Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 6.djvu/42

36 the ministers to do their part, and the people their's.

1. The preachers faithfully delivered the doctrine of Christ; They spake unto the people, to all that were within hearing, v. 1. What they said, concerned them all, and they spake it openly and publicly. They taught the people, still taught the people knowledge; taught those that as yet did not believe, for their conviction and conversion; and taught those that did believe, for their comfort and establishment. They preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead. This doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, (1.) Was verified in Jesus; this they proved, that Jesus Christ was risen from the dead, was the First, the Chief, that should rise from the dead, ch. 26. 23. They preached the resurrection of Christ, as their warrant for what they did. Or, (2.) It is secured by him ''to all believers. The resurrection of the dead includes all the happiness of the future state; this they preached through Jesus Christ, attainable through him, (Phil. 3. 10, 11.) and through him'' only. They meddled not with matters of state, but kept to their business, and preached to people heaven as their end, and Christ as their Way. See ch. 17. 18.

2. The hearers cheerfully receive it; (v. 4.) Many of them which heard the word, believed; not all, perhaps not the most, yet many, to the number of about five thousand, over and above the three thousand we read of before. See how the gospel got ground, and it was the effect of the pouring out of the Spirit! Though the preachers were persecuted, the word prevailed; for sometimes the church's suffering days have been her growing days; the days of her infancy were so.

II. The chief priests and their party now made head against them, and did what they could to crush them; their hands were tied a while, but their hearts were not in the least changed. Now here observe,

1. Who they were, that appeared against the apostles; they were the priests; you may be sure, in the first place they were always sworn enemies to Christ and his gospel; they were as jealous for their priesthood as Cæsar for his monarchy, and would not bear one they thought their rival, now when he was preached as a Priest, as much as when he did preach as a Prophet. With them joined the captain of the temple, who, it is supposed, was a Roman officer, governor of the garrison that was placed in the tower of Antonia, for the guard of the temple: so that still here were both Jews and Gentiles confederate against Christ. The Sadducees also were zealous against them, who denied the being of spirits and the future state. One would wonder (saith Mr. Baxter) what should make such brutists, as the Sadducees were, to be such furious silencers and persecutors. If there is no life to come, what harm can other men's hopes of it do them? But in depraved souls all faculties are vitiated. A blind mind has a malignant heart and a cruel hand, to this day."

2. How they stood affected to the apostles' preaching; They were grieved that they taught the people, v. 2: It grieved them, both that the gospel-doctrine was preached, (was so preached, so publicly, so boldly,) and that the people were so ready to hear it. They thought, when they had put Christ to such an ignominious death, his disciples would ever after be ashamed and afraid to own him, and the people would have invincible prejudices against his doctrine; and now it vexed them to see themselves disappointed, and that his gospel gets ground, instead of losing it. The wicked shall see it, and be grieved, Ps. 112. 10. They were grieved at that which they should have rejoiced in, at that which angels rejoice in. Miserable is their case, to whom the glory of Christ's kingdom is a grief; for since the glory of that kingdom is everlasting, it follows of course, that their grief will be everlasting too. It grieved them that the apostles ''preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead. The Sadducees were grieved that the resurrection from the dead was preached; for they opposed that doctrine, and could not bear to hear of a future state'', to hear it so well attested. The chief priests were grieved that they preached the resurrection of the dead through Jesus, that he should have the honour of it; and though they professed to believe the resurrection of the dead against the Sadducees, yet they would rather give up that important article than have it preached and proved to be through Jesus.

3. How far they proceeded against the apostles; (v. 3.) They laid hands on them, (that, is, their servants and officers did at their command,) and put them in hold, committed them to the custody of the proper officer until the next day; they could not examine them now, for it was even-tide, and yet would defer it no longer than till next day. See how God trains up his servants for sufferings by degrees, and by lesser trials prepares them for greater; now they resist unto bonds only, but afterward to blood.

5. And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes, 6. And Annas the High-Priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the High-Priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. 7. 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 elders of Israel, 9. If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; 10. 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 the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. 11. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. 12. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is no 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 unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. 14. And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.

We have here the trial of Peter and John before the judges of the ecclesiastical court, for preaching a sermon concerning Jesus Christ, and working a miracle in his name. This is charged upon them as a crime, which was the best service they could do to God or men.

I. Here is the court set; an extraordinary court, it should seem, was called on purpose upon this occasion. Observe,

1. The time when the court sat, (v. 5.) on the