Pelajaran Sekolah Sabat 12, Selasa 18 September 2018

Pelajaran Sekolah Sabat 12
Selasa 18 September 2018

Di Hadapan Agrippa

Festus setuju untuk mengabulkan permintaan Paulus agar dibawa ke Roma (Kisah 25:12). Sementara itu, gabenor mengambil kesempatan dengan lawatan negeri olah Raja Herod Agrippa II untuk meminta nasihat mengenai kes Paulus, secara khususnya tentang apakah bentuk informasi dia akan kirimkan kepada maharaja dalam laporan resminya. Festus belum begitu mengenali dengan urusan orang Yahudi dan Agrippa sudah pasti dapay membantunya (Kisah 26:2, 3).

Sila baca Kisah 25:13-22. Apakah yang Festus beritahu Agrippa tentang Paulus dan bagaimanakah tindakbalas raja tersebut?

Raja Agrippa II, keturunan terakhir Herod, telah datang ke Kaisaria bersama dengan kakanya yang bernama Bernice untuk memberi hormat kepada gabenor baru.

Dalam penerangannya tentang kes Paulus, Festus menyatakan kehairanannya bahawa tuduhan-tuduhan ke atas Paulus tidak berkaitan dengan mana-mana kesalahan yang boleh dijatuhkan hukuman mati, sama ada politik atau jenayah. Sebaliknya, hanya berkaitan dengan perkara-perkara agama orang-orang Yahudi. Secara khusus pastinya tentang Yesus, “yang sudah mati, sedangkan Paulus katakan dengan pasti, bahwa Ia hidup”(Kisah 25:19). Paulus telahpun beritahu tentang itu di hadapan Mahkama Agama bahawa dia dihadapkan dalam perbicaraan kerana kepercayaannya kepada kebangkitan Yesus dan sekarang Festus menjelaskan bahawa perkara inilah yang benar-benar menjadi perselisihan.

Sila baca Kisah 25:23-27. Bagaimana Lukas menggambarkan upacara pertemuan Paulus di hadapan raja Agrippa?

“Sekarang Paulus yang masih digari, berdiri di hadapan beberapa orang sedang berhimpun. Terdapat perbezaan yang berlaku di sini! Agrippa dan Bernice mempunyai kuasa dan kedudukan dan oleh kerana itu mereka dihormati oleh dunia. Tetapi, mereka mempunyai seauatu sifat-sifat tersendiri tentang menghargai Tuhan. Mereka melanggar hukum Tuhan, korup dalam hati dan kehidupan. Cara-cara mereka bertindak sama sekali dibenci oleh Syurga.”-Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, ms. 434.

Apakah yang sepatutnya cerita ini ajarkan kepada kita tentang bagaimana perwatakan luaran, yang mungkin menyenangkan pandangan manusia, seringkali boleh menipu tentang hakikat sebenar di sebalik perwatakan? Bagaimana pula dengan kita, sejauh mana perbezaan perwatakan kita daripada hakikat sebenar?

Sabbath School Lesson 12
Tuesday September 18

Before Agrippa

Festus agreed to grant Paul’s request to be sent to Rome (Acts 25:12). Meanwhile, the governor took advantage of a state visit by Herod Agrippa II to consult him concerning Paul’s case, in particular regarding what kind of information he should send to the emperor in his official report. Festus was not yet acquainted enough with Jewish affairs, and Agrippa could certainly help him (Acts 26:2, 3).

Read Acts 25:13-22. What did Festus tell Agrippa about Paul, and how did the king respond?

Agrippa II, the last of the Herodians, came to Caesarea with his sister Bernice to salute the new governor.

In his description of Paul’s case, Festus revealed his surprise that the charges against him were not related to any capital offense, whether political or criminal. Instead, they had to do with matters concerning Jewish religion, in particular a certain Jesus, “who was dead, but whom Paul asserted to be alive” (Acts 25:19, ESV). Paul had already stated before the Sanhedrin that he was on trial because of his belief in Jesus’ resurrection, and now Festus made it clear that this was indeed the real point at issue.

Read Acts 25:23-27. How does Luke describe the ceremony in which Paul appeared before Agrippa?

“And now Paul, still manacled, stood before the assembled company. What a contrast was here presented! Agrippa and Bernice possessed power and position, and because of this they were favored by the world. But they were destitute of the traits of character that God esteems. They were transgressors of His law, corrupt in heart and life. Their course of action was abhorred by heaven.”—Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 434.

What should this story teach us about how outward appearances, which may be pleasing to human sight, can often be deceptive about the reality behind the appearance? What about ourselves, too? How different is the appearance from the reality?