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B.—The Progress of the Church, Sustained by Miraculous Powers of Healing Granted to the Apostles
b. The statements in this passage are not logically arranged, systematically combined, or pragmatical. [“The pragmatical historian inserts reflections on the causes and the results of the events which he relates, and deduces useful lessons from them.” (Heyse).—Tr.]. Nearly the whole of this episode has, accordingly, been suspected by rigid critics like Beck, Ziegler, etc., to be an interpolation. But it is written simply in the same plain and artless style which characterizes other portions of this book.
c. By the hands of the apostles, etc.—Luke first mentions (Act_5:12) numerous miracles, i.e., miracles of healing, which the apostles wrought among the people; these were, therefore, miracles which conferred advantages and blessings, and were thus contradistinguished from the recent miraculous judgment of God which has just been described. The latter occurred in the bosom of the church; but these miracles of healing were performed for the benefit even of those who were not yet believers. This circumstance is more fully described in Act_5:15-16. The sick were brought out of the houses along the streets ( êáôὰ ôὰò ðë .), and deposited on beds and couches of various kinds, in order that they might be healed by Peter, even if only his shadow should fall on the one or the other. It should be carefully noticed here, that when Luke uses this peculiar language, he only intends to give expression to the popular thought; the people, he implies, entertained such confidence in the apostle’s power, that they ascribed a healing influence even to his shadow, [comp. Act_19:12]. But he does not employ a single word which distinctly affirms that the mere shadow of Peter had healed any sick person. He simply testifies, particularly at the close of Act_5:16, that Peter performed many miracles of healing, but he does not describe the mode. The phrase: äéὰ ôῶí ÷åéñῶí ô . ἀð ., undoubtedly expresses more than the simple preposition äéὰ would have done; it authorizes us to infer that, in most cases, these miracles were wrought through the medium of the imposition of hands, or by touching the sick. It is, however, also possible, that in some instances, sick persons, whose faith prepared them to receive the gift of health, were restored without having been actually touched by Peter. Such faith or confidence in the power of the apostle to heal, was not confined to those who dwelt in the city; it influenced others also, and induced many who resided in the neighboring cities to bring their sick, as well as demoniacs, to Jerusalem; the relief which they sought, was invariably obtained.
d. They were all with one accord, etc.—Luke relates, in addition, that the union of the believers and their assemblings, were uninterruptedly maintained; they met in Solomon’s porch (mentioned above, Act_3:11), which was sufficiently spacious to admit them all, and was well suited for their meetings, although they now constituted a numerous body, and constantly received new accessions.—As their numbers had so greatly increased, it might have occurred, under ordinary circumstances, that individuals would enter with comparative ease, whose presence might create a disturbance, or impair the harmony and confidence which had originally characterized their intercourse. They escaped such a great affliction in consequence of the sentiments of esteem and reverence with which they were regarded by the people, insomuch that those who had not attached themselves to the church, respectfully refrained from approaching them when they were assembled (Act_5:13, “no man durst join himself to them”, [i.e., obtrude himself on them]). The interpretation of Baur, (who restricts áὐôïß to the apostles, and supposes that the Christians themselves are designated by the term ïἱ ëïéðïß ,) assumes that the profound reverence with which the members of the church regarded the apostles, kept them at a distance from the latter; but such a view is inconsistent with the whole character of the life of the church, as it is described in the Acts.—Finally, many persons of both sexes believed in Jesus, and became connected with the company of the disciples, Act_5:14 : it was precisely this steady growth of the church ( ὥóôå , Act_5:15) which, at the same time, strengthened the confidence of the people in the miraculous powers of the apostles.
2. The numerous miracles of healing which the apostles now perform, constitute the answer to the prayer recorded in Act_4:30; they also furnish the evidence that, however awful the manifestations of God’s displeasure with the wicked may be, he is always ready, in his infinite mercy, to help, to heal, and to save all those who seek his face.
Act_5:13. And of the rest durst no man join himself to them.—It may be noticed even in our own day, that disingenuous men, who reject the word, do not readily approach an upright servant of Christ, but rather avoid all intercourse with him. (Apost. Past.).—The judgment which visited Ananias and Sapphira, was a public testimony that the Lord does not primarily desire to gather a mixed multitude into the church. Hence it was one of the first results produced by that judgment, that no one ventured to form a merely outward connection with the believers; the power of the Spirit and of the truth, which was revealed in the latter, deterred others from making any professions which were not sustained by the movements of their hearts. (K. H. Rieger).
Act_5:14. And believers were the more added, even after that awful illustration of divine justice had been given! It seems then, that the apprehensions of a spurious wisdom are unfounded; that wisdom objects to the maintenance of a consistent and rigid church-discipline, fearing that others will thus be deterred from approaching. No! Let good order be strictly maintained, and an improvement will soon become visible. (Starke).—Pruning is also one of the means which God employs for promoting the vigorous growth of the church. (Quesn.).
Act_5:15. The shadow of Peter.—A pastor who is aware of his own insufficiency, sometimes becomes discouraged, and asks: “How can I accomplish any good work, when I myself am sitting in the shade, and am more like a shadow than a living man?” But God can accomplish a great work by employing even the weakest things of the world [1Co_1:27], such as the shadow of Peter, if only the instrument humbly yields to his control. (Apost. Past.).—“The Lord is thy shade,” (Psa_121:5), was Peter’s answer. It was not his shadow that healed; the apostle, who tried the spirits [1Jn_4:1], would have rebuked the man who expected help from the shadow of a human being; the sick sought for aid from the power of God which wrought through Peter. (Besser).
Act_5:16. There came also a multitude … unto Jerusalem.—Happy is he, whose distress has taught him to lift up his heart to the heavenly Jerusalem, and to look in that direction for the power that shall heal him. 2Co_5:1-2. (Quesn.).—Them which were vexed with unclean spirits.—We ought not, as pastors, to abandon hope in a single case, even if the individual before us is possessed by the most unclean of the spirits, and by legions of them! (Ap. Past.).—The blessed results which follow, when God sifts the Church: I. The chaff is removed; (a) either expelled, (Ananias and Sapphira), (b) or kept afar off (the people who durst not join thomselves to the believers, Act_5:13); II. The wheat remains; (a) purified by faith; (b) united by love, Act_5:12.—The mysterious power exercised by a believer who is filled with the Spirit: I. It repels the evil, Act_5:13, but attracts the good, Act_5:14; II. It subdues unclean spirits, Act_5:16, but gives rest to them that labor, and are heavy laden, Act_5:15; III. It is a savour of death unto death [2Co_2:16] to the enemies of the truth (Ananias and Sapphira; the priests and elders), but a savour of life unto life to them that seek salvation (the sick who were brought to Peter; believers who were added to the church).—The human instrumentality employed in conducting a soul to heaven, proceeds itself from the divine and only source of salvation.—The transition from the shadow of Peter into the light of Christ: I. Salvation is not obtained through Peter’s shadow, although the weakness and folly of men are often prompted to assign an undue value to the personal characteristics, the peculiarities, or even the infirmities of chosen instruments (the idolatrous attentions paid to preachers, pastors, heads of sects; the worship of relics); it proceeds solely from Christ, who was the light and life of Peter (Act_3:6); II. Salvation is not obtained through Peter himself, but through Him whose strength was made perfect in Peter’s weakness [2Co_12:9]—through Christ, Act_3:12. And thus Peter’s shadow directs attention to Christ, the light of the world, the sun of righteousness.—If Peter himself cannot save, much less can his shadow—the Pope—save a single soul!—What is the remedy that can heal a diseased soul? I. Not the shadow of Peter, nor the garment of Christ (Luk_8:44), that is to say, no outward object, no outward act; II. It is the light which shone on Peter, the power of Christ, that is to say, the life of God, revealed in Christ and his witnesses, received in faith, and infused into the soul.—The Gospel of Christ, the true Bethesda [Joh_5:2] Act_5:16.—Sickness and misery enlarge the borders of the church of Christ. If the sick are to be healed, they must be brought to Jerusalem, Act_5:16, that is, to Jerusalem which is above, and which is the mother of us all [Gal_4:26]. (Gossner).
Footnotes:
Act_5:15. a. êáôὰ ôὰò ðëáôåßáò [of text. rec. With D (original)., and adopted by Alford]. The readings vary considerably: ἐí ôáῖò ðë . [E.]; åἰò ôὰò ðë . [in A. B. D (corrected)., and Cod. Sin., and adopted by Lach. and Tisch.], etc. They are all corrections, intended to furnish an easier construction than the original text presents.
Act_5:15. b. êëéíáñßùí ; in place of this word, some present the simple and more usual form: êëéíῶí —[The latter, of the text. rec. is found in E. Alford, with A. B. D. Cod Sin., and recent editors, reads êëéíáñßùí —Tr.]
Act_5:16. åἰò ἹåñïõóáëÞì ; the preposition åἰò was omitted in some MSS., as the name of the city was supposed to be connected with ðἐñéî , but åἰò should be retained. [It is omitted in A. B. Cod. Sin. Vulg., etc., and by Lach., and Tisch., but found in D. E., and retained by Alf., with whom de Wette and Meyer agree.—Tr.]