The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-08-03


noted physician, styled 1.-THE Father of Medi-
| cine" was born there. The famous painter
ApeIes added to its glory by his birth there.
So of PtolemBus Philadelphus. 1t was noted
| for purple dyes, ungeants wines.
| Rhodes. Island in Eeean. Noted for its
| Colossus, reckoned one of the seven wonders of
the world. The name means rose. it was the
island of roses. It's coins had the symbol of a
| rose. 1t was the birthplace of the poet Apol-
| lonius and of the philosopher Panetius.
Pstara. 1t was the seaport city of Lycia, in
Asia Minor. 1t was at the mouth of the Kan
| thus River.
Tyre. That city was in Phenicia. Once it
| was the commercial emporium Of the world.
| We recall the name Hiram King Of Tyre. 1t
/ is 20 miles south of Sidon. Queen Dido went
| from Tyre TO found Carthage.
| Ptolemais. 1t was near Mt. Carmel. Once
/ its name was Accho. 1t belonged to the tribe
| of Asher. The Crusaders called it Acre. One
| of the Ptolemies greatly adorned it. and hence
| the name of Ptolemais. Napoleon laid siege to
| it. 1t has now, say, Is 900 Inhabitants.
| Csesarea. 1t was in Palestine, home of Roman
| Governors scene of the story of Cornelius and
| st. Peter. 1t was a chief town of Samaria
| Herod the Great founded it.
| Jerusalem. The capital of the Jewish nation
the city associated with the names Of David
| and Solomon-the place which suggests MIS-
Zion, Moriah, Calvary, Olivet-that is Jerusalem.
Tarsus. 80. 1t was the capital Of Ciicia, in
| Asia Minor, on the river Cydnus, IL miles in
land from the Mediterranean. 1t was the
| birthplace of st. Paul. also of Stole Antpater.
| and of the philosopher Athenodorus It was
no mean city. OHce il was magnificent There
was time when it exeelled even Athens and
Alexandria as philosophical center. Julius
Cesar gave it the freedom of a Roman city, and
called it Juliopolis. st. Paul spent five of the
years of his Christian ministry in his native city.
st. Paul was heartily welcomed to Jerusalem
Al Ill. 4
day, St. James presiding. St. Paul gave a
port making reference specially to his work
aud snccess among Gentiles. His attention
was called to the fact that reports were in cir
culation to the effect he had not maintained the
customs of tho Jewish religion. He was told
that great prejudice existed against him, and
he was advised to take measures to prevent an
outburst of opposition to him. While at Jeru-
salem he was to be exceedingly pnnctilious as
TO all Hebrew details in religious matters aud
places .e-u
The episode OF st. Papl's Nazarite VOW has
caused much criticism. The VOW covered seven
days and involved at the expiration Of that
time the presentation at the Temple of certain
offerings. Conscientious Jews took such tenn
porary VOWS. (Nu, 6: 2g1S.} IF the purpose
to appease the enemiesnof st. Paul, it
failed. St Paul Joined the four who were to
take the vow, went TO the, Temple and form
ally presented himself with them to the priests.
1t is the opinion of some that st. Paul did
not take the VOW but interested himself in the
four young men and became responsible for
their offerings at the Temple. in accordance
with the law governing said vAw. (Nu., 6: 10
12.) He would thus iDdorse the fact of taking
such vow, and by Difference to the law show
his respect for the Temple and its priests.
How could st. Paul meet the expense? He
worked manually to get subsistence. Some
have suggested he may have been permitted to
use much from the sum he brought from
Jerusalem for the aid Of Oh ristians in said CITY,
1t seems the Christian authorities at Jeru-
salem had confidence in st. Paul and believed
he maintained Difference for the instructions
which had issued from the Jerusalem Church
%. Compare Is: 1921
The exact play of the NaZlrite episode we
cannot explain.
We may wonder whether st. Paul when SO
presented at Jerusalem did not recall the part
he took in the mob which put st. Stephen to
death.
1t is not unlikely st. Paul had heard of the
prejudices which existed at Jerusalem in refer
to his work, and it was probably for the
purpose of setting himself right that he went
to that city at that time. -Four years had
passed since he was there before at that time
for similar purpose. tSee the account Is: l.
21.l Verse 25 of Chapter 81 refers to that
interview, quoting the decision then reached.
Notes
]. Seven days 81. Reference Is made to
the days OF publication mentioned in V. 26.
BY Jewish law these covered seven days (Nu.,
Go, 10.) The days of V. q are called "days
of separation in Nu., 6: -.
g Jews of Asia 81. Jerusalem was the
great metropolis of all Jews Those living
abroad went to Jerusalem often as possible and
specially at times OF the church festivals. st.
PauPs work at Ephesus had prejudiced the
Jews of that city against him. When they
CHANGED TO see him at Jerusalem all their
hatred was agitated and they determined to
put him to death.
g. Stirred up. 81. The Jews were very
tenacious as TO their ritual and customs Sacr-
lege was utterly barbarous in their minds. We
see how excited they would become when
they felt their Temple WAS being desecrated.
The presence in that sacred place of a man who
taught doctrines counter to the Jewish people.
the Hebrew law, and the grand Temple Of Sol
onion (28) could no be tolerated.
Then, the Jews were very particular about
the presence in the Temple, further than the
GENTLE Court, OF one not of their religion.
That Paul should bring into the Temple Tro-
phenius, a Greek from Asia, was capital
Ofense.
a. Supposed. g. Much trouble has arisen
from not making ones self certain.
5. This is tho man. %. We would think
the Ephesian Jews had talked abOnt st. Paups
work at Ephesus, and when he appears at Jeru
salem they say Here he is. the one of whom
we have said so much, whose conduct is SO adj
verse to Jewish custom.
6. Doors. 80. The doors between the Court
OF the Women and the Court Of the Gentiies,
leaving the mob in the latter
z. Captain of the band, 81. The Jews were
under the Roman Governmen A body of
GENTLE soldiers under orders from Rome was
stationed near the Temple to preserve order,
and to keep the Jews subject to the Roman
rule. When any disturbance arose they were
near at hand to subdue it, The Jews respected
said soldiery and yet in this case reluctantly
obeyed. Thus the life of St. Paul was saved.
8. Bound. 33. The custom was to put a
prisoner between two officers or other prisoners
and chain him by his hands to said persons.
8. The crowd could give no consistent, uni
form explanation of their conduct
10. Violence. 49, Even with the soldiery
near at hand it was difficult to get immediate
order. az ri
ii. Away with him! Compare St. Lake,
% H. and ST. John, 10: ID e
IL. Who could this disturber be7 Sometime
before this an Egyptian had made an attack on
Jerusalem. Though many Of those who joined
him were slain, the leader had escaped, no one
knew where. The Captain suspected he had
arrested that outlaw.
13. Facts to st. PAUL.
a. Could speak Greek.
b. A Jew.
C. Born at Tarsus
d. A Roman citizen