316
September, 1933
T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
COMMENTARY Children’s Division In Holy Places B y H elen G ailby B y H erbert H . T ay
LESSON Golden Text Illustrations B y A lan S. P earce
Outline and Exposition B y B. B. S utcliffe
Blackboard Outlines B y B essie B. B urch
OCTOBER 1, 1933 SAUL IN TARSUS A cts 21:39 ; 22:3, 27, 28 ; 26:4-7 ; P hilippians 3 :3-6
he thought he ought to do he was intent upon doing. His legal conscience moved him to do many things which were con trary to his naturally gentle and sympa thetic character. He was sincere in his con duct, earnestly striving to do what he thought was the right thing. He was earn est in his endeavors, whether studying Gre cian literature in Tarsus, or learning the law and traditions at the feet of Gamaliel. He was zealous toward God, highly moral in all his dealings with his fellow men, and blameless before the law. Before finding too much fault with the Pharisees, let us consider what a beneficial change would come over this country if all our citizens were like them. But all of Saul’s goodness left him only proud o f his attainments, so that he could look with disdain upon all other men. It brought him also such self-sufficiency that he looked to God for nothing. And at last, it begat in him such formalism that he looked only on the seen and the outward and spent his time in polishing the outside of the platter while the inside received scant attention (Matt. 23). IV. S aul ’ s C ondition As a Pharisee, Saul repressed his deepest convictions concerning Jesus o f Nazareth and attempted to silence those convictions by persecuting the followers of Jesus; he rejected the testimony o f Jesus o f Nazareth and clung to the traditions of the fathers instead o f accepting the truth o f the Scriptures; and he resisted the pleading of the Holy Spirit who witnessed to the claims of Jesus of Nazareth. Because of this, Saul was found fighting against God, persecuting the saints, and murdering believers. Saul’s ancestry was the very best, he had an excellent education, he could look down upon all men from the moral heights to which he had attained, he made more prog ress in his own religion than any others of his -own age, he was tireless in his zeal, and before the law he was blameless. But beyond all these things, he needed to be born again. Until that event took place, all he possessed was as filthy rags before God. His heart was dissatisfied, his spirit was restless, and his soul was in darkness until by grace he was born again by simple faith in Jesus Christ. In all o f this, Saul of Tarsus is a picture of all men today. Lesson Questions Acts 21:39. Locate Tarsus in Cilicia. Why was it “no mean city” ? 22:3. What was Saul’s nationality? Who was his teacher? What else do you know of him (Acts 5 :34-42) ? What did Saul learn of industry, government, literature, and religion? In what trade did he become proficient (Acts 18:1-3)? 22:27, 28. Why was it an advantage to be a Roman? 26:4-7. To what group o f religious lead ers did Saul belong? What accusation did the Jews bring against him? Phil. 3 :3-6. What natural advantages of birth, education, and zealous conduct did
Golden T ext: “ Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that need- eth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word o f truth” (2 Tim. 2:15). Tarsus T arsus , the childhood home o f Saul, was the chief city o f the province of Cilicia. Cilicia is located at that point where the coastline, proceeding northward from Syria and Palestine, makes a sudden bend and proceeds almost straight west. The western portion of
which stood with David; he was a Hebrew of the Hebrews and a Pharisee, loyal to the law and true to the national traditions. His parents were orthodox Jews, and their son would be well versed in the Scriptures. As a Pharisee, he would be taught to oppose all other sects among the Jews. Tarsus, where he was born, was a self- governing, cultured, university town, in which Saul’s parents were o f some impor tance, and Saul would have all the advan tages of such surroundings. His father had probably rendered some notable service for the Roman government, for which he had been given full Roman citizenship, and this made Saul also a freeborn Roman citizen. II. S aul ’ s T raining (A cts 22:3; P hil . 3:3-6). In industry, his training led to the learn ing o f a trade, which was customary for every Jewish child o f whatever station. Saul’s trade was that o f tent making, and it stood him in good stead in after years. In governmental affairs, he was trained under the Roman system. In literature, his training was along Gre cian lines. Tarsus was a Greek city educa tionally, and Saul would thus become fa miliar with Greek literature and modes of thought. In religion, his training was wholly Jew ish. First in his home under the guidance o f his parents, and later at Jerusalem un der the direction of Gamaliel who was con-35 sidered to be the greatest of all Jewish teachers, Saul was thoroughly “taught ac cording to the law o f the fathers.” After Saul was converted, the Holy Spirit made use o f all this training. This is plainly seen in Saul’s words and conduct. III. S aul ’ s C onduct : (A cts 26:4-7; P hil . 3:3-6). Saul “lived a Pharisee.” The Pharisees were scrupulously careful to observe all the requirements of the law, and so well did Saul succeed in this that he could say that, “as touching the righteousness which is in the law,” he was blameless. His life was that o f an orthodox Jew, intensely religious, lived according to the straightest sect of Judaism. His life was highly conscientious. What BLACKBOARD LESSON
Cilicia is very moun tainous, and as a consequence, d o e s not support a very large po pu l a t i o n . Those who do man age to continue a residence in the dis trict are wild and untamed, and many t i m e s r e s o r t to
robbery for their livelihood. The eastern part o f the province is much more flat, and. is well suited for agriculture. It is rimmed on the north and east by the Taurus Moun tains, from whose forbidding canyons many small streams find their way into the plain and furnish water to irrigate the crops of the farmers. The city of Tarsus in Saul’s day was situated near the western end of this plain country, where the river Cydnus flows in a cold and rapid stream to the sea. It was not the largest city of Asia Minor, but contemporary writers declare that it was one of the leading cities of the world in philosophy and education. The young Saul grew up in this atmosphere of culture, took full advantage of the educational facilities of the city, and thus became one of the best educated men o f his time. Not only was Saul educated in the schools, but the location of Tarsus enabled him to absorb that general information which can come only through experience. Just above Tarsus was one of the few passes through the Taurus Mountains. The traffic from the east and north passed that way, as did the traders when they came the other direction. Saul was able to mingle with these persons in the market place, and learn much of those regions into which he later was to carry the message o f Christ. Outline and Exposition I. S aul ’ s P arentage (A cts 21:39; 22:27, 28; P hil . 3:3-6). Saul was “well born,” and belonged to the “best people.” He was able to trace his family back through many generations. He was circumcised the eighth day, hence was not a mere proselyte in the nation; he was of Israel, not merely of Jacob; he was a Benjamite, a member of the only tribe
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