Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 6.djvu/44

38 that they had been the murderers of this Jesus; "It is he whom ye crucified, look how you will answer it;" in order to the bringing of them to believe in Christ, (for he aims at no less than that,) he endeavours to convince them of sin, of that sin which, one would think, of all others, was most likely to startle conscience—their putting Christ to death. Let them take it how they will, Peter will miss no occasion to tell them of it.

[4.] He attests the resurrection of Christ as the strongest testimony for him, and against his persecutors; "They crucified him, but God raised him from the dead, they took away his life, but God gave it him again, and your further opposition to his interest will speed no better." He tells them that God raised him from the dead, and they could not for shame answer him with that foolish suggestion, that they palmed upon the people, that his disciples came by night and stole him away.

[5.] He preaches this to all the by-standers, to be by them repeated to all their neighbours, and commands all manner of persons, from, the highest to the lowest, to take notice of it at their peril; "Be it known to you all, that are here present, and it shall be made known to all the people of Israel, wherever they are dispersed, in spite of all your endeavours to stifle and suppress the notice of it; as the Lord God of gods knows, so Israel shall know, all Israel shall know, that wonders are wrought in the name of Jesus, not by repeating it as a charm, but believing in it as a divine revelation of grace and good will to men.

(2.) That the name of this Jesus, by the authority of which they acted, is that name alone by which men can be saved. He passes from this particular instance to shew that it is not a particular sect, a party, that is designed to be set up by the doctrine they preached, and the miracle they wrought, which people might either join with, or keep off from, at their pleasure, as it was with the sects of the philosophers, and those among the Jews; but it is a sacred and divine institution that is hereby ratified and confirmed, and which all people are highly concerned to submit to, and come into the measures of. It is not an indifferent thing, but of an absolute necessity, that people believe in this name, and call upon it.

[1.] We are obliged to it, in duty to God, and in compliance with his designs; (v. 11.) "This is the Stone which was set at nought of you builders, you that are the rulers of the people, and the elders of Israel, that should be the builders of the church, that pretend to be so; for the church is God's building. Here was a Stone offered you, to be put in the chief place of the building, to be the main Pillar on which the fabric might entirely rest; but you set it at nought, rejected it, would not make use of it; but threw it by as good for nothing but to make a stepping-stone of; but this Stone is now become the Head of the corner; God has raised up this Jesus, whom you rejected, and, by setting him at his right hand, has made him both the Corner-Stone and the Head-Stone, the Centre of unity and the Fountain of power." Probably, St. Peter here chose to make use of this quotation, because Christ had himself made use of it in answer to the demand of the chief priests and the elders concerning his authority, not long before this, Matt. 21. 42. Scripture is a tried weapon in our spiritual conflicts; let us therefore stick to it.

[2.] We are obliged to it for our own interest. We are undone if we do not take shelter in this name, and make it our refuge and strong tower; for we cannot be saved but by Jesus Christ, and if we be not eternally saved, we are eternally undone; (v. 12.) Neither is there salvation in any other. As there is no other name by which diseased bodies can be cured, so there is no other by which sinful souls can be saved. "By him, and him only, by receiving and embracing his doctrine, salvation must now be hoped for by all. For there is no other religion in the world, no not that delivered by Moses, by which salvation can be had for those that do not now come into this, at the preaching of it." So Dr. Hammond. Observe here, First, Our salvation is our chief concern, and that which ought to lie nearest our hearts; our rescue from wrath and the curse, and our restoration to God's favour and blessing. Secondly, Our salvation is not in ourselves, nor can be obtained by any merit or strength of our own; we can destroy ourselves, but we cannot save ourselves. Thirdly, There are among men many names that pretend to be saving names, but really are not so; many institutions in religion that pretend to settle a reconciliation and correspondence between God and man, but cannot do it. Fourthly, It is only by Christ and his name that those favours can be expected from God, which are necessary to our salvation, and that our services can be accepted with God. This is the honour of Christ's name, that it is the only name whereby we must be saved; the only name we have to plead in all our addresses to God. This name is given, God has appointed it, and it is an inestimable benefit freely conferred upon us. It is given under heaven; Christ has not only a great name in heaven, but a great name under heaven; for he has all power both in the upper and in the lower world. It is given among men, who need salvation, men who are ready to perish. We may be saved by his name, that name of his, The Lord our Righteousness; and we cannot be saved by any other. How far those who have not the knowledge of Christ, nor any actual faith in him, yet live up to the light they have, may find favour with God, it is not our business to determine. But this we know, that, whatever saving favour such may receive, it is upon the account of Christ, and for his sake only; so that still ''there is no salvation in any other. I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me'', Isa. 45. 4.

IV. The stand that the court was put to, in the prosecution by this plea, v. 13, 14. Now was fulfilled that promise Christ made, that he would give them a mouth and wisdom, such as all their adversaries should not be able to gainsay or resist.

1. They could not deny the cure of the lame man to be both a good deed and a miracle; he was there standing with Peter and John, ready to attest the cure, if there was occasion, and they had nothing to say against it, (v. 14.) either to disprove it, or to disparage it. It was well that it was not on the sabbath-day, else they would have had that to say against it.

2. They could not, with all their pomp and power, face down Peter and John; this was a miracle not inferior to the cure of the lame man, considering both what cruel bloody enemies these priests had been to the name of Christ, (enough to make any one tremble that appeared for him,) and considering what cowardly faint-hearted advocates those disciples had lately been for him; Peter particularly, who denied him for fear of a silly maid; yet now they see the boldness of Peter and John, v. 13. Probably, there was something extraordinary and very surprising in their looks, they appeared not only undaunted by the rulers, but daring and daunting to them; they had something majestic in their foreheads, sparkling in their eyes, and commanding, if not terrifying, in their voice. They set their faces like a flint, as the prophet, Isa. 50. 7. Ezek. 3. 8. The courage of Christ's faithful confessors has often been the confusion of their cruel persecutors. Now,

(1.) We are here told what increased their wonder; They perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men: they inquired either of themselves