swered unto the people, Ye God. Jesus claimed that power as men of Israel, why marvel his own. (See Luke x. 17.) 14 They crucified the holy Jesus; and desired Barabbas. 17 Peter gently attributes to ignorance their rejection of Jesus Christ. At the same time, theirs was an ignorance to be pardoned only upon repentance. (Ver. 19*.) ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk? The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go. "But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; and killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses. And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. "And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers. But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled. Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; and he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: 21 whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. 23 And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall 19 19 When man is restored to immortality, those souls only will be accepted of God, whose sins are blotted will be indeed "times of refreshout by the blood of Christ. They ing;" of which the righteous have a foretaste even here. 21 The restitution will be complete. The soul, that spiritual temple, desolated by man's fall, shall be restored in every fair proportion, and rise again in all the beauty of holiness--a living temple to the glory of God for ever. 23 This was partly fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem, but its full accomplishment will be at the * Our Church wisely teaches us to pray God in his goodness to deliver us from all our ignorances." end of the world-God's final judg ment. 24 Samuel was the first prophet after Moses, who wrote his prophecies. By "these days," are meant, the days of Christ. be destroyed from among the people. 24 Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days. 25 Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities. 1 25 The Jews were first taught by the prophets, and first admitted into covenant with God; and to them firs did God send his Son Jesus Christ. Let us, to whom Jesus is now come, remember, why He came to turn away every one from his iniquity. CHAPTER IV. APRIL 7, AUGUST 6, DEC. 3. ST. PETER, evening. 1 AND as they spake unto 1 The Sadducees disbelieved the the people, the priests, and resurrection. 4 the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them, being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day: for it was now eventide. Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand. And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes, and Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this? Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, if we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; 10 be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, 4 Who can wonder that the unprejudiced gladly received a doctrine so congenial with man's best and tenderest feelings, as the resurrection of the body-a reunion of those whom death here for a time severs. 10 The Apostles never assume to themselves the power by which they heal. They affirm themselves to be mere agents of God's power. (See Luke x. 17.) L 11 Jesus Christ is the chief cornerstone of the Gospel-the spiritual temple built to the honour of God *. 13 Human learning, though necessary for its purposes, is not a wisdom necessary for salvation. That wisdom, as the Jews wisely judged, is from Jesus; and to be attained by ing his word, and obeying his spirit. "being with Him"-that is, by study aside out of the council, they 16 As with the miracles of Jesus, so with those of his Apostles-none could deny them. whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. "This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. 13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus, and beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. But when they had commanded them to go conferred among themselves, 16 saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it. that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name. And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which 22 There could be no deception. He was done. 22 For the man had been born lame; and that, before was above forty years old, on the advent of Christ. whom this miracle of healing was shewed. And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and But 19 It were indeed folly to resist the power of God, and yield to the threatenings of man. * These rulers and elders (v. 8.) "as spiritual builders" ought themselves to have edified-or built up-this temple. Hence their heavier sin. earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: 25 who by the mouth of thy servant 25 (Ps. ii. 1.) We are thus led by apostolical authority to a right apcation of this psalm. Christ. 28 God effected by his Providence and power, what he had by his prophets counselled. 29 No threatenings move the christian minister from boldly rebuking vice, and declaring the whole counsel of God. David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. 27 For of a truth 27 Herod and Pilate-Jew and Genagainst thy holy child Jesus, tile-hitherto at enmity, become whom thou hast anointed, friends; uniting their efforts against both Herod and Pontius Pithe Gospel. So it is now. Men, otherwise at enmity, will often band late, with the Gentiles, and together against the church of the people of Israel, were gathered together, 28 for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. 29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, by stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. 32 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. 34 Neither was there any among them that lacked for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were 32 Nothing is more marked in the first state of the Church, than its unity. Too soon, alas! its ministers had to mourn divisions. 34 A common danger naturally called forth a community of feeling. The early christians, if poor, had no other resource than the benevolence of their richer brethren. (See Note on ch. ii. 44.) sold, and laid them down at the apostles' feet, and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need. And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus, having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet. CHAPTER V. APRIL 8, AUGUST 7, Dec. 4. BUT a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, 2 2 Vanity and covetousness were here combined-each a vice as mean in the sight of men, as it must be offensive before God. Ananias and Sapphira were too ostentatious not to display their offering; but too covetous to give freely or fully. Ghost, and to keep back part of Vain, presumptuous mortal! who thinkest to deceive by a lie, the very Being to whom every secret thought of thine heart is known * sold a possession, and kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet. But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost and great fear came on all them that heard these things. And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much. Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband. "And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things. And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch. 13 And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people 11 This event was an awful warning against entering upon a christian profession with other intention than that of an honest and upright mind. 13 No man, who had come into the christian community with hypocritical intentions, durst for the future, join himself to them. magnified them. And believers were the more added to the Since lying to the Holy Ghost, is lying to God—then is the Holy Ghost God! |