Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1903-02-26
THE SABBATH SCHOOL,.
International Lesson Comments For
March |.
Subject; Paul and Apollos. Acts xviii, "a to
XIX, 6-Golden Text, Luke XII, l3-
Memory Verses, 40 Commentary
on III: Days Lesson.

--
Introduction. - After remaining year
and a half at Corinth Paul began his home
ward journey. He took with him A1uila
and Priscilla. Sailing eastward they landed
at EpheSus. Paul remained only short
time, as he desired to reach Jerusalem in
time FOR the great feast in the spring OF A.
D. "a. Aqui.a and his wife remained at
Hphesus.
|. Apollos receiving instruction Tvs. "a
Il. "Apolos" A preparation for Paul's
labor at Ephesus had been made by Apol-
los, who had instructed a small company
OF Jews UP to the twilight of John the
Baptst's teachings concerning the Mes
sah. "Alcxandra," This city was built
near the mouth Of the Nile by Alexander,
the Great. Eloquent - learned" The
word in the original expresses not only
ability as an orator, but also the possess ion
OF stores of learning. Either rendering
oaly gives half the idea, He was learned
and could use his learning with effect,
Mighty" lie was familiar with the
Scriptures and used them with power as 8
source of argument and appeal;
%. WAS instructed " Probably by
some disciple of John who had lett Judea
before the Saviour commenced His public
earlier ministry hpollos may have attend.
cd. "Fervent.' lie had glowing relig-
ious disposition and ardent zeal" IIe was
active and taught "careIully' and spoke
boldly. "Knowing only" Apo!los knew
nothing Of the baptism of the Holy Ghost.
lie knew that the Kingdom of God was at
hand" and preached the gospel of repent
ancc, preaching greatly. needed to-day. :,
IS, "Boldly." The Jews were not all
rn,I, tn Ii Stnp IN ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Of
the approach of the Messiah. The speaker
who dwet on this theme must be prepared
with arguments as well as courage. Had
heard In the synagogue. Took him.
Persons Of great learning may be led into
the light by those in obscure positions.
Apoos gives proof Of his greatness by
showing his willingness to receive instruc.
tion from such humble peoP.e. "EXpounnd,''
cd more carefully" AQuila and Priscilla
nfolded to Apo!ios the wonderful fact of
a Messiah already come, They gave him
the history of the incarnation, the miracles.
the cructiyion the resurrection, the ascen.
sion, the pentcCostal outpourlng and the
commission to convert the world. This
pupil was soon superior to his teachers.
AquIa and his wife were faithful people,
and it appears that wherever they went
they had "church in their house, See
] Cor. l6: 10; Rom l6: So. The last New
Testament reference to them is in Tim.
A. 10. Tradition says that they died mar
tyr|.
II. Anollos visits Achaa Tvs. 27, 2S). 27.
"Was disposed" The original expresses
more than an inclination on his part; he
wished to go. Into Achaia.' OF which
Corinth was the capital, and it was Cor
inth which he decided to visit. lie may
have been directed to this field of labor by
Aquila and Priscilla. Being acquaintet
with the philosophy and learning of Greece
he was well fitted to be preacher to the
Greeks as well as the Jews We are not
tod Of any apostolic commission to Apol.
los, but we know from | Cor |: u, ETC.,
that he came to be regarded by some Co.
rinthians as the equal of St Paul, and that
there arose some strong party feeling in
the church which is rebuked in St. Paul's
letter to them. Through grace" These
words may refer either to Apollos or to the
reop.c at Cornth. 1t was through grace
that they had believed, and it was through
grace that Apolos was able to help them.
2S. Nightly convinced" See K. V.
lle powerfully confutcd the Jews, and that
publicly, showing by the Old Testament
Scriptures, which tie Jews received as in.
sDrcd. that Jesus was the Messiah, and
that they could be saved only through Him.
This they refused to do, and we know the
consequence Their city was sacked, their
temple burnt. and more than million OF
them were killed and the rest scattered
over the face of the earth.
ILL., Paul arrives at Ephesus ". y. |.
"Camc to Ephes,ls." In accordance with
the promise made them when returning
from his second missionary journey (chap:
H. 2n. EphCsus was not only the capital
Of the province, but was the city of the
greatest importance In all Asia Minor-a
splendid city, and the emporium Of trade
in the East. Ii was called one of the eyes
of Asia SMYRNA, forty miles to the north,
being the other. The city stood on the
south of a plain about five mics long from
cast to west, and three miles broad, with
the lcarian Sea, an arm OF the Aegean, on
the west Here Paul continued to labor
for ncar,y three years. Certain disciples
Although their knowledge was imperfect
they were sincere and possessed the ee.
mcnts of a true faith and as soon as the
light shone upon them they at once
walked in it.
". The baptism of the Holy Ghost
vs. 2-Gl.
.. "The Holy Ghost" Paul was Holy
Ghost preacher, His first sentence brings
these unenlightcnei disciples face to face
with the deeper things of God. 1t was the
common privilege Of the disciples of Christ
to receive not only the ordinary graces. but
also the extraordinary gifts of the Holy
Spirit; and thus the disciples of Christ diff
fered from those of John, The genuine dis
cipcs of Christ are still distinguished from
all others by the baptism of The Holy
Spirit. which cnliehtens, Quickcns and purl-
Gcs. Those who have not received this rich
baptism are living far beneath their privll-
sycs in the gospel. "As heard See 4. ",
where the thought is made much clearer.
This cannot mean that they knew nothing
about the Holy Ghost, but they were ig-
norant with rcrard to Pentecost. 1T they
Wcre 'discipleS" they must have been re-
generated by the Holy Ghost. but now it
remained for them TO be purified by faith
(Acts Is: o., and to receive the gifts and
eraccs which came as a result OF this hcav.
cn|y baptism.
4. "Of repentance" John called upon
the peop,c TO repent and prepare the way
of the Lord. and pointed to Jesus as the
Messiah. THAT is. on Jesus" The clos
ing words OF the sentence are a condensa-
Gon cf all the explanations by which the
apostle convinced them that Jesus, whom
he preached, was the prophet whom John
announced
6. "Spake with tongues" This was
Pentacost repeated. A new outpourng OF
the Holv Spirit upon new twelve. PRO
rhesied.' Not the ability to foretell fu-
lure events. but the power to preach the
GOSPEL and to expound the Scriptures was
rjven them. See Cor. II: 3. No person
Is qualified to preach the gospel, OF. to do
Christian work of any kind, until he has
received the baptism OF the Spirit.