The Pulpit Commentary — Acts — Volume 1 — Section 318

will almost inevitably colour all his future wny of viewing things. nut to these three things tbe answer for Jesne is that he, ay 1 he alone, can rever,e bent cau undo habit, and can give to eee light in God's light (Ps. xxxvi. 9), ' III. NoNE OF THAT RESENTMENT THAT BORROWS BO HUCH VITALITY FROM LIVELY MEMOBY OF PABT INJURY BELONGS TO JESUS. Genuinely to forgive is acknowledged to be one of the highest moral achievements of human Mture. Nevertheles~ there are ascending degrees even to this virtue· and when some men are satisfied th;t they ~ave done their most and their best, all that nature admits of or thllt God demands 1t mt1:st be allowed th~t these men are but beginning their higher flight, To forgiv; the bitterest opponent in these senses-that you lo'<'c him again or for tbe first time as_ the ~ may be; th~t you sympathize with him and accept his sympathy; work with him and accept his work and devotiou-nay, select him RS your chief man and se;. him foi:th_ and forward as your champion ;-is a type of forgiveness rarely reprod~ced. '' 1th subhm1ty of ease Jesus does all this now. Not Peter, not Johu, not Ja.mes but this "'ild enemy, Sa.ul, is the man he called and honoured "to bear his Name b~fore the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel." His sins shall not be remembered against him for ever. '!'hey are, then, really blotted out. He is not forgiven but put rather low down; forgiven, but kept rather down, lest he should not be fit t~ be quite trusted; forgiven, but in deepest truth left still a marked man. No; if he is marked it is for honour, for renown, for grace, and for the unfading crown of glory. In sight of tl.iis proof of the perfection of forgiveness that is with Jesus, we ma.y well sing- .. Mighty Lord, so high above us, Loving Brother, all our own, Who will help us, who will love us, Like to thee, who all he.st JmownP Who so gentle to the sinners As the sonl that never fell? Who so strong to make us winnen Of the height he won so well ?" JV. IN THE CHOW.I!: OF JESUS WE STil'D IN THE PRESENCE OF ONE OF 'l'RE ULTIMATE MYSTERIJ::S OF HlJ'll[AN EXISTENCE A1''D HUMAN RELATION TO GoD. When. we ponder this subject, if we side with the infidel, we ridicule and at the same time we are putting ourselves nowhere. If we side with the reverent, we are in the depths too deep for us. 'l'he choosing of Jesus is mystery, unfathomable mystery for us, 1. It is mystery because he gives no account of it nor will be arraigned nor questio:ied concerning it. 2. It is mystery, because not all our reason, nor all our reverent study of the oracles, nor all our diligent search of history, nor all our scrutiny of huma.n will and character, can tra.ce the law of that choosing. It baffles us iu reason a.nd in fa.et. Its startling anomalies presented to our view in closest juxtaposition, its sudden appearance in the most unexpected place, and its equally conspicuous and impressive absence, speak the mystery of sovereignty. 8. It is mystery in the wonders which it reveals of surpassing condescension, grace, and clinging love. While reason still stands afar off in cold repulsion and haughty distance, hearts dra.w near. And for its last achievement it works out this harmony for all those, without one exception, who ha.ve become the objects of it; they adore the free grace that has drawn and brought them; they condemn in the same breath the perverseness and folly and guilt in themselves, which left them so long outside.-B. Ver. 16.-J'esus' far-ieeing compassion appearing in an unexpected way. Tl:.at Saul, when now called Paul, did indeed suffer many and great things for Jesus'" Name's sake," is most true. He knew it when he suffered them; he knew it also by anticipa- tion (eh. x.x. 23; xi. 11)-a kind of knowledge that ~ many would be of the rno~t harassing and d.istressi.Dg consequence; and he knew 1t as he looked back (2 Cor. x1. 23-31 • xii. 10) not indeed to murmur, nor to repent of ha.ving exposed himself to it, but, ~hile gl~rying in the Bllffering, to testify how ~ea.I it was. 'l'~at, theref~re, of which Jesus tells Ananias that ho will forewarn Saul, did by all the witness of history come to pass. But it is another question why ho is forewar~ed of it, a.nd wh;r Jesua 11,1111urea A.na.nia.s that he shall be so forewarned. Nor ca.n 1t escape our notice that CH, n:.1--43.] , THE AOTS OF THE APOSTLEa 815