The Pulpit Commentary — Acts — Volume 1 — Section 333

11s Moses, Jeremiah, and Jonah were wrong, if we shrink back or flee from the Lord's work. IV. ACKNOWLEDGED DY GoD'B oWN PEOPLE, Sooner or later, God's chosen vessels are found out by the Divine signs which accompany their labour. There may be temporary prejudice on account of their fonner life, as in the case of Sa.ul, or on account of the particular form and feature of their work ; but if God acknowledges a. man's service with his benedictions, God's people are usually ready to acknowledge it too. If in a very strict sense some only can be called "God's chosen vessels," in a larcre and comfortincr sense the term may be applied to all God's people, for each of who~ he surely find~ work and the grace needed for doing it well.-R. T. Ver. 20.-Saul:'s first sermons. Revised Version, "And straightway in the syna- gogues he proclaimed Jesus, that he is the Son of God." "The point to which a.I! the effort of the apostle was first directed was naturally the Messiahship of Jesus, and that in the higher view in which Christianity exhibits the Messiah, namely, as the Son of God" (Olshausen). Very different ideas are entertained as to the advisability of encouraging young converts to begin preaching at once. The difficulty arose in the China mission field, and the new convert earnestly pleaded to be allowed to tell the little he did know, and so grow to know more. This principle Saul followed, beginning at once to "preach the faith which once he destroyed," and he made the opportunities just where he was, going into the synagogues, and using his privilege as a rabbi to read and expound the Scriptures. The text briefly indicates what trnth Saul had grippe<l, and, taken with ver. 22, it shows how large his grip was, and that it concerned the very basis-truth of Christianity. He saw that- I. THE CHRIST HAD CO!ldE. Explain that" Christ" is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word "Messiah," and would often be wisely changed for the Hebrew term. Deal with (1) the foregoing prophecies of Messiah, showing how they had given tone to the national and religious sentiment; (2) the actual expectation of the coming of Messiah about that time, which seems t-0 have possessed both the Jews and the Gentiles. 'rhe practical question dividing public opinion at the time was the question which divides the Jew and the Gentile up to this present hour; it was this-Had Messiah come, or had he not come? Saul was now able to deal with this question, and he proclaimed openly that Messiah had come. Show the importance of this step, and how it narrowed the field of inquiry for all those pious souls who" looked for redemption in IsraeL" IL THE CHRIST CillE IN THE PERSON oFJEsus OF NAZARETH. The better manuscripts give the reading, "preached Jesus.n If Messiah had come, had he been recognized, and acknowledged? Saul firmly answered, "Yes ; Messiah was Jesus of Nazareth, the Prophet, Teacher, Healer, holy Man, who was crucified, had risen from the dead, and was exalted to heaven." Surely this was a great theme for his preaching, one demand- ing explanation, argument, evidence, and the "accent of bis own conviction." But Saul had seen more than even this, and so further proclaimed that-- III. JESUS THE CHRIST WAS THE SoN OF Goo. Explain tltat term 8.l!I (1) compared with "Son of man; " and (2) as gaining to the apostles its deeper anc!. fuller meaning. 'l'o Saul had evidently come an insight into the glorious mystery of tbe Incarnation. He realized(!) that Jesus was the Christ in a high spiritual sense; (2) that Jesus ,vl\s entrusted with a present power to save and to sanctify; (3) that Jesus had Divine rights, e.nd made Divine claims to the immediate surrender to him of the heart and will and lives of men. So it is evident that Saul grasped at once the very essence of the gospel, and the very centre of that doctrinal system which, urged by the necessities of the Churches, bis genius developed. There is still no more searching test of our religious condition than can be found in the question, "What think ye of Christ'? Whose Son is he?" If we feel that we must say," He is the Son of God," then we are bound to bow our souls before him, seek his grace, accept his salvation, acknow- ledge his authority, and bind on our whole lives the livery of his service.-R. T. Ver. 31.-The relation between edifyi1lg awl multiplying. For the precise meaning and ~ New 'l'estament use of the term "edified," consult the Exposition. 'l'he "rest n secured for the Ohuroh at this time followed partly on the removal of Saul from 330 Tll Ii; AC'l'S OF 'l'RE APOSTLES. [on. 11. 1-43.