The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1902-02-13
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Aesson In the lnternatienal Series
for February 10, 1002-The Sec
0nd Persecution,
THE LESSON TEXT.
(Acts 5.2-42)

law, had In reputation among all the peo-
PIE, and commanded to put the apostles
forth a little space:
%. And said unto them, Ye men Of Israel
take heed TO yourselves what ye intend &c
do as touching these men.
%. For before these days rose up Theu.
das, boasting himself to be somebody; tc
whom a number Of men, about 400. Joined
themselves: who was slain: and all, al.
many as obeyed him, were scattered, anc
brought to nought
u. After this man rose up Judas of Gall
lee In the days of the taxing, and drew
away much people after him: he also per.
ished; and all, even as many as obeyec
him, were dispersed.
% hnd now say unto you. Refrain from
THESE men, and let them alone: for II this
counsel or this work be of men, II will come
to nought
~. But If 1t be of God. ye cannot over.
throw II; lest haply ye be found even te
fight against God.
~. And to him they agreed. and wher
they mad called the apostles, and beater
them' 'hey commanded that they shoulc
not speak In the nam, U. JtsL., and lie,
them go
Al. And they departed from the presence
Oh the council, rejoicing that they were
counted worthy to suffer shame for His
name.
A. And daily In the temple. and in ever,
mouse they ceased not to teach and preach
Jesus Christ.
GOLDEN TENT.-DIcsscd are thex
winch are prosecuted for righteous.
ness sake; for theirs Is the X inrtIon
or EeaVen.-.Matt. $40.
NOTES AND COMMENTS.
faithful Witnessing.-Jesus, it will
be remembered, had forewarned His
disciples that they would suffer perse.
cution for His sake (John 1890; 1921.
Now that time had come, and the way
they bore themselves under it shows
how devoted they were to their Mas.
ter. They not only endured, but re.
jo.ced that they were counted worthy
to suffer for Him. With such witnesses
nothing could stop the growth of the
church.
Signs Wrought by the Apostles.-The
situation described here was like the
time when Jesus was working miracles
frequently in Galilee. 1t is not stated
in verse Is that Peters shadow actual
~ healed anyone. The verse shows
graphically the excitement that pre-.
vailed.
Released from Prison.-When Peter
and John were arrested before they
were teachingi in the temple. This time
their captors seem to have sought
them out in their headquarters. The
high priest now, no doubt, began to
fear the influence of such popular ex-
citement upon his authority. The
teaching was a direct defiance of that
authority Q:lS). The angel who de-
Livercd the apostles sent them to teach
in the temple. Even with all the bold
ness they had in preaching they natu-
rally had hcs,tated about setting them
selves up in the temple as rivals Of
Gamaliel and other teachers there.
But when Gods messenger commanded
them TO go they went without hesita-
ton, in their zeal entering the temple
at dawn. The Sanhedrin probably
thought, when ,hey learned of tn,
apostles escape, that they had friends
within The temple guard who had let
them go. Their perp'exity is thus best
explained, ard the supposition was
natural.
Trial Before the Sanhedrin.-An incl
dental light on the apostles feeling
about teaching in the temple is brown
by the statement Of the man who told
the Sanhedrjn that the apostles were
standing and teaching. Most teachers
sat while giving instruction. The pop
uiar regard in which the apostles were
held is indicated by the fear of the
temple guard to use violence. The high
priests words (v. 2S) show the sensi-
tiveness of the Jewish authorities to
the apostles defiance of their COM
mands, and to the charge that they
were guilty of Jesus death, which
Peter had several times made (2:23;
3'l3-15; 4:10. Peters answer is an.
other bold defiance, based on the fact
that God had commanded them aud
given them power to speak, proving hy
Jesus resurrection and by the gift OF
the Holy Spirit that Christ was indeed
His Son. The boldness of Peter an.
gered the rulers, but Gamaliel, who,
though a party opponent of the Sad.
ducees. was greatly respected by all,
saved the Sanhedrin for the time from
impulsive action. Gamaliel's speech
was keen application of shrewd COM
mon sense to the situation in hand.
His motive was probably not opposi-
tion to the Sadducees or sympathy with
the Christians, but recognition of the
wisest course. The only Theudus
known did not live until about ten
years after Gamaliel made his speech.
unless Josephus made a mistake in
dates. But there is no reason to doubt
that the speech was made, and that il
had the effect described. The bea.in
which the apostles received must have
been very severe, but they regarded il
as token of honor that they had been
active and prominent enough in Gods
service to receive it.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION.
The world has not been ready TO well
'ome the truth, but has met it with pris-
ons, torture, scourgings, etc.
The disciples should never regard
hn pargppaI cnpuar,ana..