Oxford eagle., 1916-02-03
INTERNATIONAL.
SUNDNSN0OL
LESSON
By +. o. SELLERS. Acting Director OF
Sunday School Course. Moody Bible
fnstituteD
tcopyright. 1918. Western Newspaper Union }
LESSON FOR FEBRUARY 6
soLpNgss OF PETER AND JOHN.

49,
The FIRST seven chapters OF the book
of Acts have been designated as thc
Jerusalem period. Chapter l deals
with the ascension OF our Lord: chap
ter .. the baptism OF the Holy Spirit;
chapters 81. the early conflicts In
jerusalem In our lesson OF last sun
day We had the story OF Peter and
John dealing with the lame man while
on their way to the temple. Follow
ing this experience they were I'M
prisoped. the FIRST imprisonment men
toned for any OF hose who accepted
the Gospel. AS the disciples we're
dealing with the multitude the rulers
OF the temple came upon them and
were much put out " y that the dis
ciples should preach the resurrection
OF Jesus from the dead The signif-
cance OF this = better understood
when We remember that the Jewish
Sanhedrin was the great court OF Jew
ish law composed OF seventy-one lead
ing men OF the nation. Caiaphas. the
noble high priest by Roman appoint
ment. and Annas, the real high priest
according to Jewish law. we're both
there. This body was largely made
up or the Saddueees. the sect which
did not believe in the resurrection
from the dead.
& The Imprisonment, w. - Pe
ter and John being brought before this
tribunal were fulfilling literally the
prediction Of Jesus Matt. I0,I7). The
attempt on the part OF the rulers TO
prevent the preaching or the Gospel
by this method really augmented its
being heard throughout the nation
Peter mad seen this body OF men on
the night when our Lord was con-
demned.
u. The Trial. w. 5-22. (I) Peters
words w. 6-12 Jewish wonder-work-
ers were accustomed to perform mar.
vels by the use OF some name. 80 the
council very naturally asked Peter
and John In what name" they had
healed this man. The real object OF
their question was theiE attempt TO en-
trap the disciples and find a basis OF
accusation and condemnation But at
that moment the dolly Spirit came
again upon Peter and filled him Matt
1919. 90; aisO Luke I2:II, IL; Acts
1873. 81. The coming OF the Holy
Spirit is for every emergency OF the
Christian Peter had been filed with
that Spirit at Pentecost and was again
filed a little later on (chapter 2:s1).
Thus we see that the coming OF the
Spirit Is not once tor all. though PEN
tecost was once for all. but that the
rlling is repeated as each new emer~
gency may arise. tal Peter acknowl-
edged the authority or those who were
dealing with him ". 81. but (b) he
gave Jesus credit " 1ol. II was Je-
sus who had died. he was also risen.
and the risen Christ had effected this
miracle. (c.J Turning upon his so
accusers Peter charged them with the
death OF Jesus. he ". III II the
foundation OF their miracle and their
faith Peter claimed that in Jesus
alone ". 12) could salvation be found.
and implied (see asst clause OF this
verse; that his accusers were lost
men Peters department in all of
this Ia wonderfully skillful, gentle and
courteous. yet bold, fearless. frank
ana outspoken We need to remem-
ber this when we recall how blundsr.
ingly Peter had conducted his conver-
sation before his enduement by the
Holy Spirit There was no compro
missing OF the truth and no CLOSING
over their guilt
w. 1922 The book OF Acts Is plain
ly the record OF the deft utterances Of
spiritual men Peter mad closed his
appeal ". 12l with the statement
that the only way We could be saved
must be through this means. The
council were in a dilemma: they
wanted TO punish Peter and John. but
could not, for the people were glori-
tying God for what mad been done.
Peter and John declared thus fear
lessly that the teachings OF the
schools was not in accordance with
that. for mad hot Jesus risen. and had
not this miracle been performedg The
Holy Ghosts Doldness IN these untu-
tored men has always been a perplex-
ity to the scholastics Of the world.
Their boldness was due to q sense Of
Gods nearness and carried with IL Q
like sense OF their responsibility 10
him (see w. ~. 20l.
The only solution on the part OF the
people and of the priests. was they
took knowledge that these men have
been with Jesus. This is the solur
tion OF many mysteries OF today.
Companionship with Jesus makes
ordinary men extraordinary.
The Sanhedrin asked. What ahan
we do with these men?"
A better question would have been.
What shall we do to be savedf-
~. The Early Church, w. 23-27. Six
points about that church: I'D II was
a praying church (vv. 24-s0); (2) It
was a Spirit-hlled church (v. 81; (sl
II was united church ". 32); (D
II was q witnessing church (v. 33);
(5) II was a ministering church
fyy "a 25l. feN III Was a rnrtIffyIv-tre, a,