May, 1939
T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
183
I NT E RNA T I ONA L L E S SON Commentary Outline and Exposition Blackboard Lesson Children s Division Golden T ext Illustration Object Lesson B y B. B. S utcliffe B y G rbtchhn S ibley B y H elen G ailey B y A lan S. P earce B y E lmer L. W ilder Points and Problems B y A lva J. M c C lain
JUNE 4, 1939 PAUL PLEADS HIS OWN CASE A cts 21:27 to 23:11; 24:10 to 26:32
When Paul appeared before Agrippa, the apostle declared that his preaching was the result of a vision from heaven, to which he dared not be “disobedient” (v. 19). This reasoning would make an appeal to Agrip pa, because he, like his compatriots, was filled with superstition, and while he did not believe in the true God, he had great reverence for the supernatural. Without any lengthy argument, Paul in timated that there must be a hidden reason for the hatred against himself on the part of the Jews, and he relied upon the curiosity and superstition of Agrippa to ferret out that reason. Agrippa would know that a mem of Paul’s evident learning and culture would not relinquish all he possessed of position, ease, and freedom, and become as a hunted beast, without good and sufficient reasons for his action, and that there must be something more to be considered than the charges laid against this man by the Jews. Moreover, Paul contended that it was because he was helped by God Himself that he continued to preach. Paul’s plea for himself could not be answered. But, while the people were convinced, they were not converted. Silenced in all their charges, shown to be mere cavilers with the truth, they continued with their hatred unabated, and they persisted in their persecution of the Lord’s servant. Paul knew what it was to be persecuted for righteousness’ sake, and in this kind of suffering even present- day believers may be called to share. Points and Problems 1. "In the Hebrew tongue" (Acts 22: 2 ). Referring to verse 37 of the preceding chapter, we find that the Apostle Paul not only spoke the Hebrew language, but also had a command of Greek, a fact which seems to have surprised the Roman cap tain. It is also probable that Paul was familiar with Latin. The pious Jews of Paul’s day held the Hebrew tongue in great veneration. It was to them the very lan guage of God. There is a clear suggestion of this in 22:2. 2. "T he W ay" (24:14, R. V .) . W e have here again that remarkable term used in the early church to designate the new Christian faith and movement. It is "the W ay." There is no recorded instance in the history of the early church where Christianity is ever called a “religion.” It is altogether probable that the origin of the term "W ay" as a descriptive name of the new faith may be traced back to the words of our Lord in John 14:6. To appreciate its full signifi cance, one should read the preceding con text. Christ closes His statement about the Father’s house by saying, "And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know" (v. 4 ). But Thomas was not satisfied, and pro tested: “Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?” Then we have the Lord’s answer: "I am the
Acts 2 1:40 And when he had given him li cense, Paul stood on the stairs, and beckoned with the hand unto the people. And when there was made a great silence, he spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue, saying, 22:1 Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defense which I m ake now unto you. . 2 (And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more si lence: and he saith,) 3 I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of die fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this dav. ■4 ' And I persecuted' this way unto the deatn, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women. 24:14 But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets: 13 And have hope toward God. which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resur rection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. 16 And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offense toward God, and toward men. ' 26:19 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: 20 But showed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance. 21 For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me. 22 Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come: 23 That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should show light unto the people, and to the Gentiles. Golden Text: "I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day" (Acts 23:1). Devotional Reading: Rom. 8:31-39. Outline and Exposition I. H is T actfulness with the J ews (Acts 21:40 to 22:4) P AUL’S tactfulness was seen when he addressed the Jewish mob in the Hebrew tongue. It may be that his purpose in so doing was to allay their sus picions that he was careless of and indif ferent to Jewish customs. They had ac cused him of desecrating the temple by taking a Gentile into its sacred area, and possibly some of the people even thought that Paul himself was a Gentile. His tactfulness was also seen when he used the familiar address to which the Jews [These lessons are developed from outlines prepared by the Committee on Improved Uniform Lessons o f the Interna tional Council. The outlines are copy righted by the International Council o f Religious Education and used by permis sion. The Scripture portions quoted are from the King James Version unless other wise stated.] Lesson Text: Acts 21:40 to 22:4; 24: 14-16; 26:19-23.
were accustomed, "Men, brethren, and fa thers" (22:1). This salutation would tend to quiet the hearers and to abate the mob spirit within them. Further, he stood before the Jews as one of high culture and learn ing. Because all the Jews stood somewhat in awe of a learned man, particularly when that man had secured his knowledge from one of their own most trusted teachers, they became more ready to grant Paul an attentive hearing. Moreover, he used great tactfulness by freely admitting that the peo ple to whom he spoke were zealous toward God, and he revealed his sympathetic un derstanding of their feelings. ' II. His W isdom with F elix (24:14-16) His plea before the Jews having failed to bring about his freedom, Paul was brought before the council and then was committed to the Roman authorities. When a plot was discovered to kill him, he was transferred to Caesarea and brought before Felix, the governor of that province. Soon the high priest and leaders from Jerusalem, accompanied by one of their lawyers, ap peared at Caesarea and laid charges against Paul. The Apostle Paul denied the charges brought against him, and skillfully turned the accusations against his accusers, while at the same time bearing testimony to the truth before the Roman governor. First, he declared that he believed "all things . . . written in the law and in the prophets" (v. 14). Second, he tenaciously held to the hope of the Jews themselves that there would be a “resurrection of the dead” (v. 15). And third, he exercised himself to have “a conscience void of offense toward God and toward man” (v. 16). Here we have Paul’s creed—short, simple, and com prehensive. And here, too, we have Paul’s hope—a hope of which he was assured, in which he was joyful, and for the culmina tion of which he confidently waited. III. His P rudence with A grippa (26:19-23) For two years Paul was held unjustly by Felix, who then gave way to Festus, the new governor. Uncertain as to what he should do with Paul, Festus asked King Agrippa to hear the case. BLACKBOARD LESSON
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