The Sabbath-School by W. N. Glenn

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Mar 27, 1884

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 10, No. 13.

The Sabbath-School.

By W. N. Glenn

LESSON FOR THE PACIFIC COAST.—APRIL 12.

ACTS, CHAPTERS 17:10—18:17.

Berea.

PAUL and Silas left Thessalonica by night, and made their way to Berea, a city situated on the eastern slope of the Olympian Mountains, about forty-five miles from the former place, in a southwesterly direction. Its name is derived from the abundance of its waters, which to this day flow through every street. It is yet a place of considerable importance, having about 18,000 inhabitants, and ranking as the second city in European Turkey. When the gospel missionaries first visited Berea there were a sufficient number of Jewish residents to support a synagogue.

Vindicated by the Scriptures.

PAUL preached in the synagogue, as his custom was, and found hearers ready not only to listen to his message, but to prove his words by the Scriptures. "Therefore many of them [the Jews] believed; also of honorable women which were Greeks, and of men not a few." Chap. 17:12. How significant the word "therefore." It points directly to the fact that men are sanctified through the word of truth. See John 17:17. Paul's presentation of the gospel was evidently in harmony with the Old Testament scriptures, as those Jews understood the original. This being the case, how about the latter-day gospel that discards or has outgrown the Old Testament? It is certainly another gospel than the one Paul preached. For his opinion of the preachers of such a gospel, see Gal. 1:8, 9.

Tracked by the Jews.

THE fierce, unreasonable Jews at Thessalonica followed up the missionaries to Berea, as they of Antioch and Iconium had pursued them to Lystra on the former tour. Like their brethren of Asia Minor, the cause of the hatred of the Thessalonian Jews toward the ministers of Christ, was envy. And as the former had joined hands with idolaters against the work of the Lord, so the latter "took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort," to assist in carrying out their designs. But the brethren only sent away Paul this time, while Silas and Timothy remained. It is probable that the ardor of the pursuers was somewhat dampened by the sympathy of the Jews and "honorable women" with the ministers. It will be remembered that the influence of the "honorable women" of Antioch in Pisidia was brought to bear upon the other side, when Paul and Barnabas were expelled from that place. Chap. 13:50.

Arrival at Athens.

WE can easily imagine how one of Paul's zeal and devotion would have "his spirit stirred in him" to find a city like Athens "wholly given to idolatry." The noted magnificence of the place and its ruins were such as the ordinary excursionist would call splendid; but for one whose whole soul was wrapped up in the message of mercy to a dying world, and was being driven from city to city by those whose welfare he was seeking, the magnificence of sin had little attraction. The assertion that it was wholly given to idolatry, is fully attested by secular history. Pansanias says, "The Athenians greatly surpassed others in their zeal for religion." Lucian wrote, "On every side there are altars, victims, temples, and festivals." Livy says the city "was full of the images of gods and men, adorned with every variety of material, and with all the skill of art." And Petronius said "it was easier to find a god than a man." The Christian with a warning message cannot afford to become a mere sight-seer in the midst of the splendors of wickedness. His prayer should be, "Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity, and quicken thou me in thy way." Ps. 119:37. His most dangerous allurements come through the "lust of the eyes." 1 John 2:15-17.

Paul Labors Alone.

ALTHOUGH he had sent for his co-laborers, he did not wait their arrival. He first sought the professed people of God in their synagogue, and he labored daily with such people as he found in the places of public resort. He soon attracted attention, as the Athenians as well as strangers there spent their time in telling or hearing something new. Chap. 17:21. But he had nothing to present that was attractive to the eye or outward senses, and such an idea as faith in something that could not be seen would not be entertained by a people whose affections were upon the glittering works of art. A pride of one's own attainments, and an ambition to compete with the mental or material attractiveness of this world, is a formidable barrier in the way of man's salvation. It is a great cross for the worldly wise to become fools in the estimation of their fellows for the sake of being wise before God. "For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God." 1 Cor. 3:18-21.

His Opponents.

THE apostle met opponents in every class. Some spoke of him as a "babbler," while others gave the matter more serious attention, as "he seemed to be a setter forth of strange gods." Jesus and the resurrection was a new God and a new doctrine in Athens, as they are to-day in many places where they are supposed to be known. He met the Epicureans, a sect of philosophers named after their founder, Epicurus, who lived about 300 years before Christ. The leading doctrine of this school was that pleasure is the chief good, and that virtue was only to be valued as a contributor to pleasure. The followers of Epicurus, however, carried this idea to an extent far beneath the teachings of their founder. He met the Stoics also, a school contemporary with the Epicureans, and always a rival. It was founded by Zeno, a native of Cyprus. They admitted that all things were created by God, but that all results were subject to fate—even God himself being under a fatal dominion. Hence their doctrine that man should so restrain his entire nature as to be insensible to, or unmoved by, any condition of either pleasure or pain, as any situation must be the result of an unalterable fate. To either of these classes of ambitious zealots, the doctrines of Christ and the resurrection would indeed seem like "babbling," for "they are spiritually discerned." 1 Cor. 2:14.

The Unknown God.

PAUL took advantage of the situation, when they had brought him to Mars Hill to hear what he had to say, and preached to them from an inscription upon one of their own altars. He declared unto them the "unknown God." Verily he was "unknown" to them, as he is in this proud, idolatrous age, to the multitudes of "Epicureans." The synopsis of the apostle's discourse is found in Chap. 17:22-31, and is worthy a careful perusal. It is a fearful relationship to entertain toward the Creator of all things and the "Judge of all the earth," that he should be unknown, and the salvation he has provided through his Son be neglected. "Because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained, whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead." Verse 31. W. N. GLENN.