Acts 4

Acts 4:1-22

being seized by order of the Sanhedrim, and ex- , courageously declare their resolution of going n the name of Jesus, notwithstanding their nings. Acts IV. 1—22.

Acts IV. 1.

THUS it was that Peter and John improv- sect. ed the opportunity of addressing them- viii. selves to the multitude, who had assembled in he temple (as we have seen before) upon occa- Acts iv. 1 sion of the miraculous cure of the lame man; and while they were thus speaking to the people, a considerable number of the priests came upon them; and with the priests there came the cap- tain of the temple, that is, the person who com- manded the guard of Levites then in waiting; and the Sadducees also joined with them: For 2 this sect of men were greatly exasperated against the apostles, being peculiarly grieved that they taught the people in the name of that Jesus whom they had so lately put to death, and especially that they preached the doctrine of the resurrection from the dead, as exemplifi- ed and demonstrated in [the person of] Jesus; whose recovered life had so direct a tendency to overthrow the whole system of the Saddu- cean tenets, which denied every thing of that kind, yea even the existence of the soul after death, and any future account of the actions of life. (Compare Acts xxiii. 8.) And therefore, 3 that they might prevent their preaching any more, they laid violent hands upon Peter and John, and seized them as seditious persons, who were labouring to incense the populace against the conduct of their governors; And they committed them into custody until the next day, that when the Sanhedrim met at the usual hour they might consult what it was proper to do with them; for it was now late in the evening, and was no fit season to have them examined.

a The captain of the temple.] See note o three in the afternoon, this expression make on Luke xxii. 52, Vol. II. it probable, some hours might be spent in

b It was now late in the evening.] As preaching to the people, and consequently Peter and John went u to the temple at that what we have in the former cha ter i

They are brought before the Sanhedrim, and e

But in the mean time, the disciples had the satisfaction to see, that the apostles had not laboured in vain; for many of those, who had heard the word preached by them, believed; and the number of the men became about five thousand, including those who had been converted before, and still attended on the instructions of the apostles.c

And the next day there was a general assembly of their rulers, and elders, and scribes, which constituted the Sanhedrim, who gathered together, and formed a court at Jerusalem: And there was with them Annas, who had formerly been the high priest, and Caiaphas also who then bore that office,d and John, and Alexander,e and as many as were of the high priest’s kindred,f who came and joined the council upon this occasion.

only an abstract or specimen of the discourses they held on this occasion; which I suppose is generally the case, as to the speeches recorded by the sacred historians, as well as others.

c The number — became about five thousand, &c.] Dr. Benson concludes, that five thousand were converted on this occasion, besides the three thousand mentioned before. (Chap. ii. 41.) Had it been said, as there, that so many were added to the church, it had determined the sense to be, as he and others understand it. (See Lightfoot and Whitby in loc.) But I think the use of the word יְהוֹשֻׁעַ here (whereas in is used chap. i. 15), favours the interpretation I have preferred. It is hardly to be thought, (unless it were expressly asserted) that another day should be so much more remarkable for its number of converts, than that on which the Spirit descended. And, as for any argument drawn from the probability of more than five thousand being converted in a year’s time, I must observe, that I see no proof at all, that this event was a year, or even a month after the descent of the Spirit: nay, I rather think it highly improbable the Sanhedrim should suffer the apostles to go on so long unquestioned in their public work; and to suppose they did not teach publicly would be most absurd.

d Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas.] As it seems evident, that Caiaphas was the high priest at this time, it may appear strange, that the title should be given to another, merely to si ify that he, that is,

the Annas spoken of, was that Annas who had once borne that office with great honour, and had now most of the authority, though his son in law Caiaphas had the name. I would submit it to examination, whether, placing a comma after Αγνη, the following words might not be joined, του αεχητησε και καταφαν, and rendered the high priest also, that is, Caiaphas; though I confess the insertion of copulatives between each name in the following clauses does not favour such a version: and therefore I rather incline to acquiesce in the former solution; for the illustration of which, see Mr. Biscoe, at Boyle’s Lect. p. 648—659.

e John, and Alexander.] It is very evident, these were persons of great note among the Jews at that time: and it is not improbable, that (as Dr Lightfoot and others suppose) the former might be the celebrated Rabban Jochanan Ben Zaccai, mentioned in the Talmud, the scholar of Hillel, and that the latter might be the Alabarch, or governor of the Jews at Alexandria, brother to the famous Philo Judæus, and in great favour with Claudius Cæsar Josephus mentions him often, and tells us, among other things, that he adorned nine gates of the temple with plates of gold and silver. Joseph. Bell. Jud. lib. v. cap. 5, [al. vi. 6.] § 3.

f As many as were of the high priest’s kindred.] Or as others render it, of the pontifical family. Dr. Hammond explains this of the twenty four members of the Aaronic family, who presided over the twenty four courses: Others refer it to those, who were

lares what they had done in the name of Jesus.

And having ordered the apostles to be brought before them, and set them in the midst of the assembly (the place where criminals used to stand to be tried by their court), they inquired of them, saying, Declare to us truly, and without reserve, what is the bottom of this affair? By what power, or in the authority of what name, have you done this strange work, which has been wrought on the cripple now healed? Is it by the art of medicine, or by magic? Or do you pretend to any prophetic mission, in attestation of which this is done?

Then Peter, full of the Holy Spirit, according to the promise of his now glorified Master, which was upon this occasion remarkably verified (compare Mat. x. 19, 20; and Mark xiii. 11), spake with the utmost freedom, and said unto them, O ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, before whom we are now brought as malefactors! We are not conscious to ourselves, that we have done any thing to deserve censure or punishment; but if we are this day examined and called to an account as criminal, about the benefit conferred upon the impotent man, and you would have us to declare by what means he is saved from his calamitous state, and healed in the manner which you now see, we are most free to tell you what we before have testified on this occasion (chap. iii. 16): Be it known therefore to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that it is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you a few weeks ago crucified with all the marks of detestation and contempt, as a criminal worthy of the most infamous death, but whom God hath owned, in that he hath raised him from the dead, and

s and Caiaphas: But it includes the kindred ely been in the office (he says) made them hedrim. Who were that council, it is ex-y; but I cannot think riter (Mr. Biscoe, at that the presence of stately resident in that this was not prop-but an extraordinary called, consisting of others who were not, ery evident, they act

with authority as a court of judicatur and the council, expressly called Σ again and again in the 5th chapter 21, 27, 34, 41), refer to the acts of sembly as their own (compare chap. 27, 28): And the same word is li used here in this chapter, ver. 15. & Whom God hath raised from th They knew in their own conscience it was so; and, though they had hi soldiers to tell a most senseless credible tale to the contrary (Mat. 12-15), yet it is observable, they (so far as we can learn) dare to p before Peter and John.

It is in Jesus there is salvation and in no other.

received him to glory: [Tca,] I declare it again, and will abide by it whatever be the consequence, that it is by him, even by that illustrious name of his, that this poor man, whom you well know to have been a cripple from his mother’s womb, now stands before you perfectly sound and well. And give me leave, Sirs, to tell you, that this Jesus is a person, with whom you are all intimately concerned; for as David expresses it (Psal. cxviii. 22), “This is the stone which was contemptuously refused and set at nought by you, who by your office should have been builders in the church of God, that is indeed become the very head of the corner, to which the whole building owes its strength, its union, and its beauty.” And there is really salvation and healing in no other but in him; neither is there any other name under heaven, given out by God among the children of men, whether of patriarch or prophet, or priest or king, in which we must be saved and recovered:^h For though we are not thus disabled and afflicted in body, yet there are other maladies of a much more threatening nature, for the cure of which you and I, and all that hear me this day, must, as we value the very lives of our souls, apply to Jesus, and only to him.

Now when they of the council saw the boldness of Peter and John, and observed the freedom of speech with which they pleaded their Master’s cause, and the high degree to which they extolled him, in the presence of those magistrates who had so lately condemned him to the most

^h In which we must be saved.] Dr. Whitby and some later writers have taken a great deal of pains to prove, that ἀνάσθαι here signifies healing, and have argued for it from the connection, and from many texts, especially in the Evangelists, where it plainly has that sense, as it has likewise, Acts xiv. 9, where it is translated to be healed. (See Mat. ix. 21, 22; Mark v. 23; vi. 56; s. 52; Luke xvii. 19; and compare note^d on Mark v. 28, Vol. I.) But it is strange, that any should not have seen, that, if the most determinate word for healing had been here used (as ἀνάσθαι, or ἀνάσθαι, it must have signified spiritual and

eternal salvation, since it is plain, that, when Peter says, ἀνάσθαι ἀνάσθαι, he takes it for granted, that all who heard him needed to apply to Christ for this healing. Now there is no reason to believe, there were all afflicted with bodily maladies, no could he have any imaginable warrant to promise them all supernatural recovery in that case. Raphelius in a remarkable not on this text (ex Herod p. 329-332), endeavours among other things to prove, that ἀνάσθαι, or the name of a person, was a manner of speaking used in reference to one regarded as God, and the Author of salvation.

ncil are at a loss what to do with t em.

shameful death; and understood at the same time; that they were illiterate men, and in private staions of life,¹ they were greatly astonished. And upon farther recollection too they knew them, and remembered of these two disciples, that they had been with Jesus, particularly the night that he was taken, and had attended him to the house of Caiaphas, where several now in court had been present at his examination.ᵏ (Compare John xviii. 15, 16.) And they would gladly have done their utmost to confound a testimony which bore so hard upon themselves. But seeing the man that was cured, whom they knew to have been so long lame, now standing with them perfectly recovered, they had nothing to say against the fact, though they were most unwilling to own a doctrine which [it] tended so strongly to prove.

But as they did not choose the apostles should perceive they knew not what to say, having ordered them to withdraw for a while out of the room where the council was sitting, they privately conferred among themselves, Saying, What shall we do with these men? It would be neither reasonable nor safe to punish them now; for that indeed a very surprising and signal miracle hath been wrought by them, is clearly manifest to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we ourselves cannot possibly deny [it.] Nevertheless¹ on the other hand, it is equally plain, that both our credit and our interest require us, to suppress the rumour of it as much as we can; and therefore, that it may not any further spread among the people, and be a means of raising discontent, and perhaps of occasioning some dangerous insurrection among them, which may

¹ Illiterate men, and in private stations of life] The original words ἀγέλωσθαι καὶ ἀνάξωσι have literally this signification, that they were not scholars, nor in any public rank of life as the priests and magistrates were; but they import no want of natural good sense, or any ignorance of what was then the subject of debate: so that our translation seems very unhappy here.

ᵏ They knew them that they had been with Jesus, particularly the night that he was taken, &c.] See note 5 on Luke xxii. 57, Vol. II. Grotius justly observe also, that

the rulers were often present when Christ taught publicly, and so might have seen Peter and John near him at the times, as well as on the occasion mentioned in the paraphrase.

¹ Nevertheless] Instances in which ἀλλὰ signifies Nevertheless, are numerous in the New Testament; and it is often rendere so by our translators. See Mark xiv. 36; John xi. 15; Rom. v. 14; 2 Cor. xii. 16; Gal. iv. 30; 2 Tim. i. 12; and many in stances from profane writers are brought b Elsner in his note here.

They charge them to speak no more in the name

ay throw the city and nation into confusion, let us severely threaten them with the most rigorous punishment, in case they persist in such bold discourses as those we have now been hearing, that so they may not dare to preach as they have done, and from henceforth may speak no more to any man in this obnoxious name.

And the whole council having agreed to this as the most proper method they could at present take with the apostles, they called them in again, and telling them how much they were offended at the liberty they took, they charged them in a very strick and severe manner, that, upon pain of their highest displeasure, and as they regarded their own safety, and even their lives, they should not presume on any account whatever to speak any more, or to teach the people in the name of Jesus; if they would not be looked upon as seditious persons, and be dealt with as incendiaries and rebels, as their Master had been; whom they still asserted to have deserved the punishment that he had suffered.

But Peter and John felt themselves animated in this arduous circumstance with a courageous zeal, which would not permit them to be silent, lest that silence should be interpreted as a promise to quit their ministry, and therefore answering them with an undaunted freedom, they said before them all, Whether it be a fit or a righteous thing in the sight of God, to whom we are all accountable, to obey you rather than God, judge ye. You cannot but know in your own consciences on which side the superior obligation lies, and you must therefore expect,

• They charged them that they should not speak any more — in the name of Jesus. The very thing, that men conscious of the truth of the apostle’s testimony, and self-condemned, would do; attempting by violence to stop their mouths, as they knew they could not answer them any other way.

• Whether it be righteous — to obey you rather than God, judge ye. As they professed to believe the being and infinite perfections of God, they must, on their own principles, see easily the absurdity of expecting obedience to their commands from good men, who believed themselves divinely commissioned. There is a pas-

sage which bears some resemblance to this, in the apology of Socrates as recorded by Plato, (oper. p. 23) which appears to me among the finest of antiquity. When they were condemning him to death for teaching the people, he said, “O ye Athenians, I embrace and love you; but I will obey God rather than you; [πυραμαι δε τω Θεω μακλον η υμιν,] and if you would dismiss me and spare my life, on condition that I should cease to teach my fellow-citizens, I would rather die a thousand times than accept the proposal.” What are ten thousand subtitles of the ancient philosophers, when compared with a sentiment like this!

stles declare they cannot desist, and are let go.

that we shall act accordingly. For though we suspect you as our civil rulers, and are heartily willing to yield all subjection to you so far as we lawfully can, yet since God hath charged us with the publication of this important message, on which, as we have already testified, the eternal salvation of men depends, we dare not to be silent in a case of such importance, and are free to tell you that we cannot but speak the things which we have so often seen and heard, and which God hath so miraculously impowered us to declare, not only in this city, but throughout all the earth.

And though the apostles spake with such great freedom, the council were so confounded by the force of truth, that they did not think fit to proceed to any farther extremities at that time; but having threatened them again in severer terms than before, they dismissed them; finding nothing done by them for which they might with any shew of reason punish them, and not daring to proceed in so arbitrary a manner as they would otherwise have done, because of the people, whose resentment they feared: For such was the impression that was made upon the people by the cure of the lame man, that they had all an high esteem and mighty veneration for the apostles, who were publicly known to be the instruments of working it, and all glorified God in raptures of astonishment for that which was done: And indeed they well might be affected with it, for the man on whom this miracle of healing was wrought, was more than forty years old; so that hardly any thing could have appeared to human judgment to be a more desperate case, than so inveterate and confirmed a lameness; and yet he was (as we have already related) in one moment completely cured by the word of the apostles, and the power of their divine master operating with it.

IMPROVEMENT.

We see in the instance before us, the natural but detestable effects of a proud, bigotted, overbearing temper, even where it seems least excusable. The Sadducees themselves, though they believed no future state of retribution, yet persecuted the apostles as eagerly, as if they, like some other Jews, had expected to merit heaven by their severity to them. Com are John xvi. 2.)

Reflections on the examination of the two apostles.

On the other side, it is delightful to observe the zeal and courage, with which Peter and John defended the cause of their crucified Redeemer, even in the presence of those by whom he had so lately been condemned. Thus can God give power to the feeble, and increase the strength of them that have no might. (Isa. xl. 29.) The testimony they bore is well worth our regarding. There is salvation in no other, neither is there any other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. O that the ends of the earth might hear and reverence that name! O that thousands, to whom it is yet unknown, may learn to build all their hopes of salvation upon it; and may we never be ashamed to own it, never afraid to adhere to it! May we speak of it with such a fervour, may we defend it with such a zeal, that they who are round about us may take knowledge of us that we have been with Jesus, and trace the genuine effects of our intimate acquaintance with him! Never was there an instance of a more memorable combat between the force of evidence and of prejudice; never a more impudent attempt to bear down the cause of unquestionable truth by brutal violence. But great is the truth, and it will prevail. May the ministers of the gospel never want that courage in the defence of it which these holy men expressed; always judging it infinitely more reasonable, more safe, and more necessary, to obey God than man! Never may we be ashamed to profess our reverence and love to him, who is our supreme ruler, and our most bountiful friend; and may he give us such an inward and heart influencing sense of the worth and sweetness of his gospel, as may effectually prevent our betraying or neglecting it!

Acts 4:23-35

Peter and John return to their company, and having told them what had passed, they all unite in an inspired prayer, which is attended with a renewed effusion of the Spirit, in consequence of which they all preach the gospel with new vigour and wonderful success; the number of converts, and the sales of estates, are greatly increased. Acts IV. 23—35.

Acts IV. 23.

PETER and John being dismissed from their examination by the Sanhedrim, with a strict charge that they should preach no more in the name of Jesus, no sooner were at liberty but they came to their own company, and related all that the chief priests and elders had said to them, and how severely they had threatened them. And when they heard [it,] a divine inspiration came upon all that were present in an heard that, they list

ciples unite in an inspired prayer to 6 .

extraordinary manner, so that they immediately lifted up their voice with one accord to God* in the following prayer, which upon this occasion was suggested by the Holy Spirit to every one in the assembly; and they said, O thou supreme Lord of universal nature, we humbly acknowledge thou art the God who didst make heaven and earth, and the sea, and all things that are in them: Who didst by thine Holy Spirit say by the mouth of thy servant David, (Psal. ii. 1, 2) “Why did the heathen nations rage, and the people imagine vain things, forming projects which must certainly end in their own disappointment and ruin? Why did the kings of the earth enter into a confederacy to set themselves as it were in hostile array, and why were the rulers of it, forgetting their mutual differences, combined together in one association against the Lord, and against his Messiah, whom he hath anointed to be the great ruler of all?” We, O God, have now seen the literal accomplishment of these words; for of a truth here has been a most audacious conspiracy in this city of Jerusalem, where we now are, against thee, and against thine holy child Jesus, whom thou hast so visibly anointed with the Holy Ghost and with power, to accomplish the glorious work of erecting thy kingdom among men; and both Herod the tetrarch, and Pontius Pilate the Roman governor, with the heathen, and the people of Israel, have combined in the impious attempt: But it is our unspeakable comfort to think, that by their utmost rage they cannot break in upon thy schemes, or prevent the efficacy of any of thy purposes; for we know that in the midst of all this impious fury they have shewn against thy Son, they have only been able to do what thine hand had pointed out before, and what thy unerring

• When they heard [it,] they immediately lifted up their voice, &c.] It is strange any should have imagined, this was a precomposed form, since, besides all the other absurdities of such a supposition, it so expressly refers to the threatenings of the Sanhedrim, (ver. 29) of which they had been but just then informed: and the words ἀκουσάσθαι οὐδύνασθαι πᾶς, ὀνὴρ, will not allow us to imagine any interval, between the report of Peter and John, and this prayer. I conclude it therefore probable, that all

their voices might join by immediate inspiration; which seems a circumstance graciously adapted for the encouragement of them all to suffer the greatest extremities in this cause, and answers the phrase here used much better, than if we were to suppose one only to have spoken, and the rest to have put their cordial attention to it; which yet would be a much more tolerable account of the matter, than that which I first mentioned.

Their prayer is attended with a new effusion of the Spirit.

counsel, to which all future events are obvious, had before determined, that for wise reasons thou wouldst permit to be done. And as to what now remains to accomplish this important scheme of raising thy church on the sure foundation of his cross, we beseech thee, O Lord, to regard these their haughty threatenings, with which they are endeavouring to discourage the chosen witnesses of his resurrection; and to give unto these thy servants, and to all others that are to join their testimony, to speak thy word with all freedom and resolution, in the midst of the most violent opposition that can arise: Especially whilst thou art animating them by the performance of such works of power and mercy, and art stretching out thine own almighty hand for healing the most incurable distempers; and while such astonishing signs and wonders as these are done by the name of thine holy child Jesus; which we hope thou wilt still continue to perform, however the rage of the enemy may be excited by them.

And while they were thus praying, God was pleased miraculously to declare his gracious acceptance of their petitions; for the place in which they were assembled was shaken, as the upper room had been on the day of Pentecost, (Acts ii. 2) and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.

Have combined to do, &c.] Limborch [Theolog. lib. ii. cap. 30, § 17] contends strongly for a transposition of the words thus: They have combined against thine Holy Child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed to do what thine hand and thy counsel had determined, &c. But this transposition is arbitrary; and it is so expressly said elsewhere by Luke, when he was entering on his sufferings, that the Son of man went as it was determined concerning him, (Luke xxii. 22) and it so plainly appears in fact, that these circumstances were expressly determined or marked out in the prophecies of the Old Testament, that I see not what end the admission of such a transposition would answer. It is much more rational (as we observed in note on that text in Luke, Vol. II.) to explain this determination in such a manner, as to make it consistent with the free agency of the persons concerned. When God’s hand and his counsel are said to have determined these things, it may signify God’s having pointed out this

great event so wisely concerted in his eternal counsels, and marked beforehand as it were all the boundaries of it (as the word πραγμια may well signify) in the prophetic writings. This seems more natural, than to suppose, (as Bishop Pearson and Dr. Hammond do) that it alludes to the designation of the Lord’s goat on the day of expiation, which was by lifting up the lot on high, and then laying it on the head of the animal to be sacrificed. See Pears. on the Creed, p. 185, and Hamm. in loc.

Give unto thy servants to speak thy word with all freedom.] Elsner has shewn here, by some very happy quotations, that several of the Heathens acknowledge the [παραινία] freedom of speech on great and pressing occasions, to be a divine gift. Compare Prov. xvi. 1.

They were all filled with the Holy Spirit.] I will not assert, that eleven tongues fell upon them again; but I think it probable, with Dr. Benson, that some visible symbol of the Spirit’s descent might now be given.

ll their estates, and have all things in common.

And being animated by that strong impulse, which through his operation they felt upon their hearts, they spoke the word of God wherever they came with all courageous freedom, and renewed their public testimony without any appearance of fear, on the very day on which they had been so solemnly forbidden by the Sanhedrim to preach any more in the name of Jesus.

And that sacred agent wrought upon their souls not only as the spirit of zeal and courage, but of love, so that the very heart and soul of the whole multitude of believers, numerous as they were, was all one: Nor did any one [of them] call any of his possessions his own; but all things were common amongst them, and each was as welcome to participate of them as the original proprietor could be, being in these new bonds of Christian fellowship as dear to him as himself. And with great power, that is, with a divine force of eloquence and of miracles, did the apostles give forth their important testimony of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus; and great grace was upon them all, so that the energy and sweetness of the gospel was felt by the inward experience both of speakers and hearers, beyond what it was possible for words to express.

Neither was there any one indigent person among them, though many of them were far from their habitations, and many others in low circumstances of life: for as many as were proprietors of lands or houses, sold them as fast as they could find any to purchase them, and brought the price of the things they had sold, whether it were more or less, And laid [it] down at the feet of the apostles, to be disposed of as they should direct; who discharged their trust with the strictest fidelity, and took care that distribution was made to every one according as any had need for his present relief (compare chap. ii. 45): The apostles esteem-

All things were common amongst them.] See note on chap. ii. 44 To have one heart and soul is a proverbial expression for the most intimate and endearing friendship, as Elsner and others have shewn.

Great grace was upon them all.] Casau-

bon, Grotius, and some others, understand this of the favour they had among the people on account of their charity and good conduct: But this is by no means the nature import of this phrase, which is very different from that used, Acts ii. 47.

VOL. 3

Reflections on the characters of the primitive Christians.

ing themselves sufficiently happy, while living ix. in the same plain manner with their brethren, in the opportunity which the divine goodness gave them of being so helpful to others both in temporals and spirituals.

IMPROVEMENT.

THIS was indeed the golden age of the church; and it is impossible to trace the memoirs of it, if we love Sion, without a verse secret complacency and exultation of mind. How amiable and 1 how venerable do the apostles and primitive converts appear, in this native simplicity of the Christian character! and what a glory did the grace and Spirit of God put upon them, far beyond all that human establishments, splendid dignities, or ample revenues, could ever give to those that have succeeded them! While the multitude of them had one heart and one soul, and each was ready 32 to impart to his brethren whatever he himself possessed, how high a relish of pleasure did they receive, and how were their joys multiplied by each of their number!

Thus does divine grace, when it powerfully enters into the 33, 35 heart, open it in sentiments of generosity and love. Thus does it conquer that selfish temper which reigns so frequently in the minds of sinful men, and makes them like wild beasts rather than like brethren to each other. Providence does not indeed call us entirely to give up our possessions, or to introduce a community of goods among Christians, in circumstances so different from those which we have now been surveying. Yet surely it is always our duty, and will be our highest interest, to remember that we are not original proprietors of what we possess, but stewards, who are to manage what is intrusted to our care, for the honour of our great Master, and the good of his family here on earth; continually ready to resign any part, or even the whole of it, whenever these important ends shall require such a resignation.

In the mean time, let us frequently lift up our hearts to the great and ever blessed God, who hath made heaven and earth, and the sea, and all that is in them, that he would support and extend the progress of that gospel in the world, which he hath so gra- 25, 26 ciously begun to plant. Kings may still set themselves, and rulers take counsel against it; but he knows how to turn their counsels into foolishness, and their rage into shame. He hath anointed Jesus his holy child with the oil of gladness, and placed him on his throne in heaven; and all the united malice and fury of his enemies can do no more, than what shall make part of his wise and gracious scheme for the government of his people. Let us pray, 29 that he would give freedom of speech to all employed in pleading his cause; and that he will plentifully anoint them with the effu- 30, 31 sion of his Spirit: And let the signs and wonders which were done

Barnabas sells his estate, and brings the money to the apostles.

the name of Jesus in former ages, encourage us to hope that see. e will never totally desert a scheme which he once so illustriously interposed to establish; and consequently let them animate us to exert ourselves in its service, whatever labours, threatenings, or dangers, may meet us in our way!

Acts 4:36

es proceeding, Ananias and Sapphira attempt impose upon the apostles, and are immediately That event, together with other extraordinary h about the same time, promotes the increase of . and more. Acts IV. 36, to the end. V. 1—16.

Acts IV. 36.

AMONG the rest of those primitive con- sect. x. verts who so generously contributed of their substance for the relief and subsistence of the poor believers in so extraordinary a cir- iv. 36 cumstance, there was one Joses, who, on account of his great benevolence and usefulness, was much respected in the church, and by the apostles was sirnamed Barnabas, which being interpreted from the Syriac language, signifies, A son of consolation :a He was a Levite, who was so far from being prejudiced against this new religion, as it might seem to oppose his temporal interest, that he gladly devoted himself to its service : [and] was a native of another country, being by birth a Cyprian : And having an estate, which was capable of 37 being alienated without any transgression of the law,b he sold it, and brought the money, as others had done, and laid it down at the feet of

a Joses—sirnamed Barnabas,—a son of consolation.] Considering how common the names of Joses and Joseph were, there seems no just reason to conclude, as some have done, that this was the Joseph mentioned chap. i. 23, as a candidate for the office of an apostle. (Compare note i on that text.) Nor can I see any reason to conclude with Abp. Wake, (Apost. Fathers, Introd. p. 62) that this Joses was called a son of consolation, to express the great consolation the brethren received from the sale of his estate. The name seems rather to refer to his extraordinary abilities for the ministerial work, and to those gifts of the irrit whereby he was enabled both to

comfort, and to exhort, as the word also signifies. Mr. Fleming makes it a most honourable title indeed, as signifying, a son of the operation of the Paraclet, that is, of the Holy Ghost.

b An estate, which was capable of being alienated, &c] He could not have sold that which was his paternal inheritance as a Levite : but this might perhaps be some legacy or purchase of land in Judea, to which h might have a title till the next Jubilee, o perhaps some land in Cyprus : and we may suppose it mentioned, either as the first foreign estate sold, or as of some extraordinary value.

Ananias sells his, and keeps back part of the

the apostles, desiring they would dispose of it in such a manner, as might be most serviceable to the necessities of the saints: And the addition which it made to the public stock was so considerable, that it seemed to deserve this particular mention.

But it is in a very different point of light, and on a very melancholy occasion, that we are obliged to mention another person before we leave this story. There was also among these early professors of the gospel a certain man named Ananias, who with the concurrence of Sapphira his wife, sold an estate; And fraudulently secreted part of the price, his wife also being conscious [of it;] and bringing only a certain part of it, he laid it down at the feet of the apostles, as the rest did, pretending that it was the whole of the purchasemoney; and consequently intimating, that having deposited his all in their hands, he should hope for the future, to be taken care of among the rest of the brethren.

But, upon this, the Holy Spirit, under whose direction the apostle Peter acted, immediately suggested to him the fraud, and the awful manner in which the Divine Wisdom saw fit to animadvert upon it: In consequence of which inward suggestion, looking sternly upon him, he said, O Ananias, why hath Satan through thine own wickedness in yielding to his temptations, filled thine heart with such a degree of covetousness, falsehood, folly, and presumption, [that thou shouldst audaciously attempt] to impose on the Holy Spirit himself, under whose special

Laid it down at the feet of the apostles.] Orobio insinuates, apud Limborch. Collat. p. 134, (and it is one of the weakest and meanest things I remember in his writings) that it was no small advantage to our fishermen to be treasurers of so considerable a bank. But nothing can be more unjust and unnatural, than to suspect, that men, who were so ready to sacrifice their lives to the cause of truth and the happiness of mankind, should be capable of falsifying such a trust as this, for the sake of a little money. Their miraculous powers were joined with a thousand marks of probity in their daily conduct to warrant each a confidence, which was but a natural token of due respect. We see in cha. vi. 2,

3,4, how ready they were soon to transfer the management of this affair to other hands; and the following story furnishes us with an additional answer to this cavil, which is beyond all exception.

a Filled thine heart—to impose on the Holy Spirit] The Hebrews express a person’s being emboldened to do a thing, by the phrase of his heart being filled. (Compare, Esth. vii. 5, and Eccl. viii. 11): And Bos has abundantly shewn, that the signifies to lie to a person, or to impose upon him. (Bos Exercit. p. 73, 74) but I cannot recollect, that it ever signifies to belie a person, as Dr Benson would here render it. Hist. of Christianity, Vol. I. p. 103.

ias is struck dead as having lied to God.

direction we are; and to secrete part of the price of the land thou hast sold, when thou pretendest to have brought the whole? While it remained unsold, did it not continue thine, notwithstanding thy profession of faith in Jesus? And when it was sold, was it not still in thine own power, to have given or not given the whole, or any part of it, into the treasury of the church, as thou shouldst think proper? Why then hast thou admitted this thing into thine heart, so meanly and so profanely to dissemble on this solemn occasion? Thou hast not lied to men alone, to us, or to the church, whose treasurers we are; but hast lied to the blessed God himself, who residing in us by his divine Spirit, is determined to make thee a terrible example of his displeasure for an affront so directly levelled at himself, in the midst of this astonishing train of his extraordinary operations.

And Ananias, hearing these words, while the sound of them was yet in his ears, fell down and expired; that by his sad example all might learn how dangerous it was to affront that divine Spirit under whose influence the apostles acted: And it answered its end; for great fear came not only on the immediate spectators, but on all that heard the report of these things. Then some of the young and ablebodied men in the assembly arose, and perceiving there was no room to hope for the recovery of one who

• When it was sold, was it not in thine own power? ] It evidently appears from hence, that no Christian converts were obliged to sell their estates. An answer to the Popish argument from hence, in favour of works of supererogation, may be collected from our paraphrase on Mat. xix. 12. Vol. II.

¹ Ananias—fell down and expired. ] This severity was not only righteous, considering that complication of vain glory and covetousness, or fraud and impiety, which, as Limborch and Mr. Bisco (p. 659—661) have well proved, the action contained; but also, on the whole, was wise and gracious, both as it served to vindicate the honour of the blessed Spirit, so notoriously affronted by this attempt to impose on those, who had been so lately and eminently anointed by his extraordinary effusion, and farther, as it tended most effectually to deter any dishonest persons from joining the

Christians, merely for the sake of a pr alms, to which, by a fraud like this, man might on easy terms have purchased a pretence, who would also, no doubt, have proved a great scandal to a profession taken up on such infamous motives. (Compare ver. 13.) This likewise was a very convincing attestation of the apostles’ most up right conduct in the management of the sums, with which they were intrusted, and indeed, in general of their divine mission; for none can imagine, that Peter would have had the assurance to pronounce, and much less the power to execute such a sentence as this, if he had been at the same time guilty of a much baser fraud of the like kind, or had been belying the Holy Ghost, in the whole of his pretensions to be under his miraculous influence and direction. See Cradock’s Apost. Hist. p. 27, and Reynold’s Lett. to a Deist, p. 245.

His wife Sapphira joins in the same lie, and 1es.

was struck dead by such an immediate act of him up, and carried the Divine power, they bound him up in his him out, and buried mantle, without any farther circumstance of him. Acts v. 6 mourning or delay, and carrying him out, they buried him.

And after the interval of about three hours, his wife Sapphira also, who was absent when this happened, not knowing what was done, came in to the place in which they were assembled. And Peter upon this occasion said to her before them all, Tell me freely, Sapphira, with that uprightness which becomes a disciple of Jesus, whether you indeed sold the land only for so much money, as you know your husband brought hither, naming the sum. And she said, Yes, it was sold exactly for so much. Then Peter by an immediate impulse of the same Spirit, which had before so awfully interposed, said unto her again, How is it that you have thus wickedly conspired together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord, as if you had really suspected, whether he were capable of discerning the affair or not, and were resolved to bring it to a trial? Alas, unhappy woman, it will appear to be a fatal experiment to you both; for behold, the feet of those who have just been burying thy husband, whom Divine vengeance has already struck dead on this occasion, are even now at the door upon their return, and they shall forthwith carry thee out, and lay thee by him in the grave.

And immediately upon this, she also fell down at his feet, and expired. And the young men, who were just then coming in, found her quite dead in amoment; and accordingly they carried her out, and buried her by Ananias her husband. And great fear came upon all the assembly, who were eyewitnesses of what had passed, and upon all others that heard the report, which was soon spread abroad of these things; who could not but acknowledge, that it was the immediate hand of God by which they both died, and that he was just in this awful dispensation.

She also fell down — and expired.] To that is said before in vindication of this seeming severity, in note, we may add, that such exemplary punishment of so heinous a prime was the more expedient, as Christianity was now in its first rise. So, just at the

opening of the Mosaic institution, Nada and Abihu were struck dead with lightnin for a fault (as it seems) of much less aggravated guilt (Lev. x. 1, 2): and the wisest human governments generally act the like principle.

n all, and none dare join them on a a se pretence.

And many other stupendous signs and woners were done among the people in the most public manner, by the hands of the apostles: And they continued in the strictest fellowship and union with the whole company of believers, and were frequently all unanimously together in that spacious building, which we have already mentioned by the name of Solomon’s portico, conversing together with the most affectionate expressions of mutual endearment. And none of the rest who were not really converted to Christianity, presumed to join himself to them, as some mean spirited creatures might possibly otherwise have done for a while, in a low view of some transient advantage, by a share in the distributions that were made. But all the people had a mighty veneration for the apostles, and magnified them with the highest expressions of reverence and respect, as persons who were owned by God in the most signal manner: And though the death of these two unhappy offenders terrified many from hypocritically joining their company, yet the success of the gospel was promoted, rather than hindered by it, so that great multitudes both of men and women, believing their testimony, were so much the more [willingly] added in a solemn manner to the church of the Lord, and made an open profession of their faith; wisely inferring from what had happened, how dangerous it would be to oppose or suppress the inward convictions of their minds, in a matter of so great importance.

h None of the rest presumed to join himself to them.] Dr. Lightfoot explains this of the rest of the hundred and twenty, that they durst not join to the twelve, or equal themselves to the apostles in office or dignity: (Lightf. Comment. in loc.) But as there is no mention of that number in this chapter, so (as Dr. Whitby observes) they never joined themselves before to the apostles in this sense; nor is this any where the meaning of the word κολλασθαι, which signifies to associate, or unite with, to adhere or cleave to any. (Compare Acts ix. 26; x. 28; xvii. 34.) Beza would have it, that κολλασθαι signifies here to attack or touch, and that λοιταν, the rest, refers to their powerful enemies as distinguished from the people: But that signifi-

cation of κολλασθαι is, as he acknowledges, very unusual, and is here quite unnecessary. L’Enfant thinks the meaning is, that persons of distinction had not the resolution to join them, whatever inward conviction they might have as to the truth of their doctrine. But after all, it is mosnatural to understand it, as if it had been said, “The people held them in distant admiration, and presumed not on any false pretence to join them, if not truly converted to their religion;” which yet (as it appears by the next verse,) many were, whreadily came into a full and solemn profession of it, as indeed the late miracle was glorious, though dreadful, demonstration of its truth.

Reflections on the case of Ananias and Sapi

And they were farther animated to boldness in their profession, by the many gracious miracles which succeeded to this work of terror; insomuch that all along the most public streets they brought out the sick, and laid them at their doors on beds and couches, when they were not able to walk; that at least the shadow of Peter as he was coming by, might overshadow some or other of them: And this extraordinary faith was rewarded by the healing of many in that circumstance.

And as the fame of these wonderful works spread abroad, multitudes also [out] of the cities round about came together to Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those that were troubled with unclean spirits; who, by the divine power of Jesus working in his humble disciples, were all healed; as persons in the like circumstances had often been by Christ himself in the days of his flesh. So that the alarm which this gave to the enemies of the gospel, grew continually more and more painful to them, and occasioned some remarkable proceedings against the apostles, which will be related in the following section.

IMPROVEMENT.

Let us behold, with humble reverence, this awful instance of the divine severity, so well calculated to impress the minds of these new converts, and to prevent any of those frauds, which the charity of those who are most zealous in their profession might have occasioned in some others. Let us learn, how hateful falsehood is to the God of truth, and make it our care to avoid it; and not only shun a direct lie, but the taking undue advantage from any ambiguities of expression, and, in a word, all recourse to the arts of equivocation. God only knows, how soon such treacherous lips may be sealed up in eternal silence.

How does Satan delude the heart which he fills? And how peculiarly fatal is the delusion, when he leads men to sins, which especially affront the Holy Spirit of God: That Spirit rested on the apostles, and taught them to discover the hidden things of darkness; so that they who tempted it, fell in the attempt, and became a sign. May integrity and uprightness ever preserve us! (Psal. xxv. 21.) And, while we avoid all the kinds and arts of dissimulation, let us peculiarly detest those, which would offer a double insult to the God of heaven, by taking their dress from the religion, which his own Son has planted.

The church is never happier, than when the sons of falsehood are deterred from intrudin into it. If its members are less

The high priest and Sadducees imprison the apostles.

numerous, it is a sufficient balance, that it is more pure. We see what singular miracles were done by the apostles; miracles equal, and in some respects, as it seems by these instances, superior to those which Christ performed in the days of his ministration here below. When will the happy time come, in which men shall express as great a concern for their souls, as they here did for their bodies? When shall the streets and assemblies be filled with those who, from a sense of their spiritual maladies, shall apply to the ministers of Christ for healing? Let it always be remembered, that whatever they do for this happy purpose, it is indeed their Master that does it by them; and that all their most assiduous applications, separate from his blessing, can effect no more than the shadow of Peter could have done, if the power of Christ had not wrought on those over whom it passed.