THE KING’S BUSINESS
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who sire rude, harsh and overbearing, abso lutely without regard to the position of others or the deference that is due to them because o f their position. Their claims to being “ filled with the Spirit” will not stand the test o f comparison with the word of God. While Peter was, as already seen, courteous, he was also bold, fearless, frank and outspoken. There was absolutely no compromising o f the truth, and no glossing over o f their enormous guilt. The coucil had spoken evasively o f the thing done as “ this.’’ It was -a keen and discomforting thrust on Peter’s part in his reply to say, “I f we be examined concerning a good deed done to a strengthless man” (cf. John 10:32). The council doubtless winced. Then without hesitation Peter followed up this blow with another, telling them that it was “in the name o f Jesus Christ o f Naza reth,” Whom they had crucified, but Whom God has raised from the dead, that this good deed had been' done and that this man “ stands . here before you whole” Peter doubtless pointed to the man as he spoke. The scene was entirely changed: Peter the accused has become the accuser, and. .the council that presumed to sit as judges has become the culprit at the bar, both indicted and condemned. How tremendous is the contrast that Peter points out between their treatment o f Jesus Christ o f Nazareth and God’s treatment o f Jesus Christ o f Nazareth; and how tremendous is the contrast today between the treatment o f Jesus Christ o f Nazareth by the average man and God’s treatment o f Jesus Christ o f Nazareth. There is no other line o f truth so calculated to produce conviction o f sin as to show men the contrast between their treatment o f Jesus Christ and God’s
and fearless. The resurrection o f Jesus from the dead and his own baptism with the Holy Spirit had wrought this great change. The Jewish and other wonder workers o f the time were accustomed to perform their marvels by the power of some name (as e. g., the name o f the Patri archs, or the name o f Solomon, or the unspeakable name o f Jehovah) ; so the council very naturally asked Peter and John, “ in what name have ye done this.” The real purpose o f the question was to trap them into an answer that would form the basis o f an accusation against them The question put to Peter gave him the opportunity that he coveted o f bearing tes timony' to jjJesus;, Just at that moment the Holy Spirit came upon Peter and took pos session o f him and filled him. The Lord Jesus’ precious promise for such an emer gency as this, “ it shall be given you in that hour- what ye shall speak,” was fulfilled. (Matt. 10:19, 20). Peter had already been filled with the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, (ch. 2 :4 ), and he will be filled again a little further on (v. 31). It is very clear, therefore, that the filling with the Holy Spirit is not something that occurs once for all, but. something that needs to be repeated with each new emergency of service. Peter’s answer is wonderfully skillful, but its wisdom was not due to Peter’s natural endowments, but to the wis dom o f the Spirit Who took possession of him and spoke through him. Left to him self, Peter was a famous blunderer, but filled with the Spirit he was most skillful, indeed unanswerable. Peter’s answer was extremely deferential and courteous. He acknowledges the high position and author ity o f his interrogators: the Holy Spirit does not make the men whom He controls rude and overbearing, but gentle and courteous (cf. Gal. 5:22, 23; Jude 8 , 9). There are men today who claim to be speaking in the power o f the Holy Spirit and o f a condemnation. Thursday, October ig. Acts 4:8-10.
treatment o f Him. Friday, October 20. Acts 4:11, 12.
Peter here follows up his advantage and drives his charge home with a swinging blow o f God’s hammer—the Scriptures (cf. Ps. 118:22). I f the story recorded in the Acts o f the Apostles is fiction, as some would have us believe, and not a record of
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