The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-08-10
SUNDAY MEDITATION.
A Study Of the International Sunday
School Lesson appointed for Aug.
90, 1898. n01


Temple. (22: 1-2I.) The next day he delivered
short speech before the sanhedrim (23: 1-6).
he escaped assassination through the prompt
action of the Chief Captain, Claudus Lysias,
who helped him clandestinely to get away from
Jerusalem to CRsarea. On the route he was
we'll protected having 200 Roman soldiers for
his guard (23: 90, 24.) He wrote letter to the
| Governor, Felix. His enemies followed him
up, appeared before Felix led on by an orator
named Tertullus. ga: 1-9.) Very serious accu-
sations were made against st. Paul at the court
of Felix. The Apostle had an opportunity to
defend himself The charges against him
were: 1. He was a pestilent fellow. 2. A
mover of sedition, trying to stir up the Jews
against the Roman Government. 3. He was
ringleader of the Nazarenes. a. He profaned
the Temple. We cannot understand ST. PauPs
defense very well unless we have a good idea OF
the charges which he was obliged to face: l.
He was pestilent The word translated pesti-
| lent is stronger yet in sense. He was pest a
pestilence His presence in society was like
loathsome contagious disease. The reference is
| to his moral condition. He is viewed subject
lively and regarded as a corrupt man-one who
should be gotten out of the way for the good of
society 2. He was seditious. Tertullus did not
imply the Jews were oublesome iflet alone, but
Paul made them uneasy, dissatisfied with the
Roman Government. He tried to lead them
into connections of a political kind The idea
Paul. by not being loyal to the Mosaic laws and
customs, kept the Jews in broil and cult
waited in them constant exciting tendency.
g. Rinaleader of the Nazarenes. st. Paul could
not be a subordinate in any sphere. He was
born leader. The term ringleader is a military
word, and means the commander of body OF
soldiery. Christians were called Nazarenes by
way of contempt. st. Paul was a principal
man everywhere he occupied position.
Nazarene was follower of the NaZarte; that
is to say of Jesus of Nazareth. The birth OF
Christ in Nazareth was rather against him,
from the fact the place was held in contempt.
The followers of Christ were sect in the sense
they were party, religious body. The ring
leader Of class held in utter aversion could
not hope much mercy. A. A profaner of the
Temple. ~. g. This charge was based on
mere suppostion. (21: 28, 29.) At Jerusalem
enemies of st. Paul declared he had taken
Trophmus (21: 29) and Greeks (Gentiles) (21:
go into the sacred inclosure That was
capital offense among the Jews; it was bias
phemy. Proved against one and his chances
of escape were little. With fair trial st. Paul
could have shown himself innocent. He was
in danger at Jerusalem, because the people had
become mob and lost reason.
ST. Paars Answer.
The Apostle put in general denial. 1. He
was of good character Association with him
was not vitiating. lie tried to have con-
science void of offense toward God and toward
man. ~. 16.) They could not find eyil-doing
in him. (20) g. He had no disposition to ex-
cite the people. He would not even argue un-
less in complete GOODNESS. (12, 49, No one
saw him disputing. Not only in the Temple,
but in synagog, in a city street. every
where, he avoided heated discussions. His
methods led TO quiet and sell, restraint and sound
reasoning He went up to Jerusalem to wor-
ship. (1L) B. He was not ringleader in the
offensive sense of that word. He led. He
wanted followers. He wanted people to be-
come Nazarenes in the sense Of being followers
of Jesus. But he would have people under
stand Christianity, be free from prejudice, and
disposed to calm argument. 4. He held the
Temple in great respect He could not have
been tempted to invite into the interior courts
of the Temple any but purified Jews. He went
through ceremonial process of publication
before entering the Temple. ". 49, He
would not pollute the Temple by excited dis
cusson leading to states of mind Decorating
to holy place. (12) He was true to the
Hebrew creed. ". 49,
81. Paups Method.
l. He addresses the court (Felix) In the
most respectful, courteous, forensic style.
2. He was the more disposed to explain be-
cause he felt sure that Felix must, from long
association, have become familiar with the
customs and laws of the Jewish people, and
thus able to give just decision in matters re-
latng to them. (10)
3. He gave reasons. 1t had been but IL
days since he went to Jerusalem. Men lead
ing off in sedition have to take time to organize
and secure nucleus for general attack. No
sound ringeader would pose his purpose to
a crowd here and there.
A. He asks for proof. Mere assertion will
not do. There was much of the lawyer skill
in st. Paul. He knew his rights Men &C
ahn ntI how ff,yfr ranlxy IN.
PLANTATION or disproof. Tvs. Ii, 49, 20) There
must have been the greatest consciousness of
innocency on the part of st. Paul He was not
afraid of the truth. 1t was a brave challenge
which st. Paul uttered. co., The absence of
witnesses 49, was bad indication. Could wit
nesses Uersus st. Paul have been found, they
would surely have accompanied Tertulus to
C8sarea.
5. The word heresy always needs explana-
ton. 14.) To the anti-Christian the religion
of Christ is heresy. That is heresy to a man
which is contrary to his opinion. To the
Heather Judaism was heresy. To the Jews
Christianity is heresy.
6. We sometimes wonder at the power of
st. Paul. Wherein did it at least in much part
lie? In his belief. He had confidence " in all
things which were written in the law and the
prophets" (14.) A man cannot amount to
much who has not read real ideas-ideas real
at least to him-to defend. The terms "law2
anu prophets StOou LDefn i0T the Oiu leSba-
ment. st. Paul held to the truths of that docu-
nent, and, holding close and earnestly to them,
could not go far astray.
7. st. Paul held not only doctrines which led
him in right courses of daily practice in tenn
poral concerns, but he also was rightly in
doctrinated as to the future. He believed there
is life beyond this world-that we are ac-
countabie beings-and that, governed by such
a hope, he would be very inclined to do what
is most correct in all matters of conduct as to
God and as to human beings. At the resur-
rection he would not wish to be of the Gun
just" (15)
8. The Apostle explains why he went to
Jerusalem. 17) He did not go seditious,
troublesome man. He was on benefcent tour
The Jews of Jerusalem who had become Chris
tians were in great restitution, and st. Paul
had taken up some collections on his missionary
journey and had brought them to the poor peo-
pie of the capital. No fear from such man.
8. He was loyal to his Church. He brought
offerings to present at the Temple He re-
spected the House of God
10. The particular doctrine which he de-
cared was offensive in special to the Sadd ucees.
But the Jews should have been liberal enough
to tolerate honest difference of opinion. st.
Paul could properly believe in the resurrec-
ton as Sadducees could deny it and ridicule it.
Jews such could not certainly find fault with
the teaching of said doctrine, because it was
the belief generally held, or at least not gen.
orally denied.
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