LESSON VII.-SUNDAY, AUGUST 13, 1893

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jul 31, 1893

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 19, No. 38.

LESSON VII.—SUNDAY, AUGUST 13, 1893.

PAUL AT JERUSALEM.

[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 21: 27-39.

And when the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the multitude, and laid hands on him,
Crying out. Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all men everywhere against the people, and the law, and this place; and moreover he brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath defiled this holy place.
For they had before seen with him in the city Trophimus the Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.
And all the city was moved, and the people ran together; and they laid hold on Paul, and dragged him out of the temple; and straightway the doors were shut.
And as they were seeking to kill him, tidings came up to the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in confusion.
And forthwith he took soldiers and centurions, and ran down upon them; and they, when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, left off beating Paul.
Then the chief captain came near, and laid hold on him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and inquired who he was, and what he had done.
And some shouted one thing, and some another, among the crowd; and when he could not know the certainty for the uproar, he commanded him to be brought into the castle.
And when he came upon the stairs, so it was, that he was borne of the soldiers for the violence of the crowd.
For the multitude of the people followed after, crying out, Away with him.
And as Paul was about to be brought into the castle, he saith unto the chief captain, May I say something unto thee? And he said, Dost thou know Greek?
Art thou not then the Egyptian, which before these days stirred up to sedition and led out into the wilderness the four thousand men of the assassins?
But Paul said, I am a Jew, of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city; and I beseech thee, give me leave to speak unto the people.

Golden Text.—"For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake." Phil. 1: 29.

SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.

Briefly mention the events intervening between this and the last lesson. Note 1.
What occurred before the seven days of the purification were completed? Verses 27, 28.
What charge did they bring against him? Verse 28.
What reason had they for the charge that he had defiled the temple by bringing Gentiles into it? Verse 29. Note 2.
What effect had this charge upon the sin-blinded populace? Verse 30.
What did they seek to do? and how were they prevented from doing it? Verses 31, 32.
What did the chief captain do? Verse 33. Note 3.
When he could not find out his crime, what did the captain do with Paul? Verse 34.
What difficulties did he have? and what spirit was shown by the mob? Verses 35, 36.
What question did Paul ask the chief captain? Verse 37.
What reply did he receive? Verses 37, 38.
What did Paul say of himself? Verse 39.
What truth uttered through Paul was exemplified in these sufferings of his? Golden text.

NOTES.

1. The events occurring during the time between this lesson and our last are described in Acts 21: 1-26. The apostle Paul and his companions leave Miletus for Jerusalem. They sailed with a fair wind past Co'os and Rhodes to Pat'ara, where they changed vessels and embarked on one sailing direct to Syria. On this voyage they sighted the island of Cyprus, sailing south of it, their first stop being Tyre, where the ship discharged her cargo. Here Paul remained seven days, and was warned of brethren not to go to Jerusalem. When he departed, the disciples there accompanied him to the sea, where all knelt on the beach and prayed, and bade each other farewell. The apostle proceeded to Ptolemais (Acre), remaining one day; from thence he sailed to Cæsarea, where he stayed many days with Philip, and where Agabus, a prophet, foretold Paul's imprisonment. From thence, accompanied by Mnason (pronounced Nā-son), with whom they were to lodge, Paul's party proceeded by land to Jerusalem. There they were received by the brethren gladly, and Paul rehearsed before James and the elders what God had wrought among the Gentiles. The brethren at Jerusalem, on account of the prejudices of Jewish brethren, wrongly persuaded Paul for policy's sake to enter in with several men who had a vow, to perform the ceremonies connected therewith and pay the expenses thereof. Worldly wisdom thought that this would save him from persecution, but it was just what hastened it.

2. Whom they supposed.—Most of the suppositions of this world are suggested by the devil. They had seen Trophimus with Paul in the city, and they therefore supposed, forsooth! that Paul must have taken him into the temple. They had no business to suppose any such thing. The only right they had to suppose aught against him was what they knew. But they were blind. The temple was already accursed, because they had driven from it the presence of God. They were accursed, because they had shut his presence from their heart; and now they were as ready to kill Paul on a supposition as they had been to crucify Christ without cause. The same spirit of uncharity exists in religious bigotry to-day.

3. Bound with two chains.—He supposed Paul to be a dangerous criminal; see verse 38. He supposed him to be ignorant; see his question in verse 38. But the Roman idolater was more merciful than the bigoted Jews.