Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1897-05-13


GOLDEN TEXT have set thee 10 be
q iiGhg 10 tho Gentfles.-Acts 1871
TIE SECTION includes the apostles re-
lection ~ ne Jews Of Antioch and Tcomul,
the turning - the Gentiles. their various ex-
bsriences IN the interior Of Asia Minor the
founding 81 churches. and return 10 ANTI
och Of Syria. whence they had been sent
tActs 1874 TO 1898
FlAiE.-A- D. IS or &. summer. and contin-
uins for year CT two The return TO An
uocn II the spring OF A. D. IS ors9.
FLACE.-Antioch, IL Fisidta. Iconiufn.
LystTa, Derbe. all in southern calatia, a
oistrict 81 asia Minor, ana AnCoch II
Syria
EXPLANATORY
l. Rejected ~ the Jews, the Apostles
Turn 10 the 6entiles.-I3:44-s9
The excitement produced by the
preaching OF Paul and Barnabas was
very great. The whole city was stirred
and excited. and the next Sabbath they
crowded around the synagogue. throng-
ing the doors and windows. 50 that the
GenGies that did not enter could hear
the Gospel welcome. Paul's teachings.
and his great success aroused the jeal-
ousy OF the Jews.
IL. Expelled from Antioch. the Apos-
ties Go TO :5O-52: l4:I-4.
During their stay at Antioch. the
apostles evangelical the whole region
OF " hich that city was the center. Then
the leading men of the city. together
with women of rank. stirred up perse-
cution. and the apostles left, shaking
off the dust of their feet as a testimony
against them. showing that they were
unwilling to retain any part of their
spirit or their destiny. 1t was not an
act of anger, but of warning.
Ill. Driven from Iconium. the Apostles
60 TO Lvstra and DerDe.-Vs. 500. The
opposition to Paul at Iconium grew
more intense. a movement to mob and
stone him TO death led them to escape
to Lystra. and preach the Gospel to that
city and the surrounding region among
the foothills of the Taurus mountains.
The people were wild and lawless. as
indeed they are still. like men / have
seen in Asia Minor. armed from head
TO foot with a whole arsenal of weapons,
and ready for any violence.
To such people an object lesson
would have great power in explaining
and impressing Gospel truths. Hence,
here was wrought one of the few mira
cles recorded of ST. Paul
r.. Called Barnabas, jupiter" Their
chief god, and tutelary deity; probably
because Barnabas was the elder and
more imposing in appearance than Paul.
And Paul, Mercurius. because he was
the chief speaker" Mercury Greek,
Hermes) was the messenger and spol1es-
man of the gods. and the god of elo-
quence.
IS. Jupiter" i. e., the statue of
Jupiter which," together with a tenn
pie or shrine, was before their CITY,"
as its guardian. Brought oxen" for the
sacrifice, and garlands" to decorate
the animals or the temporary altar, to
lie placed before the gates of the house
where the apostles were.
II. When the apostles
heard" (of it,: They were within. and
from the structure of oriental houses
did not see the procession coming
They heard the noise of the multitude.
perhaps also Of some sacrifcial hymn.
Or they learned the fact from some
messenger. Rent their Clothes" as
a visible expression. that would be
quickly understood by oil. expressing
their horror and extreme disapproba-
ton.
Is. Men Of ike passions:" Net gods.
but mortal. tempted, suffering men.
And rreach:" No t;dings could be
better than those which called them to
turn from these vanit:es" and gave
them new life and hope from "the
living God" The words vanity" and
vain" ore almost the invariable
tern used by Jews to describe the
emptiness and worthleSsness of
heather worship (Eph. AIR; Pet.
1:1S). So ere all the objects Of modern
idolatry-wealth, honor. ambition, sin
full pleasure-all are vanities unable to
satisfy the soul
10. There came th:ther certain
Jews" To tkwart his plans and stop
the progress Of the GOSPEL If they could
Having stoned PAUL" What a crowd
Of memories this must have been to
Paul when he remembered stephen ten
or eleven vears before. "Surncsing he
was dea3:" The cnnonerts Of truth
oftnn t'r;~f Il Is ae71. whou It Is crlv
stunned ard VIII be restored Il life
and I've longer team its opponents.
2o AS tAe disc nles," the fruits OF
Paul's work "Stocsl round about him"
raourH 'n@ and PRAYING. perha0s hop
iCr "Ile rose rp:" Tt is ret stated
here that the recovery Of Paul was mi
racrlooS. or tbat he really dies; hut he
must here been terribly bruised ard
rrfte ,treftt fs4. f.-et-al Tho ,,oS-4 ,7e.-. -