Evening star., 1928-11-17
z REV. HUGH T. STEVENSON

cicl prejudices and differences in ritual
isac practices has been throughout all
history the strongest and most relent-
less foe of human progress. Paul faced
it on his last and final visit to Jerusa-
lem. Our lesson is based upon the dra-
matte events that occurred in the tenn
pie, when the apostle to the Gentiles
reached the climax of his ministry. He
| learned when he reached Jerusalem
| that, due to false reports of his work
among the Gentiles, he was discredited
among some of the brethren in the
mother church. Following out the sug-
| geStion of James, the brother of Our
Lord, he had entered the temple with
four other Christian believers, whose
| fees he paid in connection with their
taking the Nazaritic VOW, in an effort
| to avoid religious controversy within the
Jerusalem church, whose leaders had
welcomed the arrival of Paul, with his
gifts for their relief funds and story of
Iha triumph of the cross in heathen
lands.
1t was near the close of the appointed
time for their completion of their re-
ligiouS VOWS, that were undertaken to
demonstrate to all his loyalty to the
temple and to the Hebrew faith, that
the persecution broke out. Religious
persecution is as irrational as it is in
evita5le. The apostles success in Asia
Minor was the seed of this religious
persecution, which changed the destiny
of his work. Certain Asiatic Jews in
cited the multitude against Paul by
making false charges. They declared of
him that This is the man that teach
eth all men everywhere against the peo-
pie, and the law, and this place; and,
moreover he brought Greeks into the
temple and hath deflled this most holy
place" They sought to arouse the null
titude by these false charges, SO that he
would be killed, for bringing Gentle
into the sacred precincts of the holy
place. A tablet taken from the ruins
of this temple is in museum in Con-
stantinople. 1t contains the law pre-
scribing the penalty of death. It is a
serious otfenSe even today in the East,
as the writer learned, when he entered
for the first time Mohammedan
mosque without securing a pair of slip
pers, made of burlap or mating, to be
worn over his shoes, SO that he would
not defile their sacred place of worship.
The excitment in that mosque and their
threatening attitude caused him to beat
quick retreat. The disturbance caused
by the shouting within the temple
with a detachment of Roman soldiers,
who Immediately arrested Paul and
started to take him to the guardhouse.
LySiaS for some reason took the apostle
to be prominent Egyptian Jew, who
had, short time before, tried to start
q revolutionary movement against Rome,
so he was surprised at the cultured re-
quest of his prisoner for the privilege of
addressing the mob.
The Castle Stairway Defense.
Paul proved his powers as an orator,
when he silenced the mob that had in
their blind fury of prejudice and passion
revealed spirit of hatred and persecu-
tion, by his eloquent defense that
gripped them as he recalled his Jewish
and Jerusalem life in their native
speech. They were surprised by his use
of the AraInaic, and listened attentively
to his address.
There are three points in the defense.
Under the first Paul pointed out that
there was no original difference between
his hearers and himself, because he was
Jew by birth. While born in for
eign land, he was educated in Jerusalem
by one Of its foremost teachers and
was reared according to the strictest
laws of the fathers. He had been in
aud as antagoniStic to the way" Of
Christ as his hearers were then. Hav-
ing shown that in blood. education and
religious faith he had held the same
opinion as they did, he then sought to
prove that the differences in their posi-
ton was due to Gods personal dealing
with him. He took up his conversion,
calling upon his companions to verify
his statements concerning that expert
ence. He pointed out that Ananias
who was his helper and guide, was
"a devout man. according to the law"
and not only so, but that he was of
good report of all the Jews in
Damascus. This good man had per-
formed a miracle upon him by the
restoration of his sight, which proved
claimed to he, having informed Paul
that Jehovah desired him to make
known His will" to all men. Under
his persuasion the apostle had been
baptized.
After his experience of conversion and
baptism Paul desired to return to Jeru-
salem to take up his ministry in the
holy city and among the friends he
loved, but he assured them that it was
right there in that very temple that
God had appeared unto him and made
clear to the apostle that he should
leave Jerusalem. He hesitated and
argued with Jehovah when the divine
orders were issued for him in a decisive
manner saying to Paul, Depart, for
will send thee unto the Gentiles. Z"
His defense was complete and his argu-
ment was unanswerable. But the mo-
ment he referred to the Gentiles the
"fanatical rage" of religious and racial
antagonism broke forth. Paul heard
| the same cries that had preceded the
death of Stephen. when he was taking
an active part In the death of the
| first martyr. Although the mob revered
| the temple area there is no question
but that they would have slain Paul
without the temple gates if it were
not for the intervention of the Roman
army.
Roman Army Intervenes.
The uproar brought the Temple
guard, who saved the apostles life.
Thus for the third time Paul's life
was saved by the intervention of the
civil power. The captain of the guard
assumed that Paul was some criminal
and ordered him chained and proceed
ed to obtain information from the man.
acled prisoner by the use of scourging
to force a confession. Paul rejoiced
in his chains. He sang Gods praises
and faced with courage the difficulties
If the hour When he asked the soldiers
If it was lawful for them to beat a
Roman uncondemned, the apostle was
within his rights as Roman citizen
| This question marked a turning Doint