Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-09-24
1rhe SUI IN G G@y
School LESSON
Lesson October 1. Acts 20.
By Ben Newsome

Lesson October 1. Acts %.
The Roman chief Of police In Je-
rusalem. after he found that Paul was
a free born Roman citizen. released
him from his bonds and called to-
gether the chief priests and the jew
ish council that they might arrive AT
the cause OF his prisoner being so
nearly mobbed by his own people. lie
recognized that the question at issue
was one altogether relating to relig-
ious beliefs and thought 1t proper to
have a church trial. From the very
start, however, the ecclesiastics re-
fused to be rational or fair. for the
first word OF defense from Paul
brought forth the command from An
anias to smite him In the mouth:
Here was where Paul grew Indignant
and told Ananias what he Thought OF
him. for which he apologized as
mari, of respect to his priestly office
Realizing that he had no show for
Justice before these bigoted officers
| OF the chuch, Paul accomplished
dirlomatic coup. The council was
partly Pharisee and partly Sadducee,
| two opposing sects who were very
bitter in upholding the dog1nas In
which they differed. In particular,
tho Sadducees denied the Jewish ten
ct OF resurrection. SO Paul cried out
he had preached OF the hone and
resurrection OF the dead. This had
the effect OF arraying the Pharisees In
his favor and in the uproar which was
precipitated the captain, fearing that
n Roman citizen was gong 10 pe
harmed in the melee. brought Paul
back TO the castle
Chagrlned at their failure to wreak
the vengeance OF their bigotry. upon
the prisoner, some forty odd Jews
took an oath that they would neither
cat nor drink until they had slain
him. They plotted to have the cap
tain bring forth his prisoner again
for further examination. at which
time they were prepared to spring
! fro ambush and assassinate him.
Their plot failed through the activi-
ties Of n nephew Of Paul who over
heard the plot and Informed the, cap
tain. This so alarmed that dighi-
tary that ne resolved then and there
to waste no more time but get Paul
beyond the reach OF harm. To this
end he Immediately fitted up an es-
cort of soldiers and slipped Paul away
from Jerusalem by night. In so do
ing he not only saved Paul from the
/ ccnspirators but also relieved him-
self OF a very embarrassing RESPONSE
bility. Had he allowed a Roman
| citizen to come TO harm unuer MS
Jurisdiction he would have had a Sc
rious time explaining the occurrence
| to the authorities higher up. so he
shunts the whole case off on to the
governor Of the province. Felix. at
Caesarea, sending his prisoner 10 him
with q letter explaining the trouble
as he saw 1t and not forgetting to en-
large upon his own bravery and off
cal zeal
To all this we see the hand Of the
Lcrd leading Paul on to greater op-
portunltes to do good work for the
Master. what looked like misfor-
tune to Paul was only the divine. plan
for greater glory. Sent secretly to
Caesarea ne found here the oppor-
tunity to make that wonderful speech
before Felix and Drusilla. and later
before Festus and King Agrlppa. aft
ter which he went on to Rome TO
Law his case before Caesar. where he
founded q strong church and wrote
the wonderful letters that have aston
ished the ages hut God had prom
iscd to be with him and. as he had
testified FOR Jesus In jerusalem he
should also bear testimony In that
great city that was then the mistress