The Tupelo journal., 1909-07-30
Close Of Paurs
Second Journey
Sunday School Lesson for August l, 1909
Specially Arranged for This Paper

verses y, III.
shall have tribulation; but be of good
cheer; / have overcome the world.'-John
16 :33.
TIME.-From late A. D. 81 to early In
So. Paul was at Corinth a year and
six months
PLACE-Corinth. the political capital
of Greece. the metropolis OF commerce.
Suggestion and Practical Thought.
l. Corinth, the Vanity Fair of the
Roman empire. Corinth, the center OF
government, commerce 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 account OF its de-
lightful climate. 1t contained a pdpu'
lation of 400, 900, of the most hetero.
geneous nature possible; a population
of Greek adventures and Roman
bourgeois, with a tainting OF Phoenl,
cians-a mass of Jews, ex-soldiers
philosophers, merchants, sailors, freed
men, slaves, tradespeople, huckstera
and agents of every form of vice-a
colony without aristocracy, without
tradition, without well-established cit1
zens. Hence it suffered from demo
cratic license and turbulence.
2. PauTs Labors Among the CORN.
THAN Jews.-Vs. 2-6. l.. His Oppor'
tunity. This great city with it's world
illness, and absorption in pleasure, its
vigorous and varied life, it's infinite
needs, gave Paul a great opportunity
And yet the difficulties were SO i'm.
mense, the obstacles SO insurmount-
able that it 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 q
strong, social nature and felt the
value of friends. He 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 Berea, when
Paul was compelled to leave (Acts II:
13-15). Timothy had been sen to
| ~Thessalonica Il Thes. 8: 81, and from
Philippians AIS we judge that he
had visited Philippi also. PauFs friend,
ly heart was cheered by their pres
ence.
The Circumstance in Which Paul
Worked. He earned his own living
by working at his trade. He was thus
a living sermon, as it was Jewish law
that every boy be taught a trade OF
some kind for his support.
2. He attended (v. ~ 1.-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).
4. 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 (v. 66) opposed them.
selves, and blasphemed." That was a
| sign that the Gospel was becoming a
| power in the community.
III. Paul's Work Among the CORN
THAN Gentiles.-Vs. 7-22. Paurs
Preaching Place was in the house OF
a mar named ". y "Justus, that
worshiped Cod" a Gentle believer
in the one true God, but not a Jew
whose house Joined hard to the syna.
gogue." Here would be a perpetual
invitation to the Jews, while at the
same time the Gentiles would feel wei
come to go there.
During this period Paul wrote his
two letters to the Thessalonians.
Renewed Opposition. This was
both natural and providential. 1t
vas time for Paul to go on with his
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 it was
necessary that some unmistakable
| guidance should make his duty clear
and plain.
10. 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 went up to jerusalem
where only the vow could be consum.
mated. Moreover he wished to be at
the great feast of the Jews, probably
the Passover. ". 21.)
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 mar
under the Nazlrite vow was to drink
no wine or strong drink, and to let no
razor pass over his head OF face. The
hair was shorn at the beginning and
END of the period, so as to present
that grown in the interval. At the
end of the time during which the vow
lasted, his hair was shaver.
AS Kendall suggests. Paul may
have wished to show that although
he had broken with the synagogue at
Corinth, yet he was a true Jew and a
faithful disciple of Moses, by paying
homage to the law and submitting to
it's rules. This would also be shown
by his attendance at the Passover.
Thus closes the second missionary
journey.
Make a brief review of these years:
1. BY the map, tracing out the