The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1886-01-27
For the Central Presbyterian.
An Exposition-Acts ii: 40

MeSSTS. EduoTS,-lt Is the remark of
Godet that Matthew groups together doc
trinal teachings in the form OF great dis
courses-he is preacher. Mark mar
rates events as they occur to his mind
his gospel is a compilation of the nara
tives that used to be given b. st. Peter
in the churches through which he passed,
preaching the gospel-he is chronscler.
Luke reproduces the external and inter
nal development of the events-he is the
historian, properly so-called. 1t is with
the view of exhibiting this steady pro-
gress OF the divine work that Luke marks
off his narrative from the beginning of
his gospel to the close of his book of the
Acts, by series of general remarks,
which serve as resting places by the way,
and which describe at each stage the
present position of the work. These
hating places are summaries, and points
of outlook, and are always distinguished
by the use of the descriptive tense (the
imperfect); the resuming of the history is
indicated by the reappearanoe of the mar
ratlve tense (the aorist). Ii may inter
est students of the original 70 examine
some of the chief passages o, this kind.
Luke i: 80; ii: 40, So; III: Is; iv:
Is, 81, A; V: Is, l6; viii i; tx: 81;
xiii %; xvii IL; xix: %, AZ, 48; xxi:
81, 38; xiv: So Acts i: IA; ii; 42-47;
iv: 32-35; etc., etc. DR.. J. Addison
Alexander {" On the Acts, ") refers to
this characteristic of st. Luke. He saws
"a characteristic feature is the repeated
alienation of particular narratives and
general descriptions; the detailed ac-
count OF what occurred upon single day,
is followed by picture OF the condition
of the Church for an undefned period
ensuing In commencing lis comment
on the forty-second verse Of the second
chapter of Acts, DIR. Alexander says,
I" The history of Pentecost may be said to
close with the preceding verse, what fol-
lows being an account of tle condition OF
the infant Church rom that. ''''a<~svara. .
Such was the social state,
the employments, of the c
organized at Pentecost. an, - srosa-
lem" a proper understanding OF this
verse is specially interesting and impor-
tant, for it expresses and describes the
effects produced in the hearts and lives
OF these earliest believers by the outpoul-
ing of the Holy Ghost. 1t denotes the
effects upon the Church of o genuine re-
vival. There is a little variety of read
ing in the original which, however, is SO
small as to be scarcely capable of express
sion in the English. st. Luke says of
the infant Church after the Pentecostal
blessing, that they continued steadfastly
IN (adhered to, persevered in, constantly
engaged, or were occupied in) four dis
tinctly enumerated things
(l) In the teaching or instruction of
the inspired apostles-what they told
them of Christ's life and teachings and
death, ETC., and the expositions they gave
of the Old Testament. In "a word, they
felt new interest and delight in Gods
Word.
(2.) In fellowship, T. e., iu the recogni-
ton and exhibition of brotherhood to-
wards one another, as sons and daugh-
ters of one family the feeling of love and
partnership which prompted to the deeds
OF helpfulness and actual communication
of good to the needy Gas illustrated in the
facts narrated in verses "A and 45).
g In the breaking Of bread, which I
think refers to the Lords Supper Gas in
the Goth chapter, 7th verse l Cor. K:
l6; XII: 23-28). 1t is thought by some
that at first the Lords Supper was dis
pensed at the close of every ordinary
deip71on or for some time at least on
every Lords day. 1t was the ordinance
that commemorated the dying love OF
Jesus it proclaimed atonement for sin,
participation in it, and declared that thev
received and rested in Christ and his
atonement for salvation In a word,
faith in the cross Of Jesus and delight in
showing the Lords death and our re.
demption by His blood, il a result of
genuine revival.
a In prayers-publio, social, and
private; the mercy seat, priced and fre-
quented. The whole verse may be ex-
pressed as teaching that the Spirit Of God
produces interest in and attachment to-
I'D Gods Word ~ the fellowship and
brotherhood of believers (3) the COM
memoration Of Christi love and death for
US; and (4) the mercy seat. And is not
this true of every genuine revival-of
every efusion Of the Sprit upon the
hearts of Christians Nay it not be
used as a test2 T. Fl. SMITH.
Greensboro, ~ Q.