the acts of the apostles-第13部分

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that　it　may　cripple　them　in　their　efforts　to　acquire　property　or　gratify　the
desires　of　their　families。

It　is　God　who　blesses　men　with　property；　and　He　does　this　that　they　may　be
able　to　give　toward　the　advancement　of　His　cause。　He　sends　the　sunshine　and
the　rain。　He　causes　vegetation　to　flourish。　He　gives　health　and　the　ability
to　acquire　means。　All　our　blessings　come　from　His　bountiful　hand。　In　turn；
He　would　have　men　and　women　show　their　gratitude　by　returning　Him　a　portion
in　tithes　and　offeringsin　thank　offerings；　in　freewill　offerings；　in
trespass　offerings。　Should　means　flow　into　the　treasury　in　accordance　with
this　divinely　appointed　plan；a　tenth　of　all　the　increase；　and　liberal
offerings；there　would　be　an　abundance　for　the　advancement　of　the　Lord's
work。

But　the　hearts　of　men　become　hardened　through　selfishness；　and；　like　Ananias
and　Sapphira；　they　are　tempted　to　withhold　part　of　the　price；　while
pretending　to　fulfill　God's　requirements。　Many　spend　money　lavishly　in
self…gratification。　Men　and　women　consult　their　pleasure　and　gratify　their
taste；　while　they　bring　to　God；　almost　unwillingly；　a　stinted　offering。　They
forget　that　God　will　one　day　demand　a　strict　account　of　how　His　goods　have
been　used；　and　that　He　will　no　more　accept　the　pittance　they　hand　into　the
treasury　than　He　accepted　the　offering　of　Ananias　and　Sapphira。

From　the　stern　punishment　meted　out　to　those　perjurers；　God　would　have　us
learn　also　how　deep　is　His　hatred　and　contempt　for　all　hypocrisy　and
deception。　In　pretending

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that　they　had　given　all；　Ananias　and　Sapphira　lied　to　the　Holy　Spirit；　and；
as　a　result；　they　lost　this　life　and　the　life　that　is　to　come。　The　same　God
who　punished　them；　today　condemns　all　falsehood。　Lying　lips　are　an
abomination　to　Him。　He　declares　that　into　the　Holy　City　〃there　shall　in　no
wise　enter　。　。　。　anything　that　defileth；　neither　whatsoever　worketh
abomination；　or　maketh　a　lie。〃　Revelation　21：27。　Let　truth　telling　be　held
with　no　loose　hand　or　uncertain　grasp。　Let　it　become　a　part　of　the　life。
Playing　fast　and　loose　with　truth；　and　dissembling　to　suit　one's　own　selfish
plans；　means　shipwreck　of　faith。　〃Stand　therefore；　having　your　loins　girt
about　with　truth。〃　Ephesians　6：14。　He　who　utters　untruths　sells　his　soul　in
a　cheap　market。　His　falsehoods　may　seem　to　serve　in　emergencies；　he　may　thus
seem　to　make　business　advancement　that　he　could　not　gain　by　fair　dealing；
but　he　finally　reaches　the　place　where　he　can　trust　no　one。　Himself　a
falsifier；　he　has　no　confidence　in　the　word　of　others。

In　the　case　of　Ananias　and　Sapphira；　the　sin　of　fraud　against　God　was
speedily　punished。　The　same　sin　was　often　repeated　in　the　after　history　of
the　church　and　is　committed　by　many　in　our　time。　But　though　it　may　not　be
attended　by　the　visible　manifestation　of　God's　displeasure；　it　is　no　less
heinous　in　His　sight　now　than　in　the　apostles'　time。　The　warning　has　been
given；　God　has　clearly　manifested　His　abhorrence　of　this　sin；　and　all　who
give　themselves　up　to　hypocrisy　and　covetousness　may　be　sure　that　they　are
destroying　their　own　souls。




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　8

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Before　the　Sanhedrin


It　was　the　cross；　that　instrument　of　shame　and　torture；　which　brought　hope
and　salvation　to　the　world。　The　disciples　were　but　humble　men；　without
wealth；　and　with　no　weapon　but　the　word　of　God；　yet　in　Christ's　strength
they　went　forth　to　tell　the　wonderful　story　of　the　manger　and　the　cross；　and
to　triumph　over　all　opposition。　Without　earthly　honor　or　recognition；　they
were　heroes　of　faith。　From　their　lips　came　words　of　divine　eloquence　that
shook　the　world。

In　Jerusalem；　where　the　deepest　prejudice　existed；　and　where　the　most
confused　ideas　prevailed　in　regard　to　Him　who　had　been　crucified　as　a
malefactor；　the　disciples　continued　to　speak　with　boldness　the　words　of
life；　setting　before　the　Jews　the　work　and　mission　of　Christ；　His
crucifixion；　resurrection；　and　ascension。　Priests　and　rulers　heard　with
amazement　the　clear；　bold　testimony　of　the　apostles。　The　power　of　the　risen
Saviour　had　indeed　fallen　on　the

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disciples；　and　their　work　was　accompanied　by　signs　and　miracles　that　daily
increased　the　number　of　believers。　Along　the　streets　where　the　disciples
were　to　pass；　the　people　laid　their　sick　〃on　beds　and　couches；　that　at　the
least　the　shadow　of　Peter　passing　by　might　overshadow　some　of　them。〃　Here
also　were　brought　those　vexed　with　unclean　spirits。　The　crowds　gathered
round　them；　and　those　who　were　healed　shouted　the　praises　of　God　and
glorified　the　name　of　the　Redeemer。

The　priests　and　rulers　saw　that　Christ　was　extolled　above　them。　As　the
Sadducees；　who　did　not　believe　in　a　resurrection；　heard　the　apostles
declaring　that　Christ　had　risen　from　the　dead；　they　were　enraged；　realizing
that　if　the　apostles　were　allowed　to　preach　a　risen　Saviour；　and　to　work
miracles　in　His　name；　the　doctrine　that　there　would　be　no　resurrection　would
be　rejected　by　all；　and　the　sect　of　the　Sadducees　would　soon　become　extinct。
The　Pharisees　were　angry　as　they　perceived　that　the　tendency　of　the
disciples'　teaching　was　to　undermine　the　Jewish　ceremonies；　and　make　the
sacrificial　offerings　of　no　effect。

Hitherto　all　the　efforts　made　to　suppress　this　new　teaching　had　been　in
vain；　but　now　both　Sadducees　and　Pharisees　determined　that　the　work　of　the
disciples　should　be　stopped；　for　it　was　proving　them　guilty　of　the　death　of
Jesus。　Filled　with　indignation；　the　priests　laid　violent　hands　on　Peter　and
John；　and　put　them　in　the　common　prison。

The　leaders　in　the　Jewish　nation　had　signally　failed　of　fulfilling　God's
purpose　for　His　chosen　people。　Those

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whom　the　Lord　had　made　the　depositaries　of　truth　had　proved　unfaithful　to
their　trust；　and　God　chose　others　to　do　His　work。　In　their　blindness　these
leaders　now　gave　full　sway　to　what　they　called　righteous　indignation　against
the　ones　who　were　setting　aside　their　cherished　doctrines。　They　would　not
admit　even　the　possibility　that　they　themselves　did　not　rightly　understand
the　word；　or　that　they　had　misinterpreted　or　misapplied　the　Scriptures。　They
acted　like　men　who　had　lost　their　reason。　What　right　have　these　teachers；
they　said；　some　of　them　mere　fishermen；　to　present　ideas　contrary　to　the
doctrines　that　we　have　taught　the　people？　Being　determined　to　suppress　the
teaching　of　these　ideas；　they　imprisoned　those　who　were　presenting　them。

The　disciples　were　not　intimidated　or　cast　down　by　this　treatment。　The　Holy
Spirit　brought　to　their　minds　the　words　spoken　by　Christ：　〃The　servant　is
not　greater　than　his　lord。　If　they　have　persecuted　Me；　they　will　also
persecute　you；　if　they　have　kept　My　saying；　they　will　keep　yours　also。　But
all　these　things　will　they　do　unto　you　for　My　name's　sake；　because　they　know
not　Him　that　sent　Me。〃　〃They　shall　put　you　out　of　the　synagogues：　yea；　the
time　cometh；　that　whosoever　killeth　you　will　think　that　he　doeth　God
service。〃　〃These　things　have　I　told　you；　that　when　the　time　shall　come；　ye
may　remember　that　I　told　you　of　them。〃　John　15：20；　21；　16：2；　4。

The　God　of　heaven；　the　mighty　Ruler　of　the　universe；　took　the　matter　of　the
imprisonment　of　the　disciples　into　His　own　hands；　for　men　were　warring
against　His　work。　By　night

80

the　angel　of　the　Lord　opened　the　prison　doors　and　said　to　the　disciples；
〃Go；　stand　and　speak　in　the　temple　to　the　people　all　the　words　of　this
life。〃　This　command　was　directly　contrary　to　the　order　given　by　the　Jewish
rulers；　but　did　the　apostles　say；　We　cannot　do　this　until　we　have　consulted
the　magistrates　and　received　permission　from　them？　No；　God　had　said；　〃Go；〃
and　they　obeyed。　〃They　entered　into　the　temple　early　in　the　morning；　and
taught。〃

When　Peter　and　John　appeared　among　the　believers　and　recounted　how　the　angel
had　led　them　directly　through　the　band　of　soldiers　guarding　the　prison；
bidding　them　resume　the　work　that　had　been　interrupted；　the　brethren　were
filled　with　amazement　and　joy。

In　the　meantime　the　high　priest　and　those　with　him　had　〃called　the　council
together；　and　all　the　senate　of　the　children　of　Israel。〃　The　priests　and
rulers　had　decided　to　fix　upon　the　disciples　the　charge　of　insurrection；　to
accuse　them　of　murdering　Ananias　and　Sapphira；　and　of　conspiring　to　deprive
the　priests　of　their　authority。　They　hoped　so　to　excite　the　mob　that　it
would　take　the　matter　in　hand　and　deal　with　the　disciples　as　it　had　dealt
with　Jesus。　They　were　aware　that　many　who　did　not　accept　the　teachings　of
Christ　were　weary　of　the　arbitrary　rule　of　the　Jewish　authorities　and
anxious　for　some　change。　The　priests　feared　that　if　these　dissatisfied　ones
were　to　accept　the　truths　proclaimed　by　the　apostles；　and　were　to
acknowledge　Jesus　as　the　Messiah；　the　anger　of　the　entire　people　would　be
raised　against　the　religious　leaders；　who　would　then　be　made　to　answer

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for　the　murder　of　Christ。　They　decided　to　take　strong　measures　to　prevent
this。

When　they