Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1892-08-19

Text of the Lesson, Acts v, 25-41-Mem-
DRY Verses. 20-3a-Golden Text, Acts
v, 29-Commentary by the Rev. ID. NJ.
stearns.
25. "Then came one and told them say
ing, Behold the men whom We put in prison
are standing in the temple and teaching
the people" The account of the arrest,
imprisonment and deliverance Is found
in verses 1920. When released on for
mer occasion and forbidden to speak in the
name of Jesus, their reply was to the effect
that they must speak what they had seen
and heard Chapter iv, 1920
&C. Then went the captain with the
officers and brought them without violence,
for they feared the people lest they should
have been stoned" The people were bene-
fitted by the apostles preaching and
miracles and heard them gladly Oversees
l4-l6) just as the common people heard
Jesus gladly MARK xii, 80. 1t was the
religious rulers who did the prosecuting
and tried to hinder this blessing to the
people.
"a And when they had brought them
they set them before the council" Jesus
bad told them that it would be even so
(Math X, IT, IL John XIV, 20), and the
same thing is true today, for if a man will
preach the whole truth, according to the
plain, obvious sense of Gods Word in the
power Of the Holy Spirit, he will soon find
opposition from some religious rulers and
worldly minded professors
29 rye have filled Jerusalem with your
doctrine, and intend to bring this mans
blood upon u.s." Thus the council accused
the apostles, reminding them also of the
restrictions which had been placed upon
them. 1t was good testimony to the earn
est work of the apostles that they had
already filed the city with their teaching.
90 Then Peter and the apostles an
swered and said, We ought to obey God
rather than men," If we please men rather
than God we are not servants of Christ;
and He Himself taught us that we cannot
serve God and mammon. The friendship
of the world is enmity with God, and to
love the world is to forsake God Gal i, 10;
Luke xvi, 49, Jas iv, 4; II Tim. iv, l0).
80. THE God of our fathers raised up
Jesus whom ye slew and hanged on a tree"
To their face they again fearlessly accuse
them of being guilty of His blood, but
they testify that God has raised Him up.
Compare ii, So: iii, l5 iv, 10, 80; x, 40; xiii.
80, and see what prominent topic the
resurrection was in the preaching of the
apostles.
81. Him hath God exalted with His
right hand to be Prince and a Saviour.
for to give repentance to Israel and for
giveness of sins.' Exalted to be Saviour
to the very men who crucifled Him if they
would only turn to Him in true penitence
ready to give them even repentance as well
as full forgiveness. See lisa. i. 49, xxxviii
II; xiii, p; Acts xiii, 80, 80,
49, And we are His witnesses of these
things, and so is also the Holy Ghost,
whom God hath given to them that obey
Him." Their bold and fearless testimony
was that of the Holy Spirit speaking
through them as Jesus had said. See Acts
J., 8, and compare iv, 81. The same Spirit
is in every true believer as He was in the
apostles before Pentecost John Xxx. 22), but
our need is to be filed with the Spirit.
33. when they heard that they were
cut to the heart, and took counsel to Stay
them" Not only was the blood of Jesus
upon them, but they were ready TO bring
upon them also the blood of the apostles
So likewise did they desire to do to Laza-
rus, whom Jesus raised from the dead
John xii, l0). The truth of God when not
meekly received, makes manifest that the
carnal mind is enmity against God Rom.
viii, ..
|
yourselves what We intend to do as touch
ing these men," The apostles having been
sent out of the council for little while
Gamaliel, learned and honorable mem
Der, at whose feet Saul of Tarsus had been
educated Chapter xxi, -, thus begins to
address his brethren. He seems to have
had something of the spirit of Joseph and
Nicodemus who also We're at one time
members of the council Mark XIV, 80
John vii 50) We do not know that he
ever received Jesus as the Christ, but from
the wisdom and spirit of this address We
may almost hope that he did
80, 81. For before these days rose NJ
Theudas, boasting himself to be some
body" He quotes two cases of deceiver.
who for time had quite following, bu,
in each case the leaders persisted and theil
followers were dispersed The mark of de
ceiver is that "he boasts himself to be some
body" while true follower of the Lore
seeks only to glorify God. Jesus sought
neither His own will nor His own glory
John vi, 3S; viii, so, and Paul determined
to know nothing but Jesus Christ anC
Him crucified, his notices being, Not
but Christ, ""Not !. but the Grace of God
q Cor ii, Q: XIV, 10; Gal Ii, 20) If an,
man. be he preacher or professor D. D. o
is very evidently not true TO Jesus Christ
3S And now | say unto you, Refrain
from those men and let them alone; for i
this counsel or this work be of men, it will
come to nought." He probably though
of such words as these, THE Lord bring
eth the counsel of the heather to nought
He maketh the devices of the people O
J, none effect" Ops. xxXii l0). See also lisa
viii, 0, 10, for very strong words in this con
a nection. 1t is great comfort for the tru
d believer to know that no weapon forme
against Him can prosper lisa. liv, ~.
80 But il II be of God We cannot over
throw it, lest haply We be found even t
d fight against God" The counsel of tn
Lord standeth forever the thoughts of Hi
heart to all generations Cps. xxxiii, II
My counsel shall stand and will do al
u my pleasure lisa. XVI, lO. know tina
whatsoever God doeth it shall be foreve
(Eccl. iii, 40. We hope that Gamalit
really believed in his heart that this wor
was the work of God.
40 And to him they agreed-and whe
they had called the apostles and beate
Il, 4 1 IA