The National tribune., 1892-08-11

5. HonOring Christ We act ike G0d, while
disrespect as to him ranks US with his enemies.
a. BE witnesses for Christ.
5. Repent.
g.. Seek forgiveness.
III. GAMALIEL's COUNCIL.
1. Analysis
1. Data. Acts S: 80 DO.
2. Time. A. d. 80. May ~
8. Place. Council House.
A. Speaker. Gamaliel.
S. Occasion. Rage of the Council. 90.
6. The speech.
/. Addressed to Sanhedrim.
2. Items.
/. Be careful how you act in this case.
2. Recall Theudss and Judas.
3. Let the Apostles alone.
4. If their work be only human it will
die of itself.
S. If Of God, you cannot stop it.
7. Results.
1. Sanhedrim concurred with Gamaliel.
2. Beat the Apostles.
g. Ordered them not to speak again of
Christ.
4. Dismissed them.
8. Lessons. See below.
2. References
V.33. Cut to heart. 1854.
V. "a. Gamaliel. 22:3
v. 80. Human counsel naught Prov, 81:
30; Is, 8: 10; st. Mt, Is: IL.
" 80 If of God, cannot overthrow it. Job,
"a: 90; Cor, :25. Fight against God. 9:
5; 1913; Ex., 10: IL.
V. 40. Beaten them. I6 %; 49,: %: 10,
25; st. Mt, 10: II; %: 81; ST. Mark. 10: 8; 2
Cor, II %. Scourged Jesus. st. Mt. 81: 90
Not speak in name of Christ. %; AIS.
3. Notes on analysis.
/. Gamalel. Afford says:
"Ganaiel is generally, and not without proba-
bility, assumed to be identical with the celebrated
Dab u, nlial of f.a tn fnrn
among their Rabbits the Jews gave this title Rab.
BAN He wise and enlightened Phsrisee, the
of st. Luke. 2o5) and grandson Of the famous
Hillel. iHisname often appears in the Mishna as
an utterer Of sayings quoted as authorities. He
died Is years before the destruction of the city. He
was the precepior OF 81. Paul"
Verse "a says he was member of the Sanhe.
drim, Pharisee, a doctor of the law, and in
good repute. He was SO prominent that the
Jewish Mshna declares that with his death
~ the glory Of the law ceased and purity aud
Phariseeism expired"
founded with the Theudas of Josephus. We
have no secular historic account Of the event
referred to in V. SO.
8. Judas. ". 81 See particulars in Jo-
sephus Ant XVIII, /, 1. He resisted the
taxing ordered by Cyrenius. lSt. Luke, 2:1 p
A. Gamaliel wanted tho Sanhedrim to believe
that Christianity would fall through now that
s. There is power in oratory. We recall
Virgil's description of the multitude which
can be Gained by SPEAKER weighty in virtues
who "regit dictis animos ct pectora mulcet -
rules minds (see V. 30 of the lesson) and allays
rage. See Virgil, Eneid, /, 153 Gamaliel sue
ceeded in quoting wrath and eliciting judg-
ment
g. Why whip them? Through Gamaiel's
advice attempt was given up to prove the
Apostles guilty of any capital or very serious
crime DIR. Plumptre says: This is to be
noted as the first actual Experience of persecution
falling on the whole company of the Twelve,
aud not on Peter and John only. They were
probably convicted of the minor offense of
causing disturbance in the temple, though
dismissed as with verdict of not proven on
the grave charge of heresy. The punishment
in such case would probably be the 40 stripes
save one of Deut. 25:3." The beating was
generally inflicted with "a whip having two
| lashes knotted with bones or heavy indented
rings of brass; or terminated with hooks in
which case 1t was aptly denomlnated ScOr-
piof."
T. It seems the Apostles did not hear the
speech (intercession) of Gamaliel. V. "a.
a. Lessons.
1. Cultivate character and seek repute which
will give influence to your words. No speaker
can gain power over an audience not having
confidence in him as man. Early writers on
elocutiOn gave great prominence to this qualif-
cation in oratOry.
g Men should never act impetuously. Move
slowly in important matters. Some cases call
for great discretion.
g. Notice how evil is often checkmsted. Cases
of Theudas and Judas.
4. Many times the quickest way to check an
evil is to let it alone.
s. 1t is vain to run any competition with
Almighty power, purposes, agents.
riytfa oft foa
Apostles were beaten.
~ SEQUEL.
/. References.
" Al. Rejoicing over their prosecutions. st.
Mt, 5: II, II; Cor, ~: 10; Phil 90; JAS,
1:2; / Pet, a: 1916.
v. AZ. Preach everywhere. st. Mt, %: 10;
2 I'll, 4:2.
Conclusion.
1t must have required great courage to dis
obey the commands of the Sanhedrm but it
is bravado to dare to break Gods orders (V 29)
In A IL, 10 we find the Apostles actually re-
fused, at the very time of the sentence, to
promise not to tell about Christ. They may
not have been asked to pledge themselves
to obey the order of the Sanhedrim. II 60,
they actually volunteered refusal. So i'm V. 40
it seems the Apostles were simply commanded
| not to preach in Chrisi's name, but were not
required to promise not to do So Had they
been requested they would have refused to
make any such pledge. So we see the Apostles
did not do violence 10 their word
st. Paul said TO Timothy But as we were
allowed of God to be put in trust with the
Gospel, even SO we speak not rs pleasing men,
but God, which trieth our hearts" q Th.,
2:4)
The Illustrated Christian Weekly, in an edito-
rial OH Point in Preaching" said:
There arc some pereors-,,cw !hey get into the
pulpit we wonacr-who Hcdsiie VIII, no sin since
tic Christian era; they assaii Ninevch and the
tower Of Babel. and denouEce JeI,.bo,.ru, son Of
Nebst. Their preaching is Ike pitching bomb
shells Into the moon. where the terrific explosions
may rcverbern,c among the lone mountains with
out damaging tie satellite But The good sermon,
says an old sime, is like good portrait, cycling
i,,il lie