Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1903-04-30
The SABBATH SCHOOL
International Lesson Comments For
May 3.
Subject: Paul Arrested, Acts XXI, 3O.39-Goldeu
Text, |. Pet ". l6-Memory Verses, 80
31-Study Verses. l7.39-C Comment
ary on the Days Lesson.

l. Paul confers with the church Mt .Tcru
salem Tvs. l7-25). The day after their ar
rival at Jerusalem the elders and leaders
Of the church, of whom James, the brother
of our Lord. was chief. met together, and
Pa i gave them report of his work. The
settlement by vote. eight years before, O.!
the question az 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.
II. Paul purified in the temple Tvs. 20
complete Nazarite vow. Paul reluctantly
agreed to pay their necessary expenses,
and for week to live with them in thu
temple. and then to stand with them whils
their heads were shaved and while the,
took their hair to burn it under the sacri
fec of the peace offerings (Acts q: %
q: Mum. G: lS). This was not compro
mise, 1t was a concession. but while Paul
attempted to refute certain ISLANDERS he al
the same time ran the risk of almost Ger
tain Misrepresentation on the other side
The fact that unexpected trouble grew out
Of it does not brand his actions as unwse
or wrong, for the Jews would have found
some other pr"text if this had not come tc
them. Their charges in verse % show
their attack was premeditated. The ques
tion i asked, Did Paul do right in thus
purifying himself in the temple? Our an
>wer is. Yes. What were his motives? He
did not do it to avoid persecution, or ever
death be vas ready to die in Jerusalem
He did not take this course to gain favor
with the church. or for any selfish purpose
His soc purpose was to gain access to the
hearts of these Christians and lead them
into a deeper Christian life. Read Cor
0. 1923
III. The mob and the rescue Tvs. 3O39)
Paul was in the court OF the women in the
tempe. IN or near the room set apart foi
the ceremonies OF a Nazarte's vow. Ger
tain Jews who had been Paul's opponents
Ut Ephescu3 were watching him. They
iad seen TroDhimus. an Ephesian, in tho
city with Paul, and when they saw Paul in
the court of the women with strangers
taev supposed he had taken Trophmus
into the tempe. They stirred up mob
AGAINST Paul. charging him with having pol
'uted the temple. He was dragged down
The steps through the Gate Beautiful into
thc court OF the Geniles. lie would have
been killed but for the arrival of the Ro'
man guards from the tower of Antonia.
%. WAS moved" That a Gentle was
entering the, sacred precincts of the tempe
appears to have been sufficient to starte
handled roughly, "Out of tho temple
Out of the womcn's court into the court of
the centi,cs. They wished to murder him,
and vet not polute the temple. They
S'raired at gnatS and swallowed camels,
Doors" The fods of the Gate Beautiful,
which were of solid Corinthian brass, and
opened from the women's court to the
court of the Centilcs. "Werc shut" Prob.
ably by the Levites, who had the care of
~ Tl,n,. l,,- tl,nt
the 'owd 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 Ms
death But the onset was sudden. and they
were not furnished with proper weapons,
and there appears to have been a little de-
lay. 1t was this short delay that gave tho
Roman officer time to rescue him. lid
ings came When a servant OF Jesus 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 in Jerusalem was
stationed in the tower OF Antonia, 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 CIaudius Lysias. as we learn
from chap. %; &c.
81, -. Soldiers and centurons." A
centurion commanded 100 men. The chief
captain ordered out a force sufficiently
large to overcome all opposition and re-
store order. Ran down" The tower was
above the temple on the hill AGRA. Thi,
quick movement on the part of the Ro
man soldiers was what saved Paul's life,
when they saw" etc. The Jewish mob
was intimidatcd at sight of the Roman
troops and at once ceased their murderou'
attack. Took him" The verb implies
formal arrest. The chief captain did not
and give him hearing. 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.
gible to the Roman officer If a Greek had
entered into the holy place he was liable
to death, but Paul was known to be
jew. nor was there any Greek to be found
on the spot. "The castle: The literal
meaning IS encaripment or barracks. This
was not the castle or tower of Antonia,
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
borne' The crowd pressed on Paul so as
to awaken the fear of some outrage or
treachery, and to fully protect their prs.
oner the soldiers carried him, either III
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 %: ls; John 10:
l5): "yet in the midst of this wild storm
of human passions a divine result is being
worked out" MAY speak" Paul, amid
the storm. is the sef-possessed master OF