The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1903-05-09
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson in the international Series
for May 10, 10O3-The Plot
Against Paul.
THE LESSON TEXT.
lAcfs 23.12-22l

THE LESSON TEXT.
(Acts 23:12-22)
IL. And when 1t was day, certain OF the
Jews banded together, and bound them
selves under a curse. saying that they
would neither eat nor drink until they
had killed Paul
49, And there were more than 40 which
had made this conspiracy.
a. And they came to the chief priests and
elders, and said, We have bound ourselves
under great curse, that we will eat moth
ing until we have slain Paul.
49, Now, therefore. We with the council
signify to the chief captain that he bring
him down unto you tomorrow. as though
ye would inquire something more perfectly
concerning him: and we, or ever he come
near, are ready to kill him.
16. And when Paul q sisters son heard Of
their lying in wait, he went and entered
into the castle, and told Paul.
II. Then Paul called one of the centurions
unto him, and said, Bring this young man
unto the chief captain: for he hath a GER
tain thing to tell him.
Is. So he took him, and brought him to
the CHIEF captain, and said, Paul the pris-
oner called me unto him. and prayed me
to bring this young man unto thee, who
hath something to say unto thee.
10. Then the chief captain took him by
the hand. and went with him aside private
ly. and asked him, What is that thou hast
to tell me?
20. And he said: The Jews have agreed to
desire thee that thou wouldest bring down
Paul tomorrow into the council, as though
they would inquire somewhat or him more
perfectly.
q. But do not thou yield up4 them: for
there lie in wait for him Of II more than
forty men, which have bound themselves
with an oath, that they Will neither eat nor
drink till they have killed him: and now are
they ready, looking for promise from thee.
tn4v Inff
man depart and charged him, See thou
tell no man that thou hast Showed these
things to me-
GOLDEN TExT.-The Lord stood by
him, and said, BE of good cheer
Acts 23i11.
OUTLINE OF SCRIPTURE SECTION.
Pauls Roman citizenship. Acts 22:24-29.
Paul before the Sanhedrin. Acts % 2:S0-23:u.
The plot against Paul......Acts 23:12-l6.
The plot discovered. d.......-.A Acts zS:l6-z2.
The plot defeated. ............Acts 23:2S-35-
TIME.-A ID. S.
PLACE Jerusalem.
NOTES AND COMMENTS.
This lesson follows the last without
break. Paul had been arrested, and
at the opening of the lesson is carried
iat0 the castle of Antonia, which
joined the temple court on the north,
to be Tortured with the hope of extort-
ing a confession of his supposed guilt
from him.
Paul's speech on the stairs was in
Hebrew. Probably the chief captain
did not understand it, but he thought
there must be something wrong with
Paul to throw the crowd into such q
frenzy of rage, and he determined to
find out by torturing him. Pauls
Roman citizenship was all that saved
him from this ordeal. 1t was contrary
to the Roman law to torture a Roman
citizen.
Paurs case was evidently too much
for the Roman officer, but he still be-
lieved from the actions of the Jews
that his prisoner must certainly be
guilty Of something, and so he called
upon the Sanhedrin, the highest coun-
ell of the Jewish nation, to help him
get at the truth. Paul's first words to
them were not a boast Of sinless life,
but a protestation Of his loyalty as
a jew to the God of the Jews-a plea
of mot guilty. Paul's conduct,
when smitten, is in striking contrast
with that of the Master under similar
circumstances, and yet we cannot feel
that his indignation was unjustifiable.
Remember that this session of the San
hedrin was informal; that probably
the Roman officer was presiding and
not the high priest, as in regular ses-
sions; and the high priest did not wear
a distinctive dress except when en-
gagged in actual service, and that Paul
had been a stranger at Jerusalem for
many years. If was thus natural that
Paul should not recognize the high
priest in the crowd. When he discov-
cred what he had done, he anologized.