The Sunday School

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Apr 22, 1897

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 23, No. 16.

The Sunday School

International Series.

LESSON VI.—SUNDAY, MAY 9, 1897.

PAUL PREACHING TO THE JEWS.

NOTE.—Paul now begins his work in new and untried fields, and we have in this lesson his first reported missionary address. He follows his usual custom of preaching first to the Jews. A close study of the text will show how Paul adapts himself to his surroundings and circumstances. Compare this sermon with others given on other occasions, as in Acts 2: 14-36; 21:40 to 22:21; 26: 1-29. Read Acts 13: 14-43.

Lesson Scripture, Acts 13: 26-39, R. V.

26 "Brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and those among you that fear God, to us is the word of this salvation 27 sent forth. For they that dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor the voices of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning 28 him. And tho they found no cause of death in him, yet asked 29 they of Pilate that he should be slain. And when they had fulfilled all things that were written of him, they took him down 30 from the tree, and laid him in a tomb. But God raised him 31 from the dead; and he was seen for many days of them that came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his 32 witnesses unto the people. And we bring you good tidings of 33 the promise made unto the fathers, how that God hath fulfilled the same unto our children, in that he raised up Jesus; as also it is written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day 34 have I begotten thee. And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he hath spoken on this wise, I will give you the holy and sure blessings 35 of David. Because he saith also in another psalm, Thou wilt 36 not give thy Holy One to see corruption. For David, after he had in his own generation served the counsel of God, fell on 37 sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption; but 38 he whom God raised up saw no corruption. Be it known unto 39 you therefore, brethren, that through this man is proclaimed unto you remission of sins; and by him every one that believeth is justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses."

Golden Text.—"Through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins." Acts 13: 38.

SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.

(1) How extensive did Paul consider the invitation to accept of salvation? Verse 26. Note 1. (2) What reason does Paul give for the action of the rulers at Jerusalem? Verse 27, first part. Note 2. (3) To what did this lead them? Ib., last part. (4) How does Paul picture the unreasonableness of their course? Verse 28. (5) What work were the Jews themselves unconsciously doing? Verse 29, first part. Note 3. (6) When this work was finished, what was done with the Saviour's body? Ib. Note 4. (7) What was the crowning act of this great work? Verse 30. (8) By whom was he seen? Verse 31, first part. (9) What responsibility did this place upon them? Ib., last clause. (10) What was the mission of the apostles to these Jews? Verse 32. (11) In what way was the promise to the fathers fulfilled to the children? Ib., and verse 33, first part. (12) What expression of the Psalmist does Paul apply to Christ? Verse 33, last part. (13) What promise is made in view of Christ's resurrection? Verse 34. Note 5. (14) What assurance was given of a speedy resurrection? Verse 35. (15) What is recorded of David in this connection? Verse 36. (16) Why is his case brought into the discourse at this place? Note 6. (17) How are Christ and David compared in this particular? Verse 37. (18) What great truth did Paul then make known to his hearers? Verse 38. (19) What was a true belief in this sacrifice of Christ able to do for them? Verse 39. Note 7.

NOTES.

1. Men and brethren.—And the invitation is not restricted to these, but whosoever feareth God, whether he be Barbarian, Scythian, bond or free. Now, for the first time, it was being made known to these people that the salvation for which they had looked and waited had come; that Child, of which many a Hebrew woman had craved the motherhood, had been born, done his work, and been offered as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. The salvation Christ had purchased, Paul was now offering to the waiting people. This is a similar invitation to the one found in Rev. 22: 17: "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely."

2. Because they knew him not.—They had seen Christ, had heard his wonderful teachings, knew his name, his birthplace, and his kindred; and yet they did not know him as the Christ, the Saviour of the world, the One in whom alone their salvation lay, the One who had plucked the sting from death and from the grave had snatched its victory. Likewise they had heard the prophets, whose writings were read in their ears from Sabbath to Sabbath; yet they did not know them as it was their privilege to know them, or as they would have known them if their own imaginations had not painted these prophecies in an unreal light. They had pictured the coming of their Deliverer in a grand, majestic demonstration; so that they could not see him at all in the humble garb in which he did present himself to them.

3. Fulfilled all that was written of him.—The sacrifice of the Messiah for the sins of those who were to be redeemed was a necessary part of the plan of salvation. In rejecting this work which Christ was doing for them, they were proving the authenticity of Christ's claims. The sacrificial offerings since the time of Abel had pointed forward to Christ's sacrifice.

4. Laid him in a sepulcher.—The work of Christ on earth was now complete. His mission was ended, so far as it related to his visible presence on earth. He had submitted to the penalty of the broken law, and with the hand of death upon him he was laid away to await the summons to life which would make his sacrifice a success. His restoration to life was a warrant of his acceptance with God.

5. The sure mercies of David.—"The holy and sure blessings." "These holy things of David are particularly the eternal reign of righteousness set forth in the latter part of the 22d, and the 72d, and 132d Psalms. These promises, in anything like fulness, could not have been fulfilled without the Lord's resurrection."—Saddler.

6. For David . . . saw corruption.—The argument of the apostle was to show that this quotation referred not to David (who saw corruption), but to Christ, who was raised from the dead before corruption had taken hold upon his body.

7. Could not be justified by the law of Moses.—To be justified is to be completely forgiven for the transgressions of the law; to be made as tho no sin had been done. No law can justify its transgressor. It is not the province of the law to do this. A law that could both condemn and justify would be without force in either particular. In fact, the justification clause would kill the law itself. The worth or value of law lies in the fact that it can not justify those who transgress it. The death which is ours because of our transgression of the law was paid for us by Christ, the Author of the law, if we accept him by faith. Thus the dignity of the law is upheld, and we are free from the penalty which it pronounces upon us.