137

LECTURE VI.

ACTS iv. 13-22.

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled, and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.

But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves,

Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them, is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.

But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.

And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all, nor teach in the name of Jesus.

But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God, to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.

For we cannot but speak, the things which we have seen and heard.

So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done.

For the man was above forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was shewed.

We now find the Apostles Peter and John standing before the ecclesiastical tribunal at Jerusalem, where they had been placed by the malice of their enemies. Their reply to the question, "By what power, or by what name have ye done this?" was a reply worthy of the occasion-worthy of the Master whom they served, and of the cause which they advocated. They spake with such calm dignity-with such chastised fervourwith such holy and undaunted courage, as nothing but the inspiring influences of divine grace can produce.

Nor was the effect trifling or insignificant upon the minds of the council. They were awe-struck and astonished.

"Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled."

It is admitted, I believe, by all who are competent to decide upon the subject, that the word here rendered "ignorant," more properly signifies "obscure," or "private,” -and that by so rendering it, we not only avoid a tautology of expression, but escape from the danger of associating any false conceptions with a want of learning on the part of the Apostles. In all divine and supernatural knowledge they were preeminently great: but in the acquisitions of science-in the attainments of the scholar in the erudition of the Jewish scribes and rabbis-they were confessedly and avowedly deficient. Nay, it is the glory of our religion that they were so; and it furnishes one of the many proofs which their history affords us that the progress of Christianity was the result, not of human ability, learning,

or contrivance, but of the mighty power of God. To this remarkable circumstance we find St. Paul, the most learned of all the inspired Apostles, frequently adverting. Writing to the Corinthians, he says, in the first chapter of his first epistle, verse 26-29, "Ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called: but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: that no flesh should glory in his presence." And then, in the next chapter, he proceeds still further. "And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech, or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to

know anything among you save Jesus Christ, and him crucified: and I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling and my speech, and my preaching, was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit, and of power: that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." Here the Apostle not only admits the fact that his preaching, and that of his brethren, was devoid of the blandishments and captivating power of human learning and of the eloquence of the schools-but he repudiates the notion that any such charms were affected or desired on their part. Nay, so far as concerned himself, he distinctly affirms that he determined to discard every thing of the kind, and to forget, as it were, that he had ever sat at the feet of the celebrated Gamaliel.

But because the apostles were in this sense "unlearned," were they therefore ignorant? Had they no knowledge which