{"collection":"scripture-revelation","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_31350/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_31350","id":"gutenberg_31350","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/31350","summary":null,"tags":["Category: History - Religious","Category: Religion/Spirituality","Paul, the Apostle, Saint"],"text":"Produced by Al Haines\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBIBLE STUDIES\n\nIN THE LIFE OF PAUL\n\n\nHISTORICAL AND CONSTRUCTIVE\n\n\n\nBY\n\nREV. HENRY T. SELL, D.D.\n\n\nAuthor of \"Supplemental Bible Studies,\" \"Bible Study by Books,\"\n  \"Bible Study by Doctrines,\" \"Bible Study by Periods,\"\n    and \"Bible Studies in the Life of Christ.\"\n\n\n\n\nCHICAGO NEW YORK TORONTO\n\nFLEMING H. REVELL COMPANY\n\nLONDON & EDINBURGH\n\n\n\n\nCOPYRIGHT, 1904\n\nBY FLEMING H. REVELL COMPANY\n\n\n  Chicago: 63 Washington Street\n  New York: 158 Fifth Avenue\n  Toronto: 27 Richmond Street, W.\n  London: 21 Paternoster Square\n  Edinburgh: 30 St. Mary Street\n\n\n\n\nPREFACE\n\nThe book of Acts shows in a very graphic way the\nrapid growth and marvelous progress of Christianity in\nthe midst of great opposition.  We see in process of\nfulfillment the promise of Jesus Christ to his disciples that\nthey should receive power after the Holy Ghost had come\nupon them and that they should be witnesses unto Him\n\"both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria and\nunto the uttermost part of the earth.\"  Those were\nearnest times and full of stirring events, when men went forth\nto conquer a hostile world not with swords, but by the\npreaching of a gospel of peace and good will.  As soon as\nthis proclamation was made in Judea and Samaria a new\ninstrument was chosen by Jesus Christ, in Paul, to carry\nHis message to the uttermost part of the earth.  He\nthus became at once the chief character in the larger work\nof planting and developing churches outside of Palestine.\nThe study of Paul's life shows the difficulties encountered,\nthe doctrines taught, and the organization perfected in the\nearly churches.  \"We here watch the dawn of the gospel\nwhich the Savior preached as it broadens gradually into\nthe boundless day.\"\n\nBible Studies in the Life of Paul is designed to follow\nthe author's Bible Studies in the Life of Christ and to\nshow the work of the Great Apostle in carrying the\ngospel to a Gentile world.  The aim is to present the work\nof Paul in a constructive and historical way.  While there\nhas been a careful consideration, on the part of the author,\nof disputed questions, only conclusions upon which there\nis a general agreement amongst scholars, and which can be\nconsistently held, are presented.  The great main facts of\nPaul's life and work stand forth unchallenged and the\nemphasis is placed upon them.  This book is divided into\nthree parts, Paul's preparation for his work, his missionary\njourneys, and his writings.  This is a text book, and,\nwith the analysis of each study and questions, is prepared\nfor the use of normal and advanced Sunday-school classes,\nteachers' meetings, schools, colleges, and private study.\nThis is the sixth book of the kind which the author has\nprepared and sent forth.  The large favor with which the\nother books have been received, and the desire, first of all,\nof making the life and work of Paul even better known,\nhave been the motives which have led to its preparation.\n\nCHICAGO, ILL.\n\nHENRY T. SELL.\n\n\n\n\nCONTENTS\n\n\n        I.  PAUL'S PREPARATION\n\nSTUDY\n\n    I.  Early Life\n   II.  Conversion\n\n\n        II.  PAUL'S JOURNEYS\n\n  III.  First Missionary Journey\n   IV.  Second Missionary Journey\n    V.  Third Missionary Journey\n   VI.  Jerusalem to Rome\n\n\n        III.  PAUL'S WRITINGS\n\n  VII.  The Future of Christ's Kingdom\n VIII.  The Old Faiths and the New\n   IX.  The Supremacy of Christ\n    X.  Pastoral and Personal\n\n\n\n\nI.  PAUL'S PREPARATION\n\n\nSTUDY I\n\nEARLY LIFE\n\n\nANALYSIS\n\n+The Place of Paul+--The Man.  The Work of the Apostle.  The\nLeading Thought.\n\n+Birth+--Place.  Time.  Family.\n\n+Training+--Home.  Mental, Moral and Religious.  Industrial.\n\n+The World as Paul Saw It+--The World.  Political.  Religious.\nThe Difficulties.\n\n\n\n\nBible Studies in the Life of Paul\n\n\nI.  PAUL'S PREPARATION\n\n\nSTUDY I\n\nEARLY LIFE\n\nTHE PLACE OF PAUL\n\n+The Man, Paul,+ judged by the influence he has\nexerted in the world, is one of the greatest characters in\nall history.  He is pre-eminent not only as a missionary,\nbut as a marvelous thinker and writer.  \"He was\na personality of vast power, force, and individuality.\"  There\nare some men who seem to be born and prepared\nto do a large work for the world; Paul makes the impression\nupon those who carefully read the record of his life\nthat he stands first in this class of men.\n\n+The Work of the Apostle.+--As John the Baptist\npreceded Christ and prepared the way for His coming, so\nPaul succeeded Christ and went throughout the heathen\nworld proclaiming that the Christ had come, and calling\nupon all men, Jews and Gentiles, to repent and accept\nHim as their Lord and Savior.  So wide was his work as\na missionary of the cross, and an interpreter of the Christ,\nthat a certain class of critics have sought to make him the\ncreator of Christianity, as we know it; a position which\nPaul would be the first to repudiate.  He sought of\nhimself, before he was apprehended by Christ on the way to\nDamascus, to drive Christianity from the face of the\nearth.\n\n+The Leading Thought+ in Paul's mind, after his\nconversion, was personal devotion to Christ; this was the\nmainspring of every act.  He said, \"I am crucified with\nChrist: nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth\nin me\": (Gal. 2:20).  \"For me to live is Christ\"\n(Phil. 1:21).  In his letters to the churches which he founded,\nthere are found no picturesque descriptions of cities or of\nscenery; his one thought is to make known the Christ.\nHe says, writing to the Corinthian church, \"and I,\nbrethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of\nspeech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of\nGod.  For I determined not to know anything among\nyou, save Jesus Christ and Him crucified\" (1 Cor. 2:1,\n2).  In the evangelization of the heathen world, for\nwhich task he had been set apart by the Holy Spirit\n(Acts 13:2) and which he had accepted with all his heart,\nit is not only his leading, but his only thought to make\nknown Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.\n\nTo miss this supreme purpose of Paul in the study of\nhis life is to miss its whole significance (Phil. 2:1-11;\nCol. 1:12-20).\n\n\nBIRTH\n\n+Place.+--The world is interested in the birthplaces of\nits great men.  Some of these birthplaces are in doubt.\nThere is no doubt about the place in which Paul was\nborn.  He says, in making a speech to the Jews, \"I am\nverily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in\nCilicia\" (Acts 22:3).  This city was the capital of\nCilicia and was situated in the southeastern part of Asia\nMinor.  It was but a few miles from the coast and was\neasily accessible from the Mediterranean sea by a navigable\nriver.  A large commerce was controlled by the\nmerchants, on sea and on land.  Tarsus, while one of three\nuniversity centers of the period, ranking with Athens and\nAlexandria, was an exceedingly corrupt city.  It was the\nchief seat of \"a special Baal worship of an imposing but\nunspeakably degrading character.\"\n\n+Time.+--The date of Paul's birth is nowhere recorded,\nbut from certain dates given in the Acts, from which we\nreckon back, it is thought that he was born about the\nsame time as Jesus Christ.\n\n+Family.+--We are left, in this matter, without any\nuncertainty.  Paul says, \"I am a Pharisee, the son of a\nPharisee\" (Acts 23:6).  I was \"circumcised the eighth\nday, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an\nHebrew of the Hebrews, as touching the law, a Pharisee\"\n(Phil. 3:5).  Paul's father and mother were Jews\nof the stricter sort.  The expression which Paul uses, \"An\nHebrew of the Hebrews\" is very significant.  The Jews\nof the Dispersion were known at this time as Hebrews\nand Hellenists.  The Hebrews clung to the Hebrew\ntongue and followed Hebrew customs.  The Hellenists\nspoke Greek by preference and adopted, more or less,\nGreek views and civilization.  Paul had a married sister\nwho lived in Jerusalem (Acts 23:16) and relatives in Rome\n(Rom. 16:7, 11).\n\n\nTRAINING\n\n+Home.+--The instruction received in the home has often\nmore influence and is more lasting than any other.  Paul\nreceived the usual thorough training of the Jew boy\naccentuated in his case, in all probability, by the open iniquity\nwhich was daily practised in his native city.  We never\nhear him expressing any regret that he received such\nthorough religious instruction at the hands of his parents.\n\n+Mental, Moral, and Religious.+--Good teachers were\nemployed to instruct the boy, who was afterwards to make\nsuch a mark in the world.  After going through the\nschool, under the care of the synagogue at Tarsus, he\nwas sent to Jerusalem to complete his education.  Paul,\nspeaking in this chief Jewish city, says, I was \"brought\nup in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught\naccording to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers\"\n(Acts 22:3).  It is very evident that He had a profound\nknowledge of the Scriptures from the large use he makes\nof them in his Epistles.  He seems also to have been\nquite well acquainted with Greek philosophy and\nliterature.  He quotes from the Greek poets, Aratus,\nEpimenides, and Menander.  No man ever studied men and the\nmotives which actuate them more than he.  His inward\nlife was pure (Acts 23:1; 24:16).  Paul differed from\nChrist in that he was a man who sought the cities and\ndrew his illustrations from them, while Christ was much\nin the country and drew his illustrations from country life.\nBut in this study of and work for the city Paul was but\ncarrying out the commands of Christ.\n\n+Industrial.+--It was required of every Jew father that\nhis boy should learn some trade by which he might\nsupport himself should necessity require it.  It was a\ncommon Jewish proverb that \"he who taught his son no trade\ntaught him to be a thief.\"  Paul was taught the trade of\ntent making.  \"The hair of the Cicilian goats was used\nto make a cloth which was especially adapted for tents for\ntravelers, merchants, and soldiers.\"  He afterwards\nfound this trade very useful in his missionary work\n(Acts 18:3; 20:34; 1 Cor. 4:12; 1 Thess. 2:9; 2 Thess. 3:8).\n\n\nTHE WORLD AS PAUL SAW IT\n\n+This World+ was very different from the world as we\nsee it to-day.  This makes it difficult for us to appreciate\nhis work at its full value.  Now, Christianity is the great\nreligion of the world; then it was unknown, outside a very\nlimited circle of believers.  The state and society were\norganized upon a different basis and were in strong\nopposition to the new religion.\n\n+Political.+--The world was under the dominion of the\nRomans.  They, in conquering it, broke down the\nbarriers that had separated tribe from tribe and nation from\nnation.  Yet it was a comparatively small world for all\ninterests centered about the Mediterranean Sea.  Before\nthe Romans the Greeks had been in possession of a part\nof this world and had permeated and penetrated the whole\nof it, with their art, language, and commerce.  With the\nupheavals of war and the tribulations that had befallen\nthe Jews, they were everywhere scattered abroad and had\ntheir synagogues in most of the cities.\n\n+Religious.+--For the Romans, Greeks, and conquered\nnations and tribes, it was an age of scepticism.  While the\ngods and goddesses in the great heathen temples still had\ntheir rites and ceremonies observed yet the people, to a\nlarge degree, had ceased to believe in them.  The Roman\nwriters of the period are agreed in the slackening of\nreligious ties and of moral restraints.  Yet it was the policy\nof the state to maintain the worship of the gods and\ngoddesses.  Any attack upon them or their worship was\nregarded as an offense against the state.\n\n+The Difficulties+ of the situation were threefold: (a)\nTo seek to overturn the religion of the state constituted\nan offense which was punishable by stripes and imprisonment;\n(b) To rebuke men's sins and the evils of the times\nstirred up bitter opposition on their part; (c) To proclaim\na crucified and risen Christ as the Messiah to the Jews,\nwhen they expected a great conquering hero, often excited\nand put them in a rage.\n\nThat Paul could preach Christ and establish churches,\nunder all the opposition that he encountered, shows how\nfully and implicitly he believed in his Lord.\n\n\nQUESTIONS\n\nWhat impression has the man, Paul, made upon the world?\nWhat was his work as an apostle?  What his leading thought?\nWhere is the place of his birth?  What can be said of his family?\nHow was he educated and trained, in the home, in school, and for\na trade?  What was the political and religious condition of the\nworld as Paul saw it?  What were the three difficulties in the way\nof his work in preaching Christ?\n\n\n\n\nI.  PAUL'S PREPARATION\n\n\nSTUDY II\n\nCONVERSION\n\n\nANALYSIS\n\n+Paul the Persecutor+--Order of Events.  The Inevitable Conflict.\nCruelty of the Persecutor.\n\n+Conversion+--Cause.  Effects (physical, mental and spiritual,\npenalty, relief to the Christians, triumph of Christ, and estimates\nof the results).\n\n+Period of Waiting+--Retirement of Paul.  Reasons.  The Gospel\nfor the Gentiles.  Paul Brought to Antioch.\n\n\n\n\nI.  PAUL'S PREPARATION\n\n\nSTUDY II\n\nCONVERSION\n\nPAUL, THE PERSECUTOR\n\n+Order of Events.+--It seems to be quite evident, when\nPaul finished his studies in Jerusalem, that he left the city\nand engaged in work somewhere else, during the years\nwhen John the Baptist and Jesus were preaching and\nteaching.  In all probability he did not return until after\nthe crucifixion and resurrection of Christ.\n\nPaul first appears in the narrative of the Acts, under\nthe name of Saul, at the martyrdom of Stephen, where he\ntakes charge of the clothes of the witnesses (Acts\n7:58, 59).\n\nFrom the Ascension of Christ to the martyrdom of\nStephen is an important period in the history of the infant\nchurch.  On and after the day of Pentecost (Acts 2) the\napostles and followers of the risen Lord assumed a very\nbold attitude.  They did not hesitate to speak openly in\nthe temple (Acts 3:12-16) of the crime of putting \"The\nPrince of Life\" to death and asserted that He was risen\nfrom the dead.  The priests and Sadducees strongly\nobjected to this kind of preaching (Acts 4), laid hands upon\nthe preachers, and put them in prison.  When they were\nexamined the next day before (Acts 4:5-13) the Jewish\ntribunal, the apostles spoke even more boldly of Jesus and\nhis resurrection and refused to be silenced (Acts 4:13-20,\n33).  Again an attempt was made to stop the preaching\nof the apostles, but they refused to keep still (Acts\n5:16-33).  A remarkable prison deliverance by the \"Angel\nof the Lord\" (Acts 5:19, 20) gave them great courage in\nproclaiming \"all the words of this life.\"\n\nAt this point Gamaliel (Acts 5:34-42) proposes in the\nJewish council a new policy, which was to let the followers\nof Christ alone, arguing that then they would speedily\ngive up their preaching.  This policy was adopted (Acts\n5:40).  But with the election of Stephen as a deacon\n(Acts 6:1-8) the followers of Christ began to multiply\nwith great rapidity and it was soon seen that \"the\nlet-alone policy\" was a mistake (Acts 6:9-15).  Persecution\nagain breaks out which results in the death of Stephen\n(Acts 7), the bringing out of Saul as the arch persecutor,\nand the scattering of the church (Acts 8:1-4).\n\n+The Inevitable Conflict.+--Had the early Christians\nbeen content to have proclaimed Jesus Christ to be but a\ngreat teacher and prophet, they would in all probability\nhave become a Jewish sect and been speedily lost to sight.\nBut extraordinary claims were put forth that Jesus Christ\nwas the promised Messiah (Acts 2:25-40), the Son of\nGod (Acts 3:26), the Forgiver of sins (Acts 2:38; 5:31),\nthat He was risen from the dead (Acts 4:33), that\nobedience to Him was above that to the Jewish rulers (Acts\n4:18-20), that the Jews had wickedly slain Christ (Acts\n3:14, 15), and that salvation was only through Him\n(Acts 4:12).  Further than this they wrought miracles in\nthe name of Jesus Christ (Acts 3:2-8, 16; 2:43; 5:12).\n\nIt was very soon plainly seen that Christianity could\nkeep no truce, and proposed to keep no truce, which\ncalled in question or denied the supremacy of Christ.\n\n+The Cruelty of the Persecutor.+--To a man of Paul's\ntemperament and zeal there could be no half way measures\nin a case like this.  He could not be content to bide his\ntime.  Either the claims of Christ were true or false.  If\nfalse, then they were doing harm and His doctrine and\nteaching must be eradicated at any cost.  All the aggressive\nforces of the Jews found a champion in this Saul of\nTarsus.  Drastic measures were at once inaugurated.\nThere was to be no more temporizing.  The cruelty and\nthoroughness of the persecutor, in his work, are shown in\nhis instituting a house to house canvass seeking for the\nChristians and sparing neither age nor sex (Acts 8:1, 3).\n\nIn the first persecutions the Jews had been content to\narrest and imprison those who publicly preached Christ,\nbut now the policy was changed and Christianity was to\nbe exterminated root and branch.  All believers in Christ\nwere to be hunted out.\n\nThe character of Saul, the arch persecutor, is shown\nin the characterization of him by Luke, when he\nrepresented him as breathing out, \"threatenings and slaughter\nagainst the disciples of the Lord\" (Acts 9:1).\n\n\nCONVERSION\n\n+Cause.+--The book of the Acts, opened at one place,\nshows a fierce hater and persecutor of the Christians (8:3),\nopened at another place it shows this same persecutor as\nan ardent and enthusiastic preacher of the faith in Jesus\nChrist (13:16-39)  We seek for the cause of this\nremarkable change.  Luke tells us that Saul was on his way to\nDamascus, seeking victims for his persecuting zeal, when\nJesus suddenly appeared to him and Saul was changed\nfrom a persecutor to a believer in Christ (Acts 9:3-7).\nThe account is very brief.  For an event which has had\nsuch tremendous results, the narrator is very reticent; a\nlight from heaven, a voice speaking, and a person\ndeclaring that He is Jesus.  Paul gives us two accounts of his\nconversion and how it took place (Acts 22:6-15;\n26:12-18).  The men who were with Paul saw a light\nand heard a voice, but not what was said.  It is\nimpossible to describe or exaggerate what took place in Paul's\nmind in those brief moments while Jesus talked to him;\nbut his beliefs, and his whole life plan were radically\nchanged.  It had been well if no explanation of this\nconversion had been attempted and the great fact had been\nleft to stand as it does in the Acts.  Attempts, however,\nhave been made to minimize the power of this conversion\nand the marvelous and sudden change it wrought in the\ncharacter and life of Paul.  Some critics seeking a natural,\nrather than a supernatural, cause have attributed to Paul\ncertain compunctions of conscience and misgivings about\nhis persecution of the Christians, together with a hot day\nand a certain temperament, which led him to have a\nsubjective experience, which he thought was real.  But there\nis no recorded evidence forthcoming that Paul ever had\nany compunctions of conscience about persecuting the\nChristians.  Paul was an honest man to the very core of\nhis being; in the two accounts he gives us of this\nconversion, and in incidental references to it, he never even\nhints at any such state of mind.  The expression used by\nJesus, \"It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks\"\n(Acts 9-5), of which so much has been made, means no\nmore than that Saul's opposition and hard work against\nthe Christians (Acts 8:3; 9:1), would be of no avail.  In\ndoing what he did Paul thought he was doing God's\nservice.  Again the language which Paul uses and the\nreferences which he makes to this appearance of Christ forbid\nus to think that it was only a mere vision of Christ which\nhe saw.  \"He ranks it as the last of the appearances of\nthe risen Savior to His disciples and places it on the same\nlevel as the appearances to Peter, to James, to the eleven,\nand to the five hundred\" (1 Cor. 15:1-8).  In these\nappearances Jesus had eaten with his disciples and been\ntouched by them (John 20:24-31; Luke 24:36-43),\nappearing as a real being, according to the narrative.\n\n\"It was the appearance to Paul of the risen Lord,\nwhich made him a Christian, gave him a gospel to preach,\nand sent him forth as the apostle of the Gentiles.\"\n\nThe time of Paul's conversion was about 36 A.D.\n\n+Effects.+--There is no question as to the very marked\nresults which followed the appearance of the risen Lord\nto Saul on the way to Damascus.\n\n1.  Physical.  He was smitten with blindness (Acts\n9:8), and was without food for three days (Acts 9:9).\nHis sight was restored by Ananias at the command of the\nLord (Acts 9:15-18).\n\n2.  Mental and spiritual.  His whole outlook upon life\nand its significance was changed.  He received baptism\nand was filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 9:17).  From\nbeing a persecutor he became an enthusiastic witness for\nChrist (Acts 9:20-22).\n\n3.  Penalty.  The consequences of his former course\nof action were visited upon him; for the Jews sought to\nkill him and the disciples of Christ were at first afraid of\nhim (Acts 9:23-26).  But Barnabas vouched for his\nsincerity (Acts 9:27).\n\n4.  The relief to the Christians at Damascus, when\nSaul was converted, was very great.  They had looked\nforward to his coming with dread.\n\n5.  The triumph of Christ.  In Paul Christianity won\nits most efficient missionary and, next to Christ, its\ngreatest thinker, preacher, and teacher.\n\n6.  The estimates of the results of this conversion of\nSaul cannot be too large; they are world wide.\n\n\nPERIOD OF WAITING\n\n+Retirement of Paul.+--From the conversion of Paul\n(Acts 9:3-7) to his call to the missionary work (Acts\n13:2) is a period of about ten years.  During this time\nwe have only incidental notices of him and what he was\ndoing.  When we think of it there is nothing strange in\nthis retirement.  It is the divine method, as in the case of\nMoses, when a man is to do a very large work for God\nthat he should be well prepared for it.  The chief\nscripture notices of this period of retirement are found in\nActs 9:19-30; Gal. 1:15-24; (Acts 11:25-30; 12:25).\nFrom these notices it is quite plain: (a) That Paul retired\ninto Arabia.  (b) That he preached in Damascus and\nJerusalem, but was compelled to flee from both cities on\naccount of the persecutions of the Jews, who sought his\nlife.  (c) That he went to Tarsus and \"into the regions of\nSyria and Cilicia.\"  (d) That he came to Antioch, where\nthere was a great revival (Acts 11:25-30), at the\nsolicitation of Barnabas.  Luke in his account (Acts 9:19-30)\ndoes not mention the trip to Arabia spoken of by Paul in\nhis epistle to the Galatians (1:15-24).  It must be\nremembered however that each is writing from a\ndifferent point of view.  Luke is a historian recording only the\nmost salient facts and passing over the mention of many\nevents.  We see this in the compression in eight and a\nhalf short chapters of the events of the three missionary\njourneys.  Paul writing to the Galatians is anxious to\nestablish the fact that he received his commission, as an\napostle, not from man, but from Christ himself (Gal. 1:1);\nhence he enters more into details and we get from him the\ninside view.  The accounts of Luke and Paul if read\ncarefully, keeping in mind all the circumstances, are seen not\nto be in any way antagonistic, but to supplement each other.\n\n+Reasons.+--Many reasons have been given for the\nretirement of Paul to Arabia, and what seems to be the\nperiod of comparative inactivity that followed it.\n\n1.  Fierce opposition on the part of the Jews whenever\nPaul attempted to preach, as in the cities of Damascus\nand Jerusalem.\n\n2.  A preparation of mind and heart for his great\nwork.  As a thinker he needed to look upon all sides of\nthe gospel, which he was afterwards to preach so\neffectively to the Gentiles.\n\n3.  A careful rereading of the Old Testament.  As a\nJew he had read the Scriptures in one way, now he reread\nthem seeing Christ there.\n\n4.  System of doctrine.  He may at this time have\nwrought out that magnificent system of Christian doctrine\nwhich he afterwards presented to the churches in his\nEpistles.\n\n+The Gospel for the Gentiles.+--While Paul was waiting\nfor the call to his great missionary work there came a\nnew crisis in the history of the early church, and a new\nera was inaugurated.  In the tenth and eleventh chapters\nof the book of Acts Luke tells us of the conversion of the\nGentile Cornelius, \"a centurion of the band called the\nItalian band\" (Acts 10:1-8), and of the instructions given\nto Peter to receive him (Acts 10:9-44).\n\nCornelius was the first Gentile convert and we note\nhere the beginning of the preaching of the gospel to the\nGentiles, which was to have such large results.  \"The\nday of Pentecost, the conversion of Saul of Tarsus, the\ncall of Cornelius and the foundation of the Gentile church\nat Antioch are, if we are to pick and choose amid the\nevents related by Luke, the turning points of the earliest\necclesiastical history.\"  How great and epoch making was\nthis new departure of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles,\nand receiving them into the church, is shown in the\neleventh chapter of the Acts (11:1-18) where, when Peter\ngoes up to Jerusalem, he is put on the defensive and\ncompelled to explain why he received Cornelius into the\nchurch.  When however the matter was fully explained\nthe early disciples rejoiced over the fact that to the\nGentiles was granted by God repentance unto life (Acts 11:18).\n\n+Paul Brought to Antioch+ by Barnabas, on account of\nthe revival that had broken out in that city, is another\nstep which he takes up to his work as the great missionary\nto the Gentiles (Acts 11:25-26).  It was here that the\ndisciples were first called Christians (Acts 11:26).  It\nwas from this city that Paul went forth on his missionary\njourneys and it was here that he returned (Acts 13:1-3;\n14:26; 15:24-41; 18:22; 18:23).\n\n\"Antioch was the capital of the Greek kingdom of\nSyria, and afterwards the residence of the Roman\ngovernor of the province.  It was made a free city by Pompey\nthe Great, and contained an aqueduct, amphitheater,\nbaths, and colonnades.  It was situated on the Orontes\nabout twenty miles from the mouth of the river.  Its\nsea-port was Seleucia.  It was intimately connected with\napostolic Christianity.  Here the first Gentile church was\nformed\" (Acts 11:20, 21).\n\n\nQUESTIONS\n\nGive the order of events which led to the persecution in\nwhich Paul was so prominent.  Why was the conflict between\nChristianity and Judaism inevitable?  What can be said of the\ncruelty of Paul, the persecutor?  Give the cause of Paul's\nconversion.  What were some of the effects?  What can be said of the\nperiod of waiting; the retirement of Paul?  What are some of\nthe probable reasons for this retirement?  What can be said about\nthe beginning of the gospel to the Gentiles?  By whom was Paul\nbrought to Antioch and for what purpose?  In what relation does\nAntioch stand to the missionary journeys of Paul?\n\n\n\n\nII.  PAUL'S JOURNEYS\n\n_Acts 13:1-28:31_\n\n\nSTUDY III\n\nFIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY\n\n_Scripture, Acts 13:1-14:26_\n\nANALYSIS\n\n+Introduction to the Three Missionary Journeys+--The call.  The\nSignificance.  Extent and Time.  The Record.  Other Long\nJourneys.  Method of Work and Support.  The Message.\n\n+The First Journey+--Preparation.  Companions.  Paul Comes to\nthe Front.  Time and Extent.  Rulers.\n\n+The Itinerary+--Salamis.  Paphos.  Perga.  Antioch.  Iconium.\nLystra and Derbe.  The Return Journey.\n\n+The Jerusalem Council+--One Problem of the Early Church.  The\nDecision of the Council.\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration: Outline map illustrating the first and second\nmissionary journeys of Paul.]\n\n\n\n\nII.  PAUL'S JOURNEYS\n\n_Acts 13:1-38:31_\n\n\nSTUDY III\n\nFIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY\n\n_Scripture, Acts 13:1-14:26_\n\nINTRODUCTION TO THE THREE MISSIONARY JOURNEYS\n\nBefore taking up the study of the first missionary\njourney, attention is called to certain points which should be\nconsidered in regard to all three of them (Acts 13:1-21:17).\n\nWe have now arrived at what we might call the watershed\nof the Acts of the Apostles.  Hitherto we have had\nvarious scenes, characters, personages to consider.\nHenceforth Paul, his labors, his disputes, his speeches, occupy\nthe entire field, and every other man who is introduced\ninto the narrative plays a subordinate part.\n\nOur attention is now turned from the Jewish world,\nconsidered so largely in the first twelve chapters of the\nActs, to the heathen world and the struggle which Paul\nand his fellow laborers had with it, in bringing it to Christ.\n\n+The Call+ to this work was by the Holy Ghost in the\ncity of Antioch (Acts 13:1-4).  Luke says, \"As they\nministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Ghost said,\nseparate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I\nhave called them\" (Acts 13:2, 4).  Contrast this with\nthe beginning of the work in Jerusalem which was also\ninaugurated by the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost\n(Acts 1:14; 2:1-4).  This call was in accordance with\nwhat Jesus had told his disciples before His ascension\n(Acts 1:8).\n\nThe agency of the Holy Ghost in directing and\npromoting this missionary work is very manifest (Acts\n13:2, 4, 9, 52; 15:8, 28; 16:6; 19:2, 6; 20:23, 28;\n21:11; 28:25).\n\n+The Significance+ and importance of these journeys\ncannot be overestimated.  It is probable, when the call\ncame, that Paul had but little idea of their magnitude and\nthat in the end they would result in changing not only the\nreligion, but the philosophy and civilization of the world.\n\n+Extent and Time.+--It is estimated that the first\njourney was 1,400 miles long, the second 3,200, and the\nthird 3,500, making 8,100 miles traveled by Paul.\nThe time occupied for the three journeys was about\nten years.\n\n+The Record+ of the three missionary journeys, is briefly\ncomprised in eight and a half chapters (Acts 13:1-21:17),\nand it does not profess to be a complete one.  Only the\nmost striking incidents and events, and probably not all\nof these, are given.  There were side trips not recorded\nby Luke; Paul speaks of one to Illyricum (Rom. 15:19),\nand of others in which he underwent great perils (2\nCor. 11:24-27).\n\nThe purpose of Luke seems to be to show how, in\naccordance with the command and promise of Christ, the\nknowledge and power of the gospel was spread, beginning\nin Jerusalem, through Judea, and Samaria, throughout\nthe heathen world (Acts 1:8); everything seems to be\nmade to bend to this purpose.  Certainly there could be\nno more graphic and concise account of these epoch\nmaking events than that given us by this wonderful\nnarrator.\n\n+Other Long Journeys.+--1.  Paul's voyage to Rome as\na prisoner.  Luke gives a full account of this voyage, its\nmany interesting incidents (Acts 27:1-28:16), and of the\ncircumstances which led up to it (Acts 21:17-27:1).\n\n2.  There is every reason to believe that Paul was\nreleased at the end of his two years imprisonment in\nRome (Acts 28:30) and that he made an Eastern journey\nas far as Colossae and a Western journey as far as Spain.\n\nNOTE.--These last journeys are considered in chapter ten.\n\n+Method of Work and Support.+--Paul and his companion,\nor company, when they entered into a city would\nfirst seek for a lodging and then for work, going from one\ntent maker's door to another until finally a place was\nfound.  Then upon the following Sabbath they would\nseek the Jewish synagogue and after the reading of the\nScriptures, when an opportunity was given, Paul would\narise and begin to speak, (Acts 13:14-16) leading up\nthrough the Old Testament message (Acts 13:17-43) to\nthe great topic of Jesus Christ as the promised Messiah\nand closing with an exhortation to believe on Him.  Such\na speech would naturally excite great interest coming from\nthe lips of one, who by his speech and the handling of the\nOld Testament, would be recognized as a cultivated\nJewish Rabbi.  Paul would be asked to speak again the next\nSabbath (Acts 13:44-52), the synagogue would be full of\npeople and he would set forth Jesus Christ more plainly\nas the Savior both of Jew and Gentile.  This would\ngenerally be a signal for the Jews to contradict and oppose\nPaul, but some Jews would believe with a number of\nGentiles.  This would be the starting point of the\nChristian church in that community.  The Jews, however, who\nwere untouched by what Paul preached, and who looked\nupon him as the destroyer of their religion, would raise a\ncry against him and seek to have him expelled from the\ncity.  This experience was frequently repeated.  There\nwere great difficulties also to be encountered when the\nheathen thought that their worship was in danger (Acts\n19:20-30).\n\n+The Message+ which Paul bore to Jew and Gentile was\nthe moving force of all his work.  The starting point was\nthe memorable day when Jesus Christ appeared to him on\nhis way to Damascus.  Paul believed that he received his\ncommission as an apostle directly from Jesus Christ\n(Gal. 1:1-24).  The four main positions of Paul, set\nforth so plainly in his Epistle to the Romans, are: (a)\nAll are guilty before God (Jew and Gentile).  (b) All\nneed a Savior.  (c) Christ died for all.  (d) We are all\n(through faith) one body in Christ.  Paul leaves us in no\ndoubt as to how he regards Jesus Christ.  He is to him\nthe Son of God, through whom God created all things\nand who is the Divine Savior of man (Eph. 3:9-21;\nPhil. 2:9-11; Rom. 9:5).  There is no doubt, no\nhesitation on Paul's part in delivering his message.  He is a\nwitness, testifying to the glory of his Divine Lord.  He\nis a messenger who cannot alter or tamper with that which\nhas been entrusted to him.  To the rude inhabitants of\nthe mountain regions of Asia Minor, to the philosophers\nin Athens, to the Roman governors in Caesarea, to the\ndwellers in Corinth and in Rome the purport of the\nMessage is always the same.\n\n\nTHE FIRST JOURNEY\n\n_Scripture, Acts 13:1-14:28_\n\n+Preparation.+--First, on the part of Paul.  About ten\nyears have passed since his conversion.  During this time\nwe have few notices of him, but he was undoubtedly\nmaking ready for this very important work of a missionary.\nSecond, on the part of the church.  The first step\nhad already been taken, in the conversion of Cornelius, in\nthe giving of the gospel to the Gentile world.  Third,\nPaul was brought to Antioch by Barnabas to assist the\nchurch in the great revival which broke out in that second\nearly center of Christian work and teaching (Acts 11:21-26).\nFourth, the large success of the disciples who went\nthroughout Judea and Samaria, preaching the gospel, after\nthe death of Stephen (Acts 7:5-8:4; 11:19-21) made\npossible this new aggressive movement to the regions\nbeyond.  Fifth, the Christian prophets and teachers at\nAntioch \"ministered to the Lord and fasted.\"  They\ndesired to know the will of the Lord and it was made\nknown to them by the Holy Ghost.  \"And when they\nhad fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they\nsent them away.\"  \"So they being sent forth by the\nHoly Ghost, departed unto Seleucia (Acts 13:3, 4).\n\n+Companions of the Journey+, Barnabas and Saul (Acts\n13:2) and John Mark (Acts 13:5).  Barnabas has been\ncalled the discoverer of Saul.  He was probably a convert\nof the day of Pentecost.  He was a land proprietor of the\nisland of Cyprus and early showed his zeal for Christ by\nselling his land and devoting the proceeds to the cause in\nwhich he so heartily believed (Acts 4:36, 37).  He\nearly sought out and manifested, in a very practical way,\nhis friendship for Paul (Acts 9:27; 11:22, 25, 30;\n12:25).  John Mark, who started on this journey with\nBarnabas and Saul, was a nephew of Barnabas (Acts\n13:5, 13; 12:25; Col. 4:10).\n\n+Paul Comes to the Front+ when his company leave\nPaphos and ever after he has the first place (Acts 13:\n13).  Here also he is called Paul for the first time, a\nname which he retains.\n\n+Extent and Time+--This was the shortest of the three\njourneys (about 1,400 miles).  It extended over the island\nof Cyprus and a part of Asia Minor.  In time it occupied\nabout three years, 47-50 A.D.\n\n+Rulers+--Claudius was the emperor of Rome, since\n41 A.D.  Herod Agrippa was king of Chalcis, Ananias\nwas high priest in Jerusalem.\n\n\nTHE ITINERARY\n\nNOTE.--The cities, which Paul visited in this and the other\njourneys, should be located upon the map by the student.  It will\ngreatly increase the interest to consult some good Bible dictionary\nand get well acquainted also with the history of the places.\n\n\n+Salamis+, on the island of Cyprus, was the first place\nreached, after sailing from Seleucia (Acts 13:4, 5) the\nsea-port of Antioch.  It was the natural thing to go first to\nthis island as it had been the home of Barnabas and many\nJews had settled there; it was about eighty miles to the\nsouthwest of Seleucia.\n\n+Paphos.+--After passing through the island from east\nto west the missionaries came to Paphos.  This city was\nthe seat of the worship of Venus, the goddess of love.\nThis worship was carried on with the most degrading\nof immoralities.\n\nThe chief incidents in the ministry here were the\nsmiting of the Jewish sorcerer, Elymas, with blindness for his\npersistent opposition and the conversion of the deputy of\nthe country, Sergius Paulus (Acts 13:6-12).  Saul is\nfilled with an unusual power of the Spirit for his work in\nthis city and takes the name of Paul.  It is now no longer\nBarnabas and Saul, but Paul and Barnabas.\n\n+Perga in Pamphylia+--(Acts 13:13, 14).  The missionaries\ntake ship from Paphos and sail in a north-easterly\ndirection across the Mediterranean Sea to this city of Asia\nMinor.  John Mark, doubtless appalled by the difficulties\nwhich had already been experienced and now that the\njourney seemed to promise still greater hardships, left the\ncompany and returned to Jerusalem.\n\n+Antioch in Pisidia+ (Acts 13:14-52) was about ninety\nmiles directly north of Perga.  It was a good-sized city\nwith a large Jewish population.  Luke's account of this\nvisit is notable in that we have the chief points in Paul's\nspeech in the synagogue set down.  This address is worth\nstudy from the fact that it is the first sermon of Paul of\nwhich we have any record, and is probably the usual way\nin which he began his work in a great many Jewish\nsynagogues.  Paul is asked to speak to the assembled Jews.\nHe begins upon the common ground of the history of\nIsrael.  He declares the promise of a Savior.  This\nSavior is to be of the seed of David.  Then Paul sets\nforth that Jesus is the promised Savior.  He reminds\nthem of the testimony of John and of those who had seen\nJesus before and after His resurrection.  He declares\nunto them the glad tidings of a Savior.  He warns them\nof their peril in rejecting Jesus Christ.  Paul is invited to\nspeak upon the next Sabbath, but there is a division and\nthose who oppose Paul try to drive him out of their city\nwhich they finally succeed in doing.  But the Word has\nfallen into good soil and there is the beginning of a\nChristian church.\n\n+Iconium in Lycaonia+ (Acts 14:1-5) is over one\nhundred miles distant from Antioch.  The missionaries were\nnow in a country of a people with strange ways.  They\nremained here for some time and their ministry was\nattested by \"signs and wonders.\"  But again some of\nthe Jews opposed them and stirred up the multitude.  A\nplan was made by the ringleaders of the opposition to\nstone them, but being made aware of it Paul and Barnabas\n\"fled unto Derbe and Lystra.\"  They had, however, the\nsatisfaction of leaving behind \"a great multitude of\nbelieving Jews and Greeks\" (Acts 14:1).\n\n+Lystra and Derbe in Lycaonia+ (Acts 14:6-21).--\"And\nthere they preached the gospel.\"  There is no\nmention of any Jewish synagogue at either of these cities.\nThe inhabitants were worshippers of the heathen gods.\nThe healing of a lame man at Lystra brought Paul and\nBarnabas directly into touch with the heathen priests and\npopulace.  When they saw this miracle of healing, they\nthought that the gods had come down to earth in the\nlikeness of men.  Barnabas was called Jupiter \"and Paul\nMercurius, because he was the chief speaker.\"  When\nPaul and Barnabas sought to restrain the priests and\npeople from doing sacrifice to them, it is interesting to\nnote what words Paul uses in addressing them.  As with\nthe Jews he here seeks first of all a common ground.  He\nsays, \"We are men of like passions with you and preach\nunto you that you should turn from these vanities unto\nthe living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the\nsea, and all things that are therein; who in times past\nsuffered all nations to walk in their own ways.\nNevertheless He left not Himself without a witness, in that He\ndid good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful\nseasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness\" (Acts\n14:15-17).  We find the same earnestness the same desire\nto preach the gospel to the heathen here as to the Jews\nelsewhere.  But the Jews who had made trouble in\nAntioch and Iconium for the missionaries came to Lystra and,\nforming a plot against Paul, persuaded the people and\nstoned him so that he was drawn out of the city, they\n\"supposing he had been dead.\"  But he was not dead, he\nsoon rose up and came back into the city and the next\nday departed with Barnabas to Derbe, where they\npreached the gospel and taught many.\n\n+The Return Journey+ is very briefly recorded (Acts\n14:21-28).  The missionaries returned through the same\ncities, Lystra, Iconium, Antioch, and so back to Perga.\nBut from the last city they did not sail to the island of\nCyprus, but took a different course, westerly along the\ncoast to Attalia in Pamphylia and from thence they sailed\nto Antioch, the starting point of their trip.  During this\nreturn journey they proved to their friends and enemies\nthat, in departing from the cities where mobs threatened\nthem, it was through no cowardice on their part, but for\nother reasons and for the purpose of preaching the gospel\nin the regions beyond.  They \"confirmed the souls of the\ndisciples exhorting them to continue in the faith.\"  They\nalso further perfected the organization of the churches,\nordaining elders in every church.  They prayed with and\nfor the disciples and commended them to the Lord.\n\nWhen the missionaries at last entered the city of\nAntioch, \"they rehearsed all that God had done with them,\nand how He had opened the door of faith unto the\nGentiles.\"  There must have been great rejoicing over this\nhappy return of Paul and Barnabas.\n\n\nTHE JERUSALEM COUNCIL\n\n_Acts 15:1-35_\n\n+One Problem of the Early Church+ was how to\nreconcile the commandments of Moses with the new law of\nliberty in Jesus Christ.  Ought the Gentile Christians to\nobserve the law of Moses?  Ought they to become Jews\nbefore they became Christians?  Were there to be two\nchurches?  One for Jewish and another for Gentile\nChristians?  These questions are obsolete now, but then they\nwere burning ones and hotly debated.  Hence this Jerusalem\nCouncil, where the matter was debated and settled,\nwas exceedingly important and fraught with great and\ngrave consequences for the future welfare of the church.\nBecause certain of the Jewish brethren came to Antioch\nand began to teach that it was necessary to salvation\nthat a certain Jewish ordinance and the law of Moses be\nkept, it was determined to send Paul and Barnabas to\nJerusalem.\n\nA council of \"the apostles and elders came together\nfor to consider of this matter\" (Acts 15:6).  At this\ncouncil in Jerusalem, Peter, Paul, Barnabas, and James\nwere the chief speakers.  All matters were carefully gone\nover.  Of all the speeches made, Luke records only the two\nmade by Peter (Acts 15:7-12) and James (Acts 15:13-2l),\nwhich must have embodied the sense of the meeting\nin that both spoke for liberty, from the Mosaic yoke, in\nChrist.\n\n+The Decision+ of the council was for the freedom of the\nGentile Christians and that they should not be obliged to\nbecome Jews before they became Christians.  Thus was\none of the grave crises of the early church safely passed.\nPaul and Barnabas went back happy in that great victory\nfor Gentile Christianity to their brethren at Antioch.\n\nIt should be borne in mind, however, that while the\nquestion of the relation of the Gentile Christians to the\nlaw of Moses was decided at this council, it was one\nwhich came up again and again to hamper and bother\nPaul in his missionary work.\n\n\nQUESTIONS\n\nWhat is to be considered in the introduction to the three\nmissionary journeys?  By whom was the call to this work?  What is\nthe significance of the journeys?  The extent and time?  What\ncan be said of the record?  Were there other long journeys by\nPaul?  What was the method of work and support?  What was\nthe message?  The first journey; what was the preparation for it?\nWho the companions?  Time and extent?  Rulers?  Give some\nof the incidents that took place upon the Itinerary, at Salamis,\nPaphos, Perga, Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe?  What\ncan be said of the return journey?  Why was the Jerusalem\nCouncil necessary, and what was decided by it?\n\n\n\n\nII.  PAUL'S JOURNEYS\n\n_Acts 13:1-28:31_\n\n\nSTUDY IV\n\nSECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY\n\n_Scripture, Acts 13:36-18:32_\n\nANALYSIS\n\n+Second Missionary Journey+--The Inception.  The Companions.\nThe Wide Scope.  Value to the World.  Time and Rulers.\nEpistles to the Churches.\n\n+The Itinerary+--Through Asia Minor.  In Europe (Philippi.\nThessalonica.  Berea.  Athens.  Corinth).\n\n+The Return Voyage+--Ephesus.  Caesarea.  Antioch.\n\n\n\n\nII.  PAUL'S JOURNEYS\n\n_Scripture, Acts 13:1-28:32_\n\n\nSTUDY IV\n\nSECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY\n\n_Scripture, Acts 15:36-18:22_\n\n+The Inception+--After the Jerusalem Council Paul\nreturned to Antioch where he spent some time, \"teaching\nand preaching the Word of the Lord with many others\nalso.\"  \"And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas,\nLet us go again and visit our brethren in every city where\nwe have preached the Word of the Lord, and see how\nthey do\" (Acts 15:35, 36).  He felt that he must be\nadvancing the work of Jesus Christ.\n\n+The Companions+ (Acts 15:37-40).--Barnabas\nproposed to take John Mark, his nephew, with them on this\nsecond journey.  But Paul strenuously objected, basing\nhis objection on the ground that this young man had\ndeserted them (Acts 13:13) at a very important juncture\nin the first journey.  We are told that the contention was\nvery sharp between Barnabas and Paul over this matter.\nIt was finally settled by Barnabas taking John Mark and\nsailing for the island of Cyprus and Paul choosing Silas\nfor his companion.  When Paul came to Derbe and\nLystra Timotheus was invited to join him, which he did\n(Acts 16:1-4).  Luke, the author of the Acts, goes with\nthis company into Macedonia (Acts 16:10).  We can\ntrace Luke's connection with the missionaries by the\n\"we\" passages.\n\nThat Paul was afterwards reconciled to Barnabas and\nJohn Mark is shown by his kindly mention of them in his\nEpistles (1 Cor. 9:6; Col. 4:10; 2 Tim 4:11;\nPhilem. 24).\n\n+The Wide Scope+ is a marked feature of this journey of\nabout 3,200 miles.\n\nThe first journey was through Cyprus, where Barnabas\nwas well acquainted, and through that section of Asia\nMinor roundabout the province of Cilicia, where Paul was\npractically at home.  Paul was born in Tarsus in Cilicia\nand it was to this region that he went for some part of\nthe time between his conversion and his call to the\nmissionary work (Acts 9:30; Gal. 1:21).\n\nThe second journey carries Paul into entirely, to him,\nnew provinces of Asia Minor and into Macedonia and\nAchaia.  He comes into close contact not only with the\nrough native populations of the Asian provinces but with\nthe cultivated philosophers of Greece and the effeminate\nvoluptuaries of the heathen temples.  Here are new tests\nfor this missionary and the gospel which he preaches, but\nhe meets them all.  This journey had a large significance\nfor the spread of Christianity.  Had the gospel failed to\nmeet the wants of all sorts and conditions of men, there\nwould have been no further triumphs for it.\n\n+Value to the World.+--\"This journey was not only the\ngreatest which Paul achieved but perhaps the most\nmomentous recorded in the annals of the human race.  In\nits issues it far outrivalled the expedition of Alexander the\nGreat when he carried the arms and civilization of Greece\ninto the heart of Asia, or that of Caesar when he landed\non the shores of Britain, or even the voyage of Columbus\nwhen he discovered a new world.\"\n\nTo Paul's turning westward, instead of eastward,\nthrough the guidance of the Spirit, and his entering upon\nhis work in Macedonia (Acts 16:7-11) Europe to-day\nowes her advancement and Christian civilization.  It is\nstating a sober fact when it is asserted that without\nChristianity Europeans would now be worshipping idols, the\nsame as the inhabitants of other sections of the world\nwhere the gospel of Christ has not been made known.\n\n+Time and Rulers.+--In time this journey extended over\nabout three years, 51-54 A.D.  The rulers were: Claudius,\nEmperor of Rome (Nero became Emperor in 54 A.D.);\nHerod Agrippa II., King of Chalcis (who also gets\nBatanea and Trachontis); and Gallio, Procurator of\nAchaia.\n\n+Epistles to the Churches.+--Upon this journey Paul\nmakes a new departure.  With the multiplication of the\nchurches and the impossibility of visiting them often,\nwhen occasions demanded it, Paul begins the writing of\nspecial and circular letters to the churches.  The two first\nEpistles, of which we have any record, were those to The\nThessalonians from Corinth, written probably in the\nwinter of 52-53 A.D.\n\nNOTE.--For an account of and an analysis of these Epistles\nsee study 7.\n\n\nTHE ITINERARY\n\n+Through Asia Minor+ (Acts 15:40-16:8).--It was\nPaul's custom to revisit the churches which he had\norganized, and to care for them.  Following out this plan he\nwent through Syria and Cilicia confirming the churches,\nthen to Derbe and Lystra, where he found Timotheus\nwho joined his company.  After visiting the churches\nfounded on the first missionary journey, Paul and his\ncompany turned northward and \"went throughout\nPhrygia and the region of Galatia\" (Acts 16:6) though\nthere is no record of any church having been founded in\nthese regions.  \"After they were come to Mysia, they\nassayed to go into Bithynia; but the Spirit suffered them\nnot\" (Acts 16:7).\n\nIt is important to note that the Holy Ghost now forbade\nPaul, at this time, to further preach the word in Asia\n(Acts 16:7).  Paul and his company tried after this to go\ninto Bithynia but they were prevented from doing so by\nthe Spirit, and came down to Troas (Acts 16:8-12).\nOf this long journey through Asia Minor, of its perils and\ndifficulties, of the rejoicings of the former Christian\nconverts, when they saw Paul again, and of the many\ninteresting facts and incidents we have only a glimpse.\n\n+In Europe+ (Acts 16:9-18:18).--Paul, following\nwhat was to him a clear indication of the guidance of the\nHoly Ghost (Acts 16:6-11), left Troas and set out by\nship, by way of Samothracia, for Neapolis, which he\nreached on the following day.  There have been many\nconjectures as to what the fortunes of the Christian\nchurch would have been had Paul been allowed to carry\nout his intention to visit Bithynia, and to preach the gospel\nin the regions of the east.  Had he done so, however, it\nis quite certain, that the history of the world would have\nbeen quite different from what it is to-day.  In this\ninvasion of Europe Paul came within the charmed circle of\nwhat was then the highest civilization.  The gospel was\nnow to try its strength with the keenest philosophers and\nthe most seductive fascinations of immorality, masquerading\nunder the guise of religion in the licentious rites of the\nheathen temples and groves.  What could this missionary\ndo?  What could he preach?  If philosophy, if art, if\nbeauty could have saved the souls of men then they would\nnot have needed the gospel which Paul preached.  But\nthis was a gilded age, and the gilding hid the corruption,\nbeneath.  The message of Paul to the men in this charmed\ncircle of civilization was the same that he had set forth\nin the rough mountain towns of Asia Minor.  Human\nnature, under a rough or a polished exterior, is the same\nthe world over.  Paul was seeking men, to bring them to\na knowledge of their alienation from God through sin, and\nto show them the way of salvation through repentance and\nfaith in Jesus Christ?  Greece, over whom the Romans\nheld sway at this time, had been divided into two parts:\nAchaia on the south and Macedonia on the north.  A\ngreat Roman road ran from east to west through Macedonia.\nIt was by this road that the missionaries traveled.\n\n1.  Philippi (Acts 16:12-40) will be forever memorable\nas the first city in Europe in which a Christian church\nwas established.  It had the character of a Roman rather\nthan a Greek city; both the civil and the military authorities\nbeing Roman.  It had the rank of a Roman colony.\nSituated as it was on the great Egnatian way travelers\nand traders passed through it, eastward and westward,\nfrom all parts of the Roman world.  \"The Greek character\nin this northern province of Macedonia was more\nvigorous and much less corrupted than in the more\npolished society of the south.  The churches which Paul\nestablished here gave him more comfort than any he\nestablished elsewhere.\"  The beginning of the work at Philippi\nwas not very promising and to most men would have been\nvery discouraging.  Luke tells us that \"on the Sabbath\nwe went out of the city by a riverside where prayer was\nwont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the\nwomen which resorted hither.\"  But there they met\nLydia, an energetic business woman and a work was\nbegun which has had far reaching consequences.  Paul\nand his company had been but a short time in the city\nwhen they came in conflict with the Roman authorities.\nA damsel, possessed with a spirit of divination, who\nbrought much gain to her masters, testified to Paul and\nhis work; this spirit Paul cast out and in consequence the\nowners of the girl brought the charge against Paul and\nSilas that they were Jews who taught customs not lawful\nfor Romans to receive.  Notice, the shrewdness of the\ntrumped-up charge against Paul and Silas.  Nothing is\nsaid about the real state of the case.  In this charge the\nstatus of the Jews is shown in this city.  Paul and Silas\nare beaten and thrown into prison; their feet are made\nfast in the stocks; their wounds are left unwashed and\nundressed.  But in the earthquake, which opens the\nprison doors and gives release to the prisoners, Paul has\nan opportunity to preach the gospel to the jailer.  How\nmagnificently, forgetting himself, he sets forth the way of\nsalvation through Christ!  We turn to the Epistle to the\nPhilippians (see Study 9) to see how Paul loved this\nchurch, and how this church loved him.\n\n2.  Thessalonica (Acts 17:1-9).  Thinking it best\nto leave Philippi, Paul and his company passed on their\nway along the Egnatian road through the two beautiful\nGreek cities of Amphipolis and Apollonia to Thessalonica,\ndistant about seventy-three miles from Philippi.\nThessalonica is one of the few cities which has retained its\nimportance up to the present time.  It was founded by\nCassander, King of Macedon in 315 B.C.  It came under\nthe Roman rule in 168 B.C.  In Paul's time it was a\ngreat commercial center, the inhabitants being Greeks,\nRomans, and Jews.  Here was a Jewish synagogue and\nfor three Sabbath days Paul went into it and reasoned\nwith the assembled Jews about Jesus Christ, declaring to\nthem that He was the promised Messiah, and had suffered\nand was risen from the dead.  We have the same results\nhere which followed similar preaching elsewhere\n(1 Thess. 1:8).  Out of the storm again emerges a\nChristian church.  Paul and his company, after the\nusual tumult, pass on to another city but the church\nremains to send its blessed influence through all that\nregion.  The Epistles to the Thessalonians (see Study 7)\ngive us some graphic pictures of the converts and their\nways of working.\n\n3.  Berea (Acts 17:10-14) was a secluded inland city.\nIt must have been somewhat of a surprise to Paul to find\nthe Jews of this place so ready to receive the Word of\nGod, which he preached to them in their synagogue.\nThere was great searching of the Scriptures and many\nbelieved.  A large work was in progress when Jews from\nThessalonica, hearing of the success of Paul in Berea,\ncame down and stirred up the people against him.  It\nbecame quite evident now that there was a persistent and\norganized effort being made to drive Paul out of this\nsection.  As the opposition seemed to be directed against\nPaul alone, the brethren proposed to send him away, and\nto have Silas and Timotheus remain for a short time.\nThis plan was carried out.\n\n4.  Athens (Acts 17:15-34) was the most cultivated\ncity of the old world; a statue was set upon every\ncorner and an altar in every street.  \"Here the human\nmind had blazed forth with a splendor it has never\nexhibited elsewhere.  In the golden age of its history\nAthens possessed more men of the very highest genius\nthan have ever lived in any other city.  To this day their\nnames invest her with glory.  Yet even in Paul's day the\nliving Athens was a thing of the past.  Four hundred\nyears had elapsed since its golden age, and in the course\nof these centuries it had experienced a sad decline.\nPhilosophy had degenerated into sophistry, art into dilettanteism,\noratory into rhetoric, poetry into verse making.  It\nwas a city living on its past.\"  Paul entered into the open\nplaces where the people gathered and talked with them.\nSo much interest was aroused by what he had to say that\nhe was asked to speak to them upon Mars Hill.  Thither\nthey all went.  Paul as his custom was sought a common\nstarting point in the altar to the unknown God.  So long\nas he spoke of God and man in general terms he was\nlistened to, but when he came to touch their hearts and\nconsciences and to apply what he said, speaking of the\njudgment through Christ and His resurrection from the\ndead, he was left alone.  Paul did not fail, the trouble\nwith the Athenians was that they possessed only intellectual\ncuriosity; they had no appetite for the truth.  But\nstill some converts were made.  \"Certain men clave unto\nhim and believed; among whom were Dionysius the\nAreopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with\nthem\" (Acts 17:34).\n\n5.  Corinth.  (Acts 18:1-18) was the largest and most\nimportant city in Greece.  From Athens Paul came to\nCorinth and remained over a year and a half.  We have\na graphic picture of this church in the Epistles to the\nCorinthians.  (See Study 8.) Probably no better place\nthan this highway of all peoples could have been selected\nin which to preach the gospel.  No one knew better than\nPaul how to select strategic places.  A stream of travelers,\nmerchants, scholars, and sailors was constantly passing\nthrough this great commercial city; what was preached\nhere would be carried to the ends of the earth.  It was a\ncity of art and culture and yet a place where the vices of\nthe east and west met and held high carnival.  Religion\nitself was put to ignoble uses; a thousand priestesses\nministered to a base worship in the magnificent temple of\nthe goddess Aphrodite.  Greek philosophy showed its\ndecay in endless discussions about words and the tendency\nto set intellectual above moral distinctions.  There was a\ndenial of the future life for the sake of unlimited\nenjoyment in the present.  Paul, when he came into the city,\nfound a lodging with Aquila and his wife Priscilla, and\nwrought with them at the occupation of tent making.\nWhen Silas and Timotheus joined him he openly testified\nto the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.  Crispus, the chief\nruler of the synagogue, was converted together with many\nCorinthians.  Paul was comforted at this time by a vision\nof the Lord which bade him to speak and not to hold his\npeace.  After a year and a half of earnest preaching an\nattempt was made by the Jews to drive Paul out of the\ncity by bringing accusations against him before the Roman\nproconsul Gallio, but in this they were unsuccessful.  Paul\ntarried and worked here until it seemed best for him to\nturn his steps homeward again to Antioch.  The keynote\nof his preaching in this city is given by him in his First\nEpistle to the Corinthians where he says (2:2), \"For I\ndetermined not to know anything among you save Jesus\nChrist and him crucified.\"  If this gospel could win\nconverts in Corinth, it can win converts anywhere.\n\n+The Return Voyage+ (Acts 18:18-22) was by way of\nEphesus where he entered into the synagogue and\nreasoned with the Jews.  Leaving Ephesus he sailed for\nCaesarea where he landed.  After he had gone up and\nsaluted the church he went down to Antioch.\n\n\nQUESTIONS\n\nWho proposed the second missionary journey?  Who were the\ncompanions?  What can be said of the wide scope?  What was\nits value to the world?  Time and Rulers?  What can be said of\nthe new departure in writing Epistles to the churches?  What can\nbe said of the itinerary through Asia Minor?  Give the incidents,\nof preaching the gospel, that occurred during the trip in Europe,\nin the different cities; Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, and\nCorinth.  How was the return voyage made?\n\n\n\n\nII.  PAUL'S JOURNEYS\n\n_Scripture, Acts 13:1-28:31_\n\n\nSTUDY V\n\nTHIRD MISSIONARY JOURNEY\n\n_Scripture, Acts 18:23-21:17_\n\nANALYSIS\n\n+Third Missionary Journey+--Method.  The Chief City.  Time\nand Extent.  Epistles Written.\n\n+Itinerary+--Through Galatia and Phygia.  Ephesus.  Through\nMacedonia and Greece.  The Return Voyage.\n\n\n\n[Illustration: Outline map illustrating the third\nmissionary journey of Paul and the voyage to Italy.]\n\n\n\n\nII.  PAUL'S JOURNEYS\n\n_Acts 13:1-38:31_\n\n\nSTUDY V\n\nTHIRD MISSIONARY JOURNEY\n\n_Scripture, Acts 18:23-21:17_\n\n+Method.+--A study of the three missionary journeys\nshows the method of evangelization of the ancient world.\nThe first journey was comparatively near home.  The\nsecond was a review of the work done in the first and a\npushing on to new work in Asia Minor and the larger\nconquests in Europe.  In the third we have a review visit\nto the churches of Asia Minor, a long stop at Ephesus,\nand a review visit to the churches of Macedonia and\nAchaia, which were organized upon the second missionary\njourney.  There was always a method in what Paul\ndid.  He was not only a missionary preaching and testifying\nto Jesus Christ, but he was an organizer and leader of\nmen.  The churches formed were visited again and again;\nmessengers were sent to them to instruct, to chide, and\nto encourage them; circular and special letters from\nPaul's own hand were dispatched to them, when occasion\nrequired.  Wherever Paul preached, whatever might be\nthe tumults raised, he always won some adherents for\nJesus Christ, who were brought together and organized\ninto a church.\n\nOn this third journey he was already planning to go to\nRome (Acts 19:21) and wrote an epistle to the Romans\nannouncing his coming (Rom. 1:7, 15).\n\n+The Chief City+, in which Paul spent most of his time\n(Acts 19:1, 8, 10), between two and three years upon\nthis journey, was Ephesus in Asia Minor.  This city\nsituated midway between the extreme points of his former\nmissionary journeys was a place where he could have an\nintelligent oversight over all the work which he had\npreviously accomplished.\n\nEphesus has been thus described: \"It had been one\nof the early Greek colonies, later the capital of Ionia, and\nin Paul's day it was by far the largest and busiest of all\nthe cities of proconsular Asia.  All the roads in Asia\nMinor centered in Ephesus and from its position it was\nalmost as much a meeting place of eastern and western\nthought as Alexandria.  Its religion was oriental.  Its\ngoddess called Artemis or Diana, had a Greek name but\nwas the representative of an old Phrygian nature worship.\nThe goddess was an inartistic, many-breasted figure, the\nbody carved with strange figures of animals, flowers, and\nfruits.  The temple built by Alexander the Great was\nthe most magnificent religious edifice in the world.  It\nwas kept by a corporation of priests and priestesses, who\nwere supported by the rents of vast estates.  For\ncenturies Ephesus was a great center of pilgrimage, and\npilgrims came from all parts of Asia to visit the famous\nshrine.\"\n\n\"The first great blow which this worship received was\ngiven by Paul during his two years' stay in Ephesus, and\nthe story told in this chapter is the history of the\nbeginning of a decline from which the worship of Diana never\nrecovered.  The speech of Demetrius perhaps exaggerates\nthe effects of Paul's work, but it should be remembered\nthat the gospel took firm hold of proconsular Asia\nfrom a very early period.  Paul's Epistles tell us of the\nchurches in Ephesus, Laodicea, and Colossae, and the\nApocalypse adds churches in Pergamos, Smyrna, Thyatira,\nSardis, and Philadelphia.  Half a century later, Pliny\nasserted that in this region the temples were deserted,\nthe worship was neglected, and the sacrificial victims were\nunsold.\"\n\nDuring his long stay in Ephesus, Paul doubtless received\nmany delegations and visitors from the churches formerly\norganized by him.\n\nThe character of the Ephesian Christians can be seen\nfrom the Epistle addressed to them (See Study 9).\n\n+Time and Extent.+--About four years, 54-58 A.D.,\nwere occupied by Paul in going about among the churches\nand about 3,500 miles were traveled.\n\n+Epistles.+--This journey was prolific in masterly\nwritings.  Paul wrote the First and Second Epistles to the\nCorinthians from Ephesus about 57 A.D., Galatians from\nthe same city (somewhere between 54 and 56 A.D.), and\nRomans at Corinth in 58 A.D.  (See Study 8).\n\n\nITINERARY\n\n+Through Galatia and Phrygia+ (Acts 18:23).--After\nPaul had spent some time at Antioch, at the close\nof the second missionary journey, \"He departed and\nwent over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia in order\nstrengthening all the disciples.\"  Thus Luke briefly sums\nup in a few words all the incidents of a journey of\nhundreds of miles of travel.\n\n+Ephesus+ (Acts 19:1-20:1).--Evidently with the\npurpose of showing what is new and of chief importance in\neach journey Luke, as is his habit, calls attention to the\nwork of Paul in Ephesus; other parts of this journey are\npassed over with slight mention.\n\nHaving gone through the upper coasts, Paul comes to\nEphesus.  The chief events in this city, during the visit\nof the Apostle, were:\n\n1.  The incident of the work of Apollos is given (Acts\n18:24-19:1) to show how Paul found about twelve\ndisciples of John the Baptist (Acts 19:7) at Ephesus and\ninstructed them further, baptizing them in the name of\nthe Lord Jesus (Acts 19:5, compare Acts 19:1-7).\n\n2.  Three months were spent by Paul (Acts 19:8, 9)\nwith the Jews in their synagogue, \"disputing and persuading\nthe things pertaining to the kingdom of God.\"  But\nwhen certain of them became hardened and it was plainly\nseen that little good was being done he left the synagogue.\n\n3.  About two years' time was given, after the apostle\nhad separated himself and followers from the Jewish\nsynagogue, to teaching in the school or lecture room of\nTyrannus (Acts 19:9, 10).  The result of this preaching\nand teaching was that a great multitude of men and\nwomen was brought to a confession of faith in Christ,\nthroughout Asia.\n\n4.  The mighty growth of the Word of God (Acts\n19:20) was attested by the miracles which Paul did in the\nname of Christ (Acts 19:11, 12).  He confounded the\nJewish exorcists, who attempted to imitate these miracles\n(Acts 19:13-20).  This great work was shown to be a\nthorough one from the fact that many who used curious\narts brought their books and burned them amounting in\nvalue to over $31,000.\n\n5.  Paul now proposed, thinking the Ephesian church\ncould stand alone (Acts 19:21, 22), \"after he had passed\nthrough Macedonia and Achaia to go to Jerusalem,\nsaying, after I have been there, I must also see Rome.\"  In\nanticipation of this visit he sent Timotheus and Erastus\ninto Macedonia, \"but he himself stayed in Asia for a\nseason.\"\n\n6.  The tumult made by Demetrius (Acts 19:23-40) is\na strong proof of the large impression made by the gospel\nof Jesus Christ upon not only the city of Ephesus but all\nAsia Minor.  The burning of the magical books had\narrested the attention of many people, but when the sale\nof the silver images of the idol, Diana, began to fall off\nso as to touch the trade of the silversmiths they were up\nin arms at once.  Demetrius showed how the power of\nChrist had prevailed with men when he declared that,\n\"Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people,\nsaying that there be no gods which are made with\nhands.\"  The violence of the men who composed the mob showed\nhow deeply Christianity had taken hold upon large\nnumbers of people.  Paul, after the uproar had quieted down,\ncarried out his intention of departing for Macedonia.\n\n+Through Macedonia and Greece+ (Acts 21:1-6).--\"The\norder of events seems to have been: (a) Timotheus\nand Erastus were sent to look after the church discipline\nat Corinth (Acts 19:22).  Stephanas and others came\nfrom Corinth and returned with the First Epistle to the\nCorinthians (1 Cor. 16:17).  (b) Paul meant to visit\nCorinth (1 Cor. 4:18, 19); instead he went to Macedonia\nby Troas (2 Cor. 2:12, 13).  (c) He waited at Troas\nfor news from Corinth, and his anxiety told on his health\n(2 Cor. 2:12; 1:8; 4:10, 11; 12:7).  (d) In spite of\nillness he pressed on to Macedonia (2 Cor. 2:13), where\nhe met Titus, who brought him good news of the state of\nthe Corinthian church (2 Cor. 7:5-9).  (e) He wrote\nthe Second Epistle to the Corinthians and sent it by Titus,\nand resolved to wait sometime longer before going to\nCorinth, for he wished to take a contribution from the\nCorinthians to Jerusalem (2 Cor. 9:1-5).  (f) In Macedonia\nhe probably visited Berea, Thessalonica, and Philippi,\nwith perhaps a journey to Illyricum (Rom. 15:19).\n(g) He went to Greece (Corinth and Cenchrea).  (h)\nHe proposed sailing for Syria with the contributions of\nthe various churches, and with delegates who carried\nthe money; Sopater from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus\nfrom Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timotheus from\nLystra, Tychicus and Trophimus from Ephesus (Acts\n20:4; 21:29).  (i) The Jews of Corinth conspired to\nmurder Paul on his embarkation, so his friends went by\nship, and he eluded the conspirators by going by land to\nPhilippi.  (j) Then he took ship for Troas, having Luke\nwho had been at Philippi for his companion (\"We\nsailed\").\n\n+The Return Journey,+ Troas to Jerusalem (Acts 20:6-21:15).\n\n1.  Troas.  Luke and Paul were five days in reaching\nTroas, from Philippi, where they found a number of the\nbrethren who had preceded them (Acts 20:6, compare\nActs 20:4-6).  Seven days were spent at Troas (Acts\n20:6).  We have here the record of how the disciples\nspent the Sabbath day in breaking bread together and in\nlistening to the preaching of Paul.  (Acts 20:7-12).  This\nlast day here came near being marred by Eutychus meeting his\ndeath, when he fell down from the third loft.  But\nPaul was there and Eutychus's life was spared.  The\nmeeting did not break up until the next morning, so\ninterested were they in talking over \"The Way.\"\n\n2.  Troas to Miletus (Acts 20:13-15).  Paul's\ncompany went by ship first to Assos, where Paul met them;\nhe having covered the distance of about twenty miles on\nfoot.  At Assos Paul joined the company on the ship and\nthey sailed from Assos to Mitylene.  \"And we sailed\nthence,\" says Luke, \"and came the next day over against\nChios; and the next day we arrived at Samos, and tarried\nat Trogyllium; and the next day we came to Miletus.\"\n\n3.  At Miletus (Acts 20:17-38) Paul sent for the elders\nof the Ephesian church to come to him.  When they\ncame he spoke to them in a very touching and tender\nway.  This address has been divided into four parts: (a)\nWhat was behind Paul; he called them to witness that he\nhad been faithful in declaring to them the full gospel of\nJesus Christ, repentance toward God and faith in the\nLord Jesus Christ.  (b) What was before Paul; he said\nthat in every city the Holy Ghost witnessed that bonds\nand afflictions awaited him.  (c) What was before the\nelders of the Ephesian church; it was theirs to take care\nof the flock over which they presided and \"to feed the\nchurch of God.\"  (d) Commendation of the elders to\nGod in their good work.  (e) Paul's earnest prayer for\ntheir welfare.  (f) The farewell words.\n\n4.  Miletus to Caesarea and Jerusalem (Acts 21:1-15)\nby way of Coos, Rhodes, Patara, Tyre, and Caesarea.\nAt Tyre there was a wait of seven days and a change of\nships; in this city it was testified to Paul that he should\nnot go up to Jerusalem.  At the parting, when Paul and\nhis company took ship to go to Caesarea, the disciples of\nTyre came out to see them off and all kneeled down\non the shore and prayed.  At Caesarea where Paul's\ncompany tarried many days, it was again made known to\nPaul by the Holy Ghost that bonds and imprisonment\nawaited him at Jerusalem, but still he pressed on saying,\n\"The will of the Lord be done.\"  Arriving in Jerusalem\nthey were gladly received by the brethren.\n\n\nQUESTIONS\n\nWhat was the method of evangelizing the ancient world?\nHow did the three missionary journeys differ from each other?\nWhat can be said of the chief city in which Paul spent so much\nof the time of this journey?  Time and extent of this journey?\nWhat Epistles were written?  Give the chief incidents of the\nitinerary; through Galatia and Phrygia; in Ephesus; through\nMacedonia and Greece; the return voyage.\n\n\n\n\nII.  PAUL'S JOURNEYS\n\n_Scripture, Acts 13:1-28:31_\n\n\nSTUDY VI\n\nJERUSALEM TO ROME\n\n_Acts 21:17-28:31_\n\nANALYSIS\n\n+This Journey+--From Jerusalem to Rome.  The Seven Speeches.\nThe Writings.  Time and Extent.  The Historical Connections.\n\n+Paul at Jerusalem+--The Return to Jerusalem.  The Meeting\nwith James and the Elders of the Church.  The Temple Riot.\nThe Speech of Paul to the Rioters.  Before the Jewish\nCouncil.  Paul Comforted by God.  Conspiracy of Jewish\nFanatics.\n\n+Paul at Caesarea+--The First Defense, before Jewish Accusers\nand the Roman Governor Felix.  Second Defense, before\nFelix.  Third Defense, before Festus.  Fourth Defense,\nbefore Festus and King Agrippa II.\n\n+The Voyage to Rome+--Caesarea to Myra.  Myra to Melita.  Melita\nto Rome.\n\n+Paul at Rome+--Testifying to the Jews.  Testifying to the\nGentiles.  Incidental Notices of the Imprisonment.  The Further\nTravels of Paul.\n\n\n\n\nII.  PAUL'S JOURNEYS\n\n_Scripture, Acts 13:2-28:31_\n\n\nSTUDY VI\n\nJERUSALEM TO ROME\n\n_Scripture, Acts 21:11-28:31_\n\nTHIS JOURNEY\n\n_Scripture, Acts 21:17-28:31_\n\n+From Jerusalem to Rome.+--This portion of the book\nof the Acts comprises more than one quarter of the whole,\nor seven and a half chapters.  There must have been\nsome important purpose to be served by thus relating so\nfully the incidents of this period in Paul's life; for Luke\nelsewhere narrates only the incidents of the missionary\njourneys which are of great interest.  It may be that his\npurpose was to show, with the full connecting incidents,\nhow clearly and strongly Paul testified, to the Jews in the\ntemple (Acts 22:1-23), and before the Roman tribunal\n(Acts 25:13, 14, 26; 26:1-32), that Jesus was the\nChrist.  Jesus himself, before his death, gave the same\ntestimony to the Sanhedrin (Matt. 26:63, 64; Mark 14:61,\n62; Luke 22:67-69), and the Roman tribunal (John\n18:33-37).  The testimony of Paul was further carried to\nimperial Rome, the capital of the world (Acts 28:17-24).\n\n+The Seven Speeches.+--The last recorded addresses of\nthe Great Apostle are a striking feature of this period.\nThey show his faith after it had been tried and tested in\nhis toilsome years of missionary labors.  They reveal the\ncourage and character of the man in that they were given\nwhen he was in bonds and in imminent peril of his life.\n\n1.  The speech before the Jewish mob in the temple\n(Acts 22:1-29) in which Paul tells the Jews how he was\nchanged from a persecutor to a believer in Christ.  He\nrelates also the story of his conversion.\n\n2.  The speech before the Jewish council (Acts 22:30;\n23:1-10) in which he creates confusion by raising the\nquestion of the resurrection.  But the provocation was\ngreat for the high-priest had commanded that Paul be\nsmitten on the mouth when he began to speak.\n\n3.  The speech before Felix, the Roman governor\n(Acts 24:10-22) in which he makes his defense against\nJewish accusers, and affirms his belief in the new \"Way\"\nand in the resurrection.\n\n4.  The speech before Felix and Brasilia, his wife,\n(Acts 24:24-27).  Paul, being sent for by Felix to tell\nhim of his faith in Christ, reasons \"of righteousness,\ntemperance, and judgment to come.\"\n\n5.  The speech before Festus the Roman governor\n(Acts 25:7-11) in which Paul appeals to Caesar.\n\n6.  The speech before Festus, the Roman governor,\nand King Agrippa and his wife, Bernice, (Acts 25:13;\n26:1-32).  Here Paul again relates the story of his\nconversion and shows that Jesus is the Christ.\n\n7.  The speech before the chief Jews in Rome (Acts\n28:17-31) showing that Jesus is the Christ.\n\n+The Writings.+--During the two years' imprisonment\nof Paul in Caesarea we have no account of any Epistles\nwritten by him.  But when he arrives in Rome he again\nbegins to indite those writings which have made his name\nso famous.  From his prison in Rome he sent out four\nletters which have been called, \"The Epistles of the First\nImprisonment\"; Colossians, Philemon, Ephesians, and\nPhilippians (See Chapter 9).  For profound expositions\nof the Christian doctrines, lofty ethical teaching, and\nmellowness of feeling they stand unequalled.\n\n+Time and Extent.+--Paul arrived in Jerusalem in 58\nA.D.  He was imprisoned two years in Caesarea, 58 to\n60 A.D.  The voyage to Rome was in the winter of 60\nand 61 A D.  He was imprisoned in Rome two years, 61\nto 63 A.D.  In extent the journey which Paul took from\nCaesarea to Rome was about 2,300 miles.\n\n+The Historical Connections.+--Nero was Emperor of\nRome (since 54 A.D.).  Felix was Procurator of Judea\nfrom 51 to 60 A.D., when he was succeeded by Festus.\nWe fix the date of Paul's going to Rome by the fact that\nwhen Festus came in 60 A.D., he made his appeal to\nCaesar.\n\n\nPAUL AT JERUSALEM\n\n+The Return+ to Jerusalem (Acts 21:17-23:23) was at\nthe feast of Pentecost when it was crowded with strangers\nfrom all parts of the world.  Paul had been warned not\nto come back to this city (Acts 21:10-14) and it might\nhave been possible for him to have remained away, passing\nthe last years of his life in high honor and peace as\nthe Great Apostle and Head of the Gentile churches.\nBut he seems to have felt it incumbent upon him to return\nto Jerusalem and testify for his faith (Acts 21:14), and to\ncarry alms (Acts 24:17).  Paul was now about sixty\nyears of age and for more than ten years had been\nengaged in the most arduous missionary labors, enduring\nstonings, beatings, and contumelies of all kinds, for the\nsake of preaching Jesus Christ.  More than twenty years\nhad elapsed since his conversion; and before his\nwell-known three missionary journeys he had been actively\nengaged in the work which he loved so well.  In his body\nhe must have borne the marks of these incessant labors,\nbut his spirit was as fresh and undaunted as ever.\nWhatever awaited him in Jerusalem he was ready for it.\n\n+The Meeting with James and the Elders of the\nChurch+ (Acts 21:17-25) seems to have been a pleasant\none.  Paul told his story of the wonders wrought in the\nGentile world, and God was glorified, but there seems to\nhave been a certain constraint upon the company.  Paul\nwas well known everywhere as an exponent of that liberty\nin Christ by which the Gentiles when they became\nChristians were not obliged to become Jews and obey the laws\nof Moses.  We find the elders, while freely admitting\nthe binding nature of the decision of the Jerusalem\nCouncil upon this matter, advising him to show the\nmany thousands of Jews who believed and kept the law,\nthat he himself still held to the observance of the law.\nHence the urgency with which they requested him to\npurify himself in the temple, with certain men who had\na vow, so that the Jews might see that he was not a\nrenegade.  The consequences of this advice soon became\nevident.\n\n+The Temple Riot and Paul's Imprisonment+ (Acts\n21:26-39).--When the days of purification for his\ncompanions were almost completed some Jews of Asia saw\nhim and at once raised a great tumult.  It is a wonder\nthat he was not seen and recognized earlier.  Doubtless\nthe Asian Jews had been restrained in their own cities\nfrom wreaking their hatred upon Paul to the full, by the\nstrong arm of the Roman magistrate.  At once a great\noutcry was raised and Paul would have fared badly if he\nhad not been rescued by the Roman soldiers, to be\nimprisoned by them.\n\n+The Speech of Paul to the Rioters+ (Acts 21:40-22:23).--He\nrequested that he be permitted to speak to\nthis angry crowd of fanatic Jews, who were howling for\nhis life.  What would he say?  What defense could he\nmake?  Listen to him!  He is telling the story of his life\nand conversion, on the way to Damascus.  He is glorifying\nJesus and urging them to believe in Him.  There is\nnot one word about the indignities that have been heaped\nupon himself.  This personal testimony in this city where\nPaul had been the chief persecutor was wonderful.  But\nas the Jews had demanded the life of Christ, when he was\nupon earth and testified to His mission, so now they\ndemanded the life of Paul.\n\n+Before the Jewish Council+ (Acts 22:24-23:10).--Paul,\nrescued from the clutches of the mob, would have\nbeen scourged by the Romans had he not declared himself\na Roman.  On the morrow, taken before the Sanhedrin,\nand seeing no hope of any justice being done him, he sets\none party of it over against the other by declaring that he\nwas a Pharisee and \"of the hope of the resurrection of\nthe dead I am called in question.\"  So great was the\ndissension that arose over this matter that Paul was faring\nbadly when he was rescued by the chief captain and his\nsoldiers.\n\n+Paul Comforted by God+ (Acts 23:10).--Paul must\nhave been quite worn out with the tumults and mobs of\nthe last two days.  The encouragement of God speaking\nto him and telling him to be of good cheer, and that as he\nhad testified of Him in Jerusalem, he must also bear\nwitness in Rome, put a new heart in him.  It had been\nPaul's great desire to visit Rome and preach Christ in\nthat city (Rome 1:11-15; Acts 19:21).\n\n+Conspiracy of Jewish Fanatics+ (Acts 23:10-30).--The\nmad hatred of the Jews against Paul is shown by\nmore than forty men binding themselves under a curse to\nkill him.  The astonishing thing about this conspiracy is\nthat the conspirators showed what they proposed to do to\nthe chief priests and elders and asked their aid to bring\nPaul down for another examination that they might kill\nhim.  The plot was brought to naught by Paul's nephew,\nwho heard of it and told Paul.  This information was at\nonce given to the chief captain, who determined to send\nPaul away that night to the Roman governor at Caesarea.\nIt was a large escort, 200 legionaries, 200 light armed\ntroops, skirmishers, and 70 cavalry, which was sent out\nwith Paul.  This great company of soldiers showed the\nimmanent danger in which Paul stood at this time.\n\n\nPAUL AT CAESAREA\n\n_Scripture, Acts 23:33-27:1_\n\nPaul now comes under Roman jurisdiction and remains\nfor two years (Acts 24:27) a prisoner in Caesarea.  He\nis not kept in close confinement and his friends are\nallowed to see him (Acts 24:23).  Who came to see\nhim of these friends and what they talked about Luke\ndoes not tell us.  Our attention seems to be purposely\ndirected to the defense which Paul made of his faith and\nwork before the Roman governors, Felix and Festus, and\nthe Jewish King Agrippa II.  As Pilate had seen no just\ncause why Christ should be condemned to death, so Felix\nand Festus, when Paul had testified of his faith in Christ\nbefore them, saw no reason why he should suffer the\ndeath penalty.\n\n+The First Defense; before Jewish Accusers and the\nRoman Governor, Felix+ (Acts 23:33-24:23).--Awaiting\nthe coming of his accusers from Jerusalem Paul was\nkept in Herod's judgment hall.  After five days Ananias,\nwith the elders, and an orator, named Tertullus, came to\nCaesarea, and charged Paul with being \"a mover of\nsedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a\nring-leader of the sect of the Nazarenes\"; they also accused\nhim of profaning the temple.\n\nPaul being beckoned by the governor to speak replied\nin answer to the charges made against him: (a) That\nFelix, who has been governor so long (since 51 A.D.),\nmust know from personal knowledge, that he had not been\nengaged in any sedition and that this charge could not be\nproved against him.  It had only been twelve days since\nhe went up to Jerusalem and a number of them had been\nspent in Roman custody.  During this period there had\nbeen no time to plot against the government.  (b) While\nhe worshipped God after the way that they called heresy,\nyet he believed all that was written in the law and the\nprophets.  He had come he said \"after many years to\nbring alms to my nation, and offerings.\"  It was true\nthat certain Jews had found him \"purified in the temple,\nneither with multitude, nor with tumult.\"  These ought\nto have been present and to have testified to these things.\n(c) He denied that he had committed any sacrilege.\nWhen he was seized in the temple he was in the very act\nof performing a portion of the worship prescribed by the\nMosaic law.  (d) The knowledge of those present \"went\nno further than that they had heard him declare his belief\nin the doctrine of the resurrection from the dead\" (Acts\n22:30-23:1-6).  Upon the conclusion of Paul's argument,\nFelix adjourned the case until Lysias, the chief\ncaptain, should come down and give his testimony.\n\n_Second Defense; before Felix and his Wife, Drusilla_\n(Acts 24:24-27).--This was evidently a private\nhearing of Paul of his faith in Christ.  There was ample\nreason for the trembling of Felix when Paul \"reasoned\nof righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come.\"  Felix\nwas a notoriously unjust ruler who had taken bribes,\nmurdered a high-priest and, relying upon the influence of\nhis infamous brother Pallas at Rome, was steeped in\ncrimes.  He had induced his wife Drusilla to desert her\nhusband to marry him.  Felix showed his character when\nhe sent for Paul a number of times and communed with\nhim, hoping to receive a bribe.  When recalled to Rome\nin consequence of repeated complaints of his misadministration\nof justice he, \"willing to show the Jews a pleasure,\nleft Paul bound.\"\n\n+Third Defense; before Festus, the New Governor+\n(Acts 25:1-12).--Festus, Josephus tells us, was one of\nthe best procurators of Judea.  He was appointed by\nNero in the year 60 A.D., and died two years after this.\nHe is importuned by \"the high-priest and the chief of the\nJews, as soon as he takes office, to send Paul back to\nJerusalem (in order that he might be killed on the way\nthither).  Festus replies that they are to come to Caesarea\nand there make their accusations against Paul.  When\nthey are come and Festus sits on the judgment seat they\nmake \"many and grievous complaints against Paul which\nthey could not prove.\"  Paul's answer is: neither against\nthe law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet\nagainst Caesar, have I offended in anything at all.\"  But\nFestus showed, notwithstanding his many good traits, a\ndecided leaning toward Paul's accusers.  When therefore\nFestus asked Paul if he would go back to Jerusalem and\nbe there judged before the Sanhedrin, Paul recognizes the\nhopelessness of his case and exercised his right as a\nRoman citizen in taking an appeal to the judgment seat\nof Caesar.  This right of appeal was one of the most\nimportant prerogatives of the Roman citizen; he had only\nto say the word, \"Appello\" and proceedings must at once\nbe stopped; his case must go to the court of the emperor.\nIn exercising this appeal Paul very justly said that if he\nhad done anything worthy of death he was willing to die,\nbut if the charges made against him by the Jewish\nhigh-priest and elders were not true he ought not to be\ndelivered up to them.\n\n+Fourth Defense; before Festus and King Agrippa II.+--In\nActs 25:13-27 we have an account of the visit of\nJewish King Agrippa II. to Festus and the statement of\nthe latter in regard to the case of Paul.  Festus is at a\nloss what to write about the prisoner, to the imperial\ncourt (Acts 25:25-27), the accusations of the Jews\nhaving failed of proof.  To send a prisoner to Caesar and\nnot be able to state clearly what his crime was might\ninvolve Festus in difficulties.  Agrippa, as a Jew, might\nbe able to give some light upon this matter.  The\nquestion seemed to be in regard to religious freedom.  Rome\ndid not allow religious liberty.  The Jewish religion,\nhowever, was licensed as one of the forms under which men\nwere allowed to worship God in the Roman empire.\nAgrippa might be able to solve this question as to whether\nPaul was or was not within his legal rights and the\nChristianity which he professed be as legal as Judaism.\n\nPaul in his argument (Acts 26:1-29) before Festus\nand King Agrippa II., took the ground that Christianity,\nas an outgrowth of Judaism, had a legal status.  Paul\nsaid that he preached that the Messiah had come in the\nperson of Jesus Christ and this was the One whom Moses\nand the prophets had foretold, (a) Paul's introduction\nis very courteous.  He recognizes King Agrippa as well\nversed \"in all customs and questions which are among\nthe Jews.\"  (b) He declares his early life to be well known,\nas a Jew, and, of the strictest sect, a Pharisee.  (c) He\nstands accused because he believes that the Messiah, whom\nall Jews are praying may come, has come.  (c) Here, as\nProf. Lindsay says, in his commentary on the Acts,\n\"Agrippa may by look, word, or gesture have suggested,\nA crucified Messiah! and Paul have answered, No, but a\nrisen Redeemer!  Is it incredible that God should raise\nthe dead?\"  Then Paul continues saying, that he himself\nwas an enemy of Christ at first.  (d) Paul proceeds with\nhis argument, giving his personal testimony, how this\nrisen Messiah had appeared to him on the way to\nDamascus and what He had said to him.  (e) Then he shows\nhow it had been foretold by the prophets and Moses that\nChrist should suffer \"and that He should be the first that\nshould rise from the dead, and should show forth light\nunto the people, and to the Gentiles.\"\n\nThe argument is over and after certain remarks, by\nFestus and Agrippa which are characteristic of both men,\nthere is a conference and a decision rendered by the\nRoman governor and Jewish King, \"That this man doeth\nnothing worthy of death or of bonds.\"  But the appeal\nto Caesar cannot be set aside and Paul must go to Rome.\n\n\nTHE VOYAGE TO ROME\n\n_Scripture, Acts 21:1-28:31_\n\nPaul now begins his long delayed trip to Rome not,\nhowever, as he expected a free man, but as a prisoner.\nHe comes finally to Rome and there testifies of his faith\nin Christ.  His native force of character and Christian\ngraces bring him to the front upon this voyage and in the\ntime of shipwreck he takes over the command.\n\nThree ships convey him to Rome, one of which is cast\naway on the island of Melita; if we follow the fortunes\nof these three ships this section of Acts may be divided\ninto three parts:\n\n+Caesarea to Myra+ (a city of Lycia) or the fortunes of\nPaul upon the first ship (Acts 27:1-5).  Aristarchus\nand Luke were the companions who embarked with the\nGreat Apostle upon a ship of Adramyttium.  Paul was\nin charge of Julius, \"a centurion of Augustus's band.\"  The\nfirst stop was at Sidon where Paul was given \"liberty\nto go unto his friends and refresh himself.\"  The ship\nthen sailed for the city of Myra in Lycia passing to the\neast and north of the island of Cyprus.\n\n+Myra to the Island of Melita+, or the fortunes of Paul\nupon the second ship (27:6-28:10).  Arrived at\nthe city of Myra the whole company changed ships,\nre-embarking in a large ship which was probably engaged in\nthe grain carrying trade between Alexandria in Egypt and\nRome.  This portion of the voyage was full of difficulties\nfrom the beginning.  From Myra to Cnidus (a peninsula\nwhich projected from the Carian coast having Cos on the\nnorth and Rhodes on the south) the progress against\nbaffling winds was slow.  The first stop was made at Fair\nHavens, a place upon the southern coast of Crete (the\nmodern Candia).  It was here that Paul foretold the\nserious danger to the ship if the voyage should be continued.\nBut the centurion taking the advice of the master and\nowner of the ship, and because the harbour \"was not\ncommodious to winter in,\" determined to make an attempt\nto reach Phenice (a harbour west of Crete and upon the\nsame side of the island).  The adventures that befell the\nship's company, and, the misfortune that came to the ship,\nin the terrible fourteen days that followed after the\ndeparture from Fair Havens are best understood through the\ngraphic language of Luke, an eye witness (Acts 27:14-44\nshould be read carefully in this connection).  It is in\nthis time of trial that Paul steps forth and shows his\nmastery over men.  Comforted himself by \"the angel of\nGod\" he comforts others in declaring that no harm shall\ncome to the lives of those in the ship.  In the midst of\nthis great storm he alone is calm and able to insist that\nhis companions keep up their courage and strength, and\nnot to give away to despair.  The island of Melita (the\nmodern Malta), where the shipwreck took place, lies\ndirectly south of Sicily.  The place where the Great\nApostle was cast ashore is now known as St. Paul's Bay.\nThe inhabitants of the island received the ship's company\n\"with no little kindness\" and Paul engaged here in a\nhealing ministry, curing the father of Publius, the chief man\nof the island, of a fever and many others of diseases.  In\nwhatever place or circumstances Paul comes he at once\nbegins to exercise his Christian gifts.\n\n+The Island of Melita to Rome+, or the adventures of\nPaul on the third ship (Acts 28:11-16).  Three months\nwere spent at Melita.  Then Paul and the company\nembarked on another Alexandrian grain ship for Puteoli,\n\"eight miles southwest of Naples and the principal\nharbour south of Rome in Paul's day.\"  \"It was the port\nat which the Egyptian grain ships usually unloaded.\"  There\nwere two stops made on the way to Puteoli, one at\nSyracuse in Sicily and the other at Rhegium, at the\nsouthern point of Italy.  At Puteoli Paul found Christian\nbrethren with whom he remained for seven days.  The\nRoman Christians came but to meet Paul at Apii Forum,\nforty-three miles, and the Three Taverns, thirty-three\nmiles from Rome.  This expression of love and interest\nin him and his welfare greatly cheered the heart of the\nApostle.\n\n\nPAUL AT ROME\n\n+Testifying to the Jews+ (Acts 28:17-27).--After an\ninterval of only three days Paul called the chief of the\nJews together, and explained to them why he had been\nsent to Rome.  He declared that he had no accusation\nto make against his nation to the Roman authorities, but\nthat he was a prisoner on account of his advocacy of the\nhope of Israel fulfilled in Jesus Christ.  But the Jews\nreplied that they had had no word about Paul from\nJerusalem.  Desiring to hear more of what Paul had to say\nabout the Christians they appointed a day in which they\nwould hear Paul at his lodgings.  This hearing was\nevidently very thorough, and the usual division was made of\nbelieving and unbelieving Jews.\n\n+Testifying to the Gentiles+ (Acts 28:28).--Paul\nreceiving no sufficient response to his words from the\nJews now turns his attention to the Gentiles.\n\n+The Two Years' Imprisonment+ (Acts 28:30, 31) was\nspent in preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, in his own\nhired house, and receiving all who came to him.  Although\nPaul was a prisoner he was allowed complete freedom of\nspeech.\n\n+Incidental Notices of this Imprisonment+ are found in\nthe four Epistles which were written from Rome during\nits continuance.  Prof. J. R. Lumby, D.D. (Acts,\nCambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) says: \"We know\nfrom first to last the prisoner's chain hurt Paul (Eph. 3:1;\n4:1; Phil. 1:13, 16; Col. 4:18; Philem. 1, 9, 10), and\nthat his cause was at times an object of much anxiety\n(Phil. 2:23, 24).  We also learn from the same letters\nthat besides Luke and Aristarchus (Acts 27:2; 28:15) he\nhad also the fellowship, for some time at least, of\nTychicus, who (Eph. 6:21) was the bearer of his letter to\nEphesus; of Timothy, whom (Phil. 1:1; Col. 1:1;\nPhilem. 1) he joins with himself in the greeting to the\nchurches of Philippi and Colossae and also in that to\nPhilemon.  In the former of these churches Timothy had\nbeen a fellow laborer with the Apostle.  Epaphroditus\ncame with the Philippian contributions to the aid of the\nimprisoned Apostle (Phil. 4:18).  Onesimus found out\nPaul when in flight from his master he made his way to\nRome (Col. 4:9; Philem. 10).  Mark, the cousin of\nBarnabas, was also there and another Jewish convert,\nJesus, called Justus, of whom we only know that the\nApostle considered him worthy to be called a fellow\nworker unto the kingdom of God (Col. 4:11).  Epaphras\nfrom the churches of Laodicea and Hieropolis, had come\nto visit Paul, and to bring him greetings doubtless of the\nChristians there, and carry back some words of earnest\ncouncil and advice from the Roman prisoner (Col. 4:12,\n13).  Last of all Demas was there to be mentioned\nas having forsaken the good way through love of this\npresent world (Col. 4:14; 2 Tim. 4:10).  More than\nthis and the few words in verses thirty and thirty-one, of\nActs 28, we do not know of this first imprisonment.\"  His\nspirit however was unsubdued through all his hardships\nand he was ever exhorting the disciples of Christ to\nrejoice in Him (Phil. 2:1, 2; 4:4).\n\n+The Further Travels of Paul+ are considered in Study 10.\n\n\nQUESTIONS\n\nHow much space does the account of this journey occupy in\nthe Acts, and why is so much given to it?  What do the seven\nspeeches of Paul signify?  What Epistles did Paul write while at\nRome?  Give the time and extent of this journey.  Give the\nhistorical connections.  Why did Paul return to Jerusalem?  Give\nan account of his meeting with James and the elders; the temple\nriot; his speech to the rioters; and his speech before the Jewish\nCouncil.  How was Paul comforted by God?  What was the\nconspiracy of the Jewish fanatics?  How long did Paul remain a\nprisoner at Caesarea?  Give an account of his first defense before\nhis Jewish accusers, and the Roman governor Felix; his second\ndefense before Felix; his third defense before Festus; and his\nfourth defense before Festus and King Agrippa II.  Give an\naccount of the voyage to Rome; Caesarea to Myra; Myra to\nMelita; and Melita to Rome.  What did Paul testify to the Jews\nand Gentiles in Rome?  Where do we find incidental notices of\nthis imprisonment?\n\n\n\n\nIII.  PAUL'S WRITINGS\n\n\nSTUDY VII\n\nTHE FUTURE OF CHRIST'S KINGDOM\n\nFIRST GROUP OF EPISTLES\n\nFIRST AND SECOND EPISTLES TO THE THESSALONIANS\n\nANALYSIS\n\n+Introduction to the Epistles of Paul+--Epistolary Writings.  Some\nReasons for Paul's Writings.  Qualifications of Paul.  How\nthe Epistles are Best Understood.  Titles and Groups.\nCommon Plan.  Supreme Purpose.\n\n+The Future of Christ's Kingdom+--The First Group of Epistles.\nThe Chief Doctrinal Point.\n\n+The First Epistle to the Thessalonians+--The Founding of the\nChurch.  Occasion, Time, and Place of Writing.  Contents.\nAnalysis.\n\n+The Second Epistle to the Thessalonians+--Occasion, Time, and\nPlace of Writing.  Principal Divisions and Chief Points.\n\n\n\n\nIII.  PAUL'S WRITINGS\n\n\nSTUDY VII\n\nTHE FUTURE OF CHRIST'S KINGDOM\n\nFIRST GROUP OF EPISTLES\n\nTHE FIRST AND SECOND EPISTLES TO THE THESSALONIANS\n\nINTRODUCTION TO THE EPISTLES OF PAUL\n\n+Epistolary Writings.+--The New Testament is\ncomposed of twenty-seven books, twenty-one of which are\nEpistles.  Of this latter number thirteen are ascribed to\nPaul.  It is thus seen how largely the New Testament is\nmade up of Epistles and how many of these are attributed\nto the Great Apostle.\n\nIn the letters of men of great prominence and power\nof any age we get closer to the real condition of the affairs\nof that age than by any other means.  In this way, we\nget information at first hand from the participants in the\nevents of which they write.  It is fortunate for us that\nwe have this first hand material with which to deal, when\nwe come to study the early growth and development of\nChristianity.\n\nBy means of the New Testament Epistles (which are\nreal letters and written with a definite purpose in view)\nwe look directly into the faith, the customs, and practices\nof the early Christian churches.  We see how they were\norganized and how they conducted their services.  We\nsee the marvelous changes wrought in the lives and\ncharacters of the converts.  We note that the triumphs of faith\nwere won through a belief in the Divine Son of God and\nthe power of the Holy Ghost.  The struggles and difficulties\nof these early Christians in coming out of heathenism\nare depicted in a masterly way.  Paul, in his endeavor\nto guide aright the churches, of which he had been the\nspiritual father, shows what he believes and teaches about\nGod, the Holy Ghost, Jesus Christ, sin, redemption, and the\nfuture state of the soul.  In these letters the incidental\nand indirect references to the doctrines taught, and the\ncustoms of the early churches, are as valuable as the direct.\n\n+Some Reasons for Paul's Writings.+--The Apostle\nwas the founder of churches over a large area of territory.\nHe soon realized, however, that it was impossible to visit\nthem as often as he desired and as frequently as he\nought.  Many of the converts had come out of heathenism\nand needed doctrinal and ethical instruction in the\nway of Christ.  They also needed encouragement,\ncomfort, and sometimes sharp correction for outbreaking sins.\nAs means of communication were open and easy along\nthe well kept Roman roads, what was more natural than\nthat Paul should begin to write letters which were not\nonly to be read by the particular churches to which they\nwere addressed, but passed on to the other churches.\n\n+Qualifications of Paul.+\n\n1.  Intellectual.  He was not only pre-eminent as a\nmissionary, but even more remarkable as a writer.  \"He\nwas the greatest thinker of his age, if not of any age,\nwho in the midst of his outward labors was producing\nwritings which have ever since been among the mightiest\nintellectual forces of the world and are still growing.\"\n\n2.  Spiritual.  He had been converted in a wonderful\nway and had received a special revelation from Christ\n(Acts 9:3-15; 1 Cor. 15:3; Gal. 1:11, 12).  He had\nbeen called to his great work among the Gentiles by Christ\nand the Holy Ghost (Acts 9:15; 13:2).  He was\nabsolutely absorbed in the work of Christ and in making\nknown His gospel.\n\n+How the Epistles are Best Understood.+--Each one\nshould be studied in the light of the occasion which called\nit forth and in connection with the church, group of\nchurches, or the individual to which it is addressed.\n\n+Titles and Groups.+--The thirteen Epistles fall naturally\ninto four groups; in each of which is set forth some\ngreat doctrinal and ethical truth.\n\nFirst Group, First and Second Thessalonians.  \"These\nEpistles are short, simple, and practical.  They may be\nregarded as illustrating Paul's earlier missionary instruction\nto his converts--hence the name 'Missionary Epistles,'\nsometimes applied to them.  They treat of but one\ndoctrinal subject--the second coming of Christ.\"  It should\nbe borne in mind, however, that Paul speaks of Jesus\nChrist as \"The Lord,\" \"Our Lord,\" about twenty-five\ntimes in First Thessalonians; this shows how thoroughly\nhe believed in the Deity of Christ.\n\nSecond Group, Galatians, First and Second Corinthians\nand Romans.  \"This group is the great repertory of\nPaul's doctrinal and ethical teaching.  Galatians and\nRomans deal chiefly with his doctrine of justification by\nfaith.  They are designed to disprove the current Jewish\nteaching (which was invading the churches) that men\nmight be saved by obedience to the Mosaic law.  On the\ncontrary Paul maintained that the sole basis of salvation\nis the grace of God to be appropriated by faith on man's\npart.\"\n\nThird Group, Colossians, Philemon, Ephesians, and\nPhilippians.  \"This group is predominantly Christological.\nErrors had invaded the churches addressed, which\ntended to degrade the person and work of Christ, and the\nApostle writes with a view to showing his pre-eminence\nand saving power, so that the readers may be induced to\nkeep their allegiance to Christ and His gospel.\"\n\nFourth Group, First Timothy, Titus and Second Timothy.\n\"These are called 'The Pastoral Epistles,' and were\ndesigned to instruct Timothy and Titus as\nsuperintendents of the churches\nin Ephesus and Crete, and were thus\nsemi-official in character.  But they have also a strong\npersonal element and a tone of warm sympathy and\naffection.\"  The above characterization of the four groups of\nthese Epistles by Prof. G. B. Stevens is brief and to the\npoint.\n\n+Common Plan.+--The plan in all of Paul's Epistles,\nwith slight variations, is much the same.  The outlines of\nthese letters fall uniformly into six divisions.  \"First, a\ngreeting sometimes very brief, sometimes extending over\nseveral verses, in which he generally manages with\nconsummate skill to strike the keynote of the whole letter.\nSecondly, a thanksgiving to God for the Christian gifts\nand graces of his converts.  Thirdly, a doctrinal part, in\nwhich he argues out or explains some great topic of\nChristian truth, specially required by the condition of the\nchurch to which he is writing.  Fourthly, a practical\nsection, in which he applies to daily moral duties the great\ndoctrines which he has developed.  Fifthly, personal\nmessages, salutations, and details.  Sixthly, a brief\nautograph conclusion to ratify the genuineness of the entire\nletter.\"\n\n+The Supreme Purpose+ was to make known the Divine\nChrist as the Savior of all men, both Jew and Gentile\n(1 Cor. 2:1-16; Col. 1:9-29; Phil. 2:9-11; Acts 26:22,\n23; Rom. 3:9-31).\n\n\nTHE FUTURE OF CHRIST'S KINGDOM\n\nFIRST GROUP OF EPISTLES\n\nTHE FIRST AND SECOND EPISTLES TO THE THESSALONIANS\n\n+The First Group of Epistles.+--The First and Second\nEpistles to the Thessalonians are the earliest writings of\nPaul of which we have any certain knowledge.  He may\npossibly have written earlier epistles, which are now lost.\nHe speaks of writing a salutation \"in every epistle\"\n(2 Thess. 3:17), \"with mine own hand,\" which may\nimply that he had already written a number of Epistles.\nIn regard to later writings he also speaks of an Epistle\n(1 Cor. 5:9) to the Corinthians written to them before\nthat now known as First Corinthians and of one written\nto the Laodiceans (Col. 4:16); of these writings we have\nno record save these incidental notices, if these notices\nrefer to lost Epistles.\n\n+The Chief Doctrinal Point+ considered in this group is\n\"The Future of Christ's Kingdom\" as it was related to His\nsecond coming (1 Thess. 4:13-5:9, compare 2 Thess. 2:1-17).\nIt was natural that, after so great a manifestation\nof the Divine Christ, the earlier believers in Him\nshould make much of the promise that He said He would\ncome again, and amid their troubles and difficulties the\nstrong tendency would be to think that second coming\nwas close at hand.  It is a well known fact however that\nthe near approach of a great joy or sorrow unfits men and\nwomen for the ordinary pursuits of life.  Paul, in his first\nletter to the members of the church of Thessalonica,\nspoke of the second coming of Christ to relieve their\nminds of a worry over those who had died since he had\npreached to them (lest they should not see the Lord when\nHe came), and also to encourage them in their faith\n(1 Thess. 4:13-18).  It seems that Paul was taken to mean\nby what he wrote that Christ's coming was near at hand.\nThe believers in Christ, in Thessalonica, began to give up\ntheir ordinary avocations and pursuits in speedy anticipation\nof this great event.  He therefore takes occasion in\nhis second letter to the church to correct the impression\nthat Christ's coming (2 Thess. 2:1-17) was near at hand.\nHe exhorts them to true and faithful living in the sight of\ntheir Lord Jesus Christ (2 Thess. 3:1-18) as the best way\nto serve their Divine Master.  The principle of the true\nChristian life is here set forth in a masterly way; it holds\ngood for all time and all peoples.\n\n\n\nTHE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS\n\n+The Founding of the Church at Thessalonica+ (Acts\n17:1-10).--Paul was on his second missionary journey\nand this church was the second which he organized in\nEurope.  He entered into the synagogue at Thessalonica\nand three Sabbath days reasoned with the Jews out of the\nscriptures, \"opening and alleging, that Christ must needs\nhave suffered and risen again from the dead; and that this\nJesus, whom I preach to you, is Christ\" (Acts 17:3).  Through\nthis preaching a few of the Jews believed \"and\nof the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief\nwomen not a few.\"  It appears from this account that\nthe church was mostly made up of Gentiles.  But through\nthe opposition of the Jews all the city was set in an uproar\nand Paul was sent away by night to Berea.\n\n+Occasion, Time, and Place of Writing.+--Paul left\nThessalonica unwillingly for he had a great affection for\nhis converts in this city.  Twice he endeavored to return,\nbut was prevented from doing so (2:17, 18).  When\nhe reached Athens (Acts 17:15) he grew so anxious about\nthe church at Thessalonica that he sent Timothy back to\nsee how it prospered (3:1, 2).  While Timothy was\ngone on his mission Paul went on to Corinth (Acts\n18:1).  Here Timothy found him when he returned with\nhis report of the church (Acts 18:5; 1 Thess. 3:6).\nPaul was greatly pleased with what Timothy had to say\nabout the converts.  While enduring persecution they\nwere standing fast in the Lord and devoted to their faith\nin Christ (3:7-13).  The report which Timothy brought\nwas the occasion of the first letter to this church.\n\nThe time was, in all probability, in the winter of 52-53\nA.D., and the place of writing was at Corinth, where\nPaul remained for over a year and a half (Acts 18:1, 11, 18).\n\n+Contents.+--The first three chapters are of a personal\ncharacter and show how dear to Paul's heart were these\nconverts of Thessalonica.  They also show the good\nrecord made for the short time since they had embraced\nChristianity.  But nothing could be more revolutionary\nin those days than to become a Christian; therefore Paul\ntakes occasion to correct social, moral, and doctrinal\nfaults and to instruct them more fully in the faith, in\nChrist, which they professed.  In the matter of doctrine\nPaul mentions Christ as \"the Lord,\" \"our Lord\" about\ntwenty-five times, showing his belief in and teaching of\nthe Deity of Christ.  In regard to Christ's speedy second\ncoming, of which many seem to have had a lively\nexpectation so that they were troubled when some died lest\nthese had lost their opportunity to see this glorious event,\nPaul writes to reassure them that all believers, those who\nhave died and those who are alive at that time, \"will enter\ntogether and share equally in the blessings of Christ's\nheavenly kingdom\" (4:13-18).  The Epistle closes with\nexhortations to be joyful, thankful, and prayerful.\n\n+Principal Divisions and Chief Points.+\n\n1.  Introduction (1:1-10).  Personal address and\nsalutation.  Thanksgiving for their faith, love and hope in\nJesus Christ and for their conversion.\n\n2.  Narrative (2:1-4:12).  How the gospel was given\nand how it was received at Thessalonica.  An account of\nPaul's care and anxiety for the church.  Paul's prayer for\ntheir establishment in the faith of Jesus Christ.  Exhortation\nto abstain as followers of Christ from impurity and\nfraud; to follow after holiness and brotherly love.\n\n3.  Doctrinal (4:13-5:11).  The second advent of\nChrist.  The parts which the dead and living will have\nwhen Christ shall come again.  The uncertainty of the\ntime.  The need of constant watchfulness.\n\n4.  Practical (5:12-28).  Rules for the conduct of the\nchurch, its overseers and members.  Exhortation to be\njoyful, prayerful, and thankful.  Closing prayer that they\nmay be preserved blameless unto the coming of the Lord\nJesus Christ.  Greeting and benediction.\n\n\nTHE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS\n\n+Occasion, Time, and Place of Writing.+--What Paul\nwrote about the second coming of Christ, in the First\nEpistle, seems to have been misunderstood by the church\nat Thessalonica (1:7-3:11).  Then too there was\nprobably a spurious epistle (and this may have occasioned\nmuch of the trouble) in circulation, in which Paul is\nevidently made to declare that the day of Christ is close at\nhand (2:2).  He writes of this false epistle very vigorously\nthat they be not troubled in spirit by a letter, \"as\nfrom us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.\"  Evidently\nsome were neglecting their work, becoming impatient at\nthe delay in Christ's coming (3:5, 11, 12) and walking\ndisorderly.\n\nThe Epistle opens, with an expression of thanks for the\ngeneral condition of the church and that it was enduring\npersecutions and tribulations well (1:2-6).  Hence it is\nevident that some but not all of the church members were\nout of accord with an earnest sensible faith in Christ.\nThis Epistle reflects certain conditions which Paul had\nto meet in his work and shows how he sought to check\nany defections from right conceptions of true Christian\ndoctrine and life.  In the second chapter Paul shows that\nthe \"day of Christ\" may not speedily come, that certain\nother things must come to pass before it is revealed\n(compare Matthew ch. 24), and that the true Christian way is\nto stand fast always in the Lord.  In thus standing fast\nevery believer will grow in faith and grace.\n\nThe duties taught are \"courage and faith under persecution\nand calmness and quiet industry in the presence of\nthe greatest expectations.\"\n\nThe time of writing was probably, a few months after\nthat of the First Epistle, in 53 A.D.  The place of\nwriting was Corinth.\n\n+Principal Divisions and Chief Points.+\n\n1.  Introduction (1:1-4).  Salutation.  Thanksgiving\nfor the growth of faith in the Thessalonian church.\n\n2.  Doctrinal (1:5-2:17).  The great day of the\nLord.  The Thessalonians seemingly misunderstood Paul's\nfirst letter and he now more fully explains the second\nadvent of Christ.  It will be a day of terrible retribution\nfor the unbeliever but one of glory for all who trust in\nHim.  A warning is given not to think the day near at\nhand.  Certain things must first come to pass; \"a falling\naway,\" \"a man of sin,\" \"signs and lying\nwonders.\"  Thanksgiving that the\nThessalonians have been chosen to\nsalvation through the sanctification of the Spirit.\n\n3.  Conclusion (Ch. 3).  Paul requests prayer for\nhimself that \"the word of the Lord may have free course\nand be glorified\" with him; he also desires that the Lord\nmay direct their \"hearts into the love of God and into the\npatient waiting for Christ.\"  Paul gives command to\ndiscipline the disorderly and that every man earn his own\nliving.  Exhortation to be not weary in well doing.\nSalutation and benediction.\n\n\nQUESTIONS\n\nWhat can be said of epistolary writings; their place and\nusefulness?  Give some reasons for Paul's writings.  What were the\nqualifications of Paul?  How are the Epistles best understood?\nWhat can be said of the four groups and their characteristics?\nWhat is the common plan?  What is the supreme purpose?  What\ncan be said of the first group of Epistles; First and Second\nThessalonians?  What is the chief doctrinal point?  The First\nEpistle; what can be said of the founding of the church at\nThessalonica?  What can be said of the occasion, time, and place of\nwriting?  What are the contents?  Give the four parts of the\nprincipal divisions and chief points.  The Second Epistle; what\ncan be said of the occasion, time, and place of writing?  Give the\nthree parts of the principal divisions and chief points.\n\n\n\n\nIII.  PAUL'S WRITINGS\n\n\nSTUDY VIII\n\nTHE OLD FAITHS AND THE NEW\n\nSECOND GROUP OF EPISTLES\n\nGALATIANS.  FIRST AND SECOND CORINTHIANS.  ROMANS.\n\nANALYSIS\n\n+Problems of Early Christianity+--The Old Faiths and the New.\nThe Great Question.  The Jewish Faith.  The Heathen Faith.\nThe New Faith in Christ.  Practical Bearing upon Present\nDay Living.  The Epistles of this Group.\n\n+The Epistle to the Galatians+--The Galatians.  Time of Writing.\nOccasion and Purpose.  Principal Divisions and Chief Points.\n\n+The Epistles to the Corinthians+--The Church at Corinth.  The\nCity of Corinth.\n\n+The First Epistle to the Corinthians+--Occasion and Purpose.\nPlace and Time.  The Supremacy of Christ.  Principal\nDivisions and Chief Points.\n\n+The Second Epistle to the Corinthians+--Occasion and Purpose.\nPlace and Time.  Principal Divisions and Chief Points.\n\n+The Epistle to the Romans+--The Church at Rome.  Occasion and\nPurpose.  Place and Time.  Central Thought.  Principal\nDivisions and Chief Points.\n\n\n\nIII.  PAUL'S WRITINGS\n\n\nSTUDY VIII\n\nTHE OLD FAITHS AND THE NEW\n\nSECOND GROUP OF EPISTLES\n\nGALATIANS.  FIRST AND SECOND CORINTHIANS.  ROMANS.\n\nPROBLEMS OF EARLY CHRISTIANITY\n\n+The Old Faiths and the New.+--In this second group\nof Epistles, Galatians, First and Second Corinthians, and\nRomans, we enter upon a period of conflict in which\nChristianity is being defined, and differentiated from\nJudaism and Heathenism.  No great truth ever came into\nthe world without a battle for its right to the attention of\nmen.\n\nThe new faith in Christ made large claims for itself.\nIt marked an advance upon Judaism and maintained that\nin Christ was fulfilled all the promises made by the\nprophets of the coming of the Jewish Messiah.  It radically\nantagonized the heathen religions.  It had a double task to win\nmen out of Judaism and heathenism.  Only by a careful\nstudy of these great doctrinal Epistles, and the circumstances\nout of which they arose, can it be seen how really\ngreat was this task.\n\n+The Great Question+ was: \"On what terms does God\nsave men?  Does He owe salvation to any because of\nwhat they have done, or does He bestow it as an\nunmerited favor upon condition of trust and self-surrender?\"  Paul\nmaintained that the sole basis of salvation is the\ngrace of God through Jesus Christ to be appropriated by\nfaith on the part of man.  This is still the great question.\n\n+The Jewish Faith+ had been long in the world.  Its\nprophets had two great themes, the Messiah and the\nMessianic Kingdom.  All Israel, while observing feast and\nfast days, the precepts of the Mosaic law and offering\nsacrifices, looked forward to the coming of the Messiah\nand the establishment of His kingdom upon earth, as the\nsupreme fulfillment of its hopes.\n\nIt is the contention of Paul in these Epistles that this\nMessiah has come in the person of Jesus Christ and\nfulfilled all the promises made to Israel, and that, through\nfaith in Him, believers are released from the observance\nof the precepts of the Mosaic law.\n\nThere were two parties of Jews who sought to check\nthe advance of the early church, with its all sufficient\nSavior.  First, there were the Jews who denied any and\nevery claim of Christ to be the Messiah; of this party\nwere the rioters who drove Paul out of city after city and\nsought to kill him in the temple.  Second, there were the\nJewish Christians who \"asserted that their faith was\nJudaism with a new prophet; that the law of Moses and Mosaic\nceremonial practices were binding on Christians as well as\non unbelieving Jews; that Gentile believers must first\nbecome proselytes to Judaism before they could become\nChristians; and lastly that circumcision was the only\ngateway to baptism.\"  With the first class of Jews it was not\nso difficult to deal, for they were out and out antagonists,\nbut the Jewish Christians, (who still clung to the Jewish\nlaw) were constantly making trouble not only amongst the\nChristian Jews, who had fully come out from under the\nlaw of Moses and expressed their faith in Christ, but also\namong the Christian Gentiles who had come out of the\nheathen religions.  The masterly arguments of Paul,\npresented in Galatians and Romans, deal chiefly with the\ndoctrine of justification by faith in Jesus Christ alone.  In\nGal. 5:1-4 he calls the return to Jewish belief and\npractice, \"falling from grace.\"\n\n+The Heathen Faith.+--The people of the Roman\nempire were idolaters.  Temples for the worship of idols\noccupied prominent positions in every city.  Some of\nthem were very beautiful, from an architectural point of\nview.  But the objects of worship, frequently, were of the\nbasest sort.  This worship caused a notorious laxness of\nview in regard to the relations between the sexes.  This\nstate of things is not overstated by Paul in his epistle to\nthe Romans (1:18-23).  It was this condition of idolatrous\nworship which led to the decision of the Jerusalem\nCouncil in regard to the Gentile converts (Acts 15:29).\nThe Christianity which Paul taught called for a pure and\nupright life and a subjugation of human passion.  We see\nthe effects of former idolatrous lives manifesting\nthemselves in the evils which Paul sought to correct in his\nletters to the Corinthians.  It was no small conflict in\nwhich the Great Apostle to the Gentiles engaged when he\nsought to cleanse, through Christ, the base idolatrous\nhearts of the men of his times.\n\n+The New Faith in Christ.+--Paul stands for spiritual\nfreedom in Christ and loyalty to Him as Divine Lord\nwithout the necessity of observing the minute regulations\nof the Jewish ritual.  He insists upon purity of soul and\noutward life as opposed to the laxness of the idolaters.\nEach individual soul is related to Christ to whom it is\nresponsible.\n\n+Practical Bearing upon Present Day Living.+--The\nthings contended for, the evils scored in these Epistles\nmay seem to belong to dead controversies, but they do\nnot.  While it is a fact that Christianity has freed itself\nfrom Judaism and the heathen religions have been\nconquered, the old evils still manifest themselves and the\nsame remedies must be applied to them.  Many to-day\nwill do works of the law (Gal. 2:16) who have no use for\nChrist, or His church, thinking in this way to buy their\nway to God.  These are the old Judaizers come to life\nagain.  They often know nothing and care less for spiritual\nthings and heart righteousness.  Sensuality, and all its\nattendant evils, driven from the old heathen temples,\nmanifests itself in many ways; it still seeks to array itself\nin beautiful garments that it may lure many to ruin.\nThere is need of repeating over again the arguments of\nPaul for a pure life lived in the faith of Jesus Christ, and\nthe spiritual upbuilding of the soul through Him.  Paul\nalso insists upon good works as the outcome of faith, but\nfaith must come first.\n\n+The Epistles of this Group were Written+ on the third\nmissionary journey.\n\n\nTHE EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS\n\n+The Galatians+ to whom this Epistle was addressed;\nwho were they?  The name Galatia was used in two ways.\nGeographically to denote the country inhabited by the\nCeltic tribes (who were descended from the Gauls and\nwho formerly inhabited the country we now call France).\nPolitically it meant the Roman province which also\nincluded \"Psidia, Lycaonia, and part of Phrygia to the south\nof Galatia proper.\"  It has been a question which of the\ntwo Paul intended to address in his letter.  There are no\nparticular names of churches which are specified.  Many\nscholars think that Paul means to address his Epistle to\nthe churches of the Roman province.  In this case the\nletter would be sent to the churches of a wide area, and\nprimarily addressed to those founded in the first\nmissionary journey at Antioch, Iconium, Derbe, and Lystra\n(Acts 14:1-28).\n\nLuke speaks also of a region lying roundabout Derbe and\nLystra where the gospel was preached on this first journey\n(Acts 14:6).  The passage in Galatians (2:5) in which\nPaul refers to the Jerusalem Council where he contended\nfor the liberty in Christ of the Gentiles would naturally be\ntaken to mean these first churches (however wide the\napplication) as the Jerusalem Council was held at the close\nof the first missionary journey.  The word Galatia may\nbe used in the narrower sense also by Luke in speaking of\nthe beginning of Paul's second (Acts 16:6) and third\n(Acts 18:23) missionary journeys.  It would be natural\nfor the Judaizers, who sought to turn back the converts\nof Paul to Judaism, to begin with the churches in South\nGalatia first.\n\n+Time of Writing.+--The common opinion is that this\nepistle was written at Ephesus, during Paul's long stay\nthere on his third missionary journey or between 54 and\n56 A.D.  Some however would place the date earlier.\n\n+Occasion and Purpose.+--That which caused Paul to\nwrite this first of his great doctrinal Epistles was the\nteaching of certain Judaizers who had found their way\ninto the churches of Galatia.  They claimed that the\nJewish law was binding upon believers in Christ, and\ndeclared that salvation was through works of the law.\nThey insisted upon the rite of circumcision.  Paul's\ngospel and authority were disparaged.\n\nPaul wrote this Epistle for the purpose of showing\nthat \"faith in Christ was the sole and sufficient condition\nof salvation.\"\n\n+Principal Divisions and Chief Points.+\n\n1.  Introduction (1:1-10) Salutation.  Subject of the\nEpistle; the defection of the Galatian churches.\n\n2.  The divine commission given to Paul as an apostle\n(1:11-2:21).  He makes a statement of his claims and\ngives a sketch of his life.  The gospel he preached came\nnot from man but through a revelation of Jesus Christ.\nAll this is to show the authenticity of his claims.\n\n3.  Doctrinal.  Justification is by faith (ch. 3-4).\nThe Galatian churches had received the Spirit through\nfaith and not by law; why should they turn back?  The\nsuperiority of faith is shown by Abraham's faith.  The\ncovenant of the promise of Christ was before the law.\nThe law is subordinate to faith, its purpose is to bring\nmen to Christ.  There is serious danger in returning to\nthe law.\n\n4.  Practical.  Application of the doctrinal teaching\n(ch. 5-6:10).  An exhortation to stand fast in the liberty\nof Christ; this liberty excludes Judaism.  A warning\nagainst the abuse of Christian liberty.  The works of the\nflesh and the fruits of the Spirit.  Sowing and reaping.\n\n5.  Autograph conclusion (6:11-18).  Summary of\nthe Epistle.  The glory of the Apostle is in the cross of\nChrist.  Benediction.\n\n\nTHE EPISTLES TO THE CORINTHIANS\n\n+The Church at Corinth+ was founded during Paul's\nsecond missionary journey (Acts 18:1-18).  When the\nApostle came to Corinth he found a home with Aquila\nand Priscilla and worked with them at his trade as a\ntent-maker.  He preached in Corinth for over a year and a\nhalf.  Although Paul was the means of converting\nCrispus, the ruler of the synagogue, and his family, he had no\nlarge success with the Jews and consequently turned to\nthe Gentiles.  The Gentiles gladly heard him and there\nwas a great ingathering into the church.\n\nPaul's sole purpose was to preach Christ for he says,\n\"I determined not to know anything among you, save\nJesus Christ and Him crucified\" (1 Cor. 2:2).\n\n+The City of Corinth+ was the largest and most\nimportant city of Greece.  The commerce of the world flowed\nthrough its two harbours.  The population consisted of\nGreeks, Jews, Italians, and a mixed multitude; it was\nexcitable, pleasure loving, and mercurial.  In this city\nwas held a perpetual vanity fair.  The vices of the east\nand west met and clasped hands in the work of human\ndegradation.  The Greek goddess Aphrodite had a\nmagnificent temple in which a thousand priestesses ministered\nto a base worship.  While it was a center of wealth and\nfashion it was a city of gilded vice.  In the philosophical\nschools there was an endless discussion about words and\nnon-essentials and a strong tendency to set intellectual\nabove moral distinctions.\n\n\nTHE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS\n\n+Occasion and Purpose.+-It was natural that the\npressure of heathen customs and practices should be very great\nupon this young church.  It was also to be expected that\nparties and divisions would arise.  The immediate cause\nof this Epistle was that strifes and divisions had arisen in\nthe church.  It was the reporting of these matters to\nPaul by those \"of the house of Chloe\" (1 Cor. 1:11)\nthat led him to write in the way in which he did.  To\nsettle the strifes of this church and to define the relations\nwhich Christians should assume towards the political,\nreligious, and domestic institutions of the heathen was a\nmatter of no little delicacy and difficulty.  The mastery\nof Paul is shown in the laying down of principles, in\naccordance with the gospel of Christ, that were effective\nnot only for the Corinthian church but which are applicable\nto-day to all such church difficulties and the conduct\nof Christians towards non-Christians.\n\n+A Former Epistle.+--Previous to the one now called\n\"The First,\" had been written to the Corinthians (1\nCor. 5:9) and \"it appears that the church had replied and\nrequested further explanation and instruction on certain\npoints\" (5:11; 7:1; 8:1; 12:1; 16:12).\n\n+Place and Time.+--This Epistle was written during\nPaul's long stay in Ephesus (Acts 19:10; 1 Cor. 16:19)\nand the date is in all probability 57 A.D.\n\n+The Supremacy of Christ+ over all parties, His love as\nthe touchstone of all service, and His resurrection are\nthe great subjects of this Epistle.\n\n+Principal Divisions and Chief Points.+\n\n1.  Salutation and thanksgiving (1:1-9).\n\n2.  Correction of divisions of party spirit (1:10-4:21).\nIt having been reported to Paul that four parties\nwere striving for mastery in the church and there was\ngreat contention; he rebukes the party spirit, sets forth\nthe principles of his teaching, and declares that Christ\nalone is the center of the Christian system.  Faith stands\nnot in the wisdom of men.  The only foundation is in\nChrist.\n\n3.  Correction of moral disorders (ch. 5-7).  In\nconsequence of the close contact of the church with\nheathendom grave moral evils found their way into the\nfold.  (a) The case of an incestuous person, Paul writes\nthat such a person is to be expelled because the leaven of\nevil separates men from Christ.  (b) The sin of going to\nlaw in heathen courts.  Christians ought to settle their\nown disputes.  (c) Sins of the body.  No man should\ncommit a sin as his body is the temple of the Holy Ghost.\n\n(d) Advice concerning marriage.  The purpose of the\ngospel is not to antagonize but to Christianize the natural\nrelations between society and the believer.\n\n4.  Correction of social and ecclesiastical misconceptions\n(ch. 8-14).  (a) The question of eating of meats\noffered in idol worship is decided on the ground of love\nrather than knowledge.  (b) The preacher of the gospel\nhas the right to be supported by the church.  (c) The\ntrue Christian liberty to be observed in the matters of\neating and drinking.  The proper celebration of the\nLord's Supper.  (d) The use and abuse of spiritual gifts.\n\n(e) The greatness of love (ch. 13) The touchstone\nof all is love.  (f) The end to be sought in every spiritual\ngift is the edification and upbuilding of the church.\n\n5.  The true doctrine of the resurrection (ch. 15),\nPaul lays great stress upon this doctrine.  \"If Christ be\nnot risen from the dead, then is our preaching vain and\nyour faith is also vain.\"\n\n6.  Parting directions, exhortations, and salutations\n(ch. 16).\n\n\nTHE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS\n\n+Occasion and Purpose.+--Paul was quite anxious about\nthe reception of his first letter by the Corinthian church.\nNot long after its dispatch he sent Titus (2 Cor. 2:13) to\nsee how it was received and to note whether the strife of\nparties had ceased, the incestuous person had been dealt\nwith, and other matters properly adjusted.  While Titus\nwas absent on this mission Paul left Ephesus on account\nof the riot made by Demetrius and his fellows (Acts\n19:23-41; 20:1) and went over into Macedonia (Acts\n20:1).  On the way, at Troas, he expected to meet Titus\nand was greatly disappointed in not seeing him (2\nCor. 2:12-13).  It is evident that he met Titus in Macedonia\nand received from him the report of the condition of the\nCorinthian church and the manner in which his first letter\nhad been received and acted upon (2 Cor. 7:5-16).\nAgain it is evident, from the Epistle, that Titus brought\nback the encouraging news to the Apostle that the\nincestuous person had been dealt with and had repented, and\nthat, as a whole, the church stood loyally by him, but still\nthere were some who were making trouble.  It was this\nreport that was the occasion of the Second Epistle.\nProf. G. B. Stevens says in regard to this letter, It reflects\nthe mingled joy and grief of the Apostle.  The earlier\nchapters are predominately cheerful and commendatory,\nthe latter mainly sorrowful and severe.  In the light of\nthese facts the letter may be described as threefold: First,\nto encourage and instruct the church (1-7).  Second,\nto induce the Corinthians to make a collection for the\npoor Judean churches (8-9).  Third, to defend the\nwriter's apostolic authority against the calumnies of his\nenemies (10-13).\n\n+Place and Time.+--There are a number of references\nby the Apostle which show that this Epistle was written\nin Macedonia (1:15, 16; 2:12, 13; 8:1; 9:2) and shortly\nafter Paul came out of Asia (1:8, compare Acts 20:1,\n2).  The time probably 57 A.D., the same year in which\nthe First Epistle was written.\n\n+Principal Divisions and Chief Points.+\n\n1.  Salutation (1:1, 2)\n\n2.  Paul's principles and ways of working (1:3-7:16).\nIn these chapters the Apostle endeavors to\nremove any feeling of bitterness which may have been\nproduced in the Corinthian church by his dealing with a\ncertain evil in the previous Epistle.  He also vindicates\nhis spiritual ministry.  He declares his love for the church\nand its spiritual advancement.  He also declares that he\nhas put off his visit to Corinth that he might not come in\nsorrow.  He rejoices in the good news brought by Titus.\nWhile he is weak in body, the power is of God and the\nministry is a communication of the Spirit.  He asserts\nthat he is sustained by the hope of the future life.  He\nearnestly exhorts the church to receive and live the gospel\nwhich he preached to them, for separation from the world\nand unity with God.  In chapter seven he rejoices that\nthey have received his words so well.\n\n3.  The collection for the poor Christians in Jerusalem\n(8-9).  Paul here speaks of the liberality of the\nMacedonian churches and the work of Titus who is sent to\nforward the contributions.\n\n4.  Paul's vindication of his authority as an apostle\n(10:1-13:10).  He has been attacked in his person,\ncharacter, and teaching by parties in the Corinthian church\nwho would overthrow his authority and ruin the church.\nThese four chapters are a magnificent setting forth of his\napostolic claims.  (a) His power and glory are not in his\nbodily presence or his letters but in the spiritual might of\nGod.  (b) His preaching is the pure gospel of Christ.\nIn bodily labor, trials, and persecutions he has excelled\nthem all (ch. 11).  (c) He has the highest qualifications\n(in visions and revelations) but he will glory only in\nhis infirmities.  His object is not to boast but to put an\nend to the disorders in the church.  (d) The Apostle\ndeclares his intention to visit the church.  By the power\nof Christ he will not spare the evil.  His desire is only\nfor righteousness.\n\n5.  Farewell greetings and messages (13:11-14).\n\n\nTHE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS\n\n+The Church at Rome.+--When and by whom this\nchurch was founded it is not known.  It is thought that\nthe \"strangers of Rome\" (Acts 2:10), who were present\nat the day of Pentecost when the great manifestation of\nthe Holy Spirit took place, carried back the good news\nand that this was the beginning of the church.  It was\ncomposed of both Jews and Gentiles for Paul addresses\nboth classes (Rom. 1:13; 9:24; 11:13; 2:17; 4:1;\n9:13; 7:1; 9:1-5).  This church seems to have made\nrapid progress (1:8).  Paul was evidently acquainted\nwith some of the Roman Christians (16:3-15).\n\n+Occasion and Purpose.+--This Epistle grew out of a\ndesire on the part of Paul to see Rome (Acts 19:21;\nRom. 1:11; 15:24-28).  As this would be his first visit\nit was no more than a courteous act that he should write\nto the church of this intention.  Again as the Christians\nin Rome might have heard false and distorted reports of\nthe gospel which he preached, Paul takes care to clearly\nand logically set forth the principles and doctrines which\nhe was teaching.  This letter then becomes very\nimportant as the summing up of the experience and teaching of\nmany years of service in the cause of Jesus Christ.\n\n+Place and Time+.--This Epistle was in all probability\nwritten from Corinth during Paul's stay there in the\ncourse of his third missionary journey 58 A.D. (compare\nActs 19:21; 20:1-3; Rom. 16:23; 1 Cor. 1:14; 2 Tim. 4:20).\n\n+Central Thought.+--The theme is justification by faith\nand not by works.  There are four main positions.  First,\nAll are guilty before God.  Second, All need a Savior.\nThird, Christ died for all.  Fourth, We are all (through\nfaith) one body in Him.  The thought may be put in\nother ways, but all to the same purpose.  The doctrine\nof sin, and the doctrine of grace; or the universality of\nsin and the universality of grace.\n\n+Principal Divisions and Chief Points.+--There are\ntwo great sections, Doctrinal (ch. 1-11), and Practical,\n(ch. 12-16).\n\n1.  Introduction (1:1-15).  Paul's salutation to and\nthanksgiving for (the faith of) the Roman church.\n\n2.  Doctrinal (1:16-11:36).  (a) The great theme\nstated, Justification by Faith.  (b) All have sinned and\nall are guilty, Gentiles without the law and Jews with the\nlaw have failed to attain righteousness.  (c) Righteousness\nfor all comes through faith in Jesus Christ and not\nby law or works; the universality of grace.  Abraham\nwas justified by faith (ch. 4).  The blessedness of\njustification by faith in Jesus Christ (ch. 5).  (d)\nObjections against free grace that it will multiply sin or\ndiscredit the law are taken up and answered.  Thorough\nunion with Christ on the part of the believer annihilates\nsin and the law has no more any power.  The believer\njustified by his faith in Christ is dead to the law while\nquickened to a new and holy life by the Spirit.  (e) The\napparent rejection of Israel is the problem considered in\nchapters 9-11.  The nation sought righteousness through\nthe law and not by faith.  (f) Christ is the end of the law\nfor righteousness.  (g) The restoration of Israel.\n\n3.  Practical (12-16).  (a) Advice and exhortation.\nThe Christian's duty to the church and his conduct outside\nof it; duty to the state and society; duty of toleration and\nsupreme trust in Christ.  (b) Salutations.  Paul's\napology and explanation for addressing the Roman church.\nGreetings to various persons and farewell words.\n\n\nQUESTIONS\n\nWhat can be said of the old faiths and the new?  What was\nthe great question?  The Jewish faith; how fulfilled in Christ?\nWhat can be said of the heathen faith?  What of the new faith in\nChrist?  What is the practical bearing of this group of Epistles\nupon every day life?  When written?  Give some account of the\nGalatians.  When was the Epistle to the Galatians written?\nWhat was the occasion and purpose?  Give the principal divisions\nand chief points.  What can be said of the Epistles to the\nCorinthians?  When was the church founded?  Give some account\nof the city.  What was the occasion and purpose of writing the\nfirst Epistle to the Corinthians?  What was the place and time?\nWhat the thought of Christ.  Give the principal divisions and\nchief points.  What was the occasion and purpose of writing the\nSecond Epistle?  Place and time?  Give the principal divisions\nand chief points.  When was the church at Rome founded?\nWhat was the occasion and purpose of writing the Epistle to the\nRomans?  Time and Place?  Central thought?  Give the principal\ndivisions and chief points.\n\n\n\n\nIII.  PAUL'S WRITINGS\n\n\nSTUDY IX\n\nTHE SUPREMACY OF CHRIST\n\nTHIRD GROUP OF EPISTLES\n\nCOLOSSIANS.  PHILEMON.  EPHESIANS.  PHILIPPIANS.\n\nANALYSIS\n\n+The Question at Issue+--The Supremacy of Christ.  Reason for\nRaising this Question.  The Answer to the Question.\nPresent Day Attention.\n\n+The Writing of the Epistles+--The Interest.  The Sending of the\nEpistles.\n\n+The Epistle to the Colossians+--The Church at Colossae.  The\nOccasion.  Central Thought.  Time and Place of Writing.\nPrincipal Divisions and Chief Points.\n\n+The Epistle to Philemon+--Occasion.  Principal Divisions and\nChief Points.\n\n+The Epistle to the Ephesians+--The City and the Church.  Title\nand Time of Writing.  Subject.  Principal Divisions and\nChief Points.\n\n+The Epistle to the Philippians+--The City and the Church.\nOccasion.  Objects.  Time of Writing.  Principal Divisions and\nChief Points.\n\n\n\nIII.  PAUL'S WRITINGS\n\n\nSTUDY IX\n\nTHE SUPREMACY OF CHRIST\n\nTHIRD GROUP OF EPISTLES\n\nCOLOSSIANS.  PHILEMON.  EPHESIANS.  PHILIPPIANS.\n\nTHE QUESTION AT ISSUE\n\n+The Supremacy of Christ.+--These Epistles mark a\nnew stage in the writings of Paul.  The great question\ndiscussed in the second group of Epistles was in regard\nto the terms of salvation.  The question now at issue\n(in Colossians, Ephesians, Philippians) is: What is the\nnature, the rank, the dignity of the Mediator of salvation?\nIs He one of a series of Saviors?  Does He belong to\nsome angelic order (Col. 2:18), or, does He stand supreme\n(Col. 2:8, 9, 19) and solitary?  Is He the Head and Chief\nof all creation (Col. 2:19; 1:16).  Other matters are\ndiscussed in these Epistles, but this is the great doctrinal\nquestion and burden of the Apostle's thought.\n\n+The Reason for the Raising of this Question+ was the\ndevelopment of certain false religious beliefs among which\nwere, \"asceticism, the worship of angels, revelings in\nsupposed visions and belief in emanations.\"  These \"degraded\nthe object of faith and so destroyed its meaning and\npower.\"\n\n+The Answer to the Question.+--Paul is in no doubt as\nto the supremacy of Christ.  All his argument is to show\nthe Deity of Christ.  He holds \"aloft the true object of\nfaith namely, the supreme Divine Savior Himself, in\nopposition to speculation which would degrade and deny\nto Him the eminence which belongs to Him\" (Col. 1:15-20;\nEph. 1:10, 20-23; 3-9; Philippians 2:5-11).\n\n+Present Day Attention+ has been focused upon this\nmatter of the supremacy of Christ.  Was he human or\ndivine?  The arguments of Paul still hold good for a stout\nbelief in the Divine Christ.  The writings of the Great\nApostle are all characterized by his grasp of fundamental\nthings; they serve their purpose for the modern church\nin bringing it back to Jesus Christ as the only Savior, as\nthey also in times past corrected the errors of the early\nchurch.\n\n\nTHE WRITING OF THE EPISTLES\n\n+The Interest+ in these Epistles is heightened by the\nfact that they were written during Paul's first Roman\nimprisonment of which Luke gives all too brief an account\n(Acts 28:30,31).  They have been called from this fact,\n\"The Epistles of the First Imprisonment.\"  It is a\nmarvel that Paul with his surroundings could have written in\nsuch a masterly way and handled such lofty themes in a\nmanner which has commanded the attention of the\nthinking world ever since his day and age.\n\n+The Sending of the Epistles+--Colossians, Philemon,\nand Ephesians were evidently dispatched from Rome by\nthe same messenger, Tychicus (Col. 4:7, 9; Eph. 6:21).\nPhilippians was sent by the hand of Epaphroditus\n(Phil. 2:25; 4:18).\n\n\nTHE EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS\n\nThe Church at Colossae--The city of Colossae was\nsituated about 110 miles east of Ephesus where Paul\nspent so long a time during his third missionary journey\n(Acts 19:10).  We have no record of any visit of Paul to\nthis city or how the church was founded (Col. 2:1).\nIt is supposed that Ephaphras might have organized this\nchurch (Col. 1:7).\n\n+The Occasion+ (and purpose) of this Epistle was\nevidently the coming of Epaphras to Rome to consult Paul\nabout the affairs of this church (1:7, 8).\n\nIn chapter 2:8-23 we have some account of the things\nwhich were troubling this Christian community and\ndrawing them away from faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior.\nFalse teachers had appeared at Colossae who were\nconfusing the minds of the Christian converts.  The\nstarting point of the error of teaching was the old oriental\ndogma that matter is evil and the source of evil (2:8),\nthat as God is good the world could not have come directly\nfrom God.  To bridge the chasm between God and the\nmatter of the world a long chain of intermediate beings\nwas conceived to exist.  This doctrine played havoc with\nthe simplest moral conceptions for if matter is evil, and\nits source, then man's sin is not in his will, but in his\nbody.  Redemption from sin can come only through\nasceticism and the mortification of the flesh.\n\nThe result of all this was a lowering of the dignity of\nChrist, taking away His saving power and the \"substitution\nof various ascetic abstinences and ritualistic practices\n(2:20) for trust in Him, the worship of angels (2:18),\nand a reveling in dreams and visions.\"  \"This was kindred\nto a type of speculation which later became rife under\nthe name of Gnosticism.\"\n\nTo these ideas Paul opposed the true doctrine of the\nHeadship of Christ (2:19) and that He is the only link\nbetween God and the universe (1:15-17).  \"By Him\nwere all things created (1:16) that are in heaven and that\nare in earth.\"  Christ is the only Mediator (1:13, 14).\nIn this faith there is no place for ascetic mortification.\nEvil is in our unwillingness to live the life in Christ.  In\nChrist we are dead to sin and risen with Him to a life\nof holiness (2:20-23; 3:1-4).  Christ is not only our\nRedeemer (1:14) and the Head of the church, but the\nsource of creation and its Lord (1:16, 17).  We have\na similar error (against which Paul warns) taught to-day\nby the speculative thinker, who fills the world with forces\nwhich leave no room for the working of a personal will.\n\n+Central Thought+--Jesus Christ the sole Savior of\nmen and Mediator between God and men (1:13-14), the\nCreator (1:16; 2:9) and Head of the church (1:18).\nExhortation to follow Christ (3:1-4).\n\n+Time and Place.+--This Epistle was written at Rome\nand sent by the messenger, Tychicus, (4:7, 8, 18) to the\nchurch at Colossae about 63 A.D.\n\nPaul also directed that it be read to the church at\nLaodicea (4:16).\n\n+Principal Divisions and Chief Points.+\n\n1.  Introduction (1:1-12) Salutation.  Thanksgiving\nfor their faith and prayer for their increase and knowledge\nof the will of God.\n\n2.  Doctrinal.  \"The sole Headship of Christ\"\n(1:13-3:4).  (a) Christ the Mediator.  There is redemption\nfor us through His blood.  (b) Christ, the image of\nthe invisible God, Creator and Preserver of all things.\n(c) He is the Head of the church, reconciliation is only\nthrough Him.  The Colossians were reconciled to God\nthrough the mediation of Christ.  It is the earnest desire\nof Paul that the church at Colossae should remain rooted\nin the faith which it had been taught.  (d) Warning\nagainst wrong speculation; lest any man \"through\nphilosophy or vain deceit\" obscure or cause the Colossians\nto deny the true Godhead of Christ (2:8-15).  (e)\nRenewed warnings against errors in worship; Jewish\nobservances, ordinances and asceticisms, and the\nadoration of angels.  (f) In Christ we are dead to the\nrudiments of the world and risen into communion with God\nin Christ.\n\n3.  Practical (3:5-4:6).  (a) Exhortations to cast\nout all sins of the unregenerate nature and to put on the\nnew man in Christ.  Then Christ will be all and in all.\n(b) All family and social duties are to be performed as in\nthe sight of Christ.  (c) Renewed exhortations to prayer\nand watchfulness.\n\n4.  Conclusion (4:7-18).  (a) The mission of\nTychicus and Onesimus, the greetings of the companions of\nPaul and his expressed desire that the churches of Colossae\nand Laodicea exchange Epistles.  (b) The Salutation.\n\n\nTHE EPISTLE TO PHILEMON\n\n+Occasion.+--This is the only purely personal letter of\nPaul that we possess.  It is placed in this group because\nit was sent with the Epistle to the Colossians and by the\nsame messenger, Tychicus (Col. 4:7-9).  Philemon was\na member (with his wife Apphia) of the church at\nColossae (Philemon 2).  Onesimus was a runaway slave,\nbelonging to Philemon, who had found his way to Rome\nand been converted by Paul (Philemon 10), who returned\nhim, with this letter, to his master (Col. 4:9; Philemon\n10-12).\n\nIn this letter we have a picture of the Apostle's\nkindness of heart and a carrying out of the principles which\nPaul had advocated in his First Epistle to the Corinthians\n(7:20-24), \"Let every man abide in the same calling\nwherein he was called.\"  We find also this same principle\nset forth, in another way, in his letter to the Colossians\nupon the \"Supremacy of Christ.\"  These principles will\nmake all men brethren in Christ and every man will strive\nto serve Christ in his own place, whatever that place is.\nPaul exhorts Philemon, along this very line, to receive\nOnesimus not as a servant but as a brother beloved\n(Philemon 16).\n\nThe practical teaching of this letter upon the relations\nbetween masters and servants and employers and employees\nis very pertinent to the present times.  The true\nsolution of all labor troubles is that men should regard\neach other as brethren under the leadership of Jesus Christ.\n\n+Principal Divisions and Chief Points.+\n\n1.  Salutation and Thanksgiving (1-7).\n\n2.  Statement of the object of the letter (8-21).  As\na favor for love's sake Philemon is asked to receive back\nOnesimus no longer a runaway slave but Paul's spiritual\nchild.  Emphasis is laid upon the fact that he is now a\nChristian brother and should be received as such.\n\n3.  Conclusion (22-25).  (a) In expectation of a\nspeedy release from imprisonment the Apostle asks that\na lodging be secured for him (22 v.).  (b) Salutation\nand benediction (23-25).\n\n\nTHE EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS\n\n+The City of Ephesus and the Church.+--This city\nwas, next to Rome, the most important visited by Paul.\nIt was the capital of Asia Minor and a great commercial\ncenter.  It was the seat of the worship of the goddess\nDiana.\n\nPaul first visited the city when he was returning from\nhis second missionary tour, but, while asked to prolong\nhis stay, he remained only for a short time (Acts 18:19-21).\nDuring his third missionary journey he again visited\nthe city and remained for three years (Acts 20:31,\ncompare 19:10, 22).  His success in Ephesus was very great\n(Acts 19:18-20, 26) and extended beyond the city.  The\nletters to the churches at Colossae (Col. 1:2) and Laodicea\n(this letter is lost) (Col. 4:16) show his care for the\nchurches that were adjacent to Ephesus and of which we\nhave no account of his visiting.\n\n+Title and Time of Writing.+--Many scholars think\nthat this Epistle was a circular letter written for the\nedification of the churches of Asia Minor and sent to the\nchurch of the capital city.  This opinion is strengthened\nby the lack of local allusions and the naming of friends,\nas in other epistles.  The inscription \"at Ephesus\" is\nwanting in two of the more important manuscripts.  \"On\nthis view it may be supposed that a space was left in the\nsalutation in which could be inserted the name of the\nparticular place where the letter was being read, that the letter\nfinally fell wholly into the keeping of the Ephesian church,\nand that the space was at length permanently filled by the\nphrase 'at Ephesus.'\"\n\nThe time and place of writing was at Rome about 63\nA.D.  This Epistle was sent by the messenger, Tychicus,\n(Eph. 6:21) who also carried the letters to the church at\nColossae and to Philemon (Col. 4:7-9).\n\n+Subject.+--As in Colossians, the subject is the\nHeadship of Christ (3:9-11); His person and work.  God's\neternal purpose is disclosed.  Christ is given sway over\nall things \"both which are in heaven and which are on\nearth\" (1:10, 2l).  The unity of the church in Christ\nis set forth; the unity of the Gentile and Jewish branches\nin Him; the unity of all the individual members in Him.\nThis union is spiritual and not mechanical; it is holy and\npure; therefore sin is excluded.  Paul looks upon this as\nthe mystery of the ages, now revealed to him.  There is\none great kingdom, the risen and glorified Christ is the\nHead of this kingdom (1:19-23).  Redemption and\nreception into this kingdom is through Jesus Christ (1-7).\n\nPaul in this epistle rises above the controversies of the\nhour and sees in clear vision the eternal realities and the\ngreat plan of God for the saving of men.\n\n+Principal Divisions and Chief Points.+\n\n1.  Introduction (1:1-23).  (a) Salutation.  (b)\nThanksgiving and Thesis (1:3-14).  Unity in Christ.\nHe who is the Head of the church is the Center of the\nuniverse (1:10).  The eternal purpose of God in\nSalvation is now made known.  Before the foundation of the\nworld, man and the redeemed church of Christ were in\nthe thought of God.  Christ in whom we have redemption\nlooked forward to His mission from eternity.  \"Creation,\nnature, and redemption are all parts of one system\"; in\nthe reconciliation of the cross all orders of beings are\nconcerned.  \"That in the dispensation of the fulness of times\nHe might gather together in one all things in Christ, both\nwhich are in heaven and which are on earth; even in\nHim\" (1:10).  (c) Prayer.  A petition that the\nunderstanding of believers may be illuminated; that they may\nknow the hope of their calling and the riches of their\nheritage, which comes through unity with their risen and\nascended Lord.\n\n2.  Doctrinal.  Unity in Christ (ch. 2-3).  (a) The\ncalling of the Gentiles out of \"trespasses and sins\" into\na new life in Christ.  (b) Jews and Gentiles are\nreconciled and brought together in one body by the cross; \"no\nmore strangers and foreigners but fellow citizens with the\nsaints, and of the household of God.\"  All built upon\nthe foundation of Jesus Christ, through the Spirit.  (c)\nThe mystery of the universal call was made known to\nPaul by a new revelation.  Prayer for a more full\ncomprehension of this unity.\n\n3.  Practical.  The new life in unity with Christ\n(4:1-6:17).  (a) Exhortation to walk worthy of this new\nlife.  (b) Exhortation to gain the victory over sin \"in\nvirtue of the sense of unity with man in Christ.\"  (c)\nSocial duties.  The regeneration and consecration in this\nnew life of the relations of husbands and wives, children\nand parents, and slaves and masters, (d) Final entreaty,\nin the battle against the powers of evil, to put \"on the\nwhole armour of God.\"\n\n4.  Conclusion (6:18-24).  (a) Personal.  Paul requests\nspecial prayer for himself in captivity.  Tychicus\nis commended.  (b) Farewell and blessing.\n\n\nTHE EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS\n\nThe City of Philippi and the Church.--This city is\nnotable from the fact that it was the first, in Europe, in\nwhich the gospel tidings were made known.  Accounts\nof how Paul came to visit Macedonia and to begin the\nwork in Philippi are given in Acts (16:10, 12-40).\nGoing out of the city as he did by the river side, where\nprayer was wont to be made, and talking to a number of\nwomen about the \"New Way\" would not seem to be a\nvery favorable beginning for a movement which was to\nproduce such exceedingly large results.  But Paul was so\nfull of zeal for Christ that he seized every opportunity,\nno matter how small, to make Him known.  This church\nafterwards was a great comfort to the Apostle.  This\nletter shows how he loved it and how he exhorted them to\nrejoice in the Lord (4:4).\n\n+Occasion.+--Paul was in prison in Rome.  The\nPhilippian converts were greatly concerned about him,\ntherefore they sent Epaphroditus with gifts and offerings to\nhim (4:18).  This was not the first time that they had\ntaken thought of and remembered their founder, in a\nsimilar way (4:15, 16).  The Apostle was very grateful for\ntheir care (4:10-14).  While in Rome, Epaphroditus\nwas taken very sick and came near death (2:25-28).\nAs soon as he had recovered from his sickness Paul sent\nhim back to Philippi (2:28), with this letter.  The\nreference to Caesar's household shows how strong a hold\nChristianity was getting in Rome (4:22; 1:12-14), and\nthat there was great boldness in proclaiming the gospel.\n\n+Objects.+--It is an Epistle of thanks to the Philippians\nfor their kindness (4:10-18) in remembering the Apostle\nwith substantial gifts in his work and for their fellowship\n(1:5) in the gospel.\n\nAnother object is to give them friendly advices and\nwarnings (2:12-24; 3:2-3, 17-21).  Paul does not\nforget, in this connection, to remind them of Him to\nwhom they owe a whole-hearted allegiance, their Lord\nand Master, Jesus Christ (4:1).\n\nThe great doctrinal object, the Supremacy of Christ,\nis also set forth as is markedly manifest in the Epistles of\nColossians and Ephesians.  The whole Christian creed,\n\"the incarnation, passion, and exaltation of Christ\" is\nexpressed in the second chapter (2:5-11), \"That at the\nname of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven,\nand things in earth and things under the earth; and that\nevery tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to\nthe glory of God the Father.\"  The great end to be\nattained is likeness to Christ (2:5).\n\n+Time of Writing.+--This epistle is generally regarded\nas the latest of the letters written during the first\nimprisonment in Rome, and in the same year with those to the\nchurches at Colossae, and Ephesus.  It was probably sent\nto Philippi shortly after the other Epistles (Colossians,\nPhilemon, and Ephesians) had been dispatched to Asia\nMinor.\n\n+Principal Divisions and Chief Points.+--This epistle\nis divided into two parts.\n\nFirst part (1:1-3:1).\n\nI.  Introduction (1:1-2:4).  (a) Greeting.  (b) Paul's\nthanksgiving, joy in the fellowship, and prayer for the\nPhilippians.  (c) An account of the rapid spread of the\ngospel in Rome and the apostle's rejoicing that Christ is\npreached.  (d) Exhortation to unity in Christ.\n\n2.  Doctrinal (2:5-12).  In this short passage we\nhave the Christian creed in brief form.  \"The Godhead\nof Christ and His Manhood--His Pre-existence and His\nIncarnation--His Passion and His Exaltation.\"\n\n3.  Conclusion of the first part (2:13-3:1).  (a)\nRenewed exhortation to an upright and blameless Christian\nlife.  (b) The return of Epaphroditus.  (c) Farewell\nmessage.\n\nSecond part (3:2-4:23).  This section seems to\nhave been added after the letter had been finished.\n\n1.  Warnings (3:2-21).  (a) Against Judaic errors.\nPaul could boast that he had been a good Jew and\nscrupulously kept the law, yet he renounced all that he might\nwin Christ.  True righteousness can come only through\nfaith in Christ.  (b) Against a false idea of the liberty of\nthe gospel; whereby men, claiming to be Christians,\nwalked in evil ways.\n\n2.  Final exhortations (4:1-9) to steadfastness, unity,\njoy, and the following of all good in Christ.  Acknowledgment\nof gifts and benedictions (4:10-23).\n\n\nQUESTIONS\n\nWhat is the question at issue in this group of Epistles?  What\nthe reason for raising this question?  What answer is given?\nWhat attention is now paid to this question?  When were these\nEpistles written?  How were they sent?  What can be said of the\nEpistles to the Colossians?  The church at Colossae, how was it\norganized?  What was the occasion of this Epistle?  What the\ncentral thought?  What the time and place of writing?  Give the\nprincipal divisions and chief points.  What was the occasion of\nthe Epistle to Philemon?  Give the principal divisions and chief\npoints.  What can be said of the Epistle to the Ephesians?  Give\nan account of the founding of this church.  What can be said of\nthe title and time of writing?  What is the subject?  Give the\nprincipal divisions and chief points.  What can be said of the\nEpistle to the Philippians?  How was this church organized?\nWhat was the occasion of the Epistle?  What the objects?  Give\nthe time of writing.  Give the principal divisions and chief points.\n\n\n\n\nIII.  PAUL'S WRITINGS\n\n\nSTUDY X\n\nPASTORAL AND PERSONAL\n\nFOURTH GROUP OF EPISTLES\n\nFIRST TIMOTHY.  TITUS.  SECOND TIMOTHY.\n\nANALYSIS\n\n+The Place of the Epistles+--When Written.\n\n+Paul's Fourth Missionary Journey+--Notices and Time.  The First Trip\nEastward.  The Trip Westward to Spain.  The Second Trip Eastward.  The\nSecond Imprisonment of Paul.\n\n+The Questions Discussed+--The Personal Element.  The Doctrinal Part.\nThe Practical Teaching.  The Special Theme.\n\n+Paul's Last Declaration of His Faith.+\n\n+The First Epistle to Timothy+--Timothy.  Time and Place.  Purpose.\nPrincipal Divisions and Chief Points.\n\n+The Epistle to Titus+--Titus.  Purpose.  Time and Place.  Principal\nDivisions and Chief Points.\n\n+The Second Epistle to Timothy+--The Last Words of Paul.  Time and\nPlace of Writing.  Purpose.  Principal Divisions and Chief Points.\n\n\n\n\nIII.  PAUL'S WRITINGS\n\n\nSTUDY X\n\nPASTORAL AND PERSONAL\n\nFOURTH GROUP OF EPISTLES\n\nFIRST TIMOTHY.  TITUS.  SECOND TIMOTHY.\n\nTHE PLACE OF THE EPISTLES\n\n+When Written.+--It is generally agreed among scholars that no place\ncan be found for the writing of First Timothy, Titus, and Second\nTimothy in the period covered by Luke in his narrative in Acts.\n\nAgreeing with the tradition of the church, however, the opinion of many\neminent scholars is that Paul was released from the first Roman\nimprisonment (Acts 28:16, 30), that he again took up his missionary\nwork, and at the end of a few years of such work, he was a second time\nimprisoned and suffered martyrdom under the Roman Emperor Nero.\n\nIt was during this period between the first and second imprisonments\nthat First Timothy and Titus were written.  Second Timothy was written\nduring the second imprisonment at Rome, and at the time when Paul was\nexpecting his sentence of death.  Eusebius (H. E. 2:22-2) says, that\n\"at the end of the two years of imprisonment, according to tradition,\nPaul went forth again upon the ministry of preaching; and in a second\nvisit to the city ended his life by martyrdom under Nero, and that\nduring his imprisonment he wrote the Second Epistle to Timothy.\"\n\n\nPAUL'S FOURTH MISSIONARY JOURNEY\n\n+Notices and Time.+--From the notices given in the Epistles and other\nsources the probable course of the missionary travels of Paul from\n63-67 A.D. has been reconstructed.\n\n+The First Trip Eastward.+--When Paul wrote to the church at Philippi\n(2:24) and to Philemon at Colossae (22 v.) he evidently expected to be\nreleased from his imprisonment very soon and to see his beloved\nPhilippian church and Philemon.  He was so sure of speedily visiting\nColossae that he asked that a lodging be prepared for him.  With Paul to\nplan was to act and it is quite possible that he undertook this trip\nimmediately upon his release from prison.  He probably also visited\nEphesus and a number of other cities.\n\n+The Trip Westward to Spain.+--In the Epistle to the Romans Paul\ndeclared his intention to visit Spain (Rom. 15:24, 28).  It is probable\nthat he, upon his return from the visit to Asia Minor, remained for a\nvery short time in Rome and then made a voyage to Spain.\n\nThe tradition of the early church is very pronounced upon this voyage\nto Spain.  Clement of Rome (Cor. 5) speaks of Paul \"having reached the\nfurtherest bound of the west.\"  This could hardly mean anything but\nSpain.  The Muratorian Fragment names \"the departure of Paul from the\ncity to Spain.\"\n\n+The Second Trip Eastward.+--We can now, from notices in First and\nSecond Timothy and Titus, quite closely follow Paul in his travels.\nFrom Spain he probably went by various stages to Ephesus, where as he\ntells us (1 Tim. 1:3) he left Timothy in charge when he went into\nMacedonia.  From Macedonia he probably wrote his first letter to\nTimothy (1:3).  From Macedonia he went to Troas and from Troas to\nMiletus (2 Tim. 4:13).  On account of sickness Trophimus was left at\nMiletus (2 Tim. 4:20).  He next probably visited Crete, where he left\nTitus (Titus 1:5).  From Crete it is thought that Paul went to Corinth\n(2 Tim. 4:20) where he left Erastus and in all probability wrote to\nTitus (1:5).  In the letter to Titus Paul speaks of being at Nicopolis\nand of his intention to spend the winter in that city (Titus 3:12).\nBut these notices of places are by no means exhaustive.  They show,\nhowever, how wide were Paul's last travels.\n\n+The Second Imprisonment of Paul.+--It is by no means unlikely that the\nenemies of Paul, of whom we hear so much in the first three missionary\njourneys, were stirred to renewed activity by again seeing him at\nliberty and conducting an active missionary campaign.  But with a\nprisoner on parole from the Imperial Court the local magistrates could\ndo nothing.  But a new element came in.  The great fire, which\ndestroyed so large a part of the city of Rome on the 18th of July, 64\nA.D., was used by the Emperor Nero as an excuse for starting a great\npersecution against the Christians.  This was done to divert the odium\nof the starting of the fire from himself, for he had sung and danced\nthe \"Mime of the Burning of Troy\" from a turret of his palace during\nthis great conflagration.  It was some time before this persecution was\nextended to the provinces and Paul's enemies saw their opportunity to\naccuse him to the Imperial Court, where under the circumstances they\nwould then find a ready hearing.  Paul was probably rearrested at\nNicopolis where he intended to winter (Titus 3:12) and hurried off to\nRome.  This time he endured no light imprisonment.  Onesiphorus had\ndifficulty in finding him (2 Tim. 1:16, 17) and he was closely confined\nin a common criminal dungeon (2 Tim. 2:9).  From this dungeon he wrote\nthe Second Epistle to Timothy and from thence he went to his death.\n\n\nTHE QUESTIONS DISCUSSED\n\n+The Personal Element+ in these epistles is quite large both in respect\nto Timothy and Titus and Paul himself, but it is quite evident that\nthis element is not the chief cause for the writing.\n\n+The Doctrinal Part.+--Paul is here as strenuous for the need of\nrepentance, the atonement through Jesus Christ and His sole sufficiency\nas Mediator, Savior, and Lord of all (1 Tim. 1:15-17; Titus 2:13;\n3:4-7), as in his other Epistles.  There are also enemies of the truth\nwho are to be opposed (2 Tim. 3).  It is quite evident from what Paul\nsays in the second chapter and elsewhere in Titus and Second Timothy\nthat the Colossian heresy is already bearing its evil fruit and is\nlikely in the future to do great injury to the churches.\n\n+The Practical Teaching+ about the necessity of developing and\nconserving the Church's system of government occupies, however, the\nchief place.  \"The two notes which are struck again and again are:\nFirst, 'Hold fast the tradition, the deposit of faith.'  Second,\n'Preserve order in the church.'  In short this group of Epistles\nconstitutes Paul's last will and testament in which he gives his final\ninstructions for the maintenance and continuity of the faith.\"\n\nThe church of Jesus Christ must have form and order.  The truth must\nhave a proper shelter.  Churches must have and observe certain\nregulations.  There must be proper officers.\n\nThe gospel is applied to outward conduct.  Great stress is laid upon\nthe character of church officers (1 Tim. 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-7).  Pastors\nare directed how they should bear themselves toward church members and\nwhat they should teach (1 Tim. 5; Titus 2).  The conduct of the Church\nin the presence of the heathen world and its magistrates is set forth\n(Titus 3).  Instruction is given in regard to public worship (1 Tim.\n2).  The most effective barrier against all forms of evil, it is\ndeclared, is a diligent study of the Scriptures and a fervent preaching\nof the word (2 Tim. 3:13-4:5).\n\n+The Special Theme+ then is, \"The constitution, methods, and conduct of\nthe early churches.\"  (1 Tim. 2:1, 2, 8, 9-12; 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-14;\n2:1-10; 3:1, 2, 8-11, 13, 14; 2 Tim. 2:2, 14-18; 3:6-9).\n\n\nPAUL'S LAST DECLARATION OF HIS FAITH\n\nThe famous passage in 2 Timothy (4:6-8) shows how the Great Apostle\nwent triumphantly to his death.  It is a declaration of the sustaining\npower of his faith in the Savior whom he had everywhere proclaimed.\n\n\"I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand.\nI have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the\nfaith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness,\nwhich the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day; and not\nto me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing.\"\n\n\nTHE FIRST EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY\n\n+Timothy+ was one of the close companions of Paul.  His father was a\nGreek and his mother a Jewess, by the name of Eunice, (2 Tim. 1:5; Acts\n16:1).  He was a native of Lystra, Paul took him as his companion in\ntravel and addressed two Epistles to him; he was sent on a number of\nimportant missions.  Timothy is mentioned twenty-four times by name in\nthe Acts and Epistles; from these notices we can construct his\nitinerary with Paul and see how beloved and how trusted he was by the\nGreat Apostle.  During Paul's last journey he left him in charge of the\naffairs of the church at Ephesus (1 Tim. 1:3).  When Paul was\napprehended a second time and lying in a dungeon at Rome, in\nexpectation of death, he wrote Timothy the last letter (2 Timothy) he\never penned, and besought him to come to him as speedily as possible (2\nTim. 4:9).\n\n+Time and Place of Writing.+--Paul in all probability wrote the First\nEpistle to Timothy from Macedonia (1 Tim. 1:3) in the year 66 A.D.\n\n+The Purpose+ \"involved is through the instruction and exhortation of\nTimothy, to purify, strengthen, and elevate the Christian life of the\nchurch in Ephesus.\"  This teaching is put in such a way that it is\napplicable to every Christian minister and church.\n\n+Principal Divisions and Chief Points.+\n\n1.  Greeting (1:1, 2).\n\n2.  The True teaching of the gospel (ch. 1).  Timothy is warned against\nfalse teachers and reminded of the aim and end of life in Christ.\n\n3.  The order and regulation of public worship (ch. 2).  (a) Prayer,\nfor those in authority and for all men.  (b) Instruction.  There is one\nGod and one Mediator (Christ) between God and man.  (c) Conduct of men\nand women in the church assemblies.\n\n4.  Qualifications of the church officers (ch. 3).  (a) The ideal\nminister.  (b) The ideal deacon and the ministering women.  (c)\nConclusion of chapter.  Paul declares his intention to visit Timothy.\nAn ascription of praise.\n\n5.  The government of the Christian church and community (ch. 4-6).  In\nthese three chapters Timothy is charged by Paul to keep before him a\nhigh view of the church and its grand destiny.  (a) Timothy, as a\nteacher, is reminded of his commission to put the church on guard\nagainst errors of doctrine and life (ch. 4).  (b) Timothy is shown how\nhe should bear rule and conduct himself towards the elders and women of\nhis congregation.  Paul adds instructions in regard to a man's care for\nhis family, support of the ministry, discipline of offenders, etc. (ch.\n5).  (c) Relations of masters and servants.  Right attitude of\nbelievers in Christ toward riches.  The chief thing is to follow after\nrighteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness, and to fight\nthe good fight of faith (6:1-19).  (d) Closing charge to Timothy with\nbenediction (6:20, 21).\n\n\nTHE EPISTLE TO TITUS\n\n+Titus+ was a beloved disciple of Paul.  He was a Gentile and was taken\nby Paul to Jerusalem and was made a test case of the freedom of the\ngospel and was not compelled to be circumcised (Gal. 2:1-5).  He is\nmentioned by name, by Paul, twelve times in four of the Epistles (2\nCor. 2:13; 7:6, 13, 14; 8:6, 16, 23; 12:18; Gal. 2:1, 3; 2 Tim. 4:10;\nTitus 1:4).  The early church tradition is that Titus was descended\nfrom the royal family of Crete.  He was an able and capable missionary.\nWe have no account of his conversion.  He might have come first in\ncontact with Paul and been converted when the Great Apostle visited\nCrete on his way to Rome as a prisoner (Acts 27:7-13).  Some time was\nspent at this island by Paul's company (Acts 27:9).  Paul again visited\nCrete after his first Roman imprisonment and when he went away he left\nTitus in charge of affairs (Titus 1:5), \"To set in order things that\nare wanting and to ordain elders in every city.\"  This message of Paul\nto Titus not only shows the confidence which Paul reposed in him, but\nalso how widespread Christianity was in Crete.  After Titus had\ncompleted his special work in Crete he was to rejoin Paul at Nicopolis\n(Titus 3:12).\n\n+The Purpose+ of this letter is to show Titus what he is to do, in his\nwork with the churches, and how to do it.\n\n+Time and Place of Writing.+--It is thought that this Epistle was\nwritten from Corinth in 66 A.D.\n\n+Principal Divisions and Chief Points.+\n\n1.  Greeting and subject of the Epistle (1:1-5).  Titus is left in\nCrete to accomplish certain things (1:5) after which he is to rejoin\nPaul (3:12).\n\n2.  The kind of officers to be appointed in the Cretan churches\n(1:5-16).  Special moral and spiritual fitness is set forth as\nnecessary in view of the peculiar character of the Cretans and certain\nforms of doctrinal error.\n\n3.  The instruction to be given to the Cretans (2:1-3:11).  (a) \"The\nthings which become sound doctrine.\"  (b) Practical teaching for the\nproper regulation of the conduct of all classes.  (c) The foundation of\nthe instruction rests upon Christ.  (d) Proper attitude of the\nChristian community toward the Pagan world; magistrates and those who\nhave not yet believed in Christ.  Kindness and gentleness and the\navoidance of foolish questions best reveal the spirit of Christ by\nthose who profess His name.  (e) Parting requests and benediction\n(3:12-15).\n\n\nTHE SECOND EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY\n\n+The Last Words of Paul.+--This Epistle is of special interest as it\ncontains the last recorded words of Paul to his faithful disciple,\nTimothy.  The Great Apostle is writing from a strict prison confinement\n(1:16, 17; 2:9).  He has had a first preliminary trial (4:16) and this\nwas of such a dread nature that none of his friends dare to stand with\nhim, yet he rejoices in his Lord that He stood by him and strengthened\nhim.  He feels however that his end is near and gives a magnificent\ntestimony of his faith (4:6-8).  He urges Timothy to come to him in\nRome and bring Mark with him (4:9, 11).\n\n+Time and Place of Writing.+--It was written by Paul in prison at Rome\n67 A.D.\n\n+The Purpose.+--Paul shows here his care for the churches, their\nupbuilding in the faith and their proper regulation of the things that\npertain to worship and organization.  Timothy, as a preacher of the\nWord, has his personal responsibility, for the upbuilding of the\nchurches, presented to him.\n\n+Principal Divisions and Chief Points.+\n\n1.  Greeting and thanksgiving (1:1-5).\n\n2.  The Christian conduct of Timothy (1:6-2:14).  Paul exhorts Timothy\nnot to allow himself to be daunted by fear of opposition or suffering\nin doing his work for Christ.  He encourages him by, (a) The great\nrevelation and power of the gospel.  (b) His own work.  (c) The sure\nhope of a great reward.\n\n3.  Timothy as a preacher of the Word (2:15-4:5).  Paul exhorts\nTimothy, (a) To study to show himself a workman.  (b) In the perilous\ntimes that are coming to feed on the Word of God and preach it in\nseason and out of season.\n\n4.  Last words of Paul (4:6-22).  The Apostle now turns to himself and\nspeaks of his coming martyrdom.  He is ready to be offered, he has\nfought a good fight.  He beseeches Timothy to come and see him and\nbring Mark.  He refers to his first hearing when every friend left him\nalone and only the Lord stood by him.  He, after various messages,\ncloses with the usual benediction.\n\n\nQUESTIONS\n\nWhat is the place of these Epistles in Paul's life?  What can be said\nof Paul's fourth missionary journey; the first trip eastward, the trip\nwestward to Spain, and the second trip eastward?  How did Paul come to\nbe imprisoned a second time?  What are the questions discussed in these\nEpistles; the personal element, the doctrinal part, the practical\nteaching, and the special theme?  What is Paul's last declaration of\nfaith?  What can be said of the First Epistle to Timothy; Timothy's\nlife, time, and place of writing, the purpose, and the principal\ndivisions and chief points?  What can be said of the Epistle to Titus;\nthe life of Titus, the purpose, time, and place of writing, and the\nprincipal divisions and chief points?  What can be said of the Second\nEpistle to Timothy; the last words of Paul, time and place of writing,\nand the principal divisions and chief points?\n\n\n\n\nA New Method for Bible Classes\n\nBY HENRY T. SELL\n\n\nStudies In Early Church History.\n  12 mo, paper, 25 cts. net; cloth, 50 cts. net.\n\nStudies in the Life of the Christian.\n  His Faith and His Service.\n  12 mo, paper, 25 cts. net; cloth, 50 cts. net.\n\nBible Studies in the Life of Paul.\n  Historical and Constructive.\n  12 mo, paper, 25 cts. net; cloth, 50 cts. net.\n\nBible Studies in the Life of Christ.\n  Historical and Constructive.\n  12 mo, paper, 25 cts. net, cloth, 50 cts. net.\n\n\n_15th edition, revised and enlarged._\n\nSupplemental Bible Studies.\n  12 mo, paper, 25 cts. net; cloth, 50 cts. net.\n\n\n_5th edition, revised._\n\nBible Studies by Books.\n  12 mo, paper, 35 cts. net; cloth, 60 cts. net.\n\nBible Studies by Doctrines.\n  12 mo, paper, 25 cts. net; cloth, 50 cts. net.\n\nBible Studies by Periods.\n  A Series of Twenty-four Historical Bible\n  Studies, from Genesis to Revelation.\n  12 mo, paper, 35 cts. net; cloth, 60 cts. net.\n\nFleming H. Revell Company\n\n_Publishers_","title":"Bible Studies in the Life of Paul, Historical and Constructive","tradition":"scripture-revelation","translated_text":null,"word_count":30422}