Acts 4

The one purpose of Christ’s coming is to bless every one in turning him from his iniquities. Faith in his name, trust in his blood, with personal repentance and conversion, are the conditions of renewal by the Holy Ghost. And whatever period and blessedness are intended by the “times of refreshing and restitution,” this is clear, that it is only the repentant and believing, the forgiven and sanctified of all nations, who shall know and experience all their meaning and reality. The Jew first—but the Jew as believer, not as Jew—and also the Gentile.

Both discourses of Peter, with their effect, admirably interpret and illustrate the Holy Spirit’s office work as described by Christ (John 16: 8-11). He convinces of the sin of sins, the not believing in Christ; of the justifying righteousness wrought by Christ through his substituted sacrifice; and of the judgment of God against the finally impenitent and unbelieving. B.

These successive witness-bearings of Peter are all framed on one model, all strike the same note. In every one there is—1st, a Scriptural argument, more or less full, identifying Jesus with the Messiah of the prophets; 2d, a plain, piercing charge, laying the guilt of crucifying Christ to the door of his audience and judges; and 3d, a tender and pressing offer of mercy, through the blood of Christ, to his murderers. Arnot.

The hearers of these discourses had been among the multitude who had answered Pilate, “His blood be upon us and our children!” That blood was upon all of them, upon the five thousand who believed and repented for their justification and eternal life, and upon the unrepentant and unbelieving for their condemnation and eternal death. So has it ever been, so is it now; in every individual case either the blood of forgiveness and blessing or of abiding wrath and curse.

Whatever view be taken of Christ’s second coming, let it be seriously considered that almost every page of the New Testament refers to the sublime fact and its consequences, in the way of appeal and motive to Christian practice and life, side by side with the fact and results of his first coming! B.

1. AND as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the 2 Sadducees, came upon them, being grieved that they taught the people, and preached 3 through Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they laid hands on them, and put 4 them in hold unto the next day: for it was now eventide. Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand. 5 And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes, and Annas 6 the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kin- 7 dred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this? 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and 9 elders of Israel, if we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, 10 by what means he is made whole; 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 11 the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which 12 was set at nought 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. 13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were un- learned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they 14 had been with Jesus. And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they 15 could say nothing against it. But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the 16 council, they conferred among themselves, saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jeru- 17 salem; and we cannot deny it. But that it spread no further among the people, let us 18 straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name. And they 19 called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to

20 hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things 21 which we have seen and heard. So when they had further threatened them, they let them 22 go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glori- fied God for that which was done. For the man was above forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was shewed. 23 And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests 24 and elders had said unto them. And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, 25 and the sea, and all that in them is: who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, 26 Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. 27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and 28 Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, for to 29 do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may 30 speak thy word, by stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. 31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with bold- ness.

THERE is no power but life-power. You can not move a dying world by speculation, by eloquence, by majestic thought, by argument, by persuasion, except it be kindled, inspired, and accompanied by the Holy Spirit, except it be set on fire of love. If we would speak of Jesus to others, we must have been with him ourselves. If we would speak of heaven to others, and of God, and of sin, and of hell, with the tone and power of reality, with the vividness and fire of one thoroughly in earnest, we must be much with Christ in secret. A Christian can no more be a fervent messenger for God, while running on his own errands, with heart and mind absorbed in the things of this world, than he can serve God and mammon. G. B. C.

There is no way under heaven to be interested in Christ, but by believing. He that believeth shall be saved, let his sins be ever so many or great; and he that believeth not shall be damned, let his sins be ever so little or few. Brooks.—If men need not go to heaven by the Cross, but by some other way, then the Cross may become an old, worn, unused way; no footfall of a traveler may cheer it, heaven may be filled through other avenues, and other songs than those of praise to the Lamb may echo through the arches of the upper Temple. If Christ is not the exclusive Saviour, then other Saviours could be made without the Cross, and the Cross is all an idle waste. We are lost men outside of God’s kingdom. There is a way into it—Jesus Christ. There is a name, one name given whereby we can be saved. That name is Jesus. There has come from the sweet heavens over us no other. It is enough. We need no other. J. D.

PETER’S second address to the people, upon the miraculous restoration of the disabled man, was in- terrupted by the officials of the Temple, who arrest- ed and imprisoned both apostles for the night. The next morning they were formally arraigned before the Sanhedrim, the supreme tribunal of the nation, consisting of the high priests Annas and Caiaphas and their kindred (of the same office), with the elders, or rulers, and scribes, to the number of sev- enty. These were the men who had tried and con- demned Christ. The reference (verse 2) to the resurrection recalls the singular fact that we hear nothing of the Pharisees after Christ’s apprehen- sion, although up to that period they had been his leading opponents. At the trial and after it, the Sadducees assumed the chief direction and responsibility of the opposition and condemnation of Christ and the apostles. For to this sect belonged the chief priests and the more prominent of the rulers and scribes. B.

1. The captain. The officer of the priests and Levites who kept guard at the Temple—not a Roman functionary. The Romans do not appear, in the Acts, as persecutors of the apostles. The Sadducees. They said that there was no resur- rection. They foresaw that their own influence with the people would be impaired if the apostles suc- ceeded in convincing them of the truth of the resur- rection in Christ. Hence their activity against the gospel after the resurrection. The high priest and many of his assessors and associates were Sad- ducees. W.—We find the Sadducees established in the highest office of the priesthood, and possessed of the greatest powers in the Sanhedrim: and yet they did not believe in any future state, nor in any spiritual existence independent of the body. They do not appear to have held doctrines which are commonly called licentious or immoral. On the contrary, they adhered strictly to the moral tenets of the law, as opposed to its mere formal technicalities. They did not overload the sacred books with traditions, or encumber the duties of life with a multitude of minute observances. They were the disciples of reason without enthusiasm—they made few proselytes—their numbers were not great, and they were confined principally to the richer members of the nation. H.

6. Annas.** Annas is here called the high priest, and placed before Caiaphas, who was the high priest. The reason seems to be, that though Caiaphas was high priest de facto, being intruded into the office by the civil power of Rome, yet Annas was high priest de jure, and was regarded as such ecclesiastically. Hence our Lord was taken to Annas first (John 18: 13). Annas was the head of the Jewish hierarchy. The nominee of Rome, Caiaphas, had, as such, a subordinate place. W.—Pontiffs and priests, scribes and Pharisees, Herod and Pilate, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, condemned the Truth; they crucified and buried it; but it rose from the tomb and conquered them all, sending forth in its stead twelve preachers of the Word. Huss.

8-12. Peter’s Good Confession of Christ, and Daring Impeachment of the Chief Priests and Rulers.—This judicial investigation gave Peter the opportunity which he boldly and faithfully used, while standing in the very place of his Master, of proclaiming Christ crucified as the only Saviour of men. Mark these particulars: Christ’s promise that the Spirit should speak in them when they were brought before councils, was here fulfilled. Peter was filled with the Holy Ghost. He speaks respectfully and with dignity, recognizes their rightful authority in the terms of his address. He answers directly to their question, declaring that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth—using again to them the title of the Cross—the man stood before them whole. More than this, standing where his Master had stood when he had denied Him, the now rock-like apostle fearlessly charges home upon the very murderers the crime of Christ’s crucifixion, and reasserts the offensive doctrine of his resurrection by the God of Israel. And to both the charge and the assertion they were silent. The crucifixion they could not deny, and concerning the resurrection they dared not now repeat their own previous falsehood that the disciples had stolen the body of Jesus by night.

But the brave and faithful preacher of Christ goes further still. He has asserted the facts of Christ’s death and resurrection. Now he emphasizes the central truth of their own Scriptures, and asserts it to be the central truth of all divine revelation. This Christ, he tells them, the Son of God, whom they, the representatives of God himself in the nation and so the builders of God’s spiritual house, had rejected, was himself the corner-stone of that spiritual fabric. So their own Scriptures declared. And then, plainly interpreting the figure as Jesus had done (Mat. 21), the apostle, under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, declares to all the race of sinning men the one supreme disclosure of heaven, that there is salvation in Christ, and in none other!

The whole scene is deeply impressive—a reproduction in many points of the Master’s trial! Arraigned before the same judges, the disciple also arraigns and by their own Scriptures convicts them of that crime of the deepest dye—the killing of the Son of God. Nay, he goes further, he preaches salvation through that very Cross to them by whom it had been raised, and, plainly as the Master, utters words of warning to the men before whose bar he stands! B.

10,11. The way in which the apostles referred to Christ is precisely the way in which he referred to himself. They do not profess to teach simply what he taught; they do not confine themselves to ideas which he put into words. These were not, in their estimation—valuable as they might be in other respects—the one thing needful, the saving truth, the unspeakable gift, the source and means of immortal life. No; it was not what Jesus had said that they dwelt upon, but what he was—what he had done. They preached HIM—they spoke of what he had “accomplished,” and spoke of it in such a way as to show that he, personally, was the life of the world and the light of men, and not that he had simply taught or revealed it. T. B.

13. Better, “when they beheld the freedom of speech of Peter and John, having also previously known, etc.: and they recognized them, that they had been with Jesus.” A.

Effect of this Bold Address upon the Sanhedrim.—They wondered at the boldness of Peter and John, and well they might, for these unknown Galilean peasants, in the presence of the highest in the nation, had dared to turn defense into accusation. With no token of mere fanatics, but with respectful manner and manifest sincerity of conviction, they had spoken and acted. The council wondered too at the knowledge of the men, at their familiarity with and understanding of the Scriptures. And while thus marveling they remembered that this boldness and knowledge had been even more signally evinced by him whom they had crucified, and this likeness of the disciples to the Master led to the further recollection that they had seen Peter and John with Jesus.

14. They could do no more than marvel. They could make no reply, for there stood the man they had so long noticed and known; his very posture a proof, his silent gratitude and eager interest a further confirmation of the miracle.

15-18. Confuted and silenced, they confer together, and seek to quench the Spirit with the Truth by silencing the Human Agents.—The people, to whom Peter had twice preached, convinced of their guilt in crucifying Christ, had asked of the disciples, What shall we do for ourselves? But these proud priests and rulers, untouched in heart and will however convinced in understanding, ask of each other, What shall we do with these men? Gladly would they have stoned them, as soon afterward, when grown a little bolder through increasing malignancy and passion, they stoned Stephen. But now they dared do no more than forbid to preach, or even speak, the name of Jesus. So they forbade Peter and John to continue their work of witnessing for Christ. Mark here, that they said nothing about the further working of miracles. It was not the effect of miracles so much as the word that was preached in explanation of the miracle, the facts of Christ’s death and resurrection, attested as the Son of God and Saviour of men by the miracle. So it has been ever since. The word about Christ, convincing of sin and offering mercy, this is the only influence under heaven which leads to repentance and faith, or which hardens the hard soul and stimulates the malignancy of the determinedly malignant.

19, 20. The Brave and Noble Answer of the Two Apostles.—Instantly, tarrying for no conference, of one mind and soul, yet with all respect to the tribunal, they first appeal the question back for further consideration and judgment by asserting this prohibition to be contrary to God’s command; and then calmly say that they must speak that which God hath bidden. And, with all their previous knowledge of Christ, with the power of his character and words, with the events of his agony, betrayal, death, resurrection, and ascension, impressed in all their vividness of reality and sublimity of meaning by the Holy Ghost, how could these first heralds of the Cross and ambassadors of the Crucified fail to stand, in this crisis, for God and for the gospel! B.—They had seen and heard such things of and from Christ, they had received such a commission to proclaim him to the world, that it was morally impossible for them to obey the commands of the Sadducees. The courage to obey God rather than man proceeded from what had come under their own experience, from Christ’s words, from his works, his life, his resurrection. But this outward experience could have inspired them with no such boldness, if it had not aroused an inward experience; if it had not attached them to Christ as a Friend, a Master, a Saviour, and a King. The influences of things seen and heard within their souls and in their lives created their strength to endure, to resist, to hope on amid discouragements, to believe in the efficacy and the triumph of the gospel. T. D. W.

Here, at its outset, Christianity recognizes the full liberty of the individual conscience, and in so doing puts responsibility solely upon the individual. Thus it establishes the right and the duty of private judgment. B.—Bearing in mind the fact that a right to preach the gospel involved a right to organize churches, and through them carry on a systematic effort to change the religious life of the whole people, it is safe to conclude from these replies that neither civil nor ecclesiastical rulers are authorized to determine what forms of religion may be taught among the people. In obvious harmony with the apostles’ language to the Jewish Sanhedrim was their conduct ever after. They acted on the assumption that religious truth should be laid before the mind of every man, in order that he might accept or reject it freely. Hovey.

21, 22. With Further Threats, the Sanhedrim direct the Release of Peter and John.—The manly appeal of the apostles is disregarded. It can not be answered or turned aside with reason. Afraid to go further with persecution, they resort to the persecutor’s first and feeblest argument, threatening.

23-30. The First Recorded Prayer of the Christian Church.—Naturally, on their release, the two apostles sought their companions in the faith, the body of believers, and told their story. Then uprose from the hearts of the gathered disciples a simple Scriptural prayer, an appeal based upon what God had revealed of his own power and of his purposed redemption by Christ. All their preaching and prayer are confessedly based upon the very Word of God, apprehended and believed. Notice here, that it is to great truths rather than to special promises they refer. They rest their faith and appeal upon the sovereign might of God, and the certain accomplishment of his plan in the face of all opposition. (The quotations are from Psalm 146 and Psalm 2, and are made clearer by the whole context.) This prophecy of David concerning Christ had been first and most emphatically fulfilled by Herod, representing “the kings”; by Pilate, “the rulers”; by the Roman soldiers, “the heathen”; and the Jews, “the people.” But it has had continuous fulfillment in the continuous conflict of Christianity with its foes.

The point upon which they rest in this portion of the prayer is the same Peter brought out in his

We see here a Church that prays, and just by this gives incontestable evidence of awakened inward life. Here is, moreover, a Church that prays for her servants. Although we may pray for ourselves, who among us pray for others? Especially what amount of personal and social prayer ascends from us in behalf of the ministers of the Word, from whom so much is required, who are so severely criticised, so often with or without cause condemned, and who must first receive before they can impart to others? Van O.

31. The Sublime Effect wrought outwardly by Miracle and inwardly by the Holy Ghost, in Response to their Prayer.—They had appealed to the might of God, and that appeal was responded to by the palpable interposition of his power in the shaking of the place where they were gathered. They had besought help to obey Christ’s last word of direction, faithfully to witness for him, and the Pentecostal power was communicated afresh to them: they were all filled with the Holy Ghost. Their one personal request was that they might, with steadfast, undaunted spirit, stand in the front of peril and declare the word given them to utter. And the answer is recorded in the very terms of their asking: “And they spake the Word of God with boldness.” B.

A congregation shows itself here which unites fervent prayer with unanimous work. They do not leave the work entirely to the apostles, but cooperate with them; and, as though reanimated by this awakened life in the Church, these last soon with greater boldness bear witness to the resurrection of the Lord. What think ye? Should no greater blessing be expected on such unanimous prayer and labor and struggle, than on the endless lamentations over both the friends and foes of the Lord, in which so many appear inexhaustible? Van O.

33. And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: 32 and great grace was upon them all. And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the apostles’ feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need. 36 And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus, having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet. But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, and kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet. But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou

5 hast not lied unto men, but unto God. And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and 6 gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things. And the 7 young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. And it was about 8 the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, 9 Yea, for so much.$^{8}$ Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are 10 at the door, and shall carry thee out. Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her 11 forth, buried her by her husband. And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.

THE same Peter, who in Christ’s name had spoken so gently, and even excusingly, to the very crucifers of Christ, here, in the same name, denounces the most fearful judgment of God against professed followers of Jesus. Thus the Gospel repeats the declaration of the Law, that God will by no means clear the guilty; while the injunction is sharply emphasized, “Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” And the chief danger to the Church to-day arises not from outward assailants, but from inward corruption or unfaithfulness; from the false vows of counterfeit members or hypocrites; and from the incomplete vows or partial consecration of true members. Still Christ’s word needs to be heeded by all, Take heed and beware of hypocrisy! Still the Holy Ghost exhorts, Pay unto the Lord thy vows, and Lift up holy hands! Without honest service, sincere, hearty giving as well as praying, let there be no guise of service, of charity or worship, for a Pharisaic show or reputation!

Nothing in human character is so valuable, so beautiful, so Christlike, and therefore so all-essential as truthfulness. Regarded from a merely human aspect, it is the cementing force and safeguard of society. Falsehood, of word or act, is destructive of the order and peace of human fellowship, vitiates the currents of intercourse in the family, in traffic, in social life, and undermines the very foundation of the Church. And God’s hatred of hypocrisy and regard of truth, read upon every page of his revelation, may be summed up in two or three statements: Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord; but they that deal truly are his delight! Of the dweller in God’s holy hill it is said with a singular emphasis, He speaketh the truth in his heart! And the girdle of the Christian armor, that which binds and holds together the entire panoply, is truth! Then let every disciple of Christ, and every partaker of human fellowship, by word and by life, unweariedly emphasize the supreme worth, and exemplify the inherent beauty of truthfulness! B.

“Jews and proselytes” had come up to the Festival of Pentecost from the banks of the Tigris and Euphrates, of the Nile and of the Tiber, from the provinces of Asia Minor, from the desert of Arabia, and from the islands of the Greek Sea; and when they returned to their homes, they carried with them news which prepared the way for the glad tidings about to issue from Mount Zion to “the uttermost parts of the earth.” But as yet the gospel lingered on the holy hill. The first acts of the apostles were “prayer and supplication” in the “upper room”; breaking of bread “from house to house”; miracles in the Temple; gatherings of the people in Solomon’s cloister, and the bearing of testimony in the council chamber of the Sanhedrim. H.

32-35. The Beautiful Picture reproduced, of the Unity, Mutual Sympathy, and Helpfulness of the First Christian Disciples.**—We would read verse 33 first, and then 32, 34, 35 together. While all were filled with the Holy Ghost, and spake the word, the apostles, as ordained leaders and witnesses of the resurrection, were specially endued with power to impress the truth, and when necessary to work miracles in confirmation of the word.

But as in all faith was working actively by love, so great grace, the marked favor of God, was upon and with them all. Then, as a token and evidence of this grace, the story of their oneness of spirit, of their true sympathy one with another, evinced by acts of self-sacrifice, by the sharing of their means with those who had any need, is here told again. It is repeated, we infer, partly because it is inherently so beautiful and effective as an example for all coming ages, and partly to introduce the two persons, Joses and Ananias, and to contrast their spirit and actions respecting this practical matter of consecrating possessions. B.

This is a picture of what every Christian Church ought to be, and what every Christian Church will probably be, when the fullness of the Spirit shall be poured out in the last days. Here we meet with no factions or divisions on the part of the people, no jealousy, no party spirit. No desire of distinction disturbed the harmony of the primitive Church.

The first law of their divine Master was fulfilled: mutual and holy love was the sacred bond of their union, the ruling principle of their life and actions. G. T.—They regarded themselves as one family, with one heart and one soul, with common needs and common joys and common sufferings. This is the perfection of that unity in his Church for which Christ prayed, and it showed as in a pattern what all should aim to realize in spirit. W.

The elements of prosperity in a family or church of Christ are these: Christ preached, as God incarnate, crucified, risen and reigning; living in the Church and working through the Holy Ghost; and oneness of heart evinced in prayer and in mutual helpfulness. Where these are found, faith appropriates Christ’s person and work, effectually pleads his power and promise, and “works by love.” Thereby all essential conditions of life and prosperity are met. B.

33. With the apostles, especially in the Pentecostal period, the resurrection is the palmary proof, the invincible assertion of the truth of Christianity. That Jesus was literally risen was for the apostles a fact resting upon distinct evidence of their senses. Their first effort was to publish this fact, and so to let it do its proper work in the understandings and the consciences of men. When therefore the author of the Acts of the Apostles is describing the missionary action of the earliest Church, he tells us that “with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.” H. P. L.—Everywhere they preach a “Christ that died, yea, rather, that is risen again.” This event is presented by them not simply as the seal of his teaching, or more generally (to use the poor and shrunken phrase of later times) as the proof of his divine mission, but as itself the cause and the commencement of that eternal life which was consciously the hope of man. T. D. B.—As they looked with the eye of faith upon the interests of eternity, the relations and interests of time dwindled into insignificance, and with fearlessness, with simplicity, and with great power, gave they witness to the central and incontrovertible fact of the resurrection of Christ, and to the freeness and preciousness of the salvation that is in him, and left the event with God. Pursuing this course, Christianity was aggressive and triumphant. M. H.—This is our testimony still—a testimony concerning the risen Christ. This is the very core and kernel of our preaching. Our glad tidings are, “The Lord is risen.” It is a risen Lord that we follow. It is to a risen Lord that we are conformed—a risen Prophet—a risen Priest—a risen King! Bonar.

34,35. With reference to the sale and sharing of their possessions, all that can properly be inferred is that there was a voluntary disposing of a portion only by the rich, and a distribution in accordance with the actual need of the poor. There was no community of goods, no giving up of all he had by any one. Neither example nor precept of such fatuity have we in the Acts or Epistles. But the grand principle is inculcated here most impressively—a principle that should characterize the disciples of Christ and the spirit of church fellowship in all time—that the strong should aid the weak, “especially those who are of the household of faith.” The spirit of the Master and of his gospel lays a tax, proportional and voluntary, upon the worldly goods, as well as the personal sympathies and counsels, of more gifted believers in the interest of those less endowed. No other subject is more fully unfolded by Christ and the apostles than this of consecrated earthly possessions, and the teaching has been but imperfectly learned thus far. The summing up we read in the words of the final award, “Inasmuch as ye did it, or did it not, to these!”

It is to be noted that the largeness of the gifts referred to here grew out of the peculiar circumstances of the case. Jewish prejudices would at once cast out the poorer believers from all customary employments, and so leave many entirely destitute. This was the case for many years, as we know from Paul’s “gatherings for the poor saints at Jerusalem” in almost every foreign city. And the same circumstances produce like effects in heathen lands to-day.

36, 37. The True Spirit and the True Gift of Barnabas.—Joses, afterward called Barnabas, the first named convert from the priestly tribe of Levi (whose conversion was soon followed by that of “many priests,” ch. 6), begins his long and useful career by the willing, glad consecration of a portion, it might have been all, of his possessions. His surname, “Son of Consolation,” may have referred in part to this giving of his whole estate in help of the destitute, or to the special magnetism of his sympathy and wisdom of his comforting counsel. And, we remember, Barnabas it was who brought Paul to the apostles, and who was associated with him in his early missionary journey.

1-11. The beautiful picture of church fellowship is now to be sadly marred. The native evil of the heart shows itself even among the little band of Christ’s proscribed followers. And, as throughout the Old Testament, the fact is shown, by way of contrast and comparison, in the history. We have had Barnabas with his attractive character and his true-hearted sacrifice. Now we have Ananias and Sapphira (with names only significant of “grace” and “beauty”) illustrating falsehood in its most daring and impious form, a counterfeit offering to God himself. And the teaching by comparison goes further. It presents the two Personal Beings, the respective sources and inspirers of truth and falsehood, the Holy Ghost of God, and Satan, the unholy spirit of evil. The Holy Ghost fills the heart of the true disciples; Satan “fills the heart” of these two false professors.

The timing of Satan’s appearance, at the outstart of the infant Christian Church upon its witnessing mission, was in exact accordance with his previous methods. As he came to Adam and Eve in the garden; to Cain, the first born man; to Nadab and Abihu at the commencement of Israel’s national life, and afterward to Achan in the first establishment of Israel’s power in Canaan; and above all, as without effect he came to Christ at the very outset of his personal ministry; so now and here, “when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, Satan came also among them.” He would fain use the time of inexperience and feeble faith to detach one and another, and so undermine the power and destroy the life of the Church of Christ.

Concerning this signal judgment of God, let two facts be borne in mind: 1. Many miracles of mercy had already been wrought, and many more were subsequently done during the ministry of the apostles. This is the one only miracle of judgment. So was it even under the Law of Moses as ministered by himself and the prophets. The many miracles were of mercy. Only at long intervals were single tokens of judgment. While in the personal ministry of Christ himself, we find none but miracles of mercy to men. His only direct judgment was against a fruitless, senseless tree. 2. The one manifest purpose of every direct judgment of God, in the Old and New Testament times, was to impart needful knowledge and warning when it was most needed, and so impressively that it would be heeded. Therefore it was in the critical time of inexperience and weakness, the very time when Satan was busiest, that the clear manifestation of God’s authority and might were most necessary as a warning to counteract the temptations of Satan. For this reason, the first Sabbath-breaker was stoned (Num. 15: 36); the first breach of a special commandment after Israel had taken possession of their inheritance, the concealed sacrilegious theft of Achan, was visited with death upon himself and his family; and now, the first impious deception and falsehood, under the guise of piety and worship, in the new-born Church, was thus decisively adjudged and punished. These and other cases of flagrant impiety demanded and received the open and palpable judgments of God, that his people might be warned, and the guilty taught, that he saw sin in the heart and would assuredly punish the sinner. No other means than those direct severe personal visitations could so well have wrought this necessary knowledge and conviction in their minds.

1-6. *The Sin, the Judgment, and the Doom of

Ananias.*—His sin was not the bringing “a certain part of the price,” for this he might rightly have done if he had done it avowedly. As Peter said, it was in his own power, subject to any disposition he pleased, after the money was received. But while—for selfish motives of some kind, we know—keeping back part of the money, he professed to have devoted all that he received. And this transaction was a public one, nay, was a part of worship in which all were associated, nay, further still, on his part it was an act of professed devotion to God himself. And he knew it was a lie. He was deliberately mocking God under pretense of worshiping him! Peter knew it too. By extraordinary gift of the Holy Ghost he saw into the very heart of Ananias, knew the whole transaction; and by the impulse of the same Spirit he opens the whole to the assembled body of disciples by these successive burning questions, ending with the terrible affirmation, “Thou hast not lied to men, but unto God.”

Without a word Ananias fell to the ground dead. He was not prostrated by the shame of exposure, nor the sharpened sting of an aroused and terrified conscience, overwhelming as their force might be; but the direct fiat of God adjudged him to this instant doom. Not by any word or purpose of Peter, but solely by the act of God was the fiat executed. For this once, in the New Testament Christian history, “sentence against an evil work was executed speedily.” And the lesson was heeded. Great fear, fear of God, an intelligent fear of his searching vision and unerring sure judgment, and a dread conviction of the deadliness of sin, “came upon all them that heard these things.”

In an orderly manner, and in accordance with the usual custom of burial on the day of death, the younger men then bore the body of Ananias to the place of interment outside the city. During their absence, for three hours, it would seem that the body of disciples remained together. At their return it was that Sapphira, ignorant of what had occurred, and doubtless supposing that the fraud upon which they had agreed had been successfully achieved, came in to the assembly.

7-11. The Falsehood and the Doom of Sapphira.—Peter gave her no time or opportunity to learn what had transpired. Instantly he asks the plain direct question as to the sum received for the land. And as instantly, unhesitatingly, she reaffirms in words the acted falsehood of her now dead husband. To this, her last utterance, Peter responds by stating the aggravation of their guilt, in their deliberate agreement to deceive and defraud the Spirit of God, and then prophetically announces her like fearful doom and burial with her husband. Speechless, also, she falls and dies! By the same hands her body is laid beside her husband. The

bodies lie together in the tomb—the spirits together in the realm of eternal doom.