The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-06-04
THE SABBATH SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR JUNE 8.

Subject: The Council st Jerusalem, Aets
w., 1888 - Golden Text, Gal. v.' -
Memory Verses, 10. 10 . Commentary
ON the Days Lesson.
Connecting Links.-After returning IRON
the first missionary journey Paui ahn
Raruabas abode in Antioch long time.
They were taking a much needed rest and
attending to the home work. The great
question which was now dividing the opin'
ions of the church was whether the Gen.
tiles must become Jewish proselytss and
submit to circumcision in order TO DC
saved. After time certain jews who
were Christians but who still held to thi
ceremonial law came from Jerusalem Il
Antioch and began to teach among IN
converts there that unless they were eli
cumcised they could not be saved. IN
church had been in existence for abol
twenty years and had extended its bo4
ers into several heathen towns and 1t
cluded many Gentiles, and if these teal
ers were permitted to continue they woH
destroy the work. Our lesson prop}y
begins with the first verse Of the cha&r
and includes the whole account of lis
first council in the history Of the chufh.
Il was conducted on Christian princ es.
Il came together in the interest Of BIB,
to promote peace and harmony betf Pen
the contending factions. Those who pm.
posed it were not party: men, but tere
ready to yield all personal views an&eel.
ines when they saw what was right
p. "Then pleased it" The hole
church came to o unanimous d9biou.
"To choose men" (R. w. This &akes
It clear that the deputies sent to tioch
were chosen by The whole body They
u af xkosr Nh and
qualifications. Judas called Bal has"
1R. VI Not the Judas mentidEd in
chap. !: l3. His surname was Th& &daeus.
Matt. 10: 8. Matthew Henry AM others
say that he was the brother o&Joseph
Barnabas. Acts. !: q. He is Eowhere
else mentioned in the New TestaI2nt and
this Is all we know Of him. Al Silas."
Elsewhere called "Sylvanus." SCor. !:
10; ] Peter s: IL. He was q n ban citi.
zen (chap. 10: 81, and Paurs |npanion
at later date. Chap. 10: 10, "Cbief
men" Men Of influence and Al hority in
the church. In verse % they said to
have been prophets. They ev| |ently had
been engaged as preachers an rulers IN
the church at Jerusalem.
q. Wrote letters" They INT o writ.
ten communication 90 the ch ehes could
have the exnct words OF the ision. by
them" By Judas and Silas. Grecting."
A salutatiop expressing their }esire of the
happiress Of the person addressed.
"Syria." Antioch was the Cd tai Of Syria,
and from this we see thaf the trouble
had spread to other PLACED in the prov.
ince. '"Cilicia." PauPs nj We province.
It Is probably that the CO foversey had
not arisen In the same m in other
p'sssse''" q. Have heard" hjash Paul and
Barnabas. Certain" II be referred to
bled you with doctrines producing con.
tention. "Subverting." bis is used in
the sense Of disturbing q aestroyins, and
here denotes that they ylnsettled their
minds and produced ant 4ty and distress
By these doctrines abo} Moses. No
commandment. lR. W hey went wholly
without authority. eting the word
"sucb," which Is not be Greek, makes
the expression strongd
25. Seemed good. It seemed to US
the proper thing to with one &C.
cord" How wonderf the Holy Spirit
had finally united I'd in settling this
great question. "0uS beloved" The in.
tention OF the whole tier is to show the
honor which the chu in Jerusalem felt
was due to these misd bery laborers.
28. "Hozarded tha} lives" More than
once they had bee in great danger.
Chan, l3: 80; IA: etc. This was q
strong endorsement Paul and Barnabas.
"In the name" etcf This is the supreme
motive Of oil true hristian effort,
"a. ALSO tel 81 They would give
fuller information hd answer every in.
quiry that might proposed.
2S. "It seemed ood," etc. This ex.
preston shows &c although the two
agencies were did bet, yet they were in
perfect accord. Necessary things"
They were peces&y in order to promote
the peace and COT brd Of Jewish and Gen.
tile Christianitytt that time; but the
fourth requirem 10 o perpetual prohi'
bition. i. :,
meats were thq desecrated. To the Jew
this was y a. bminetie1: And d from 'o1
Of Moses Id 8: II; II: 1919, but
among the G'k tiles it was o delicacy.
Things stran ID" Animals dying from
suffocation. bee were not used for food
by the jews, ecause the blood was still
il them. P discusses TINS qSestaiG%G a%.,m, in
o different and 10 always binding. It
was added hhuse it was the peculiar and
besetting st bf the Gentiles, who did not
regard It al rong, but % o part Of their
worship, 4 honor OF their gods. The
purity Of church was at stake. The
tevitical was very strict against er:
cry form unchastity. See Lev. le and
%. "Sha 10 we'll" See R. V. Fare
ye well" he ordinary close Of a letter
80. ID 6issed." In all probability
with rel bus services compare Is: 81.
and pell ps with an escort for some
miles o1 DE way. Down to Antioch"
(R. V.)Derusalem. the chosen place, is
always erred to in the Bible as up"
In rcfeJ3 ice to Jerusalem all other places
would "down." The multitude" The
whole by of the church. 1t was mes.
sage fE& one church to another.
81. Rejoiced." That they were not
to be objected to the burdenssme rights
and Economies Of the Jewish religion:
Com etion." The consolation would
be Il by the Jews as well as the Gen
a. Being prophets" Not in tie sense
fillef with the Spirit, they spake in ex'
hr !" Strengthened and established
"a space" A space Of time. I'm
pei" The brethren took leave OF them
in be best wishes for their safety and
vi hre. Judas and Silas both returned
4 t3erusalem, es their commission would
rAhire, but silas must have soon rejoined
Nj at Antioch, since we find him there
Sverse 40. Luke has passed over that
Bond journey.