The Pulpit Commentary — Acts — Volume 1 — Section 143

This beginning of the Church's fight with false religion ar,d worldly pride throws great light along the ages, and teaches us many a lesson concerning Church history.-R. Vere. 6-12.-771e servants in the footsteps of their Lord. I. Compare the crncuM- BTANOEB of this testimony with those in which Jesus stood, f:•Jme of the same were present. Actuated by similar feelings against the truth. But notice: 1. Called together on the ground of one specific fact-the miracle done (ver. 7) undeniably real. 2. Without any accusation as in the Lord's case. No false witnesses called. 3. In appearance, at least, orderly and candid; inquiring, "By what power, or in what Name, have ye done this?" certainly evincing, as does the sequel, considerable reaction from the fury of the Crucifixion. Conscience was at work. A sign that the gospel was already beginning to lay bold of Jernsalem. IL Consider the TESTIMONY borne by the apostle. I. The substance of it. It pointed to the signs of Divine power present; connected those signs with the Name and authority of Jesus Christ; clearly announced the fulfilment of Scripture, and invited all to rejoic<J in the blessings of the gospel. 2. 'l'he inspiration of it; seen in its simplicity, bold- ness, wisdom, and yet supreme gentleness and love. A perfect respect for the old, and yet an entire acceptance of the new with all its consequences. It was not the addrtss of a criminal excusing himself, or of a. suspected man putting by the misconstrnctions of enemies; it was the appeal of a herald and inspired ambassador, fulfilling his Divine office to be a witness to Jesus. There was in it a sublime indifference to human opposition, and yet a confidence in the sufficiency of the gospel which could not have been of merely human origin. Peter spoke as one " filled with the Holy Ghost," the Spirit of tmth, life, and Jove; as a true Israelite, without one word of disparagement of what was represented in that Sanhedrim ; and yet as a true apostle of Christ ; as the priost of that restored temple, of which Jesus was henceforth the Corner-stone ; and as a true prophet, able to connect the present with the past and the future, and say," Thus saith the Lord."-R. Ver. 12.-The unfolded banner of salvation. "Neither is there salvation in any other," etc. The contrast between the position of Christ's heralds then and 110w. They pointed to one miracle just wrought; we point to the whole succession of wonders along the Jioe of Christian history. Already the Name of Jesus is "above every name." (1) A proclamat-ion; (2) a warning; (3) an invitation. I. A PROCLAMATION. "None other name." I. The proclamation of witnesses. They knew the person, they saw the power, they were subjects of the grace. 'l'lie No.me was a history, testified by those who published it. Others could take knowledg;e that they had been with Jesus. So Christians still can s1,eak of the Name as in tlieir own hearts and lives "above every name." 2. The proclamo.tion of inspired teachers. 'fhe name misunderstood among Jews, because salvation itself nothing to them, not spiritually regarded. 'l'he Name of the "Messiah" represented the promise of atone- ment, spiritual deliverance. The apostles themselves taught of God, otherwise would never have known the secrets of the Name. They proclaimed salvation nccessa,y to all, denouncing th,1 self-righteousness of the Jews. 3. The proclamation of sincere philanthropists. "Under heaven given amoug men." The standard set up at Jeru- salem, but it meant conquest of the whole world. No name will bear this test bnt Christ's. Other names, lluddha, Confucius, Mohammed, have but a limited ran;e of sympathy-divide the world, not uuit~ it. The history of man is a progressive 1,reparation of the race to acknowledge a Name which shall be adapted for uuiversal recoanition and homage. A missionary spirit the test of a true Church. II~ A w A~INO. 'l'bere are other names among men. Recall the chief dangers of our present time. The builders at the temple of human progress are setting :i.t nought the corner-stone. An emasculated Christianity, robbed of its deepest adaptation to tlie wants of men; a mere bundle of moral principles and examples. The pride of the human intellect set on tho throne; in rationalistic criticism; the dry bones ol the Bible offered instead of the living reality; in socialistic theories put in place of spiritual change, which alone can produce the fruits of righteousness;_ in sophistical _:i.rgurncnts af!:ai?st the leading doctrines of the gospel; and pretended ph1lanthro~y, w~uch means_ nothmg but trifling with the awful realities of sin, and undue exaltation ol the matenal abovtt 138 TllE ACTS OF THE .A.l'OS1'LES. [cu. 1v. 1-37.