The Pulpit Commentary — Acts — Volume 1 — Section 227

HOMILETICS. Vers. 1-60.-The first martyrdom. When we look at the Lord Jesus as our Exemplar, though we are conscious that all his excellences of life and character were strictly human, and within the range of those human faculties which we possess in common with our Lord, yet are we also conscious that the transcendent perfection of his human life is what we can never reach. Our Lord's goodness was the goodness of man, and yet it is a goodness that we never can attain to. Where his feet stood firm, our feet will slip. Where his love triumphed, ours breaks down. Where his will moved on undaunted in obedience to his Father's will, ours faints and halts and stumbles to its fall. The temptations that he crushed, crush us; where his spirit was clear as sunlight, ours is clouded and mixed. Where he soars in glory, we are heavy with sleep; and where he wrestles in an agony of prayer, we fall asleep for sorrow. His courage, his faith, bis humility, his meekness, his constancy, his patience, his firmness, his love, bis zeal, his self-consecration to God, his loving obedience, his transparent truth and purity,-we see them, we look upon them with adoring wonder, but when we try to imitate them, it is like trying to cliru b up to the stars; do what we will they are at an immeasurable distance above us, inaccessible and unapproachable. It is, therefore, a ::-:reat help and encouragement to ns that, besides the infinite perfection of Christ's human nature, we have other examples of saintly men set before us in the Word of God, which we may hope to follow more closely, treading even in their very steps. The apostle, the evangelist, the martyr, the holy woman, the faithful disciple, all stand out before us on the pages of Scripture, and we ask ourselves why should not we be like them, seeing we have the same Holy Spirit which dwelt in them to 62.nctify us also. The chapter before us invites us to study the character of a true martyr, as exemplified in St. Stephen. The model martyr thus is- I. A WISE MAN AND ONE OF GOOD REPORT. Not an empty fanatic catching up every folly that is started, and carried away by every blast of doctrine; but a man of solid and approved wisdom, discerning things that differ, holding fast that which is good, and rejecting the pernicious error though it be the fashion of the day ; one whose steady and quiet walk in the paths of godliness has earned him a good report among 1,is neiahbours. He is well spoken of because he does good quietly, and seeks not the praise ir men. He is of good report be~ause he is never _hurried into ill-advised action under tbe influences of temper or self-w1ll, or the contagion of example, or any corrupt or selfish motive but is known constantly to do the thing that is right. II. HE IS AL;O A MAN OF HIGH Sl'lRJTU'AL ATTAINMENT. He is not only wise and upright in all his dealings with men, has not only wisdom and discretion in the affairs of this life, but, being filled with the Hol~ Spirit of Go<l, ~e has all spiritual wisdoDJ likewise. His enlightened reason and his elevated affections soar above the world, and are deeply engaged in the things of God and the a~aire of the kingdom of Christ. He lives a life of faith in the Bon of God, who loved bun and gave himself for him. UH, VU, 1-60,] THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. 223