The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-04-02
THE SABBATH SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR APRIL s.

Subject: Saul Of Tsrsus Converted. Acts
k, l.so-Goldcn Text: Acts ILL.,, 10
the Days Lesson.
l. And" "But."-R. v. The but"
marks the contrast between the mission.
ary zeal of Philip, and the. prosecuting
zeal of Saul. One is infaned by hatred,
| the other inspired by love. saul; The
same as mentioned in the story OF stephen.
name vas Paul. yet" Up to this mo
ment his blind, prosecuting rage against
| the disciples Of the Lord burned as fiercely
as ever Breathing out threatenings,
Persisted in prosecuting the disciples With
increasing violence, as if he could not
breathe without uttering threatenings
against them, or would, if able, have slam
them with the breath Of his lips. Unto
the high priest" Being jealous volun'
teer in the service he devised plans for
fully exterminating the religion OF Jesus,
,oa ad was Va Ss Ready Utmost sS ss shem bty
2. "Damascus." This is the Oldest city
! in the world, situated about one hundred
and forty miles northeast of Jerusalem.
3. "Suddenly" About noon (chap. y:
| g.; at midday (chap. 20: l3), when the
sun was shining so there could be no de-
ception. Light" It was "above the
brightness Of the sun" Chap. %: IS: It
was in the midst of this glory that Christ
was seen by Saul Il Cor. Is: 81, so that ne
! could enumerate himself among those
who had bcheld the Lord after His resur'
rection.
1. Fell to the earth" The whole com.
pany fell to the earth. Chap. o.: IA.
Heard a voice" In the Hebrew tongue
The voice was clear and distinct to Saul,
but to those with him it was only q mys
terious sound. tSee on v. ~. "Why per.
secutest thou Me-" Canst thou give any
| good reason Tor it? Must afresh be cru
cited by thee? Those who persecate the
saints persecute Christ Himself, and He
takes what is done against them as done
unto Himself. ,
S. "Who art Thou" Jesus knew Saul
before Saul knew Jesus. Lord" Used to
denote respect for some unknown august
person. Il am Jesus" He takes the name
which was the object OF Jewish hate.
| Thy enmity is against Me and Ny religion.
He whom you persecute is the Lord OF ite
and glory, not simply poor. fugitive disci:
p!es. 1T is hard" etc. This clause and
the irst part of v. are omitted from the
Revised Version, but they belong to the
account for Paul himself utters them in
chap. 20: IA. Kick against the pricks."
| Or ccads; as stubborn oxen did, thus
wounding themselves the more deeply.
6. TREMBLING" etc. A true description
of a sinner who Gees the wickedness Of his
heart. What wilt Thou" etc. Convinced
that he had prosecuted Christ, and that
his religious views and character were
wrong. he submits himself to the will OF
Him who had arrested him in his blind
/ ..al - haf
he obedient to all His directions. "Arise." |"
Until now he had continued PROSTATE on
the ground. Go" Into Damascus, to be
instructed by one whom he was on his way
to destroy.
are told that those with Paul heard not
| the words" What is meant is clearly that
| they did not hear the words as words.
could attach no meaning to the sound:
| We say that a voice is not heard, or thae
we do not hear him, when, though we hear
his voice, he speaks SO low or indistinctiy
that We do not understand him.
s. Saw no man" Saw nothing" r.
Y. The dazzling brightness of the light
had made him totally blind. This blind
ness was. no doubt, mercifully intended by
| Providence to give him an opportunity
to attend to the great matter OF his sours
0. Neither did eat" etc. The mental
anguish for time overpowered the natural
10. "Ananias." We know nothing Of
this man except what we find in this lesson
ard in chap. %: IL. He was devout
man. in good report among the jews. was
in communication with the brethren at
Jerusalem, and was trusted by them. "In
a vision" Saul was prepared for the visit
by a vision, and by vision Ananias is
tod to so to him.
| Damascus; socalled from its running in
direct line from the eastern to the western
cate. It was a mile long, hundred feet
wide, and divided by Corinthian columns
into three avenues. He prayeth."
breathing out" no longer "threatenings
.pd slaughter" but struggling desires after
life and light in the prosecuted one:
| on the part of Ananias to visit Saul does
| not prove that he was either fearful or IN
ciined to disobediencc He was merely ex.
,.c:sing due care; he desired to be sure
about the matter "Thy saints" The
Christian converts were probably called
saints" that is. "hoiy persons" at o
scry early period after the death OF Christ
because OF the marvellous outpourings OF
The Spirit upon the first converts:
Is. Go" This brief. expressive word
! u the Lord ID demands implicit obedi.
snce. (2) puts the doubts of n weak faith
. shame. (3) contains promise OF the
Lords all and blessing. a chosen YES.
Icl." One whom in view Of his fitness as
. man. Jesus had chosen for great mis-
! sion. This. however, implies neither any
impossibility that he would disobey His
call. nor any eternal predcstination to SAL
vation. God chose and appointed Saul be-
cause Saul chose the Lord.
l6. He must suffer" Compare Paul's
own words in chap. 20: g. See also chap.
Il: 10; 2 Cor. II: 1928:
! II. "Ananias went" How beautifully
childl;ke is the obedience OF Ananias to
| the heavenly vision. Brother Saul. y
knowing that the Lord had chosen Saul
to q sscrcd Office Anan;as felt great re-
socct for him and an interest in his saliva
tion.
IS. "As it had been scales" There is .
| difference Of opinion rs to whether literal
scales fell from his eve. There ia no ques:.
/ ton. however. but that the restoration OF
his sight was supernatural. The nature OF
the injury WE cannot determine, but it IL
certain that the recovery was instanta:
reous ard complete. "Arose-baptizcd:
From this wc see that he was Immediately
ba?tized before he had received meat. -.
| 70. Meat Food. Certain days"
| How long is not known. 1t might have
hecn for some months. rs he did not so to
.Ierlni.cm until three years from this
time. lie remained some time at Damns.
Gus. then went to Arabia and returned
! ,roi- to Damascus, and then went to Je-