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OBEYING GOD RATHER THAN MEN
--FEBRUARY 6.--ACTS 4:1-31.--
THE COURAGE OF GOD'S SERVANTS--ST. PETER THE SPOKESMAN
BEFORE THE SANHEDRIN--THE WISE MEN MARVELED--THE
APOSTLES IGNORANT AND UNLEARNED--NOT THE SPIRIT
OF FEAR, BUT OF A SOUND MIND AND OF COURAGE--
TAUGHT IN THE SCHOOL OF JESUS--WONDERFUL RESULTS
--WHEN TO OBEY AND WHEN TO DISOBEY.
"Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you
like men, be strong."--1 Corinthians 16:13.
ST. PETER and St. John, arrested for preaching
Christ as the Healer of the lame man in
the Temple, were called to answer before
the Jewish High Court--the Sanhedrin,
composed of seventy learned Jews. These
sat in a circle, and had their prisoners before
them. When we remember that the
Apostles were illiterate fishermen, unaccustomed
to public speaking and to contact
with the great and learned, we may well be
amazed at their courage and at the straight-forward presentation
of the Gospel given there by St. Peter. It
astonished the Sanhedrin, too. They wished to arraign
the Apostles, not for the good deed of healing the lame
man, but rather for their preaching of Jesus.
However, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, St.
Peter wisely and properly drew attention to the fact that
they were on trial really for the healing of the sick.
Again he disowned any power on the part of himself and
his companions. Admitting that they were merely ordinary
men, he credited the miracle wholly to Jesus. What
a lesson is here for all who would represent the Lord as
His ambassadors! As St. Paul said, "We preach not
ourselves, but Christ Jesus."--2 Corinthians 4:5.
Under any circumstances, how courageous indeed were
the Apostle's words: "Be it known unto you all, and to
all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ
of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from
the dead, even by Him doth this man stand here before
you whole!" St. Peter was not only preaching that Jesus
was not a deceiver but the real Messiah, whom the Jews
had long expected, but, additionally, he was declaring that
the Sanhedrin had murdered the Messiah. It was the
truth; and it was necessary to utter the truth. To have
evaded the point would have shown fear; and the Apostle
would have failed to make a right and proper impression
on the Sanhedrin and the auditors.
Some one might suggest that St. Peter did not use
gentlemanly language--that he should not have made
such a home-thrust at the Sanhedrin. Mr. Benson, in
The North American Review, gives a definition of the
term gentleman which seems to fit this case. We quote:
"'How do you define a gentleman, then?" said the
lawyer, leaning forward at a certain point of the conversation.
'The gentleman, it has been said, is a man
who is never offensive unintentionally,' said the parson.
Two of the guests murmured 'intentionally,' by way of
correction; and the parson smiled. 'No,' he said, 'a gentleman
is sometimes offensive when honor and reason demand
it, but then he means to be. The man who is not a
gentleman is often offensive when he does not mean to be.'
'But is he always a gentleman when he is intentionally
offensive?' asked the lawyer. 'The gentleman is,' said the
parson, with a smile."
In St. Peter's case it was not a time for quibbling. It
was a time when a gentleman was in duty bound to use
his opportunity, in no unkindly way, in placing the truth
before his hearers. And how much St. Peter crowded
into a few words, according to this record! He identified
Jesus the Nazarene, the one who had been crucified, as
the Messiah, the One whom God had approved, as was
manifested in the raising of Him from the dead.
THE SANHEDRIN PERPLEXED
Next the Apostle quoted to them from the prophecy of
David (Psalm 118:22), saying, "This is the Stone which
was set at naught of you builders, which is become the
Head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any
other; for there is none other name under Heaven given
among men whereby we must be saved." If there was a
force, a sting, in these words to his hearers, it was because
they were so seriously in the wrong. How fortunate
it would have been for them if they had been humble-hearted,
like those who heard St. Peter on the day of
Pentecost! Then they also would have cried out in
consternation, "Men and brethren, what must we do?"
But, alas! education, honor of men, high station, often
put the possessors of these at a disadvantage.
The Sanhedrin were rich, not only financially, intellectually
and in honors of men, but also in education. To
them forcefully belong the words of Jesus, "Woe unto
you rich!"--you are at a disadvantage. Pride, honor of
men, self-conceit, hinder many such from receiving the
simple Message of the Gospel. Thus we perceive that
[R5840 : page 28] there are compensations in the Divine arrangement, and
that in some respects poverty is a blessing in disguise.
Hence the assurance of the Word that not many rich, not
many great, not many learned, not many noble would be
among the chosen of the Lord or would receive positions
in the Bride class and in the Heavenly Kingdom.--
1 Corinthians 1:26-29.
Perceiving the boldness of St. Peter and St. John,
and noting that they were unlearned and ignorant, the
Sanhedrin marveled, and "took knowledge of them that
they had been with Jesus." Ah, yes! of Jesus also some
one had said, "How knoweth this man letters, having
never learned?"--in any of our schools. (John 7:15.)
They knew of His power with the people through the
Spirit of the Lord and of His straight-forward presentation
of the Truth. They recognized these men as of the
same character--filled with Jesus' Spirit. And to this
day this is true of the followers of Jesus. As the Apostle
wrote, "God hath not given unto us the spirit of fear, but
of power and of love and of a sound mind." (2 Timothy 1:7.)
All of the Lord's people should remember this
[R5840 : page 29] point and should cultivate such a spirit and be copies of
the Lord Jesus and of the faithful Apostles, so that of all
such people might take knowledge that they have been
with Jesus and have learned of Him.
But let no one forget that there is only one way of
coming into relationship with God--through the Lord
Jesus Christ. As the Apostle indicates in this discourse,
"There is none other name under Heaven given among
men whereby we must be saved." We must have faith in
Jesus. We must understand that He died for the sin of
the world. We must make a personal acceptance of Him
as our Savior. We must consecrate our little all to follow
in His steps faithfully, even unto death. On these conditions
we become His disciples; and having become disciples,
learners in the School of Christ, and having been
begotten of the Holy Spirit, we are privileged to show
forth more and more His praises and to let our light
shine before men, that they, seeing our good works and
our likeness to the Master, may glorify God on our behalf.
The Sanhedrin were perplexed as they perceived that
the disciples had so strong a case, and had really turned
the tables upon them, charging them before the people
with being the real culprits--murderers of the Son of
God, the Messiah. As they looked at the man who had
been healed, they perceived a great miracle. They could
say nothing. So they put forth the Apostles from their
midst, that they might discuss the case privately. They
could not deny the miracle, and they were afraid of what
it might lead to if talk of this kind about Jesus and about
their being His murderers should spread amongst the
people to any degree. They thought best to let the disciples
go, charging them, threatening them, not to preach
any more in the name of Jesus.
COURAGE IN PREACHING THE GOSPEL
Then was shown the marvelous courage of the
Apostles. They replied, "Whether it be right in the sight
of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge
ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have
seen and heard."
The Bible directs the followers of Jesus to be subject
to the powers that be. (Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-17.)
But while seeking to be thus law-abiding in every respect,
Christians are to recognize that there is a still higher
Law and a still higher Ruler, and are to be subject to the
worldly powers only in the absence of a contrary admonition
from the Higher Power--from God.
God had commanded the disciples through Jesus that
they should be God's mouthpieces to preach the Gospel
Message that the death of Jesus was efficacious for the
cancellation of sins; and that He who was slain was by
and by to come and set up His Kingdom, and to bless the
world by releasing it from the bondage of sin and death.
They were also to invite all who had faith to believe this
Message to associate themselves as disciples of Jesus,
loyal and faithful to the Prince of that Kingdom which is
not yet set up. By such faithfulness they would manifest
the faith that was in them and their loyalty to God; and
on account of this they were promised a share with
Messiah in the Kingdom which He would establish.
It was therefore the duty of the Apostles, as it is the
duty of all the followers of Jesus, to make known the
Gospel Message wherever there are hearing ears, and
not to fear what man may do--although it would be our
duty not to offend against the laws by holding a meeting
where the crowds would interfere with traffic, or otherwise
be in conflict with legal regulations. The Apostles
were not interfering with the regulations of the Jewish
Law in speaking in public, as they did in the Temple.
Their courage was really authorized by the Law; and the
Sanhedrin, in forbidding them, went beyond its bounds.
The Church, young in faith, had no doubt been greatly
distressed by the imprisonment of the leading disciples;
and when they were released, then a general meeting for
rejoicing and praise to God was held, thanking the Lord
for the courage given to the Apostles, for the promises
of His Word, and for the miracle which had led up to all
this. As a consequence, we read that all were so encouraged
that "they spake the Word of God with boldness";
and that "with great power gave the Apostles
witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus; and great
grace was upon them all."
Our Golden Text, in full accord with the lesson, is
properly an exhortation to all of God's people everywhere
to be faithful and loyal to God and His Cause. Let us
each apply it to himself: "Watch ye, stand fast in the
faith, quit you like men, be strong."
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