International S. S. Lessons.
"So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading." —Neh. 8:8 LESSON IX.—NOVEMBER 27, 1892.
THE APOSTLES TURNING TO THE GENTILES.
[NOTE.—The questions which follow are merely suggestive for the student, not the leading points of the lesson; it is presumed that the thorough student will think of many more as he studies the subject. References, where verses alone are given, always refer to the lesson scripture printed above. All other references are given in book, chapter, and verse. The text printed is that of the Revised Version, not because it is especially preferred, but because it is not found in every family, as is the common version.] Lesson Scripture—Acts 13:44 to 14:1-7.
44. And the next Sabbath almost the whole city was gathered together to hear the word of God. 45. 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 unworthy of eternal life, lo, we turn unto the Gentiles. 47. For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee for a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest 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 life believed. 49. And the word of the Lord was spread abroad throughout all the region. 50. 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 them out of their borders. 51. But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium. 52. And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Ghost. 14:1. And it came to pass in Iconium, that they entered together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of Jews and of Greeks believed. 2. But the Jews that were disobedient stirred up the souls of the Gentiles, and made them evil affected against the brethren. 3. Long time therefore they tarried there speaking boldly in the Lord, which bare witness unto the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands. 4. But the multitude of the city was divided; and part held with the Jews, and part with the apostles. 5. And when there was made an onset both of the Gentiles and of the Jews with their rulers, to entreat them shamefully, and to stone them, 6. They became aware of it, and fled into the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra and Derbe, and the region round about; 7. And there they preached the gospel. Golden Text.—"I have set thee for a light of the Gentiles." Acts 13:47. 1. Relate the circumstances of Paul's preaching in the synagogue at Antioch in Pisidia. 2. What request was made at the close of the sermon? "And as they went out, they besought that these words might be spoken to them the next Sabbath." Acts 13:42. 3. Who came the next Sabbath? Verse 44. See note 2. 4. How did this interest affect the Jews? Verse 45. 5. What did Paul and Barnabas say to them? Verse 46. 6. What command had they to preach to the Gentiles? Verse 47. 8. How did this saying affect the Gentiles? Verse 48. See note 3. 9. How extensively was the word preached in that region? Verse 49. 10. What brought the work of Paul and Barnabas to a close? Verse 50. See note 4. 11. To what place did they then go? Verse 51. 12. In what condition did they leave the converts? Verse 52. 13. What was the result of the speaking in Iconium? 14:1. 14. What opposition did they encounter here? Verse 2. 15. How did the Lord witness to their preaching? Verse 3. See note 5. 16. What exhortation is given us in view of preaching thus witnessed? "Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things that were heard, lest haply we drift away from them. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation? which having at the first been spoken through the Lord, was confirmed unto us by them that heard; God also bearing witness with them, both by signs and wonders, and by manifold powers, and by gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will." Heb. 2:1-4. 17. What was the result of the work in Iconium? Verses 4, 5. 18. Where did the apostles then go? Verses 6, 7. 1. The Apostles Still at Antioch in Pisidia.—There Paul preached the word of God on the Sabbath to the Gentiles at their own request. Many joining the apostles, a persecution was raised against them, and they fled to Iconium (I-kon'yum) the capital city of Lycaonia (Li-ka-o'ni-ah). Here they remained winning many souls to Christ, till persecution drove them hence. They fled to Lystra (Lis'trah), a small rural town, the inhabitants of which were idolaters. Paul wrought a miracle; the people treated them as gods, till Jews from Iconium came and declared them to be impostors. From there they fled to Derbe, where they seemed to meet no persecution. 2. The Sabbath.—It is worthy of notice that the Sabbath is mentioned four times in this chapter. In verse 27 it is referred to as the time when the prophets are read in the synagogues. It is said that this is done every Sabbath day. This excludes any day from being called the Sabbath except those days on which the Jews assembled for worship. But the most important point to notice is the fact that the day on which the Jews worshiped is called the Sabbath. The only reason for this is that that is its name. The fourth commandment says that the seventh day is the Sabbath. Ex. 20:10. The seventh day of the week is the only day that the Lord named. All the other days are designated simply by numbers; the seventh has a name—the Sabbath. That should be sufficient to settle the matter, but there is an opinion among some that after Christ came things were entirely changed,—that he came to make a revolution, to overthrow the Father's work and substitute his own. On this see John 4:34; 5:19, 20, etc. But this chapter and other passages show that in the New Testament things have the same names that they do in the Old Testament. The only place where we can learn of Christianity and Christian institutions is in the Bible; therefore, since the Bible calls the seventh day the Sabbath, all Christians are bound to call it the same. Without any controversy over the Old Testament, all Christians must agree that the New Testament was written far into what is commonly known as the Christian era, by Christian men, for the guidance of Christians, and that it was inspired by the Holy Ghost. Therefore the writers of the New Testament did not refer to the seventh day as the Sabbath because they had in their early life been accustomed to so call it, but because that is the name the Holy Spirit gave it in the beginning, and in all time since. No other day than the seventh can be called the Sabbath as long as the Bible is taken as the only standard of Christian faith and practice. 3. Ordained to Eternal Life.—Alford renders, "As many as were disposed to eternal life believed." So also the Emphatic Diaglott, and Etheridge's Syriac translation. Rotherham renders: "And they believed—as many as had become disposed for age-abiding life." The Greek word tasso, rendered "ordained," is defined by Bagster "to arrange; to set, appoint; to set, devote; to dispose, frame (Acts 13:48); to arrange, appoint; to allot, assign; to settle, decide (Acts 15:2)." It seems in this text to have the sense of disposition or decision. The Jews judged themselves to be unworthy of eternal life; they chose death. These believing Gentiles heeded the Spirit's pleading, and, by opening their hearts to the Spirit of God, they became disposed to eternal life, and judged themselves worthy through Christ of accepting it. 4. Devout Women.—By "devout women" is not meant that they were good or spiritual. They were devoted to their religion, which was probably Jewish, and were zealous in their belief. Of Honorable Estate.—Those who were wealthy. Etheridge's Syriac renders, "rich women." These, with the chief men, were prejudiced, and the apostles were turned out of the city, by force, probably, not legally, as they soon returned. The apostles shook off the dust of the city in obedience to the injunction of Christ (Matt. 10:14), and departed, leaving the disciples filled with joy because they were filled with the Holy Spirit. 5. Bare Witness unto the Word of His Grace.—God always works above Satan if his people will abide in him. The Jews turned the people against the apostles, but the truth and Spirit of God won the people to Christ.