The Pulpit Commentary — Acts — Volume 1 — Section 203

AJ\'D EYE?- Hmrmsnm TRIUMPHS, When the apostles were relieved of other more secular duties, and "gave themselves oontinually to prayer, and to the ministry of the Word" (ver. 4), then "the Word of God increased" (ver. 7); then came abounding success- " the number of the disciples multiplied greatly ; " surprising success-" a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith." It does not necessarily follow that ministerie.l faithfulness will be attended with such results; prayerlessness, or discord, or inconsist.ency on the part of the members may defeat the exertions of the holiest and ablest minister of Christ. But, nothing being in the way, the Church itself being in sympathy, an earnest, faithful ministry will witness very blessed spiritual results-(1) some the.t will rejoice, (2) and some also that will surprise the hearts of the holy. There will be added unto the Church many, and of these some who seemed utterly and hopelessly removed, by their prejudices, their temporal interests, the heinousness of their wrong-doing, or their long continuance in sin.-0. 1'"ers. 8-15.-.The service of the lip and the glory of the countenance. The wise step of appointing seven deacons " to serve tables," and thus to liberate the apostles for prayer and preaching, like other good causes, had results which reached beyond the first object of it. It led to the formation of a most useful body of men, who have served Christ and his Church in other things beside mere "tables" or temporalities. It brought out Stephen; and who shall say how much that had to do with the conversion of Saul, and so with the evangelization and enlightenment of tho world? We lenrn- L THAT THE FAITHFUL DlSCilARGE OF THE LOWER DUTY WILL LEAD TO ENTRUST- )[E~"T WITH A HIGHEn O~"E. (Vers. 8, 9.) Stephen, having acquitted himself well as a deacon. and shov,ing powers of speech and argument, was encouraged to visit the synagogues, and there " dispute" on behalf of Christian truth. And not only so, but God honoured him as the channel of his Divine healing power, and he "did great wonders and miracles among the people." It is always wise to begin at or near the bottom of the scale; to do the simvlest thing well, and then rise to that which is next above it. lt is well, in Christian service as in secular callings and in the affairs of stat.e, to go through the various grades until the higher and perhaps the highest are reached. Faithful work in a humbler sphere will fit for useful and honoure.ble service in a higher; this is true of our life on earth, and will doubtless prove true respecting the life which is to come (Matt. xiii. 12; Luke xvi. 10). 1I. THAT IN THE SERVICE OF CHRIST WE MUST DEPEND FOR POWER WITH Mim ON GRACE FBOM Gon. Stephen was full of" grace and power" (ver. 8); full of power with men because full of grace from God. From the Divine resources there came down heavenly inflnences into his soul-illumination, sanctity, zeal-and he was strong to interest, to instruct, to convince, to persuade. We shall remain unsuccessful as workers for Christ, however great our natural gifts may be, except we have grace from on high to penetrate and possess our soul, and we be endued "with all might by his Spirit in the inner man." Ill. THAT CHRISTIAN CONTROVERSY BAB ITS PLACE IN SACRED BERVIOE. Stephen "disputed" with the Hellenistic Jews in the synagogues (ver. 9), and so effectively that "they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake." Statement of Christian doctrine and enforcement of Christian truth may take higher rank in usefulness, than the defence of Christian theology; but the latter has its place in the field of sacred service, and those who work elsewhere should not disparage or decry it. Everything in its time and in its turn. JV. THAT ERROR, WREN IT IS SEATED IN THE SOUL, IS OFTEN ONLY AGGRAVATED BY THE EXHlllI:rlON OF THE TRUTH. (Vers. 11-14.) These men who were in the wrong, instead of being enlightened and benefited by Stephen's forcible exposition, were led into folly and sin. 'l'hey hired others to give testimony which was virtually if not literally false, and they did. their best_ to compass the violeD;t death of the man who was seekin" to lead them mto the kingdom of truth and life. When men are not only wrong"' in theory, but also bad at heart, interested in maintaining that which is false, any endeavour to enlighten them will often fl!'n the flame of their folly and rouse to its fullest exercise the perversity which is in their souls, v. THAT DEVOTED:NEBS IS 60KETlllEB RADIANT WITH HEAVENLY BlllGRTNEBB. (Ver, J,5.) We may continue to dispute whether the "angel-face" of Stephen was natural or oa, vr. 1-15.] THE AO'£8 OF THE APOSTLES. 199