43 “Now when the synagogue broke up, many of the Jews and of the devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas; who, speaking to them, urged them to continue in the grace of God. 44 “And the next Sabbath almost the whole city was gathered 45 together to hear the Word of God. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with jealousy, and contradicted the things which were spoken by Paul, and blasphemed. 46 And Paul and Barnabas spake out boldly, and said, It was necessary that the Word of God should first be spoken to you. Seeing ye thrust it from you, and judge yourselves 47 unworthy of eternal life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee for a light of the Gentiles, That thou shouldst be for salvation unto the uttermost part of the earth. 48 And as the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the Word of God; and as many as were ordained to eternal 49 life believed. And the Word of the Lord was spread abroad 50 throughout all the region. But the Jews urged on the devout women of honorable estate, and the chief men of the city, and stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and cast 51 them out of their borders. But they shook off the dust of 52 their feet against them, and came unto Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Ghost.”
Golden Text.—“Through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins.” Acts 13:38.
SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.
(1) After Paul’s first discourse at Antioch in Pisidia, what did some in the audience do? Verse 43. Note 1. (2) How was the influence of the apostle’s work manifested the next Sabbath? Verse 44. Note 2. (3) What was the effect upon the leading Jews? Verse 45. Note 3. (4) What was the attitude of Paul and Barnabas in the face of this opposition? What had been necessary in their work? Verse 46. Note 4. (5) How did they assert their apostleship? Verse 47. (6) How did the Gentiles receive this announcement? What was the result? Verse 48. (7) What impetus was given to the Gospel through this experience? Verse 49. (8) Whom did the Jews influence against the apostles? What was the effect of their persecution? Verse 50. Note 5. (9) What did the apostles do in departing? Verse 51. Note 6. (10) How was the whole body of disciples sustained under the fire of persecution? Verse 52. Note 7.
Besides the notes, read the article of the same title as the lesson, in the fore part of paper.
NOTES.
1. LAST week’s lesson left Paul and Barnabas at Paphos, on Cyprus Island. They then passed over to the mainland of Asia Minor, making a brief stop at Perga, from which place Mark returned to Jerusalem. Paul and Barnabas went on to Antioch in Pisidia. The region of Pisidia was a barbarian country; the roads were rough, and infested with bandits, until the main highway was reached, which traversed Asia Minor from east to west north of the Taurus range. On this highway Antioch was situated. On this journey from the sea to Antioch were, no doubt, experienced some of the perils and dangers to which Paul refers in 2 Cor. 11:23-27. According to their custom, the apostles went to the synagogue at Antioch, and on invitation spoke to the people. The last clause of verse 45 is, by Randall, made to refer to the people urging the apostles to continue to preach to them. In connection with the next verse, this idea seems reasonable.
2. The intervening week would suffice to spread abroad the appointment for the next Sabbath. The favor with which the Gospel preaching was received on that first Sabbath, together with the house-to-house work of the missionaries through the week, served to arouse an intense interest.
3. Jealousy.—The Jews were enterprising and ambitious in a business way, and therefore were very tenacious of their influence. Besides, there was the treasonable feature of the new religion; it was not recognized by the Roman Government, and therefore was illegal. The men who were introducing it were Jews, and in case of trouble with the government, the Jews as a whole would be held responsible for it. So the leaders were anxious to put themselves on the safe side politically.
4. The first opportunity of the Gospel had been given to the Jews. John the Baptist came to the Jews; Christ came specially to the Jews; the first preaching of the apostles was to the Jews. The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. Rom. 1:16. The reason that God’s message to this world always comes to His people first, is that they are expected to pass it on. They are in this world to be “laborers together with God.” When they themselves reject the message, they judge themselves unworthy to be the messengers. So the Lord often has been obliged to raise up instruments from other sources.
5. The influence of the aristocracy was sought in order to make the following of the apostles appear as of the lower classes, and therefore unworthy of notice. Thus they sought to identify themselves with the honorable class.
