The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1909-09-30
JI7e
S"70oq-Scf7oo(
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM.
MENTS FOR OCTOBER o.

Subject: Paul Prisoner-The Ar.
rest, Acts 2t:17-22: 2:2o-Goideri
Text: 2 Tim. 2:3-CommIt VS.!
21:39--Commentary on Lesson.
TINIE.-A. d. 5S.
PLACE.-Jerusalem
EXPOSITION.-I. Paul Nob,,ed.
27-31. Pauls attempt at conclliation
resulted not in peace, but more dis.
cord and grave trouble. But that
does not prove that the attempt was
In Itself unwise; incalculable good
came from It, 1t resulted in bringing
Paul to Rome, where God wanted him
and where he wanted to go, and that
without expense to himself or the
church, and under the most favorable
circumstances to gain a hearing. II
brought Paul the opportunity to tes-
tify to the truth to Felix, Festus and
Agrippa, and gave him access TO the
pretorium guard (Phil. 1913, r. W
and to the household Of the emperor.
II gave to the church some of the
most precious epistles in the Bible.
Paul was grossly misrepresented ".
~. In fact, he was a devoted lover
OF his people and observer Of the law.
Every true servant of God is sure to
be misrepresented, and It will not do
TO stop and set straight all the lies
which are told. God will take care
OF them and Of our reputation. In
regard to the charge of bringing
Greeks into the temple they sup.
posed" 1t was true ". 29). But they
had no business to suppose anything
about It. They had seen a Greek with
Paul in the city and supposed Paul
had also taken him into the temple
Most OF the charges that men, even
Christians, bring against one another
are Just of this character. They see
one thing and suppose another and
tell not what they see but what they
suppose. II was not a new exper.
ience to Paul to be mobbed (ch. 16:
20-22; 19:29). The maddened Jews
laid heavy hands upon him and
dragged him out of the temple (R,
w. 1t must have recalled the treat.
ment OF Stephen in which he himself
had had hand tct. ch. 1857. 5s),
We are very likely ourselves in due
time to be treated in the same way
that we treat others (cf. Gal 6:7),
II was the intention of the Jews to
XIII Paul at once without trial of any
kind (cf. ch. 26:9, 10). They fan.
cied that in doing this they were do,
Ing God service (cf. Jno. 1922. We
have here striking example Of the
utter folly and wickedness OF mobs.
III. Paul Rescued From the Mob
1890. The murderous Jews had q
healthy respect for the Roman sol.
diers. Mobs usually have a deep re.
spect for soldiers: mobs are cowardly
things. They had been beating Paul,
just as he in the olden time had beat,
en- those who believed in Jesus (ch.
22:19). At the first sight of the sol.
diers they quit. But Paul's troubles
were not over yet. The colonel of the
Roman regiment now arrested him,
He took II for granted that II every
one was against Paul he must be
guilty of some great crime. That ID
the way we often Judge, but we may
be as wrong as this officer was. Paul
loaded with chains. The prophecy
OF Agabus was fulfilled (cf. v. 1l),
After thus heaping indignities upon
Paul he inquired who he was and
what he had done" The mob them.
selves did not know; there is nothing
more senseless than a mob (cf. CHI
19:S2). But while the mob did not
know what he had done, they did
know that they wanted his blood
They surged up around the soldiers
until they were forced to lift Paul
above their heads and thus carry him.
Paul himself was the only calm per.
son in the whole gathering (cf. lisa.
26:3. A hoarse cry continually rent
the air, Away with him" Paul was
following closely In the same path
his Master had trod (cf. Jno. 1910,
Paul will hear that cry again (cf. ch.
22:22).
III. Paul Longing For the Saliva.
tion Of His Prosecutors, 37-1O. Dur.
ing all this tumult Paul had but one
thought, how he might witness for
his Master and bring some of his
blinded enemies to a saving knowl.
edge of Christ. He asks the privilege
OF speaking. He makes his request
very courteously. Paul was a tactful
gentleman as we'll as a brave man.
He united in himself qualities that
are seldom united. He knew how to
be deferential as well as brave. Tho
Roman colonel was startled, not only
by the language In which Paul mado
the request. but also by the tone and
manner of II. He had taken Paul to
be notorious inciter of insurrection
and leader OF "the assasslns." Paul
declared his nationality and his citi.
zenship. The officer did not notice
at the time the force of his saying
that he was a citizen of Tarsus, but
Paul will tell him again In dus time
(cf. ch. 22:25, 29). Paul's plea to
speak Is very urgent, II beseech OF
thee" The sight of that great crowd
of his unsaved countrymen was an
appeal to Paul's heart that he could
not resist. he must speak. II mat
tered nothing to him that they had
tust sought to kill him. He loved
them. What an example of loyalty
to Christ. love to man and eagerness
10 preach the Gospel anywhere and
always. Paul got the desire of his
heart; they let him down, and stand
ing on the stairs he beckons with his
hand to the mob to be still. He has
mastered his audience In a moment,
there was made a great silence"
Paul at once drops his Greek and be-
gins to speak the language of the peo-
Pile. Would that all preachers would
learn wisdom from Paul In this mat
ter.