Iconium. Then Paul and Barnabas came to Iconium, and entered into the Jewish synagogue, and so spake that a great multitude both of the Jews and Greeks believed. There they remained some time speaking boldly in the name of the Lord, but the unbelievers, excited to envy by their success, raised a tumult, and as they were likely to have been stoned they fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia. Lystra. When the apostles came to Lystra, they healed a man who had been a cripple from his birth, which so amazed the people that they said, the gods Jupiter and Mercurius were come down from heaven. The priest of the temple of Jupiter, which was in front of the city, brought oxen and garlands to sacrifice unto them, but they rent their clothes, and declared that they were only men. Not long afterwards, being persuaded by some Jews from Iconium, the same people stoned Paul, and cast him out of the city, as dead. But while the disciples stood round his body, he rose up and departed to Derbe. Churches formed.--Having taught many in Derbe, they returned again to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, confirming the faith of the believers, and appointing elders in every church. After which they journeyed through Pisidia and Pamphylia, and returned to Antioch, where they related to the Christian church how "the Lord had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles." Circumcision insisted on.-Now there came down from Judea certain professors, who taught, saying, 'Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved." 66 And when the matter was much disputed about, it was determined to send Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem to consult the elders of the church there on this subject. 66 By grace are ye saved.-Then Peter said, "That as God had given his Holy Spirit to the Gentiles as well as to the Jews, they ought not to place the yoke of the Mosaic ritual upon them," for, said he, we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we shall be saved, even as they." The apostle James also declared that it was only necessary to require the Gentiles, "to abstain from pollution of idols, from fornication, from things strangled, and from blood." And they wrote letters to this effect, which were sent by the hands of Paul and Barnabas. Paul's second journey-Soon after their return from Jerusalem, Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us go again to visit our brethren." But there was a difference of opinion, because Barnabas wished to take Mark with him, and Paul did not, and as they could not agree, they separated. Barnabas, with Mark, went to Cyprus, while Paul and Silas went through Syria and Cilicia to Derbe and Lystra. Timothy chosen. Now there was at Lystra, a young man named Timothy, whose mother Eunice, and grandmother Lois, had been converted at Paul's first visit to that city (2 Tim. i, 5). And as he was well spoken of by the churches, Paul took him on his journey, and they passed through the cities of Asia Minor, as far as Mysia westward, and desired to go north-eastward through Bithynia, "but the Spirit suffered them not." Paul in Macedonia.-Now Paul being at Troas was warned by a vision, that he should go westward into Macedonia, and so carry the gospel into Europe also. They therefore sailed from Troas to Samothrace, and thence travelled to Neapolis, and Philippi, the chief city of that part of Macedonia. Lydia of Thyatira.--And on the sabbath they went out to the river side, where prayer meetings were held, and the apostles spake unto the people. Lydia, a seller of purple, was converted, and besought them to lodge in her house. The evil spirit cast out.-Now there was a damsel who had a spirit of divination, or fortune-telling, who cried after the apostles as they walked about, until Paul, being grieved, turned, and said, "I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." Then her owners brought Paul and Silas to the magistrates, who rent off their clothes, laid many stripes upon them, cast them into prison, and commanded the jailer to keep them safely. He thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. The jailer of Philippi.-And at midnight they prayed and sang praises to God, and there was an earthquake, which opened all the prison doors, and loosed the bands of the prisoners. Then the keeper would have killed himself, but Paul cried with a loud voice, "Do thyself no harm, for we are all here." Then he fell down before them, and said, " Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" And they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." Thus the Philippian jailer became, as many think, the first European convert, because Lydia was a native of Asia. The next day the magistrates sent to let them go, and they were afraid when they heard that those whom they had beaten were Roman citizens. Thessalonica and Berea. Then they passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia to Thessalonica, and Paul preached on three Sabbath days that Jesus was the Christ. Some Jews believed, and many Greeks, especially among the chief women, but some of the baser sort raised a tumult in the city and caused the apostles to be sent away. Then they came to Berea, and as they preached the gospel there, the people searched the scriptures daily to see if the things were as the apostles stated, and many of them believed. Then there came Jews from Thessalonica to persecute Paul, and the brethren sent him away to Athens, where he remained, waiting for Silas and Timotheus to come to him. Paul at Athens.-While waiting at Athens, Paul was grieved to see the city wholly given to idolatry, and he disputed with the Jews and others daily, until he was taken before the high court called the Areopagus. There referring to the idols of the city, and to an altar which he had seen, erected to the unknown God, he declared that he was a preacher of that God, and that he had appointed a day on which he would judge the world in righteousness, by Jesus Christ. When the multitude heard this doctrine of the resurrection, some mocked, but some believed, among whom was Dionysius, a chief magistrate. Paul at Corinth.--On leaving Athens, Paul visited Corinth, where he lived and worked as a tent maker, in the house of Aquila, a Jew, who had lately come from Rome, with Priscilla his wife, because the Emperor Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. And he reasoned every Sabbath in the synagogue, but the Jews opposed him greatly and blasphemed. Then he said unto them, "Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles." And after this, Paul preached in the house of one Justus, and Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, and many Corinthians believed, and were baptized. And being encouraged by a vision of the Lord, saying that no one should hurt him, and that he had much people in this city, he preached a year and six months, after which he passed through Ephesus, and went back to Antioch. The Epistles. While at Corinth, Paul wrote the First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians, and the Epistle to the Galatians. EXERCISES ON CHAPTER LVI. By whom were Paul and Barnabas appointed to preach to the Gentiles? Who was deputy of Cyprus? What is said of him? Who withstood the gospel? What happened to him? How did Paul succeed at Antioch in Pisidia? Who rejected his doctrines ? Why did they leave Iconium? Describe their visit to Lystra ? What officers did they appoint on their way back to Antioch? Why were Paul and Barnabas sent to Jerusalem? What did Peter say ? What did James say should be required of Gentile believers ? Who went with Paul on his second journey? Why not Barnabas ? Who joined him at Lystra? Who were Lois and Eunice ? Why did not Paul go to Bithynia? Who were converted at Philippi? Who was the first European convert? How was the prison opened? What was the anxious question of the jailer? And Paul's answer? How were the Bereans more noble than the Thessalonians? With whom did he lodge? How was he encouraged, and how long did he stay? |