THE SUNDAY SCHOOL

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jun 5, 1901

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 27, No. 23.

THE SUNDAY SCHOOL

INTERNATIONAL SERIES

LESSON 10.—JUNE 9.—JESUS APPEARS TO PAUL.

Lesson Scripture, Acts 22: 6-16, R.V.

“And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and drew nigh unto Damascus, about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me. And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me? And I answered, Who art Thou, Lord? And He said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest. And they that were with me beheld indeed the light, but they heard not the voice of Him that spake to me. And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all the things which are appointed for thee to do. And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus. And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well reported of by all the Jews that dwelt there, came unto me, and standing by me said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And in that very hour I looked up on him. And he said, The God of our fathers hath appointed thee to know His will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice from His mouth. For thou shalt be a witness for Him unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard. And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on His name.”

Golden Text: “I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision.” Acts 26: 19.

SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.

(1) For what purpose did Saul make a journey to Damascus? (To arrest, persecute, and imprison Christians.) Acts 22: 4, 5. (2) What came to pass as he came near to Damascus? Verse 6 of lesson. Note 1. (3) What was the effect of this light upon Saul? What was said to him from above? Verse 7. Note 2. (4) How did Paul answer? What was the Lord’s reply? Verse 8. (5) What was the experience of Saul’s companions? Verse 9. Note 3. (6) What further question did Saul ask? What answer did he receive? Verse 10. Note 4. (7) How did Saul complete his journey? Verse 11. (8) Who came to him in the city? What did this man say to him? What was the result? Verses 12, 13. Note 5. (9) For what did Ananias say God had appointed Saul? Verse 14. Note 6. (10) For whom would these things qualify him? Verse 15. Note 7. (11) Then what further directions did he receive? Verse 16. Note 8.

NOTES.

1. “About Noon.”—This particular detail is significant as indicating the intensity of the light. When rehearsing the matter before King Agrippa, Paul says the light was “above the brightness of the sun;” and the noon-day sun in that country is said to be very brilliant.

2. “Fell unto the Ground.”—Elsewhere the whole company. Acts 26: 14. “Why Persecutest thou Me?” All persecution is instigated by Satan, and Satan’s controversy is against Christ primarily. It is against the disciples simply because of their attachment to Christ. Paul confesses that he was specially incensed against the name of Jesus of Nazareth. Verse 9.

3. A Seeming Contradiction.—Paul says in verse 9, that his companions “heard not the voice” that spoke to him; but the record in Ch. 9:7 says that they “stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.” They heard the sound, but could not distinguish the words. A somewhat similar instance is recorded in John 12:28, 29. God audibly spoke from heaven. Some of the people that heard it said that “it thundered,” but others said that “an angel spake to Him.”

4. “What Shall I Do?”—The first impulse of the convicted soul is a desire to know what to do. That one glance from a holier being smote Paul to the ground, blinded. It is a kind consideration of our patient heavenly Father to instruct us thro’ those whom we can look upon. He associated man with Him in His work. Moreover He has given us His printed Word, that in the privacy of the closet we may learn duty away from the scrutiny of any but Him who sees by the eyes of His ministering spirits.

5. “A Devout Man.”—Ananias was devout “according to the law.” There could hardly be an expression framed that would show more effectively the force of the law in what is called the Gospel dispensation; for this man that was devout according to the law, was the one chosen by the Lord to instruct a prospective apostle of the Gospel. The instruction of such a man gives force to Paul’s words in Acts 24: 14: “After the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets.”

6. “To Know His Will.”—Ananias told “Brother Saul” that God had chosen him to know His will. From Ps. 40: 7, 8 we learn what God’s will is, and what it was that Jesus Christ came to do as His Father’s will: “Then said I, Lo, I come; in the volume of the book it is written of Me, I delight to do Thy will, O My God; yea, Thy law is within My heart.”

7. “A Witness.”—Paul here received practically the same commission that the other apostles had received. Christ said to them, “Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you,” and it was so with Paul. Christ had shown Himself to this new apostle, and had spoken to him with His own voice. The apostleship was undeniable. See 1 Cor. 9: 1, 2.

8. Baptism presupposes repentance and confession of sin, and he who repents and believes has the promise of the forgiveness of sin. Mark 16: 16; Acts 2: 37, 38, 41; 3: 19.