The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1897-03-10

International Lesson for March Ia, 1907
saul, the Prosecutor. Converted-Acts

saul, the Prosecutor, Converted-Acts
0;1-12, 1870.
ARRANGED from Peloubet's Notes
GOLDEN TEXT.-This Is a faithful say
ing. and worthy OF all acceptation, that
Jesus Christ came into the world TO save
sinners.-I Tim. Ills.
THE SECTION includes the conversion
OF Saul and his preparation for his great
work Tvs. 100.
TIME.-A. ID. 81 Most authorities place
the conversion OF Paul in this year. put
Prof Ramsay makes 1t about 80; and Prof.
Thatcher in "a or 35.
PLACE.-Near Damascus, 40 miles north
east OF Jerusalem.
EXPLANATORY
]. PauPs Bitter Opposition to Christ.
VS.. 1, 2. 1. "And:" II. v, But, in con-
trast with Philip, yet" ever since the
persecution begun on the day of
Stephens death (S:D, and continuing
through the work of Philip recorded in
the previous chapter; probably few
weeks. Breathing out threatenings,"
etc.: He lived, as it were, in an atmos-
phere of threats and slaughter.
2. Letters to Damascus" The work
Of persecution had been so successful
that a large part of the Christians were
driven away from Jerusalem and Vi
cinity; very probably not few, in leav-
ing Palestine, had gone 70 Damascus.
These letters were raul's authority.
III. Christ Appears to Saul on the Way
to Damascus.-Vs. 3-s. 3. LAS He jour
neyed:" Perhaps on horseback, as
usually represented by painters, or on
camel, according TO Canon Cook.
Suddenly (about noon, 22:6) there
shined round about Him n light from
Heaven" The light was "above
the brightness of the sun" (26:13). 1t
was in the midst of this glory that
Christ was seen by Saul q Cor. 1879,
so that he can enumerate himself among
those who had beheld the Lord after
His resurrection.
4. Fell to the earth" Blinded and
amazed. The whole company fell with
him. Heard voice." Clear and dis
tinct to him, but mysterious sound to
others ". y. why persecutest thou
Me?" He thought he was prosecuting
the disciples of poor rabbi, an i'm
poster, a crucified malfactor; and in
stead, he now saw that he was perse-
cutting this glorious being, this living
and glorified Jesus, worthy indeed to
be the Messiah.
s. "Who art thou, Lord?" ST
am Jesus:" Saviour, helper, of whom
he had heard, and perhaps had seen at :
some time e Cor. 5:15), but now SO
changed.
ut is hard" ETC.: These words land
The first clause of V. g. are rightly omitted
from the Revised Version. But they be-
long to the story, for Paul himself ut
tiers them in 26:14 ITO kick against
the pricks:" i.e., goads, as unruly oxen
sometimes did. The more they kicked
against them, the more they injured
themselves, without escaping from
their work.
6. Trembling and astonished:" Many
a sinner feels in the same way when he
first sees himself as he is, sees the true
picture of his moral character and past
life, in contrast with the vision of Jesus
and of God in their holy character.
what wilt thou have me to do?" This
is the next step in the inquirer's prog
ress. He would see clearly what is re-
quired of him. He would make his de-
cision, with all the facts before him.
Z. THE men which journeyed with
him stood speechless:" In 26:14, it
says they all fell to the earth. They
may have risen again before the blinded
Saul arose on hearingthe voice. Hear
ing q voice (the sound), but seeing no
mani" We are told by st. Paul himself
(chap. 22;o) that they "did not hear the
voice" What is meant is clearly that
they did not hear the words as words
could attach no meaning to the sounds.
s. "And when his eyes were opened:"
Probably after some interval. Saw no
man." Saw nothing. He was totally
blind from the brightness of the light.
III. Three Days of Darkness and Con-
hict.-V.9. "He was three days without
sight" The state of his mind may be
gathered from the fact that he took no
food or drink during that interval. And
versed as he was in the Bible, he could =
even in his blindness, search the Scrip
lures, and, under the guidance of the
Holy Spirit, was enabled clearly to dia-
Germ the whole scheme of Christian
doctrine in its fulness and truth. With
out doubt, these three days were sea-
son of intense inward conflict, alone
and in darkness.
". Conversion.-Vs 10-12;17, IS: 10.
"a certain disciple named Anna
Mas" 1t is good to have some one to
redeem the name. We know nothing
further about him except that ''he was
good man, having good report of all
the Jews which dwelt" at Damascus
(22:12).
IT. Brother Saul" Showing that he
accepted him as a fellow-disciple.
"Sight y Holy Ghost" The re-
ceiving of sight expressed the opening
of the eyes of his mind to the new light
from Heaven. and was to him a proof
that he had received the power of the
Spirit, the extraordinary gifts and quail
fications needful for his work.
V. The Young Convert at Work.-V.
10. "When he had received meat" j. e.,
food. The three days fast ". 81 and
the intense inward conflict had obvious
ly brought about a state of extreme
prostraton. "He was strengthened:
His physical condition was attended to.