The Pulpit Commentary — Acts — Volume 1 — Section 182

elHion. 3. Confidenco without fanaticism, peace of mind without inertia and a sense of righteousness without pride. ' II. 'l'm'l DIVINE SALVATION. 1. It ie bum upon facts-a personal history an accumu- lation of historic evidence, an ascent from Bethlehem to the heavenly throne. The supernaturnl absolutely necessary to hold up the human spirit in li,s greatest emero-ency God's right hand must be seen, must be conspicuous. We c1uiac,t depend on° mer; human sympathy, wisdom, or strength. 2. 'l'he twofold character of Christ meets the twofold demand of the soul, for the greatness of the King and the compassion of the Saviour. 'l'he exaltation of Christ was both human and Divine. We r•'CO"nize the great fact of mediation and reconciliation. 3. The one supreme test of sulTici;ncy the gift of the Holy Ghost. We do not appeal to men on the ground that God can ~ave them, or that there is in Christianity a satisfactory theory of the atonement, b•1t on the ground that the Spirit of God is saving them, that the gift is there-repentance and remission . .APPLICATION. What we.e true of Israel is true of us. The sfa.te of the Jewish world was the condemnation of all men. If God so wrought for us," how sbali we escape if we neglect so great salvation? n The gift has all God's heart in it. Hcturu 'bis love.-R. Vers. 38, 39.-.A study of Jewish character: GamaZiel. "And now I say unto you," etc. I. REGARD IT AS THE PRODUCT OF JEWISH EDUCATION. 1. Reverence for the Word and will of God-in truth and in providence. The Jews ,possessed in their Scriptures a good philosophy of history. Taught that God must triumph. 2. Sense of humanity and righteousness deeply pervading all the Jewish system. "Refrain from these men." 3. Yet evidence of the corrupt and formal state of the Jewish teachers-tem- porizing policy, weakness of conviction, unwillingness to face truth, the ecclesiastical spirit in its mildest form. II. CONSIDER IT IN ITS RELATION TO CHRISTIANITY. 1. The influence of Gamaliel on Saul of 'l'arsus (see Conybeare and Howson; Farrar) and so on the history of the gospel. 2. The contrast between Gamaliel and his fellow-counsellors in the Sanhedrim. 'l'hey agreed to him then, but how about their former action and what followed? The Gamaliel character was then exceptional. 3. 'l'he contrast between Gamaliel and the apostles. He was prudent, they were earnest. Consider the necessity of following conviction. Sweetness and light are not means but ends; they have to be fought for, not rested in, before they are fully obtained. 4. 'l'he great appeal: "Lest haply ye be found . . . fighting against God." All must acknowledge it. How easily ignored! The position of the soul is here indicated ; it is either fighting with God or against God. Though Gamaliel did not see it, there is no middle position. ".A. fearful thing to fall int.o his hands."-R. Vere. 41, 42.-The true witnessing spirit. "And they departed," etc. I. THE NAJIIE OF CmusT ,the source of it. No such spirit in the world. Heroism may sustain strength, but does not give joy, unless it is like the apostles'. Had not the Name been Divine, how could it have produced such fruits in such men? II. THE TEACHIN~ AND PREACHING, both in the temple and at home, must be in the martyr spirit. We must expect to suJfor some dishonour. But such a spirit invincible and victorious. III. THE HONOUR OF -rHE CHURCH over against the honour of the world. "Counted worthy." God's reckoning. Spiritual worthies. The joy was not only a secret joy it was the foretaste of heaven. Enforce the example.-R. Vere. 12-16.-Jerusalem's second summer. While we read these fe,vest verses of what was going on in Jerusalem nnd of how "multitudes from the cities round about Jerusalem" thron..,ed thnt "mother of them all," to seek, not in vain, healing virtue, we seem to be re~oved by a world's diameter from the Jerusalem that was stricken to tho heart and its very sky darkened by the Crucifixion. And we also seem removed by centuries from the time when certain lips (which could not open but to ~peak truth whether simplest or deepest) h!ld s~id, "Q :Terusalem, Jerusalem, .. , beholu, yo\\f 4~~ •  THE ACTS OF '1'1:IE Al'OS'l'LES. [cm, v. 1-42.