The Sunday School

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Sep 2, 1897

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 23, No. 34.

The Sunday School

International Series.

Lesson XII.—Sunday, September 19, 1897.

Paul's Address to the Ephesian Elders.

Note.—This lesson section includes the whole of chapter 20, and the study should be connected with a review of lesson 9, in order to connect the incidents of the two chapters. The incidents of this lesson occurred during the latter part of the third missionary journey, while Paul was carrying to Jerusalem the collection for the poor of the church at that place. The student should trace out Paul's journey from the time he left Ephesus till he reaches Miletus. At that time Nero, then 21 years of age, was emperor of Rome, and Felix was governor of Judea.

Lesson Scripture, Acts 20:22-35, R. V.

22 “And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there; 23 save that the Holy Ghost testifieth unto me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. 24 But I hold not my life of any account, as dear unto myself, so that I may accomplish my course, and the ministry, which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify the Gospel of the grace of God. 25 And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I went about preaching the kingdom, shall see my face no more. 26 Wherefore I testify unto you this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. 27 For I shrank not from declaring unto you the whole counsel of God. 28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, in the which the Holy Ghost hath made you bishops, to feed the church of God, which he purchased with his own blood. 29 I know that after my departing grievous wolves shall enter in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. 31 Wherefore watch ye, remembering that by the space of three years I ceased not to admonish every one night and day with tears. 32 And now I commend you to God, and to the Word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them that are sanctified. 33 I coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel. 34 Ye yourselves know that these hands ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. 35 In all things I gave you an example, how that so laboring ye ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

Golden Text.—“Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:35.

Suggestive Questions.

(1) In what way was Paul going to Jerusalem? Verse 22. (2) Of what was he ignorant? Same verse. (3) What information was he constantly receiving from the Holy Spirit? Verse 23. (4) What effect did these things have upon Paul's course? Verse 24. (5) How did he consider his life as compared with the work he was given to do? Same verse. Note 1. (6) Of whose Gospel was Paul a minister? Same verse. Note 2. (7) What knowledge was given Paul in regard to the future? Verse 25. (8) What did Paul declare in regard to the faithfulness of his work? Verse 26. (9) If any of them should be lost, what ground had Paul for claiming to be innocent of their blood? Verse 27. Note 3. (10) What admonition does he give the elders? Verse 28. (11) What office did they hold in the church? Same verse. (12) What was to be the work of such officers? Same verse. Note 4. (13) What could Paul see in the future life and struggles of the church? Verse 29. (14) What unholy work would be engaged in by some of those to whom Paul was then speaking? Verse 30. Note 5. (15) What charge did he give them? Verse 31. (16) What faithful work of his did he wish them to remember? Same verse. (17) To whom and what did he commend them? Verse 32. (18) What power was there in that Word? Same verse. (19) Of what did Paul declare his innocence? Verse 33. (20) What had Paul done besides laboring for his own support? Verse 34. (21) Why had Paul done this? Verse 35. (22) What words of Jesus did he wish them to remember? Same verse. Note 6.

Notes.

1. I hold not my life of any account.—Paul did not consider his life or his ease as anything if either stood in the way of the accomplishment of the work which the Lord had committed to his hands. Paul's object was to finish his “course,” his race, with joy. Four years later he expresses the same thought in more forcible language. Phil. 3:13, 14. Several years later we hear him saying, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.” 2 Tim. 4:7, 8. How many others, following Paul's example (who followed Christ's), counted not their lives dear! Witness Luther, Tyndale, Knox, Huss, Jerome, and the millions of martyrs who sealed their testimony with their own blood.

2. Which I received from the Lord Jesus.—It was not a Pauline theology which Paul was teaching, as the epistles of Paul are frequently styled at the present day, an error which is likewise designating the epistles of the other evangelists as the theology of those writers. The theology taught by Paul was not his. It was the truth of God, spoken by Christ through Paul. There is a Pauline (or rather a Sauline) theology; but it was seen in his words and works before his name was changed. What Paul does not claim for himself, but positively disavows, theologians have no right to thrust upon him.

3. For I shrank not.—“No fear of unpopularity, no anxiety to say only the smooth and pleasant things, had kept him from declaring all of God's truth; not only the pleasant and hopeful, but the terrible; not only the promises of God, but his threatenings; not only his pleasure in virtue, but the blackness and ugliness of their sins in his sight.”—Peloubet.

4. To feed the church.—And the food which they as under-shepherds were to give to the flock for its spiritual life, they must themselves receive from Christ, the Great Shepherd. It was food of their own providing that caused the grievances in the church of which Paul speaks in verse 30. John Ruskin, in speaking of the work of the bishops, well says: “Nearly all the evils in the church have arisen from the bishops desiring power more than light. They want authority, not outlook. It is the king's office to rule. The bishop's office is to oversee the flock, to number it, sheep by sheep, to be ready always to give full account of it.”

5. Speaking perverse things.—“Truths distorted from their true meaning, as objects are in an imperfect or curved mirror; caricatures of truth. The most dangerous errors are truths distorted and perverted: truth enough to make some believe them, and error enough to injure or ruin those who do believe. . . . Even in the New Testament writings no fewer than six of the pioneers of these fatal teachers of error are mentioned as belonging to Ephesus.”—Schaff.

6. How he said.—These words are not found in the Gospels, and are not recorded elsewhere in the sacred writings; but this blessed truth which Christ spoke to the people of those days he has caused to be recorded for our benefit. Schaff says that “outside the inspired memories of the Gospels we possess the record of some twenty sayings of Christ which have floated down to us.” The Lord himself in speaking this truth speaks from experience. He had given everything for man, and knew the blessing, as he can not know who gives less than himself and his all.