6. If you have promised what is wrong, be unfaithful to your promise; if your vow be evil, abandon your determination; for that promise must needs be impious which can only be performed by your acting wickedly. - Isidore.

7. He that sweareth to his own hurt should keep his oath, but not he that makes an oath to hurt others.

8. Ver. 15. He that will swear will seldom hesitate to lie. in companies.

Vices are social, and go

9. Ver. 17. Though God's promise is apparently unqualified, it does not absolve us from the prompt and energetic use of means. God's promises are fulfilled through the co-operation of human agency with the divine, and both are needful to gain the end. Wm. M. Taylor.

10. The offering of a prayer binds us to the use of means for the securing of its answer. The trusting of a promise will bring only disappointment to us unless, like Paul, we take measures, such at least as are in our own power, to secure its fulfilment. Effort without prayer is impiety; prayer without effort is a mockery. Taylor.

II.

Vers. 23, 24. God overrules the plots and plans of men to the furtherance of his own plans, and causes all things to work together for good.

LIBRARY REFERENCES.

The Commentaries and Lives of Paul hitherto referred to; a parallel to this account may be found in any Life of Luther, where he escaped from Augsburg by night, after his interview with Cajetan.

SUGGESTIONS TO TEACHERS.

This lesson has an unusually limited amount of practical application, but there are a few points of which good use can be made.

this.

REVIEW briefly the last lesson, in order to bring clearly before the mind the incidents of

CONTRAST Paul sleeping restfully in prison and in chains, because God was with him, and his promises shone like the sun's rays into the prison, and into his heart, while his enemies were wearying the night hours in concocting a plan for his destruction, which after all utterly failed.

THE SUBJECT of the lesson is GOD'S OVERRULING PROVIDENCE, so using even the wickedness of men as to favor his cause and his children.

I. THE CONSPIRACY (vers. 12-15). Here is the evil to be overruled. The plan was plausible, and success seemed easy.

II. THE CONSPIRACY ÖVERRULED BY BEING DISCOVERED (vers. 16-22). The main practical thoughts here are (1) the overruling Providence by which Paul's nephew learned of the plot, and thus frustrated it. (2) The union of the divine and human agency in fulfilling the promises of God. God had promised Paul that he should be safe, and should go to Rome and preach the Gospel. And yet Paul took every precaution he could for his safety. He knew that true faith in God's promises would lead him to use every means God put in his power.

APPLICATIONS. (1) To using the means for our salvation; believe the promises, and act. (2) To times of sickness or trouble. (3) To our plans and hopes for success in life.

Illustrations. (1) Paul's action in the shipwreck some two years after this, when the whole ship's crew were promised their lives for Paul's sake, and yet they must and did use the means (see Acts 27: 24, and 31, 43, 44). (2) Our lives are like the cloth in a loom, —— made up of the warp of God's endowments and circumstances, and the woof of our own free wills.

III. THE CONSPIRACY MADE TO FURTHER GOD'S PLANS. God had promised that Paul should preach the Gospel in Rome. This conspiracy was one part of the means by which that plan was carried out, and Paul enabled to realize his hopes and desires. It was the way to Rome, though he, at the time, could not see how.

Illustration. During the siege of Sebastopol, a Russian shell buried itself in the side of a hill without the city, and opened a spring. A little fountain bubbled forth where the cannon shot had fallen, and during the remainder of the siege afforded to the thirsty troops, who were stationed in that vicinity, an abundant supply of pure cold water. Thus the missile of death from an enemy, under the direction of an overruling Providence, proved an almoner of mercy to the parched and weary soldiery of the allies. - Congregationalist. So often the efforts of men against God's kingdom have been overruled to its furtherance. Every great attack upon the Bible has opened a new fountain of its truth to supply the wants of God's people.

Illustration. An old Persian fable reads thus: God created the earth a vast, level, barren plain, with not a green thing on it to be seen— not a flower, not a bush, not a tree on it. He came forth to view his new creation, and determined to adorn it with beauty; and he sent his angel to sow broadcast over the world the choicest seeds. In one place they dropped the magnolia; in another the orange; all over the world they scattered the seed that should spring up in beauty. Satan, on his dark, black wing followed, and saw the unburied seed lying all over the earth, and he said: "This is the work of the Almighty, and I will destroy it." So he went to work, and every seed that could be found he buried out of sight in the soil, and as if to make his work complete he summoned the rains of heaven, and they fell upon the earth and saturated it that the seed might rot away. Then, with his arms folded, and a malignant smile of satisfied pride, he looked to see the chagrin of the Almighty when he should behold his work destroyed. But as he gazed the seed germinated; it broke through the shock, shot through the ground, and came up in forms of beauty everywhere; and the apparent ruin had become an Eden of loveliness, of beauty. - Dr. Eddy.

GOLDEN TEXT. A conscience void of offence toward God and toward men. ACTS 24: 16.

TIME. Tuesday, May 30. Five days after the last lesson. Paul remained in prison at Cesarea from the last of May, A.D. 58, to midsummer, A.D. 60.

PLACE. Cesarea, the residence of the Roman governor of Judea. It had a harbor from the Mediterranean. It was 47 miles north-west of Jerusalem. Here a Roman centurion, Cornelius, had been converted. Here lived Philip the evangelist. RULERS. Nero, emperor of Rome. Felix, governor of Judea, A.D. 52–60 (see last lesson). Agrippa, king of Trachonitis, etc. PRONUNCIATIONS. — Azi'zŭs; Cēsărē'ă; Drusil'lă; Em'ĕsă or Emis'să; Fe'lix; Lys'ias; Pör'cius Fes'tus; Tertul'lūs.

INTRODUCTION.

We left St. Paul in custody at Cesarea. His enemies at Jerusalem lost no time in following him. Within five days the high priest Ananias, accompanied by a deputation from the Sanhedrim, and by a professional advocate, arrived in Cesarea to lay their information against Paul before the tribunal of Felix. The charge brought against the prisoner seems to have included three particulars. (1) That he was guilty of sedition, and so of disloyalty to the Roman government; (2) that he was guilty of heresy, the ringleader of a sect, and so a renegade from Judaism; (3) that he was guilty of profaning the temple, and thus of affronting a worship which was under the patronage and protection of Rome. - Vaughn. The object of Tertullus, however, appears to be not the condemnation and punishment of Paul by Felix, but his surrender to the Jewish authorities for trial. The lesson begins with the reply of Paul, made at the sign from the governor. - Riddle.

And when the governor had 10

10. Then Paul, after that the governor had beckoned unto him to speak, answered, Forasmuch as I beckoned unto him to speak, know that thou hast been of many years a judge unto this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for my- a judge unto this nation, I do self:

EXPLANATORY.

Paul answered,
Forasmuch as I know that
thou hast been of many years

cheerfully make my defence:

I. The Introduction to Paul's Address. - Ver. 10. Then Paul. After Tertullus had finished his accusation. The governor. Felix, who motioned to Paul to make his reply to the charges. Answered. There is scarcely a more striking contrast in the records of oratory than that between the fulsome harangue of the hired advocate Tertullus, and the manly simplicity of Paul's defence. His own attitude toward Roman magistrates was invariably that of a respectful but independent citizen. Wm. Smith. Forasmuch as I know

II.

Because that thou mayest understand, that there are yet but twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem for to worship.

12.

And they neither found me in the temple, disputing with any man, neither raising up the people, neither in the synagogues, nor in the city: 13. Neither can they prove the things they now accuse me.

whereof

of

14. But this I confess unto thee, that after 3 the way which they call heresy, so worship I the 4 God my fathers, believing all things which are written in 5 the law and in the prophets :

knowledge, that it is not more

seeing that thou canst take 11

than twelve days since I went and neither in the temple did 12 up to worship at Jerusalem: they find me disputing with

any man or stirring up a crowd, nor in the synagogues, 13 nor in the city. Neither can

they prove to thee the things

whereof they now accuse me. But this I confess unto thee, 14

that after the Way which they call a sect, so serve I the God of our Fathers, believing all things which are according

to the law, and which are writ

42 Tim. 1: 3. 5 Acts 26: 22; 28: 23.

1 Ver. 17. Acts 21: 26. 2 Acts 25:8; 28: 17. 3 Amos 8:14. Acts 9: 2. that thou hast been of many years. Really about six, but this was more than the average duration of a procuratorship, and the words might therefore be used without exaggeration. Plumptre. This reference to the duration of his power over such a people under all the circumstances could not fail to be gratifying to Felix. St. Paul made the opening of his speech complimentary without falling into flattery. Cook. I do the more cheerfully answer for myself. Paul felt at least his judge had had, during his long years of office, ample opportunities of becoming acquainted with the character of the leaders of the Jews, with their jealousies and narrowness, and with the peculiarities of the people generally. - Schaff.

II. His Answer to the Charge of Sedition. - Vers. 11-13. II. Because that thou mayest understand. Rather, canst easily ascertain by inquiry. From the shortness of his stay in Jerusalem, any offence committed there must have been recent. There could be no difficulty in obtaining witnesses and proofs. Cook. Beside which, Felix' knowledge of Jewish customs would tell him that this was just the time at which foreign Jews came to Jerusalem. - Cambridge Bible. That there are yet but twelve days. The Rev. Ver. has the more modern English, which is also closer to the Greek, that it is not more than twelve days. — Cambridge Bible. Paul arrived at Jerusalem on May 17, the date that year of Pentecost. It was now May 30, twelve whole days intervening (see Lewin's Fasti Sacri, under A.D. 58; Farrar's St. Paul, 11: 338, note). I went up to Jerusalem for to worship. He went on purpose to worship. Was it likely that he would try to profane the temple or excite sedition? Cambridge Bible.

--

12. They neither found me in the temple. The answer traverses all parts of the indictment. He had not even entered into a discussion in the temple. He had not even gathered a crowd around him in any part of the city. Plumptre. Disputing. Publicly discussing and arguing his peculiar views. The disputing was not in itself censurable, but in this instance he could urge that he had not even had any religious discussion during the few days in question. So that these acts- disputing, and raising up a popular tumult are denied with reference to these three places, the temple the synagogues, and the city. — Hackett. Neither raising up the people. Rev. Ver., stirring up a crowd. For the crowd was gathered by the Jews, not by Paul.

13. Neither can they prove the things. This particular and emphatic denial he enforces by a challenge to his accusers there present, to produce proof of this, their only criminal charge against him. Butler.

III. His Answer to the Charge of Heresy. - Vers. 14-16. 14. But this I confess to thee. Paul now comes to the second charge, that he was a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes (ver. 5). He at once admits that he did belong to this so-called sect; but at the same time maintains that by doing so he did not relinquish the religion of his fathers. Gloag. Bengel says, "An ingenuous, cordial, and full confession in this verse of faith, in the next of hope, and in the 17th of love. There are five answers to this charge. FIRST ANSWER. A confession that his way of worship seemed to the Jews to be heresy, but it was only a seeming. After the way which they call heresy. Better, with Rev. Ver., after the Way which they call a sect. The word is the same which is used in ver. 5 for the 66 sect " of the Nazarenes. St. Paul employs the expression "the Way," in that sense in which it soon became well known, to signify "the Christian religion.". Cambridge Bible.

The Greek word of which sect is the translation is the same as our word heresy. It is used

15. And 1have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, 2 that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.

16. And 3 herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.

hope toward God, which these ten in the prophets: having 15

also themselves look for, that there shall be a resurrection

both of the just and unjust.
Herein do I also exercise my- 16

self to have a conscience void
of offence toward God and
men alway. Now after many 17

17. Now after many years I came to bring alms years I came to bring alms to to my nation, and offerings.

John 5: 28, 29.

1 Acts 23:6; 26:6,7; 28: 20.
2 Dan. 12: 2.
*Acts 11:29, 30: 20: 16. Rom. 15:25. 2 Cor. 8: 4. Gal. 2:10.

3 Acts 23: 1.

in the New Testament of a school of religious opinion, as of the Pharisees (Acts 15: 5) and Sadducees (5:17), with no implication of erroneous doctrine. The word heresy now implies doctrinal error. Rev. Com. And even then the implication must have been that if one differed in opinion from the general views, his opinion must be an error.

SECOND ANSWER. So worship I the God of my fathers. He worshipped the same God that the Jews worshipped. He was a true Jew. He had not broken the Roman law nor the Jewish by introducing a new God. Vaughn. Conybeare and Howson give the argument well. Our nation is divided into religious parties which are called sects; thus there is the sect of the Pharisees and the sect of the Sadducees, and so now we are called the sect of the Nazarenes. I do not deny that I belong to the latter sect, but I claim for it the same toleration which is extended by the Roman law to the others. I claim the right which you allow to all nations under your government, of worshipping their national gods. C. and H.

THIRD ANSWER. Believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets. The whole Old Testament. - Cook. Their Bible was his Bible, and he believed it all. He was "not a mere half believer as the Sadducees, nor an erroneous believer as the Pharisees." Gloag. Paul denied that in becoming a Christian or a Nazarene he had in any way apostatized from the faith of his fathers. Christianity to him was but the fulfilment of Judaism. Schaff

FOURTH ANSWER. 15. And have hope toward God, etc. That is to say, his belief in the law and the prophets gave him a hope founded on God, because his word and the promises contained in the law and the prophets furnish the only grounds for such a hope. The hope was, as he went on to say, that there would surely be a resurrection. Nor was he singular in holding this certain expectation. "These," he said, pointing to members of the Sanhedrim in the court, and to the other Jews present, "these hold it with me." Paul with justice refers to the belief in the resurrection as the general belief of the Jewish nation, the sceptical opinions of the Sadducees influencing only a very few, comparatively speaking. FIFTH ANSWER. His earnest desire to do right.

16. Herein do I also exercise myself to have always a conscience void of offence. "Herein," that is, for this reason, because of his belief in the resurrection; or, in other words, because he held the doctrine of the resurrection of the just and unjust not as a mere speculative doctrine, but as an awful reality (comp. 2 Cor. 5: 10, 11). The rule of his life was to struggle to keep himself from sin, knowing that we shall be judged according to the deeds done in the body. - Rev. Com. Do I exercise myself. Observe the force of the phrase I exercise myself, implying training one's self, as in an art that requires practice for its perfection (comp. 1 Cor. 9: 27; 1 John 3: 3). - Abbott. We are apt to think that whatever other difficulties the apostles had to contend with, they had none within. How strongly does St. Paul combat this error. Toward God and men. Paul illustrates this by his reference in the next verse to the alms (for men) and offerings (for God) which he had brought to or offered up in Jerusalem. — Bengel.

IV. His Answer to the Charge of Profaning the Temple. — Vers. 17-23. FIRST ANSWER. 17. Now after many years. It was 21 years since his conversion (A.D. 37), and 10 years since he started (A.D. 48) on his first missionary journey. To bring alms to my nation. The "alms" were, of course, the large sums of money which St. Paul had been collecting since his last visit, for the disciples (possibly in part, also, for those who were not disciples) at Jerusalem (see Rom. 15:25; 1 Cor. 16:1-4; 2 Cor. 8: 1-4). How could one who came to help his people, who had spent much time and labor in collecting alms for them, be one to profane the temple they loved?

SECOND ANSWER. He came to make offerings in the temple, to worship there; and he

18. Whereupon certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with multitude, nor with tumult.

19. 2 Who ought to have been here before thee, and object, if they had aught against me.

20. Or else let these same here say, if they have found any evil doing in me, while I stood before the council,

21. Except it be for this one voice, that I cried standing among them, 3 Touching the resurrection of the dead I am called in question by you this day.

22. And when Felix heard these things, having more perfect knowledge of that way, he deferred them, and said, When 4 Lysias the chief captain shall come down, I will know the uttermost of your matter.

1 Acts 21: 26, 27; 26: 21.

my nation, and offerings: 18 purified in the temple, with

amidst which they found me

no crowd, nor yet with tamult: but there were certain

Jews from Asia-who ought to 19 have been here before thee, and to make accusation, if they

had aught against me. Or else 20 what wrong-doing they found,

let these men themselves say

when I stood before the council, except it be for this one 21 voice, that I cried standing among them, Touching the resurrection of the dead I am called in question before you this day.

But Felix, having more 22

exact knowledge concerning the Way, deferred them, saying, When Lysias the chief captain shall come down, I will determine your matter.

3 Acts 23:6; 28: 20.

4 Ver. 7.

2 Acts 23:30; 25: 16. engaged in the Jewish rites and ceremonies there; how could he then wish to profane the temple? And offerings. The “offerings" which he also came to bring were for the temple and its services: they included the usual sacrifices customary at the feast of Pentecost, and also those special contributions which were part of the Nazarite's vow (chap. 21: 23– 26). — Schaff.

18. Whereupon. Read (with Rev. Ver.) amidst which, i.e., engaged in offering which oblations. Certain Jews from Asia. Ephesus. Of these Asiatic Jews St. Paul was now about to speak, but he checks himself, and does not say any word against them, only that they ought to have been here to explain the offence for which he had been assailed. — Cambridge Bible. Neither with multitude. The tumult was not raised by Paul, who was quietly performing the Jewish ceremonies, but by these Asiatic Jews themselves.

THIRD ANSWER. An appeal to the accusers themselves as witnesses.

19. Who ought to have been here. This also is a skilful argument on the part of the apostle, it being the custom of the Romans not to judge a prisoner without the accusers face to face. They were not here for two reasons. (1) They would be afraid of the consequences of their actions. They had made themselves liable to punishment for attempting to kill, and for exciting a tumult. — P. (2) The policy and interest of the Sanhedrim forbade the presence of the Jews from Asia. Any examination of them in a court of law must have proved that they were the authors of the disturbance, and that it had its origin in circumstances not connected with Palestine, and beyond the cognizance of Roman law. Schaff.

20. Or else. In the absence of proper accusers, let these same here (these Jews now present themselves in person, not through an advocate) give testimony on the only point about which they are competent to testify.- Riddle. While I stood before the council. Paul refers to the inquiry before the Jewish court, reported in chap. 23: 1-9.

21. Except it be. He had not done any evil, and the only possible thing which could be construed into exciting a tumult, was his siding with one party in the council, which was the occasion of a division among them. For this one voice. "Voice" refers to the act of speaking rather than to what was said. Touching the resurrection, etc.

He quotes

his own words (chap. 23:6), and quite accurately. This was his closing remark. Careful study of the speech reveals the consummate skill of the apostle in his difficult position. No reply was made to his challenge.

Riddle.

22. Felix. . . having more perfect knowledge of that way. This verse means that Felix, from his long residence at Cesarea, was too well acquainted with Christianity ("that way") to be deceived by the misrepresentation of the Jews. Stock. Felix was by no means ignorant of the Nazarene's story. During the years he had held office in Judea and Samaria, he must have had frequent opportunities of becoming acquainted with many of the tenets of the rapidly growing brotherhood, and must, too, have seen sufficient of their lives to convince himself that the peace of the Empire was not likely to be endangered by any plots they would devise. At Cesarea, his present residence, lived Philip the evangelist, and Cornelius the centurion. He deferred them. Adjourned the case. He was not going to