The Morris County chronicle., 1902-05-30
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson in the international Series
for June 1, 1002-Paul
at Lystra.
THE LESSON TEXT.
(Acfs / 1l.&-14l


impotent in his feet, being cripple from MS
mothers womb, who never had walked
9. The same heard Paul speak; who stead
fastly beholding him, and perceiving that
he had faith to be healed,
10. Said with loud voice, Stand upright
on thy feet And he leaped and walked.
IL. And when the people saw what Paul
had done, they lifted UP their voices, saying
in the speech of Lycaonia: The gods are
come down to us in the likeness of men.
12 And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and
Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief
! speaker.
before their city, brought oxen and gar
lands unto the gates, and would have done
sacrifice with the people.
IA. Which when the apostles, Barnabas
and Paul, heard Of they rent their clothes
and ran in among the people crying out,
Is. And saying: Sirs, why do ye these
things? We also are men OF like passions
with you, and preach unto you that ye
should turn from these vanities unto the
living God which made Heaven, and earth.
and the sea- ard all things that are therein.
16. Who in times past suffered all nations
to walk in their own ways.
II. Nevertheless He left not Himself with
out witness, in that He did good, and gave
us rain from Heaven, and fruitful seasons,
filing our hearts with food and gladness.
Is. And with these sayings scarce re-
strained they the people, that they had not
done SdcrllcS unto them.
49, And there came thither certain Jews
from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded
the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew
him out of the city, supposdng he had been
GOLDEN TEXT.-Thou therefore en-
dure hardness. as good soldier of
Jesus Christ.--2 Tim, 2-3.
OUTLINE OF SCRIPTURAL SECTION.
The divided multitude. e............. Acts l4:1-7.
The Missionaries defied. ........ Acts l4;S-1S. IL
Paui STONED 4ocb Acfs a. 81
TIME.-A. ID. 1913.
PLACE.-Iconium, Lystra, Derbe and An
' NOTES AND COMMENT.
Missionary EXperiences.-The win
ming of converts by Paul and Barna-
bas set others against them, so that
they were obliged to go elsewhere.
Had they not been driven out, their
natural desire would have been to re-
main so long as they were success
full. But the missionaries were great
ly needed in other places.
The Divided Multitude. Iconium
was on the border between Phrygia
and Lycaonia, and was the CONNER
cial center of quite large region.
The method of work there was the
same that had been followed in An
tioch, and the results were also SINH
lar. "The multitude" had a merely
intellectual interest in the matter
for the most part. Lystra was about
18 miles from Iconium, but the cities
were in different districts.
The Missionaries Deified.-The Grip
pie of Lystra was probably begging
in some public place where Paul
spoke. The miracle was similar to
that wrought by Peter at the gate
of the temple (3:2-8), and the effect
on the multitude was similar. The
"speech of Lycaonia" was a dialect
of the language of the Gauls, with
which some Greek words were blend
ed. Paul and Barnabas did not un-
derstand it. Zeus, whom the Romans
called Jupiter, was the king of the
Greek gods; Hermes, called Mercury
in Latin, was their messenger. There
was tradition that the gods had
paid visit to that region in ancient
times, and the people thought sim
liar event had happened now. GAR
lands were always placed on the
necks of beasts just as they were
sacrificed. 1t would shock a Jew to
witness pagan sacrifices; and to re-
ceive divine honors would be even
more horrible. Rending the gar
ments was a token of horror, which
would be understood even by those
who did not practice it. The occa-
sion gave opportunity for forceful
address against idolatry and in ex
altation of the true God. Although
they succeeded with difficulty in per-
suading the multitude that they were
men, their popularity continued
great for a time.
Paul Stoned.-The Jews from An
tioch who made trouble for Paul may
have been travelling into the interior
on business. Probably no one would
make so long journey simply to
follow up the Christians. The ston-
ing of Paul was by mob rather
than by the systematic and thorough
method of the Jews. He could hard
ly have escaped alive from Jewish
stoning. His injuries must have been
painful rather than severe, but it
would be some time before he could
be really himself.
Return to Antioch.-Derbe was the
most remote point reached on this
journey. The missionaries seem not
to have been disturbed there, nor as
they stopped on their way back t.
organize their disciples. Probably
they did little public preaching.
Their journey lasted little less than
four years, and covered about $50
miles.
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.
When one is filed with the HOLY
Spirit the power of the Gospel is
made manifest.
The power of the Gospel is made
evident wherever it awakens faith in
those who hear it.
ThV power of the Gospel is not lin
tied, but is sufficient to restore those
who are impotent through sin.
The Gospel brings good tidings of
living God who never leaves Him
self without witness to us of His
love.
Bread Upon the Waters.
His need makes another nv Heigh-
Dor.
The merry-hearted have a fortune