The Pulpit Commentary — Acts — Volume 2 — Section 249

HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vere. 1-16.-The e:nligheened, the unenlightened, an,1, the great Overrule,,. This piece of sacred history euggests- L THAT BOMETDlES THE nLACKEST DEEDS LIE AT THE DOOB OP THE ENLIGHTENED, Who more enlightened than these Jews, so far as outward privileges were coucerned? They had the fullest opportunity of knowing the truth and of acting uprightly. They "had the mind" of God; revelation had shone on their path with full, strong light. Yet we :find them (vers. 2, 3) endeavouring to get Paul into their power, tha.t they might deliberately assassinate him. And we again :find them fiercely preferring charges against him which they could not prove (ver. 7). And again we find them demanding judgment against him when no crime had been established (ver. 15). In how dark: a light does their action appear I The men that would have shuddered at a small and venial impropriety or omission do not scruple to do rank injustice, to commit murder ! They were neither the first nor the last to make this fatal mistake (Luke xi. 42 ; Matt. vii. 21-23). 'l'here have been, and are, many souls who have accounted themselves, and have been reckoned by others, peculiarly holy, at whose door lie the most serious sine, who are living lives utterly evil in God's sight, and who will awake t.o co:ndemn:i.- tion and retribution at the last (Ps. cxxxix. 23, 24). II. THAT SOMETlllEB THE UNENLIGHTENED EXHIBIT ADMIBA.BLE VIRTUES. The Roman had been far less favoured than the Jew in the great matter of religious privilege. Not unto him had been "committed the oracles of God; " not to him had psalmists sung and prophets prophesied. Yet we find the Roman sometimes exhibiting virtue of an excellent order. We find this here. Festus, indeed, desired to "do the Jews a pleasure" (ver. 9). What governor would not? But he did not commit any act of illegality or injustice in order to do this, and we :find him on two occasions resolutely declining to yield to pressure when he could not do so without departing from fairness (vers. 4, 5, 15, 16). This worthiness of behaviour may have been due to respect for la.w rather than regard for individual right; but it was honourable and excellent, as far as it went. 'l'he self-control it indicates contrasts strongly with the abandonment to passionate hatred which disgraced the Jews. Virtue is sometimes found unassociated with religion. (1) It may be the indirect and unconscious result of religious influence; (2) or it may be the outgrowth of nobility of :nature originally bestowed by the Creator; (3) or it may be the lingering consequence of early habits in which the life was trained. In any case, not rooted in religion it is (a) unsatisfactory to God in its nature, and it is (b) uncertain in its duration. All moral excellency should be, built on spiritual convictions. Then, and then only, is it pleasing to God a:nd certain to endure. IIL THAT DIVINE PBOVIDENOE IS PRESIDING OVER ALL EVENTS. Had Festus, " willing to do the Jews a pleasure," consented to Paul's being brought to Jerusalem (ver. 3), he would have fallen a victim to their murderous machinations. Then the Church of Christ would never have had some of those Epistles which now enrich our sacred literature, and which we could ill spare from the sacred volume. But "his hour was not yet come"-his houl' of martyrdom, his hour of holy triumph, his hour of deliver- ance and redemption. "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints," ,.nd vainly is the persecutor's arm uplifted if God does not mean that tho blow shall fill, Bo with all events. The Divine Overrulor iiJ • shaping the ends" of all things, 256 THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. [on. :n.v. 1-27.