The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1897-02-19
Tag SUNDAY SCHOOL.
International Lesson for February . y Ssv"
The First Christian Martyr - esS
0.a-l6. 7:51-OO.

International Lesson for February -. 1sOH
the First Christian Martyr = Acts
o;s-l5; 7i5s-0o.
fArrsnged from Peloubet's Notesl
GOLDEN TExT.-Be thou faithful unse
death. and will give thee crown OF me-
Rev. 2l0. ra,
Tho story OF the choice OF deacons ano5
| the work and martyrdom OF stephen, VIC
| was ore OF them, and brought into not'cc
by his choice 10 tho sfiice.
EXPLANATORY.
/. Stephen. The First Christian Mar
tyr.-v. s. "And Stephen:" One OF tho
most active of the seven deacons was
a man named Stephen, probably Gre
clan (Iellenistic) jew. He was run
of faith" the faculty through which no.
received the Holy Spirit. the power ana
the character which was his. lie was
man Of "power." Grace and power 90
not always go together. Some things
ere beautiful, but not strong. Some
things are strong and not beautifui.
"How seldom is Boanerges (son or
thunder) at the same time BarnabaS
IA son of consolation)." But the highest
characters combine both. He was .
man of deeds. "Did:" Was doing dur
,nr the events Just described. Great
wonders:" Proving the power OF God
that worked in and through him. and
Miracles" A sign Of Gods presences
md Endorsement. and object lessons OF
the loving. saving spirit of the Gospel.
III. The Public Discussion.-Vs 9-10.
! Q. "Then:- Il. V. But. as ANEW dill
Guilty. Synagogue OF the Libertines;
. A synagogue for the foreign Jews VINO
, were libertines, /. e., freed men, Eomani
a captives who had been made free BY
their captors and their descendants.
/, "Disputing with stephen" Either i'm
public debate, or more probably In tne
: synagogues.
10. "And they were not able" Had
q not strength Ito resist" to withstand
a his Scriptural arguments that jesus
: was the Messiah, as he was inspired by
"a the Holy Spirit to see and to explain.
/ III. Stephen Accused OF Blasphemy-
Ia ord brought Before the Sanhedrim.-
q Us 1l-l5. IL. "Suborned:" Provided
A. secretly. and instructed thcmwith false
Is accusations.
ID 12. .They stirred up the peoples"
q This is the first notice of opposition
4. from the people. elders, and the
IN scribcs:" Who could carry out the I'M
-
do it. They now no longer feared the
people" They seized him. The creek
!. expresses an act of great violence. Ihey
>. grasped him roughly; hurried him on.
.Council" The Sanhedrim. the SUI
"A preme court and parliament OF the ma
- ton. Against this holy place. Inc
- temple adjoining. The same charge
=, was made against Christ Matt. 20: 6i'
~. Mark Ia: 5S).
100 IA. "Shall change the customs which
' Moses delivered u.s." The whole cere-
~" monial and theocratic dspensation
which was now to come to an end, hav
ing fulfilled its mission. II was
calumny. for the whole Old Testamen
itself points beyond itself to Christi
~. anity. as the fulfilling of the law an
em. the prophets.
-. ~. Stephens Argumentin Reply
, q, 1-53. Q) Stephen begins most graciou'
~ ly. (2) His appeals to the Scripture III
~. themselves an answer to the charge
blasphemy. 90 He proves that GOD
dealings with His people showed col
az. slant progress" implying that the 10
pel was a continuation Of the same piu
=. of progress and growth. (4) In u
historical discourse he shows that
holds his faith in Moses and the templ
10 (5) He shows that the Scriptures a
ny yocatc the very principle which he
u' serted. and which were perverted
'"y his accusers. (6) He declares that q
~ accusers are simply treating him
me- their fathers treated the prophets. {
i'eu There is a sudden change at verse
., rs il the speaker had been interrupt
I'LL in his argument, and had TO leave
noer unfinished. He broke off Iris arg
sac ment and made an earnest personal a
plication.
V. Stephen Mobbed and Stoned
d'o Death.-Vs. $500. 81. ''They were G
W to the heart" literally, they were saw
through. or asunder. A hguratTe
mo- preston for being greatly cnraged,
esperated. This was very differe
= u thing from being convicted OF 81
slate SIS. "Being full Of the Holy Ghost
The Greek 'sbeing full" implies, not
IS. sudden inspiration, but permanc
state. "And saw the glory OF God
gino Some visible manifestation OF the
mme cfYable brightness and splendor OF Gt
Ugh. such as Moses saw on Horeb, and I
apostles on Hermon. "And Jesus star
lator ing on the right hand of God"
Ills rs. "And east him out OF the city
oint- A.oo~,,;nr "a tho law for execut ic
e.- Lev. 24:l4.) "And stoned him. I
Jewish mode of capital punshmc
dis sand the witnesses" According to
nator Inv of Moses. the witnesses were
10th cost the first stone (Deut. 1876, y, q
Sher- cunrd orainst making careless or
discharges. "Laiddown therclothe
RS to Their outer garments, the cloaks
DC, In nantes, leaving on only the under
tons. mcnt or tunc AT n young mans Il
ictesl. whose name was SAUL The same
st. became afterwards the great apostle
The Gentiles.
ltions co. sand he kneclcd down." w
posed they were storng him, he rose up