The History of Christianity - John S. C. Abbott (bookstand for reading .txt) 📗

He then earnestly preached to his judges the gospel of Christ, saying, “There is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.”88

The rulers were astonished at this boldness, perceiving “that they were unlearned and ignorant men;” and, being alarmed by the supernatural events which they could not deny, they threatened them, commanding them “not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus,” and let them go. But both Peter and John answered, “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.”89

Even in those early days, there was imperfection in the church. There were five thousand members in Jerusalem. Two of these members were found to be unworthy; and the imperfections of those two have made more noise in the world than all the silent virtues of the other five thousand. So it ever is. The calm, quiet devotion of myriads of Christians is not recorded. The report of the treachery of Judas, the fall of Peter, the perfidy of Ananias and Sapphira, resound through all the centuries.

Jerusalem was shaken by the “wonders wrought among the people” by the hands of the apostles, and by the effect of their teaching. “Believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.” The miraculous powers conferred upon the apostles seemed to be fully equal to those exercised by Jesus. “They brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits; and they were healed every one.”90

Caiaphas and the rulers “were filled with indignation.” Again they seized the apostles, and imprisoned them; but the “angel of the Lord” opened their prison-doors, and the next morning they were found again teaching excited crowds in the temple. A general council of the Sanhedrim was convened. They ordered the officers again to arrest the apostles. They did so, “but without violence; for they feared lest they should be stoned.” The high priest, much exasperated, said to them, “Did we not straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.”

Peter replied in the bold and stinging words, “We ought to obey God rather than man. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.”91

After much debate, the court ordered the apostles to be scourged, and then discharged. They endured the terrible punishment, “rejoicing that they were permitted to suffer shame for his name.” But there was no power in the blood-stained lash to silence them. “Daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.”

The wants of the rapidly-increasing Christian community soon became so extended, that seven deacons were chosen to attend to the secular affairs of the church, that the apostles might give themselves “continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.”

One of these seven, Stephen, “full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.” He was arrested, and false witnesses were bribed to accuse him. “We have heard him say,” they testified, “that this Jesus of Nazareth shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.”

Stephen was permitted to speak in his defence. He began with the call of Abraham, and gave a rapid sketch of the great events in their national existence, selecting those points which were most available in their bearing upon his cause. He showed how the faith of Abraham and the piety of Joseph secured God’s blessing. He probably somewhat exasperated them when he showed that the law of Moses did not restrain their fathers from, at times, lapsing into the grossest idolatry: and when, in continuation of his argument, that external observances alone did not constitute piety, he said, “The Most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands,” he probably was assailed by some rude interruption; for, emboldened by inspiration, he suddenly exclaimed,—

“Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? And they have slain them which showed before of the coming of the Just One, of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers; who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.”92

This plain speech so exasperated the rulers, that “they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed upon him with their teeth.” Stephen knew that death was his doom from those unjust and inexorable judges. “But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God; and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.”

There was no crime in all this, no violation of the law. To have pronounced any legal condemnation would have been absurd. The only resource left was mob violence. These proud and infamous men, the dignitaries of the Sanhedrim, “cried with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, and cast him out of the city, and stoned him; and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet whose name was Saul.

“And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And Saul was consenting unto his death.”93

This is the first mention which is made of Saul, the most remarkable man whose name is recorded in sacred or profane annals.

Saul was born in the city of Tarsus, in Asia Minor. It was “no mean city,” the capital of the Roman province of Cilicia, and situated upon the River Cadmus, a few miles from its entrance into the Mediterranean Sea. The parents of Saul were wealthy. It was a custom of the times, that every child, no matter how opulent his parents, should be taught some trade. Saul learned that of a tent-maker. We know almost nothing of his childhood and early youth. His parents belonged to the sect of Pharisees, the most punctilious observers of the rites of the Jewish religion. His vernacular language was probably Greek, though he undoubtedly was thoroughly instructed in Hebrew. As it is said that he was “brought up at the feet of Gamaliel,” and as it was the custom of the Jews to send their children, between the ages of ten and fourteen, to be instructed in the law, it is supposed, that, at that early age, Saul was sent to Gamaliel, the distinguished teacher in Jerusalem.

Saul, at the time of the martyrdom of Stephen, though a young man, had manifestly attained both maturity and influence. He was probably a member of the Sanhedrim, as he states, that, when the Christians were put to death, he gave his vote against them.94 His commanding influence is also manifest from the declaration, “Many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests. And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and, being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.”95

After the martyrdom of Stephen, the persecution raged in Jerusalem with ever-increasing violence. It is recorded, “As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering into every house, and, haling men and women, committed them to prison.”96 This cruel persecution in Jerusalem scattered the Christians far and wide. Philip went to Samaria, and in one of the principal cities “preached Christ unto them.” His preaching was attended with wonderful success. Many converts were made, “and there was great joy in that city.”

The tidings of the success attending the preaching of the gospel in Samaria reaching Jerusalem, Peter and John were commissioned by those of the apostles who remained in the city to repair immediately to that province. The same miraculous testimony accompanied their preaching as at the day of Pentecost. After a very successful tour, having “preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans,” they returned to Jerusalem.

A very interesting incident is here recorded respecting Philip. By divine direction he was journeying to Gaza, the extreme southern city of Palestine. Gaza was on the direct route to Egypt. An officer of high rank, connected with the household of Candace, queen of Egypt, had been up to Jerusalem, and was returning to his native country in his chariot. He was a devout man, and, as he rode along, was reading the scriptures. It so chanced that he had opened to the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah, and was at that moment reading the seventh and eighth verses:—

“He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth. In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.”

Just then, the eunuch, overtaking Philip, invited him to a seat in the chariot by his side. Then, reverting to the scripture which he was reading, he inquired of Philip, “I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?”

“Then Philip began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.” The eunuch, convinced that Jesus was the Messiah, accepted him as his Saviour, became his disciple, and received the ordinance of Christian baptism, not as a member of any local church, but of the one universal Church of Jesus Christ. The scriptural account of this event is beautiful in its simplicity:—

“And, as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water. And the eunuch said, See, here is water: what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thy heart, thou mayest; and he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. And, when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.”

Philip continued his tour, preaching the gospel in all the principal cities of Judæa and Samaria, until he reached Cæsarea, on the coast of the Mediterranean. We are not informed what success attended his preaching.

Luke, to whom we are indebted for the account of the Acts of the Apostles, writes,—

“And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, and desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he