The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-01-18
Sunday Study
PAUL AT THEssALoNIA AND BE-

FROE Al fHESSALONlA AND BE-
REA.
The International Sunday school les
son for Jan. IS is found in Acts xvii,
1-12. The golden text is Psalm cxix.,
1O5 Thy word is a lamp unto my
feet" 1t was PauPs second missionary
tour, and the time was the winter and
spring of A. D. SO. 1t was 100 miles
from Philippi to Thessalonia, en- route
to which Paul and Silas passed through
Amphipolis and Apollonia, perhaps be-
cause there We're no synagogues there
Paul had found that it was best to be-
gin work with the Jews whenever it
was possible, in spite of the fact that
some of them usually made trouble
Observation-Disclosures SalOnica with
10000 people)-Was then. as it is now.
an important city, and had attracted a
large number of Jewish traders. The
second verse says for three Sabbath
days he reasoned with them This was
just the beginning of the work. Paul
probably remained about six months,
and the majority of his converts were
not Jews or persons whom he could
nave reached in the synagogues, but
GenuleS. He reasoned from the Scrip
lures, that is. from the Old Testament.
This would be effective with a Syna-
gogue audience, but not with the Gen
Testament. He told them Of a Christ
that needs must suffer. The idea of a
suffering Messiah was opposed to all
Jewish ideas, and contrary to the let
ter Of much of their most precious
prophecy, which had told them of a
Messiah who should be a glorious
earthly king, and give the Jews the
supreme place among nations. Paul
showed them that they had missed the
meaning of some OF the prophecies
which spoke of just such a Messiah as
Jesus, suffering and dying for the peo-
pie.
They made many converts, but not
among the Jews who, moved with
envy, assaulted the house of Jason
where the disciples made their home
Paul was winning men away from their
ancient faith; he was preaching the
hateful doctrine of a crucified Mes
siah; he was declaring salvation to be
as free to uncircumcised Gentiles as
TO them; in spite of all they could do
ne was having great success; therefore
they were jealous. Instead of coming
out and fighting in the open. the Jews
stlfred up a mob of ruffians of the
streets TO DO what they dared not do
alone This trouble arose probably af
er months of successful work, the last
part of it mostly among the Greeks.
The charge is that he was an accom-
plice of the missionaries. The charga
against them is that they act in oppo-
sftion to the edicts of SOVEREIGNTY Of
the Roman emperors. That they taught
the kngship OF Jesus, and by implica
ton, obedience to Him is paramount.
The charge almost amounts to treason
under Roman law. The officers were
so much concerned that they took bail
of Jason. and Paul and Silas left the
city for Berea, another city, sixty miles
away No amount of ill-usage or of
danger could quench PauPs love for his
own people or check his zeal to spread
the gospel Of truth. He found the Jews
of Berea were more noble" than those
of Thessalonica. "They received the
word with all readiness of mind, and
searched the Scriptures daily, wheth
er those things were So"
The people in Berea furnish us a
great illustration Of the power of Bible
study, the Importance of which cannot
be overcstlmated. 1t is true that we
may read the Bible and forget rnuch
that we have read, but If you run wa
ter through a sieve you will find that
While the sieve does not hold the wa