The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1902-05-08
THE SABBATH SCHOOL
International Lesson Comments For
May II.
Subject: Peter Delivered From Prison, Acts
Kill, l-Io-Goiden Text, Psa. xxxIv., T.
Memory Verses, 57-Commentary
on the Days Lessor,

l. about that time.' About the time
Saul and Barnabas came to Jerusalem:
Agrippa l. He was grandson of Herod
the Great who murdered the innocents
Matt. 2: l6) nephew of Herod Antipas
who murdered John the Baptist Matt. IA:
3-l2), and father to Herod Agrippa ii,
before whom Paul preached. Acts 20: J..
Stretched forth" A figurative expression
Of that he endeavored violently to oppress
the church. "To vex" ''To affiict" r.
v. According to Josephus, Herod was
anxious to be esteemed devout jew.
2. "Killed James" James was Que of
the three apostles who had been especially
favored by Jesus. with the sword"
BY killing with the sword we are to. un-
there were four kinds of death--stoning,
burning, killing with the sword, or be-
heading, and strangling.
3. Pleased" His object was to gain
public favor. "Peter also" Peter was
very conspicuous. "Unleavened bread"
The feast of the Passover which continued
seven days.
a. "Apprehended." See r. ". "In
prison." Intending to keep him until the
least was over. During the solemnities OF
this religious festival it would have been
deemed improper to have engaged in the
trial of a supposed criminal. -Four
quaternions." A quaternion was a com.
pany Of four soldiers, hence there were
sixteen in all. Escape was humanity i'm
the prison of the Sanhedrin Is: l9) and
they did not intend that he should get
away again. "After Easter" After the
Passover" r. V. After the whole feast
was over. The word Easter is an eccles.
ilastical term of later date, and should
have no place in the sacred text Bring
him forth" This evidently means to put
him to death provided 'the people"-the
bloodthirsty jews desired it.
5. Prayer" The only weapon they
could use: Without ceasing" Earnest.
ly." r. V. These prayers brought about
his deliverance. "Of the church." They
no doubt met in private houses because OF
the persecution which would make public
services dangerous.
Q, "The same night" The night pre-
ceding the day on which Herod intended
to bring him forth for trial and execution.
Peter was sleeping" Peter had nothing
to fear. He was ready to die for his Mas.
ter.
:. "Angel. q. came" The deliverance
was delayed until the last moment. This
would test the faith OF the church. "A
light shined." The angel brought no Ian.
tern, lamp or candle, yet he brought a
Tight. the beaming of his own person.
Peter saw by it his prison, his chains, his
cloak. his sandals, and his emancipator.
In the prison" "In the cell" r. v.
"Smote Peter" He struck him in just
such way as to awake him from his sleep,
mony of the reality of the angelic appear.
and to leave in his recollection testi:
ance: Raised him up" "Awoke him."
assist Peter to arise. 'Chains fell off :"
The chains that bound him to the two
sleeping soldiers. With what ease can God
deliver His people from their enemiesl
8. "Gird thyself." In order that he
might sleep more comfortably, he had laid
aside his belt, or girdle, his sandals, and
his tunic. Bind on thy sandals" This
was shoe made to cover only the sole of
the foot.
o. "And he went out" Guided by the
angel, he met no opposition in his way.
He was led by the angel safely out of all
danger And wist not" He knew not.
10. Ward" The terms ward and
guard are but different forms of the same
word. They were probably all asleep;
it opened at their approach! Departed"
Supernatural aid was unnecessary.
IL. Come to himself" Recovered
from the confusion of mind into which he
had been thrown. Now l know" He
had had similar experience before this.
Chap. 8: 10. 'The expectation" The
Jews waiting anxiously for his execution.
l2. Considered" When he fully. com:
pretended what had transpired, and had
weighed everything connected with the
circumstances of his dehverance. House
of Mary" She was the sister of Barna.
bas. Col. 4: TO- Mother of John"
John is his Hebrew name and Mark his
Latin name. He attended Paul and
Barnabas on. their. first missionary jour
ney, and is the author of the gospel which
bears his name. MANY. praying" This
was probably the latter part of the night,
and this large company had, no doubt,
been praying all night.
l3 door of the gate" The street
gate at the entrance to the court in front
OF the house, which was fastened, probably.
"for fear of the Jews" Game to harken."
Came to answer" X. V.
IA. "Knew Peters voice." Peter may
be supposed to have announced his name,
or to have given it in reply to her in
quiry. "For gladness." She was so eager
to inform the others that she ran to in
form them without taking time to open the
door.
10. "Thou art mad" One of those ex.
clamations which one can hardly resist or
hearing what seems far too good to bt
true" His angel" His guardian angel,
assuming his form and voice, a common
Is. "They were astonished." This does
not indicate that they were unbelievins
and had no expectation of an answer. Our
prayers are often answered in unexpected
ways.
II. Hold their peace" Their JOY was
so loud in its expression that he was OBJ
liged to motion to them to be quiet il
order to secure an opportunity to inform
them OF his deliverance. James" No,
James the son of Zebedee, who had beer
slain. V. 2. Whether this was James tn,
son OF Alpheus, called also James the Less
one of the apostles; or whether he wal
James the just, the brother of our Lord
is a question. Unto another place
Where we do not know. The peril o.
death was so imminent that he evidently
decided it to be his duty to conceal him
self.
Is. "Was day" Peter was not missed
until sunrise-about six o'clock. 1t was il
the fourth watch, sometime between thre.
and six O'Clock, that the angel entered tn,
prison.
10. Examined the keepers" Triet
them for a breach of discipline. He
Herod. "And there abode" But not long
for in less than a month he died in hor
rible manner. VS.. 2l-23.