The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-06-10
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR JUNE Ia.

FOR JUNE ~.
subject: Paul Mt Rome, Acts xviii, 1924
80, 31-Golden Text, Rom. f., 16-Mem.
ory Verses, 23, 24-Study Verses, 1881
documentary on the Days Lesson.
Paul enters Rome ". l6). ]6. Game to
Rome" Rome is reached at last and the
long journey is at an end. At this time the
city of Rome was a. the height OF its
glory. 1t held sway over nearly the. entire
more than twelve miles more than 2,OOO, 1000
of inhabitants were crowded, OF whom,
about 100000 were slaves. ''But Paul"
Nero, the emperor to whom Paul had ap.
pealed, was too much engaged in his de-
baucheries and pleasures to care much for
such man as Paul or such accusations as
were made against him by the Jews, by
himself" This lenity was probably due to
the commendation of the centurion Julius.
with a soldier" The custom. was to
chain the prisoner. by one hand to the
" makes allusion in the epistles to the
Epnesians, Philippians and Colossians and
in his friendly note to Philemon, all OF
which were written during this imprison-
ment. See Eph. 81; 4: /; Phil. /: 13, l6;
Col. 4: lS; Philem. i: 8, 10.
The first interview with the Jews Tvs.
1922. II. "After three days" Three
days after Paups arrival at Rome he in
vited those who presided over the Jewish
community to visit him. His first steps on
passing beyond the narrow circle of those
anee with his established principle, toward
Israel. And as his circumstances did not
allow him to seek the Jews, az he had done
in other places, he requested the represen-
tatives of the Jewish congregation to come
to mis- lodging. "Men and brethren" This
address to the assembled Jews is of per.
sonal nature, and is intended to counteract
certain prejudices which the Roman Jews
might entertain. Delivered prisoner" In
as mild terms as possible he recounts his
uncalled for accusation by the Jews in Je-
of the Romans.
.lS, 10. "Let me CO." He narrates briefly
the events given in chapters 81 to %. The
Roman officials repeatedly failed to find
cause of offense in him. ITO appeal"
Paul declared that his appeal to the EN-.
peror had become indispensably necessary,
because the Jews opposed his acquittal to
which the Roman authorities judged him
to be. entitled. He states that it had not
been his intention to bring any accusation
Against HoPps hs Ps0Pf 1sssi Fss the fPee Sepe
Israel is the the general a Aes expectation Of the
Messiah. In Jesus Paul believed that the
expected Saviour had appeared, and for
preaching this he had been attacked and
made a prisoner. He held the same faith
as all the Jews, only going in this matter
furt her than they, in that be believed the
ancient promise was now fulfilled. We can
see from the reply of the Jews that he un.
derstood their position exactly. "Thls
chain" Roman chains, like our handouts,
usually indicated crime, but Paul's chains
stand for patriotism and the loftiest relig-
iosas conception. ,..v nn..
the Jews in Judea had not forwarded the
accusation against Paul to their brethren
in Rome, that. they might continue the
prosecution before the emperor, is not
known. It is probable that they regarded
their cause as hopeless, and chose to aban.
don the prosecution. Paul had been ac-
quilted successively by Lysias. Felix, Fes-
tus and Agrippa. 80, :. :,
piled that they had heard OF him by their
request to know what he thought Of this
and subsequently made no demonstration
of hostility against Paul is readily account.
ed for. The apostle was held in special
favor by the chief officer Of Nero's house
hold, and the Jews of the synagogue were
themselves subject to persecution SO that
they were powerless to persecute the disci-
pies of Christ.
The second interview with the Jews Tvs.
1920. g.. Game many" They came in
great numbers. Many accompanied the
chief Jews. ,"E1poynded," etc. Paul
takes as his theme that doctrine of the
kingdom of God which was the central
that great disclosure Of tie prophets which
was still, as it had been for centuries. the
supreme thought and hope of the whole
Jewish people. Again Paul follows the
very line of his risen Lords exposition to
the two disciples on the road to Emmaus
"Moses-prophets." Beginning at Moses
and all the prophets ne showed that the
! predicted kingdom is not limited to one
nation, but co-extensiVe with the world.
He showed them that in Jesus of Nazareth
all the % SSnSi0ns Gt shs s1pesifd ps MSSs
This shows the effort Paul put forth to
save the Jews.
"a. "Some believed" A few were won
to faith in the Christ, but the many disbe-
ieved the teachings of their own Scrip
lures, and rejected the suffering Messiah,
30 plainly disclosed. The seed of the word
fell here, in some cases, by the wayside; in
others upon stony places, or among thorns;
nevertheless, some fell into good ground.
solemn words Of the Holy Ghost, spoken
/ by Isaiah, Christ had opened His teachings
by parallels Matt. 13: "a, l5), and had
finally closed His ministry among the Jews
John u: 4O). And now Paul, as if himself
commissioned by the Holy Ghost as pro-
phet of the New Testament, sadly redeliv-
ers the same message. enforced by the aw-
full emphasis of the Masters double utter
ance. Thus the apostle, under divine di-
rection, formally and finally seals up the
gospel offer to Gods disobedient and re-
iecting people. :. In this fearful process
pressiy described: The minist rial agency
of the prophet; the judicial agency of God,
and the suicidal agency of the people them
selves. "Unto the Gentiles." Paul was
never discouraged. If the gospel was re-
jected by one class of people he was ready
TO offer it to another.
PauPs residence and ministry in Rome
Tvs. 80, 3l). 80. 1.-TWO whole years"
Why he was not prosecuted before the em.
peror during this time is not known. Ass
there was no prosecution Paul was suffered
to live in quietness and safety: Nothing
certainly is known on the subject. 1t ls
evident, from Tim. 4: l6, that he was at
some time arraigned before the emperor,
but when, or what was the decision. or
why he was at last set at liberty. are all in.
yolved in impenetrable obscurity.
81. preaching - and teaching" Paul
did a great work during these two years
in Rome: |. He preached the gospel to all
who came to him 2. He wrote several
epistles which were by far che most impor-
tant part of his prison activity.