thess. i, &, o.
AS to shaking ones raiment see Neh. V, ID
I. And he departed thence and entered
into certain mans house named Justus
one that worshiped God, whose house joined
hard to the synagogue" When one door is
shut, another is sure to open, and some
times, as in this case, next door to the oAt
closed against us. When the Lord opens d
door for us, no power can shut it, and when
house or city is closed against us or oul
message we have only to move on in His
name (Rev. iii, s; Math. X, l4). 1t is not us
that they i'll treat, but Him whose message
we bear duke X, 10y.
s. And Crispus, the chief ruler of the
synagogue, believed on the Lord with all
his house, aud many of the Corinthians
hearing believed and were baptized" The
chief ruler cannot always control the otbe'
rulers, whether he be president of na
tion, mayor of a city or only ruler of 6
synagogue, but the time will come wheI
there will be a Chief Ruler to whom al
others shall yield perfect obedience. H,
will be this same Jesus whom Pau
preached, but He will then be King of King!
and Lord of Lords. All kings shall fal
down before Him; all nations shall serv,
Him (Rev. xix, l6; Ps. Xxi, H. 1t was
splendid victory for the Lord and His serv
ant to have the chief ruler and his house
hold receive the despised Nazarene as Is
raels Messiah. Many must have beer
helped by his example to do likewise. Her,
again, as at Athens, Paul is privileged t
save some and help complete the church.
8. Then spake the Lord to Paul in tn,
night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speal
and hold not thy peace" He was probably
being tempted like jeremiah, to whom W,
have already referred. He says in Cor. ii
3, that he was with them in meekness, anC
in fear, and in much trembling His Master
had observed this, and hence this vision ant
great comfort. Compare Josh. i, 8; Jer. i
IL, What exceeding great comfort there il
in these fear nots" of our Lord from Gen
XIV, to Rev. i, II, but we get no benefit un
less we appropriate them to ourselves. L
we are the Lords and in His service, W.
may take His promises right to our hearts
10. For | am with thee, and no mar
shall set on thee to hurt thee. for l hav,
much people in this CITY," One of the lar
gest promises in the Bible, if not the very
largest, is the II am with you" of Jehovah
See how he gave it to Moses, Joshua, Gid
con, Isaiah, jeremiah, Haggai and thu