The Apostles continued to teach the people, "and believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women. Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the 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."

The Priests and elders were much displeased at the Apostles having such influence over the people, who, witnessing the miracles worked by them in the name of Jesus, naturally believed in them, and in Him whose servants they were.

"Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation, and laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison." In the morning the High Priest called the Council together, "and sent to the prison to have them brought" up for trial. But the officers sent, returned, "saying, The prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors; but when we had opened, we found no man within." And so indeed it was; for after the Apostles were shut up in prison, "the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life. And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught." Thus, whilst the keepers did not even know that their prisoners were gone, they were fearlessly preaching the Gospel in the temple, in obedience to the Lord's command.

When the members of the Council heard that the Apostles were no longer in the prison, they could not help feeling that a miracle had been worked for their deliverance; and they dreaded the consequence of this fresh proof that the Lord was with them. Greatly perplexed, the High Priest, and the captain of the temple, and the Chief Priests, debated amongst themselves, and "doubted of them whereunto this would grow." Whilst the Priests and elders were thus considering the matter, "came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people."

This proof of the determination of the Apostles to obey God rather than man, without fear of the consequences, must have added to the perplexity of the Council, and increased their difficulty as to how they should deal with these men, whom the people loved, and were ready to defend against all who should attempt to hurt them. Wishing again to speak to the Apostles, they gave orders accordingly. "Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned." Nor was there any occasion to use violence, for the Apostles had no idea of resisting: they were ready to bear witness to the Lord Jesus before the Council, as well as in every other place. "And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them, saying, Did not we 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,"—that is, to make the people treat them as if they were guilty of murder, for having put Jesus to death. Peter and the other Apostles repeated their declaration, that they must obey God rather than men; and then they plainly told the Priests and elders that they had indeed killed Jesus Christ, the Messiah; and that the God of Israel had raised Him from the dead, to be the Saviour of all who would believe and repent: and they further said, that God had appointed them to bear witness of all things which Jesus had said and done; and that the Holy Ghost, by whose help they worked miracles, was also a witness to the truth of all that they taught to the people. "When they heard that, they were cut to the heart"; but it was not a right sort of grief; for, instead of believing the Apostles' words, and so turning to the Lord, they "took counsel to slay them," that they might no longer preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

One of the members of the Sanhedrim was a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a very learned man, much looked up to by all the Jews for his great wisdom. This man stood up, and having commanded the Apostles to be taken away for a short time, he spake to the other members of the Council, "and said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men." Then he reminded them, that on two former occasions, when false teachers had for a time led many of the people even to rebel against their rulers, it had ended in the false teachers being slain, and their followers dispersed, so that no evil consequences had arisen. He therefore advised that the Apostles should be left alone; "for," said he, "if this counsel or this work be of men" (an invention of men only), "it will come to nought: but if it be God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God." Gamaliel evidently began to think that what the Apostles said might be true, and that therefore, in persecuting them, the Jews might be fighting against God. To fight against God is to resist His will, to try to prevent what He wills from being done. This is folly as well as sin; for the Will of God must be done, and we "cannot overthrow it." Let us try to bring our Wills into subjection and agreement with the Will of God: where His Will contradicts our hopes and wishes, let us yield at once, and pray that we may at all times be able to say from our hearts, "Father, not my Will, but Thine be done." Those who through life resist, and fight against the Will of God, will be forced at last to submit to it, to their eternal misery.

The other members of the Council agreed to follow the advice of Gamaliel; but they did not do so without making another attempt to frighten the Apostles from continuing their work. "And when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go." These commands had, of course, no more effect upon the Apostles than the former threats. "And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name." They felt it an honour to suffer for the sake of Him, Who had suffered so much for them, and were only strengthened in their determination to show their love, by faithfully doing the work which their beloved Master had given them to do. "And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ."

We have seen that the Believers, or Disciples, forming the Church of Christ, had at this time all things in common; and, as their numbers increased, it became impossible for the Apostles to divide the money to every person according to their need, without neglecting the more important work of preaching the Gospel to every creature. They had not time to do both things properly. We read: "And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration." We must remember that "Grecians" were not the inhabitants of Greece, as the word might seem to signify. The Hebrews here spoken of were of course Jews, natives of JudÆa, now become believers in Christ, or Christians. But, as has been already said, there were Jews established in all lands, who had been born, and always lived, there. Numbers of these had also become Christians, and had now joined the Apostles' company at Jerusalem. These persons were called "Grecians," "Hellenists," or "Hellenistic Jews," because in the countries to which they belonged the Grecian language was spoken. These "Grecians," living amongst foreigners, had lost all knowledge of the Hebrew language, in which the Old Testament was originally written; so that they made use of the Greek translation of the Scriptures. Hebrews, then, were Jews of JudÆa, who had become Christians; Grecians were Jews born in foreign lands, who had become Christians. The natives of Greece were called Greeks.

It seems that the Grecians thought their poor were not so well attended to as those of the Hebrews, and so they were dissatisfied, and a murmuring arose. The Apostles considered amongst themselves how to remedy this matter; then, calling the multitude of the disciples together, they explained that it was not reasonable to expect them to leave their special work of teaching, to attend to worldly matters; and they said, "Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. And the saying pleased the whole multitude." Such a wise and sensible arrangement could not fail to meet with approval; and it was immediately put in execution. Of the seven men thus chosen (called by us Deacons), there are only two, of whose particular acts we read in Scripture. These are, a man named Philip, and Stephen, of whom it is especially said, that he was "a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost." These men, chosen from amongst themselves by the "multitude of disciples," were then "set before the Apostles," who approved of the choice; "and when they had prayed" for a blessing upon the step now taken, "they laid their hands on them," thus consecrating, or solemnly appointing, the Deacons to their work, and passing on to them by this significant action some of their own power and authority; for, although these seven men were to take care of the poor, and see that the common funds were properly distributed, they were also to help in preaching, and even to baptize those whom they should convert.

The word "deacon" is not in the Book of Acts; but in the Epistles, Deacons are spoken of as persons appointed to help the Apostles, and serve under them. In the Church now, when a young man is first admitted to be what is called a clergyman, he is said to be a deacon: afterwards he becomes a priest; but every man must be a deacon before he can be a priest. The new arrangement now made as to deacons, appears to have answered well, for we read that "the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith,"—that is, they came to believe the things spoken by the Apostles, and to acknowledge Jesus to be the Messiah; and then they were obedient, and did those things which the Gospel required.

Faith must always produce obedience. If it does not, it is not true faith, acceptable to God; nor will it avail us anything. Let us ever remember, that faith is a root from which must spring all manner of good works, the fruits of faith. If it does not produce these fruits, it is of no more value than the root of an apple-tree, when the tree bears no apples.