New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1921-07-01
LESSON FOR JULY 3
THE EARLY LIFE OF SAUL.

LESSON TEXT-Acts 2l:39; Deut. 6:4-9
CT. ii Tim. 3:14. Is.
GOLDEN TEXT-Today II we will heal
his voice. harden not your hearts.-Heb
3;7. s.
REFERENCE MATERIAL-Deut. 40
10; 6:2l-@5: Josh. 4:2-A.
PRIMARY TOPIC-When Saul Was
Boy.-Acts 22:3. Deut. 6:4-9.
JUNIOR TOPIC-When Timothy Was q
Boy.-II Tim. 3:l4-l5.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
Jewish Boy Life.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
-sauls Early Training and Education.
We are now entering a six months
study of the life and teachings Of one
of the greatest men who ever lived.
l. Saul's Birth (Acts u :39).
His parents belonged to the tribe OF
Benjamin and were Hebrews Of the
Hebrews" that is, Jews who have not
become contaminated in their ancestry
through ~intermarriage with the Cen
tiles (Phil. 800.
l. Time of. 1t is impossible to deter
mine the exact year of his birth, but
the probability is that II was practi-
cally the same as that of Jesus. He
was a young man" when Stephen was
stoned (Acts 7 :5S). young man" may
mean any age from twenty to thirty.
About 60 A. ID. in the Roman prison
he calls himself Paul the aged" (Phi-
lemon -. This distinction would hardly
be appropriate for a man under sixty.
.. Place of ". 39). Tarsus, the cap
ital of the Province of Cilicia. Repre-
sentative business men came here from
all parts of the world. 1t was u self
governing city which made citizenship
therein honorable. Besides, 1t was one
of the three great educational centers
Of the Roman empire. Gods provi-
dence ordered that the apostle to the
Gentiles should be born in IA city where
he would encounter men of every class
and nation, making him broad in his
sympathy and tolerant in his dealings
with others.
II. sauI's Home Training (Deut. 6:
40; Of. IL Tim. 3:14, 15).
He was brought up In a pious home
(Phil. $3.50. In the passages cited
above is given the responsibility of a
jew In the training Of his children.
/. Central truths to be taught wv.
4, 81. "a Unity of God. 1.-The Lord
our God is one Lord" This was u tes-
timony against the %polytheism existing
among the Gentiles of that day. He Is
God alone, therefore to worship an
other Is sin. The word translated
Cod is plural in form, giving room
for the doctrine of the Trinity-Father,
Son and Holy Spirit. The great need
of the world Is n recognition of the
doctrine of the unity and
of the Godhead. There can be
established order until God is given
His rightful place; neither can there
be any moral health. CD Mans SUI
preme obligation ". 81. God should
be loved with all the heart, soul and
might, because He is God alone and
supreme. This being the first and great
commandment. we know what is mans
supreme duty.
=. How these truths are to be kept
wv. 6-9). The place for Gods
Word Is In the heart. In order that II
may be In the heart (1) teach 1t dill.
gently to thy children" ". y. The
most important part of a chlld's educa-
ion Is that given by parents In the
Word of God. ca Talk of them In the
nome ". -. How blessed Is that
ione where Gods Word is the topic of
conversation. (3) Talk Of them when
for the night ". -. The last
hing upon which the mind should rest
before going to sleep should be God
md His truth. go Talk of them when
Using In the morning ". -. How fit
ing that God should speak TO us the
irst thing when we awake! (6) Bind
hem upon thine hand ". -. This was
done by the Jews, even to the
of little boxes between their
yes. "a Write them upon the posts
{ h houses and on the gates ". 81.
Doubtless Timothy's home training
'ass similar to Saul's I'll Tim. 3:l4, 15).
rom n child Timothy was taught the
ioly Scriptures I'll Tim. 1:5). This
-as done in the home by his mother.
~. Saui's Education (Acts 22:3).
]. In college at Jerusalem. A Jewish
hid became a child of the law at the d,
&c of thirteen. Most likely at this p,
sc he wen TO Jerusalem to enter upon
is course of study. Here he sat at ,
feet of Gamaliel, one of the most :
minent teachers that ever blessed Is :
lel. The course Of study here was /
1stricted TO the Holy Scriptures.
=. A trade at Tarsus. Perhaps after |
his college course at Jerusa- !
he returned to Tarsus and learned
trade. one rabbi said, HE that teach {
h moi his son "A trade doeth the same !
) If he had taught him TO steal" The ,
ade he learned was tent making. This b
in very good In his later life, en- o
bling him TO support himself while
the gospel. f