Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 6.djvu/147

Rh church," so the banishment of the confessors has helped to scatter that seed. Observe,

1. How they made the first offer of the gospel, to the Jews, in their synagogues; thither they went, not only as to a place of meeting, but as to a place of meeting with them, to whom, wherever they came, they were to apply themselves in the first place. Though the Jews at Antioch had used them barbarously, yet they did not therefore decline preaching the gospel to the Jews at Iconium, who perhaps might be better disposed. Let not those of any denomination be condemned in the gross, nor some suffer for others' faults ; but let us do good to those who have done evil to us. Though the blood-thirsty hate the upright, yet the just seek their soul, (Prov. 29. 10.) seek the salvation of it.

2. How the apostles concurred herein; notice is taken of this, that they went both together into the synagogue, to testify their unanimity and mutual affection; that people might say, See how they love one another, and might think the better of christianity, and that they might strengthen one another's hands, and confirm one another's testimony, and out of the mouth of two witnesses every word might be established. They did not go one one day, and another another; or one go at the beginning, and the other some time after; but they went in both together.

II. The success of their preaching there; They so spake, that a great multitude, some hundreds perhaps, if not thousands, both of the Jews, and also of the Greeks, that is, the Gentiles, believed. Observe here,

1. That the gospel was now preached to Jews and Gentiles together, and those of each denomination, that believed, came together into the church. In the close of the foregoing chapter it was preached first to the Jews, and some of them believed, then to the Gentiles, and some of them believed; but here they are put together, being put upon the same level. The Jews have not so lost their preference as to be thrown behind, only the Gentiles are brought to stand upon even terms with them, both are reconciled to God in one body, (Ephes. 2. 16.) and both together admitted into the church without distinction.

2. There seems to have been something remarkable in the manner of the apostles' preaching here, which contributed to their success; They so spake, that a great multitude believed; so plainly, so convincingly, with such an evidence and demonstration of the Spirit, and with such power; they so spake, so warmly, so affectionately, and with such a manifest concern for the souls of men; they so spake, that one might perceive they were not only convinced, but filled, with the things they spake of; and that what they spake came from the heart, and therefore was likely to reach to the heart; they so spake, so earnestly and seriously, so boldly and courageously, that they who heard them could not but say, God was with them of a truth. Yet the success was not to be attributed to the manner of their preaching, but to the Spirit of God, who made use of that means.

III. The opposition that their preaching met with there, and the trouble that was created them; lest they should be puffed up with the multitude of their converts, there was given them this thorn in the flesh,

1. Unbelieving Jews were the first spring of their trouble, here, as elsewhere; (v. 2.) they stirred up the Gentiles. The influence which the gospel had upon many of the Gentiles, and their embracing of it, as it provoked some of the Jews to a holy jealousy, and stirred them up to receive the gospel too, (Rom. 11. 14.) so it provoked others of them to a wicked jealousy, and exasperated them against the gospel. Thus as good instructions, so good examples, which to some are a savour of life unto life, to others are a savour of death unto death. See 2 Cor. 2. 15, 16.

2. Disaffected Gentiles, irritated by the unbelieving Jews, were likely to be the instruments of their trouble; the Jews, by false suggestions, which they were continually buzzing in the ears of the Gentiles, made their minds evil affected against the brethren, whom of themselves they were inclined to think favourably of. They not only took occasion in all companies, as it came in their way, but made it their business to go purposely to such as they had any acquaintance with, and said all that their wit or malice could invent, to beget in them not only a mean but an ill opinion of Christianity, telling them how destructive it would certainly be to their pagan theology and worship, and for their parts, they would rather be Gentiles than Christians. Thus they soured and imbittered their spirits against both the converters and the converted. The old serpent did, by their poisonous tongues, infuse his venom against the seed of the woman into the minds of these Gentiles, and this was a root of bitterness in them, bearing gall and wormwood. It is no wonder if those who are ill affected toward good people, wish ill to them, speak ill of them, and contrive ill against them; it is all owing to ill will. , they molested and vexed the minds of the Gentiles; so some of the critics take it; they were continually teasing them with their impertinent solicitations. The tools of persecutors have a dog's life, set on continually.

IV. Their continuance in their work there, notwithstanding this opposition, and God's owning them in it, v. 3. We have here,

1. The apostles working for Christ, faithfully and diligently according to the trust committed to them; because the minds of the Gentiles were evil affected against them, one would think that therefore they should have withdrawn and hastened out of the way, or, if they had preached, should have preached cautiously, for fear of giving further provocation to those who were already enough enraged; no, on the contrary, therefore they abode there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord. The more they perceived the spite and rancour of the town against the new converts, the more they were animated to go on in their work, and the more needful they saw it to continue among them, ''to confirm them in the faith, and to comfort them. They spake boldly'', and were not afraid of giving offence to the unbelieving Jews. What God said to the prophet, with reference to the unbelieving Jews in his day, was now made good to the apostles; I have made thy face strong against their faces, Ezek. 3. 7—9. But observe what it was that animated them; They spake boldly in the Lord, in his strength, and trusting in him to bear them out; not depending upon any thing in themselves. They were strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

2. Christ working with the apostles, according to his promise, Lo, I am with you always. When they went on in his name and strength, he failed not to give testimony to the word of his grace. Note, (1.) The gospel is a word of grace, the assurance of God's good-will to us, and the means of his good work in us. It is the word of Christ's grace, for it is in him alone that we find favour with God. (2.) Christ himself has attested this word of grace, who is the Amen, the faithful Witness; he has assured us that it is the word of God, and that we may venture our souls upon it. As it was said in general concerning the first preachers of the gospel, that they had the Lord working with them, and confirming the word by signs following, (Mark 16. 20.) so it is said particularly concerning the apostles here, that the Lord confirmed their testimony, in granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands; in the