The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1903-05-07
The SABBATH SCHOOL
International Lesson Comments For
May 10.
Subject The Plot Against Paul, Acts kill,
Iz-22-Golden Text, Acts kill IL
Memory Verses, z0.2z- Study Verses,
iO.Js-commentary on the
Lesson.

Lesson.
7. The conspiracy against Paul Tvs. l2
l5l. II. Was day Thursday, May %
Banded together" Made an agreement
"Unde. Il curse" Literally, placed them
selves under an anathema. 1t was an in
vocation of Gods vengeance upon them.
| selves il they failed to do the work which
they undertook. But they could be alb.
solved from this vow by the rabbns if they
were unable to execute it. Such oaths an.
: pear to have been common among tho
| Jews. Josephus tells of a similar conspir.
acy against the life of Herod into which a
| party OF ten Jews entered with like fail.
| ure.
l3. More than forty" This large nun.
| bcr OF desperate men, backed up by the
| Sanhedrn, the highest counsel among the
| Jews, would be likely to succeed in their
murdcrous design. and Pauls life was in
great danger, They may have been
| prompted to this method of getting rid oi
tha apostle, because they did not have the
| power of life and death any longer. and
| were. hot likely to procure Paul's death at
| the hands OF the Roman authorities on
any accusation connected with a religious
question"
II. ITO the chief priests" The p,o tcrs
no doubt went to the chief priests and cid
srs who were Sadducces, as they were
strongly opposed TO Paul Tvs. G.l0) and
would he glad to see him put to GcI,h.
We have bound" etc. Literally. "'r..h q
cIrse have we cursed Ourse,ves." \ He.
brew mode OF expressing the intensity and
earnestncss OF any action. How firm they
made it, imprecating the heaviest curses
upon themselves. their souls bodies and
families, ii they did not kill PAUL These
men must have believed that Paul was the
worst OF men, an enemy to God and reiig.
ion, and the curse and plague of his gener-
alton, when really his character was the
reverse OF all this. There are no laws of
truth and justice 50 sacred or strong that
malice and b,gotry will not breal; through.
Is. "Thc Council" The Sanhedrin. the
greatest Jewish Council. 1T was COM
posed OF seventy.one members, chief
priests elders of the DeoUlc and scribes.
rs meeting place adjoined the temple on
Sabbath and festival days. 1t had autho--
ity to interpret the divine law, to decide
on the qualification of priests, and to try
those accused OF idoatry and false proph-
cts and herctcs" The authority to pro.
nolnce the death sentence was taken from
the crucliHion OF Christ Bring" etc.
Iysias was to be asked TO bring Paul down
from the tower OF Antonia to the place
where the Sanhedrin held its neetings.
Ready to kill him" They intended =,
kill him while on the way to the Council.
And to this plot the highest digntaries of
the church gave assent Such a course.
however, seems to be in perfect accord
with the Jewish opinions and practices of
those times. PhilO, a great Jewish writer
IN speaking OF the course to bc taken to-
wards jew who has forsaken the worship
of the true God says that it is "highly
proper to intlict Immediate punishment
on such lmpious apostates," not taking
time to carry them before any court or
magistrate, and this should be done be.
cause OF an adherence of evil and love
for God.
II. The plot disclosed Tvs. l6.22). 10.
PanIs sisters SON. This is all that we
know OF the family of Paul. Nor do we
know Tor what purpose he was at Jerusa-
lem. 1t is possible that Paul might have
sister residing there; though, as Paul him
self had been sent there formerly for his
education 1t seems more probable that this
young man was sent there for the same
purpose. Heard" The secret of the plot
had too many keepers TO be well kept
Paups friends had free access to him.
II, IS. Paul called He had received
Chrlsts own promise of protection w. III,
but he did not on that account neglect to
avail himself OF the ordinary means of pro.
tecting himself. Gods promise encour.
aged him TO put forth his own eSertions
for his security. Young man." We do
not know whether this youth was Chris
tlan or a jew, nor do we know the means
BY which lie discovered the plot; it is
/. enough for us that God was pleased, on
this occasion, to employ lad as the guard
ian angel OF the apostle. "The prisoner"
n name which St. Paul was often after.
ward to employ to himself.
1922. by the hand" 10 encourage the
young man and to allay any fear he might
have, and rs an expression of kindness and
civiity. The plot was disclosed to Lysias
with c'earness and conciseness and he APP
peared to know what to do Immediately.
III. The journey TO Caesarea Tvs 23-
3J). As soon as the chief captain learned
of the pot he ordered 400 infantry and sew
enty cavalry to be ready to leave Jerusa-
lem at 0 o'clock that same night. This was
probably the largest bodyguard Paul ever
had. Beasts were also to be provided for
despatch to Caesarea to Felix, the Govern
or. The letter Lysias sent shows us that
he was favorably impressed with his pris-
oner. Paul probably reached Caesarea by
the next evening He had left Jerusalem
never 10 return. That infamous city was
still rejecting those that were sent unto
them and fast rushing on to its own de-
struction-the most terrible destruction the
world has ever 7een 1t wcs wise for Ly-
sias to send Paul to Caesarea, for there he
would be safer than at Jerusalem and it
would be easier to give him fair trial.
Paul was not confined in an ordinary
prison. but resided in the palace of Felix
thus the apostle remained for two years.
Thoughts.-God's saints are under His
especial care. The Lord is able to over
throw the plans OF wicked men. We
should always be ready to assist those III
trouble. Even children can sometimes do
very important work for Gods people
Wicked men 5ometimes resort to the most
dabo.ical methods in order TO destroy the
inluei ce of Gods saints Those who trust