Your ShelfYour Projects

International S. S. Lessons

5%

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Nov 21, 1892

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 19, No. 3.

Read the full edition

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 X.—DECEMBER 4, 1892.

WORK AMONG THE GENTILES.

[NOTE.—The questions which follow are merely suggestive for the student on 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 14: 8-22.

  1. And at Lystra there sat a certain man, impotent in his feet, a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked.
  2. The same heard Paul speaking; who, fastening his eyes upon him, and seeing that he had faith to be made whole, said with a loud voice,
  3. Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped up and walked.
  4. And when the multitudes saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voice, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men.
  5. And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercury, because he was the chief speaker.
  6. And the priest of Jupiter whose temple was before the city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the multitudes.
  7. But when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of it, they rent their garments, and sprang forth among the multitude,
  8. Crying out and saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and bring you good tidings, that ye should turn from these vain things unto the living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that in them is;
  9. Who in the generations gone by suffered all the nations to walk in their own ways.
  10. And yet he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave you from heaven rains and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness.
  11. And with these sayings scarce restrained they the multitudes from doing sacrifice unto them.
  12. But there came Jews thither from Antioch and Iconium; and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul, and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead.
  13. But as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up and entered into the city; and on the morrow he went forth with Barnabas to Derbe.
  14. And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, and to Iconium, and to Antioch,
  15. Confirming the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God.
(MEMORY VERSES, 8-10.) Golden Text.—"In His name shall the Gentiles hope." Matt. 12:21.

SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.

  1. Trace the route of the missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas from Antioch in Syria to Antioch in Pisidia. Note 1.
  2. What did they do in Antioch?
  3. Where did they go next?
But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium. Acts 13:51. 4. When driven from there, where did they go? 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, they became aware of it, and fled unto the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra and Derbe, and the region round about; and there they preached the gospel. Acts 14: 5-7.
  1. What afflicted man was in the congregation at Lystra? Verse 8. Note 2.
  2. What did Paul perceive in this man? Verse 9.
  3. What followed? Verse 10. Note 3.
  4. What did this cause the people to think? Verses 11, 12. Note 4.
  5. What did they proceed to do? Verse 13. Note 5.
  6. When the apostles learned what the people were about to do, what did they do and say? Verses 14, 15. Note 6.
  7. What evidence of himself has God always given to man, as a witness against their idolatry? Verses 16, 17.
  8. What may be learned of God from his works? Rom. 1: 19, 20.
  9. Where is the foolishness of worshiping idols most strikingly illustrated? Isa. 44: 9-20.
  10. As we meditate upon God's wonderful works, of what else are we reminded? Ps. 111: 3, 4.
  11. What effect did the apostles' words have on the excited crowd at Lystra? Acts 14: 18.
  12. What was more effective in causing a revulsion of feeling, and what was the result? Verse 19.
  1. What wonderful miracle followed? Verse 20.
  2. When the apostles returned to these cities where they had been persecuted, what did they do? Verses 21, 22. Note 7.
  3. What are the only references that Paul ever made to this fierce persecution?
Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day have I been in the deep. 2 Cor. 11: 25. But thou didst follow my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, long-suffering, love, patience, persecutions, sufferings; what things befell me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured; and out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yea, and all that would live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 2 Tim. 3: 10-12.

NOTES ON THE LESSON.

1. From Antioch to Antioch.—Paul and Barnabas started out from Antioch in Syria, being called by the Holy Spirit, taking with them John Mark. Acts 13: 1-3. The port from which they sailed was Seleucia, from which they went to the island of Cyprus. At Salamis, a populous mercantile port in the western part of the island, Paul preached in the synagogue. Acts 13: 4, 5. They went through the island to its western city and capital, Paphos, where Elymas, the sorcerer, was struck blind, and Sergius Paulus, the Roman proconsul, converted. Sailing from thence, northwesterly, they crossed to the mainland at Perga, the ancient port of Pamphylia. Here John Mark left them and returned home. From Perga they went to Antioch in Pisidia, "a central resting place, just over 'the pass,' where the great road from Ephesus into Asia intersected the southern road." This was a Roman city. Paul preached here, the first Sabbath to the Jews, the second to the Gentiles by request. Acts 13: 14-49.
2. Impotent in his feet.—The Greek word rendered "impotent" means, and is almost always rendered, "impossible." See Matt. 19:26. His feet had no power; it was utterly impossible for them to perform their office, even as it is impossible for the sinner to do good of himself. The case of the cripple well illustrates the impotency of sinful man, and it requires God's power to enable the sinner to do good, as much as it required his power to make the impotent man walk. Heard Paul.—"Was hearing Paul," says Vincent.
3. And he leaped up and walked.—He not only by the single act leaped up, but he continued to use his feet, he walked. Faith laid hold upon God, and placed God's life within him. "There is life in a look." "According to thy faith be it unto you."
4. Speech of Lycaonia.—Vincent suggests that their native speech was not understood by the apostles, and therefore they did not interfere with what the people were doing, till they saw the preparations made for sacrifice. They did not understand what the people said about their divine character. Or perhaps the people talked this among themselves. It was natural for them to express their wonder in their native tongue. In the likeness of men.—The pagans believed that the gods assumed the forms of men. Homer in the "Odyssey" says:— The gods Put on the form of strangers from afar, And walk our towns in many different shapes, To mark the good and evil deeds of men. Called Barnabas Jupiter and Paul Mercury.—The Greek name of Jupiter was Zeus, and of Mercury was Hermes. See margin of Revised Version. Jupiter and Mercury are Roman names. Jupiter was the supreme god, "the father of men and gods," applied to Barnabas, because, perhaps, of a more dignified, imposing appearance than Paul. Paul was called Mercury because he was chief speaker or leader in discourse. Mercury was the herald or messenger of the gods, and of Jupiter in particular. They are sometimes represented as coming together to earth. Mercury was the god of eloquence and speech, the patron of orators, and of all dishonest persons, thieves, travelers, and highways.
5. Of Jupiter.—The tutelary deity of the city seemed to be Jupiter, or a Jupiter. The gates.—The temple or city gates probably. The language is uncertain.
6. We are men of like passions with you.—Never once do we find the apostles exalting themselves, or permitting others to do it unrebuked. We are men of like nature as ye. We bear a mighty message of Divinity, but we are only messengers. Says John the Baptist: "Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him." And yet John was positive concerning his message. So were the apostles. They were nothing, but God's message could not be compromised, and it was also the message of life to the lost. The living God, who made heaven and the earth, etc.—It is by this truth, that of God's creative power, that Inspiration always distinguishes between the true God and all false gods. See Jer. 10: 10-12; Ps. 96: 5. God, the living God, has created all things. He has made these wonderful works of his wisdom, power, and love to be remembered. Ps. 111: 3, 4. This memorial, with his name Jehovah (the great I AM) endures forever. Ps. 135: 13. The memorial of his power, this distinguishing mark of his Deity, is the seventh-day Sabbath. Ex. 20: 8-11.
7. They returned to Lystra, and to Iconium, and to Antioch.—It was not because of fear that the apostles fled from one city to another when they were persecuted, as is shown by the fact that they returned over the same road. After Paul was stoned, he went back into the city, and when they had finished their missionary tour, they went back over every city that they had visited. They fled because they were driven away, and could not at that time do anything more in those places. The slight reference, also, that is made to the stoning of Paul contains a wonderful lesson, more expressive than anything else could be. What a rebuke for those of us who are inclined to make a great ado over even a little slight or reproach that comes to us in the line of our work! It can be explained only by remembering that Paul had in him the mind of Christ (see Phil. 2: 5-7; John 4: 34; 2 Cor. 8: 9; Heb. 12: 1, 2), and esteemed all these things as light afflictions (2 Cor. 4: 16-18.)