The Tupelo journal., 1903-02-27
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
Lesson In the international Series
for March 1, 10O3-Paul and
Apol1os.
THE LESSON TEXT.

- Nha1 80 I'LL W
2. This man was instructed in the way
OF the Lord; and being fervent In the
spirit, he spake and taught diligently the
things of the Lord, knowing only the bap-
tism of John.
rs. And he began to speak boldly in the
synagogue; whom when Aquila and Pris-
ella had heard, they took him unto them,
and expounded unto him the way of God
more perfectly.
u. And when he was disposed to pass into
Aehaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the
disciples to receive him who, when he was
come, helped them much which had be-
lieved through grace.
Is. For he nightly convinced the Jews,
and that publicly, showing by the Scrip
lures that Jesus was Christ.
l. And 1t came to pass that, while Apollos
was at Corinth, Paul having passed through
the upper coasts, came to Ephesus: and
finding certain disciples,
2. He said unto them, Have We received
the Holy Ghost since We believed? And they
said unto him, We nave not so much as
heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.
3. AND he said unto them, Unto what, then
were We baptized? And they said, Unto
Johns baptism.
A. Then said Paul, John, verify baptized
with the baptism of repentance, saying
unto the people, that they should believe
on Him which should come after him, that
Is, on Christ Jesus.
s. When they heard this, they were bap-
tized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
6. And when Paul had laid his hands
upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them;
and they spake with tongues, and prophe-
sled.
GOLDEN TEXT.-If We then, being
evil. know how to give good gifts
unto your children, how much more
shall your heavenly father give the
Holy Spirit to them that ask hint
Luke 11:13.
OUTLINE OF SCRIPTURE SECTION.
The labors of Paul..............Acts lS:1S-&.
The labors of Apollos..........Acts lS:2i-8.
The higher baplsm..........Acts 1917.
ME ID. 81.
PLACE.-Corinth and Ephesus.
NOTES AND COMMENTS.
Christianity was born at Jerusalem
in the cradle of Judaism. 1t had it's
missionary birth at Antioch, where it
became endowed with the spirit Of
brotherhood for all men. 1t obtained
a foothold in Galatia, at Philippi, Thes-
salonica, Corinth and other places, but
its third greater center was Ephesus.
From that city it radiated a great in
1uence throughout Asia Minor.
With Acts 1928 begins the account OF
Pauls third missionary journey.
Paul's work in Corinth lasted a year
and a half altogether. The latter
this" of verse IS refers to the expert
ence in G%aliio's court room, spoken of
in 1S:12-17. This was the end of his
second missionary journey. Priscilla
and Aquila accompanied him as far as
Ephesus, where he probably changed
ships, taking one of the pilgrim ships
that each year carried crowds of Jews
to Palestine to the passover. Cenchreae
was the port of Corinth (see map. In
token of his gratitude to God for some
blessing, we do not know what. Paul
made a VOW which involved as a part
of its fulfillment the shaving of his
head at Cenchreae. His desire to go
at once to Jerusalem may have had
some connection with paying the vow,
though its exact nature is not plain.
Some have held hat the VOW was
Aquila's. Perhaps Paul had to remain
over the Sabbath at Ephesus for the
pilgrim ship, or the synagogue may
have been open for one of the three
weekday services. Paul seems to
have been in haste, probably to reach
Jerusalem at the time of the passover.
He was urged to remain by the Jews,
whose ire he had not yet aroused, but
did not consent. In the words, Went
up and saluted the church." we must
understand that the original church
at Jerusalem is meant. After his visit
at Jerusalem Paul went down to Anti
och. The church at Antioch he con-
sidered his own home church," and
here he remained till the beginning of
his third missionary journey.
Mighty in the Scriptures" Of
curse the Old Testament Scriptures
are meant. INSTRUCTED in the way of
the Lord" He must have had some
knowledge of Christ, though we do not
know just how much. 1t certainly was
only partial, perhaps including the
facts of the life of Jesus, but lacking
those concerning his continued pres
ence and work in the world through
the Holy Spirit. He was a disciple of
John, the reformer, who preached the
very practical gospel of repentance
and right living. Aquila and Priscilla
supplied what was lacking in his
knowledge of Christianity, and so in
creased his usefulness as a worker.
The broad AleXandrian culture of
Apollos, his earnest spirit and power as
a speaker, with his intimate knowl-
edge of the Scriptures, made him a
very strong and helpful worker. Pow
erfully confuted the jews" The Com
mon Version, convinced, is misleading.
What he did was to prove that they
were wrong-to ~confute them. We do
not know that he convinced n of
them.
"The upper country" The high in
land region of Asia. Found certain
disciples" These disciples, like Apol-
los, lacked all knowledge of the gift
of the Spirit, OF of Spirit, as it is in
the Greek, knowing only the baptism
of John" 'They lacked hat peculiar
enthusiasm which in the Apostolic
Age was called Holy Spirit and was
traced directly to the Spirit of God
Prof. j. V. Bartlett.
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.
The only way to be mighty in the
Scriptures is to study them diligently
while one has the opportunity.
There are some saints in the pews by
whom even the most eloquent preach
ers can be instructed.
An important question: did We re.
ceive the Holy Spirit when te be-
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