The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-05-07
THE SABBATH SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR MAY u.

Acts xii., 1-le-Golden Text, Pss. xzxiv..
.-Memory Verses, B-7-Commcntary
ON sho Days. Lesson.
!. About that time" About the time
Saul and Barnabas came to Jerusalem:
Chap. IL: 30. "Herod." This was Herod
Agr;ppa i. He was grandson Of Herod
the Great who murdered the innocents
Matt. 2: l8); nephew Of Herod Antipas
who murdered John the Baptist (Matt. Il:
3l2), and father to Herod Agippa u,
before whom Paul preached. Acts %: !.
| Stretched forth" A fgurative expression
! denoting that he laid his hands on them,
or that he endeayored violently TO oppress
the church. ITO vex" ITO afflict." r.
v. According to Josephus, Herod was
anxious to be esteemed . devout jew. .
2. KILLED James" James was one OF
the three apostles who had been especially
! favored by Jesus. With the sword; sS d..
! derstand beheading. Among the Jews
there were four kinds Of death--stonins,
burning, killing with the sword, or BE-
heading, and stranghng.,
3. Pleased" His object was to gain
pubhc favor. "Peter also" Peter was
very conspicuous. "Unleavened bread"
The feast Of the Passover which continued
1. "Apprehended." See R. v. "In
prison." Intending to keep him until the
feast was over. During the solemnities Of
this religious festival it would have been
deemed improper to have engaged in the
trial OF q supposed criminal. -Four
pany of four soldiers, hence there were
sixteen in all. Escape was humanity i'm.
possible. Peter had once escaped from
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.
iastical 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.
s: Prayer" The only weapon they
could use; Without ceasing. Earnest.
y" r V. These . prayers brought about 4ua:
no doubt met in private houses because Of
services dangerous.
9. 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.
7. Angel. :. came" The dclveranee
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 q
Tight the beaming OF his own person.
Peter saw by it his prison, his chains his
cloak. his sandals, and his emancipation.
In the prison" In the cell" X. 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.
ance. Raised him up" "Awoke him"
R. V. Saying, Arise" The angel did not
assist Peter to arise. Chains fell of. !"
The chains that bound him to the two
sleeping soldiers. With what ease can God
deliver His people from their enemies!
8. "Gird thyself." In order that he
might sleep more comfortably, be had laid
aside his belt. or girdle, his sandals, and
his tunic. Bind on thy sandals" This
was q 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" !"
II. Come to himself" Recovered
from the confusion OF mind into which he
had been thrown. Now ] know" He
had had Q similar experience before this.
Chap. 5: 10. THE expectation" The
| Jews waiting anxiously for his execution!
| II. Considered" When he fully com.
pretended what had transpired, and had
weighed everything connected with tho
circumstances of his dehverance. House
Of Mary" She was the sister Of Barna:
bas. Col. 4: 10. 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,
Is. door of the gate" The street
gate at the entrance to tine court in front
| of the house. which was fastened, probably.
"for fear of the Jews" Game to harken." 4"
Came to answer" r. V.
Il. "Knew Peters voice." Peter may
be supposed to have announced his name,
| or to have given 1t in reply to her IN
ouiry. "For gladness." She. wos SO eager
TO inform the others that she ran to In
form them without taking time to open the
door.
Is. Thou AIT mad" One Of those ex.
carnations which one can hardly resist on
hearing what seems far too good to be
true" His angel" His guardian angel,
assuming his form and voice, q common
Jewish belief.
l6. "They were astonished." This does
not indicate that they were unbehevlns
and had no expectation of an answer. Our
PRAYERS are often answered in unexpected
II. Hold their peace" Their joy was
70 loud in its expression that he was OBJ
liced to motion to them to be quiet in
order to secure IN opportunity to inform
them of his deliverance. James" Not
slain. w. Whether this was James the
son of Alpheus, called also James the Less,
one of the apostles; or whether he was
James the Just, the brother OF our Lord
ia question. Into another place. !
Where we do not know. The peril OF
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 sunrisc-abou. six o'clock. 1t was IN
the fourth watch. sometime between three
and six o'clock, that the angel entered thq
prison. >,
them for q breach of discipline. " He.''
Herod And there abode" But not long.
for in less than a month he died in q hor'
rib,c manner Vs. 2l.23.
| Q.h tn thA w0r7d.