The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1909-04-23

brought him unto Antioch. And II
came to pass, that whole year they
assembled themselves with the
church. and taught much people. And
the disciples were called Christians
first in Antioch.
% And in these days came proph-
cts from Jerusalem unto Antioch
2S. And there stood up me OF them
named Agabus, and signified by the
spirit that there should be great
dearth throughout all the world;
which came TO pass in the days OF
Claudius Cesar.
% Then the disciples. every man
according to his ability. determined
20 send relief unto the brethren which
dwelt in judea:
80 Which also they did. and sent
il 70 the elders by the hands Of Bar
nabas and Saul
%. And Barnabas and Saul returned
from Jerusalem. when they had full
filled then ministry, and took with
them John whose surname was Mark.
THE LESSON EXPLAINED
Vers 1921: The Men Of Cyprus and
Cyrene.
Now-"Therefore. that Is. because
of the persecution ("tribulationD that
arose about stephen. which had scat
tered abroad from Jerusalem many Of
the disciples. bu. not the apostles
(see S. II. This persecution is sup
posed TO have lasted about six months,
instead Of destroying the new re-
ligion IL spread II. as winds might
scatter embers. kindling the tame
anew in every quarter. Travelled as
far as Phenicc CPhoeniciaD-Th
long level strip of country between
Lebanon and the sea. having Tyre
and Sidon as it's chief cities. Cyprus
was a great island northwest Of
Phoenicia and The general highway
of commerce between the East and
the West II was the birthplace Of
Barnabas and became one Of the i'm
portant fields Of Paul's labors The
Antioch OF this lesson stood on the
banks of the Orontes. in Syria. We
must be careful not 10 confuse ii in
our minds with Antioch 81 Pisidla
(mentioned later in the Actsl place
much farther away from Jerusalem
and Of much less importance In the
world Trade with the West. by way
of Seleucia and the sea. and with the
East. North and South. by means OF
tioch populous and wealthy. and Il
was perhaps less embarrassed by its
own traditions than most ancient
cities-as we have noted in our In
PRODUCTION TO the Lesson. when the
gospel entered Antioch" saws Pro
fessOr Bartlett 1T entered the full
current of life in the Roman empire =
God always uses the best means at
hand for the accomplishment OF re-
suits; and he seems 10 be using the
United States as sort of modern
Antioch in missionary activity. for
our country is rapidly becoming the
center Of evangelistic power in the
world to-day. Unto the Jews only
This is recorded in contrast with the
preaching spoken Of in Verse 20. And
But" The men OF Cyprus and
Cyrene pronounced Syreeneel were
Jewish Christians. but having been
bred in Gentle lands. some of their
scruples about Centiles had broken
down. Cyrenc. north African city
was about this time united In one
province with the island of Cyprus
Spake unto the Grecians-"Greeks
The phrase Grecians, in New Tesla
ment usage, stands for foreign-born
Jews who spoke Greek and for prose
lytes. But Greeks Is the correct rem.
dering here, and by n pagans are
meant The hand Of the Lord was
with them--so in the Old Testament
Jehovah is said TO manifest his
power with a mighty hand and an
outstretched ARM and the Egyptian
magicians (Exod s, l9) frustrated by
divine power, said This is The finger
of God
Verses 1924: Barnabas.
Things came unto the ears-By the
ordinary spread Of news. probably.
rather than by official report. The
church which was in Jerusalem was
still the heart Of Christendoin.
Though II had not yet entered fully
upon it's mission TO disciple all ma
tions" IL felt responsibility for the
activities OF all Disciples They sent
forth Barnabas-A wise choice. Bar.
nabas was himself "a man Of Cy.
prus". he had early shown his com.
plete conservation TO the cause OF
Christ (Acts 4. SO, 30, and his career
throughout manifests wisdom and
true-heartedness Who, when he
came. and had seen the grace Of God
was glad-When a man goes abroad
what he sees depends largely upon
what he is looking for Exhorted
them all--The apostles had given him
the name OF Barnabas because OF his
gift of consolatory exhortation. The
Lord here means the Lord Jesus
For he was a good man-An intima
tion that under the circumstances q
good man could not well do otherwise
Fullness of the Holy Ghost and ol
faith will qualify any person for
, eyangelistic work.