Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1903-03-04
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson In the international Series
for March q. IoO3-PaaI -
EphesuA.
THE LESSON TENT.

4 AACtS lSsiS--ND
IL Then certain OF the vagabond Jews
| eNorcIsts. took upon them to call over
| .hem which had evil spirits the name OF
| the Lord Jesus. saying. We adjure YOU
| oy Jesus whom Paul preacheth.
| IL And there were seven sons of one
| Sceva. 4 Jew. and chief OF the priests which
| Gid so.
10. And the evil spirit answered and said.
| Jesus know. and Paul know; but who
arc %?
10 And the man In whom the evil spirit
| was Ieaped on them. aud overcame them.
| ana prevailed against them. that they
| Ned out OF that house naked and wounded.
| IL. And this was known TO all the Jews
| ana Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus: and
| rear iell on them all. and the name OF the
| Lord Jesus was magnifef.
y And many that believed came and
confessed. and showed their deeds
- Many OF them also which used curious
| arts brought their books together and
| burned them before all men: ano they
| counted the price OF them and found il
| Sscp pieces OF silver
y So nightly grew the word OF God and
| prevailed.
| I0;I5.
! OUTLINE OF SCRIPTURE SECTION
| PREACHING in the name of Jesus. Acts 1882
| ACQUIRING in the name OF Jesus Acts l9:l3-l6
| MasnltNing the name OF Jesus Acts l9:lI-.O
| TlME.-A ID 81
| PLACE.-Ephesus
| NOTES AND COMMENTS
| AS usual, Paul began his work in
| EpheSus with the Jews and prose
| lytes in the synagogue. Remem ber
that II was here that the Jews had
asked him to stay longer when he
stopped on his way to Jerusalem after
| the second journey. He evidently
impressed them favorably. and that
| may IN part account for the fact that
he was able to work with them longer
than usual before the rupture oc-
Cured. He preached in the synagogue
three months In Ephesus, rs on 9TH
er mission fields, Paul supported HIM
| self by working ut his trade. When
! raul hnaIly left the synagogue he
| took a number who had become Chris
tians with him. EpheSus, like Athens.
had its scholars and philosophers
who taught sometimes in Il public hall
| devoted to that use, and sometimes
in their own private lecture rooms. 1t
| Is not easy to decide which was the
| case here, for some of the ancient
| manuscripts read, the school Of Nv
rannus, as in the revised version. ia
voring the view that the building Was
a public one, and called the school
| of Tyrannus, while others read with
| The common version, the school of one
! lNrannus. meaning OF 4 certain man
named TNrannus. One Of the manu-
scripts says that Paul used the build,
| ing from IL o'clock till four. that is.
| after the regular lecturer was through
for the day. The teaching day nj that
| ri "a,
hour before noon. Ramsay rather
| favors the second view. as probably
! representing what Luke actually
wrote. Pauis work here continued
| for two years, and influenced the
whole province If Asia, for Ephesus
was "A great commercial center. and
no better place could be found from
which 10 spread the Gospel. 1t is more
| than likely that the seven "Churches
| Of ASIA addressed in Revelation, were
result of this period of Paul's work.
| The work outside Of the city was prob
| ably pushed by his missionary COM
panions and by many native helpers.
"Strolling Jews, exorcists:" The
| practice of magic" socalled was
very common among the Jews in spite
of the prohibitions in the Old Tesla
ment. These exorcists went about
from place to place, claiming the
| power to work miraculous cures. and
| particularly TO cast out the demons
| which in those days were supposed TO
| dwell in those whom to-day we should
| call insane. They used charms of
! various kinds and repeated magical
! sentences, and evidently believed. from
what they had seen Of Paul's work.
| that the name Jesus was "A magic word
| Of unusual power. The experience of
two OF the sons Of Sceva. for only two
| Of them seem to have been connected
with this incident. was a rcbuke to
such superstition not soon to be for
gotten.
Many also Of them that had be
lieved:' Showing how general such
superstition had been in Ephcsus
Fifty thousand pieces Of silver"
These magic books. or rolls. made by
hand, Of course. have always been very
costly The pieces Of silver were prob
ably denarii, and the dcnarius was The
average price of a days work. By
burning their books the Christians
put temptation behind them. and pre-
vented the possibility Of returning 10
their demoralizing practices. showing
their sincerity and their wisdom.
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.
The more boldly one testifcs for
Christ the greater number of converts
he will secure.
People still need TO be reasoned with
and persuaded ms TO the things con
corning the Kingdom of God.
TO invoke the name Of Jesus insin.
cerely is TO arouse evil, not 10 drive
il out.
The Gospel arouses the consciences
IL -, tll..l H.. Il