The National tribune., 1892-06-23
|. 8. Lessons.
Notes on Outlined Preface.


1. The word Acts is not used in the sense of
laws or DEGREES. The meaning is d0ings. These
acts were mainly those of SITS. Peter and Paul.
2. as to st. Luke's authorship there is no
need for doubt. If he wrote the Gospel, and
that fact is quite unquestioned we notice CO.
incidence in the fact he addressed both to q
certain Theophilus. Sec st. Luke, La, and
Acts, IL. The first verse Of the Book of the
Acts shows the author had written former
treatise. The Fathers are quite unanimous in
attributing the authorship to st. Luke The
style is very similar TO that Of the Gospel &C.
cording to st. Luke. Epiphanius distinctly
states st. Luke wrote the Acts of the Apostles.
3. Tiberius Cesar was Emperor of Rome.
a. The Book of the Acts has been called the
Fifth Gospel, to wit, the Gospel to the Gentiles
We recall the story Of st. Peter and Cornelius.
And st. Paul is known as the Gentle Apostle.
g. Tho Acts Of the APOSTLES served in their
day to adjust many theological and ecclesias-
teal difficulty. The Book was of special serv-
ice in determining the relative status Of Jew
and GENTLE. 1t is still in demand as a guide
to doctrine and discipline.
g. Many Christian has noticed the title to
the Book we study, to wit, not the resolutions,
plans, purposes, schemes, disputations, etc, of
the Apostles but their acts. We have sug-
gested the value of practical Christianity va
the theoretical. The Apostles were executive.
workers.
z. Lessons.
a. Trust Gods promises The Holy Ghost
did descend.
b. Religion is symbolized by fire. Piety
must be earnest. Christians should BIO aglow.
stagnant Church is shame.
c. We notice in the establishment of the
Christian Church simplifcation of ritual and
ceremony.
d. We must sacrifice in the interest of our
religion. All things were in common for q
time. st. Paul lost position and wealth.
Ananias and vito were slain for covetousness.
Nearly $4,000 worth OF magical books were
destroyed. 19:19)
G. Christianity is true. We cannot grant 12
men, without Gods countenance could estab-
lish it quite generally within 80 years.
+. God can bless and aid human means. The
Apostles stirred up the whole world, placing,
after a few years, the banner of the Cross even
on the palaces of the Cesars.
II. EXPLANATION OF ACTS 1:1-5 INCLUSIVE
This paragraph deals with the preliminaries
to the Ascension of Christ. The time and place
are as in the account of the Ascension consid-
cred below.
The name, Theophilus means friend Of
God. 1t is found among Greeks as proper
noun. Theophilns was probably disciple of
st. Luke. We may suppose he was prominent
man. We notice st. Luke in his Gospel 3,
styles him most excellent" the title of q
civil officer; 9. g., Governor. (Cf. % 26.)
The title is omitted in the address in Acts, l. l.
1t is possible he had ceased from office at said
time.
The former treatise" Il IL was the Gospel
of st. Luke. A treatise, in ST. Lukes sense,
was brief history biography. 1t covered
about three years Of the practical life Of Christ,
making brief mention of his birth. We OBJ
serve Jesus not only taught. but did. G:1)
Before being taken up ". q, to wit, before
his Ascension, he gave commandment (See In
special. st. Matt. %: I9l.
The word passion" (V. 81 applied in special
to the last few days OF Christ's life, and in
cludes particularly his Crucifxion.
Forty days intervencd between the Resurrec-
ton and the AscenSiop, Ky. 81
During said 40 days Christ met one OR more
of his Apostles at least seven different times.
st. Paul refers tonthese Interviews in l Cor,
1877. We enumerate said Interviews:
a. To St Peter, ST. ,Lu., "a SO. 81; Cor,
1873 At Jerusalem.45i e
b. To 10 of the Apostles, ST. Thomas being
absent. ST. John, 20! I4 Compare V. "a. At
c. 70 the eleven, S.. Thomas being present.
st. John, 20: 10, aud verses 24-29. At Jeru-
salem. ftss7
d. To SITS. Peter, Thomas. Nathaniel. James,
John and two othaEs.o st. John, Il: LA
Near Capernaum. ,nReL
e. To 500. See ST, Mt, 90: 1920; Coz,
1856. Probably at Nh Beatitudes.
f. To st. James. Il Cpr, 1877. Place not
mentioned. c,L,t,
o To the eleven # the time of Ascension.
A' 0 III Tnh ,Agcrss1os.
The Ascension was Christ's 3sth specific
miracle. Ii was the llth appearance of Christ
to His Disciples after the Resurrection.
by new way none trod
Christ mounted to the throne Of God"
DR.. A. J. Gordon says: "As the High Priest
on the Day of Atonement went through that
curtain of blue and purple into the hottest of
ALL SO Christ disappears now from the straining
eyes of the Disciples, going through the blue
curtains of tho heavens. and the purple clouds
shut Him from their gaze"
And Baumgarten wrote: "While the going
up Of Elijah may be compared TO the flight of
a bird which none can follow, the Ascension Of
Christ is, as 1t were, q bridge between Heaven
and earth, laid down for al! who drawn %
Him by His earthly existence"