Democratic messenger., 1902-05-24
The SABBATH SCHOO 4
International Lesson C0H-nents For
May Is.
Subject: Paul at Antioch in Pisidia, Acts kill.
43.52-Goideu Text. Acts xiii. is
Memory Verses, 40, F-Commen.
tary on the Days Lesson.

outline OF PauiS sermon. y Idst MY
tory-God preparing for the Messiah. W.
1852. Q) Israel chosen and delivered from
Egypt. V. IL. (2l Forty yeaEs IN the vii,
derness V Is. 81 The promised land
given. V. 10. (4) Israel under Judges. V.
20. (j) Under kings. V. 2l. 6l The king
dom under David from whom the Messiah
was TO spring V. -. II. The Messiah
brought forth. (ll Gods promise kept
V. 23 (2) Heralded by John according as
their Scriptures lisa. 30: 3, : Nal. 81 u
had foretold. Vs. "a, .. (3) His re5ec'
ton and death fulhlment OF prophecy
vs.. 27-29. ca He was raised from the
dead. This is proved by many witnesses
(v. By, and by the fulfiment of the Scrip
lures. vs. 32-37 III. The closing appeal:
Q) Through faith in Christ forgiveness OF
sins is preached. vs.. 3s, 49, CD a warn
43 Was broken up" When the peo-
pie were dismissed. This does not mean
that it was broken up by violence or dis
order MANY of the Jews" Probably a
majority rejected the sermon, but still
many received the message favorably.
"Proseiytes." Gentiles who had embraced
| the Jewish religion. Followed" Walked
with them as they were leaving the ys synss'
gogue. Persuaded" Urged; entreated
STo continue" etc. A good impression
had been made, they were earnest seekers
after truth, and it was important that
they should continue to believe and obey
it and be saved by it.
"A. The next Sabbath" The evangel
T, lists attended the synagogue on the sab
bath day" because that was the day on
| which the Jews worshped. The day Paul
and Barnabas observed as the sabbath was
the day on which Christ rose from the
| dead, called the Lords day. This day has
,een observed by the church as the Chris
sian sabbath ever since the resurrection
morning. Almost the whole city" The
interest must have been intense. The peo-
| pie were stirred. excited. curious.
As. 'Jews-flled with envy" With
Jealousy" indignation, wrath. !. To
them it seemed an attack upon the very
foundation of their religion. They felt
| that if their interpretations gave way, re-
ligion itself would fall. .. II destroyed
their hopes as to the future of their nation
| 5. Their own influence and power would
be thrown into the background. 4. II
would degrade them: as they believed. tc
tradicting." Opposed the doctrine that
Jesus was the Messiah, and that He would
be humble. lowly, despised and put to
death. Disappearing" Either reviline
| Jesus as an imposter and a malefactor, or
declaring Him to have been in league with
Satan. There is nothing more awful than
Jewish fury and execration of the name OF
49, "Spake out boldly" (R. w They
| did not permit their own passions to be-
come infiamed. neither did they revile their
assaiiants. but they very plainly told them
| chat they would turn 20 the Gentiles. They
told the Jews that by their own actions
they had pronounced their own sentence,
and had condemned themselves as unwor
1t was SO designed and commanded. The
apostles always offered salvation to the
Jews first. Thrust it from you" (R. W
| They rejected and spurned the offer of sal
vation. Judge yourselves unworthy"
This does not mean that they considered
themselves unworthy, but they condemned
| themselves by their actions. Everlasting
life" Eternal lie is not solely future.
but a present possession, commenced in
this life to be perpetuated in the life tc
| come. The Gentiles" The heather. We
shall offer the gospel to them because they
will accept it.
| AZ. "The Lord commanded" The com.
mand which the apostle quotes is from
Isaiah 40: 0, which shows that from the
tiles was made manifest in the counsels oi
God. II have set" The prophet an
nounces that the Messiah whom God prom
| ised to send would be the Savior of the
Gentiles as well as the Jews; that all na.
tions would be called to share in the bless.
ings OF His kingdom. The passage is quoted
to show that in turning now to the heather
God as revealed in the Old Testament.
For salvation" Deliverance from the
penalty, pollution and power of sin, espe
cially as completely realized in a future
state OF holiness and happiness. The very
| name Jesus" announces the design of His
| mission; He came to save His people from
| their sins.
4s; "Gentiles..werc glad" The doctrine
| OF the Jews had been that salvation was
confined to themselves. The Gentiles now
rejoiced that from the Jews themselves
they heard different doctrine which was
proved from the pages of Hebrew prophecy,
that this gospel was promised to them OF
old. "Glori6ed." etc. Honored it as a
message from God. The expression con.
veys the idea OF praise on account OF it, and
of reverence for the message. "As were
ordained" etc. Should be rendered, dis.
posed to eternal life As many as were
so inclined committed themselves by faith
| to Christ. There is not the least plausible
ity in the notion that Luke in this simple
history is referring to any eternal decree
predestinating these men to eternal life.
40. "All the region" This rapid extern
sion of the gospel we must attribute in
| some measure to the zeal of the recent con.
verts. Paul and Barnabas also may have
| visited personally some of the nearest
places.
so. THE devout woman" (R W Prob.
ably Gentle women who had become jew.
ish proselytes, and could De easily in
fiuenced against the new religion. "Oi
honorable estate" Or. W This evidently
refers to their rank. as being the wives OF
the ''chief men" of the city. The Jews
| urged the women to use their influence
with their husbands against the mission.
aries "Chief men," The magistrates: !:
those in authority "Out Of their coasts" !"
Out of their province.
81 "Shook off," ETC. Following the di.
rection of Christ in Matt. 10: Ii. BY this
they in effect said, Ye are worse than the
heather, even your very land is accursed.
and We shake off its dust as a testimony
that we offered you salvation and you re.
iected it and prosecuted us. Jews travel
| ing in heather countries wiped their feet
when they came to the borders of theii
own land. lest the nnhalowed ground
should defile the sacred soil of Israel
"Iconium." A city about sixty miles south
east of Antioch in Lycaonia.
80. Filled with joy" Even in the mids
of persecution they rejoiced and were ex
ceedinc glad