Pelajaran Sekolah Sabat 13 Rabu 26 September 2018

Pelajaran Sekolah Sabat 13
Rabu 26 September 2018

Akhirnya, Paulus Berada Di Roma

Setelah tiga bulan berada di Malta, Paulus dan teman-temannya akhirnya dapat meneruskan pelayaran mereka (Kisah 28:11). Mereka tiba di Puteoli (Kisah 28:13) Pozzuoli moden, dalam kawasan teluk Naples-tempat bermula perjalanan pergi ke Roma melalui jalan raya (rujuk Kisah 28:11-16).

Berita bahawa Paulus akan tiba di Roma dengan segera maka dari situ sekumpulan orang percaya berjalan beberapa kilometer kearah selaatan untuk menyambut kedatangannya. Sekalipun dia tidak pernah pergi ke Roma, Rasul itu mempunyai ramai kawan dalam kota tersebut:rakan sekerja, saudara-saudara baharu, saudara-saudara dan ramai lagi orang yang sangat disayangi (Roma 16:3-16). Mesyuarat di Appian Way sememangnya sangat penting, terutamanya dalam pandangan ke atas kapal karam dan pada hakikatnya Paulus kini menjadi tahanan. Sebagai hasil daripada demonstrasi kasih dan penjagaan yang unik di pihak teman-temannya yang kekasih, rasul itu mengucapkan terima kasih kepada Tuhan dan meresa sangat bersemangat ketika ia akan menghadapi perbicaraan dihadapan maharaja.

Dalam laporan rasmi Festus, sudah pasti dia tulis bahawa menurut undang-undang Roma, Paulus tidak bersalah atas sebarang kejahatan yang penting. Ini mungkin menjelaskan mengapa dia dibenarkan untuk menyewa kediaman persendirian bukannya dihantar ke penjara biasa atau kem tentera. Walaupun selepas fesyen Roma dia dirantai kepada seorang askar sepanjang masa. Oleh kerana Paulus dengan perbelanjaannya sendiri, menggambarkan bahawa dia dapat menjalankan perniagaannya sendiri.

Sila baca Kisah 28:17-22. Apakah yang Paulus lakukan sebaik sahaja dia menetap?

Sekalipun Paulus tidak dapat pergi ke rumah ibadah, rumah ibadah akan datang kepadanya. Oleh itu, segera selepas ketibaannya, seperti kebiasaannya pertama-tama dia pergi kepada orang Yahudi (Roma 1:16), dia menjemput bersama pemimpin-pemimpin tempatan Yahudi untuk menyatakan keadaan tidak bersalahnya dan menjelaskan seperti yang dia lakukan dahulu, bahawa dia telah ditangkap tanpa sebab selain daripada pengharapan kepada orang Israel (Kisah 23:6; 26:6-8). Tujuannya bukanlah lebih kepada mahu mempertahankan dirinya tetapi untuk mewujudkan suasana keyakinan sehingga membenarkan dia untuk mengkhutbahkan Injil; menunjukkan bagaimana kebangkitan Yesus merupakan kepenuhan pengharapan leluhur bangsa Israel. Sangat mengejutkan bahawa mereka tidak mendapat sebarang informasi daripada Jerusalem mengenai Paulus, lalu orang-orang Yahudi itu mengambil keputusan untuk mendengar dia.

Sila baca Kisah 28:22. Apakah ayat ini terangkan kepada kita tentang perseteruan menentang orang-orang percaya yang masih ada pada masa ini? Bagaimanakah kita dapat tetap setia sekalipun apabila orang lain memperkatakan pertentangan terhadap iman kita?

Sabbath School Lesson 13
Wednesday September 26

Paul in Rome, Finally

After three months in Malta, Paul and his companions were finally able to continue their journey (Acts 28:11). They arrived in Puteoli (Acts 28:13)—modern Pozzuoli, in the Bay of Naples—from where they would travel to Rome by road (see Acts 28:11-16).

The news of Paul’s approach quickly reached Rome, and from there a group of believers traveled several miles south to welcome him. Though he had never been to Rome, the apostle had numerous friends in the city: co-workers, converts, relatives, and many others who were very dear to him (Rom. 16:3-16). The meeting on the Appian Way must have been particularly moving, especially in view of the shipwreck and the fact that Paul was now a prisoner. As a result of such a unique demonstration of love and care on the part of his beloved friends, the apostle thanked God and felt deeply heartened as he was about to face trial before the emperor.

In his official report, Festus certainly must have written that according to Roman law, Paul was not guilty of any significant crime (Acts 25:26, 27; 26:31, 32). This probably explains why he was allowed to rent a private dwelling (Acts 28:30) instead of being sent to a regular prison or military camp, though after Roman fashion he was chained to a soldier the whole time. That Paul was at his own expense implies he was able to carry on his own trade (Acts 18:3).

Read Acts 28:17-22. What did Paul do as soon as he settled down?

Though Paul could not go to the synagogue, the synagogue could come to him. So, soon after his arrival, following his policy of going first to the Jews (Rom. 1:16), he called together the local Jewish leaders to state his innocence and explain, as he had done before, that he had been arrested for no reason other than the hope of Israel (Acts 23:6, 24:15, 26:6-8). His intention was not so much to defend himself as to create an atmosphere of trust that allowed him to preach the gospel, showing how Jesus’ resurrection was the fulfillment of Israel’s ancestral hope. Surprised that they had not received any information from Jerusalem about Paul, the Jews decided to hear him.

Read Acts 28:22. What does this tell us about the hostility against the believers still at this time? How can we stay faithful even when others are talking against our faith?