Cripple Healed
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The people were amazed at the boldness of the disciples. They
supposed, because they were ignorant fishermen, they would be over-
come with embarrassment when confronted by the priests, scribes, and
elders. But they took knowledge that they had been with Jesus. The
apostles spoke as he had spoken, with a convincing power that silenced
their adversaries. In order to conceal their perplexity, the priests and
rulers ordered the apostles to be taken away, that they might counsel
among themselves.
They all agreed that it would be useless to deny that the man had
been healed through power given the apostles in the name of the
crucified Jesus. They would gladly have covered up the miracle by
falsehoods; but the work was done in the full light of day, and before a
crowd of people, and had already come to the knowledge of thousands.
They felt that the work must be immediately stopped, or Jesus would
gain many believers, their own disgrace would follow, and they would
be held guilty of the murder of the Son of God.
But notwithstanding their disposition to destroy the disciples, they
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dared not do worse than threaten them with the severest punishment
if they continued to teach or work in the name of Jesus. Thereupon
Peter and John boldly declared that their work had been given them
of God, and they could not but speak the things which they had seen
and heard. The priests would gladly have punished these noble men
for their unswerving fidelity to their sacred calling, but they feared the
people, “for all men glorified God for that which was done.” So, with
repeated threats and injunctions, the apostles were set at liberty.
While Peter and John were prisoners, the other disciples, knowing
the malignity of the Jews, had prayed for them unceasingly, fearing
that the cruelty exercised upon Christ would be repeated upon their
brethren. As soon as the apostles were released they sought their
anxious brethren and reported to them the result of the examination.
Great was the joy of the believers, and they again betook themselves
to prayer, that greater strength might be imparted to them in their
work of the ministry, which they saw would meet the same determined
opposition which Christ encountered when upon earth. The disciples
had no desire to glorify themselves, but sought to exalt Jesus, and to
rescue souls through his saving message.
While their united prayers were ascending in faith to Heaven, the
answer came. The place where they were assembled was shaken,