The Tupelo journal., 1909-11-12
Paul a Prisoner
In Rome
Sunday School Lesson fer Nov. n, 1909
Specially Arranged for This Paper

LESSON TEXT.-Acts 2S:11-31. Memory
verses 80, 81.
GOLDEN TExT.-'T am not ashamed
OF the Gospel Of Christ; TOR 1t is the pow
er of God unto salvation in everyone that
believeth."-Rom. lie.
or so.
PLACE-Rome. Paul is in his own
hired house under guard.
Suggestions and Practical Thoughts.
The Triple Test of Character and
Destiny.
Righteousness, Temperance, and
Judgment to Como.
Applied to the Apostle Paul and to
Gov. Felix.
1. How the Apostle Paul Stood the
Test. The Test Applied.-Vs. 10. In
Il last lesson we left Paul under
guard in the governors palace at
Cesarea.
Five days later a deputation arrived
from Jerusalem bearing charges
against the prisoner-Ananias, the
high priest who had ordered an Off
Ger to smite Paul on the mouth for
| declaring his innocence, the most in
fuential of the Jewish rulers; certain
elders who would confirm the charges
against Paul; and an eloquent Roman
lawyer named Tertullus whom they
brought with them on account OF his
superior knowledge of Roman law
and methods of court procedure, his
skill as a pleader, and the fact that
a Roman lawyer would have more in
fuence, as an unbiased man, in a
Roman court.
The Court Scene. Felix was the
judge. There were no jurors. Paul
was brought into the court.
T~ertullus as a skillful advocate
opened his plea with a eulogium both
delicate and artful. He based it on
the one virtue on which the orator
could truthfully hang any praise, his
energy and vigor in ~suppressing rob-
berries and rebellion. He seized and
sent to Rome a famous brigand called
Eleazer, who had ravaged the country
for nearly 20 years; he represed the
rebellion of the Egyptian impostor;
and quoted d sedition which arose
between the Jewish and Greek inhab-
itants of Cesarea."
Hence "by thee we enjoy great
q%uietness' ". p. yet. notwith-
standing, he was probably the worst
governor that Judea ever had. He had
a number of the Sicarii continually
in his employment; and instead of
pacifying the Jews, he only famed
the spirit of sedition."
So that as a whole the ecomium
was historically false, and the most
exaggerated flattery, when he spoke
of the very worthy deeds
done unto this nation by thy provi-
dence."
The witnesses from Jerusalem tes-
titled that these things were So"
II. How Paul Stood the Test-As
Gold Tried in the Fire.-Vs. 1921.
The First Charge Disproved by a
simple statement OF facts. He went
up to Jerusalem for to worship
". ~. He did not do n Of the
things with which he was charged.
The Jews began to riot, and did all
the rioting that was done.
Paul's Answer to the Second Charge
was that he acknowledged that he
was "a ringleader of the sect of the
Nazarenes," but denied that it was
heresy against the Jewish religion.
/. He worshiped the same God (14),
"the God of my (our) fathers" but
after the Way which they call a
sect" Or. W.
2. He believed in the Jewish law
and prophets. From them he Knew
that Jesus was the Messiah.
The Sum of His Answer was (16)
81 exercise myself" / practice these
principles as an athlete trains and
disciplines himself by continual prac-
tice of the art by which he hopes to
win, as an art that requires practice
for it's perfection Compare l Cor.
9:27; / John $3.50.
III. The Test Applied to Felix.-Vs.
1925. The Decision Delayed.
22. when Felix heard these things"
both sides of the case, having more
perfect" exact, knowledge of that
way" Better 'the way" He knew
the character of Christians o well
to believe the charges against Paul.
Hence, she deferred them," under the
pretense that he wanted to hear from
Lysias, the chief captain, when he
would know the uttermost of your
matter"
Paul Two Years a Prisoner, but with
the utmost indulgence and liberty
compatible with his safe keeping.
What Was the Value of This I'M
prisonment in Attaining the Great Pur-
pose of Paul's Life? 1. 1t was on the
way to Rome, under the best circum-
stances.
2. 1t was the means of preparing
him for his best work when he
reached that city.
3. Paul had been in poor health,
and he needed the rest under the care
of Luke, the beloved physician.
Felix found a kind of fascination
in Paul, and returning to Cesarea aft
er some necessary absence, sum-
moned Paul into his presence in or
der to learn more concerning ". 24)
"the faith in Christ
We learn from Tacitus that Felix
in all savageness and profigacy
welded the power of a king in the
| spirit of a slave. His n virtue was
his activity in s~uppressing robberies
and rebellion. with his wife Drusil.
la" Drusilla was the daughter OF
Herod Agrippa l.. who died In Cesarea