The Tupelo journal., 1903-05-08
HI SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson in the international Series
for May 10. 1903-The Plot
Against Paul.
THE LESSON TEXT.
hnt, oo.1o oo

Jews banded together, and bound them
selves under Il curse. saying that they
would neither eat nor drink until they
had killed Paul.
Is. And there were more than 10 which
had made this conspiracy.
IA. And they came TO the chief priests and
elders. and said. We have bound ourselves
under a great curse, that we will eat moth
ing until We have slain Paul.
10. Now, therefore, ye with the council
signify to the chief captain that he bring
him down unto you tomorrow. as though
We would inquire something more perfectly
concerning him: and we. or ever he come
near, are ready to kill him.
16. And when Pauls sisters son heard of
their lying in wait, he went and entered
into the castle, and told Paul.
II. Then Paul called one of the centurions
unto him. and said, Bring this young man
unto the chief captain: for he hath a GER
tain thing to tell him.
Is. So he took him, and brought him 10
the chief captain, ard said, Paul the pris-
oner called me unto him, and prayed me
to bring this young man unto thee, who
hath something to say unto thee.
10. Then the chief captain took him by
the hand, and went with him aside private
ly, and asked him, What is that thou hast
TO tell me?
20. And he said: The Jews have agreed to
desire thee that thou wouldest bring down
Paul tomorrow into the council, as though
they would inquire somewhat of him more
perfectly.
q. But do not thou yield unto them: for
there lie in wait for him of them more than
forty men. which nav bound themselves
with an oath, that they will neither eat nor
drink till they have killed him: and now are
they ready looking for a promise from thee.
%. So the chief captain then let the young
man depart, and charged him, See thou
tell no man that thou hast Showed these
things to me.
GOLDEN TEXT.-The Lord stood by
him, and said, BE of good cheer
Acts 23:I1.
OUTLINE OF SCRIPTURE SECTION.
Paul's Roman citizenship. Acts 22:24-29.
Paul before the Sanhedrin. Acts 20: % IL.
The plot against Paul......Act 23:12-l5.
The plot discovered.........Acts 23:l6-22.
The plot deteated...........Acts 23:23-35.
TIME.-A. ID. IS.
PLACE-Jerusalem.
NOTES AND COMMENTS.
This lesson follows the last without
a break. Paul had been arrested, and
at the opening of the lesson is carried
into the castle of Antonio, which
joined the temple court on the north,
to be tortured with the hope of extort-
ing a confession of his supposed'guilt
from him.
Paul's speech on the stairs was in
Hebrew. Probably the chief captain
did not understand it. but he thought
there must be something wrong with
Paul to throw the crowd into such &
frenzy of rage, and he determined to
find IL by torturing him. Paul's
Roman citizenship was all that saved
him from this ordeal. 1t was contrary
to the Roman law to torture a Roman
citizen.
Paul's case was evidently too much
for the Roman officer, but he still be-
lieved from the actions of the Jews
that his prisoner must certainly be
guilty of something, and so he called
upon the Sanhedrin, the highest coun-
ell of the Jewish nation, to help him
get at the truth. paul's first words to
them were not a boast of a sinless life,
but a protestation of his loyalty as
a Jew to the God of the Jews-a plea
of not guilty" Paul's conduct.
when smftten. is in striking contrast
with that of the Master under similar
circumstances, and vet we cannot feel
that his indignation was uniustifiable.
Remember that this session of the San
hedrin was informal; that probably
the Roman officer was presiding and
not the high priest, as in regular ses-
Sions; and the high priest did not wear
Il distinctive dress except when en-
gagged in actual service, and thai Paul
had been a stranger at Jerusalem for
many years. 1t was thus natural that
Paul should not recognize the high
priest in the crowd. When he discov-
cred what he had done. he a~pologized.
The resurrection of Christ and of
Christians occupied a very large place
in Paul's preaching. He may have
been speaking of this-for Luke only
gives us snatches of what went on be-
fore the Sanhedrin-when he saw the
opportunity to divide the council
against itself and 30 prevent it's TAX
ing any action against him. The chief
captain. little wiser than before, took
Paul back to the castle.
"The Jews" Probably a mixture of
the enemies from Asia, the most bit
ter of the Jerusalem ~Sadducees, and
the order of the Assassins, spoken of
last week. Bound -. under a curse:'
Invoked a curse upon themselves #
they should fail to keep their oath.
Game to the chief priests" those of
the Sadducean party, of whom Ana
Mas was one. They agreed TO aid the
cOnspirators (v. 20).
"paul's sisters SON. How he
learned we do not know. Told
PAUL" Showing that Paul's friends
had access to him. TOOK him by the
| hand:' As if he were a mere lad. The
chief captain seems to have sympa-
thized with Paul. He was probably
convinced by this time hat the action
of the Jews was fanatical and outra-
geous, and hat Paul was not guilty.
The most dangerous part of the
journey to C%aesarea vas passed when
the troops reached Antipratis in the
morning. The infantry returned to Je-
rusalem, and only the troop of cavalry
escorted Paul the rest of the way to
| Caesarea, where he was to await his
trial before Felix. His Imprisonment
here lasted for two years.
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.
1t is a great thing to be able to say
that one is living in all good conscience
before God.
Those who live in all good con
science before God will be cheered by
Him in times of trouble.
Those who live in all good conscience
before God will be watched over and
-4ol h., u;~