The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-01-27
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INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM.
MENTS FOR JANUARY 81.

INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM.
MENTs FOR JANUARY 81.
Subject: The Trial of Peter and John,
: Acts 4:1-51-GoIden Text, Acts
4:31-Commit Verses 11,12-
Exposition of the Lesson.
TIME.-A. D. 80. PLACE
Jerusalem.
ExPOsITION.-I. Peters First
Answer to the Sanhedrim, 5-12. The
Jewish S%anhedrin was the great court
Of Jewish law, composed of seventy
one leading men of the nation. Gaia
phas, the nominal high priest by Ro-
man appointment: Annas, the real
high priest, according to the Jewish
way Of looking at things. were both
there. i It was a very august assem-
bly,, composed for the most part of
Sadducees. Peter and Johns being
brought before it, and their treat
ment by it was an exact literal full
flllment Of the prediction Of Jesus
Matt. 10:17). Their attempt to.
hinder the. preaching Of the gospel
really gave wings to the gospel. Pet
er had seen this body together once.
before when Jesus was tried and con-
demned. On that occasion he was
thoroughly frightened and cowed and
played the poltroon, but now he Is
calm and fearless. The resurrection
of Jesus from the dead and his own
baptism with the Spirit has wrought
this great change. The Jewish and
other wonder workers were accus-i
toned to perform their marvels by
the power of some name Gas e. g.,
the name of one of the P%atriarchs, or
the name Of Solomon, or the unspeak-
able name of Jehovah), so the coun,
Gil very naturally asked Peter and
John Sin what name" they had healed
the lame man. The real object Of the
question was to trap them into an an
swer that would be the basis of accu-
sation and condemnation Just at
that moment the Holy Spirit came
upon Peter and took possession Of
him and filled" him. Jesus ever
gracious promise for such an emer-
gency1 as this was fulfilled Matt. 10:
10, 20; CT. Lu. 12:11, IL; Acts 49,:
s, 81. This promise is for us in any
emergency of Christian service and
testimony. Peter had already been
filed with the Spirit at Pentecost (ch.
2:4), and will be again q little fur
Their on ". 81. 1t was very clear
then that the filing with the Spirit is
not something that occurs once for
all, but needs to be repeated with
each new emergency Of service. Here
in lies the need Of continual prayer
for that which we already possess.
Peters answer is wonderfully skill
full. But its wisdom. was not de to
Peters natural endowments, but to
the Spirit. Left to- himself Peter
was a famous blunderer. Peter was
extremely deferential and courteous.
He acknowledges the high position
and authority of his interrogators.
The Holy Spirit does not make the
men He controls rude and %overbear-
ing, but gentle and courteous (Gal.
SEP, 20; CT. Jude 8, 81. Yet Peter
was bold, fearless, frank and outspo-
ken. There was no compromising of
the truth, no CLOSING over of their
guilt. The council had spoken eva
sively of the thing done as simple
this" 1t is a keen and discomfort
ing thrust of Peter in his reply to
say, If you refer to%a good deed done
to a strengthless (impotent) man"
(cf. Jno. 10:32). The council doubt
less WINGED. Then without hesitation
Peter tells them that it was in the
name Of Jesus Christ, the one whom
they had crucified, the one whom God,
on the other hand, had raised from
the dead. But before he closes his
one tremendous overwhelming sem
tence, he points at the man standing
right there, a living testimony to the
power of Jesus name, and adds this
man stands here before you whole"
The scene has changeG-Peter, the
accused, has become the accuser; the
council had become the culprit at the
bar, indicted and condemned. Peter
follows up his advantage and drives
his charge home with a swinging blow
of Gods hammer, the Scriptures Nv.
IL; CT. Ps. 1922. If the Acts Of
the Apostles is fiction its author is a
master hand; but this cannot be fic-
ton, it is plainly the record Of the
deft utterances of a Spirit-filled man.
Peter closes with an appeal ". 12).
There Is salvation for any M in that
name, salvation for no, one outside Of
it.
II. The Council We're in a Diem,
ma, 1920. Peter and John declared
that it was in the name Of Jesus that
the deed had been done, and there
the man stood right before their eyes
and they could say nothing against it.
They marveled at the fearless frank
ness of men who had never enjoyed
the teaching of the rabbinical schools
and naturally would be overawed in
august and learned an assembly as
their own. Holy Ghost boldness in
men is always a pe~rplexity
to mere s%cholastics. Peters sermon
and bearing probably led ultimately
to the conversion of some Of his hear
ers (chs. G., y. The only solution
they could give of the puzzle vas that
these men have been with Jesus"
is the solution Of many mystic
ries. Conpanicnship with Jesus
makes ordinary men extraordinary.
They were just like the average mod
ern skeptic who, when he comes up
against facts he cannot explain away,
lodges the question. They asked,
What shall we do with these men,"
They should have put the question a
rifle differently. What shall we do
o be saved?" AS they could not deny
he fact Of the power Of Jesus name
-- L. III IL 49, |