Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1903-01-17
THE SUNpy
International Lesson c..
January Is.
Subject: Paul at Thessaionica and Berea, Act:
xviii, l-i2-G0lden Text, Psa., li9, los
Memory Verses, 2-4-Commentary
on The Days Lesson.


j. They. Luke changes from we" to
they which shows that he must have
been left behind "A synagogue The
Jews must lave established themselves
in large numbers in this city; their syna-
gogue appears to have been the only one
that existed in Northern Macedonia. No
synagogue had been built in Philipp, Ann
phipoiis. or Apollonia; the Jews who
dwclt in those cities possessed only a
place of PRAYER (Acts l6: 49,, and they
belonged, as it were, to this synagogue in
Thessalonica.
,. AS his manner was To always
begin with the jews. and not to turn to
gospel, that their mouths might be stopped
from clamoring against him because he
preached 10 the Gentiles. Three Sabbath
days" This does not imply that Paul
kept the Jewish Sabbath as a sacred
day. but the Jews would assemble on that
day in greater number. This does not in
dictate the length of Paul S stay in the city.
Reasoned" Here we see his method of
work In accordance with the Old Tesla
ment Scriptures Paul discussed with
them concerning the Messiah. First. that
according to the prophecies it was neces
sary that the Messiah should suffer and
rise again; secondly. that this One, name
ly. Jesus. is the Amounted One.
3. Opening and Alleging" Proving
been this: l. He collected the Scriptures
that spoke of the Messiah >. He applied
these to Jesus Christ. showing that in
Him all these Scriptures were fulfilled,
and that Tie was the Saviour of whom
they We're in expectation.
4. 'Some-believed- persuaded"
OF Jews. d small minority: OF the Gentiles
multitude became Christians: so that
at Thessalonica there was mainly a Gen
tile church. 'Consorted." Cast in their
lot with. They clave to Paul and Silas.
and attended them wherever they went
'Devout Greeks" That is. Genties who
were proselytes to the Jewish religion. so
moral life. Chief women First in
rank and social position; also prose.ytes
to the Jewish religion"
III. Pan. and Si,as accused Tvs. 5-9). ).
(Which believed not These words are
not in the Greek and should be omitted
here. Envy" Jealousy malice. ha-
tired. spite at seeing persons OF rank be-
influence was weakened. ''Lewd fellows"
Vagabonds who hung around the markets.
serving for nay in mobs as in the present
instance. 'Uproar." They began riot
with tie mob they had gathered. The
devil sill carries out his designs by set.
ting souls well as cities in an uproar.
Jason" With whom Paul and SHAY
kinsmen Rom. l6: Pr. but of this we are
not certain. The mob intended to seze
Paul and Silas and bring them out, to
abandon them to the passions OF the ex.
cited peop.e.
6. Dragged JASON The Jews were
bent on CARRYING their case. and not find
ing Paul and Silas. they seized their host,
with some other Christians. and dragged
them before the magistrates OF the city.
World upside down" After having
made the sedition and disturbance the
Jews charged it all on Tie peaceable and
innocent apostles. They would have it
thought that the preachers of the gospel
were mischief makers, that they sowcd
discord, obstructed commerce and invcrt-
cd all order and regularity.
Z. Hath received. The insinuation
IS that by harborng these seditious men
Jason has made himself partaker in their
sedition. DO contrary etc. There was
as yet no law against Christianity. but the
accusation was meant to declare the Chris
tians enemies to the established govern
ment. and opposed to Caesars power, in
general. to make DEGREES. There is an
other king" His followers said. indeed.
Jesus is a king. but not an earthly king
not rival of Caesar: nor did His ordi-
nances interfere with the DEGREES of
Caesar. for He made it a law of His king
dol TO render unto Caesar the things that
are Caesars
s. Troubled the people" They had
no i'll opinion OF the apostles or their doc
trine and could not see that there was any
danger to the state from them. and were.
therefore. willing to overloo': them. but
when they were represented rs enemies
of Caesar. the rulers We're Oh :ged to sup
press them. lest they themselves should
be charged with treason.
Q. Security Whether by depositiaG
n sum of money is not quite Clear. What
they did was III accordance with the Ro-
man usages. and gave sufficient security
for the good conduct OF Pant and Silas.
They were doubtless required to pledge
to carry out any plans of treason. and
that they could do, for the charge was
false. and they were not inclined to make
is true.
III. Founding the church in Berea Tvs.
10-l2). 10, Sent away They did not
so as condemned disturDers. but because
it seemed clear that any further efforts
were useless at that time. Unto Berea.'
Fifty or sixty miles southwest of Thessa-
lonica, a town even still OF considerable
population and Importance.
ii. These We're more noble" The
is between the Jews of the
two places, for the triumph of the GOSPEL
at Thessalonica was mostly among the
Gentiles. They were not so bigoted and
They had = freer thought. lay more open
to conviction. Searched the Scriptures
daily Since Paul reasoned ont of the
Scriptures. and referred to the Old Tesla.
ment. they had recourse to their Bibles,
turned to the places to which he referred,
read the context, considered the scope and
DRIFT, compared other places, examined
whether PauPs explanations We're genu.
inc. and his arguments forcible, and then
accordingly.
u. Many of them believed" The nat.
ural result of honest study OF the Scrip
lures. Honorable women" The gospel
was proclaimed to all, and each individ.
ual was left to decide for himself These
Greeks were heathens. or proselytes to
the Jewish religion. The gospel made no
distinction between nations, therefore. the
church at Berea was made up
Of Jews and Gentiles.
1915. As soon as the Jews at Thessa.
lonica learned that Paul was preaching
the gospel with some success at Berea,
'they came thither also, and stirred up the
people," The brethren then Immediately
sent Paul to Athens by boat, but Silas and
remained at Berea. As soon rs
Paul reached Athens he sent back word to
Silas and Timothy ''to come to him with
III speed" but Paul did not remain long at