Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1903-01-16
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
International Lesson Comments For
January Is.
Subject: Paul at Thessaionica and Berea, Acts
xviii, l.l2-Goldeu Text, Psa., ll9, ioo
Memory Verses, 24-Commentary
on The Days Lesson.

been left behind. "a synagogue" The
Jews must have established themselves
in large numbers in this city; their, syna-
| gogue appears to have been the only one one
that existed in Northern MACEDONIA. NO
synagogue had been built in Philippl Am
phipolis, or Apollonia; the Jews who
dwelt in those cities possessed only
place of prayer (Acts Is: l3), and they
belonged, as it were, to this synagogue IN
| Thessalonica.
2. Gas his manner was" To always
begin with the Jews. and not to turn to
the Gentles until the Jews refused the
gospel, that their mouths might be stopped
preached to the Gentiles. "Three Sabbath
days" This does not imply that Pau!
kept the Jewish Sabbath as a sacred
day, but the Jews would assemble on that
day in greater number. This does not in
dictate the length of Paul's stay in the city:
Reasoned" Here we see his method Of
work. In accordance with the Old Iesta'
ment Scriptures Paul discussed with
them concerning the Messiah. First, that
sary that the Messiah should suffer and
rise again; secondly, that this One, name
ly, Jesus. is the Amounted One.
8. Opening and Alleging" Proving
bv citations. His method seems to have
been this: |. He collected the Scriptures
that spoke of the Messiah. 2. He applied
these to Jesus Christ, showing that in
Him all these Scriptures were fulfilled,
and that He was the Saviour OF whom
they were in expectation. -,
4. "Some-beleved- persuaded"
Of Jews. a small minority; of the Gentiles
multitude became Christians; so that
at Thessalonica there was mainly Cen
tile church. "Consorted" Cast in their
lot with. They clave to Paul and Siass,
and attended them wherever they went.
"Devout Greeks" That is. Gentiles who
were proselytes to the Jewish religion, so
far as to renounce idolatry. and live a
moral life "Chief women" First IN
rank and social position; also proselytes
to the Jewish religion" >
H. Paul and Silas accused Tvs. 5-9). D.
not in the Greek and should be omitted
here. envy" Jealousy" malice, ha-
tired, spite at seeing persons of rank be-
coming Christians, by which the jewish
influence was weakened. "Lewd fellows"
Vagabonds who hung around the markets,
serving for pay in mobs. as in the present
instarSe. "Uproar" They began riot
with fte mob they had gathered; The
devil stu carries out his designs by set
ting souls as well as cities in an nproar.
"Jason." With whom Paul and SDas
lodged He may have been one OF Paurs
kinsmen rom. l6; 2l(, but of this we are
not certain. The mob intended to seize
Paul and Silas and bring them. out, 10
abandon them to the passions of the ex'
cited people.
6. "Dragged JASON The Jews were
bent on carrying their case, and not ind
ing Paul and Silas, they. seized their host;
with some other Christians, and dragged
them before the magistrates of the city.
"World upside down" After having
made the sedition and disturbance the
Jews charged it all on the peaceable and
innocent apostles. They would have II
thought that the preachers OF the gospea,
discord, INSTRUCTED commerce and lnvert'
cd all order and regularity
7. "Hath received" The insinuatlon
is that by harboring these seditious men
Jason has made himself partaker, in their
sedition. "Do contrary" etc. There was
as vet no law against Christianity, but the
accusation was meant to declare the Chris
tians enemies to the established govern
ment, and opposed to Caesars power, IN
general, to make DEGREES. There is an
other king. His followers sad; lndeea'
Jesus is a king, but not an earthly KING,
not rival of Caesar nor did His ordl.,
nances interfere with the DEGREES. OF
Caesar. for He made it law Of His king
dof to 'render unto Caesar the things that
are Caesars" ;, u,
no i'll opinion of the apostles or their doc
trine and could not see that there was any
danger to the state from them, and were,
therefore, willing to overlook them, put
when they were represented, as enemies
of Caesar, the rulers were oDhged 10 sup
press them, lest they themselves should
IL ohorood with trpa son
0. Security" Whether by depositlne
a sum of money is not quite clear. What
they did was in accordance with the no
man usages, and gave sufficient security
for the good conduct of Paul and Silas
They were doubtless required to pledge
themselves that they would not attemp,
to carry out any plans of treason, ano
that they could do, for the charge was
false, and they were not inclined to make
is true.
III. Founding the church in in Beres Tvs
1912. 10. "Sent away" They did no
90 as condemned disturbers, but because
It seemed clear that any further effort,
were useless at that time Unto Berea.
Fifty or sixty miles southwest of Thessa
lonica. a town even still of considerable
population and Importance. ;, ~,
IL. '"These were more noble. I'M
comparison is between the Jews OF tn
TWO p.dCeS, lOI IuC eliuhPi. VI 'A'N oO~s,
ct Thessalonica was mostly among tn
Genties. They were not so bigoted ant
preiudiccd-not so peevish and ill-natured
They had freer thought, lay more opei
TO conviction. Searched the Scripture
daily" Since Paul reasoned out of tn
Scriptures, and referred to the Old Iesta
ment, they had recourse to. their Bibles,
turned to the places to which he referred
read the context, considered the scope ant
drift. compared other places, examined
whether PauPs explanations were genu
inc, and his arguments forcible, and thel
determined accordingly.
u. Many of them believed" The nat
ural result of honest study of the Scrip
lures. Honorable women" The gospe
was proclaimed to all, and each individ
nal WIS left to decide for himself. Thes
Greeks were heathens. or proselytes t
the Jewish religion. The gospel made n
distinction between nations. therefore, tn
Christian church at Berea was made u
OF Jews and Gentiles.
1915. As soon as the Jews at Thessa
lonica learned that Paul was preachn
the gospel with some success at, Berca
"they came thither also, and stirred up tn
people." TIE brethren then immediatel
sent Paul TO Athens by boat, but Sias an
Timothy remained at Berea. AS soon
paul reached Athens he sent back word t