Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1897-08-05
The SUNDAY SCHOOL
International Lesson for August L
1so7-Paufs Ministry in Corintn-
Acts IS:f-II
ARRANGED from PeJoi,b-

,TIME.z-A- year and six months begin
ming A u. 81 and extending near or into
EXPLANATORY.
l. Paul's Mission Field at Corinth.-
V. l. After stay of few weeks at
Athens, Paul departed, and, iourneyine
westward about 40 miles, came TO Cor.
inth, the city Of business men. as
Athens was the seat of learning
Corinth was the objective point OF all
this journey Of Paul's. Because of its
situation as a strategic center of opera.
tions for the spread of the Gospel. Be
cause its varied population gave IN
usual fire., dom of thought and action.
Ii. Paul's Method of Works.. ii
First. In Most Unobtrus.ve Way l.
"And came TO Corinth:" They entered
town as quietly and as unnoticed az
any two strangers may walk into one
OF our towns any morning. Their first
care was to get a lodging. And then
they had to seek for employment. for
/ they worked at their trade wherever
they went Nothing could be more
commonplace
Second. lie Had Made Friends Of Coco
| People There. ?. And found certain
/ jew" He always worked first among
/ the jews ''Aquilla Priscil
/ la: Priscilla was a woman of marked
ability, being not only mentioned as
sharing the hospitality of the family
! but also in the theological instruction
of Apollos
Third. Paul Supported Himself by
Daily Labor 3. The same craft" OF
trade. Every jew was required by
rdDbinical laws to teach his son a trade,
that he might be independent of the
varying circumstances of their chang.
ing life, and it was especially neeef.
sary for the learned class, the scribes
and rabbis, because they had no state
pay or annuity.
Z. And he reasoned" Showed from
the Scriptures and from facts that
Jesus was the Messiah and the Gospel
true. He showed the reasonableness
OF their becoming Christians. The Cos
pei always appeals to reason and good
sense
Fourth. All this was done while he
was weak and sick and detected in spir-
II, See Corinthians 2:3, where weak
ness refers to bodily sickness. His
tough experience at Philippi, his small
success at Athens, his being driven
from place to place, his loneliness with
out his accustomed helpers, the in
tense worldliness of Corinth and the
SLOW success there at first, and the bit
terness of the laws against him, all
tended to depress and weaken him.
III. Reinforcements from Macedonia.
VS.. 5. First. Rejoined by His Friends
and Helpers. 5. "Silas and Timothy
We're come from Macedonia" They
had been left at Berea, when Paul was
compelledto leave (Aets 17:13-15.) Tim
othy had been sent to Thessaloniea Il .
Thes. 800, and from Philippians AIS,
we judge that he had visited Philippi
also.
Second. Good News from the
Churches where he had labored Tim
othy brought us glad tidings of your
faith and love- and their longing to
see US" So that he was comforted
over you in all our distress and affiie-
ton, through your faith" The Philip
plans also sent him aid (Phil. 4:15),
which proved their love and piety.
The result was that Paul was
pressed in the spirit" The better read
ing is given in the r. V, was con-
strained by the word. The same word
is used in 2 Corinthians IA: The love
of Christ constraineth us" holds com
pletely, impels, urges on.
~ a Change of Work-Vs. 6-s. 6. I
And when they opposed themselves"
The word implies very strong opposi-
ton, as of force drawn up in battle ar
ray. The intensity and success of
Pauls iabors kindIed an intensity of
opposition. SHOOK his raiment:"
Shakine Off the dust as a testimony
against them Matt. 10:t41 A sign
that he was relieved of all response
bilit,. for their failure TO be saved, and
no share in their character and con
duct. Your blood, in the sense of death
and destruction. he upon your own
heads. This is not a threat. but a
warning. a new effort to stop them /
in their mad career. ~Henceforth,
so long as he remained in Cornth, II
will go unto the Gentiles-
S. But Paul had gained something
from the Jews. for "Crspus. the chief
ruler of the synagogue became
Christian. And many 0f the Corintn-
ians hearing believed That is, many
of the idolatrous inhabitants of Corinth. I
in distinction TO the Jews and prose T
lytes before alluded to. And wers \
baptized" Here, as everywhere, those /
who became Christians publicly pro-
fessed their faith in tue appointed way. /
9. Then spake the Lord To Iaul in !
tho night by vision" \ form most
probably appeared % the apostle when |
he heard the voice, bidding hun be of /
good courage. BE not afIaFd:" For |
fears were around him. not only for |
himself. but for the cause.
10. For am with thee" Therefore.
"no man shall SET on thee to hurt thee
Paul could not be harmed till his work
was done. So great maa once said:
Il am immortal till my work is fin