The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1916-09-07


No study of the book Of Acts is
complete unless the teacher impresses
upon his pupils the opportunities for
living the Christian life In the normal
environment of the home or school,
at work or play. Deep interest at
taches to every detail leading up to
Paul's visit to Rome. Therefore let
the teacher trace Paul's journey from
Mileta to Jerusalem, which occupied
about four weeks, and took place In
the early part of the year A. d. 81.
I. The Arrival wv 1920. The Spirit
revealed to the disciples and to proph-
cts that If Paul went to this city he
would be In great danger, and the
Spirit was not forbidding but only
teaching him for he knew Paul had
q great work to do in Jerusalem. and
that he only could do 1t. Everywhere
Paul went he searched for" ". u
disciples, with whom he tarried and
whom he enlightened in the way OF
truth. Arriving In Jerusalem, he ap-
pears to have made his home with
Mnason, outside Of the crowded city,
thus being less exposed to danger and
finding a place of rest. At public
reception ". 18) Paul reports OF his
work, and no doubt he laid his strong
est emphasis on what God had
wrought through him, among the
churches of Asia. The leaders Of the
Jerusalem church received the gifts
Paul brought from the Gentle
churches, glorified God for what he
had accomplished. but saw clearly
that, to accomplish his statesmanlike
purpose, something must be done to
make clear that the false reports as
to Paul's teaching were discredited
wv. 2O-22). They therefore resorted
to diplomacy wv. 23-26). To the
many thousands of Jews gathered on
this festival occasion in the city,
some of whom were jealous for the
law, they declared first that Paul
taught all the Jews which were among
the Gentiles not to forsake Moses;
second, that he had not taught them
not to walk after the customs or
Moses. The facts were Paul obeyed
the Jewish ceremonial laws person
ally, as a matter of race, not as a
condition of salvation. He taught
that the Gentiles need not become
Jews nor obey the Jewish ritual, and
that the law was not necessary for
salvation for either Jew or Gentle.
He taught also that the promises OF
the Jews were to be fulfilled In both
Jew and Gentle who by faith became
a true child of Abraham and heir to
the promise This made Christianity
a universal religion. (See / Cor. 900,
2D.
II. The Arrest (vv. 27-36). Pauls
attempt at Cancellation resulted not
in peace but in more discord. Every
true servant Of God Is sure to be mis-
represented, and it will not do always
to attempt to set straight all the lies
that are told about him. God will
take care of the lies and Of our repu-
tftiOns. Most Of the charges that
men, even Christians, bring against
one another are based upon "sup-
position" ". 29). 1t was not new
experience for Paul to be mobbed. AS
the maddened Jews dragged him out
of the temple he must have recalled
the treatment of Stephen in which he,
himself, had had a hand (7:57. 58).
How frequent it Is that we ourselves,
are in due time treated In the same
way in which we have treated others
(GaI. go. 1t was the intention Of
the Jews to kill Paul at once without
a trial (26:9, 10Y. They fancied they
were doing Gods service (John 16:2).
This lesson is striking example Of
the utter folly and wickedness of mob
law. Pauls time had not yet come,
and all the mobs on earth could not
kill him until God permitted 1t; his
deliverance came by the hands Of an
unscrupulovs heather (23 :2O.
Il. The Arrangement wv. 37-40).
Tidings of the riot came to the chief
captain, equivalent to our colonel
(Acts % :26). Paul was bound with
two chains, one from each Of his arms
to soldier, secured, yet left free to
walk with his guards, thus fulfilling
the prophecy of Agabus ". Ply. Mobs
usually have great respect for sol
diers, for they are inwardly cowardly.
No sooner was Paul on the stairs
which led to the top of the fortress
than the mob, afraid that they were
about to be baked of their vengeance,
made mad rush at him, with cries
of Kill him; kill him!" and Paul.,
unable In his fettered condition to
steady himself, was carried off his
feet and hurried off In the same path
his Master had trod John 1879
and he was again to hear that cry.
(Ch. % :22). During all this tumult
Paul had but one thought, how he
might witness for his Master. and
bring some of his blinded accusers to
q saving knowledge Of Christ Thus
It wa that he asked for the privilege
Of speaking, and most courteously did
he make his request. He spoke to
the captain in the Greek tongue, not
In Hebrew, and great was the surprise
of the captain. The surprise probably
w~s caused by the fact that he thought
he had an ignorant brigand, and not
that he had cultured, scholarly He
brew and Roman citizen as q prison
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