The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-08-25
THE SABBATH SCHOOL,
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR AUGUST 29.

Lesson Text: "Paul Opposed to Ephesus,"
Acts XIX, 21-34-Golden Text: Luke
xiii, 15- Commentary on the Days
Lesson by the Rev. d. M. Stearns.
81. "After these things were ended, Paul
purposed In the spirit to go to Jerusalem,
saying, After have been there must also
see Rome.'" Our last lesson IN the Acts
left Paul at Corinth, where he continued
year and six months teaching the word OF
| God. He then returned to Antioch in Syria,
| taking Ephesus, Casarea and Jerusalem on
| his way. After some time spent at Antioch
| Paul started on his third missionary tour,
| going through Galatia and Phrygia till he
came to Ephesus, where he had left Aquila
and Priscilla, and to which city he had
| promised to return, God willing (chapter
xviii, 21). He tarried at Ephesus over
two years (xix., 10; Xxx, 31), and all the
province Of Asia heard the word Of the Lord
Jesus, 50 that many believed, the name Of
the Lord Jesus was magnihed, the word OF
God grew nightly and prevailed, and
thousands Of dollars worth Of bad books
were burned. Here begins our lesson.
%. 'His purpose was to 60 through
Macedonia and Achais, where he had been
on his previous tour, but he still tarries In
| Asia season while he sends Timotheus and
Erastus ahead Of him into Macedonia. In
| future lesson we shall have his testimony
as to his labors in Asia. Whether sojourn-
ing or iourneying his one ambition was
that Christ should be magntaed In him and
that he might better know Him (Phi.i.,
90; ILL.,, 10).
2S. "And about that time there arose no
small stir concerning the way" R. w.. In
the margin of chapter k, 2, this way Is
called "The Way" See also in the R. Y.
chapters XIX, 9; xii, 4; XIV, "A, "a. Jesus
Himself said, "I am the Way" (Jas. xiv, s..
In Ps. cxix., l, We read, BLESSED are the
undefiled in the way who walk In the law
Of the Lord. It Is heavenly way, but very
narrow, and few there be that find 1t. tits
| in Him. and with Him and excludes all that
| Is not OF Him.
"a, 25. "sirs, ye know that by this craft
we have our wealth." This Is the begin
ming OF the address Of Demetrius, silver
smith, to his fellow workmen, whom he had
called together. His theme was their craft
or trade or manner Of making money,
subject which will get an interested audi
ence almost any time. Witness the labor
organizations and the strikes often as
sociated Herewith In our own day. What
| ever will seem to turn more money into
peoples pockets is apt to be an interesting
subject.
26. "Not alone at Ephesus, but almost
throughout all Asia, this Paul hath per
suaded and turned away much people,
What good testimony to Paul, or rather
to the Spirits work through Paul, in tho
name Of the Lord Jesus! The Lord, through
him, had turned many from idols unto God
| q Thess. l., 81, so many that the idol busi-
ness was suffering severely, and those In
terested were greatly stirred.
| 27. "Not only this our craft Is In danger
| to be set at nought, but also that the tenn
| pie Of the great goddess Diana should be
| despised." It would never do to have such
| n IL mad
| despised, for what would all the world ever
do without Diana2 Yet three men dared
| to despise Nebuchadnezzars image, which
| all the world worshiped, and the time will
come when many will dare to despise
| another image, which all the world will
worship Grew. xiii, 8, 15), choosing death
rather than such favor. '...
%. "And when they heard they were
| full of wrath and cried out, saying, Great
| Is Diana OF the Ephesians.' Thendas
| boasted himself to be somebody; simon
the sorcerer gave out that himself was
some great one; the coming antichrist will
| proclaim that he himself Is God, and many
will believe it, and great will be his wrath
against all who oppose him. The devil will
| gather the armies of earth against God both
at the beginning and end Of the next thou
sand years. but all will be overcome by the
Lamb, for He is King Of kings and Lord OF
lords Rev. xix, 10; Xxx, 8; xviii, IA; IL
| Thess. H., 4, 81.
20. "And the whole city was filed with
confusion" Confusion and chaos are not
the work Of God, but Of the devil, whether
| in an individual or In household or IN
| the world, and therefore some think that
the work OF the devil may be seen as far
| back In the Bible story as Gen. l., z; that
in the beginning God must have created
all things good and that an enemy was re-
| opono;hIo for tho ohaos of vprSA q
80, 81. Paul would willingly have stood
| by his friends, who for his sake and for
| Christ's sake were in danger, but his friends
would not suffer him. He had already been
stoned and left for dead, and he was ready
| any time to die for Christ (xiV., 10; XXI,
| 19). 1t was never with him q thought OF
personal comfort, but only OF how he could
magnify Christ. Sometimes we are com
PEELED by circumstances to 60 forward when
we would fain keep back and sometimes to
keep back when we would fain go forward.
| The way Of rest is to do what you can-go
| forward II the way opens, and, II not, stay.
| nDo as occasion serve thee, for God is with
thee" q Sam. K, y. Trust Him to manage
everything, and believe that he does, and
be ouiet and confident.
SO. "Some therefore cried one thing, and
some another, for the assembly was con-
| fused, and the more part knew not where
fore they were come together" This was
not an assembly Of believers, but OF the
| worlds people, the enemies Of God, and
| yet it is fair description OF the 80 called
church of to-day, for the preachers are cry
ing one thing and another, and 1t might be
said that the most of those who 80 to
church once a week know not why they go
| or what they really do believe.
SO. "And they drew Alexander out OF the
multitude, the Jews putting him forward"
| II this was the same Alexander as he OF II
| Tim, iv., IA, Alexander the coppersmlth,
then the smiths were right in their squab-
| BILE, silyersmiths and coppersmiths (verse
| 24), or In other words, 1t was business and
| idolatry versus Christ. 1t certainly should
| not be so that business should be against
| Christ, but 1t is too much the case, and will
be very decidedly so at the time OF His
coming In power and glory (Rev. kill, II;
| xviii, 11-16).
a. "When they knew that he was q Jew,
all with one voice, about the space OF two
hours, cried out, Great is Diana OF the
Ephesians." How few cry out, Great is
Jesus Of Nazareth" yet Him hath God ex-
allied" (Acts v, 81, and Him alone, giving
Him name, and at His name every knee
| should bow phil. H., 8, 10). The time Will
| come when all who eXalt themselves against
Him shall be brought down, and the LORD
| alone exalted in that. Therefore 1t is wise
TO cease from men whose breath is IN his
nostrils and to behold the Lord lisa. H., II,
81; ill.,, D.-Lesson Helper.