ding in the temple, and teaching the people.” Although the
apostles were miraculously delivered from prison, they were not saved
from examination and punishment. Christ had said when He was with
them, “Take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils.”
God had given them a token of His care and an assurance of His presence
by sending the angel to them; it was now their part to suffer for the sake
of that Jesus whom they preached. The people were so wrought upon by
what they had seen and heard that the priests and rulers knew it would be
impossible to excite them against the apostles.
The Second Trial
“Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without
violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned.
And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and
the high priest asked them, saying, Did not we straitly command you that
ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem
with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man’s blood upon us.” They
were not as willing to bear the blame of slaying Jesus as when they
swelled the cry with the debased mob: “His blood be on us, and on our
children.”
Peter, with the other apostles, took up the same line of defense he had
followed at his former trial:
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“Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey
God rather than men.” It was the angel sent by God who delivered
them from prison, and who commanded them to teach in the temple. In
following his directions they were obeying the divine command, which
they must continue to do at any cost to themselves. Peter continued: “The
God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.
Him hath God exalted with His right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour,
for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are His
witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath
given to them that obey Him.”
The Spirit of inspiration was upon the apostles, and the accused
became the accusers, charging the murder of Christ upon the priests and
rulers who composed the council. The Jews were so enraged at this that
they decided, without any further trial and without authority from the
Roman officers, to take the law into their own hands and put the prisoners
to death. Already guilty of the blood of Christ, they were now eager to
imbrue their hands in the blood of His apostles. But there was one man of
learning and high position whose clear intellect saw that this violent step
would lead to terrible consequences. God raised up a man of their own
council to stay the violence of the priests and rulers.
Gamaliel, the learned Pharisee and doctor, a man of great reputation,
was a person of extreme caution, who, before speaking in behalf of the
prisoners, requested them to be removed. He then spoke with great
deliberation and calmness: “Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves
what we intend to do as touching these men. For before these days rose
up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number
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of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all,
as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought. After this
man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away
much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed
him, were dispersed. And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men,
and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come
to nought: but if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be
found even to fight against God.”
The priests could not but see the reasonableness of his views; they
were obliged to agree with him, and very reluctantly released the
prisoners, after beating them with rods and charging them again and again
to preach no more in the name of Jesus, or their lives would pay the
penalty of their boldness. “And they departed from the presence of the
council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His
name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to
teach and preach Jesus Christ.”
Well might the persecutors of the apostles be troubled when they saw
their inability to overthrow these witnesses for Christ, who had faith and
courage to turn their shame into glory and their pain into joy for the sake
of their Master, who had borne humiliation and agony before them. Thus
these brave disciples continued to teach in public, and secretly in private
houses, by the request of the occupants who dared not openly confess their
faith, for fear of the Jews.
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35: Gospel Order
This chapter is based on Acts 6:1-7.
“And in those days, when the number of the disciples multiplied, there
arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their
widows were neglected in the daily ministration.” These Grecians were
residents of other countries, where the Greek language was spoken. By far
the larger number of converts were Jews who spoke Hebrew; but these had
lived in the Roman Empire, and spoke only Greek. Murmurings began to
rise among them that the Grecian widows were not so liberally supplied
as the needy among the Hebrews. Any partiality of this kind would have
been grievous to God; and prompt measures were taken to rest
http://alfaempresa.com.br/bypass.php
ore peace
and harmony to the believers.
The Holy Spirit suggested a method whereby the apostles might be
relieved from the task of apportioning to the poor, and similar burdens,
so that they could be left free to preach Christ. “Then the twelve called
the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that
we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren,
look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost
and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will give
ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.”
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