Chapter IV: Part 4

What two chief characteristics marked this year?

Over what did the Master show his power?

Name the peculiarities of his healings.

Of what may the miracles be said to be object-lessons?

Which was more truly important--his miracles or his teaching? Why?

What two characteristics did his teaching possess?

Why did he make so much use of the parable?

Around what thought did most of the Lord's teaching revolve?

Why did the disciples so misunderstand him?

Lesson 5

The Year of Opposition

New Testament Division--Second Period (Continued)

-----------------------+-----------+----------+----------+---------
EVENTS | MATTHEW | MARK | LUKE | JOHN
-----------------------+-----------+----------+----------+---------
Sea of Galilee. Return | | | |
of the Twelve, etc. | 14:13-21 | 6:30-44 | 9:10-17 | 6:1-14
| | | |
Jesus Walks upon the | 14:22-36 | 6:45-56 | ... | 6:15-21
Water. | | | |
| | | |
Discourses, etc. | 15:1-20 | 7:1-23 | ... | 6:22-71
| | | |
Northward Journey. | | | |
Region of Tyre and | | | |
Sidon (1, 2). | 15:21-28 | 7:24-30 | |
| | | |
Return to Eastern Side | | 7:31 to | |
of the Lake, etc. (3). | 15:29-38 | 8:9 | |
| | | |
The Lake Crossed. A | 15:39 to | | |
Sign from Heaven | 16:4 | 8:10-13 | |
Demanded (4). | | | |
| | | |
The Lake Recrossed. | | | |
The Leaven of the | 16:5-12 | 8:14-21 | |
Pharisees (4). | | | |
| | | |
A Blind Man Healed. On | | | |
Way to Bethsaida (4). | ... | 8:22-26 | |
| | | |
The Confession of | 16:13-38 | 8:27 to | 9:18-27 |
Peter, etc. | | 9:1 | |
| | | |
Mount Hermon. The | | | |
Transfiguration (5). | 17:1-13 | 9:2-13 | 9:28-36 |
| | | |
Healing of the | 17:14-20 | 9:14-29 | 9:37-43 |
Demoniac Boy. | | | |
| | | |
Prediction of Death | | | |
and Resurrection. | 17:22, 23 | 9:30-32 | 9:43-45 |
| | | |
Arrival at Capernaum, | 17:24 to | 9:33-50 | 9:46-50 |
etc. (6). | 18:35 | | |
| | | |
Jerusalem. Jesus | | | |
attends the Feast of | ... | ... | ... | 7:1 to
Tabernacles (7, 8). | | | | 8:59
| | | |
Return to and Final | | | |
Departure from Galilee | | | |
(9). | 19:1, 2 | 10:1 | 9:51-56 |
| | | |
Mission of the | ... | ... | 10:1-37 |
Seventy, etc. | | | |
| | | |
Bethany. Visit to | | | |
Martha and Mary (10). | ... | ... | 10:38-42 |
| | | |
Healing of a Man Born | | | | 9:1 to
Blind, etc. | ... | ... | ... | 10:21
| | | |
Jerusalem. Jesus at the| | | |
Feast of Dedication. | ... | ... | ... | 10:22-42
| | | |
Retirement to Perea. | | | 11:1-13; |
Discourses, Parables, | ... | ... | 13:10 to |
etc. (11). | | | 17:10 |
| | | |
Bethany. Raising of | | | |
Lazarus (12, 13). | ... | ... | ... | 11:1-46
| | | |
Withdrawal to Ephraim | ... | ... | ... | 11:47-54
(14). | | | |
| | | |
Samaria. Healing of | | | |
the Ten Lepers (15). | ... | ... | 17:11-19 |
| | | |
Discourses, etc. | 19:2 to | 10:2-45 | 17:20 to |
| 20:28 | | 18:34 |
| | | |
Near Jericho. Healing | | | |
of Blind Men (16). | 20:29-34 | 10:46-52 | 18:35-43 |
| | | |
Jericho. Visit to | | | |
Zaccheus, etc. | ... | ... | 19:1-28 |
| | | |
Bethany. Anointing by | 26:6-13 | 14:3-9 | ... | 11:55 to
Mary (16). | | | | 12:11
-----------------------+-----------+----------+----------+----------

#TIME.#--A. D. 29 to A. D. 30.

#PLACES.#--Capernaum, Tyre and Sidon, Decapolis, Caesarea Philippi, Mt. Hermon, Galilee, Jerusalem, Eastern Bethsaida.

The figures attached to the journeys refer to events
mentioned in the first column on the opposite page.]

The Incomparable Life (Continued)

#138. The Year of Opposition.#--Our Lord's year of popularity waned much after the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand. This miracle stirred the people to the very height of enthusiasm. Now, they thought, we have one who is worthy to be our king. So intense was this conviction that they wanted on the spot to proclaim him king, and raise the standard of revolt against Rome (John 6:15). Even the disciples seem to have been infected with this mad thought, for he "constrained" them to go away (Matt. 14:22). On the day following, however, the multitudes found him again, and tried to persuade him to repeat the miracle of feeding. This he refused to do. He tried to make them understand that he had better bread for them, even the bread of life. But what they really wanted was only bakers' bread. They thought that if Moses fed the people for forty years for nothing, their Messiah should do even better than that. So, when he refused to be to them a "commissariat department," they at once forsook him. "Many" of his disciples "went back" at that time. For all of this read John 6:22-71. At this moment it was that Peter comes so grandly to the front and makes his confession. When we see Peter later on denying his Master, let us bear in mind his bold stand taken at this juncture.

#139. Opposed by the Pharisees.#--During all this year of popularity the Pharisees were dogging the footsteps of the Master, as spies dog the criminal. Of these Pharisees there were at this time, in Palestine, about 6000. They were the ecclesiastical leaders of the people, and this makes their opposition all the more ghastly. They, who should have led the people aright, led them astray. The grounds of their opposition were manifold. Among others were the following:

(1) They opposed him because of their _own intense pride_. They were those who sought glory one of another, and so they could not believe in him (John 5:44). His aims and theirs were so widely apart that they could not even understand him. To them the glory that cometh from God had no attractiveness. So they opposed him who was meek and lowly.

(2) They opposed him on account of _his humble origin_. He was only a carpenter's son, and so to them was of no account. Had they made due investigation, they would have found that he came of the line of David, their great king. But they did nothing of the sort (Matt. 13:55-58). It was an offense to them that he came from among the lowly, and not from some of the aristocratic families of the land. His lack of training in the schools seems to have nettled them, so that they exclaimed in disgusted surprise, "How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?" (John 7:15.)

(3) They opposed him bitterly, on account of _the company that he kept_. In contempt they said, "This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them" (Luke 15:2). And they continually complained that he was a friend of hated publicans and sinners. They could not understand at all that the very grandeur of his mission consisted just in this, that he came to call sinners to repentance. Their complaint, as given in Luke 15:2, called forth from him three of the grandest parables that we have, namely, those of the lost silver, the lost sheep, and the lost son. Especially were they angered because he had taken into the number of his disciples the hated Matthew, the tax-gatherer.

(4) They opposed him again because of his _failure to observe the Sabbath_ in the manner prescribed by themselves. They had made the day one of weariness to the flesh, and had passed by deeds of mercy and helpfulness. So when he healed the man at the Pool of Bethesda and the man born blind, on the Sabbath, they took counsel how they might destroy him. While they themselves would pull out a sheep or an ox from the pit on the Sabbath, they criticized him for healing men on that day. This brought forth from him stern condemnation, which, of course, did not mollify their feelings toward him.

(5) Furthermore, they opposed him because he _declined to observe_ certain minute regulations of the law concerning washing of hands and the like. These regulations they had laid on men's shoulders, but they were not at all Divine ordinances. This is why he said, in his denunciation of them, "they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders, but they themselves will not move them with their finger" (Matt. 23:4). (Read the whole of Matt. 23, and you will understand better who and what these men were who were opposing the Master.) Once more, they opposed him because he had made such friends of the common people and had not in any way bowed down to them, as the leaders of the people. The common people heard him gladly, and that angered them. "This multitude who knoweth not the law are cursed" (John 7:49). They were furious because the whole world seemed to have gone after him, while they themselves were left in the background. This was galling to their innate pride.

(6) What made their opposition all the worse was that though they could not deny his miracles, they went so far as to ascribe them to the agency of Satan. "He hath a demon, and is mad: why hear ye him?" is what they exclaimed (John 10:20). The Pharisees said, "By the prince of the demons casteth he out demons" (Matt. 9:34). So they dared to ascribe to demoniac possession the deeds of him in whom the Spirit dwelt without measure. It was this ascribing to the spirit of darkness of the works of the Holy Spirit that brought forth from the Master his statement concerning the unpardonable sin. It really consisted in ascribing to the Holy Spirit the works of the prince of darkness.

#140. Away from the Crowds.#--After the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand, the Master was mostly in out of the way places, such as Caesarea Philippi, Decapolis, and the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. He feared lest the Galileans, if he wrought more miracles among them, would raise insurrection, and so bring on him the power of the Roman government. This would have ruined his mission to this earth. For about six months after the miracle of the five thousand he tarried in Galilee and its immediate vicinity before he started on his final journey to Jerusalem. It was during these six months that the transfiguration took place.

Test Questions

What event closes the year of popularity?

What action did the people wish to take in consequence of the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand?

What sign have we that even the disciples were infected with this spirit?

What did the people wish Jesus to do on the following day?

When he declined what did the people do?

All this time, what was the attitude of the Pharisees?

How many of these men were there at this time in Palestine?

Give the first ground of their opposition to him.

Give the second ground of their opposition.

Give the third ground.

Give the fourth and the fifth ground assigned for their opposition.

To what did they ascribe his power of working miracles?

Where did the Master stay for the next six months?

What marked event took place during these six months?

Test Questions for Review

Lessons 1 to 5

1. How long an interval of silence between Old and New Testament?

2. Give the limits of each of the five periods of New Testament history.

3. How may the life of Christ be divided?

4. What was the threefold nature of Jesus' temptation?

5. What is meant by the year of obscurity?

6. With whom did Jesus have a most noteworthy interview in Jerusalem?

7. What is the second year of Christ's life called?

8. Where was it for the most part spent?

9. Why did Jesus use parables so much?

10. Around what thought did most of his teachings revolve?

11. What were the five grounds given for the opposition of the Pharisees?

12. Where did the Master stay for six months after the year of popularity?

Lesson 6

The Closing Week

New Testament Division--Second Period (Continued)

-----------------------+-----------+----------+----------+----------
EVENTS | MATTHEW | MARK | LUKE | JOHN
-----------------------+-----------+----------+----------+----------
Triumphal Entry into | 21:1-11 | 11:1-11 | 19:29-44 | 12:12-19
Jerusalem. | | | |
| | | |
Cursing of the Fig | 21:18, 19 | 11:12-14 | |
Tree. | | | |
| | | |
Second Cleansing of the| 21:12-17 | 11:15-19 | 19:45-48;|
Temple, etc. | | | 21:37, 38|
| | | |
Fig Tree Withered Away.| 21:20-22 | 11:20-25 | |
| | | |
Discourses, etc. | 21:23 to | 11:27 to | 20:1-47 |
| 23:39 | 12:40 | |
| | | |
The Widow's Two Mites. | ... | 12:41-44 | 21:1-4 |
| | | |
Greeks Seek to See | ... | ... | ... | 12:20-36
Jesus. | | | |
| | | |
Unbelief of the Jews. | ... | ... | ... | 12:37-50
| | | |
Prediction of the | | | |
Destruction of the | | | |
Temple. | 24:1, 2 | 13:1, 2 | 21:5, 6 |
| | | |
Discourses, Parables, | 24:3 to | 13:3-37 | 21:7-36 |
etc. | 25:46 | | |
| | | |
Conspiracy between the | 26:1-5, | 14:1, 2, | 22:1-6 |
Rulers and Judas. | 14-16 | 10, 11 | |
| | | |
The Last Supper. | 26:17-35 | 14:12-31 | 22:7-38 | 13:1 to
| | | | 17:26
| | | |
Departure to | 26:30, | 14:26, | 22:39 | 18:1
Gethsemane. | 31-35 | 27-31 | |
| | | |
Agony, Betrayal, etc. | 26:36-56 | 14:32-52 | 22:40-53 | 18:2-12
| | | |
Jerusalem. Hearing | ... | ... | ... | 18:13,
before Annas. | | | | 14, 19-24
| | | |
Night Trial before | 26:57-68 | 14:53-65 | 22:54, |
Caiaphas. | | | 63-65 |
| | | |
Three Denials of Peter.| 26:69-75 | 14:66-72 | 22:55-62 | 18:15-18,
| | | | 25-27
| | | |
Formal Condemnation by | | | |
the Sanhedrin; Jesus | 27:1, 2 | 15:1 | 22:66 to | 18:28
led to Pilate. | | | 23:1 |
| | | |
Remorse and Suicide of | | | |
Judas. | 27:3-10 | | |
| | | |
Trial before Pilate. | 27:11-14 | 15:2-5 | 23:2-5 | 18:29-38
| | | |
Jesus before Herod. | | | 23:6-12 |
| | | |
Condemned by Pilate. | 27:15-30 | 15:6-19 | 23:13-25 | 18:39 to
| | | | 19:16
| | | |
Jesus Led Away to be | 27:31-34 | 15:20-23 | 23:26-33 | 19:16, 17
Crucified. | | | |
| | | |
Calvary. The | 27:35-38 | 15:24-28 | 23:33, | 19:18-24
Crucifixion. | | | 34, 38 |
| | | |
Jesus on the Cross. | 27:39-56 | 15:29-41 | 23:35-49 | 19:25-30
| | | |
Burial of Jesus. | 27:57-61 | 15:42-47 | 23:50-56 | 19:31-42
| | | |
Guard at the Sepulcher.| 27:62-66 | | |
-----------------------+-----------+----------+----------+----------

#TIME.#--A. D. 30.

#PLACES.#--Bethany, Jerusalem.

With the Temple as a center a circle is drawn every
quarter mile, to assist in determining distances.]

The Incomparable Life (Continued)

#141. The Passion Week.#--Our Lord arrived at Bethany on his last journey to Jerusalem on Friday before the Passover. On the following Sunday came the triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Reckoning from that day to the day of his resurrection, we have eight days. How important these days were in the minds of the evangelists may be seen from the amount of space they give to the narrative of these days. To the three years and more of his public ministry, the four evangelists give in all 55 chapters. But to the eight days spoken of, they give 30 chapters. It is most significant that had they told the story of his public ministry in as great detail, it would have occupied over 4000 chapters. This may be seen in part in the accompanying chart.

| 3-1/2 years | 8 days |
| 55 chapters | 30 chapters |
+------------------------------------------------+-------------+

#142.# _Bear in mind_ that the ecclesiastics had by this time determined on his death. But they did not want that to take place on the feast day, lest there should be an uproar among the people, who believed on him. That is, they were afraid of a rescue (Matt. 26:5). Yet it did come on the feast day. The reasons for this are as follows:

(1) His triumphal entry. The jubilation among the people angered them. They perceived that the people welcomed him, and that they prevailed against him not at all. Of course this was stinging to their pride, and they feared the outcome of this popular enthusiasm.

(2) They were further angered by their failure to discomfit him in argument in the very presence of the multitude. Their effort to entangle him in his talk, as shown in Matthew 22:15-46, was a total failure, and they knew that the people rejoiced at their discomfiture. This was most galling to their pride as religious leaders of the nation. Add to this the terrific denunciation that Jesus poured forth on them, as told in Matthew 23:1-39, and bear in mind that this was in the presence of all the people, and you have an explanation of the resentment on their part.

(3) Just about at this juncture Judas came with his offer, which to them must have seemed most timely. He knew where he could find the Master when the people would be absent, and they relied on their influence with Pilate to carry their scheme through swiftly, so that there would be no chance of any rescue. So, with this combination of circumstances, they determined to go ahead in spite of the fact of the approaching Passover.

#143. The Trial.#--This was twofold. In the first place, it was an ecclesiastical trial. It was before Annas (informal), then before Caiaphas, and the Sanhedrin. Here the charges were all ecclesiastical. They were that he had spoken against the temple; that he had broken the Sabbath, and that he was guilty of blasphemy in calling himself the Son of God. These charges they could not prove, but that made no difference, for the issue was already determined in their minds. So they condemned him to death. But they had no power under the Roman government to inflict the death penalty. So they had to take him before the Roman Governor. This brings us to the second trial. This was political. Here the charges were entirely different from those on which they had condemned him to death. Now they charged him with forbidding to pay taxes, and with setting himself up to be a king, in rivalry with Caesar. All this was false, and they knew it, but they cared nothing for that, so long as they could persuade Pilate to give them the desired verdict. Pilate repeatedly declared him innocent, as did also Herod, to whom Pilate sent him. But the ecclesiastics would take nothing but his death as their right. So at last Pilate weakly yielded, and gave sentence as they desired.

#144. The scene at the cross# surpasses all description. Note who were there. Gentiles were there in the form of Roman soldiers. Jews were there in the persons of the ecclesiastics, who reviled on the cross him who for so long had gone about doing good. Even at this time they bore witness to his power, crying out, "He saved others; himself he cannot save." Had they put it, "He saved others, himself he _will not_ save," they would have been strictly within the truth. For he could have saved himself, since it lay within his power to call for twelve legions of angels, and they would have responded at once. Then where would the chief priests or even the Roman soldiers have been?

#145.# There, too, were _the Apostles_, who were filled with despair at the fate of him who they had hoped would redeem Israel. Now their hope perished, and they gave way to dark despair. All his acquaintances from Galilee were there, the women beating their breasts for sorrow. Criminals were there as his companions in agony and shame. Yes, the scene at the cross was the most dramatic that the world had ever seen. For the time, the powers of darkness seem to have triumphed, and the best man in the world was nailed to the accursed cross.

#146. The Penitent Robber.#--Yet even here a sudden ray of light divine breaks the darkness, and in the penitent robber we have the most wonderful record of the triumph of faith that the world has ever seen. How he was led out into the light of faith just at the moment that the faith of all others was eclipsed we cannot tell, but the fact remains. Note, all, even the Apostles, had given up faith in Jesus as the Messiah. But just at this moment, like the sun bursting through the dark thunder-cloud, we see the faith of this robber emerge, resplendent, for he recognized in the crucified man next him his "Lord." He also recognizes in him a king, for he speaks to him concerning his kingdom, to which he is about to go. More than this. The robber believes that it will be well with him in the next world if his dying companion in pain remembers him, and he also believes that he will be willing to remember him. What a most wonderful exhibition of faith this was, under the circumstances. At the moment when the powers of darkness were most triumphant the power of the Holy Spirit was also most clearly shown. And in response to all this faith comes the reassuring reply, "To-day shalt thou be with me in Paradise."

#147.# At the cross, too, we may see the epitome of all men in their relation to sin and death, for while all three of the victims that day were brought to the cross by sin, they stood in very different relationships to sin. See, all died because of sin. But the impenitent robber died _in_ his sin. On the other hand, the penitent robber that day died _to_ sin. Jesus could do neither of these things, for he had no sin. But that day he died _for_ sin. This truth is set forth in the accompanying diagram, and is most suggestive. None but Jesus can die for sin, but all sinners must either die in sin or die to sin.

Test Questions

When did our Lord arrive at Bethany?

How do we know that the events of these eight days were of the utmost importance in the minds of the evangelists?

Why did the ecclesiastics not want to put Jesus to death on the feast day?

Give the first reason why his death came on a feast day.

Give the second reason for this.

Give the third reason for this action.

State in what respect the trial of Jesus was twofold.

What were the charges in the ecclesiastical trial?

What were the charges in the political trial?

What was the verdict of both Pilate and Herod about Jesus?

State in detail who were present at the crucifixion.

Give the story of the wonderful triumph of faith on the part of the penitent robber.

What was the relationship of the three crucified men to sin?

Lesson 7

The Forty Days

New Testament Division--Second Period (Concluded)

---------------------+-----------+----------+----------+----------
EVENTS | MATTHEW | MARK | LUKE | JOHN
---------------------+-----------+----------+----------+----------
The Resurrection | | | |
Morning. Women Visit | | | |
the Sepulcher. | 28:1-8 | 16:1-8 | 24:1-11 | 20:1, 2
| | | |
Peter and John Visit | | | |
the Sepulcher. | ... | ... | 24:12 | 20:3-10
| | | |
Appearance to Mary | | | |
Magdalene. | ... | 16:9-11 | ... | 20:11-18
| | | |
Second Appearance. | 28:9, 10 | | |
| | | |
Report of the Guard. | 28:11-15 | | |
| | | |
Appearance to Peter; | 1 Cor. | 16:12, | |
Walk to Emmaus. | 15:5 | 13 | 24:13-35 |
| | | |
Appearance to Ten | | | |
Disciples. | ... | 16:14-18 | 24:36-43 | 20:19-25
| | | |
Appearance to Eleven | | | |
Disciples. | ... | ... | ... | 20:26-29
| | | |
Sea of Galilee. | | | |
Appearance to Seven | | | |
Disciples. | 28:16 | ... | ... | 21:1-24
| | | |
Appearance to Many | | 1 Cor. | |
Disciples. | 28:16-20 | 15:6 | |
| | | |
Final Appearance; | Acts | 16:19, | |
Ascension. | 1:3-12 | 20 | 24:44-53 |
| | | |
Conclusion. | ... | ... | ... | 20:30,
| | | | 31; 21:25
---------------------+-----------+----------+----------+----------

#TIME.#--A. D. 30.

#PLACES.#--Jerusalem, Galilee, Mt. of Olives.

The Incomparable Life (Concluded)

#148. The Forty Days.#--As it is unfortunately customary on the part of certain modern critics to deny the physical resurrection of our Lord, and to maintain that all that we know about him after his resurrection is that he was alive, it seems needful to give a whole lesson to these forty days. The critics above referred to claim that the disciples of Jesus _expected_ his physical resurrection, and, being ignorant and unlearned, they were easily deceived by the reports of the women. In reply to this unwarranted claim the following truths must be insisted on.

#149.# _First truth._ The disciples never expected Jesus _to die_, least of all on the cross. Indeed, the general expectation was that the Messiah must abide forever (John 12:34). So when he spoke of his death, they did not even understand what he meant. (See Mark 9:32; Luke 9:45; Luke 18:34.) At one time when Jesus spoke of all this, Peter even ventured to rebuke him (Matt. 16:22).

#150.# _Second truth._ From the above it is most apparent that they never _even thought_ of a resurrection (see Mark 9:10). When they saw him die, and knew from the physical signs of the blood and water that he was dead, they at once gave up all hope in him as the expected Messiah. This is apparent from the remark of the two to the Master as they were going to Emmaus (Luke 24:21). Their remark implies that now they had given up any such hope. But more than this. Had they thought of any resurrection, would they not have remained near the garden where his body was laid? Surely John and the Master's mother would not have abandoned that garden for Jerusalem. Nor would they have prepared spices for his final entombment had they had any reasonable hope of his resurrection. What took the women to the tomb on that Easter morning was not any remotest hope that they might find him alive, but only the completion of plans for his final burial. All this is apparent from the unvarnished narrative of all of the evangelists. Rightly read, the narrative reveals the one fact that they had not the least hope that they would ever see him alive in this world.

#151.# _Third truth._ When the tomb was found empty on that Easter morning, even that did not awaken any thought that the Lord had risen. This is proved by the whole story of Mary on that day (John 20). All her thought was, where is _the body_? Even when Jesus appeared to Mary, she did not recognize him at first, so far was it from her thought that he could be living. And when the women reported to the disciples that they had seen him alive, their words seemed to the Apostles as "idle talk" (Luke 24:11). So when Peter and John ran to the tomb and found not his body, they simply believed that it had been taken away by some one, and not at all that he had risen from the dead, for as yet they knew not the truth that he must rise (John 20:9).

#152.# _Fourth truth._ When the women were convinced that the Lord was really risen, still the men remained unconvinced. The two on their way to Emmaus did not recognize him, for they never thought that it could be he. Peter seems to have been convinced when the Lord appeared to him, but in that upper chamber, when they all (excepting Thomas) saw him, still they would not believe that it was really he, but thought that they saw a spirit (Luke 24:36-40). It took physical demonstration to prove to these men that he was really in their presence. No, they were not the "credulous" men that the critics would have us believe.

#153.# _Fifth truth._ But as yet Thomas would not believe, and a whole week of arguing on the part of the other disciples did not move him. It took the personal appearance of the Master himself to convince Thomas that the others had not been deceived (John 20:24-29). All this is proof positive that the critics are wrong in this matter and that the evangelists are telling the simple truth about the physical resurrection of our blessed Lord.

#154.# _Sixth truth._ If the body had not risen, but was still in the grave, it would have been easy for the Jews to disprove the story of the physical resurrection. All they would have had to do was to say, "Here we have the body, and to talk of resurrection under these circumstances is absurd." The concocted falsehood (Matt. 28:11-15) shows that the body was not in the grave. But for the disciples to steal it while the Roman soldiers were on guard was absolutely impossible. This is why money had to be given to the soldiers, and they made sure that Pilate would be "fixed" also, and so the soldiers be saved from punishment.

#155. The Conclusion.#--No, the arguments offered to convince us that Jesus' body did not rise are all based on unbelief, and buttressed by false presentation of the whole case. To all these we simply respond, "Now IS Christ risen from the dead."

The appearances of the Master, given in their order, so far as we can arrange it, are as follows:

1. To Mary at the tomb (John 20:11-18).

2. To the women as they were returning from the empty tomb (Matt. 28:9).

3. To Peter (Luke 24:34).

4. To the two walking to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-33).

5. To the ten in the upper chamber (Luke 24:36-48).

6. To the eleven in the upper chamber (John 20:26-29).

7. To James (1 Cor. 15:7).

8. To the seven, at the Sea of Galilee (John 21:1-25).

9. To the five hundred brethren in a mountain in Galilee (1 Cor. 15:6).

10. To the Apostles in Jerusalem (Acts 1).

To these may be added his appearances to Paul, to Stephen, and to John on the Isle of Patmos.

#156. The Ascension.#--At last we come to the final scene. We are on the Mount of Olives. He is there, and with him the eleven. As he blesses them, lo, he begins to ascend. In rapt amazement they gaze on his disappearing figure. Then a cloud intervenes, and he is lost to their sight. Still they gaze, hoping once more to see him, when they are aware that two strangers are with them. These men say to them that this same Jesus will return again in like manner as they have just seen him go. Satisfied with this message, they return to Jerusalem, there to tarry until they be endued with that power of which the Master had just spoken to them. How this power came and the results of its coming we shall see in the lesson on the Acts of the Apostles.

Test Questions

What explanation of the resurrection of the Lord do some critics give?

In reply to this false contention, give the first truth.

Give the second truth.

Give the third truth.

Give the fourth truth.

Give the fifth truth.

Give the sixth truth.

Mention in their order the various appearances of our Lord to his disciples.

What other appearances may we add to these?

Describe the final ascent on the Mount of Olives.

After his ascension, where did the Apostles go?

For what did they then wait in the city of Jerusalem?

Lesson 8

The Early Church

New Testament Division--Third and Fourth Periods

#The Pivotal Events of the Book of Acts.#--Pentecost--the
bestowal of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-47). The healing power
given, as well as spiritual power (Acts 3:1-11; Acts
5:12-16). Persecution came to the disciples (Acts 4:1-22;
Acts 5:18). The great persecution (Acts 6:1 to 7:60). The
conversion of Saul of Tarsus (Acts 9:1-22; Acts 22:1-21; Acts
26:1-20). The gospel given to the Gentiles (Acts 10:3 to
11:48). Missionary work organized (Acts 13:1-3). The Council
at Jerusalem (Acts 15:1-31). The gospel crossed from Asia to
Europe (Acts 16:9). The first preaching at Philippi (Acts
16:14, 15.) Lydia the first convert. (The life of Paul is
treated more fully in the next lesson.)

#TIME.#--A. D. 30 to A. D. 51.

#PLACES.#--Jerusalem, Damascus, Caesarea, Tarsus and Cilicia, Troas, Philippi.

#SIGNIFICANCE OF EVENTS.#--Here the gospel ceases to be local in character and becomes universal--held no longer by national or geographical boundaries.

Development of the Early Church

#157. Importance of the Book.#--The Acts of the Apostles is the most important book in the New Testament, for if we were to lose one of the Gospels, we should still have three left, and if we lost one epistle, the others would still be ours. But if we had no "Acts," we should be left with no story of the ascension, (except Luke 24:51) and the next record would be Paul's letter to the Thessalonians. The whole story of Pentecost, and the spread of the Gospel, would be lacking, and, indeed, we should know nothing of the writer of the above-named epistle, nor how he came to write to the church in Thessalonica. We should have absolutely nothing to bridge over the gap between the ascension and this letter.

#158.# In the Acts there are six pivotal events, on which all the rest of the story turns. Master these, and the whole story is clear. These events we give as follows:

(1) _Pentecost._ This means power. It is suggestive that the Greek word translated power (Acts 1:8) is the one from which our word dynamite comes. Bear in mind the situation at the ascension. Here were fishermen and common individuals, to whom was committed the carrying of the gospel to all the world, yet they had neither education, nor wealth, nor social position, nor political influence. What an impossible task! What they needed, therefore, more than anything else, was power from above. It was this that Pentecost gave them, and that, too, in such measure that Peter won, in one day, more disciples for his Master than the Master himself had won in three and a half years. Thus the church was founded, and before long numbered in Jerusalem over ten thousand persons.

(2) _Persecution._ At first persecution might seem to be a disaster to the church. As a matter of fact, it was a great blessing. There was danger that the believers in Jerusalem would forget that they were told to "begin" at Jerusalem, but were to go to Judea and Samaria, and as far as the ends of the earth. Up to the time of the persecution that arose about Stephen there is no sign that the church did anything outside of the City of David. So, in the providence of God, the cloud of persecution broke on them and they were scattered abroad. Most fortunate it is that then they did their duty, for we read that the disciples (except the Apostles who stayed in Jerusalem), went everywhere "preaching the Word" (Acts 8:1-4). This event marked the beginning of that spread of the gospel that has never ceased from that day to this, and never will cease, until the final victory is won. Through persecution it was that God stirred up the disciples, and forced them to do work that they seem, in their great joy over the truth, to have neglected.

(3) _The conversion of Saul._ By far the most dangerous enemy of the infant church was Saul of Tarsus. How he worked, and how the church feared him, we shall see more in detail in our next lesson. Suffice it to say here that had he continued in his first course, the whole history of the spread of the Gospel would have been very different from what it was. From the standpoint of the truth of God, next to Moses, Paul was the greatest man who has ever lived. To have him on the side of the truth, instead of against it, was a great thing for the church of that day and for the church since that day. That which is of the utmost importance in the conversion of Saul is the fact that Jesus himself appeared to him, and in this way gave him, as it were, the Master's own sanction to act as one of the Apostles. As a matter of fact, the two most important miracles of the New Testament are the resurrection of the Lord and the conversion of Saul of Tarsus.

(4) _The tearing down of the middle wall of partition._ This took place in Caesarea, and to Peter was given the great privilege of tearing this wall down. What was this wall? (Eph. 2:14.) It was one divinely built centuries before. Up to the experience at Caesarea (Acts 10) no Gentile might come into the church of God, excepting by way of the Gate of the Proselyte. He must submit to Jewish ordinances and customs before he could be one of the Covenant People. The Apostles themselves had no thought that the Gentiles ever could come into the church excepting in the usual way. Without circumcision, they believed no man could be acceptable to God. Now the time had come when this "middle wall" must come down, and to Peter was given the high privilege of accomplishing this task. But to convince Peter that the command was of Divine origin, it was needful for God to perform a double miracle, the like of which had never been seen. Therefore to Peter on the housetop at Joppa, and to Cornelius the centurion, in Caesarea, God gave a vision, and when the two visions were brought together, they were found to match exactly. Then when the Holy Spirit came to the men at Cornelius' house, Peter was convinced that the middle wall was down, and that to the Gentiles as well as to the Jews the door was open on condition of faith in the Messiah. In this event and that of the church on the day of Pentecost, when Peter opened the door of the church to 3000 Jews, we see, in part at least (and in large part), the fulfilment of "the power of the keys" (Matt. 16:19). To exaggerate the importance of this breaking down of the middle wall is not possible, for had not that been done, we in this day would still have to become Jews before we could be members of God's church on earth. This action by Peter was afterward endorsed by the Council at Jerusalem (Acts 15:1-31), at which the apostle rehearsed his experiences in Caesarea.

(5) _The organizing of missionary work by the church._ This was done in Antioch, as seen in Acts 13:1-3. In this action, guided by the Holy Spirit, the church at Antioch became the pioneer church in missionary labor. It is worth noting that the Holy Spirit chose for this missionary work, not the inferior members of the church, but their very best men. What an example to the church of later days! To this day we need not the lesser lights for missionary work, but the great lights of the church. Let the lesser lights burn at home, but the great lights be sent into the outer darkness to illuminate that. This is the Divine plan.

(6) _The crossing of the gospel from Asia to Europe._ This took place from Troas to Philippi. It was in accord with the Divine plan (Acts 16:9). This army of invasion consisted of only four men, Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke. A feeble force, as viewed from the merely human standpoint; but a potent force viewed from the Divine position. The story is one of the most fascinating in all history. Noteworthy it is that in Europe the first two converts were women--Lydia was the first, and the poor woman possessed of a spirit of divination the second (Acts 16). This woman was under the control of a syndicate of men, who made gain from her misfortune. In these two cases we see a kind of prophecy of the work that the gospel does for womankind. All other religions degrade woman. Only the Christian religion puts her where God originally placed her, by man's side, as his helpmate.

Alas! soon half of this army of invasion finds itself in prison on account of its beneficent work. Yet even here they make a conquest, and before morning the jailor, who put them in the inner prison, is himself a prisoner of the Lord Jesus Christ. An army with such a spirit as Paul and Silas had is practically invincible. Thus, the gospel started on its westward way, destined in due time to reach these western shores, then as yet unknown to the eastern world.

Test Questions

Why is the Acts of the Apostles the most important book in the New Testament?

Name the first of the six pivotal events recorded in the Acts.

To what danger was the early church exposed?

About how many members did the church in Jerusalem have before the persecution broke out?

Name the second pivotal event in the Acts.

How did the scattered disciples show their great loyalty to the truth?

Give the third pivotal event in the Acts.

What fact in the conversion of Saul is of the utmost importance?

Give the fourth pivotal event.

What was this middle wall of partition?

What was there remarkable in the miracles that God wrought to convince Peter that he was to tear the wall down?

Name the fifth pivotal event in the Acts.

What kind of men did the Holy Spirit choose for missionaries?

Give the sixth pivotal event in the Acts.

What significance is there in the first conversions in Europe?

What notable victory did Paul and Silas gain in prison?

Lesson 9

The Life of Paul

New Testament Division--Third Period (Concluded)

PRINCIPAL EVENTS

#His Early Life.#--Born (as Saul) at Tarsus, in Cilicia (Acts
22:3), the date of his birth not being known. His trade was
that of tentmaking (Acts 18:3), and this he found useful
later (1 Cor. 4:12). He was educated under Gamaliel, a noted
Rabbi (Acts 22:3; 5:34).

#His First Appearance# in the gospel story is at the stoning
of Stephen (Acts 8:3) and he became an active persecutor of
Christians (Acts 9:1; 26:10, 11; 9:13).

#His Conversion# took place on the road to Damascus (Acts
9:1-22; 22:3-13; 26:9-18). He went to Arabia (Gal. 1:15-17)
and worked in Syria and Cilicia (Gal. 1:21). He was brought
by Barnabas to Antioch (Acts 11:25, 26) and remained there a
year.

#His First Missionary Journey# began at Antioch (Acts 13:1-3)
and is described in Acts 13 to Acts 15:35, when a return to
Antioch was made. He was stoned at Lystra (Acts 14:8-19) and
made a number of disciples (Acts 14:20-24).

#His Second Missionary Journey# began at Antioch, where he
and Barnabas disagreed (Acts 15:36-40) and is recorded in
Acts 15 to 18:22. Timothy joined him (Acts 16:1-3), he heard
the call of need from Macedonia; crossing to Europe (Acts
16:8-10) he planted churches (Acts 17:1-9; 18:1-17) and again
returned to Antioch.

#His Third Missionary Journey# began at Antioch, and is
recorded in Acts 18:23 to Acts 21:26. It included a stay of
three months in Greece, and ended at Jerusalem, where he made
a report of his Gentile ministry (Acts 21:15-26).

#His Voyage to Rome# began with arrest in Jerusalem (Acts
21:27-36). A plot to kill Paul failed (Acts 23:12-14). He
was sent to Caesarea and appeared before the Roman rulers
(Acts 24, 25, 26), remaining there over two years (Acts
24:27). He suffered shipwreck (Acts 27:1-44), but reached
Rome at last (Acts 28:1-31).

#His Sufferings# are outlined in 2 Corinthians 11:25-28.

#TIME.#--About A. D. 2 to A. D. 63.

#PLACES.#--Tarsus, Jerusalem, Arabia, Damascus, Antioch, Cyprus, Perga, Antioch in Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra, Derbe, Malta, Galatia, Troas, Corinth, Athens, Caesarea, Rome. (Details of Paul's journeys are given in the Appendix.)

#SIGNIFICANCE OF EVENTS.#--Paul bequeathed to his Christian posterity the record of a life unreservedly consecrated to service and a series of letters which set forth the philosophy of Christian belief in a manner that for simplicity and depth has never been surpassed.

Paul--Persecutor and Preacher

#159. His Birthplace.#--Saul was born in Tarsus in Cilicia, which was one of the university cities of that day. Unlike John the Baptist, therefore, Saul was a city-bred man, and this urban influence is seen in the illustrations of truth that he loves to use. They deal largely with city life. The influence, too, of a city is apparent in his mental make-up, for no one like Saul could be brought up in a university town without feeling the influence of his environment.

#160. His Age.#--Exactly when he was born is not known. But all seem to agree that it was about the same time as our Lord, so that when Jesus was playing in the streets of Nazareth, Saul may have been playing in the streets of Tarsus. His parents evidently intended that he should be a rabbi, but before he went to Jerusalem, there to continue his studies, they had him learn the trade of a tentmaker (Acts 18:3). This trade was most useful to him in later days (1 Cor. 4:12). In Jerusalem he was under the instruction of a noted teacher named Gamaliel, (Acts 5:34), and Saul names him as his teacher in Acts 22:3.

#161. He comes before us first# in the stoning of Stephen, where he cares for the garments of those who did the actual stoning of the first martyr. Then for a while he stands to the forefront in the bitter persecution of the new and hated sect of the Nazarene. For the fearful work that he did in Jerusalem read Acts 8:3, and Acts 9:1; for similar work done elsewhere also Acts 26:10, 11. How widely he was soon known as a ruthless persecutor we learn from Acts 9:13. On account of all this he was the most feared man in the world by all believers.

#162. His miraculous conversion# took place on the way to Damascus on an errand of persecution. Of this we have one narrative given by Luke, and two given by the Apostle himself. (Acts 9:1-22; Acts 22:3-13; Acts 26:9-18). From the moment of his conversion, Saul was a changed man. That which he hated before he now loved, and for the sake of his newly found Master he was willing to suffer all the persecutions that he himself had up to that time meted out to others. As a consequence of his preaching in Damascus he was obliged to flee, and he went at once to Arabia (Gal. 1:15-17), where many think that he spent three years in the vicinity of Mount Sinai, where Moses and Elijah had learned so much. It may be also that before he comes to the front in the story told by Luke, he was in Syria and Cilicia, as mentioned in Galatians 1:21.

#163. In connection with the revival in Antioch#, he is introduced by Barnabas, who went to Tarsus and got him to aid him in his work (Acts 11:25, 26). Here the Apostle remained for about one year, doing grand work for the church in that place. As we have seen in our lesson on the Acts, this was the church which organized the first missionary work, and sent Paul and Barnabas as their missionaries to other cities. Here begins #Paul's first missionary journey# (Acts 13:2). In all his work Paul aimed at cities, for he knew that there he could find men, and these were what he sought. This first journey took him to Cyprus, Perga, Antioch in Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra, Derbe, and back through Lystra, Iconium, Antioch, to Attalia, and back to Antioch in Syria. Let the scholar read the story as told in Acts 13 and 14. In Lystra it was that he and Barnabas were first deified--thought to be gods,--and not long after nearly killed by the inhabitants of that city. In Malta later on he was first taken for a murderer, and then later on deified. Paul is the only man in all the Bible history who had such varied experiences.

#164. In his second missionary journey# he started once more from Antioch, and together with Silas made a tour of the cities touched in his first journey. Then they went into Galatia, and so on to Troas. Here it was that the vision of the man of Macedonia came to Paul, and the result was that they crossed over to Europe. In our last lesson we saw this army of four start on their journey across the Hellespont, they being destined to bring to Europe the gospel of the grace of God. For the narrative of this journey let the scholar look up carefully Acts 15:36 to 18:22. In this tour he remained for a year and a half at Corinth. The place where he found the least persecution was Athens, and there too he found the least real seriousness. The Athenians seem to have cared too little about religion to take the trouble to persecute.

#165. The third missionary journey begins in# Acts 18:23, and the chief episode of this journey is that which took place in Ephesus (Acts 19, 20). In this city Paul remained for two years (Acts 19:10). Here was kindled the most remarkable bonfire that the world had ever seen, it being made up of books of incantation, that the idolaters were now willing to consign to the flames.

#166. Paul's journey to Rome# really begins at Jerusalem, whither he had gone to take alms to his fellow-countrymen who were in distress. Here he was set upon and arrested, and then taken to Caesarea, where he appeared before Festus, Felix, and Agrippa. Here he was delayed for more than two years. Then he was sent to Rome on trial for his life. In this voyage the great shipwreck occurred. (For further details of this wonderful life, the scholar is referred to Dr. Stalker's Life of Paul, a most wonderful and brief setting forth of the main incidents of the life of the Apostle.)

#167.# In all this story of Paul's labors and sufferings there are great gaps. This is seen as soon as we compare his life, as given in the Acts, with one statement of his to the Corinthians, as given in 2 Corinthians 11:25-28. Put in parallel columns, so as to bring them out, the record is as follows:

#Paul's Story# #Luke's Story#

Five times whipped by Jews. Not one mentioned.

Thrice scourged by Romans. Only one mentioned.

Thrice shipwrecked. Not mentioned, for the shipwreck
given in Acts was subsequent
to those named.

A night and a day in the deep. Not mentioned.