10. What letters did Paul write during this visit to Corinth? The First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians.

11. Where did he go when he left Corinth?

He went to Jerusalem.

12. When he left Jerusalem, where did he go?

To Antioch in Syria.

13. What is the journey which he had made since he was last in Antioch called?

It is called his second missionary journey.

14. Will you trace this journey on the map, and tell what cities he visited while making it?

1. Where did Paul go when he left Athens? Acts xviii. 1. 2. What account can you give of Corinth?

3. With whom did Paul live while here, and at what trade did he work? 2, 3.

4. What former companions. joined him? 5.

5. What effect had his preaching? 8.

6. How long did he remain in Corinth? 11, 18.

7. What is related of Gallio and the Jews? 12-17.

8. What country is meant by "Achaia"?

9. What is known of Gallio besides what is here related? 10. What Epistles did Paul write during this visit to Corinth?

11. What interesting fact can you mention concerning these Epistles?

12. For what country did he sail when he left Corinth? 18. 13. Who went with him as far as Ephesus? 18, 19.

14. Where did he go from Ephesus? 21.

15. From Jerusalem where did he go? 22.

16. Will you give a brief account of his travels since he was in Antioch before?

17. What are these travels called?

18. Will you trace this journey on the map?

19. How long a time did this journey probably occupy, and during what years is it probable that it was made?

NOTES. Acts xviii. 1. Corinth. This, in the time of Paul, was the capital of the province of Achaia, and its largest city. It was forty-five

miles from Athens; and a journey from one city to the other could easily be made in two days by land, or, with a fair wind, in four or five hours by water. It was situated on the celebrated Isthmus which connects the southern peninsula of Greece then called the Peloponnesus, now Morea — with the northern portion of that country. The Isthmus was but six miles wide in its narrowest part, and was called "the bridge of the sea," and "the gate of the Peloponnesus." All the land travel and traffic between northern and southern Greece of necessity passed through it. This of itself would have made Corinth a city of some importance; but more than this, it had two harbors, - Cenchrea, eight miles distant, on the Saronic Gulf; and Lecheum, less than two miles distant, on the Corinthian Gulf. The former of these opened to it the treasures of the East, and the latter those of the West. On account of the danger of sailing around the southern point of Greece, the greater part of the commerce between the Ionian and Ægean seas was conveyed across the Isthmus and through Corinth. The city was one of great importance in a military point of view. The Isthmus formed the only line of march for an invading or retreating army; and, on account of its narrowness, was strongly fortified. South of the city, and enclosed within its walls, was the Acrocorinthus, - a mountain rising almost perpendicularly to the height of two thousand feet, and forming an almost impregnable citadel. While the city became one of great wealth and prosperity, it also became one of fashion, luxury, and vice. Here merchants amassed fortunes; here sailors squandered their wages; here adventurers of every kind took up a temporary or permanent abode. Venus, the goddess of love, was the chief object of worship, and the prevailing religion was extremely debasing. As we should naturally suppose, there was a good proportion of Jews in the mixed population of this commercial city.

3. And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia. Paul had left Silas and Timothy at Berea with directions to follow him to Athens. Timothy also had been sent back to Thessalonica, and was detained so that they could not rejoin Paul until after he arrived at Corinth. - Paul was pressed in spirit. "Was wholly engaged in the word."-Noyes. "Was constrained by the word." —Revised Translation. The meaning is that when Silas and Timothy came he received a new impulse. He felt that he was no longer alone, but had fellow-workers in the great cause, and therefore devoted himself to it with greater earnestness.

6. When they opposed themselves. "When they set themselves against him." - Noyes.

7. He departed thence. From the synagogue, not from the city, nor from the house of Aquila.· And entered into a certain man's house named Justus. He went there to preach, not to live. One that worshipped God. He was a foreigner who had become converted to Judaism, but not yet to Christianity. Whose house joined hard to the synagogue. "Whose house was very near the synagogue." — Noyes.

11. And he continued there a year and a half. Some suppose that this

denotes only his residence at Corinth prior to the disturbance raised by the Jews; others, that it includes the whole period of his residence there, both the time before and the "good while " after the tumult. There is no way of settling the matter, nor is it important. It was during this visit to Corinth that Paul wrote the two Epistles to the Thessalonians. It is worth remembering that these were the first written of the books of the New Testament.

12. Gallio. He was a brother of Seneca, the distinguished philosopher and moralist, and was made pro-consul of Achaia, A.D. 53. He is said by ancient writers to have been of a remarkably mild and amiable disposition.Achaia. After the Romans had conquered Greece they reduced it to two provinces, - Macedonia and Achaia, the latter being nearly co-extensive with modern Greece. The name Achaia was originally given to a narrow strip of land in the northern part of the Peloponnesus, but it is not so applied in the New Testament.

13. Contrary to the law. The law of the Jews. Had they accused Paul of violating the Roman law, the case would have required Gallio's investigation.

15. A question of words and names. Paul taught that Jesus was the Messiah; the Jews contended that he was not. This to Gallio, a heathen, who had recently come from Rome, was only a question of words and names. Naturally enough, he was vexed that such a case was brought before him, so "he drave them from the judgment-seat."

21. Saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh at Jerusalem. These words are omitted in the Revised Translation.

22. And gone up and saluted the church. The church at Jerusalem. This was Paul's fourth visit to this city since his conversion. His stay at this time evidently was short. He went down to Antioch. He had now completed his second missionary journey. It was much more extensive, and produced much greater results than his first journey. It is probable that it was begun A.D. 51, and that it occupied about three years, ending A.D. 54.

HINTS TO TEACHERS. Be sure to give the class a good idea of Corinth. Speak of the contrast between Corinth and Athens. Notice Paul's mode of life: he worked at his trade both here and at Thessalonica. Speak of Gallio. Direct particular attention to the fact that the two Epistles to the Thessalonians were written by Paul from Corinth, and that they were the first written of the New Testament books. Review Paul's second missionary journey, and speak of its great importance.

REFERENCES. Conybeare and Howson (Chs. XI., XII.); Farrar (Chs. XXVII.-XXX.); Renan's "St. Paul" (Chs. VIII., IX.); "Bible for Learners" (Vol. III., Ch. VII.); "Footsteps of St. Paul" (Ch. XIII.); "A Year with St. Paul" (Sundays XXVII.-XXX); Robertson's "Lectures on the Epistles to the Corinthians" (Introductory Lecture). A map of St. Paul's travels is indispensable to the successful study of these Lessons.

PAUL AT EPHESUS.

Acts XIX. 1–41.

Fill our souls with heavenly light,
Banish doubt and clear our sight.
In thy service, Lord, to-day,

May we stand, and watch, and pray.

GOLDEN TEXT: Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. — MATT. vii. 7.

1. What did you learn about Paul in the last Lesson? 2. To what large city did he next go?

To Ephesus.

3. Will you point out Ephesus on the map?

4. How long did Paul live there?

About three years.

5. What great temple was there at Ephesus? The temple of Diana.

6. What did the silversmiths of Ephesus make and sell? Little silver temples that looked like the temple of Diana.

7. What did one of them, named Demetrius, do when he found that Paul was persuading many people to worship the true God, instead of Diana?

He called together all the silversmiths and told them that their business was in danger, and also the temple of Diana.

8. What did all the silversmiths then cry out?

Great is Diana of the Ephesians.

9. What next took place?

The whole city was in confusion, and the people cried out for two hours, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.

10. Was any harm done to Paul?

No; but he soon after left the city, as it was his purpose to do. 11. What letter did Paul write while at Ephesus?

The First Epistle to the Corinthians.

1. Where did we leave Paul in the last Lesson?

2. Where did he go on leaving Antioch? Acts xviii. 23. 3. How many visits had he already made to this region?

4. To what large city did he next go? xix. 1.

5. What account can you give of Ephesus?

6. Where did he first preach here, and with what effect? 8, 9.

7. Where did he afterwards preach? 9.

8. What is known of the school of Tyrannus?

9. How long did Paul preach there, and what was the effect of his preaching? 10.

10. What miracles is God said to have wrought by Paul at Ephesus? 11, 12.

11. What is related in verses 13-20?

12. What purpose of Paul is mentioned in verse 21?

13. What great disturbance was raised in Ephesus on account of his preaching? 21-41.

14. What were the “silver shrines ” here spoken of ? 15. Who are meant by "the chief of Asia" in verse 31? 16. What were the duties of the "town-clerk" of Ephesus?

17. Which of his Epistles did Paul write at Ephesus? 18. In what year is it probable that it was written?

19. What places is it probable that Paul visited during his three years' residence at Ephesus?

NOTES. Acts xix. 1. Ephesus. This was the capital of the province of Asia, and its most important city. It was situated on the river Caystrus, about five miles from its mouth, and carried on an extensive maritime and inland trade. It was called one of the eyes of Asia; Smyrna, forty miles north, being regarded as the other. Among its noted buildings was the temple of Diana, one of the seven wonders of the world. It was constructed of the purest marble, and was 425 feet long by 220 wide. Its columns were of Parian marble, 127 in number, sixty feet high, and each given by a king. Thirty-six of these columns were elaborately carved. Within the temple were wonderful paintings and statuary. The cost of one of the paintings - that of Alexander the Great, by Apelles- was nearly equal to $200,000 at the present day. The temple was reared in honor of Diana, and contained a wooden, time-worn, and every way unattractive image of this goddess, yet believed to have fallen from heaven. The harbor of Ephesus was already impaired in the time of Paul by the wash of the sea and accumulations of silt, and has since been completely