Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1902-02-15
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
lesson In the international Series
for February 10, 1se2-The Sec
Ond persecution.
THE LESSON TEXT.
fAcfs 80

L
to the heart. and took counsel to sIay them
81 Then stood there up one in. the council,
Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the
law, had in reputation among all the peo-
pie. and commanded to put the apostles
forth little space;
s.. And said unto them. Ye men of Israel.
take heed to yourselves what We intend to
| do as touching these men.
s. For before these days rose up Theu-
| das. boasting himself to be somebody's to
whom a number of men, about 400, Joined
themselves: who was slain; and all. as
many as obeyed him, were scattered, and
brought to nought.
81. After this man rose up Judas of Cali
| lee in the days Of the taxing, and drew
away much people after him: he also per-
ished; and all, even as many as obeyed
him, were dispersed.
o. And now 1 say unto you, Refrain from
these men, and let them alone: for If this
counsel or this work be of men, 1t viii come
| to nought.
50. But if 1t be of God. ye cannot over
throw 1t; lest haply ye be found even to
10. And to him they agreed: and when
they had called the apostles, and beaten
them, they commanded that they should
not speak in the name of Jesus, and let
| them go.
A. And they departed from the presence
OF the council, rejoicing that they were
counted worthy to suffer shame for His
| name.
a. And daily in the temple. and in every
mouse they ceased not to teach and preach
GOLDEN TEXT.-BIessed are they
which are prosecuted for righteous
ness sake: for theirs is the kingdom
| OF Heaven.-Matt. $40.
| NOTES AND COMMENTS
Faithful Witnessing it will
be remembered, had forewarned His
disciples that they would suffer perse-
cution for His sake John 1920; 1921.
Now that time had come, andithe way
they bore themselves under it shows
how devoted they were to their Mas
| ter. They not only endured, but re-
joiced that they were counted worthy
to suffer for Him. With such witnesses
nothing could stop the growth of the
church.
Signs Wrought by the Apostles.-The
situation described here was like the
time when Jesus was working miracles
frequently in Galilee. It is not stated
in verse Is that Peters shadow actual
~ healed anyone. The verse shows
graphically the excitement that pre-
vailed.
Released from Prison.-When Peter
and John were arrested before they
were teaching in the temple. This time
their captors seem, to have sought
them out in their headquarters. The
high priest now, no doubt, began to
fear the influence of such popular ex-
element upon his authority. The
teaching was a direct defiance of that
authority (4:1s). The angel who de-
Evered the apostles sent them to teach
in the temple. Even with all the bold
ness they had in preaching they natu-
rally had hesitated about setting them
selves up in the temple as rivals of
Gamaliel and other teachers there.
But when Gods messenger commanded
them to go they went without hesita-
ton, in their zeal entering the temple
at dawn. The Sanhedrin probab bly,
thought, when they learned of the
apostles escape, that they had friends
within the temple guard who had let
them go. Their perplexity is thus best
/ explained, and the superstition was
natural.
Trial Before the Sanhedrin-An Incl
dental light on the apostles feeling
about teaching in the temple is thrown
| by the statement of the man who told
the Sanhedrin that the apostles We're
standing and teaching. Most teachers
sat while giving instructions The pop
ular regard in which the apostles were
held is indicated by the fear of the
temple guard to use violence. The high
| = WOEuS w. SHOW the -S6nSl-
tiveness of the Jewish authorities to
the apostles defiance of their COM
mands, and to the charge that they
were guilty of Jesus death, which
Peter had several times made (2:23;
3:13-15; 4:1O). Peters answer is an
other bold defiance, based on the fact
that God had commanded them and
given them power to speak, proving by
| tr, E
the Holy Spirit that Christ was indeed
His Son. The boldness of Peter an
gered the rulers, but Gamaliel, who,
though party opponent of the Sad
| ducees, was greatly respected by all,
saved the Sanhedrin for the time from
impulsive action. GamaIiers speech
was a keen application of shrewd com
mon sense to the situation in hand.
His motive was probably not opposi-
ton to the Sadducees or sympathy with
the Christians, but recognition of the
wisest course. The only Theudas
known did not live until about ten
years after Gamalie1 made his speech,
unless Josephus made a mistake in
dates. But there is no reason TO doubt
that the speech was made, and that it
had the effect described. The beating
which the apostles received must have
BEEN very severe, but they regarded it
as token of honor that they had been
active and prominent enough in Gods
service to receive it.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION
The world has not been ready to well
come the truth, but has met it with pris-
ons, torture, scourgings, etc.
The disciples should never regard
the personal consequences of. witness
ing for the truth.
blessed are ye when men shall re-
proach you, and prosecute YOU
for my sake"