Godbey's Commentary - Acts - Romans - Enter His Rest

of this effort to put down Jesus and His followers, as certainly, on the hypothesis that they are
impostors, they will inevitably play out, without any effort on the part of the ecclesiastical
authorities. Gamaliel proceeds to evolve the positive side of his argument, which flashes with the
forked lightnings of divine retribution: If Jesus of Nazareth is truly the Christ of God, as He and His
disciples claim, the combined powers of earth and hell can never prevail against Him. Besides, in
that case, “you will be found fighting against God,” and the unhappy victims of His righteous
judgments and awful indignation, certain to overtake the impudent audacity so diabolically
impetuous as to antagonize the Almighty. This discourse delivered by the master-spirit of the
Sanhedrin was followed by a decisive negative verdict in reference to the preceding counsel to kill
the apostles. However, they give way to their implacable hatred, beating them cruelly before they
release them. Having thus suffered the deep humiliation, disgrace and torture of an unmerciful
thrashing in presence of the multitude, the apostles depart from the Sanhedrin, shouting aloud,
exultantly praising God for permitting them to enjoy the privilege of taking a cruel whipping in His
name.
APOSTOLICAL SUCCESSION.
41, 42. This chapter winds up Luke’s diurnal history of the Pentecostal revival, graphically
describing the wonderful events of the first three days and two nights. Here you see clearly and
unequivocally a solution of that vexed question among the warring sects, called Apostolical
Succession. The last fifteen hundred years since the great Constantinian apostasy, as the centuries
roll by we see the robed priests and plug-hatted clergy of all ages and denominations crossing swords
and fighting over the Apostolical Succession, like dogs over a bone, each one claiming it, and
anathematizing all of his competitors; all ridiculously stultifying themselves and advertising to the
world the egregious folly and silly nonsense characteristic of human ecclesiasticisms. Reader, look
here at the inspired record and see, once for all, the fac simile of Apostolical Succession. It certainly
means to succeed the apostles, doctrinally, experimentally and practically. The way is open to all
who will enter: Get a sky-blue regeneration, assuring you that your name is written in Heaven. Then
get sanctified with the baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire, as all the apostles did on the day of
Pentecost. Then preach the gospel with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven, on the streets, and
from house to house, like the apostles, who had no church edifices. Preach and testify, without fear
of men or devils, amid roaring mobs, rocks, mud, clubs, eggs, et cetera, spending the night in jail.
When they cruelly thrash you like dogs, in presence of the mocking multitude, go away with bleeding
backs and roaring shouts, transported with delight, because you are counted worthy to suffer for
Christ’s sake. Then you will be in the regular Apostolical Succession. It is free. All who want it can
have it. What about the clerical aspirants, going puffing tobacco-smoke and disputing over
Apostolical Succession? Not one of them will touch it with a forty foot pole. Luke again here puts
to record the facts so prominent in the Apostolic ministry, of preaching from house to house. This
is the way to convert the heathen millions and evangelize the slums and the jungles. The Holy Ghost
is calling for a round million to volunteer on this primitive Apostolic line of street and household
preaching. Who will respond?