The Pulpit Commentary — Acts — Volume 1 — Section 28

approaching literal detail. Christ spoke of " the things pertaining to " the kingdom or God. Oae inevitably imagines that under this description principlllll wero imparted- possibly enou6h information savouiing of the character of re11elatio11. These would be lighted up and "·armed by the presence of grncious promise and stirring glimpses or the ahove and of the future. Yet, all as inevitably, one is impressed with the con- victie,.1 that even that poor C'arthly judcrment 0 of those poor earthly men, who had sq often slipped and failed e,·en under the eye of the Master, was not fettered, hampered, overpowered by the severity of binding detail. We seem to see Jesus doing at that germinal time what the history of the Church clearly enough shows he ever has done since, throwing himself and bis own expeosh·e work nnd grand sacrifice alike on the love and thejudgmcnt of his servants! It is a rnarvellonN thought of work and honour <.tc':'oh·ed on men! Nor could it be easy to find either a more stirring or inspiring stimulus both of love and of wisdom's best efforts. 'l'he conjunction of the trust Christ offers to repose practically, not on our hearts' love alone, but even on our fallible dis~retion, illustrates the height of his surpassing grnce to us, in the very gracefulness of the grace. III. TnE 8U0uESTIONS OF TIIE SOURCE OF THE KNOWLED0E AND WISDOM THAT UNDER ALL CD\CulilSTANCES WOULD BE REQUIRED. He who "spake,, to loving disciples, friends, servants, and who instructed them now, would by the very act, often repeated before" his passion," but now (it is impossible to refrain from the word) with increased sanctity after his resurrection, ensure their memory, and their grateful memory, of himself. These he would make his own-more surely than the child hallows more and more the memory of the father ; more surely than the pupil never conquers, nor wishes nor tries to conquer, the reverence he used to feel to a teacher, whom he once pictured as possessed of all knowledge. To him who gives the grace of conversion, we look instinctively for that of sanctification; as to those who give us life, we instinctively, unconsciously look for the support and rcariag of that life. "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the worl<l," were words, we may rest assured, not heard exactly for the first time in the rapt moments of the literal .AJ;cension ! We are also immediately informed that Christ emphatically directed his disciples, now hanging on his lips, to look for and wait for the Holy Spirit, one of whose main offices wns and ever is to bring to remembrance the things already spoken by Christ. Until, then, u God is all in all," and the mediatorial reign of Christ is resigned, he is our one Hope and Trust. He is the Giver of light, knowledge, love. He is the one only Head of his Church. He the Saviour and the King of men, who now so condescendingly " showed himself alive" to the apostles, " alter his passion, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the thing, pertaini-ng to the kingdom o/ God."-B. Ver. 4.-The t1Upreme promise to the <Jhurch. "Commanded them that they should •.. wait for the promise of the Father." The exact designation here employed to describe the gift, and the special gift, of the Holy Ghost-namely," the promise of the Father "-is confined to the wiiting of St. Luke; as it were, the outcome of his assiduous memory. In the Gospel (xxiv. 49) he remembers it to quote it, in its completest precision : "Behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you." 1'he~e are the two occasions of the occurrence of this expression in Scripture. Other portions of Scripture, however, concerned with the same grand snbjcct, are quite in harmony with these two picked expressions. They may :possibly all date in the first instance from the words of the Prophet Joel (ii. 28, 29). But we most thankfully accept the reminding words of Jesus, ru; here distinctly quoted," which ye have heard of me," as f!ood fur asserting the independent choice of the designation byan original authority. When thus viewed, it will exceed in value the words of tbe prophet, though treasured long, if not in gratcJul, yet in hopeful memory. We have here- I. THE M.ENTIO!'- OF TilE DESCE~T, THE SPECIAL DESCENT, OF THE HOLY SrrnIT, UNDER THE TITLE OF" THE PROMISE OF 'l'HE l<'ATHEB." 1. This title mainlains consistently the strict fidelity of revelation. 'l'he uniform reprei:entation of Scripture sets forth everything good as originating with the Father. He is the Source. He is the Beginning. What- soever comes even nearest of all to him, is still but "in the beginning with him." He is the "Giver of every good and perfect gift "--0f the glorious array of gift that ranks on. 1. 1-20,] THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. 23