The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-04-29
THE SABBATH SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR NAY 3.

Subject Paul Arrested. Acts xxi., $3.50
Golden Text, !. Pet. w., 16-Memory
Verses. 3o-32-study Verses, 1850.
Commentary on the Day's Lesson.
salem Tvs. 1928. 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
Paul gave them n report Of his work. The
settlement by vote. eight years before, 0f
the question as 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 (ys. o.
29). -Four men had come to Jerusalem to
agreed to pay their necessary expenses,
and for week to live with them in the
temple. and then to stand with them while
their heads were shaved and while they
took their hair to burn it under the sacri.
fee of the peace offerings" (Acts 81: q,
"a: Mum. 8: ls). This was not a compro-
mise, 1t was a concession, but while Paul
attempted to Tefute eertain SANDERS he at
the same time ran the risk Of almost Ger.
tain misrepresentation on the other side.
The f.ct that unexpected trouble grew ont
or wrong, for the Jews would have found
them. Their charges in verse % show
their attack wss .premeditated. The ques-
ton /. asked, Did Paul do right in thus
purifying himself in the temple? Our an.
swcr is, Yes. What were his motives? He
did not do it TO avoid persecution, or even
death-he was ready TO die in Jerusalem.
He did not take this course to gain favor
with the church, or for any selfish purpose.
His sole purpose was to gain access to the
hearts Of these Christians and lead them
into a deeper Christian life. Read ] Cor.
0: 1913. r...f
III. The mob and the rescue Tvs. 30-39).
Paul was in the court Of the women in the
temple, in or near the room set apart for
the ceremonies of Nazarite's vow. Ger
tain Jews who had been Pauls opponents
At Epheseus were watching him. They
had seen Trophimus, an Ephcsian. in the
city with Paul, and when they saw PauS6n
the court of the women with strangers
they supposed he had taken Trophimus
into the temple. They. stirred up a mob
against Paul. charging him with having pol
luted the temple. He was dragged down
the steps through the Gate Beautiful into
been killed but for the arrival of the Ro.
man guards from the tower OF Antonia.
30. WAS moved" That Gentle was
entering the sacred precincts Of the temple
appears to have been sufficient to startie
all Jerusalem. Dragged him." Paul was
handled roughly. "Out Of the temple"
Out Of the women's court into the court Of
the Gentiles. They wished to murder him,
and yet not pollute the temple. They
strained at gnats and swallowed camels.
doors" The folds of the Gate Beautiful,
which were of solid Corinthian brass, and
opened from the women's court to the
ably by the Levites, who had the care OF
the temple. They may have feared that
the crowd would return, or some new dis
turbance arise.
81. Seeking to kill him" There was
murder in their hearts, and they were beat.
ing him with the expectation of causing his
death. But the onset was sudden, and they
were not furnished with proper weapons,
and there appears to have been little de-
lay. It was this short delay that gave the
Roman officer time to rescue him. It'd
ings came" When a servant Of Jesus 10
in great distress God sends him aid at the
proper time without waiting for his pray
ers. Chief captain" The chief military
stationed in the tower OF Antonio, 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 Claudius Lysias, as we learn
from chap. q: %.
50, %. Soldiers and centurions." 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. This
quick movement on the part of the Ra-
man soldiers was what saved Paups life.
when they saw" etc. The Jewish mob
was nS at e.S sS their S the
attack. Took him" The verb implies
formal arrest. The chief captain did not
come to relieve Paul, but to protect him
and give him a hearing Two chains"
He was probably bound between two sol.
diers.
"a, IS. Gould not know" 1t was diff.
cult for the mob to make out charge
against the prisoner which would be intelli.
gib.e to the Roman officer. II Greek had
entered into the holy place he was liable
to death, but Paul was known to be a
on the spot. The castle" The literal
was not the castle or tower Of Antonio,
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, ard to fully protect their pris-
oner the soldiers carried him. either in
their arms or on their shoulders.
80. 81. Away with him." The apostle
is rejected in the same terms used nearly
thirty years before. when Christ was hnr.
ried to the cross Luke o. Is; John 10:
l5): vet in the midst OF this wild storm
of human passions n divine result is being
worked out" May ] speak" Paul. amid
the storm. is the self-possessed master Of
his position. He avails himself with undis-
turbed skill OF every advantage within
reach. first to assuage the chief captain,
and then the people. in order to attain
both safety for himself and triumph for
the truth. Speak Greek 1t is probable
that Greek was thc native tongue OF the
chief captain. and when he knew that Paul
understood that language the conversation
that follows took place.
:S. 30. THAT Egyptian" The Egyptian
to whom allusion is made is described by
.Joscphus az ono of the many impostors of
that time. who announced that he was 4
prophet and gathered an army with which
he undertook to overthrow the Roman
Government A large number were killed
and Others taken prisoners. but the leader
ESCAPED and the whole city was searching
for him. Lvsias hoped that he was now
caught in the person OF Paul. "a Jew"
He was also a Roman (chap. %: q. 2s).
"No mean city" Tarsus was the metroro.
lis of Cilca. and a city remarkable for its
culture and philosophic studies.