The Use of Miracles
“And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, whymarvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk? The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.” — Acts 111. 12, 13.
THE healing of the lame beggar at the gate Beautiful, as narrated in verses 1-11, needs no comment. There the picture stands, full-bodied, as in the stereoscope. Our business, like Peter’s, lies mainly, not with the fact, but with the use to which the fact was applied in the progress of Christ’s kingdom.
These Galileans were not alone. The words of the Lord, “Lo, I am with you,” were still sounding in their ears. The Master puts forth the power, and they yield themselves as 1 his instruments. This is the footing on which the work proceeds. Here, in the ministry of the apostles, as also in his own, the Lord employs power to cleave a path for grace. When the mountains close in and block the way, a miracle ’ will rend them, that the Word may burst the barriers and 1 spread through the land.
Those who refuse to believe in anything supernatural do not gain much at this point. They only shift the difficulty from one spot to another. The fact remains patent to the whole world and undeniable, that in the hands of these Jewish missionaries the religion of Christ, with its self-denying doctrines, made way against the culture of Greece and the might of Rome, — made way until it obtained supremacy. This fact, if it is not based on miracles, is itself a miracle greater than all.
The effect of this cure upon the public was a great and general amazement. Now was Peter’s opportunity; and he improved it with promptitude and skill. The Master in calling him had promised to make him a fisher of men; and here the tact and energy of the fisher appear. He knew the favourable juncture. “When Peter plied his trade on the lake of Galilee, he did not think it enough that he spread his net and drew it, in the approved fashion, so many times every day. His business was, not to spread his net in an unexceptionable manner — in the very manner that all the ablest fishermen in those parts had uniformly followed — his business was to catch fish; and toward that end he bent all the energy, not only of his stalwart arm, but also of his inventive mind. Peter would fish as his forefathers had fished, if their method seemed to him best; but he would fish as nobody had ever fished before, if he saw that by a new method he could obtain greater success.
So, now that he has become a preacher of the gospel, Peter is not content with delivering, at the proper time, an evangelical sermon. He does not think of the sermon or the preacher. He thinks of men in their need, and of God’s grace in their offer now. He rushes in, and strikes home, to win souls. He waits and watches till he sees the multitude moved and susceptible. As soon as he perceives
The Use of Miracles. some movement 011 the gathered waters, he follows quickly the angel’s steps, lest his opportunity should slip away.
The commotion took the form of a reverential regard directed upon the apostles personally. The wonder that the people had witnessed drew their eyes to the immediate instruments. At that moment the apostles, taught by the Spirit, recognised accurately and promptly the precise place and use of mighty works in their ministry. Such works could not convert the people, but such works then held an important place among the means of conversion. The miracles broke up the hard ground, and these faithful watchers were ready to run in and cast the living seed into the open furrow. From this timely sowing a great harvest sprang.
Peter, as usual, is spokesman. I think the modest and meditative John would not take a prominent public place when Peter was present. Whatever he may have contributed by private suggestion, he left public work to his more forward and more fiery colleague.
Mark how skilfully the speaker begins. It is no longer the affectionate blunder, “Far be this from thee, Lord;” it is no longer the cowardly falsehood, “I know not the man.” He has now obtained both wisdom and strength. By this time the Holy Ghost had come upon him, and he had “received power” to be a witness of Christ. He has courage to confess his Master now, and skill to arrange his argument aright.
In presence of the healed cripple the people were overawed; and their veneration, after quivering awhile uncertain, like a ship’s compass in a broken sea, began to settle down steadily upon Peter and John as the authors of the miracle and the objects of praise. Observing the current flowing in a devotion which would soon have developed itself into idolatry, Peter ran in, and seized it, and bent it aside from the servants that it might flow full upon the Lord. “And when Peter saw it, he answered and said unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk? The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son J esus,” etc. The servants, when they saw worship springing up in human hearts, hastily retired, and presented Jesus alone to receive it.
It is eminently instructive to compare and contrast with this the conduct of the Lord himself in similar circumstances. When he had read the prophecy in the synagogue at Nazareth (Luke iv. 16-22), and all eyes were turned in eager expectation toward him, he did not intercept the stream, or divert it into another channel. He accepted it in full. He closed the book and removed it; then he presented himself to the people as the fulfilment of the prophecy, and the expected Messiah. The absolute contrast between his method and that of the apostles in such a case is peculiarly valuable, as showing incidentally the Divinity of Christ.
In the meantime, Peter’s fidelity affords a fine lesson both to preachers and hearers of the gospel in all times. Through the ministers, if possible, as earthen vessels, let the word of life come; but let the ministers present, and the people receive, only the Lord himself as the bread of life.
It is said that when Leonardo da Vinci had finished his celebrated picture of the Last Supper, which still stands on the wall of a convent in the city of Milan, he introduced a friend to inspect the work privately, and give his judgment regarding it. “Exquisite!” exclaimed his friend; “that
Wounding to Heal. wine-cup seems to stand out from the table as solid glittering silver.” Thereupon the artist quietly took a brush and blotted out the cup, saying: “I meant that the figure of Christ should first and mainly attract the observer’s eye, and whatever diverts attention from him must be blotted out.” Here is a devotion which, in a more enlightened age, we should do well to imitate.
It is an aim of the ministry to get listless people aroused and interested. It is a great point gained when a multitude are gathered together round the preachers in Solomon’s porch, greatly wondering at the word or the work of the Lord. But woe to the preacher who lacks the wisdom or the will to lead the aroused and interested listeners at such a crisis direct to Christ!
But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; and killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.” — Acts hi. 14-26.
HEN” Peter observed that his audience was becoming
T T tender, he hastened forward to them with the Word: but it is not in the first instance a word of comfort that he administers. His first effort is to wound. He brings a sharp accusation; he heaps coals of fire on their heads, when he sees these heads already beginning to droop. Not that the apostle takes pleasure in putting his countrymen to grief. He is glowing all over with love to these men of Israel, bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh. Seeing them already quivering, he deals another blow, in the hope that