Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1902-05-23
THE SABBATH SCHOOL
International Lesson Comments For
May Is.
Subject: Paul at Antioch In Psidia, Acts kill,
43.52--GoIden Text, Acts kill, So.
Memory Verses, 40. 47-Commen.
tary 0a the Days Lesson.

tory-God preparing for the Messiah. VS..
1922. % Israel chosen and delivered from
Egypt. V. II. (2) Forty years in the will
derness. V. Is. (3) The promised land
given. V. IL. az Israel under judges v.
20. (5) Under kings. V. 81. (6) The king
dom under David from whom the Messiah
was to spring. V. %. II. The Messiah
brought forth. ~ Gods promise kept.
Y. %. (2) Heralded by John according as
their Scriptures lisa. 40: 8, 4; Nal. g.: u
had foretold. VS.. "a, 25. (3) His rejec.
ton and death fultilment of prophecy.
VS.. 1929. az He was raised from the
". 3l), and by the fulflment of the Scrip
lures. VS.. 32-37. III. The closing appeal.
% Through faith in Christ forgiveness Of
sins is preached. VS.. SO, 80. (2) A warn
ing is given. VS.. 40, Al.
43. WAS broken up" When the peo-
pie were dismissed. This does not mean
that it was broken up by violence or dis
order. "Many of the Jews" Probably
majority rejected the sermon, but still
many received the message favorably:
"Proselytes." Gentiles who had embraced
the Jewish religion. Followed" Walked
with them as they were leaving the synaa-
vogue. Persuaded" Urged, entreated
ITO continue" etc. A good impression
had been made, they were earnest seekers
after truth, and it was important that
they should continue to believe and obey
it and be saved by it.
a. "The next Sabbath" The evangel-
lists attended the synagogue on the sab
bath day" because that was the day on
which the Jews worshiped. The day Paul
and Barnabas observed as the sabbath was
the day on which Christ rose from the
ho q
been observed by the church as the Chris
tan sabbath ever since the resurrection
morning. almost the whole city The
interest must have been intense. The peo-
pie were stirred, excited curious.
45. "Jews-flled with envy" With
Jealousy" Indignation, wrath. l. To
them it seemed an attack upon the very
foundation of their religion. They felt
that if their interpretations gave way, re.
ligion itself would fall q 1t destroyed
their hopes as to the future of their nation.
3. Their own influence and power would
be thrown into the background 4. 1t
would degrade them, as they believed, to
have the Gentiles declared as equals. "Con.
tradicting." Opposed the doctrine that
Jesus was the Messiah, and that He would
be humble, lowly, despised and put to
death. disappearing" Either reviling
Jesus as an imposter and malefactor, or
declaring Him to have been in league with
Satan. There is nothing more awful than
Jewish fury and eXecration of the name OF
Jesus of Nazareth when thoroughly reused.
46. "Spake out boldly (R. W They
did not permit their own passions to be-
,ome inhamed, neither did they revile their
assailants, but they very plainly told them
that they would turn to the Gentiles. They
told the Jews that by their own actions
they had pronounced their own sentence,
and had condemned themselves as unwor.
thy of everlasting life. ''Was necessary"
1t was so designed and commanded. The
apostles always offered salvation to the
Jews first. "Thrust it from you" Or. W
They rejected and spurned the offer of sa,,:
walton. Judge yourselves unworthy"
This does not mean that they considered
themselves unworthy but they condemned
themselves by their actions. Everlasting
life" Eternal life is not solely future,
| but present possession, commenced In
this life to be perpetuated in the life to
come "The Gentiles." The heather. We
shall offer the gospel to them because they
| will accept it..
AZ. "The Lord commanded" The COM
mand which the apostle quotes is from
Isaiah 40: g. which shows that from the
/
tiles was made manifest in the counseis OF
God. II have SET" The prophet an
nounces that the Messiah whom God prom.
Used to send would be the Savior of the
| Gentiles as well as the Jews; that all ma
| tions would be called to share in the bless
ings OF His kingdom. The passage is quoted
to show that in turning now to the heather
they were merely carrying out the plan OF
| God as revealed in the Old Testament.
For salvation" Deliverance from the
penalty, pollution and power of sin, espe'
cially as completely realized in a, future
state of holiness and happiness. The very
name "Jesus" announces the design of His
mission; He came to save His people from
| their sins.
4S. "Gentiles-were glad" The doctrine
| of the Jews had been that salvation was
confined to themselves. The Gentiles now
rejoiced that from the Jews themselves
they heard different doctrine which was
rroved from the pages of Hebrew prophecy,
that this gospel was promised to them OF
| old. "Glorifed," etc. Honored it as a
message from God. The expression con-
veys the idea of praise on account of it, and
of reverence for the message. Gas were
ordained" etc. Should be rendered, "dis-
| posed to eternal life" AS many as were
80 inclined committed themselves by faith
to Christ. There is not the least plausible
| ity in the notion that Luke in this simple
| history is referring to any eternal decree
| understanding these men to eternal life.
40, can the region" This rapid extern
sion of the gospel we must attribute in
some measure to the zeal of the recent con-
verts. Paul and Barnabas also may have
visited personally some OF the nearest
| places.
so. "The devout woman" Or. W Prob
ably Gentle women who had become Jew
ish proselytes, and could be easily in.
| fuenced against the new religion. "Of
honorable estate" Or. W This evidently
refers to their rank, as being the wives of
| the "chief men" of the city. The Jews
urged the women to use their influence
with their husbands against the mission
aries. "Chief men," The magistrates !;
those in authority. "Out Of their coasts"
| Out of their province.
81. "Shook off" etc. Following the d.
rection of Christ in Matt. 10: IA. By this
they in effect said, Ye arc worse than the
heather, even your very land is accursed,
and we shake off its dust as testimony
that we offered you salvation and you re-
jected it and prosecuted us. Jews travel
ing in heather countries wiped their feet
when they came to the borders of their
own land, lest the unhallowed ground
should defle the sacred soil of Israel
Iconium" A city about sixty miles south
east of Antioch in Lycaonia
50. "Filled with joy" Even in the midst
Of persecution they rejoiced and were ex'
ceedinC glad