Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1909-07-29
Close of Paul's
Second Journey
Sunday School Lesson for August I, 1909
Specially Arranged for This Paper

cheer; I have overcome the worid."-John
1913
T1ME.-From late A. n. 81 to early in
So. Paul was at Corinth a year and
six months.
PLACE. -Corinth, tho political capital
OF Greece, the metros lis Of commerce.
Suggestion and Practical Thought.
1. Corinth, the Vanity Fair Of the
Roman empire. Corinth, the center Of
government. m and business,
as Athens was of learning, literature
and art, was situated on the isthums
which joins the great divisions OF
Greece. 1t attracted people from all
over the world on ccount of It's de-
lightful climate. 1t contained a popu-
lation of 400, 600, of the most hetero-
geneous nature possible; q population
Of Greek adventurers and Roman
bourgeois, with a tainting Of PhOeni-
cians-a mass of Jews, ex-soldiers,
philosophers, merchants, sailors, freed
men, slaves, tradespeople, hucksters,
and agents of every form of vice-a
colony without aristocracy, without
tradition, without well-established citi'
zens. Hence 1t suffered from demo
cratic license and turbulence.
2. Paul's Iabors Among the Corin-
THAN Jews.-Vs. 2-6. 1. His Oppor.
tunity. This great city with its world
Illness. and absorption in pleasure, its
vigorous and varied life, its infinite
needs, rave Paul a great opportunity.
And yet the difficulties were SO I'm
mensc, the obstacles so insurmount.
able that 1t Is no wonder that Paul
came to them feeling his weakness.
and in fear and trembling Il Co. 2:3
and needed the vision of cheer ". 81.
2. His Four Friends.-Paul had a
strong, social nature and felt the
value of friends. lie found a certain
Jew" Paul always began with the
Jews, as the best possible opening for
his work. He was a tentmaker named
Aquila, a man of some wealth. born
in Pontus" but doing business In
Rome. His wife was named Priscilla.
and is supposed to have been a Gen.
tile.
5. In addition to these friends, Silas
and Timotheus came from Macedonia.
They had been left at Bcrea. when
Paul was compelled to leave (Acts II:
1870. Timothy had been sent tn
T~hessalonica q Thes. 3: 81. and from
Philippians Ais we Judge that he
had visited Philippi also. Paul's friend
ly heart was cheered by their pres.
ence.
The Circumstance in Which Paul
Worked. i. lie earned his own living
by working at his trade. He was thus
a living sermon, as 1t was Jewish law
that every boy be taught a trade of
some kind for his support.
2. He attended ". ~ the syna.
gOgue every Sabbath and reasoned
with the Jews" and Greek proselytes.
determined to know nothing among
them save Jesus Christ and him cru.
Gifted Il Cor. 2:2).
A.. He met bitter opposition from his
countrymen. ". g. They opposed
themselves" The intensity and sue.
cess of Paul's labors kindled an in.
tensity of opposition. The result was
that the Jews ". co opposed them.
selves, and blasphemcd." That was q
sign that the Gospel was becoming a
power in the community.
III. Paul's Work Among the CORN.
THAN 6,ntiles.-Vs. 1872. Paul's
Preaching Place was in the house of
n man named ". y "~Justus. n that
worshiped God" a Gentle believer
in the one true God, but not a Jew,
whose house Joined hard to the syna-
gogue." Here would be n perpetual
invitation to the Jews, while at the
same time the Gentiles would feel well
come to &c there.
During this period Paul wrote his
two letters to the Thessalonians.
Renewed Opposition. This was
both natural and providential. 1t
was time for Paul to go on with his
wider mission which no one could car
ry on as well as he. But his work
seemed so necessary where he was,
and his vision had hidden him to stay,
how long he did not know. that 1t was
necessary that some u~nmistakable
guidance should make his duty clear
and plain.
IS. After continuing for some time
longer at his work, Paul went to
Cenchrea, the port of Corinth, where
he made a vow and then sailed for
Cesarea. stopping at Ephesus on his
way. Thence he wen up to Jerusalem
where only the VOW could be consum,
mated. Moreover he wished to be at
the great feast of the Jews, probably
he Passover. ". 2l.)
The Vow. The shaving of the head
indicates a VOW of separation like that
of the Nazirite prescribed in Numbers
6, In a later modified form. The man
under the Nazirite VOW was IN drink