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*4 THE PRESBYTER]
Sunday School
TRUE AND FALSE BROTHERHOOD.
Acts 4:32, 5:11.
February 7, 1909.
Golden Text:
Lying lips are abomination to the I^ord: but they that deal
truly are his delight.?Prov. 12: 22.
SHORTER CATECHISM.
Q. 41. Wherein is the moral law summarily comprehended?
A. The moral law is summarily comprehended in the ten
commandments.
DAILY HOME READINGS.
M.?Acts 4:32. 5:11. T.?2 Kings 5: 15-27.
W.?Psalm 52. Th?Prov. 12: 13-22.
F.?James 3: 1-10. S?Psa'm 139: 1-12.
S.?Eph. 4: 25-32.
LESSON COMMENTS.
In this lesson we see two typical men; Barnabas stands
tor truth and loyalty, Ananias for hypocrisy and falsehood.
Barnabas is introduced as a Levfte from Cyprus, having land.
When he gave himself to Jesus he made a full surrender of
self and substance. He held back nothing. He sold his land
and gave the price to the cause of Jesus.
It is bad logic to argue from this act of Barnabas the obligation
of communion as contended for today. Under the emergency
of that special period some men were moved to sell their
goods and distribute to the poor. But this was not to be the
law under ordinary conditions. In the words of the fourth commandment
God recognizes the righteousness of individual
ownership and control of property.
We find Barnabas mentioned in Acts 4:36; 9:27; 11:22-30;
12:25, and in chapters 13, 14, 15.
Barnabas was the Hebrew surname given him by his brethren.
T t nmanc Mnn nf Pnnanliitlnn Tho VIr*l v flVirkct fa thn otqq t
paraclete, the Comforter. The word Barnabas In Greek Is
expressed by the phrase son of paraclesis, a word of the same
root as paraclete. So Barnabas and the Holy Ghost have
-almost the same title.
The story of Barnabas shows the different kinds of men that
God uses: Paul, Peter, James and John, logical, .impetuous,
practical, philosophical, and Barnabas, the tender hearted.
Again we see in the case of Barnabas the marked coupling
of names and characters, one man complementing another, and
the two mutually helpful in sympathy and watchfulness. The
seventy go out by twos; the twelve are named in couplets,
and we have Paul and Barnabas.
The book of the Acts shows the .agency of Barnabas in
Xiving the Gospel to the Gentiles. Paul was pre-eminently the
apostle of the Gentiles. But when not long after his conversion
he returned to Jerusalem and assayed to join himself to
the disciples and the whole band of Christians were slow to
receive him, it was Barnabas that took Paul and brought him
to the apostles and declared how he had seen the Lord In the
way. The Gentiles have Barnabas to thank for Paul. The city
of Antioch was stirred to its depths and Barnabas was sent to
see about it. He came and saw the grace of God, and went to
Tarsus and found Saul and brought him to Antioch, where
together they labored a whole year. The efficiency of Paul in
his earlier ministry was more than we know, perhaps due to
the presence of Barnabas.
The Lycaonians called Barnabas Jupiter, and Paul Mercurius,
because Paul was the chief speaker. This gives the
heathen view as to the grace and dignity of Barnabas.
There has always been crying need for the ministry of Barnabas.
All men are open now and then to the word of consolation.
Among the poor widows and orphans of Jerusalem
[AN OF THE SOUTH. January 27, 1909.
Barnabas would find a wide field for his peculiar service. Paul
himself strong in conviction would find the words of Barnabas
grateful. Paul was stoned and left for dead at Lystra. 'Twas
doubtless the hand of Barnabas that lifted him from the
ground and the words of Barnabas that brought strength and
comfort to his heart. Many a downcast Christian feels an
uplift from the son of consolation. In this service, Barnabas is
like the Son of God. Jesus said: "The Son of the Lord God
is upon me, ror he hath sent me to heal the broken hearted."
Jesus never breaks the bruised reed and we may be sure that
Barnabas, like his Master, goes forth pouring out the oil of
joy, and there is no ministry more acceptable or divine.
Would you belong to the brotherhood of Barnabas? Luke's
comment about him was pointed: "He was a good man and
full of the Holy Ghost." You need not be an ordained preacher.
Barnabas got his surname before his ordination. You need
not be much learned or a great orator. A fellow feeling for .
suffering and distress is what you need. Pray for the mantle
of Barnabas.
Directly opposite to the spirit of Barnabas was that of
Anan'as and Sapphire. Barnabas was tmp- Anonioo '?i??
nao iaioc.
Barnabas surrendered all to Jesus; Ananias pandered to his
own vanity. Barnabas was sincere; Ananias was a hypocrite.
The crime of Ananias was hypocrisy combined with vanity.
He wanted credit for complete self-abnegation while holding
on to the world. He was endeavoring to draw tribute from
both God and Mammon, but his doom proved that he could not
serve two masters.
The question is raised concerning the severity of the punishment
inflicted on Ananias and Sapphira. We cannot fall to
note that Peter, through whom the death sentence was pronounced,
had himself denied Jesus with cursing and swearing.
And all through the years men have committed apparently
worse crimes and gone unpunished.
One reason why Ananias and Sapphira were strruslc dead is.
that this was the beginning of a new dispensation. Ananias
was something like a sign-board at the beginning of a long
road. Through him God called all the ages to see the crime
of lying to the Holy Ghost. For a similar reason Uzzah was
smitten down at the beginning of a new era in Israel's life.
So were Nadab and- Abihu, Hophni and Phinehas. These are
conspicuous examples of the danger of trifling with God.
Again the sin of Ananias was prominent because it was during
the time of the special outpouring of the Holy Ghost. It
was a period of unusual grace and the sin that marred such
a period was unusually heinous. Peter's sin was committed
suddenly, without deliberation. The sin of Ananias was deliberate,
planned and plotted and under the awful light of the
Holy Ghost. In early Jewish history Achan Bhowed the same
covetous spirit, and with his life he paid the penalty of his sin.
The fate of Achan, as with trumpet blast, calls the attention
of the world to the sin of covetousness. Ananias in the opening
days of the new dispensation takes his place by the side of
Achan, and through him God challenges the attention of the
world.
In the lesson before us Peter perhaps did not know what
would be the fate of Ananias. He was the one that brought the
sin to light, but Ananias died under tae hand of Gojl. His
dearth is an awful monument to the sin of falsehood, and It
calls upon every one today to speak the truth In his heart.
The root of his He was his love for money and applause. He
had the opportunity to crucify this love, but It rose above him,
became his master and blasted his life. His lust conceived and
brought forth sin, and sin brought death.
C. W. GRAFTON.
The present generation Is blessed beyond any proceeding
one; the conveniences of life contribute, as never before,
to health, comfort and progress.