The Boldness of Peter and John FEBRUARY 6, 1916. LESSON VI. Acts-4«8-21. (Commit vs. 12, 13. Study vs. 1-31). G olden T e x t : “Watch ye, stand fast in the' faith, quit you like men; be strong.”— 1 Cor. 16:13.
DA ILY BIBLE READINGS Mon., Jan. 31—Acts 4:1-12. (The Lesson). Tues., Feb. 1—Acts 4:13-22. (The Lesson). Wed., Feb. 2—Acts 4:23-31. (The Lesson).
Thurs., Feb. 3—Luke 12:1-12. Fri., Feb. 4— Matt. 10:16-28. Sat., Feb. S—Dan. 3 :16-25. Sun., Feb. 6—1 John 1 :1-10.
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EXPOSITION AND PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
v. 8. “ Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel” (omit “ of Israel” ). Peter was standing before a council o f the leading men o f the Jews, apparently the Sanhedrim. This was the great court o f Jewish law, composed of 71 leading men o f the natibn. Caiaphas was the nominal high priest by, Roman appoint ment, Annas, his father-in-law, the real high priest according to the Jewish way o f looking at things. -They were both there, and it was a very august assembly composed for the most part o f Sadducees. The Sadducees denied the resurrection (Matt. 12:23)., and o f course would be most bitterly opposed to the preaching of the resurrection o f Christ. Peter’s and John’s being brought before this council, and their treatment by it, was an exact literal fulfillment o f the prediction o f Jesus (Matt- 10:17), The attempt o f the Jewish leaders to hinder the preaching of the Gos
pel really, gave it wings. Peter had seen this body together once before, i. e., when Jesus was tried and condemned, and Peter stood in the courtyard between the houses o f Caiaphas and Annas and looked in while Jesus was being tried. On that other occasion Peter was thoroughly frightened and cowed, and played the poltroon; now he is calm and fearless. This transfor mation in. Peter had been wrought by, his seeing the Christ risen from the dead, and by his being baptized with the Holy Spirit. We see him filled anew with the Holy Spirit on this occasion. He had already been filled with the Spirit on the Day o f Pentecost (ch. 2 :4 ), and he will again be filled a little further on (v. 31). It is very clear then that the filling o f the Spirit is not something that occurs once for all, but something that needs to be repeated with each new emergency o f service., Herein lies the necessity o f continual prayer for the continuance to us o f that which we
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