1

walked began to walk;

and entered with them

he

8. And he leaping up, he stood, and into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

1 Isa. 35: 6.

man to make the needed effort, and to help him to use his feet in rising and standing, for one has to learn the art of standing and walking even when he has strength to do it. It is said of Kaspar Hauser, who was confined in a German prison from birth till he was 17 years old, that when he first came out he could not walk without stumbling. —R. R. Doherty, Ph.D. The man's faith was strengthened by the miracles the apostles had already wrought, and by the marvelous change in those who had become Christians, and the gift on Pentecost. Perhaps he recalled stories of healing by Jesus, as in John 5: 2-14. The Holy Spirit wrought directly on his soul. His feet and ancle bones received strength. "The language denotes with medical precision the nature of the restoration; the tread gained muscular firmness; the ankle joints new strength and play." — Rendall. PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS. 1. Only such as a person has can he give to others. "Peter could work the miracle, because in himself had the miracle been wrought " by the Holy Spirit. We cannot kindle others unless we ourselves are on fire. Warm words without a warm heart leave us but "a mountain of ice in a sea of fire." If one has courage,

hope, love, goodness, he can infuse them into other souls. If he himself is full of doubts, hate, ill-temper, bad passions, it is these he will impart to those around him, and by no means can such an one impart to others the good he has not himself. Hence it is that the most important element in teaching and in preaching is the man behind them. In the Iliad Homer makes an ugly, ill-tempered, sharp-tongued man deliver a speech against King Agamemnon, which in ink is one of the finest things in the Iliad. But it had no effect on the army, because of the character of the man that made it. "In engineering," says Dr. Gregg, "it is a rule that a cannon should be one hundred times heavier than its shot. A man's character should be a hundred times heavier than what he says." What would the teaching of Jesus have accomplished without his knowledge and power as the Son of God, and his perfect example of his own teaching. What a double motive is here for being good, and acquiring all spirituality and virtue, and, above all, for possessing the living Christ, that we may help others to know and love him.

2.

This opportunity came to the apostles by the wayside, while they were on the way to another duty. Some of our best privileges and most useful hours come to us in this way, as rows of peach trees grew up by the roadside where the soldiers threw the stones of the peaches they had eaten, and as the straw, in which the artist Thorwaldsen's statues were packed, brought over from Rome the seeds of new flowers to adorn the gardens of Copenhagen. We are to be ever on the lookout for unexpected and wayside opportunities to do good, for they are often like the by-products, as of petroleum, sometimes worth more than the original product itself.

3. We are never shut out from the means of great usefulness because we have not much money. But the greater gifts cost the giver more than money, as it is harder to be than to do. Yet money may be used as an instrument through which the higher spirit works. 4. We learn from this incident something about the way God answers many of our prayers. "When God appears to refuse the objects which we desire, he gives us others that are better. If God were inclined to bestow no better gifts than those which we usually desire, we would never obtain his richest gifts.". Starke.

5. THE BEST GIFTS to the poor, or to any one, are not the exact things they want, but the power to obtain them; not merely a cup of water, but an overflowing fountain; not a basket of fruit, but a fruit tree; not mere money, but the power and opportunity to earn a living; not a definite amount of truth, but the means of searching for truth. This is now generally accepted as the best and most effective method of bestowing charity. SCENE V. The Saved Man (vs. 8-10). 8. And he leaping up, égaλλóμevos; from , from, up, and äλλoμai, to spring up, like water from a fountain (the second leaping used in this verse). The compound is used in medical language "of starting from sleep, or of the sudden bound of the pulse.' He stood, first to get his balance, and then walked. Entered with them into the temple. That is, into the sacred enclosure, either from the outside into the Court of the Gentiles, through the Shushan gate, or into the Court of the Women from the Court of the Gentiles. At this hour, the time of the evening service of sacrifice, the courts of the temple would be full of worshipers. Walking, and leaping. "He never before put one foot before another, but now he walks and leaps. Perhaps the phrase may be meant to denote that the man's first efforts at the unknown art of progres

9.

10.

1 And all the people saw him walking and praising God:

knew

And they took knowledge of him, that it was he which 2 sat for alms at the

Beautiful ate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him.

partly

sion upon his feet
was a peculiar
movement,
leaping and partly
walking, as would,
we imagine, have
been natural under
the circumstances.
His first impulse
would probably be
to move both feet
at once, and this
would be leaping;
but finding this was
wrong, he would
try to move his
limbs alternately,
and this was walk-
ing. The leaping
may, however, have
been a spontaneous
act expressive of
his gladness, and
calculated to satisfy

himself, and to show others that he was perfectly healed."-Kitto. And praising God. His first thought was to return thanks to God for his great deliverance. This shows that he was cured in soul as well as body. Praise is as natural to a child of God as his morning song to a bird; or the gushing of the waters to a fountain.

COMPARE the poem,

"The Two Baskets "; one for petitions and one for praises. Suggestive Illustrations on Acts, p. 85.

9. And all the people saw him. The miracle was public, before crowds of people, and his ecstatic expressions of joy called their attention to him. "St. Chrysostom remarks that it was no less than if they saw Christ risen from the dead, to hear Peter saying, 'In the name,' etc.; and if Christ is not raised, how account for it, he asks, that those who fled whilst he was alive now dared a thousand perils for him when dead?"- Knowling. The change in Peter was as great a miracle as the change in the lame man.

10. And they knew, etc. They recognized, identified him. There was no mistake that this man who was walking and leaping was the very man who had been born lame. So that even the bitterest opposers were compelled to admit the fact (Acts 4: 16). They had seen him often, and his face was a familiar sight. Filled with wonder, eάußovs, "used from Homer downwards, of amazement allied to terror or awe." Knowling. Amazement, éKoráσews, from èk, out of, and iornu, to put or place; hence, of a man put out of his senses, out of his normal condition; transported, as with joy or wonder; rapt, from earthly things, as in a trance. Our word" ecstasy" is a transcript of the Greek. The great design of the miracle seems to have been to arouse the attention of the multitude, -to convert them into inquirers. As has been well said, "miracles are bells to call the people to worship." "Of course, over and above this, they are also the divine credentials of the messengers, of those who are to conduct the worship."-Gloag.

A PARABLE OF REDEMPTION. This miracle is an acted parable of redemption; the helplessness and the need; the desire for bodily healing and help, leading to the spiritual; the gospel offering gifts beyond all silver or gold in value; the command in Jesus' name; the faith that led to obedience, and to doing what seemed impossible; the joy in the newfound life; the wonderful change; the amazement of the people.

he

II. And as the lame man which was healed held Pē'ter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Sol'o-mon's, greatly wondering.

look

12. And when Pe'ter saw it; he answered unto the people, Ye men of Is'ra-el, why marvel ye at this? or why so earnestly on us, as though fasten ye your eyes this man to walk?

by our own power or

2

holiness godliness

man?

we had made

him

13. The God of A'bră-hăm, and of I'saac, and of Ja'cob, the God of

3

Son
Servant

our fathers, hath glorified his Jé'sus ; whom ye

5 denied him in the presence of Pi'late, when he was

before the

14. But ye denied

granted unto you;

the Holy

One 7 and the Just,

determined to
desired
and

and Righteous One, 6

asked for

delivered up, and

let him go. release him.

a murderer to be

15. and And killed the Prince of life; 8 whom God hath raised from the dead; 9 whereof we are witnesses.

II. Peter's Sermon explaining and applying the Miracle. Vs. 11-26. I. THE AUDIENCE. Crowds in Solomon's cloister in the Temple Court (v. II). Held Peter and John. (1) In loving gratitude; (2) to show who had done such great things for him; (3) as a testimony that he accepted their Saviour and Master; (4) as a means of continued strength and grace. Ran together. After the regular service was over, returning through the Gate Beautiful, down its fifteen steps to the outer Court of the Gentiles, into the porch that is called Solomon's. A cloister extending along the eastern side, nearly six hundred feet. It was built on an artificial embankment which was the work of King Solomon; hence, perhaps the name. The porch was fifteen cubits (22 to 26 feet) wide, and its roof of cedar was supported by two rows of marble columns, twenty-five cubits (38 to 43 feet) high.

2. THE TEXT was the restored man standing by his side.

3. THE SOURCE OF THE HEALING (vs. 12-15). Peter declares the power does not lie in the apostles, as John the Baptist denied that he was the Christ. It would, indeed, be a

marvel if by their (12) own power or holiness they had made this man to walk. The power came from Jesus, the Prince of life, whom they had rejected and killed, destroying their only hope of personal or national salvation. But their God, the God of their fathers and of their nation, raised him up from the dead, triumphing over their evil, and proving that he was the Messiah of their hopes, and again presenting him to them for their acceptance.

4. THE MEANS OF SALVATION WAS FAITH (vs. 16, 17). 16. Through faith in his the faith which is by him. Salvation came to the lame man, and will come to you if you will believe and receive him. And there is hope, because through ignorance ye did it. 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."

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5. JESUS IS THe Promised MESSIAH (v. 18). You think he cannot be your Messiah because he was slain. But that is one proof that he is the Messiah, for your own prophets foretold it of him.

6. THEREFORE REPENT AND TURN AGAIN (vs. 19-21). In view of this truth and because thus your sins may be blotted out. And "so there may come seasons of refreshing" to you, of new spiritual life, not only in the future, but in the present, such as had just been witnessed, a foretaste of the visible and glorious presence when the Lord shall return in glory. Therefore repent, for there is coming a restoration of all things, the glorious Messianic times foretold by all the prophets who have spoken God's words from the beginning.

SCRIPTURE PROOF Follows (vs. 22-25). The Scriptures you believe declare this same

They themselves warn you that if you neglect to obey But now the promises are being fulfilled before your eyes. CLOSING EXHORTATION (v. 26). Believe and repent, for God and his Son Jesus earnestly desire to bless you, and save you from your iniquities.

All this has a personal and pressing application to us.

THE FIRST PERSECUTION.

Study Verses 1-22. Read Acts 4: 1-31.

GOLDEN TEXT.-There is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. — ACTS 4: 12.

THE REFERENCE LIBRARY. Farrar's Texts Explained, pp. 131-134; Suggestive Illustrations on Acts, pp. 95114; Spurgeon's Sermons in Candles, pp. 121, 122, 165; Luther's experience as given in Carlyle's Heroes and Hero Worship, "The Hero as Priest "; "The Two St. Johns," by Stalker, in The Apostolic Age; Stifler's Introduction to the Acts, "Spiritual Guidance"; Pierson's Acts of the Holy Spirit, "Fulness and Boldness of the Spirit"; Dr. William M. Taylor's Fier the "The Apostle, Chap. 14; Lowell's Poems, Present Crisis"; article on "The Physical Basis of Courage," in The Century for June, 1888. On the Sanhedrim, there is an admirable and concise article in Schaff's edition of Herzog's Cyclopedia and in Hastings' Bible Dictionary.

1. And as they spake unto the people, the priests' and the "captain of the temple and the Săd'du-cees' came upon them,

2.

1 Being grieved that

being sore troubled because they taught the people, and preached through Jesus

the resurrection from the dead.

I Matt. 22: 23; Acts 23: 8.

proclaimed in

a Or, ruler.

Vs. 1-3.

I. The Apostles arrested and sent to Prison. 1. And as they (Peter and John) spake unto the people in Solomon's porch or cloister, a pillared portico open to the court of the temple. The well-known lame man had been healed, and was standing by the apostles, while Peter, taking the miracle as his text, had been preaching Jesus as the Messiah and Saviour. There was no little excitement about the matter. Peter was interrupted in his speech. The priests, whose temple services had been interfered with by the withdrawal of the crowds into another part of the temple, and their attraction to the strange event and the new teachings. The priests would naturally resent any usurpation of their place as the leaders of worship and instruction, and any lessening of their influence. And the captain of the temple was the captain of the guard of Levites and others, whose business was to protect the temple, prevent disorder and any interruption of the services. He was under the direction of the priests. And the Sadducees. These were rather a party than a sect. They did not believe in the future life, or angels or spirits or the resurrection, "but their real bond of union was political .. they were supporters of the existing system in alliance with Roman authority, and monopolized public offices in the Sanhedrim, the priesthood, and the magistracy. They were on principle bitterly opposed to the enthusiasm which Jesus had kindled, as a revolutionary force." - Rendall. Josephus informs us that the high priestly families belonged to the Sadducean party." "They were the aristocratic priests occupying influential positions.' - Knowling. Came upon them. Stood by them suddenly, while they were speaking to the people, and broke

66

up the meeting.

2. Being grieved (diaπovoúμevo). Troubled through and through, vexed all through. This being the force of diá, through, in composition with the verb. That they taught the people. Different parties had different reasons for their displeasure. The temple police would avoid disorder and unauthorized gatherings. The priests were angry at the interference with their functions of worship and teaching; and the Sadducees, because the miracle and the preaching were a flat contradiction of their religious opinions, and favored their enemies, the Pharisees; and all because the growth of the new sect would interfere