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Acts
AN
EXPOSITION,
W I T H P R A C T I C A L O B S E R V A T I O N S,
OF THE
A C T S O F T H E A P O S T L E S.
WE have with an abundant satisfaction seen the
foundation of our holy religion laid in the history of our blessed
Saviour, its great author, which was related and left upon record by
four several inspired writers, who all agree in this sacred truth, and
the incontestable proofs of it, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of
the living God. Upon this rock the Christian church is built. How
it began to be built upon this rock comes next to be related in this
book which we have now before us, and of this we have the testimony
only of one witness; for the matters of fact concerning Christ
were much more necessary to be fully related and attested than those
concerning the apostles. Had Infinite Wisdom seen fit, we might have
had as many books of the Acts of the Apostles as we have gospels, nay,
as we might have had gospels: but, for fear of over-burdening the world
(John xxi. 25),
we have sufficient to answer the end, if we will but make use of it.
The history of this book (which was always received as a part of the
sacred canon) may be considered.
I. As looking back to the preceding gospels, giving light to them, and
greatly assisting our faith in them. The promises there made we here
find made good, particularly the great promises of the descent of the
Holy Ghost, and his wonderful operations, both on the apostles
(whom here in a few days we find quite other men than what the gospels
left them; no longer weak-headed and weak-hearted, but able to say that
which then they were not able to bear
as bold as lions to face those hardships at the thought of which they
then trembled as lambs), and also with the apostles, making the word
mighty to the pulling down of Satan’s strong holds, which
had been before comparatively preached in vain. The commission there
granted to the apostles we here find executed, and the powers there
lodged in them we here find exerted in miracles wrought on the bodies
of people–miracles of mercy, restoring sick bodies to health and dead
bodies to life–miracles of judgment, striking rebels blind or dead;
and much greater miracles wrought on the minds of people, in conferring
spiritual gifts upon them, both of understanding and utterance; and
this in pursuance of Christ’s purposes, and in performance of his
promises, which we had in the gospels. The proofs of Christ’s
resurrection with which the gospels closed are here abundantly
corroborated, not only by the constant and undaunted testimony of those
that conversed with him after he arose (who had all deserted him, and
one of them denied him, and would not otherwise have been rallied again
but by his resurrection, but must have been irretrievably dispersed,
and yet by that were enabled to own him more resolutely than ever, in
defiance of bonds and deaths), but by the working of the Spirit with
that testimony for the conversion of multitudes to the faith of Christ,
according to the word of Christ, that his resurrection, the sign of the
prophet Jonas, which was reserved to the last, should be the most
convincing proof of his divine mission. Christ had told his disciples
that they should be his witnesses, and this book brings them in
witnessing for him,–that they should be fishers of men, and
here we have them enclosing multitudes in the gospel-net,–that they
should be the lights of the world, and here we have the world
enlightened by them; but that day–spring from on high the first
appearing of which we there discerned we here find shining more and
more. The corn of wheat, which there fell to the ground, here
springs up and bears much fruit; the grain of mustard-seed there
is here a great tree; and the kingdom of heaven, which
was then at hand, is here set up. Christ’s predictions of the
virulent persecutions which the preachers of the gospel should be
afflicted with (though one could not have imagined that a doctrine so
well worthy of all acceptation should meet with so much opposition) we
here find abundantly fulfilled, and also the assurances he gave them of
extraordinary supports and comforts under their sufferings. Thus, as
the latter part of the history of the Old Testament verifies the
promises made to the fathers of the former part (as appears by that
famous and solemn acknowledgment of Solomon’s, which runs like a
receipt in full,
There has not failed one word of all his good promises which he
promised by the hand of Moses his servant), so this latter part of
the history of the New Testament exactly answers to the world of Christ
in the former part of it: and thus they mutually confirm and illustrate
each other.
II. As looking forward to the following epistles, which are an
explication of the gospels, which open the mysteries of Christ’s death
and resurrection, the history of which we had in the gospels. This book
introduces them and is a key to them, as the history of David is to
David’s psalms. We are members of the Christian church, that
tabernacle of God among men, and it is our honour and privilege
that we are so. Now this book gives us an account of the framing and
rearing of that tabernacle. The four gospels showed us how the
foundation of that house was laid; this shows us how the superstructure
began to be raised,
1. Among the Jews and Samaritans, which we have an account of in the
former part of this book.
2. Among the Gentiles, which we have an account of in the latter part:
from thence, and downward to our own day, we find the Christian church
subsisting in a visible profession of faith in Christ, as the Son of
God and Saviour of the world, made by his baptized disciples,
incorporated into religious societies, statedly meeting in religious
assemblies, attending on the apostles’ doctrine, and joining in prayers
and the breaking of bread, under the guidance and presidency of men
that gave themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word, and in a
spiritual communion with all in every place that do likewise. Such a
body as this thee is now in the world, which we belong to: and, to our
great satisfaction and honour, in this book we find the rise and origin
of it, vastly different from the Jewish church, and erected upon its
ruins; but undeniably appearing to be of God, and not of man. With what
confidence and comfort may we proceed in, and adhere to, our Christian
profession, as far as we find it agrees with this pattern in the
mount, to which we ought religiously to conform and confine
ourselves!
Two things more are to be observed concerning this book:–
(1.) The penman of it. It was written by Luke, who wrote the third of
the four gospels, which bears his name; and who (as the learned Dr.
Whitby shows) was, very probably, one of the seventy disciples, whose
commission
&c.) was little inferior to that of the twelve apostles. This Luke was
very much a companion of Paul in his services and sufferings. Only
Luke is with me,
2 Tim. iv. 11.
We may know by his style in the latter part of this book when and where
he was with him, for then he writes, We did so and so, as
and thenceforward to the end of the book. He was with Paul in his
dangerous voyage to Rome, when he was carried thither a prisoner, was
with him when from his prison there he wrote his epistles to the
Colossians and Philemon, in both which he is named. And it should seem
that St. Luke wrote this history when he was with St. Paul at Rome,
during his imprisonment there, and was assistant to him; for the
history concludes with St. Paul’s preaching there in his own hired
house.
(2.) The title of it: The Acts of the Apostles; of the holy
Apostles, so the Greek copies generally read it, and so they are
called,
Rejoice over her you holy apostles. One copy inscribes it,
The Acts of the Apostles by Luke the Evangelist.
[1.] It is the history of the apostles; yet there is in it the history
of Stephen, Barnabas, and some other apostolical men, who, though not
of the twelve, were endued with the same Spirit, and employed in the
same work; and, of those that were apostles, it is the history of Peter
and Paul only that is here recorded (and Paul was now of the twelve),
Peter the apostle of the circumcision, and Paul the apostles of the
Gentiles,
But this suffices as a specimen of what the rest did in other places,
pursuant to their commission, for there were none of them idle; and as
we are to think what is related in the gospels concerning Christ
sufficient, because Infinite Wisdom thought so, the same we are to
think here concerning what is related of the apostles and their
labours; for what more is told us from tradition of the labours and
sufferings of the apostles, and the churches they planted, is
altogether doubtful and uncertain, and what I think we cannot build
upon with any satisfaction at all. This is gold, silver, and
precious stones, built upon the foundation: that is
wood, hay, and stubble.
[2.] It is called their acts, or doings; Gesta
apostolorum; so some. Praxeis–their practices of
the lessons their Master had taught them. The apostles where active
men; and though the wonders they did were by the word, yet they are
fitly called their acts; they spoke, or rather the Spirit by
them spoke, and it was done. The history is filled with their
sermons and their sufferings; yet so much did they labour in their
preaching, and so voluntarily did they expose themselves to sufferings,
and such were their achievements by both, that they may very well be
called their acts.
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