362
T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
October, 1933
Approach: After Paul and Silas were released from the prison at Philippi, they went into _Thessalonica, and there some people believed. But the Jews stirred up trouble, and Paul and Silas had to leave.
saw an altar built “TO THE UN KNOWN GOD.” He knew from this that the people in Athens, although they wor shiped many gods, were not sure that they had found the true God yet. He felt sorry for them, and he wanted to tell them about the God whom he worshiped, for he knew that He was the God whom they were seeking after. He began to preach to them. They led him up to Mars Hill, a place where pub lic speakers were allowed to talk to the people, and there they listened to him. He told them of the God who had made the world and all the things in it, the God who gave life and breath to all things, the God who, if you seek after Him, may be found, the God who commanded all men to repent of their sins, the God who raised 'His own Son from the dead that men might know that they, too, might be raised from the dead. The people listened — some mocked him, some said, “We will listen again another time,” but some believed. Outline and Exposition I. P aul ’ s E xhortation (1:10-16). Paul beseeched the believers in Corinth-1 he did not command—by that name by which they were called (v. 10). He desired that they should be in harmony one with another, without divisions, all working to gether for the advancement o f the truth. They were members of the body (12: 12, 13), not members of a sect; and they were to reveal their unity of place and har mony of purpose in that body. Divisions would frustrate this and deny to Christ His rightful place as the Head of that body. Satan divides and scatters; the Holy Spirit binds together into a fellowship of unity and harmony. Hence, Paul exhorted them to be joined together “ in the same mind” (Rom. 15:5, 6; 2 Cor. 3:11; Phil. 1:27; 2:2; 3:15; 1 Pet. 3:18). The need for such an exhortation was revealed in the divisions that were evident already among them (vs. 11, 12). The in formation was given to Paul by members of the household o f Chloe, who had a deep desire to see the divisions cease. The di visions took the form of factions, one group claiming Paul as their head, perhaps because they had been led to Christ through him; another group making Apol- los their head, perhaps because of his cul ture and eloquence; still another group putting Peter in the place of the head, per haps because of his legalism; while yet another group claimed to be of Christ. While differences of opinion will be found in every group of Christians, such differ ences should not be allowed to disturb the unity of the Spirit, maintained in the bond of peace, which should be the aim o f all Christians. The folly o f such divisions is revealed BLACKBOARD LESSON
in the question, “ Is Christ dividèd?” (v. 13). They were the disciples of the one into whose name they had been baptized, the name of none of their self-chosen lead ers had been pronounced over them when they were baptized, and none of these lead ers had been crucified for them. Christ, and Christ alone, was to be their Head as He was their Saviour. It were folly to adopt any other name, however good or great. As far as Paul himself was con cerned, he refused to have any party named for him ; therefore hé had been careful to baptize only a few, lest those he did baptize should attempt to displace Christ in favor’ of Paul (vs. 14-16). II. P aul ’ s C ommission (1:17, 18). Paul’s commission came from Christ, hence, he was the servant of Christ. He would not assume any authority except that which accompanied such a relation ship. Anything more than this would be denying the Headship of Christ. And Paul had been commissioned to preach the gospel, the good news of the love of God, the advent of Christ because o f that love, the death o f Christ as the Redeemer, and the resurrection of Christ as the Saviour o f men. This gospel Paul preached without wis dom of words, lest the cross should be made of none effect. The cross alone was the rallying point for the saints ; by it their sins had been taken away, and by it they had been introduced into the family of God. Paul avoided all display of philosoph ical reasoning and eloquent language, lest such should endanger the simplicity o f the message concerning the cross. It is not surprising that such preach ing should be foolishness to the world. It appears foolish when we remember that the Man who died upon the' cross was an unknown and despised carpenter o f Naz areth, with no influence either in His home city or in Jerusalem. To the Romans, He was merely a religious disturber, to the Greeks a religious fanatic, and to the Jews a religious impostor. He went to His death, not astone bravely leading His followers into battle, but submitting Himself with out objection to the ignominious death of the cross. When such a death was declared to be the only possible means o f receiving pardon for sins, and such a Man as the only Saviour for sinners, it was and is folly to the world. But to such as put their trust in that Man of the cross, the preach ing proved to be thé power of God unto salvation. The cross with thè Man of the cross must be preeminent, and factions would, detract from its power and ruin its purity and simplicity. Hence, the factions were sinful. III. P aul ’ s P reaching (2:1-5). The testimony o f God formed his preaching (v. 1). This testimony was con cerned with the person and passion of Jesus Christ (v. 2). He was declared to be very God o f very God, very man o f very man, the sufficient Sacrifice for sins, and the acceptable Substitute for sinners. Paul would not employ any o f the arts to which man might turn to accomplish his purpose. God was, and is, wholly independent of all upon which man leans, whether it be num bers, money, time, or the wisdom of the world. Paul came, not in the appearance o f great strength, but with the appearance of weak ness; he was weak in himself, but strong in the Lord. He came in fear—not the fear o f such as Adam, who hid behind a tree, but the fear of such as Abraham who could do none other than obey the precepts o f God (cf. Gen. 3 and 22). He came with
They came to Berea. Here the people re ceived them gladly, when they preached the gospel to them. But the Jews fol lowed them to this city and stirred up the people again. So the believers thought best to send Paul
O ' V l S t O '
away.
L e s s o n S t o r y : He sailed down the coast to Athens. Ath ens was one o f the largest cities in Greece. There were many learned people in this city. There were many religious people, and they worshiped many gods.' As Paul walked through the streets, he
NOVEMBER 26, 1933 PAUL IN CORINTH A cts 18:1-17 ; 1 C orinthians 1:1 to 2 :8
Lesson T ext: 1 Corinthians 1:10-18; 2: 1-5. Golden T ext: “For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2 ). Commercial Corinth aul ’ s journey from Athens to Cor inth was a matter of only about fifty miles, but in that distance he expe rienced almost a complete change in the nature of the two cities. Athens was a quiet, aristocratic city, the seat of learning and culture. Corinth was a thriving, noisy,
commercial city, and the center of the g o v e r n m e n t of Achaia. Both cities had risen to greater glories in the past, both had been de stroyed, but Corinth had risen to greater heights and import ance in its restora
tion than had Athens. It was a Roman colony, as well as a capital city and a com mercial center, and the combination o f the three caused it to rise to the most prom inent place occupied by any city of Greece. Corinth owed its commercial advantage to its location. It was situated on the isth mus, which at this point1is but six miles wide, which separates southern from northern Greece. Thus it was on the land highway of traffic from north to south. A l though there was no canal across the isth mus in Paul’s day, many boats were taken from the water and dragged across the land to the sea on the opposite side. Thus Corinth became a center of sea trade from east to west as well. The location of the city on this great commercial crossroads made it the magnet for many Jews who were the traders of that day, even as they are at present. They had a large syna gogue, so that Paul had the opportunity to preach, as he usually did, to the Jews first. It is quite evident that such a city would also be very wicked. The vice and immor ality of this metropolis were the byword of the East. The moral and religious degrada tion of the city made it necessary to exer cise continuous vigilance over the Christian converts. Paul’s letters to the Corinthians are evidence of his care for them in that respect.
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