275
June 1931
T h e
K i n g ’ s
’B u s . i n e s s
BLACKBOARD LESSON
crucified and buried by man and raised and glorified by God. There is salvation in no other. Christianity is bigoted and intolerant in the matter of the way of sal vation; it excludes everything in which man prides himself, and it shuts one up to simple faith in Him who alone is the Saviour—our Lord Jesus Christ (1 John 5:12; John 3:18). The accusers marveled at the apostles —at their boldness, their language, and their work as seen in the man who had been healed, when they “perceived that they were unlearned,” meaning unlearned as far as the theological schools of that day were concerned, and “ignorant,” referring to the fact that they were lay men. 2. The conviction of the court. Seeing the man who had been healed standing there before them, they had nothing to say. The very best Christian evidence is that given by one who can stand forth and declare: “Once I was lame, now I walk; once I was blind, now I see; once I was lost, how I am saved.” The healed man was not compelled to be there. He had not been arrested. But he gladly took his place with those who spoke and wrought for God, adding his testimony to theirs. 3. The condemnation of the court. This is seen in the rest of the chap ter. While the listeners had been con victed and Silenced, they had not been converted. There are many like them in Sunday-school classes today. They know the tru th ; they know that there is no sal vation apart from Christ. But they per sist, as this Jewish council did, in re jecting Him who alone can bring salva tion. * * sfc L e sso n Q u e st io n s Vs. 1, 2. What was the cause of the apostles’ arrest? What was the main point in their preaching? Why did ref erence to this event arouse the Jewish leaders’ ire ? €Vs. 3, 4. Was the treatment given to the apostles similar to that which the leaders of Israel had given to Jesus (John 19:1)? Did they accept or reject the testimony? Did individuals accept it? How many? Vs. 5, 6. Of whom was the court com posed? Had Jesus ever been brought be fore this group (Matt. 26:63-66) ? From whom had these men heard of the resur rection (Matt. 28:11-15)? What bribe had they offered to silence the guard? V. 7. What question did the court ask the apostles? Is the same kind of ques tion asked of believers today? Vs. 8-12. To what may the power of Peter’s answer be traced? Does the Holy Spirit fill each surrendered believer (Matt. 10:19, 20; 1 Pet. 3:15; Eph. 5: 18) ? By what name did Peter refer to Jesus? What was implied in the title? In what event was the power of the resurrected Christ manifested? To whom did Peter refer when he spoke of the “stone which was set at nought of you builders” ? From what Old Testament scripture did he quote (Psa. 118:22; cf. Matt. 21:42) ? What was the main point in Peter’s message (v. 12) ? Did he mean that it was impossible for the Jews to be saved, or that salvation is possible only III. T h e R e s u l t (13, 14). 1. The wonder o f the court.
His Representative, the Holy Spirit, in the apostles. But while the leaders re jected the testimony, many of the people accepted it, and the number of those who accepted soon mounted to about 5,000. II. T h e A r r a ig n m e n t o f t h e A po stles (5-12). 1. The court (5, 6). The court was composed of leaders of all classes; therefore, it represented the nation as a whole. In it were rulers, elders, scribes, the high priest, and the whole ecclesiastical clique. Annas, the high priest according to the Jewish rec koning, had been in office for eleven years. He had been deposed by the Ro man authorities, and Caiaphas had been placed in office. John and Alexander, who are also mentioned, are unknown. This group was in power during the min istry of Jesus; in fact He Himself had been before them (cf. Matt. 26:63-66). They had heard the hews of the resur rection from their own guard, who had been set to watch the tomb of the Lord, and they had bribed that guard to tell the lie which they hoped would quiet the people concerning the resurrection. In this lesson, they are confronted with new evidence of the fact that Jesus is the Son of God, and in this we see the patience and grace of God continuing to bear with them in their unbelief. 2. The question (7). This was a trap set to accuse the apos tles of blasphemy (Psa. 76:10). The same question, in another form, is being asked of all believers today: “By what power do you live and work?” Our Lord is still on trial in the person of His follow ers, and the world still waits for an an swer to the age-old question. In the case of Peter, the inquiry opened the way for the very thing that he desired—-to preach Christ to this unbelieving mob. Hence, that which was intended to silence testi mony gave the greater power and effec (a) The power of Peter’s answer is found in the fact that the Holy Spirit filled him for that particular service, just as He fills each surrendered believer who speaks for Christ today (Matt. 10:19, 20; 1 Pet. 3:15; Eph. 5:18). Peter addressed the rulers and the elders of the people. His appeal was national and not indi vidual as is the testimony of the church. (b) The character of Peter’s answer is seen in his boldness, self-possession, intelligence, confidence, and courteousness (1 Pet. 3:15). He courageously referred to the veiled accusation of the people by calling that which had been done “the good deed.” One can always afford to be confident and courteous and courageous when speaking in the name and for the glory of the Lord. (c) The substance of Peter’s answer is contained in verses 10 to 12. Here we have an illustration of what it means to witness to the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Peter speaks first of the Saviour’s death, and he does hot hesitate to charge His murder to the guilty ones.' He calls Him “Jesus Christ of Nazareth,” thus making Jesus to be their Messiah. In so doing, he becomes at once the accuser rather than the accused. The Holy Spirit, who filled him, used him to convict the rulers of their sin (John 16:9-11).. He next speaks of Jesus’ resurrection: tiveness to the message. 3. The answer (8-12).
“Whom God raised from the dead.” The people had denied and rejected Jesus, but God had acknowledged and received Him. They knew and confessed that there would be a resurrection of the dead. It was the truth that there had been a resur rection from among the dead, that they wished to silence. If God had really raised the One whom they had crucified, then how great was their guilt, and how tremendous would be their punishment ! They must do all in their power to si lence such a testimony, But Peter goes on to speak of the Risen One’s power. It was by Him that the lame man stood before them whole. Hence, that One must be present with the apostles; evidence of this was before them in the healed man. Peter was offering them proof of the fact that Jesus was alive and present with power to do that which their prophets had said would be done. Let us be care ful that we do not become entangled in the snare of Satan, who would have us believe that the prophets spoke these things concerning the church. We must remember that the testimony which Peter is giving is a 'testimony to the nation as such—the only nation to which such signs and wonders were promised. Noth ing like this is promised to the church. The church is called, rather, to walk by faith alone, not by sight of signs. When the church looks for signs, she takes Is rael’s ground, becomes ensnared to her own undoing, and loses her peculiar tes timony. Having spoken of the death, the resur rection, and the presence of the Lord, Peter goes on to speak of His glory (v. 11). Such passages as Psa. 118:22; Matt. 21:42; Eph. 1:20-22; Isa. 28:16; 8:14; 1 Pet. 2 :6-8, etc., should be read in order to get what Peter means by “the stone which was set at nought” by the Jewish leaders, but “which is become the head of the corner.” The Jews had rejected that “stone,” but God had received Him, and in receiving Him had declared that the divine purpose would be fulfilled, and that David’s Son would yet sit on David’s throne. Peter then gives the people the heart of his message—that which, if they will receive it, will result in their eternal glory and blessing—‘that is, the possibility of salvation is still open to them. What grace is here revealed—af ter all that these rulers had done, and all that they desire even now to do, in op position to God’s purpose—in offering them this salvation on such terms of grace! But while verse 12 declares salva tion possible, it also shows the way to be difficult—not difficult for faith, but be cause of the natural tendency of the hu man heart. Salvation do£s not come through philosophy, ethics, religion, edu cation, or anything that man can do, but it comes only in and by the One who was
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