Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1909-05-15
PAUL AT ICONIUM
AND LYSTRA
Susdsy SehoOl Lsssoo for MAY Is. 1903
Specially Arranged for This PaDsr


heavens. Psalm 955
IlhE--lmmediately after the last les
aon Perhaps In the autumn OF A. u. A..
PLACE.-Lycaonia. iu southern Gala
tia lconium. Lystra. Derbe. with a re-
turn 20 Antioch and PerEa. and thence 90
Antioch an Syria
Suggestion and Practical THOUGHT.
The greater the work a man en-
beavers to DO the greater the obsta-
cles that he will meet and the more
numerous they will be II IS a princi-
pie Of physics that resistance increases
as the square OF the velocity. PauTs
work. Ike that OF al true Christians.
vas very great. and therefore Il en-
countered formidable obstacles.
But these hindrances we're over
come. in Christs strength. and the
process OF overcoming them strength
ened Paul. as it will strengthen US. "A
certain amount OF opposition is a great
help 60 man. Kites rise against and
not with the wind. Even head wind
IS better than none John Neal
"A great multitude both OF the Jews
and also OF the Greeks CJewish prose
lytes) believed" but there were "unbe-
lieving Jews (R V. "disobedientr TO
the TRUTH, who prejudiced the Gentle
populace against the missionaries by
their calumnies. For this double rea-
son ("therefore." " 81 Paul and Rarp-
abas remained az Iconium A "Iopg
ume, probably several months. since
CD there were 80 many converts 20 be
Instructed In their new faith, and CD
that faith was evidently 20 be tried by
severe opposition and would need TO be
strongly REINFORCED by instruction.
Finally, however. the hatred of the
Jewish rulers and OF the GentiIes
whom they Influenced mot the Gentle
rulers, see v 81 became so inhamed
with the missionaries bold speech and
Increasing success that a plot was
formed 20 stone them as blasphemers
Getting knowledge OF this. and mindful
OF Chrtst's command Matt. 1929 20
nee from persecution. Paul and Barna-
has escaped. going FIRST 20 "Lystra"
IS miles south southwest Of Iconium.
and then 70 the Derbe. 20 miles to the
southeast OF Lystra
Stories OF the gods coming down TO
man were common among the Greeks
and other races. Like distorted and
7.
they give a blurred image OF the great
truth. "-Maclaren They show that
Christs coming was IN response 20 a
universal need. One OF these tales
was OF the visit OF Jupiter and Mercury
60 this very Lycaonia. The people
thought them TO be poor Migrants. re-
fused 10 entertain them. ridiculed and
maltreated them. At last they came
20 the hut OF the poor peasants. Baucis
and Philemon. who received them hos
pitably and entertained them with the
best they had In return. the gods
transformed their hut into a glorious
temple over which they were set as
the chief ministers OF worship while
the churllsh neighbors were punished
by terrible flood which overwhelmed
them. The statue OF Jupiter stood be
fore the gate OF Lystra, and Ewald
suggests that this story OF Baucis and
Philemon may have been recited year
By year at the great festival in this
temple.
They persuaded the people" Prob
ably they Influenced the multitudes 10
regard the miracle. the reality OF
which they could not dispute. as the
work not OF beneficcnt gods. but of
evil demons."-Expos. Greek Tesla.
menL They raised a mob, which
stoned Paul" whose bold speech had
centered hostility upon himself. What
memories OF the stoning OF Stephen
ten or eleven years before must have
passed through PauTs mind! Trans
formed into bowling mob. ike those
which even in Christian America shoot
negroes, Cinnamon and Italians the
quondam worshipers left Paul ready.
as they supposed. for the cremation
hres or the vagrant dogs"-William
Elliot Grifs. l.. II. D. Perhaps. as the
stoning Of Stephen must have moved
Paul toward Christianity. the stoning
of Paul was the turning point in the
life OF Timothy. The young man may
have been among the disciples who
stood round about him." to give what
aid they could. and care for his body
II he were really dead.
Note the sudden change in the feel
ings OF the people toward Paul. and
compare II with the revolution In the
attitude OF the people OF Jerusalem To-
ward Christ. from "HOsanna!" to
Cruelty him." Compare also the sud
den change in the minds Of the people
OF Malta. Acts 2S:4-6. The lesson is
not to rate very highly human praise;
not TO be greatly depressed by human
censure. Had Paul been desperately
anxious TO please Lystra. fancy that
that stoning would have killed him.
Morrison.
How did the missionaries close the
first missionary journey? Properly and
wisely. with report 10 the home
church at Antioch in Syria, which had
sent them forth
This report was TO the whole
church. for all had part IN the work
and needed the stimulus OF the report
Every member OF the congregation
should be In the missionary meeting.
~ IL was a modest report, telling what
God had done with them" on their