The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1909-10-21

u Tim. /, 12-Commentary Prepared
by Rev. D. M. Stearns.
After being two years or more a
prisoner ut Caesarea. Festus being gov
rrnor instead of Felix and having gone
up to Jerusalem, the high priest and
thief of the Jews inform him against
Paul and desire him to bring Paul to
Jerusalem intending. if he consented.
to lay in wait for him and kill him.
teStuS replied that they must come to
CaeSarea and there appear against him.
This they did; but. as before, it was
simply a case of complaints which
they could not prove. In reply to FEES
tus' question, wit thou go up to Jeru-
salem and there be judged?" he APP
pealcd to Caesar King Agrippa hav-
ing come to visit Festus, the case is
brought to his attention as one of Jew
iSh superstition concerning one Jesus
who was dead. but whom Paul affirm
ed to be alive (XXv. 49,. The world
cares just about as much today about
Him of whom they spake as zone Je-
suS.' and the church does not COM
mend Him to the world much more,
if any, than the Jews did their God,
Of whom they cried Hear. O Israel,
the Lord Our God is one Lord" Deut.
vi. A.
Agrippa and Bernice having entered
the place of hearing with great pOmp,
accompanied by the chief captains and
principal men of the city, Paul is
brought before them. and. after Il brief
statement by Festus. Paul is permit
ted to speak for hinself He told of
his early life as PhariSee and his zeal
against the followers of Jesus until
the risen and assembled Christ met him
on the way to Damascus. saved him
and made him His messenger to the
gentileS to turn them from darkness
to light and from the power of Satan
unto God, that they might receive for
GtVeneSS of sins and inheritance among
them are sanctited by faith in Christ
lie told how. in obedience to the vision
from heaven. he had at Damascus,
Jerusalem, throughout Judca and to
the gentiles preached that they should
repent and turn to God and prove the
reality of it in their lives; that all their
prophets had testified that the Mes
siah of Israel should suffer and die
and rise from the dead and that He
should through Israel the twelve
tribes, give light to the gentiles after
the resurrection at the second cornip"
of Christ. Along this line Of tn
to the teaching of the prophets aLs-ne
fuldllment of their predictions both
Peter and Stephen and our Lord Him
self. in Luke xiv, all taught. 1t is
the one story which the Scriptures tell
and authorize US to tell. that Israers
Messiah shall bless the world through
Israel
On the way to Damascus Jesus had
revealed Himself to Saul as truly the
Messiah, but had also at some time
taught him mystery not revealed in
the prophets-that during IsraeIs re-
lection because of their rejection OF
their Messiah He would gather from
all nations a people called the church,
His body, who should by discipline
here be fitted to come with Christ in
His glory and reign with Him in His
kingdom, when Jerusalem shall be the
throne of the Lord and Israel a right
eous nation. 1t is our privilege, as it
was Pauls, to go into all the world
with the glad tidings of forgiveness OF
sins for all who will receive the Lord
Jesus because of His suffering for
sins. the just for the unjust. that He
might bring us to God And all who
in this age truly receive Him shall be
manifested with Him when Israel
shall see Him coming in the clouds
with power and glory and shall say.
This is our God; we have waited for
Him. and He will save us" Qsa. XIV,
81. AS to the mystery of this age
specially revealed to Paul, see Rom.
ri. 25-27; xvi %, 26: Eph iii, etc.
We may be quite sure that that COM
pany of earth's great ones never heard
story like this before, and we do not
wonder that FestuS said with a loud
voice, Paul. thou art beside myself:
much learning doth make thee mad"
CD. There are very few companies
of the Lords people $50 called who to-
day know the story as Paul set 1t
forth that day. and where there is a
preacher who thus believes and teaches
he is not apt to be counted a man of
much learning. but, rather, an unlearn-
ed man, weakminded, mentally unbal-
anced We can reply. as Paul did.
I'VE are not mad. but speak forth the
words of truth and soberneSs" C25).
The test question is that which Paul
addressed to Agrippa, "Beievest thou
the prophets?" for surely the Lord
God will do nothing. but He reveal
eth His secret unto His servants the
prophets" amos Iii. y.
In Agrippa's reply there are three
words which are specially full \ssg-
nifcance. almost a Christian he
think Of another. mot far from fhd>
kingdom Of God" but we remember
that all who were not actually in the
ark with Noah persisted and then
those startling words, He that hath
not the Son of God hath not life:"
"IIe that bellevPth not the Son shall
not see life. but the wrath of God
abideth on him" q John V. -: John
Ill, So. So that almost Christian"
simply means lost" but who can tell
the meaning Of that word? May none