The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1916-10-05
INTERNATIONAL.
SUNll4YS(Il()()L
LESSON
LESSON FOR OCTOBER 8
PAUL BEFORE FELIX.
BY M o. EELLDRS, Acting Director Of
tho Sunday School Course OF the Moody
Bible Institute, Chicago) ~ ~. =
Copyright. 1915. Western Newspaper Union.)
+ I.EsSON ,rI7yr 49,,


GOLDEN TEXT-Herein also exercise
myself to have q conscience void OF Of
tense toward God and men aiways-Acts
4:16.
This is Il court scene, and 1t might
De we'll with certain classes to intro
duce the lesson by describing such a
gathering. The lesson occurred five
lays after the Inst lesson, and twelve
lays after Paul reached Jerusalem.
bearing the collection for the poor.
The place, CacSarca, was the Roman
capital OF Judca.
]. The Prisoners Examination wv.
l-9). In addition to the Roman gov
ernor, Felix, attired in his gorgeous
official rcgaia, on u platform nearby.
we're the high priest of the Jews. in his
hlghly colorcd AND jcweled robes, the
lawyer, Tertullus in his Roman toga,
and the elders of the Sanhedrin who
had come down from Jerusalem to be
witnesses against Paul. OF Tertullus
1t was said that, by his persuasive
tongue, he could make white seem
black, and could therefore more easily
make 1T appear that Paul was "a dan
ger TO the Roman power, and not mere
" turbulent and renegade Jew" The
)uoge, Felix, was nn exceptionally bad
governor, who two years later was re.
called by Nero to Rome. The infer
ence Of verse two is that Paul was an
inciter of rebellion and robberies, but
me exact charges were three-fod:
(See w. 5-G) (W that Paul was
mover of insurrection; 90 that he was
ringleader Of sect Of Nazarenes
VINO were causing trouble in the prov
tnce: and (c) that he had profnned the
Jewish temple at Jerusalem. The
charge of insurrection would be espe.
ctally obnoxious to Felix who Ind lust
been praised for keeping peace in his
dominion. That OF being leader Of
nereSy was not serious, for the Romans
had no desire to interfere between one
jewish sect and another, but 1t led to
the last one, viz, profaning the TEN.
PIE. The Romans had legallzed the
jewish ritual, and for Paul to profane
the holy place would be n serious out.
rage. The weakness Of Tertullus' case
was that he produced no evidence to
support his charges. The accusers
were there. but they had no witnesses
II. The Prisoners Defense wv. 1O-21).
Paul chcerfully made his defense. for
ne knew the Jews and their customs.
ana that Felix had married a Jewess.
". 24). We might consider this de.
fense first negatively and then positive.
~. On the negative side, Paul answers
each charge seriatim. In the first
place there had not been time for him
TO cause an insurrection ". 11). Going
back over these days; (1) his arrival
IN Jerusalem (21 :15); (2) his appear
ance before James (21 :1S) 6. 4, S and
", the days of his VOW (Ch. 21 :26. 27)
C) his arrest; (S) his appearance be-
fore the Sanhcdrin; (0) the conspiracy
ana his deliyernnce; 90, II, 12 and 13)
fn Caesarea (See Ch. 24 ~. Paul's
statement showed that the whole story
OF his experience was fresh in the
memories Of both friends and foes. #
was the Jews who did the stirring ny
Paul answers the second charge bv
acknowledging (vv. 14-16) that he be
longed to the Christian way Of saliva
| tloh, but denied that this was hcresy.
fanl was true Jew and good
Pharisee,. for G) lie worshiped the
same God ". a4); (2) he believed in
the Jewish law and prophets. From
them he knew lie could prove tbot
Jesus was the Messiah. (3) He agreed
win the Pharisees ". l5) in hope to-
ward GOD, resurrection from rns
uead and immortal life. Paul's life was
VOID or offense" toward God I'm heart
ana worship, and toward men as shown
III good deeds. It was for this that he
exercised himself. Literally, he worked
upon the raw material disciplininp
ana training 1T. Paul answers the third
charge by simple denial that II Ind
actually taken place. and calls for wifi
nesscs. Positively, Paul explains that
ne had followed the God of his fathers.
that he believed in fulfilled prophecy
literally the resurrection Of Jesus from
the dead-that he came to Jerusalem
with aims for the poor, and, as before
.ne conhcii, ne stands upon his in
tegrity.
VI. The Judges Delay wv. 22-27).
reliS mad more perfect knowledge
OF that way" We believe he had Sc
cured this knowledge from Philip, the
evangelist, and from Cornelius, the Ro.
man centurion, both Of whom lived in
Caesarea. BY deferring his decision.
Felx avoided nm outrageous Injustice
70 Pnui, and at the same time gave
serious ofense to the troublesome
Jews who knew of his evil conduct
from verse twenty-three we see that
pani was given liberty, literally such
Indulgence In freedom as would be con-
sistent with his safety. Luke, the ply.
sician, and Philip, the evangelist, Wis.
tied him here. bringing food, books and
| letters After a ti,,o uo,,. -, -,