Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1903-05-01
THE SABBATH SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR MAY 5.
Subject: Paul Arrested, Acts KILL oo'os
Golden Text. 1. Pet. w., 10-MemorJ
Verses, 3O-32-Study Verses, l'-5S-
Commentary on the Days Lesson.

Verses, 30-32-Study Verses, I'-o9-
Commentary on the Days Lesson.
I. Paul confers with the church at Jeru
salem Tvs. l7-25). The day after their ar
rival at Jerusalem the elders and leader'
of the church, of whom James, the brother
of our Lord, was chief, met together, and
PAIL gave them a report of his work. The
settlement by vote, eight years before. o.
the question as to the necessity OF Keeping
the Jewish law, had not changed the opin'
ion of all the Jewish Christians; Their
friendship at this time was very doubtful
Paul was endeavoring by every possible
means to heal the breach between them.
III. Paul purified in the temple Tvs. 70
29). Four mer had come to Jerusalem to
complete Nazarite vow. Paul reluctantly
agreed to pay their necessary expenses.
and for week to live with them IN the
temple. and then to stand with them while
their heads were shaved and while they
took their hair to burn it under the sacrt
flee of the peace offerings" (Acts 81! %,
"a; Mum. G: lS). This was not compro,.
mise, 1t was a concession, but While Paul
attempted to refute certain SANDERS he at
the same time ran the risk OF almost Ger
tain instrumentation on the other side,
The fact that unexpected trouble grew out
of it does not brand his actions as unwlse
Or WRONG, lOr tne Jews "Vuiu ha'e io"iiu
some other prptext if this had not come tc
them. Their charges in verse % show
their attack was premeditated. The ques
ton i. asked, Did Paul do right in thus
purifying himself in the temple? Our an
swer is, Yes. What were his motives? He
did not do it to avoid persecution or ever
death-he was ready to die in Jerusalem
He did not take this course to gain favor
with the church, or for any selfish purpose,
His sole purpose was to gain access to the
hearts of these Christians and lead them
into deeper Christian life. Read l Cor.
O: 1929
Ill The mob and the rescue Tvs. 5000.
Paul was in the court of the women in the
temple, IN or near the room set apart for
the ceremonies of Nazarite's vow. Ger
tain Jews who had been PauPs opponents
Mt Ephesaus were watching him. They
had seen Trophmus. an Ephesian, in tho
city with Paul, and when they saw Paul in
the court of the women with strangers
they supposed he had taken Trophimus
into the tempe They stirred up a mob
against Paul, charging him with having pol
mted the temple. He was dragged down
the steps through the Gate Beautiful into
the court of the Gentiles. He would have
been killed but for the arrival of the Ro'
man guards from the tower of Antonio.
u
entering the sacred precincts Of the temple
appears to have been sufficient to startie
all Jerusalem. Dragged him." Paul was
handled roughly. 'Out of the temple"
Out of the women's court into the court of
the Gentics. They wished to murder him,
and yet not pollute the temple. They
raned at grats and swallowed camels,
doors" The folds of the Gate Beautiful,
which were of solid Corinthian brass, and
opened from the women's court to the
court Of the Gentiles "Were shut" Prob.
ably by the Levites, who had the care OF
the tempe. They may have feared that
the cowd would return, or some new dis
turbancc arise.
81 Seeking to kill him" There was
murder in their hearts, and they were beat
ing him with the expectation of causing his
death. But the onset was sudden, and they
were not furnished with proper weapons,
and there appears to have been little de-
lay. 1t was this short delay that gave tho
Roman officer time to rescue him. lid
inGs came" When servant ofaJesls is
in great distress God sends him aid at the
proper time without waiting for his pray.
ers. "Chief captain" The chief military
officer of the Romans III Jerusalem was
stationed in the tower Of Antonio. which
was situated at the northwest corner OF
the temple area. He was nearly equivalent
to our colonel, and commanded 1000 men.
His name was Claudius Lysias, as we learn
from chap. %: &c.
SO. SO. Soldiers and centuYio0s" 4
centurion commanded 100 men. The chief
/ cSptain ordered out 4 force sufficiently
large to overcome all opposition and re-
store order Ran down." The tower was
above the temple on the hill AGRA. This
quick movement On the part of the Ro
TVh MP fn
when they saw" etc. The Jewish mob
was lntimidated at sight of the Roman
troops and at once ceased their murderous
attack "Took him." The verb implies
formal arrest. The chief captain did not
come to relieve Paul, but to protect him
and give him q hearing. 1.-TWO chains"
He was probably bound between two sol.
diers.
"a, 35. Gould not know" 1t was diff.
cult for the mob to make out a charge
against the prisoner which would be intelli'
gbie to the Roman officer. IF Greek had
entered into the holy place he was liable
jew, nor was there any Greek to be found
on the spot. "The castle" The literal
meaning IS. encampment or barracks. This
was not the castle or tower of Antonio,
but only that part of the tower which was
used as permanent quarters for the soldiers.
"The stairs" Which led from the court
of the .Gentiles up into the tower "Was
bornes The crowd pressed on Paul so az
to awaken the fear of some outrage or
treachery, and to fully protect their pris.
one- the soldiers carried him, either IN
their arms or on their shoulders.
SO, 81. away with him." The apostle
is rejected in the same terms used nearly
thirty years before when Christ was hur.
ried to the cross duke %: IS; John 10:
15); yet in the midst of this wild storm
of human passions divine result is being
worked out" MAY speak" Paul, amid
the storm, is the self-possessed master of
his position. He avails himself with undis.
turbed skill of every advantage within
reach. first to assuagc the chief captain,
and then the people, in order to attain
both safety for himself and triumph for
the truth. Speak Greek" 1t is probable
that Greek was the native tongue of the
chief captain. and when he knew that Paul
understood that language the conversation
that follows took place.
%, 80. "That Egyptian" The Egyptian
to whom allusion is made is described by
Josephus as one of the many impostors of
that time, who announced that he was
prophet and gathered an army with which
he undertook to overthrow the Roman
Government. A large number were killed
and others taken prisoners, but the leader
escaned and the whole city was searching
for him. Lysias hoped that he was now
caught in the person Of Paul. ga jew"
Tic was also a Roman (chap. %: 81, 28),
"No mean city Tarsus was the metropo'
lis Of Cilicia. and a city remarkable for it's
o,I1i, aud ,NhilnoavNr,n ctr,1ipE