the acts of the apostles-第43章
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All they that see Me laugh Me to scorn： they shoot out the lip； they shake
the head； saying； He trusted on the Lord that He would deliver Him： let Him
deliver Him； seeing He delighted in Him。〃 〃I may tell all My bones： they
look and stare upon Me。 They part My garments among them； and cast lots upon
My vesture。〃 〃I am become a stranger unto My brethren； and an alien unto My
mother's children。 For the zeal of Thine house hath eaten Me up； and the
reproaches of them that reproached Thee are fallen upon Me。〃 〃Reproach hath
broken My heart； and I am full of heaviness： and I looked for some to take
pity； but there was none； and for comforters； but I found none。〃 Psalms
22：6…8；
17； 18； 69：8； 9； 20。
How unmistakably plain were Isaiah's prophecies of Christ's sufferings and
death！ 〃Who hath believed our report？ 〃the prophet inquires； 〃and to whom is
the arm of the Lord revealed？ For He shall grow up before Him as a
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tender plant； and as a root out of a dry ground： He hath no form nor
comeliness； and when we shall see Him； there is no beauty that we should
desire Him。 He is despised and rejected of men； a man of sorrows； and
acquainted with grief： and we hid as it were our faces from Him； He was
despised； and we esteemed Him not。
〃Surely He hath borne our griefs； and carried our sorrows： yet we did esteem
Him stricken； smitten of God； and afflicted。 But He was wounded for our
transgressions； He was bruised for our iniquities： the chastisement of our
peace was upon Him； and with His stripes we are healed。
〃All we like sheep have gone astray； we have turned everyone to his own way；
and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all。 He was oppressed； and
he was afflicted； yet He opened not His mouth： He is brought as a lamb to
the slaughter； and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb； so He openeth not
His mouth。 He was taken from prison and from judgment： and who shall declare
His generation？ for He was cut off out of the land of the living： for the
transgression of my people was He stricken。〃 Isaiah 53：1…8。
Even the manner of His death had been shadowed forth。 As the brazen serpent
had been uplifted in the wilderness； so was the coming Redeemer to be lifted
up； 〃that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish； but have everlasting
life。〃 John 3：16。
〃One shall say unto Him； What are these wounds in Thine hands？ Then He shall
answer； Those with which I was wounded in the house of My friends。〃
Zechariah 13：6。
〃He made His grave with the wicked； and with the rich
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in His death； because He had done no violence； neither was any deceit in His
mouth。 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him； He hath put Him to grief。〃
Isaiah 53：9； 10。
But He who was to suffer death at the hands of evil men was to rise again as
a conqueror over sin and the grave。 Under the inspiration of the Almighty
the Sweet Singer of Israel had testified of the glories of the resurrection
morn。 〃My flesh also；〃 he joyously proclaimed； 〃shall rest in hope。 For Thou
wilt not leave My soul in hell ＇the grave＇； neither wilt Thou suffer Thine
Holy One to see corruption。〃 Psalm 16：9； 10。
Paul showed how closely God had linked the sacrificial service with the
prophecies relating to the One who was to be 〃brought as a lamb to the
slaughter。〃 The Messiah was to give His life as 〃an offering for sin。〃
Looking down through the centuries to the scenes of the Saviour's atonement；
the prophet Isaiah had testified that the Lamb of God 〃poured out His soul
unto death： and He was numbered with the transgressors； and He bare the sin
of many； and made intercession for the transgressors。〃 Isaiah 53：7； 10； 12。
The Saviour of prophecy was to come； not as a temporal king； to deliver the
Jewish nation from earthly oppressors； but as a man among men； to live a
life of poverty and humility； and at last to be despised； rejected； and
slain。 The Saviour foretold in the Old Testament Scriptures was to offer
Himself as a sacrifice in behalf of the fallen race； thus fulfilling every
requirement of the broken law。 In Him the sacrificial types were to meet
their antitype； and His
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death on the cross was to lend significance to the entire Jewish economy。
Paul told the Thessalonian Jews of his former zeal for the ceremonial law
and of his wonderful experience at the gate of Damascus。 Before his
conversion he had been confident in a hereditary piety； a false hope。 His
faith had not been anchored in Christ； he had trusted instead in forms and
ceremonies。 His zeal for the law had been disconnected from faith in Christ
and was of no avail。 While boasting that he was blameless in the performance
of the deeds of the law； he had refused the One who made the law of value。
But at the time of his conversion all had been changed。 Jesus of Nazareth；
whom he had been persecuting in the person of His saints； appeared before
him as the promised Messiah。 The persecutor saw Him as the Son of God； the
one who had come to the earth in fulfillment of the prophecies and who in
His life had met every specification of the Sacred Writings。
As with holy boldness Paul proclaimed the gospel in the synagogue at
Thessalonica； a flood of light was thrown upon the true meaning of the rites
and ceremonies connected with the tabernacle service。 He carried the minds
of his hearers beyond the earthly service and the ministry of Christ in the
heavenly sanctuary； to the time when； having completed His mediatorial work；
Christ would come again in power and great glory； and establish His kingdom
on the earth。 Paul was a believer in the second coming of Christ； so clearly
and forcibly did he present the truths concerning this event； that upon the
minds of many who
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heard there was made an impression which never wore away。
For three successive Sabbaths Paul preached to the Thessalonians； reasoning
with them from the Scriptures regarding the life； death； resurrection；
office work； and future glory of Christ； the 〃Lamb slain from the foundation
of the world。〃 Revelation 13：8。 He exalted Christ； the proper understanding
of whose ministry is the key that unlocks the Old Testament Scriptures；
giving access to their rich treasures。
As the truths of the gospel were thus proclaimed in Thessalonica with mighty
power； the attention of large congregations was arrested。 〃Some of them
believed； and consorted with Paul and Silas； and of the devout Greeks a
great multitude； and of the chief women not a few。〃
As in the places formerly entered； the apostles met with determined
opposition。 〃The Jews which believed not〃 were 〃moved with envy。〃 These Jews
were not then in favor with the Roman power； because； not long before； they
had raised an insurrection in Rome。 They were looked upon with suspicion；
and their liberty was in a measure restricted。 They now saw an opportunity
to take advantage of circumstances to re…establish themselves in favor and
at the same time to throw reproach upon the apostles and the converts to
Christianity。
This they set about doing by uniting with 〃certain lewd fellows of the baser
sort；〃 by which means they succeeded in setting 〃all the city on an uproar。〃
In the hope of finding the apostles； they 〃assaulted the house of Jason；〃
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but they could find neither Paul nor Silas。 And 〃when they found them not；〃
the mob in their mad disappointment 〃drew Jason and certain brethren unto
the rulers of the city； crying； These that have turned the world upside down
are come hither also； whom Jason hath received： and these all do contrary to
the decrees of Caesar； saying that there is another king； one Jesus。〃
As Paul and Silas were not to be found； the magistrates put the accused
believers under bonds to keep the peace。 Fearing further violence； 〃the
brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea。〃
Those who today teach unpopular truths need not be discouraged if at times
they meet with no more favorable reception； even from those who claim to be
Christians； than did Paul and his fellow workers from the people among
