The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-02-22
SUNDAY-SCHOOL
LESSON FOR FEB. %
THE ARREST OF STEPHEN.
Acts, vi:1-15.
BY REV. j. l.. GILBERT, D. d.

secretary OF American society OF RelSiOus
Education
CUNNECTlNG.-The' passage assigned for TO-
days lesson might appropriately follow the siN-
tecnth verse OF last chapter. The thirty verses
lying between treat the relation of the church TO
the ousdc world. II omitted from the narrative
| we have more continuous account OF the in
| terror condition OF the church and the co,ise.
| Quenccs of that condition 1t will be remembered
| that under the prompting OF extreme brotlerly
love the followers of Christ had a common treas.
| ury out of which the needs of the whole congre-
CATION were met (Acts iv:2l-3O. The utcome of
| that conmunistic arrangement appeared first in
| the deception and death OF .AnanaS and sap
phira. Our present lesson shows that, although
the people had received large measures of the
| spirit and had been united in the most delight
| ful fellowship (Acts iv:32), they were unable to
maintain proper relations this basis.
| MURMu RlNG.-Neise y. The church at ]erl,-
salem was composed of two classes. There were
some of pure blood descended direct from .tbra-
ham. converted TO Christ by the preaching of the
apostles. and Others Of mixed race proselytes
| To Judaism and afterward TO Christianity (\cts
| iS:.9. These were called Grccians because ihcv
| spoke the Greek tongue and lived in other PROV
inces. They among those who
| nually to the great festival (Acts Ni:2O). There
was strong prejudice between these classes
4
| lowers OF Jesus, and which showed itself at
! time and in manner that would least cN-
| pcct. The custom OF caring for widows
brought over from Judaism lisa. i:11), and the
daily mnstratons to them were made possible
through the abundant supplies (>cts iv:@7). En-,
there was favortism shown toward the Hebrews
10 the neglect of the Grccans, and the friends
OF the latter complained
PROPOSlNG.-tNerses'2 = and ~ The apostles
did not wait for public outbreak, hut acted
on the first suggestion OF difficulty. At gem
cral gathering Of the church, which all might
attend who desired. they proposed remedy.
They would continue 10 devote themselves TO the
ministry Of the word which was laid upon them
tMatt. XSviii:l9). and which WIS all important.
That they might do this without distraction ref-
tain men should be selected to serve The tables,
TO distribute food. The men, seven in number,
must be honest and full OF the Holy Ghost, hav-
ing therefore the confidence of tile church. They
must be chosen or elected by The comgrega ion
and afterward appointed by the apostles. This
plan involved nearly all the features charac-
teristc Of ecclesiastical bodies--a kind of con-
grcgational episcopacy. The suggestion was not
unlike that made by the father-in.law of Moses
(Ex xviiil0. division of labor secured by
calling in officials meet an emergency is
ever admissible in any organization.
proved the plan OF the apostles, an indication oi
its wisdom and OF the harmony between the Two
orders Of members. The seven men selected
Stephen, Philip, Prochorous, Nicanor, Tnlon,
PaImenus, Nicolas-al had Greek names. The
church apparently put the work of distribution
largely in the hands OF the complainantS who
would not be likely to disparage overlook the
Greek element. Two only OF the seven, Stephen |
and Philip, are aiterward mentioned in the New
Testament (\cts vii:54O). The elected men |
We're then brought before the apostles who prayed |
and laid hands on the head Of each. This act of
ordination was highly proper it attested ap. |
proval and formed connecting link between |
the church and its officers II was valuable in |
the interest OF good order Probably borrowed |
from Judaism (Numb. NXvii:1s). it represented |
the giving Of authority and it was supposed to
be accompanied by the Divine blessing and the |
bcstowal OF the Spirit (Acts vi:l0. |
lNCREASlNG-(Verses : and 81. This happy |
adjustment Of the difficulty restored the church |
10 perfect harmony There was discrimlna
ton on The one side and no murnuring on the |
other, The wants OF all were freely and promptly |
met. As result the apostles gave themselves
entirely to their legitimate work, what would |
have been impossible had there been disturbances
over secular matters, and the word OF God so |
preached brought forth fruit 0I Thess. ii:D. |
The number Of disciples was greatly increased,
and among the converts were many OF the Jewish |
priests, who surrendered their incomes received |
from the church to become members and possibly
minise. in the Christian body. The spiritual
interests far surpassed the temporal Indeed,
nothing more is heard of the service which the |
seven newly ordained were expected to render TO
widows. Stephen, who was at the head Of the
list appears in an entirely different function, AMI
becomes one OF the most conspicuous workers and
preachers.
DlSCU UsSI NG.-Nerses 0 and lO). According
10 Rabbinical books thee were in the times of
the apostles more than -four hundred synagoguas
in Jerusalem. These were places OF religious in.
srucion so arranged as TO meet the needs of the
people from the various provinces and designated
by appropriate titles, Men well yersed in Scrip
turc and in ecclesiastical literature were asso-
oiated with these synagogues something like the
faculty of a college, The preaching of stephen,
perhaps in the temple, and sometimes in The
synagogues where great liberty of expression was
allowed (Acts Xiii:l5), attracted attention by
its wisdom and spirit, until some felt called TO
oppose him. Chief among them were men out of
the most influential synagogues-those OF the |
Libertines, Jews returned from foreign bondage;
the Cyrenians, those from Cyrene in Northern
Africa the AleXandrans, those from the city of
Alexandria, a famous philosophical center; and
those from Cilica and Asia, Roman provinces 1
This formidable combination of talent against a
deacon indicates the ability OF the latter,
ACCUSING Verses II aud l2). This new mode
Of opposition TO Christianity failed, The men
who arrayed themselves against stephen were lot |
equal TO him. The appeal TO the judgments Of
the people ON matters OF doctrine helped the
cause OF Christ 1t was necessary, therefore, 10