The Pulpit Commentary — Acts — Volume 2 — Section 159

I. THE CHRISTIAN SABBATH WAB A DETENTION, IN SPffiIT, OF THE OLDER JEWIBB SABBATH. What WIUl essential in the original institution was the dovotement to God of one <lay in seven. No import&noe attached to its being the first, or fourth, or 11oventh, as men may arbitrarily reckon the days of the week. The division of timo into weoks is not a natural division, dependent on movements of earth or of moon, It ls an arrange- ment made entirely in view of man's physical and spiritual interests. And the change of the precise day teaches us the important lesson that God cares for the essence of obed,:ence, for the spirit of service; and while this finds its proper expression in minute nnd careful observance of his requirements, God is not limited by tho mere/ormalily of his commands, but graciously leaves the times, seasons, and modes of our obedience to our good will and judgment. \Vberever there is the spirit of obedience, there need be little fear as to the finding of right modes. All that is essential in the Jewish sabbath holy souls jealously preserve in the Christian Sunday. ll. THE CHRISTIAN SABBATH IS A PREOISE SANCTIFYING OF ONE DAY IN SEVEN TO 'l'HE REMEMBRANCE OF TBE LoRD JESUS CHRIST. We are to" keep the sabbath day holy;" that is, we a.re to fill it fully up with thoughts of God and work for God. But to us God has been " manifest in the flesh ; " "he was made flesh and dwelt among us." As with us here in our humanity, Jesus was the" Brightness of the Father's glory, and the express Image of his person." And so the keeping the Christian Sunday holy is filling it fully up with thoughts of Christ and work for him. And that they might be helped to such remembrances, the early disciples, every Sunday evening, broke bread ~ogether, this being the appointed means for recalling to their minds their Lord's broken body and shed blood. For our soul's life, the Sunday is a day for communion with Christ. For the world's salvation, Sunday is a day for witnessing of Christ and working for him. We may learn, then, in what lies the Yery essence of the rightly kept Chris- tian sabbath. It must have two thiDgs always in it. 1. Conscious communion with Christ. 2. Active co-operation with him in his sublime purpose to redeem and save the world.-R. T. Vers. 9, 10.-Sleepy Eutycku,. Explain precisely what happened. The window was a lattice opening, and. for the sake of air to the crowded room, the lattices were put aside. How crowded the house was is intimated by the presence of some people in this third story. There they would be snre to feel oppressed by the heat of the house. Eutychus may have fallen into the street, but it is more likely that he fell into the hard paved courtyard. For a similar fall, see the account of the death of Aha.ziah, King of Israel (2 Kings i. 2, 17). The word that is translated " young man" implies that EutycLus was quite a yonth, and not likely to be very directly interested in St. Paul's address. He very probably was a child of the house where the meeting was held. While the narrative does not positively say that Eutychns was killed by the fall, and indeed leaves it possible for us to assume that he was only badly stunned, the simplest reading of it-without prejudice in relation to the miraculous--certainly leaves the impression of a real death and restoration. We bend attention to the condact of St. Paul in relation to the matter, and inquire why he took the trouble thus to recover the fallen and dead youth. Dismissing, with a brief mention, the interest he would feel in such a calamity affecting the people of the house, and seeking for explanations having a more general application, we notice-- I. ST. PAUL FELT THAT EUTYCHUS WAS NOT TO BLAME. If any one was to blame, it was the apostle himself, who had been led on to talk so long and keep the meeting to unreasonable hours for young folk. Long services make too great a demand on the physical strength of young people. They are trying even to the elder Christians, but their a.wakened spiritual interest will enable them to bear such fatigue of body. It was not wrong for Eutychus to sleep. He was simply overborne by the heat of the place and the lateness of the hour. And still we need to distinguish between failings which come out of human frailt.ies, and sins that come out of human wilfulness. Too often the young are punished for what is merely due to the influence of surrounding circum- •tances and the undeveloped bodily conditions. The relation of public services to the young needs careful and judicious treatment. I. Services for them are advisable and neceuary. 2. Their share in the ~eneral service of the Church is important. 3. Such 11ervices may exert a gracious influence apart from the actual mental comprehension on. :u. 1-38.] THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES.