The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1902-01-30
THE SABBATH SCHOOL
International Lesson Comments For
February Z.
Subject: The First Persecution, Acts w., liz
--0oIden Text, Acts w., Iz-Menory
Verses s-io-- Commentary
on the Days Lesson.

/. "As they spake." Peter addressed one
portion of the multitude while. John spalse
to the others. That a great crowd had
gathered is certain from the large number
of converts. V. T. THE priests" Those
belonging to some of the twenty-four
courses among whom the temple services
were divided. l Chron. "a. l-lg Chron.
shown such hatred toward Christ from
the beginning. Captain Not a mill.
tary officer, but one who had charge of
the guard of priests and Levites, who
watched the temple at night
r. V. The priests believed in the doctrine
through Jesus brought His blood upon
them, since they put Him to death.
3. Laid hands or them" The Ian
guage 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, am
ready to go with Thee-into prison. !"
Luke %: SO. Next day" 1t was now too
late to assemble the .Sanhedrin, as that
body could not sit lawfully except by
daylight. "Eventide." "Tide" means
time" The Jews had two evenings
One began at 3 o'clock and the other at
o'clock. Peter and John entered the tenn
pie courts at o'clock, the hour of prayer,
and the proceedings at this time had oc-
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 quail
ties which Christianity had implanted, and
caused the story of the Saviour, His life,
resurrection, love, power and Messiahship
to be proclaimed all over the land Mum.
ber--was." Game to be."-R. V. The
society of converts had been increased by
nearly 1000 since the day of Pentecost
5. Rulers, elders, scribes." This was
regular meeting of the Sanhedrin. The
rulers were the chief priests-the official
rulers; the elders were heads of families
scribes were teachers of the law.
9. "Annas Caiaphas." Annas had
been deposed from the Office of the high
priest by the Romans, and Caiaphas his
son-in.law, was made high priest by them.
But the jews regarded Annas as ecclesi-
astically their high priest. He was the
most influential person among the Jews
at this time. Our Lord was taken before
Annas first. John IS; l3 "John and
Alexander" Who these were is not
known, but it is certain that they were
men of influence.
7. I'm the midst" They placed the
prisoners in the centre of the Sanhedrin.
which sat in a scmi-cirele. Power. name"
Power is force, name is authority. BY
what magical power did you do this, and
what right had you to use such power?
8. Peter, filed" According to the
promise of his now glori6ed Master. Matt.
! 10: 20; Mark l3: IL. This empowering PEN
tecostal spirit now dwelt in the apostles
and the others, as an abiding gift to man
| ifest himself as each emergency demanded.
o. BE examined" Called to account
as criminals. The good deed" A gentle
reminder that it was not for a crime that
| they had been placed in custody and were
on trial Made whole" Is cured of
saved, suggesting a spiritual as well as
| physical restoration.
| 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
court room as i'll 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 a divine
Jesus. the Saviour: Christ. the Messiah
the Nazarene, the despised." "Whom We
crucifed." As an imposter. "Whom God
raised" Thus putting to naught mans
power.
IL. "Set at naught of you builders" By
| your TSJeCllO0 ana cTuclnNlOn OF Jesus
| Christ you have fulfilled one of your own
prophecies psalm lis: 22); and as one
part is literally fulfilled ye may rest as.
sured the other shall be. "Ths allusion
| to the prophecy about the cornerstone is
| brief, because they were supposed to be
| familiar with it. Peter was assured that
| they must remember to have heard it more
than once from the lips of Jesus"
II. 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 man
is, and has; his property, character, abil-
vstion S % for humanity iS"s we" % I The apos. sos
ties were not defenders of themselves, but
sturdy, truthful, uncompromising wit
nesses to Jesus and the resurrection.
13. "Boldness." This speech was a
greater miracle than that of the lame man.
Compare the Peter of this speech and the
| what has happened. In himself the mira
Gle had first been wrought. "And John"
We have no record of any word spoken by
John, yet his bolduess of speech, no less
than Peters, was observed by the council.
ID. DEMONSTRATING" No longer help
less cripple. II not apprehended with the
apostles, the Sanhedrin being an open
SNhet AiiS pae9NhNS iA"S huNN btch III Ca
preston of his faith and thankfulness, or
he may have been summoned for examina-
tion. Gould say nothing" Nothing
against the fact, though they were unwil-
ling to own the doctrine which it tended
SO strongly to prove.
Is. Go aside" Peter and John were
required to leave the council chamber
Will the Sanhedrin discussed what should
be done.
10. Cannot deny it," Every one knew
that it was a genuine case of healing.
II. Threaten them" This is what they
decided to do in order to stop the new re-
ligon, and this is the way the ungodly still
endeavor to retard the progress of Chris
tianity.
ls. Called them" They were called
back into the council chamber.
10; Judge ye." God required them to
speak; the council forbade them. Which
ought they to obey? See chap. 5: 20.
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. VI Concerning Jesus Christ
81. Because of the people," Should
they punish tho apostles, they feared the
people would rise against them and give
them trouble, for the people "glorified
God for that which was done"