The Sunday School

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Apr 29, 1897

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 23, No. 17.

The Sunday School

International Series.

LESSON VII.—SUNDAY, MAY 16, 1897.

PAUL PREACHING TO THE GENTILES.

NOTE.—The whole chapter should be included in the lesson study, as it all bears upon the reception of the Gospel by the Gentiles, the persecution to which the apostles were subjected in proclaiming the truth of God, and the beginning of the conference at Jerusalem, which will be taken up in the next lesson. The chapter opens with the conflict between the old and new forms of faith, and the division of the people in regard to the teachings of Paul and Barnabas. Here the apostles realized the truthfulness of that saying of Christ, "Whoso killeth you will think that he doeth God service;" for the opposition became so intense that they were compelled to flee for their lives to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia. Commit verses 21 and 22.

Lesson Scripture Acts 14:11-22, R. V.

11 "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. And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercury, because he was 13 the chief speaker. And the priest of Jupiter whose temple was before the city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and 14 would have done sacrifice with the multitudes. But when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of it, they rent their garments, and sprang forth among the multitude, crying out and 15 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 16 heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that in them is; who 17 in the generations gone by suffered all the nations to walk in their own ways. And yet he left not himself without witness, 18 in that he did good, and gave you from heaven rains and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness. And with these sayings scarce restrained they the multitudes from 19 doing sacrifice unto them. "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. 20 But as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and entered into the city; and on the morrow he went forth with 21 Barnabas to Derbe. And when they had preached the Gospel to that city, and had made many disciples, they returned to 22 Lystra, and to Iconium, and to Antioch, 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." Golden Text.—"I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles." Acts 13:47.

SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.

(1) When the people of Lystra saw the miracle which Paul performed, what did they do and say? Verse 11. Note 1. (2) What did this declaration show on their part? Ib. Note 2. (3) What names did they apply to Paul and Barnabas? Verse 12. (4) Why? Ib. Note 3. (5) In view of what had been done, what did the priest of Jupiter attempt to do? Verse 13. Note 4. (6) What did the apostles do when they understood the purpose of the people? Verse 14. (7) What question did they ask of the people? Verse 15, first clause. (8) What did they say of themselves and their mission? Ib., last part. (9) In their protest to the people what attribute of the true God did they set forth? Ib. Note 5. (10) What does Paul say of God's dealings with the nations of the past? Verse 16. (11) Yet what evidence had the people of his existence? Verse 17, first clause. (12) In what did this witness consist? Ib., last part. Note 6. (13) What was barely accomplished by these words of the apostles? Verse 18. (14) Who followed Paul and Barnabas? Verse 19, first part. (15) What did they accomplish? Ib., last part. (16) What happened as the disciples gathered around the prostrate apostle? Verse 20, first part. (17) What city did they next visit? Ib., last part. (18) Having preached the Gospel in that city, what places did they next visit? Verse 21. Note 7. (19) In what did their work consist at these places? Verse 22, first part. (20) What was their testimony in regard to the Christian's experiences? Ib., last part. Note 8.

NOTES.

1. Saw what Paul had done.—Referring to the miracle performed in healing the man who had never walked from the time of his birth. The man "impotent in his feet" was of course well known to the Lystrans, and the miracle was done without even so much as the laying on of hands. There could be no denying the genuineness of what they had seen. The performances of the magicians were weak in comparison with such acts as this. It seemed to the people that the voice which could perform such a deed must be the voice of divinity. They could not separate the voice which spoke the healing words from the power which performed the healing act.

2. Gods . . . in the likeness of men.—This declaration plainly shows their keenness to discern the fact that such power as here manifested did not reside in men as a part of them. They recognized the power as that of a supreme being, and in their ignorance naturally connected the ones using the power with the authorship of the power.

3. Jupiter and Mercurius.—Jupiter was the chief god of the Roman State, but through the influence of Greek civilization became identified with Zeus, the chief god of the Greeks. The title of Jupiter was probably applied to Barnabas because he was the elder of the two and of more imposing appearance. Mercurius, the Roman name for the Greek Hermes, would be more fitting for Paul, as he was smaller and the chief speaker. Mercury was the god of eloquence, the spokesman for the gods; and he was also supposed to preside over all barter, trade, and commercial dealings. The desire of the people to do homage to Paul and Barnabas is explained by the legend which was familiar to those people, in which Jupiter and Mercury are represented as visiting that region and being so inhospitably treated by the people that they overwhelmed the whole surrounding country by a flood. This legend was repeated to the people year by year, so that they were perfectly familiar with it; and the visit of Barnabas and Paul, accompanied with the peculiar demonstration of power which they had seen, gave them reason to suppose that the gods were again visiting them, to again test their hospitality.

4. Brought oxen and garlands.—A part of the Roman worship was the offering of a sacrifice of white oxen to Jupiter before going forth to war. As so much depended upon the success of their armies, it may well be supported that this was considered one of the most important of the sacrifices, and it would thus seem that the priest of Jupiter on this occasion was desirous of making the most acceptable sacrifice possible in honor of these men who they supposed to be the greatest of the gods.

5. The living God, which made heaven, etc.—In this the apostles made known to these idolaters the existence of Him who is the Creator of all things, "by whom all things consist," the embodiment of all good. Note the similarity between this expression and that which forms the seal, or mark of authority, of the Ten Commandments, which is found in the fourth command of the Decalog.

6. THE blessings of every-day life should be constant reminders of the existence and love of God and his care for the creatures of his hand. The blessings mentioned in verse 17 had been constant witnesses to the people; and tho the people were suffered to "walk in their own ways," these unanswerable witnesses of God and his goodness remained to testify against their unbelief and idolatry.

7. Returned again to Lystra, etc.—It required no little Christian fortitude and courage to return to the cities in which they had so narrowly escaped death; but the evidence of acceptance with God and of his personal presence with them in their work made them bold to go where duty called them. The salvation of a soul from eternal death should be of more consequence than the ending of a mere temporal life. The churches or companies which had been called out in these cities needed help and encouragement. We do not know whether the apostles went secretly or openly, but they went and performed their work, relying not on the arm of flesh, calling not upon the protection of the law, asking no favors of rulers, but wholly dependent upon the arm of God. The consequence was that their work was a success.

8. Through much tribulation.—Paul and Barnabas were standing witnesses of the tribulation through which those may expect to pass who seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness in the manner which Christ has indicated. The people to whom they were now preaching had seen evidences of the truthfulness of this fact in the stoning of Paul and in the persecutions to which they themselves had doubtless been subjected since accepting the faith.