The Sunday School International Series.
Lesson I.—Sunday, October 3, 1897. PAUL’S LAST JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM.
NOTE.— In this lesson we go with Paul on his last journey back to his old home. Trace the journey on the map, and note the places named in the narrative. It will help to fix the lesson in the mind. There are three principal topics in the section, which might be named as follows: Sympathy with God’s workers; the work of women in the church; faithfulness to duty in the face of obstacles and dangers. The lesson section includes verse 17. 1 “And when it came to pass that we were parted from them, and had set sail, we came with a straight course unto Cos, and 2 the next day unto Rhodes, and from thence unto Patara; and having found a ship crossing over unto Phenicia, we went 3 aboard, and set sail. And when we had come in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left hand, we sailed unto Syria, and landed at Tyre; for there the ship was to unlade her burden. 4 And having found the disciples, we tarried there seven days; and these said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not set foot in Jerusalem. And when it came to pass that we had 5 accomplished the days, we departed and went on our journey; and they all, with wives and children, brought us on our way, till we were out of the city; and kneeling down on the beach, 6 we prayed, and bade each other farewell; and we went on board the ship, but they returned home again. 7 “And when we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais; and we saluted the brethren, and abode 8 with them one day. And on the morrow we departed, and came unto Caesarea; and entering into the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, we abode with him. 9 Now this man had four daughters, virgins, which did 10 prophesy. And as we tarried there many days, there came 11 down from Judea a certain prophet, named Agabus. And coming to us, and taking Paul’s girdle, he bound his own feet and hands, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, so shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and 12 shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles. And when we heard these things, both we and they of that place besought him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, What do ye, weeping and breaking my heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the 14 Lord Jesus. And when he would not be persuaded we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done. 15 “And after these days we took up our baggage, and went up to Jerusalem.” Golden Text.—“I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” Acts 21:13. (1) After parting with the elders, to what island did the apostles sail? Verse 1. Note 1. (2) At what other places did they touch? Same verse. (3) To what place did they next sail? Verse 2. Note 2. (4) After passing Cyprus, at what place did they land? Verse 3. Note 3. (5) What occasioned the stop at this place? Same verse. (6) Whom did the apostles meet at this place? Verse 4. (7) What message did they have from Paul? Same verse. Note 4. (8) How long did they remain in this place? Same verse. (9) How did the converts in this city show their interest in the work of the apostles? (10) With what simple and appropriate ceremony did Paul take leave of these disciples? Same verse. (11) What followed this parting? Verse 6. (12) At what place did they next touch? Verse 7. (13) In what respect was this stop like that recorded in verse 4? Same verse. (14) Having left Ptolemais, to what place did Paul’s company journey? Verse 8. (15) With whom did they abide? Same verse. (16) Who was this Philip? Same verse. Note 5. (17) What is recorded of the family of Philip? Verse 9. Note 6. (18) What prophet came to them while they were at this place? Verse 10. (19) What did the prophet do? Verse 11. (20) What message did he have from the Lord? Same verse. (21) Hearing this, what did the apostles and disciples urge upon Paul? Verse 12. (22) What reply did Paul make to these entreaties? Verse 13. (23) Seeing that they could not move Paul, what did the disciples do and say? Verse 14. (24) For what place did they then take up their journey? Verse 15. 1. We were parted from them.—The “we” here refers to Paul, Trophimus (verse 29), Aristarchus (27:2), and Luke. It seems that Timothy was not with them at this time, but had gone back to the church at Ephesus. Some render the expression “parted from them” as “having torn ourselves away from” them, the original word indicating considerable grief and reluctance at the parting. 2. Phenicia.—This was a part of Syria along the northern coast of Palestine. 3. Landed at Tyre.—This city of Phenicia was celebrated for its commerce, so much so indeed that it is frequently mentioned in the Bible on account of its merchandise with the kings of the earth, and it is used in Eze. 28:11-19 to represent the exaltation of Satan and his fall. It was Hiram, king of Tyre, who helped Solomon in building the temple at Jerusalem. King Ahab, of Israel, married a daughter of a king of Tyre, Jezebel. Christ, during his earthly ministry, visited the vicinity of Tyre. Mark 7:24. 4. That he should not set foot in Jerusalem.—This testimony, it is said, was from the Spirit. The Spirit had revealed to them that Paul was to suffer persecution at Jerusalem, and indeed Paul had had many such warnings as this, as is shown by Acts 20:23: “The Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.” The disciples had taken these prophecies as an indication that the Spirit would counsel Paul not to go to Jerusalem. This is shown from the 11th and 12th verses; but Paul knew his mission, and was ready to die, if need be, that the cause of Christ might be advanced. 5. Philip, the evangelist.—This Philip was one of the deacons whose choosing is mentioned in Acts 6. He was not Philip the apostle. 6. Daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.—“The English word ‘prophesy’ has come to have, since about the beginning of the seventeenth century, only the one sense of ‘to predict what is to come.’ In the time of Queen Elizabeth, ‘prophesying’ meant ‘preachings,’ and Jeremy Taylor’s famous work on the ‘Liberty of Prophesying,’ was written to uphold the freedom of preaching.”—Cambridge Bible. The records of the Bible show that women as well as men have been inspired and will be inspired to give God’s message to the world. See Acts 2:17; Joel 2:28, 29.