The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1893-08-10
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
International Lesson for August 13, 1898
Paul at Jerusalem-Acts2 21;21-39

| GOLDEN TExT-For urto you IL is given in
| the behalf Of Christ, not only to bel. Him,
but also TO suffer for His sake Phil. lea
TIME-Tuesday, May %, A. D. 5S one month
after our last lesson.
PLACE E-Jerusalem, the temple area Paul's
abode was with Mnason in the city.
LESSON NOTES.
/ The Journey to Jerusalem.-At the
close of his address Paul and his COM
panions again embarked, and set sail
for Jerusalem. 1t is well to note briefly
some incidents on this journey. ~ At
Tyre, he searched and found band of
disciples with whom he spent a week.
The journey had been so prosperous
that he did not have to hasten to Jeru-
salem for Pentecost. (2) At Cesarea,
he found an example of woman's work
in the church, in the four unmarried
daughters of the prophet Agabus, who
themselves did prophesy; that is, they
spoke out the truths that God inspired
them to speak, whether to men or to
women or to both, we do not know. (3)
Both at Tyre and at C@sarea, prophets
warned Paul of the danger of going to
Jerusalem. 1t was revealed to them,
not that Paul should not 60, but that, if
he went, he would go into bonds, prison,
sufferings. The prophets inferred from
this foreknowledge that Paul should
not go on. But Paul recognized more
clearly the voice of the Spirit, and his
duty to proceed in spite of warnings
and remonstrances.
The Returned Missionaries Report to
the Home Church.-From Casarea
Paul went up to Jerusalem in time for
the faQ CT nf Donfan4cf = ye
home with an early disciple, one
Mnason. This was his fifth visit at
Jerusalem since his conversion twenty
years before. The next day he made
report of his missionary work to the
leaders, of whom James, our Lords
brother. was the chief.
! Summary of What God Had Wrought
by Paul.-In the eight years since Paul
had reported his work to the church at
Jerusalem to the great conference
(Acts 1921, 22), he had (D made two
long missionary tours; (2) revisited
and strengthened the churches in Asia
Minor: .(3) he had carried the Gospel
into Europe: (4) he had founded large
churches in Philippi, Corinth, Thessa-
lonica and Ephesus; (5) he had been
the means of great numbers of CONVEX
sions and the great extension of the
Gospel: (6) some of the converts had
been willing to endure much for the
Gospels (O they had sent large con-
tributions by Paul to the poor at Jeru-
salem: (s) special miracles had been
wrought by the hand of Paul.
The Attempt to Harmonic the Two
Parties. The position of Paul and the
Gentle Christians. Paul believed and
taught according to the decision of the
council at Jerusalem eight years be-
fore. ~ The Gentiles need not be-
come Jews, and obey the Jewish
ritual. t2) The law was not necessary
for salvation. No forms could save
anyone. not even jew, but only faith
in the Lord Jesus. (3) The promises
to the Jews were to be fulfilled by the
Gentiles becoming Christians. The
Gentiles were children of Abraham
through faith (4) At the same time
he himself obeyed the Jewish law, but
not as condition of salvation
The Importance of this position was
very great. ~ For the foundation of
Christianity lay in salvation. not by
forms but by new heart of faith. (2)
1t broke the bondage of laws and cere-
monies and brought in the glorious lib
erty of the gospel. (3) 1t enabled the
religion of Christ to become universal.
The temple and it's ceremonial was de-
stroyed in few years, providentially,
for this very purpose. (4) 1t took away
great and unnecessary hindrance to
the conversion of the Gentiles.
l. Tho Dpc;{;np ~ The I,I,;,o,, N.-
of the Jewish Christians, notwith-
standing the decision Of the council,
were exceedingly jealous for the law.
They wanted the Gentiles to be saved,
but only by becoming Jews, the true
people of God. They opposed Paul a.
Because many believed that to become
a Jew was essential to salvation. (2)
Because the law, which they thought
he opposed, was the Divine foundation
of their nation and their hopes. All
that they held dear was built upon it.
81 Pauls position seemed an insult to
God and the Bible. Their religion was
Divine. 1t had stood for fifteen hun
dred years. So that 'those who sup
ported the cause of Paul rendered
themselves liable to those charges, so
UcTTlDlS w jew, u ldxucSS, OF IRE
ligion, of apostasy, of unpatriotism, of
not being believers in revealed truth.
Was not Moses inspired? Was the
sacred Pentateuch to be reduced to a
dead letter? Were all the curses of
Ebal to be braved?" ~ They did not
see how Pauls teachings We're for the
fulfilling of the law and the enlarge
ment and permanence of the nation
| az They were reluctant to give up their
privileges as chosen race, the highest,
the most favored of all nations. (5)
There were many great and precious
promises given to them, of enlarge
ment, of victory over all enemies, of
prosperity and peace, which had not
been fulfilled. Could they give up all
these hopes? (6) Then the very hope
! of the world seemed to depend on
them. In the seed of Abraham were
all nations to be blessed; the kingdom