of the Jews, Paul is
besought to give an exhortation, or sermon, to the people, whereupon
he rises and delivers a fine, lengthy discourse concerning Christ: how
in the Scriptures he had been promised unto the fathers and to David
the king, had been born of the seed of David and had received the
public testimony of John the Baptist; how Christ was sacrificed by the
Jews (Peter gives the same account in the preceding epistle lesson);
how he rose from the dead and for some time showed himself alive; how
he then commanded his apostles to publish to the world the new
doctrine that God's promise to the Jews had been fulfilled; and how,
by his resurrection, he brought to them the promised blessing, namely,
the remission of sins unattainable through the Law of Moses and all
their ordinances, but dispensed and imparted alone to faith in the
Christ proclaimed.

3. As stated later in the text, there were, beside the Jews, many
gentiles present at the preaching of this sermon, and at its
conclusion they besought Paul to speak to them again between sabbaths.
Accordingly, when he came to the synagogue the next sabbath, he found
almost the whole city assembled.

But to return to the first sermon: Paul says, "Brethren, children of
the stock of Abraham"--or, native Jews--"and those among you that fear
God"--who are gentiles. Now, though this could not but be a discourse
objectionable and highly offensive to the Jews, Paul opens with tender
and nicely chosen words meant to conciliate and to secure their
respectful attention. He highly honors them by addressing them as the
people chosen by God in preference to all the gentiles; as children of
the holy fathers who had a special claim to the promise of God. But,
again, he vitiates his pleasing impression when he proclaims to the
Jews naught else but the crucified and risen Christ, and concludes
with the statement that with nothing but Moses' Law and ordinances
they ranked no higher in the sight of God than the gentiles.

THE WORD OF SALVATION.

4. Paul's discourse is in perfect harmony with Peter's sermon. Peter
speaks of God having sent unto the Jews heralds proclaiming peace; and
Paul here says, "To you [us] is the word of this salvation sent."
Notwithstanding the joy and comfort wherewith these words are fraught,
they could not please the Jews. The Jews disdained the idea--in fact,
it was intolerable to them to hear it expressed--that after their long
expectation of a Messiah to