the acts of the apostles- 第9部分

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　6

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　At　the　Temple　Gate


The　disciples　of　Christ　had　a　deep　sense　of　their　own　inefficiency；　and　with
humiliation　and　prayer　they　joined　their　weakness　to　His　strength；　their
ignorance　to　His　wisdom；　their　unworthiness　to　His　righteousness；　their
poverty　to　His　exhaustless　wealth。　Thus　strengthened　and　equipped；　they
hesitated　not　to　press　forward　in　the　service　of　the　Master。

A　short　time　after　the　descent　of　the　Holy　Spirit；　and　immediately　after　a
season　of　earnest　prayer；　Peter　and　John；　going　up　to　the　temple　to　worship；
saw　at　the　gate　Beautiful　a　cripple；　forty　years　of　age；　whose　life；　from
his　birth；　had　been　one　of　pain　and　infirmity。　This　unfortunate　man　had　long
desired　to　see　Jesus；　that　he　might　be　healed；　but　he　was　almost　helpless；
and　was　far　removed　from　the　scene　of　the　great　Physician's　labors。　His
pleadings　at　last　induced　some　friends　to　bear　him　to　the　gate　of　the
temple；

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but　upon　arriving　there；　he　found　that　the　One　upon　whom　his　hopes　were
centered；　had　been　put　to　a　cruel　death。

His　disappointment　excited　the　sympathy　of　those　who　knew　for　how　long　he
had　eagerly　hoped　to　be　healed　by　Jesus；　and　daily　they　brought　him　to　the
temple；　in　order　that　passers…by　might　be　induced　by　pity　to　give　him　a
trifle　to　relieve　his　wants。　As　Peter　and　John　passed；　he　asked　an　alms　from
them。　The　disciples　regarded　him　compassionately；　and　Peter　said；　〃Look　on
us。　And　he　gave　heed　unto　them；　expecting　to　receive　something　of　them。　Then
Peter　said；　Silver　and　gold　have　I　none。〃　As　Peter　thus　declared　his
poverty；　the　countenance　of　the　cripple　fell；　but　it　grew　bright　with　hope
as　the　apostle　continued；　〃But　such　as　I　have　give　I　thee：　In　the　name　of
Jesus　Christ　of　Nazareth　rise　up　and　walk。

〃And　he　took　him　by　the　right　hand；　and　lifted　him　up：　and　immediately　his
feet　and　anklebones　received　strength。　And　he　leaping　up　stood；　and　walked；
and　entered　with　them　into　the　temple；　walking；　and　leaping；　and　praising
God。　And　all　the　people　saw　him　walking　and　praising　God：　and　they　knew　that
it　was　he　which　sat　for　alms　at　the　Beautiful　Gate　of　the　temple：　and　they
were　filled　with　wonder　and　amazement　at　that　which　had　happened。〃

〃And　as　the　lame　man　which　was　healed　held　Peter　and　John；　all　the　people
ran　together　unto　them　in　the　porch　that　is　called　Solomon's；　greatly
wondering。〃　They　were　astonished　that　the　disciples　could　perform　miracles
similar　to　those　performed　by　Jesus。　Yet　here　was　this　man；　for

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forty　years　a　helpless　cripple；　now　rejoicing　in　the　full　use　of　his　limbs；
free　from　pain；　and　happy　in　believing　in　Jesus。

When　the　disciples　saw　the　amazement　of　the　people；　Peter　asked；　〃Why　marvel
ye　at　this？　or　why　look　ye　so　earnestly　on　us；　as　though　by　our　own　power　or
holiness　we　had　made　this　man　to　walk？〃　He　assured　them　that　the　cure　had
been　wrought　in　the　name　and　through　the　merits　of　Jesus　of　Nazareth；　whom
God　had　raised　from　the　dead。　〃His　name　through　faith　in　His　name；〃　the
apostle　declared；　〃hath　made　this　man　strong；　whom　ye　see　and　know：　yea；　the
faith　which　is　by　Him　hath　given　him　this　perfect　soundness　in　the　presence
of　you　all。〃

The　apostles　spoke　plainly　of　the　great　sin　of　the　Jews　in　rejecting　and
putting　to　death　the　Prince　of　life；　but　they　were　careful　not　to　drive
their　hearers　to　despair。　〃Ye　denied　the　Holy　One　and　the　Just；〃　Peter　said；
〃and　desired　a　murderer　to　be　granted　unto　you；　and　killed　the　Prince　of
life；　whom　God　hath　raised　from　the　dead；　whereof　we　are　witnesses。〃　〃And
now；　brethren；　I　wot　that　through　ignorance　ye　did　it；　as　did　also　your
rulers。　But　those　things；　which　God　before　had　showed　by　the　mouth　of　all
His　prophets；　that　Christ　should　suffer；　He　hath　so　fulfilled。〃　He　declared
that　the　Holy　Spirit　was　calling　upon　them　to　repent　and　be　converted；　and
assured　them　that　there　was　no　hope　of　salvation　except　through　the　mercy　of
the　One　whom　they　had　crucified。　Only　through　faith　in　Him　could　their　sins
be　forgiven。

〃Repent　ye　therefore；　and　be　converted；〃　he　cried；　〃that

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your　sins　may　be　blotted　out；　when　the　times　of　refreshing　shall　come　from
the　presence　of　the　Lord。〃

〃Ye　are　the　children　of　the　prophets；　and　of　the　covenant　which　God　made
with　our　fathers；　saying　unto　Abraham；　And　in　thy　seed　shall　all　the
kindreds　of　the　earth　be　blessed。　Unto　you　first　God；　having　raised　up　His
Son　Jesus；　sent　Him　to　bless　you；　in　turning　away　every　one　of　you　from　his
iniquities。〃

Thus　the　disciples　preached　the　resurrection　of　Christ。　Many　among　those　who
listened　were　waiting　for　this　testimony；　and　when　they　heard　it　they
believed。　It　brought　to　their　minds　the　words　that　Christ　had　spoken；　and
they　took　their　stand　in　the　ranks　of　those　who　accepted　the　gospel。　The
seed　that　the　Saviour　had　sown　sprang　up　and　bore　fruit。

While　the　disciples　were　speaking　to　the　people；　〃the　priests；　and　the
captain　of　the　temple；　and　the　Sadducees；　came　upon　them；　being　grieved　that
they　taught　the　people；　and　preached　through　Jesus　the　resurrection　from　the
dead。〃

After　Christ's　resurrection　the　priests　had　spread　far　and　near　the　lying
report　that　His　body　had　been　stolen　by　the　disciples　while　the　Roman　guard
slept。　It　is　not　surprising　that　they　were　displeased　when　they　hear　Peter
and　John　preaching　the　resurrection　of　the　One　they　had　murdered。　The
Sadducees　especially　were　greatly　aroused。　They　felt　that　their　most
cherished　doctrine　was　in　danger；　and　their　reputation　at　stake。

Converts　to　the　new　faith　were　rapidly　increasing；　and　both　Pharisees　and
Sadducees　agreed　that　if　these　new

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teachers　were　suffered　to　go　unchecked；　their　own　influence　would　be　in
greater　danger　than　when　Jesus　was　upon　the　earth。　Accordingly；　the　captain
of　the　temple；　with　the　help　of　a　number　of　Sadducees；　arrested　Peter　and
John；　and　put　them　in　prison；　as　it　was　too　late　that　day　for　them　to　be
examined。

The　enemies　of　the　disciples　could　not　but　be　convinced　that　Christ　had
risen　from　the　dead。　The　evidence　was　too　clear　to　be　doubted。　Nevertheless；
they　hardened　their　hearts；　refusing　to　repent　of　the　terrible　deed　they　had
committed　in　putting　Jesus　to　death。　Abundant　evidence　that　the　apostles
were　speaking　and　acting　under　divine　inspiration　had　been　given　the　Jewish
rulers；　but　they　firmly　resisted　the　message　of　truth。　Christ　had　not　come
in　the　manner　that　they　expected；　and　though　at　times　they　had　been
convinced　that　He　was　the　Son　of　God；　yet　they　had　stifled　conviction；　and
crucified　Him。　In　mercy　God　gave　them　still　further　evidence；　and　now
another　opportunity　was　granted　them　to　turn　to　Him。　He　sent　the　disciples
to　tell　them　that　they　had　killed　the　Prince　of　life；　and　in　this　terrible
charge　He　gave　them　another　call　to　repentance。　But　feeling　secure　in　their
own　righteousness；　the　Jewish　teachers　refused　to　admit　that　the　men
charging　them　with　crucifying　Christ　were　speaking　by　the　direction　of　the
Holy　Spirit。

Having　committed　themselves　to　a　course　of　opposition　to　Christ；　every　act
of　resistance　became　to　the　priests　an　additional　incentive　to　pursue　the
same　course。　Their　obstinacy　became　more　and　more　determined。　It　was　not
that　they　could　not　yield；　they　could；　but　would　not。　It　was　not

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alone　because　they　were　guilty　and　deserving　of　death；　not　alone　because
they　had　put　to　death　the　Son　of　God；　that　they　were　cut　off　from　salvation；
it　was　because　they　armed　themselves　with　opposition　to　God。　They
persistently　rejected　light　and　stifled　the　convictions　of　the　Spirit。　The
influence　that　controls　the　children　of　disobedience　worked　in　them；　leading
them　to　abuse　the　men　through　whom　God　was　working。　The　malignity　of　their
rebellion　was　intensified　by　each　successive　act　of　resistance　against　God
and　the　message　He　had　given　His　servants　to　declare。　Every　day；　in　their
refusal　to　repent；　the　Jewish　leaders　took　up　their　rebellion　afresh；
preparing　to　reap　that　which　they　had　sown。

The　wrath　of　God　is　not　declared　against　unrepentant　sinners　merely　because
of　the　sins　they　have　committed；　but　because；　when　called　to　repent；　they
choose　to　continue　in　resistance；　repeating　the　sins　of　the　past　in　defiance
of　the　light　given　them。　If　the　Jewish　leaders　had　submitted　to　the
convicting　power　of　the　Holy　Spirit；　they　would　have　been　pardoned；　but　they
were　determined　not　to　yield。　In　the　same　way；　the　sinner；　by　continued
resistance；　places　himself　where　the　Holy　Spirit　cannot　influence　him。

On　the　day　following　the　healing　of　the　cripple；　Annas　and　Caiaphas；　with
the　other　dignitaries　of　the　temple；　met　together　for　the　trial；　and　the
prisoners　were　brought　before　them。　In　that　very　room　and　before　some　of
those　very　men；　Peter　had　shamefully　denied　his　Lord。　This　came　distinctly
to　his　mind　as　he　appeared　for　his　own　trial。　He　now　had　an　opportunity　of
redeeming　his　cowardice。

Those　present　who　remembered　the　part　that　Peter　had

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acted　at　the　trial　of　his　Master；　flattered　themselves　that　he　could　now　be
intimidated　by　the　threat　of　imprisonment　and　death。　But　the　Peter　who
denied　Christ　in　the　hour　of　His　greatest　need　was　impulsive　and
self…confident；　differing　widely　from　the　Peter　who　was　brought　before　the
Sanhedrin　for　examination。　Since　his　fall　he　had　been　converted。　He　was　no
longer　proud　and　boastful；　but　modest　and　self…distrustful。　He　was　filled
with　the　Holy　Spirit；　and　by　the　help　of　this　power　he　was　resolved　to
remove　the　stain　of　his　apostasy　by　honoring　the　name　he　had　once　disowned。

Hitherto　the　priests　had　avoided　mentioning　the　crucifixion　or　the
resurrection　of　Jesus。　But　now；　in　fulfillment　of　their　purpose；　they　were
forced　to　inquire　of　the　accused　how　the　cure　of　the　impotent　man　had　been
accomplished。　〃By　what　power；　or　by　what　name；　have　ye　done　this？〃　they
asked。

With　holy　bold