at the fate of him who they had hoped would redeem Israel. Now their
hope perished, and they gave way to dark despair. All his
acquaintances from Galilee were there, the women beating their breasts
for sorrow. Criminals were there as his companions in agony and shame.
Yes, the scene at the cross was the most dramatic that the world had
ever seen. For the time, the powers of darkness seem to have
triumphed, and the best man in the world was nailed to the accursed
cross.
#146. The Penitent Robber.#--Yet even here a sudden ray of light
divine breaks the darkness, and in the penitent robber we have the
most wonderful record of the triumph of faith that the world has ever
seen. How he was led out into the light of faith just at the moment
that the faith of all others was eclipsed we cannot tell, but the fact
remains. Note, all, even the Apostles, had given up faith in Jesus as
the Messiah. But just at this moment, like the sun bursting through
the dark thunder-cloud, we see the faith of this robber emerge,
resplendent, for he recognized in the crucified man next him his
"Lord." He also recognizes in him a king, for he speaks to him
concerning his kingdom, to which he is about to go. More than this.
The robber believes that it will be well with him in the next world if
his dying companion in pain remembers him, and he also believes that
he will be willing to remember him. What a most wonderful exhibition
of faith this was, under the circumstances. At the moment when the
powers of darkness were most triumphant the power of the Holy Spirit
was also most clearly shown. And in response to all this faith comes
the reassuring reply, "To-day shalt thou be with me in Paradise."
#147.# At the cross, too, we may see the epitome of all men in their
relation to sin and death, for while all three of the victims that day
were brought to the cross by sin, they stood in very different
relationships to sin. See, all died because of sin. But the impenitent
robber died _in_ his sin. On the other hand, the penitent robber that
day died _to_ sin. Jesus could do neither of these things, for he had
no sin. But that day he died _for_ sin. This truth is set forth in the
accompanying diagram, and is most suggestive. None but Jesus can die
for sin, but all sinners must either die in sin or die to sin.
[Illustration: HE DIED
IN FOR TO
__|__ __|__ __|__
| | |
| | |
| | |
SIN]
Test Questions
When did our Lord arrive at Bethany?
How do we know that the events of these eight days were of the utmost
importance in the minds of the evangelists?
Why did the ecclesiastics not want to put Jesus to death on the feast
day?
Give the first reason why his death came on a feast day.
Give the second reason for this.
Give the third reason for this action.
State in what respect the trial of Jesus was twofold.
What were the charges in the ecclesiastical trial?
What were the charges in the political trial?
What was the verdict of both Pilate and Herod about Jesus?
State in detail who were present at the crucifixion.
Give the story of the wonderful triumph of faith on the part of the
penitent robber.
What was the relationship of the three crucified men to sin?
Lesson 7
The Forty Days
New Testament Division--Second Period (Concluded)
---------------------+-----------+----------+----------+----------
EVENTS | MATTHEW | MARK | LUKE | JOHN
---------------------+-----------+----------+----------+----------
The Resurrection | | | |
Morning. Women Visit | | | |
the Sepulcher. | 28:1-8 | 16:1-8 | 24:1-11 | 20:1, 2
| | | |
Peter and John Visit | | | |
the Sepulcher. | ... | ... | 24:12 | 20:3-10
| | | |
Appearance to Mary | | | |
Magdalene. | ... | 16:9-11 | ... | 20:11-18
| | | |
Second Appearance. | 28:9, 10 | | |
| | | |
Report of the Guard. | 28:11-15 | | |
| | | |
Appearance to Peter; | 1 Cor. | 16:12, | |
Walk to Emmaus. | 15:5 | 13 | 24:13-35 |
| | | |
Appearance to Ten | | | |
Disciples. | ... | 16:14-18 | 24:36-43 | 20:19-25
| | | |
Appearance to Eleven | | | |
Disciples. | ... | ... | ... | 20:26-29
| | | |
Sea of Galilee. | | | |
Appearance to Seven | | | |
Disciples. | 28:16 | ... | ... | 21:1-24
| | | |
Appearance to Many | | 1 Cor. | |
Disciples. | 28:16-20 | 15:6 | |
| | | |
Final Appearance; | Acts | 16:19, | |
Ascension. | 1:3-12 | 20 | 24:44-53 |
| | | |
Conclusion. | ... | ... | ... | 20:30,
| | | | 31; 21:25
---------------------+-----------+----------+----------+----------
#TIME.#--A. D. 30.
#PLACES.#--Jerusalem, Galilee, Mt. of Olives.
The Incomparable Life (Concluded)
#148. The Forty Days.#--As it is unfortunately customary on the part
of certain modern critics to deny the physical resurrection of our
Lord, and to maintain that all that we know about him after his
resurrection is that he was alive, it seems needful to give a whole
lesson to these forty days. The critics above referred to claim that
the disciples of Jesus _expected_ his physical resurrection, and,
being ignorant and unlearned, they were easily deceived by the reports
of the women. In reply to this unwarranted claim the following truths
must be insisted on.
#149.# _First truth._ The disciples never expected Jesus _to die_,
least of all on the cross. Indeed, the general expectation was that
the Messiah must abide forever (John 12:34). So when he spoke of his
death, they did not even understand what he meant. (See Mark 9:32;
Luke 9:45; Luke 18:34.) At one time when Jesus spoke of all this,
Peter even ventured to rebuke him (Matt. 16:22).
#150.# _Second truth._ From the above it is most apparent that they
never _even thought_ of a resurrection (see Mark 9:10). When they saw
him die, and knew from the physical signs of the blood and water that
he was dead, they at once gave up all hope in him as the expected
Messiah. This is apparent from the remark of the two to the Master as
they were going to Emmaus (Luke 24:21). Their remark implies that now
they had given up any such hope. But more than this. Had they thought
of any resurrection, would they not have remained near the garden
where his body was laid? Surely John and the Master's mother would not
have abandoned that garden for Jerusalem. Nor would they have prepared
spices for his final entombment had they had any reasonable hope of
his resurrection. What took the women to the tomb on that Easter
morning was not any remotest hope that they might find him alive, but
only the completion of plans for his final burial. All this is
apparent from the unvarnished narrative of all of the evangelists.
Rightly read, the narrative reveals the one fact that they had not the
least hope that they would ever see him alive in this world.
#151.# _Third truth._ When the tomb was found empty on that Easter
morning, even that did not awaken any thought that the Lord had risen.
This is proved by the whole story of Mary on that day (John 20). All
her thought was, where is _the body_? Even when Jesus appeared to
Mary, she did not recognize him at first, so far was it from her
thought that he could be living. And when the women reported to the
disciples that they had seen him alive, their words seemed to the
Apostles as "idle talk" (Luke 24:11). So when Peter and John ran to
the tomb and found not his body, they simply believed that it had been
taken away by some one, and not at all that he had risen from the
dead, for as yet they knew not the truth that he must rise (John
20:9).
#152.# _Fourth truth._ When the women were convinced that the Lord was
really risen, still the men remained unconvinced. The two on their way
to Emmaus did not recognize him, for they never thought that it could
be he. Peter seems to have been convinced when the Lord appeared to
him, but in that upper chamber, when they all (excepting Thomas) saw
him, still they would not believe that it was really he, but thought
that they saw a spirit (Luke 24:36-40). It took physical demonstration
to prove to these men that he was really in their presence. No, they
were not the "credulous" men that the critics would have us believe.
#153.# _Fifth truth._ But as yet Thomas would not believe, and a whole
week of arguing on the part of the other disciples did not move him.
It took the personal appearance of the Master himself to convince
Thomas that the others had not been deceived (John 20:24-29). All this
is proof positive that the critics are wrong in this matter and that
the evangelists are telling the simple truth about the physical
resurrection of our blessed Lord.
#154.# _Sixth truth._ If the body had not risen, but was still in the
grave, it would have been easy for the Jews to disprove the story of
the physical resurrection. All they would have had to do was to say,
"Here we have the body, and to talk of resurrection under these
circumstances is absurd." The concocted falsehood (Matt. 28:11-15)
shows that the body was not in the grave. But for the disciples to
steal it while the Roman soldiers were on guard was absolutely
impossible. This is why money had to be given to the soldiers, and
they made sure that Pilate would be "fixed" also, and so the soldiers
be saved from punishment.
#155. The Conclusion.#--No, the arguments offered to convince us that
Jesus' body did not rise are all based on unbelief, and buttressed by
false presentation of the whole case. To all these we simply respond,
"Now IS Christ risen from the dead."
The appearances of the Master, given in their order, so far as we can
arrange it, are as follows:
1. To Mary at the tomb (John 20:11-18).
2. To the women as they were returning from the empty tomb (Matt.
28:9).
3. To Peter (Luke 24:34).
4. To the two walking to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-33).
5. To the ten in the upper chamber (Luke 24:36-48).
6. To the eleven in the upper chamber (John 20:26-29).
7. To James (1 Cor. 15:7).
8. To the seven, at the Sea of Galilee (John 21:1-25).
9. To the five hundred brethren in a mountain in Galilee (1 Cor.
15:6).
10. To the Apostles in Jerusalem (Acts 1).
To these may be added his appearances to Paul, to Stephen, and to John
on the Isle of Patmos.
#156. The Ascension.#--At last we come to the final scene. We are on
the Mount of Olives. He is there, and with him the eleven. As he
blesses them, lo, he begins to ascend. In rapt amazement they gaze on
his disappearing figure. Then a cloud intervenes, and he is lost to
their sight. Still they gaze, hoping once more to see him, when they
are aware that two strangers are with them. These men say to them that
this same Jesus will return again in like manner as they have just
seen him go. Satisfied with this message, they return to Jerusalem,
there to tarry until they be endued with that power of which the
Master had just spoken to them. How this power came and the results of
its coming we shall see in the lesson on the Acts of the Apostles.
Test Questions
What explanation of the resurrection of the Lord do some critics give?
In reply to this false contention, give the first truth.
Give the second truth.
Give the third truth.
Give the fourth truth.
Give the fifth truth.
Give the sixth truth.
Mention in their order the various appearances of our Lord to his
disciples.
What other appearances may we add to these?
Describe the final ascent on the Mount of Olives.
After his ascension, where did the Apostles go?
For what did they then wait in the city of Jerusalem?
Lesson 8
The Early Church
New Testament Division--Third and Fourth Periods
#The Pivotal Events of the Book of Acts.#--Pentecost--the
bestowal of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-47). The healing power
given, as well as spiritual power (Acts 3:1-11; Acts
5:12-16). Persecution came to the disciples (Acts 4:1-22;
Acts 5:18). The great persecution (Acts 6:1 to 7:60). The
conversion of Saul of Tarsus (Acts 9:1-22; Acts 22:1-21; Acts
26:1-20). The gospel given to the Gentiles (Acts 10:3 to
11:48). Missionary work organized (Acts 13:1-3). The Council
at Jerusalem (Acts 15:1-31). The gospel crossed from Asia to
Europe (Acts 16:9). The first preaching at Philippi (Acts
16:14, 15.) Lydia the first convert. (The life of Paul is
treated more fully in the next lesson.)
#TIME.#--A. D. 30 to A. D. 51.
#PLACES.#--Jerusalem, Damascus, Caesarea, Tarsus and Cilicia, Troas,
Philippi.
#SIGNIFICANCE OF EVENTS.#--Here the gospel ceases to be local in
character and becomes universal--held no longer by national or
geographical boundaries.
Development of the Early Church
#157. Importance of the Book.#--The Acts of the Apostles is the most
important book in the New Testament, for if we were to lose one of the
Gospels, we should still have three left, and if we lost one epistle,
the others would still be ours. But if we had no "Acts," we should be
left with no story of the ascension, (except Luke 24:51) and the next
record would be Paul's letter to the Thessalonians. The whole story of
Pentecost, and the spread of the Gospel, would be lacking, and,
indeed, we should know nothing of the writer of the above-named
epistle, nor how he came to write to the church in Thessalonica. We
should have absolutely nothing to bridge over the gap between the
ascension and this letter.
[Illustration]
#158.# In the Acts there are six pivotal events, on which all the rest
of the story turns. Master these, and the whole story is clear. These
events we give as follows:
(1) _Pentecost._ This means power. It is suggestive that the Greek
word translated power (Acts 1:8) is the one from which our word
dynamite comes. Bear in mind the situation at the ascension. Here were
fishermen and common individuals, to whom was committed the carrying
of the gospel to all the world, yet they had neither education, nor
wealth, nor social position, nor political influence. What an
impossible task! What they needed, therefore, more than anything else,
was power from above. It was this that Pentecost gave them, and that,
too, in such measure that Peter won, in one day, more disciples for
his Master than the Master himself had won in three and a half years.
Thus the church was founded, and before long numbered in Jerusalem
over ten thousand persons.
(2) _Persecution._ At first persecution might seem to be a disaster to
the church. As a matter of fact, it was a great blessing. There was
danger that the believers in Jerusalem would forget that they were
told to "begin" at Jerusalem, but were to go to Judea and Samaria, and
as far as the ends of the earth. Up to the time of the persecution
that arose about Stephen there is no sign that the church did anything
outside of the City of David. So, in the providence of God, the cloud
of persecution broke on them and they were scattered abroad. Most
fortunate it is that then they did their duty, for we read that the
disciples (except the Apostles who stayed in Jerusalem), went
everywhere "preaching the Word" (Acts 8:1-4). This event marked the
beginning of that spread of the gospel that has never ceased from that
day to this, and never will cease, until the final victory is won.
Through persecution it was that God stirred up the disciples, and
forced them to do work that they seem, in their great joy over the
truth, to have neglected.
(3) _The conversion of Saul._ By far the most dangerous enemy of the
infant church was Saul of Tarsus. How he worked, and how the church
feared him, we shall see more in detail in our next lesson. Suffice it
to say here that had he continued in his first course, the whole
history of the spread of the Gospel would have been very different
from what it was. From the standpoint of the truth of God, next to
Moses, Paul was the greatest man who has ever lived. To have him on
the side of the truth, instead of against it, was a great thing for
the church of that day and for the church since that day. That which
is of the utmost importance in the conversion of Saul is the fact that
Jesus himself appeared to him, and in this way gave him, as it were,
the Master's own sanction to act as one of the Apostles. As a matter
of fact, the two most important miracles of the New Testament are the
resurrection of the Lord and the conversion of Saul of Tarsus.
(4) _The tearing down of the middle wall of partition._ This took
place in Caesarea, and to Peter was given the great privilege of
tearing this wall down. What was this wall? (Eph. 2:14.) It was one
divinely built centuries before. Up to the experience at Caesarea (Acts
10) no Gentile might come into the church of God, excepting by way of
the Gate of the Proselyte. He must submit to Jewish ordinances and
customs before he could be one of the Covenant People. The Apostles
themselves had no thought that the Gentiles ever could come into the
church excepting in the usual way. Without circumcision, they believed
no man could be acceptable to God. Now the time had come when this
"middle wall" must come down, and to Peter was given the high
privilege of accomplishing this task. But to convince Peter that the
command was of Divine origin, it was needful for God to perform a
double miracle, the like of which had never been seen. Therefore to
Peter on the housetop at Joppa, and to Cornelius the centurion, in
Caesarea, God gave a vision, and when the two visions were brought
together, they were found to match exactly. Then when the Holy Spirit
came to the men at Cornelius' house, Peter was convinced that the
middle wall was down, and that to the Gentiles as well as to the Jews
the door was open on condition of faith in the Messiah. In this event
and that of the church on the day of Pentecost, when Peter opened the
door of the church to 3000 Jews, we see, in part at least (and in
large part), the fulfilment of "the power of the keys" (Matt. 16:19).
To exaggerate the importance of this breaking down of the middle wall
is not possible, for had not that been done, we in this day would
still have to become Jews before we could be members of God's church
on earth. This action by Peter was afterward endorsed by the Council
at Jerusalem (Acts 15:1-31), at which the apostle rehearsed his
experiences in Caesarea.
(5) _The organizing of missionary work by the church._ This was done
in Antioch, as seen in Acts 13:1-3. In this action, guided by the Holy
Spirit, the church at Antioch became the pioneer church in missionary
labor. It is worth noting that the Holy Spirit chose for this
missionary work, not the inferior members of the church, but their
very best men. What an example to the church of later days! To this
day we need not the lesser lights for missionary work, but the great
lights of the church. Let the lesser lights burn at home, but the
great lights be sent into the outer darkness to illuminate that. This
is the Divine plan.
(6) _The crossing of the gospel from Asia to Europe._ This took place
from Troas to Philippi. It was in accord with the Divine plan (Acts
16:9). This army of invasion consisted of only four men, Paul, Silas,
Timothy, and Luke. A feeble force, as viewed from the merely human
standpoint; but a potent force viewed from the Divine position. The
story is one of the most fascinating in all history. Noteworthy it is
that in Europe the first two converts were women--Lydia was the first,
and the poor woman possessed of a spirit of divination the second
(Acts 16). This woman was under the control of a syndicate of men, who
made gain from her misfortune. In these two cases we see a kind of
prophecy of the work that the gospel does for womankind. All other
religions degrade woman. Only the Christian religion puts her where
God originally placed her, by man's side, as his helpmate.
Alas! soon half of this army of invasion finds itself in prison on
account of its beneficent work. Yet even here they make a conquest,
and before morning the jailor, who put them in the inner prison, is
himself a prisoner of the Lord Jesus Christ. An army with such a
spirit as Paul and Silas had is practically invincible. Thus, the
gospel started on its westward way, destined in due time to reach
these western shores, then as yet unknown to the eastern world.
Test Questions
Why is the Acts of the Apostles the most important book in the New
Testament?
Name the first of the six pivotal events recorded in the Acts.
To what danger was the early church exposed?
About how many members did the church in Jerusalem have before the
persecution broke out?
Name the second pivotal event in the Acts.
How did the scattered disciples show their great loyalty to the truth?
Give the third pivotal event in the Acts.
What fact in the conversion of Saul is of the utmost importance?
Give the fourth pivotal event.
What was this middle wall of partition?
What was there remarkable in the miracles that God wrought to convince
Peter that he was to tear the wall down?
Name the fifth pivotal event in the Acts.
What kind of men did the Holy Spirit choose for missionaries?
Give the sixth pivotal event in the Acts.
What significance is there in the first conversions in Europe?
What notable victory did Paul and Silas gain in prison?
Lesson 9
The Life of Paul
New Testament Division--Third Period (Concluded)
PRINCIPAL EVENTS
#His Early Life.#--Born (as Saul) at Tarsus, in Cilicia (Acts
22:3), the date of his birth not being known. His trade was
that of tentmaking (Acts 18:3), and this he found useful
later (1 Cor. 4:12). He was educated under Gamaliel, a noted
Rabbi (Acts 22:3; 5:34).
#His First Appearance# in the gospel story is at the stoning
of Stephen (Acts 8:3) and he became an active persecutor of
Christians (Acts 9:1; 26:10, 11; 9:13).
#His Conversion# took place on the road to Damascus (Acts
9:1-22; 22:3-13; 26:9-18). He went to Arabia (Gal. 1:15-17)
and worked in Syria and Cilicia (Gal. 1:21). He was brought
by Barnabas to Antioch (Acts 11:25, 26) and remained there a
year.
#His First Missionary Journey# began at Antioch (Acts 13:1-3)
and is described in Acts 13 to Acts 15:35, when a return to
Antioch was made. He was stoned at Lystra (Acts 14:8-19) and
made a number of disciples (Acts 14:20-24).
#His Second Missionary Journey# began at Antioch, where he
and Barnabas disagreed (Acts 15:36-40) and is recorded in
Acts 15 to 18:22. Timothy joined him (Acts 16:1-3), he heard
the call of need from Macedonia; crossing to Europe (Acts
16:8-10) he planted churches (Acts 17:1-9; 18:1-17) and again
returned to Antioch.
#His Third Missionary Journey# began at Antioch, and is
recorded in Acts 18:23 to Acts 21:26. It included a stay of
three months in Greece, and ended at Jerusalem, where he made
a report of his Gentile ministry (Acts 21:15-26).
#His Voyage to Rome# began with arrest in Jerusalem (Acts
21:27-36). A plot to kill Paul failed (Acts 23:12-14). He
was sent to Caesarea and appeared before the Roman rulers
(Acts 24, 25, 26), remaining there over two years (Acts
24:27). He suffered shipwreck (Acts 27:1-44), but reached
Rome at last (Acts 28:1-31).
#His Sufferings# are outlined in 2 Corinthians 11:25-28.
#TIME.#--About A. D. 2 to A. D. 63.
#PLACES.#--Tarsus, Jerusalem, Arabia, Damascus, Antioch, Cyprus,
Perga, Antioch in Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra, Derbe, Malta, Galatia,
Troas, Corinth, Athens, Caesarea, Rome. (Details of Paul's journeys
are given in the Appendix.)
#SIGNIFICANCE OF EVENTS.#--Paul bequeathed to his Christian posterity
the record of a life unreservedly consecrated to service and a series
of letters which set forth the philosophy of Christian belief in a
manner that for simplicity and depth has never been surpassed.
[Illustration]
Paul--Persecutor and Preacher
#159. His Birthplace.#--Saul was born in Tarsus in Cilicia, which was
one of the university cities of that day. Unlike John the Baptist,
therefore, Saul was a city-bred man, and this urban influence is seen
in the illustrations of truth that he loves to use. They deal largely
with city life. The influence, too, of a city is apparent in his
mental make-up, for no one like Saul could be brought up in a
university town without feeling the influence of his environment.
#160. His Age.#--Exactly when he was born is not known. But all seem
to agree that it was about the same time as our Lord, so that when
Jesus was playing in the streets of Nazareth, Saul may have been
playing in the streets of Tarsus. His parents evidently intended that
he should be a rabbi, but before he went to Jerusalem, there to
continue his studies, they had him learn the trade of a tentmaker
(Acts 18:3). This trade was most useful to him in later days (1 Cor.
4:12). In Jerusalem he was under the instruction of a noted teacher
named Gamaliel, (Acts 5:34), and Saul names him as his teacher in Acts
22:3.