THE KING’S BUSINESS
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things that were actually done and said, overawed in so august and learned an its author was certainly a master artist. But it cannot be fiction. The only reason able explanation o f such an address under such circumstances, is that we have here the deft utterances o f a Spirit-filled man. It was not in Peter, and it was not in any Other man, to meet the emergency so skill fully as it is here met. Jesus o f Nazareth was a wonderful fulfilment o f the prophepy found in the 118th Psalm, which Peter here quotes. Jesus was indeed a stone that was set at nought by those who claimed to be the builders, and beyond a peradventure, God has made Him “the head o f the corner.” Peter closed his brief but mar velous address with a personal appeal to them to accept Jesus and be saved. That appeal, though short, is wonderfully full o f fundamental truth. It sets forth the universal and imperative need o f salvation —“ we must be saved.” It sets forth the great fact that there is salvation in the name o f Jesus. It sets forth the other all- important fact that there is salvation in no other person and in no other name. There is absolutely no other name under heaven wherein men must be saved. Those trust ing in any other name are lost. There is salvation for any one in the name o f Jesus, there is salvation for no one outside that name. Saturday, October 2 1 . Acts 4 : 13 - 17 . assembly as their'own. Holy Ghost bold ness in untutored men is always a great perplexity to mere ecclesiastics. Peter’s sermon and bearing probably led ultimately to the conversion o f some o f his hearers (ch. 6:7 ). The only solution that they could give o f the puzzle o f the boldness o f these “unlearned and ignorant men"' was “that they had been with Jesus.” That was the true solution: companionship with Jesus makes ordinary men extraordinary. They asked one another in their perplexity, “ what shall we do to these men?” They should have put the question differently, “what shall we do to be saved?" They were just like the average sceptic today who, when he comes up against facts which he cannot explain away, dodges the ques tion. As they could not deny the fact o f the power o f Jesus’ name and were unwill ing to admit it, they hit upon the expedient of trying to silence all report o f the fact. This attempt resulted in utter failure. Sunday, Oct. 22 . Acts 4 : 18 - 22 .
Peter and John’s answer to the council when they attempted to silence them is both inspiring and crushing. It does not so much need comment as meditation and imi tation. The peril that faced Peter and John was very real and very great, but they were not in the least moved by it. It was a direct issue: would they listen to God Himself or would they listen to those who claimed to be, but were not, His representatives. All o f us sooner or later come up against the alternative o f turning a deaf ear to God or turning a deaf ear to man, even men in high ecclesiastical posi tions sometimes. There cannot, be a moment’s question o f what we ought to do under such circumstances. However high the position of the man or men, whatever claims o f authority they may have, never theless when it comes to a question o f lis tening to God or listening to any man or any company o f men, we cannot hesitate a moment as to what to do, we must hearken
The council were in a dilemna, Peter and John refused to be intimidated. The/ council wished to punish Peter and John, but could not; for the people were glorify ing God for what had been done. They were forced, therefore to content them selves with threats. Peter and John had declared that it was “ in the name o f Jesus Christ o f Nazareth” the man had been made “ whole,” and there the man stood right before their eyes and “they could say nothing against it.” They marvelled at the fearless frankness o f men who had neyer enjoyed the teaching o f the rab binical schqols and naturally would be
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