The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-01-29
THE SABBATH SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR FEBRUARY 2. y
Subject: Tho First Persecution, Acts iv.1
1-22 - Golden Text, Acts iv., 12A
Memory Verses s8.1O-Connmentary on,
tho Days Lesson ~ Il

INC OSyb AostOn. .1t Is,
l. "As they spake." Peter addressed one
portion of the multitude while John spaks
to the others. That great crowd had
gathered is certain from the large nupbel
Of converts. V. 4. "The priests" Those
belonging to some of the twenty-four
courses among whom the temple services
were divided Chron. a: l-l9; Chron.
q: g.. These were the persons who had
shown such hatred toward Christ from
tn, the beginning; g E.. Captain" Not miii. i;
the guard of priests and Levites, who
watched the temple at night
2. "Being grieved." "Sore troubled. -
R. V. The priests believed in the doctrine
Of the resurrection, but to have it preached
through Jesus brought His blood upon
them, since they put Him to death
8. "Laid hands on them" The LAM
guege implies actual violence. In hold" |"
A sort Of "house of detention" for the
Jews never punished by imprisonment as
the Romans did. "Peter had an opportu-
nifty to reflect on the words, Lord, I am
ready to go with Thee-into prison. :, y
Luke %: SO. Next day" It was now too
late to assemble the Sanhedrin, as that
body could not sit lawfully except by
daylight. ;,nEventide.p Tide means
tlme. Ine Jews QaQ Two evenings
One began at 3 o'clock and the other at q
o'clock. Peter and John entered the tenn
pie courts at 8 o'clock, the hour of prayer,
and the proceedings at this time had ocl]
cupied three hours.
4. MANY believed" Persecution did
not prevent the truth from prevailing, but
it developed courage and energy and
made known to the world the noble qualii
ties which Christianity had implanted, and
caused the story of the Saviour, His lifel
resurrection, love, power and Messiahship
to be proclaimed Ill over the land. "Num3
ber-was." Game to be."-R. v. 3Tha
society of converts had been increased bH
nearly 1000 since the day of Pentecost.
5. Rulers, elders, scribes." This was
q regular meeting of the Sanhedrin. Tho
rulers were the chief priests-the official
rulers; the elders were heads of famiiesj
scribes were teachers of the law.
6. "Annas = Caiaphas." Annas had
been deposed from the Office of the high
priest by the Romans, and Caiaphas. his
But the Jews regardedF FAnnas as ecclesif
astically their high priest. He was the|
most influential person among the Jewst
at this time. Our Lord was taken before
Annas first. John Is: l3. John and;
Alexander" Who these were is mot
known, but it is certain that they were
I. 'in the midst" They placed the,
prisoners in the centre of the Sanhedrin,.
which sat in semi-circle. Power, name.y
Power is force, name, is authority. by,
what magical power did you do this, and|
what right had you to use such powere
g. "Peter, filed" According to the,
promise of his now glorifed Master. Matt.
10: 20; Mark l3: II. This empowering PEN.
tecostal spirit now dwelt in the apostles
and the others, as an abiding gift to man
ifest himself asfeach emergency demanded !
g. "Be examined" Called to account.
as criminals. "The good deed" A gentlel
reminder that 1t was not for q. crime that
they had been placed in custody and were
on trial. Made whole" Is cured Of
saved, suggesting a spiritual as well as
10. "Be it known" The testimony
which Peter would give before the Sanhe-
drin he would delight to publish to all
Israel, and thus exalt the name of. Christ,
he could preach with as much freedom in:
a court room as in any other place, when;
filed with the. Spirit. "Jesus Christ Of
Nazareth" Wonders are wrought in the.
name of Jesus: not by repeating it as a.
charm, but by believing in it as divine,
revelation of grace and good will to mem
"Jesus, the Saviour: Christ, the Messiah; ;{
the Nazarene, the despised. HON yei
As an, ,imposter. Whom God
raised" Thus putting to1:naught mans
power. 5.5
IL. tSet at naught of you,builders.n BY
your rejection and crucifxi6n OF Jesua
Christ you have fulfilled one of your own
prophecies psalm lis: ~; and as ons
part is literally fulfilled ye may rest asi
sured the other shall be. '"This allusion
to the prophecy about the cornerstone Id
brief, because they were supposed to be-
they must remember to have heard it more
than once from the lips of Jesus" I,
u. Salvation" His is the only atom.
ing blood. and His the only arm that can.
save. Name" Name stands for Jesus
Christ Himself, and there is in Him wis.
dom, power, love, divineness; just as a
mans name to note stands for all a man
is, and has; his property, character, abil-
lty, integrity. "Among men,, 1t is sal.
vation for humanity "We." The apos:
ties were not defenders of themselves, but
sturdy, truthful. uncompromisiug wit.
nesses to Jesus and the resurrection.
Is. "Boldness." This speech was q
greater miracle than that of the lame man.
Compare the Peter of this speech and the
Peter before the resurrection, and tell
Gle had first been wrought "And John.
We have no record of any word spoken by
John, yet his boldness of speech, no less
than Peters, was observed by the council.
IA. "Man-standing." No longer help
less cripple. If not apprehended with the
apostles, the Sanhedrin being an open
court, his presence may have been an ex,
preston of his faith and thapkfulness, or
he may have been summoned for examina-
tion. could say nothing" Nothing
against the fact, though they were unwil-
ling to own the doctrine which it tended
Is. GO aside" Peter and John were
required %. to leave the council chamber
while the Sanhedrin discussed what should
be done.
Is. '"Cannot deny it." Every one knew
that it was genuine case of healing.
II. Threaten them" This is what they
decided to do in order to stop the new re.
ligion, and this is the way the ungodly still
endeavor to retard the progress of Chris
tianity. 49,.
IS. Called them" They were called
back a into adse the council ead ssrmss resred them to
speak; the council forbade them. Which
ought they to obey? See chap. S: %.
20. Cannot but speak," They could
not obey their rulers and do right; neither
can any person when rulers command what
God forbids. (Which we saw and heard"
(R. W Concerning Jesus Christ.
81. Because of the people" Should
they punish the apostles, they feared the
people would rise against them and give
ther1 trouble, for the, people "g.orifed
&.