The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1916-09-29
LESSON FOR OCTOBER |
PLOT THAT FAILED.

LESSON TEXT-Acts g.
GOLDEN TExT-They shall fight
against thee; but they shall not prevail
against thee; for l am with thee, saith
Jehovah, to deliver thee.-Jer. lis
The stirring, events of this lesson &C.
CURED In the Castle Antonio and the
Sanhedrin hall, near the temple court
of Jerusalem; also in Caesarea, the
Roman capital Of Judea, on the Medi-
teranean coast in the year A. D. 81,
just at the close of Paul's third mis-
sionary journey. The lesson pictures
two successive days Of strange adven-
lures In which Paul was concerned,
narrow escape and the unexpected
| providences used in his deliverance.
The day was inaugurated by Paurs
magic words II am a Roman citizen"
which caused the commander, Lysias,
to release him from the threatened
scourging, and made him more than
ordinarily careful in his treatment Of
Paul.
!. Before tho Elders wv. 1-12). BY
referring back to chapter p, v. 13, we
find the charge which really underlay
all of Paul's trouble, his preaching in
the name of the Lord Jesus. Paul's
defense Is interesting. He gives us a
rehearsal of his Christian life, laying
emphasis upon its blamelessness and
the fact that he is not an apostate
Jew. The high priest speaks to silence
him, but not gently. Although Paul
for moment seems to give way to his
justifiable indignation, he quickly re-
yeals his reverence for the rulers of
the people. He then divides the san
hedrin. Read carefully chapter % :6-7.
and compare with verses II and 10. |
The sanhedrin could not explain this |
testimony of Paul, and were seeking
to put aside the whole question. An
interesting discussion would be to con-
slider the insult to Paul. Was his in
dignation right and rightly expressed?
Another question, the matter of Paul's
apology. Just for what did he apollo
gize? Is it ever wrong to speak evil
of rulers? These were indeed days of
stress and storm. Was Paul justified
in dividing the sanhedrin in order to
conquer their opposition to him?
Again, how God used these incidents
In the furtherance of the Gospel is a
been limited that Ananias was not in
his priestly garments, and therefore
perhaps not readily recognized by
Paul. Paul may never have seen him,
as he was elected high priest after
Paul had left the council. 1t is inter-
csting to note that it is not said that
anyone struck Paul or that Paul did
1ot apologize for his words or deny
hem to be true, but only for their be-
ng spoken to the high priest. Read
n this connection what Christ said to
he Pharisees Matt. % :27). Paul APP
,logized because he had broken the
aw found In Exodus q :28. In the
rial of Christ one Of the officers struck
Tesus with the palm of his hand,
vhereupon Jesus answered him, say
ng: III l have spoken evil, bear wit
less OF the evil, but II WELL why smit-
st thou me?' On the other hand,
rhen Jesus was ill-treated by the COM
lon soldires he opened not his mouth.
II. The Plot and Deliverance wv. r.
81. Paul's prospect was not pleas
Mt one, In his darkness God appeared
) his faithful servant to cheer him
'. 11). Perhaps Paul was tempted to
link he had made mistake In com
lg to Jerusalem over the protests Of
is friends, but evidently the Lord
earthly approved Of his testimony
lere. A dangerous conspiracy was
,rming against him, but God was, as
e always is, beforehand with his COM
,rt and preparation for the crisis. We
ave often specialized as to what be-
anne Of the forty men who entered