p. 12 | The Sunday School

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Oct 28, 1897

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 23, No. 42.

The Sunday School

International Series.

LESSON VII.—SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1897.

PAUL'S MINISTRY IN ROME.

NOTE.—Paul arrived at Rome in the early part of A.D. 61, and remained a prisoner until about the same time in A.D. 63. The city of Rome, with a population of 2,000,000, was the center of a national population of 120,000,000. Through her conquests, her vigorous government, her road-building and the unity of language which her conquests induced, the way was opened for the spread of the Gospel. The inhabitants of the city of Rome at the time of Paul's imprisonment were reveling in every kind of debauchery, in which the emperor Nero himself took such a flagrant part as to shame even his depraved subjects. In the present lesson section will be included the list of Christians to whom Paul sent greetings (Rom. 16: 3-15); the four epistles written during his first captivity (Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon, and Philippians); and the references to his later life in the three epistles written during his second captivity (1 Timothy, Titus, and 2 Timothy.)

Lesson Scripture, Acts 28: 17-31.

17 "And it came to pass, that after three days he called together those that were the chief of the Jews; and when they were come together, he said unto them, I, brethren, tho I had done nothing against the people, or the customs of our fathers, yet was delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans; who, when they had examined me, desired to set me 19 at liberty, because there was no cause of death in me. But when the Jews spake against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Caesar; not that I had aught to accuse my nation of. 20 For this cause therefore did I entreat you to see and to speak with me; for because of the hope of Israel I am bound with this 21 chain. And they said unto him, We neither received letters from Judea concerning thee, nor did any of the brethren come hither and report or speak any harm of thee. But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest; for as concerning this sect, it is known to us that everywhere it is spoken against. 23 "And when they had appointed him a day, they came to him into his lodging in great number; to whom he expounded the matter, testifying the kingdom of God, and persuading them concerning Jesus, both from the law of Moses and from 24 the prophets, from morning till evening. And some believed 25 the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved. And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by 26 Isaiah the prophet unto your fathers, saying, Go thou unto this people, and say, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall in nowise understand; And seeing ye shall see, and shall in nowise perceive; For this people's heart is waxed gross, And their ears are dull of hearing, And their eyes they have closed; Lest haply they should perceive with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And should turn again, And I should heal them. 28 Be it known therefore unto you, that this salvation of God is 29 sent unto the Gentiles; they will also hear. And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, having much disputing among themselves. 30 "And he abode two whole years in his own hired dwelling, 31 and received all that went in unto him, preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness, none forbidding him."

Golden Text: "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth." Rom. 1: 16.

SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.

(1) What occurred three days after Paul reached Rome? Verse 17. (2) When the chief of the Jews came together, what did Paul say to them? Same verse. Note 1. (3) What did he say of his trial before the Romans? Verse 18. (4) What did he say was the reason for his appeal to Caesar? Verse 19. (5) What was not one of his reasons? Same verse. Note 2. (6) Why did he call them together? Verse 20. (7) What was the occasion for his imprisonment? Same verse. Note 3. (8) What reply did the Jews make to Paul's statement? Verse 21. (9) What did they desire of Paul? Same verse. (10) What had they heard of the sect to which Paul belonged? Same verse. (11) What interest was taken by the Jews in what Paul had to say to them? Verse 22. (12) At this meeting what line of argument did Paul take up? Same verse. (13) From what did Paul draw proofs for the positions which he held? Same verse. (14) How long did this remarkable meeting continue? Same verse. (15) What effect did Paul's preaching have upon his hearers? Verse 24. (16) In what frame of mind were they still at the time of their departure? Verse 25. (17) What words of inspiration did Paul apply to them? Verses 25, 26, 27. Note 4. (18) Seeing that this prophecy was fulfilled in them, what did Paul say of the Gentiles? Verse 28. (19) How was Paul occupied during his imprisonment at Rome? Verses 30, 31. (20) What difference is noticed in his preaching while a prisoner in Rome and his preaching before going there? Verse 31. Note 5.

NOTES.

1. I had done nothing against . . . the customs of our fathers.—Here is evidence from the apostle's own lips, near the close of his life, that Paul was not a Sabbath-breaker; for the observance of the seventh-day Sabbath was one of the customs of the fathers. On the other hand, he declared (Acts 20: 20, 27), "I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you." "I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God." Yet he never tells us that the weekly Sabbath was abrogated, or that the first day should be kept in its stead. Such testimony from the apostle to the Gentiles should have due weight.

2. Not that I had aught to accuse my nation of.—Paul was not an "accuser of the brethren." God does not call his servants for that purpose. His design was to reach the Jews, that he might preach the Gospel to them. He did not wish the Jews in Rome to think that he had come to Rome to accuse their people. If he had come for such purpose, he would lose his influence with them at once. Such a course would be "contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth," and that course Paul had abandoned. Acts 26: 9.

3. Because of the hope of Israel I am bound.—Paul in this statement denies the accusation of the Jews whose course at Jerusalem had sent him in chains to Rome. He was not opposing the hope of Israel, but was preaching to Israel that her hope had been realized. The Jews for centuries had been looking for and hoping for the Messiah and the reign of peace. They were and are still looking for him. Paul held he had come already in their day. Here was the difference between his preaching and their belief; and he, tho bound by the chains of Rome, had, and was anxious to give to them, the hope of Israel.

4. The Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet.—The testimony of inspiration through Paul to the inspiration of Isaiah.

5. No man forbidding.—Altho a prisoner in chains, it seems that Paul had never enjoyed greater freedom in preaching the Word of God. He had always preached with boldness, but he had been forbidden again and again by the rulers of the Jews, and had met much opposition among the Gentiles. Here no man could interfere with his work, and here he did a work that will live as long as the world stands, the writing of at least five of his wonderful epistles. He was given an opportunity here to do a work for those who should live after him, that the arduous duties of a traveling evangelist might not have given him an opportunity to perform.