Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 6.djvu/43

Rh morrow; not in the night, as when Christ was to be tried before them, for they seem not to have been so hot upon this prosecution as they were upon that; it was well if they began to relent. But they adjourned it to the morrow, and no longer; for they were impatient to get them silenced, and would lose no time.

2. The place where—in Jerusalem; (v. 6.) there it was that he told his disciples they must expect to suffer hard things, as he had done before them in that place. This seems to come in here as an aggravation of their sin, that in Jerusalem, where there were so many that looked for redemption before it came, yet there were more that would not look upon it when it did come. How is that faithful city become a harlot! See Matt. 23. 37. It was in the foresight of Jerusalem's standing, in her own light, that Christ beheld the city, and wept over it.

3. The judges of the court. (1.) Their general character; they were rulers, elders, and Scribes, v. 5. The Scribes were men of learning, who came to dispute with the apostles, and hoped to confute them. The rulers and elders were men in power, who, if they could not answer them, thought they could find some cause or other to silence them. If the gospel of Christ had not been of God, it could not have made its way, for it had both the learning and power of the world against it, both the colleges of the Scribes and the courts of the elders. (2.) The names of some of them who were most considerable. Here were Annas and Caiaphas, ringleaders in this persecution; Annas, the president of the Sanhedrim, and Caiaphas, the High-Priest, (though Annas is here called so,) and father of the house of judgment. It should seem that Annas and Caiaphas executed the High-Priest's office alternately, year for year; they two were most active against Christ; then Caiaphas was High-Priest, now Annas was; however, they were both equally malignant against Christ and his gospel. John is supposed, to be the son of Annas; and, Alexander is mentioned by Josephus, as a man that made a figure at that time. There were others likewise that were of the kindred of the High-Priest, who, having dependence on him, and expectations from him, would be sure to say as he said, and vote with him against the apostles. Great relations, and not good, have been a snare to many.

II. The prisoners are arraigned, v. 7.

1. They are brought to the bar; they set them in the midst, for the Sanhedrim sat in a circle, and they who had any thing to do in the court, stood or sat in the midst of them; (Luke 2. 46.) so Dr. Lightfoot. Thus the scripture was fulfilled, The assembly of the wicked has enclosed me, Ps. 22. 16. They compassed me about like bees, Ps. 118. 12. They were seated on every side.

2. The question they asked them, was, "By what power, or by what name, have ye done this? By what authority do ye these things?" (The same question that they had asked their Master, Matt. 21. 23.) "Who commissioned you to preach such a doctrine as this, and empowered you to work such a miracle as this? You have no warrant or license from us, and therefore are accountable to us whence you have your warrant." Some think this question was grounded upon a fond conceit that the very naming of some names might do wonders, as ch. 19. 13. The Jewish exorcists made use of the name of Jesus. Now they would know what name they made use of in their cure, and consequently, what name they set themselves to advance in their preaching. They knew very well that they preached Jesus, and the resurrection of the dead, and the healing of the sick, through Jesus; (v. 2.) yet they ask them, to tease them, and try if they could get any thing out of them that looked criminal.

III. The plea they put in, the design of which was not so much to clear and secure themselves as to advance the name and honour of their Master, who had told them that their being brought before governors and kings would give them an opportunity of preaching the gospel to those whom otherwise they could not have had access to, and it should be a testimony against them. Mark 13. 9. Observe,

1. By whom this plea was drawn up; it was dictated by the Holy Ghost, who fitted Peter more than before for this occasion. The apostles, with a holy negligence of their own preservation, set themselves to preach Christ, as he had directed them to do in such a case, and then Christ made good to them his promise, that the Holy Ghost should give them in that same hour what they should speak. Christ's faithful advocates shall never want instructions, Mark 13. 11.

2. To whom it was given in; Peter, who is still the chief speaker, addresses himself to the judges of the court, as the rulers of the people and elders of Israel; for the wickedness of those in power does not divest them of their power, but the consideration of the power they are intrusted with, should prevail to divest them of their wickedness. "You are rulers and elders, and should know more than others of the signs of the times, and not oppose that which you are bound by the duty of your place to embrace and advance, that is, the kingdom of the Messiah; you are rulers and elders of Israel, God's people, and if you mislead them, and cause them to err, you will have a great deal to answer for."

3. What the plea is; it is a solemn declaration.

(1.) That what they did was in the name of Jesus Christ, which was a direct answer to the question the court asked them; (v. 9, 10.) "If we this day be examined, be called to an account as criminals, so the word signifies, for a good deed (as any one will own it to be) done to the impotent man, if this be the ground of the commitment, this the matter of the indictment, if we are put to the question, by what means, or by whom, he is made whole; we have an answer ready, and it is the same we gave to the people, (ch. 3. 16.) we will repeat it to you, as that which we will stand by, Be it known to you all who pretend to be ignorant of this, matter, and not to you only, but to all the people of Israel, for they are all concerned to know it, that by the name of Jesus Christ, that precious, powerful, prevailing name, that name above every name, even by him whom you in contempt called Jesus of Nazareth, whom you crucified, both rulers and people, and whom God hath raised from the dead, and advanced to the highest dignity and dominion, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole; a monument of the power of the Lord Jesus." Here,

[1.] He justifies what he and his colleague had done in curing the lame man; it was a good deed; it was a kindness to the man that had begged, but could not work for his living; a kindness to the temple, and to them that went in to worship, who were now freed from the noise and clamour of that common beggar. "Now if we be reckoned with for this good deed, we have no reason to be ashamed, 1 Pet. 2. 20. ch. 4. 14, 16. Let them be ashamed, who bring us into trouble for it." Note, It is no new thing for good men to ''suffer ill for doing well. Bene agere & male pati vere christianum est—To do well and to suffer punishment is the christian's lot''.

[2.] He transfers all the praise and glory of that good deed to Jesus Christ. "It is by him, and not by any power of our's, that this man is cured." He seeks not to raise an interest for themselves, or to recommend themselves by it to the good opinion of the court; but, "Let the Lord alone be exalted, no matter what comes of us."

[3.] He charges it upon the judges themselves,