The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1903-02-26
The SABBATH SCHOOL.
international Lessen Comments For
March !.
Subject; Paul and Apollos. Acts xviii, "a to
XIX, 6-Golden Text, Luke xi. 10
Memory Verses, 40 Commentary
on the DAYS Lesson,

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! Introduction. - After remaining a year
and halt at Corinth Paul began his home
ward journey. He took with him Auula
and Priscilla. Sailing eastward they landed
at Ephesus. Paul remained only short
time, as he desired to reach Jerusalem ip
time Tor the great feast in the spring of A.
D. "a. AquIa and his wife remained at
Ephesus.
i. Apollos receiving instruction Tvs. "a
"a. "Apollos." 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
Baptists teachings. concerning the Mes.
siah. Alexandria 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 possession
only gives half the idea. He was learned
and could use his learning with effect
mighty" He was familiar with the
Scriptures and used them with power as
source OF argument and appeal.
%. Was instructed" Probably BY
some disciple of John who had LETT Iudea
before the Saviour commenced His public
course, or possibly by John himself, whose
earlier ministry Apollos may have attend.
ed. "Fervent." He had a glowing relig.
ious disposition and ardent zeal" He was
active and taught carefully" and spoke
nothing of the baptism of the Holy Ghost.
lie knew that the, kingdom of God was at
hand" and preached the gospel of repent
ance, preaching greatly needed to-day.
70. Boldly" The Jews were not all
ready even to listen to announcements of
the approach of the Messiah. The speaker
who dwelt 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.
Apollos gives proof of his greatness by
showing his willingness to receive, instruc.
ed--more carefully" Aquia and Priscilla
unfolded to Apollos the wonderful fact of
Messiah alread.' come. They gave him
the history of the incarnation, the miracles,
the crucifxion, the resurrection, the ascen.
sion, the pentecostal outpouring and the
commission to convert the world. This
pupil was soon superior to his teachers.
Aqnila 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: 3.5. The last New
Testament reference to them is in Tim.
4: 10. Tradition says that they died mar.
tyrs.
II. Apollos visits Achaia Tvs. 81, 2s). 81.
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.
iinth which he decided to visit He may
have been directed to this field of labor by
Aguila and Priscilla. Being acquainted
with the philosophy and learning OF Greece
he was well fitted to be a preacher to the
Greeks. as well as the Jews. We are not
told OF any apostolic commission to Apol.
los, but we know from l Cor. /: II, etc,
that he IN bSp r1aJ h,, r.
rinthians as the equal of St. Paul, and that
there arose some strong party feeling in
the church which is rebuked in st. Paups
letter to them. Through grace" These
words may refer either to Apollos or to the
people at Corlnth 1t was through grace
grace that Apollos was able to help them.
%. Nightly convinced" See Il. V.
He powerfully confuted the Jews, and that
publicly, showing by the Old Testament
Scriptures, which the Jews received as in.
spired, 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.
II. Paul arrives at ,Ephesus ". y. l.
Came to Ephesus." In accordance with
the promise made them when returning
from his second missionary journey (chap.
IL: 2D. Ephesus 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. 1t was called one of the eyes
OF Asia, Smyrna, forty miles to the north,
being the other. The city stood on the
south of plain about five miles long from
east to west, and three miles broad, with
the lcarian Sea, an arm of the Aegean, on
the west. Here Paul continued to labor
npArIu a,, II
Although their knowledge was imperfect
they were sincere and possessed the ele.
ments of true faith" and as soon as the
light ,shone upon them they at once
walked in it,.
~; The baptism of the Holy Ghost
2. ''rhe Holy Ghost" Paul was Holy
Ghost preacher. His first sentence brings
these unenlightened 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
Spirit; and thus the disciples OF Christ diff.
tered from those of John. The genuine dis.
ciples of Christ are still distinguished from
all Others by the baptism Of the Holy
Spirit; which enlightens, quickens and puri.
hes. Those who have not received this rich
baptism are living far beneath their privil.
eyes in the gospel: "As heard" See X. v,
where the thought is made much clearer.
This cannot mean that they knew nothing
about the Holy Ghost, but they were ig,
norant, with regard to Pentecost. If they
were disciples" they must have been re.
generated by the Holy Ghost but now it
rer.ained for them to be purified by faith
(Acts 10: %, and to receive the gifts and
graces which came as result of this heay.
emily baptism
4. "Of repentance" John called upon
the people to repent and prepare the way
Of the LORD. and pointed to Jesus as the
Messiah. ''Thst is on Jesus" '"rhe clos
ing words of the sentence are a condensa-
tion Of all the explanations bv which the
apostle convinced them that Jesus, whom
he preached, was the prophet whom John
announced"
o. "Spake with tongues" This was
pentecost repeated. A new outpouring OF
the Holy Spirit upon new twelve. "Pro.
phesied." Not the ability to foretell fu-
ture events. but the power to preach the
gospel and to expound the Scriptures was
given them. See Cor. "A: 3. No person
y qualified to. preach the gospel, or to do
Christian work OF any kind, until he has
received the bapti,n, of the Spirit.