Wonderfully touching and instructive in their detail are the last of John's chapters. Chapter 19 reveals the weakness of Pilate. He declared Jesus to be innocent, but even the innocent must not stand in the way of his self-interest. He gave Jesus over to the cruel scourge and to the mocking, tantalizing, brutal soldiers. John omits the visit to Herod. Beaten, bleeding, suffering, Pilate presents Jesus again before the mob, hoping to arouse their pity, but he is met with the mad cry, "Crucify! Crucify!" The test developed Pilate's cowardice and the Jews' disloyalty. They cut the last strand that held them as a nation to God, when they said, "We have no king but Cæsar." Then followed the awful crucifixion, our Lord's unselfish remembrance of His mother, the development and courage of Nicodemus, the resurrection, and all the wonderfully good related lessons. And in all that Jesus did, in all that He said, in the record that He left, there is life to every believing soul.
Acts was written by Luke. Compare verse one with the opening of Luke. The object of the book is to show the gospel in operation, God working out His purposes through consecrated men united in Him.
The first chapter records the choosing, under God, of a successor to Judas, and Matthias was taken. He may not since have been mentioned. That is not against his apostleship. Several of the twelve are not mentioned after Acts 1. Chapter 2 is the manifestation of what Spirit-filled men can do. And so also, in a more limited way, are chapters 3 and 4. Such men can suffer as well as speak. They can be both patient and earnest, bold and kind. God is just as willing to work to-day, and the name of Jesus is not less potent than then.
Psalm 107 is always good, cheering, instructive, heartening.
