The Pulpit Commentary — Acts — Volume 2 — Section 105

be gathered. The true ~erv9:nt, nfter ell, 1-0ves work, and loves his Master's work, and must remember that he 1s neither the Master nor gifted with Master's sight and know• l~ge. And with wh_at fre~h aleority hRS he not unf1 equently resumed toil, when amid all thmgs that look agamst himself and his toil, he hears, or seems to hear, the authorita- tive lllll!urence ol the Master, "For I have much people in this city" though nt present they "wander as sheep having no shepherd" 1-B. ' 'Vel'I!. 12-17.-.A. nooeZ instance of 'l'lltribution. The common sense of the unlearned h~s much more mercy than the refinement of the theolo:!inn, and the straightforward- ness of a heathen will show to more advantage than the crookedness and narrowness of a man better known for professing than for practising religion. We have here a note- worthy Instance of BOme who, would-be punishers of another, succeed in letting them- selves only in for punishment. And this just consummation in this case was due exclusively to the ready perception and blunt, uncompromising action of one who evidently had no inclination to lend himself as the tool of iniquitous bigotry and perse- cution. When it is sa.id, indeed (ver. 17), that "Gallic cared for none of these thin 0as" it is possible that, in strict justice, he ought to have cared for so much of them as co~- cerned the lynch law, which, in the very presence of the" judgment-seat," the multitude of the Greeks inflicted upon Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue. Obviously, however, the Greeks were not exceeding the unwritten law or custom of Corinth in their act, and the inaction of Gallic may be sufficiently accounted for by this consideration. Notice- I. A LARGE !.'UMBER OF MEN MAXING COMMON CAUSE AGAmST ONE UNBEFBIENDED MAK, IN A RELIGIOUS MATTER AND BEFORE A FOREIGN COURT. If their perverted animosity of mind did not see the anomaly, the unperverted, unwarped mind of Gallic saw it promptly, and felt it decisively. II. A VEBY HOLLOW il"'D INSINCERE STATEMENT THEREUl'ON OF THE OAiE. 1. The facts of the accusers are not true-scarcely to the letter, not at all to the spirit. 2. If they had been so, it is not this which was likely to give the Jew cause of complaint. 'l'he Greek of Corinth might possibly have had some pretence for bringing the matter into prominence, but not the Jew. And Gallic saw through it at once. Ill. THE l:lAN OF TRUE RELIGION, COVERED DY THE ROMAN JUDGES, EXEMPTED FROM THE KECESSITY OF DEFENDING HIMSELF, THOUGH QUITE PREPARED TO .DO SO, AND REMIT'l'ED TO HIS WORK, FREER AND SAFER TO DO IT THAN EVER. lV. THE ACCUSERS CONTEMPTUOUSLY DISMISSED, AND THE UNJUSTlFIABLENEBB OF THEm CONTENTION, BEING BROUGHT TO THAT OOURT' PROVED OUT OF THEm OWN MOUTH. V. THE B.EPRESE!.'TATIVE OF THE UNJUST ACCUSERS SUMM.ARILY Pfil'ISHED HIMSELF, HIS Th'IQUITY RETURNING UPON HIS OWN PATE, .AND THAT BY THE DEED, NOT OF Hllll WHOM HE HAD DONE HIS BEST TO INJURE, BUT BY THE SPONTANEOUS CONOEBT OF OTHERS. And every stage of these events spoke to the retributive observation of One who "is angry with the wicked every day," Jet them be who they may, and their pretences wliat they may. And every step also spoke the observing and sympathizing care of Christ for one to whom he had just made the promise, " No man shall set on thee to hurt thee; I am with thee." How happy are all they who serve him with all their might, in that they may trust him with all their heart 1-B. VerL 24-28.-The opporl-iti,u 'IJouehsajed to fitnas. The doctrine of man's oppor- tunity is the correlative of that of God's providence. A world of opportunity there ever is ever is even/or every man. How much of it mournfully perishes for lack of fitness 'in those who should be fit I A wonderful quantity and variety of fitness there is which waits upon opportunity, hangs precario~ on it, _but which ~ften pines away because the oppo1 tunity given ~ not seen, or seen 1a not ngh~ly appraised ~nd humbly accepted. Pride often stands in the way of fitness acceptmg opportumty, So th!'I whole Jewish nation sinned, and "knew not their King, God's everlasting Son." Whim often stands in the way ; one kind of opportunity ha.d been pref~rred ~nd counted upon, and that which actually comes, though no doubt ~uch better Ill reality, looks ijO strange that it is disdained. Impatience often stands Ill the way; for how much of opportunity depends on ripeness, ripeness of time fitted to the exact ripeness of ch~- ni.cter, and many will not wait, nor believe, nor trust I In a.II such cMes, the w1111te, on. xvm. 1-28.] THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. 107