The Pulpit Commentary on Acts 4:20

The Pulpit Commentary · Joseph S. Exell and contributors · Public domain

The aggressiveness of the gospel.

"We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard." The early history of Christianity a striking proof of its Divine origin. Man's method is to wait opportunities, God's to create them. Man prepares his strength before he puts it forth; God makes his strength perfect in weakness. The "foolishness of preaching. Athanasius contra mundum. We must pay no heed to the world's scorn and distrust of enthusiasm.

I. THE RELIGION OF CHRIST AGGRESSIVE BECAUSE IT IS REAL. "The things which we have seen and heard."

1. Not speculative, but simply practical; things of men's moral life, things which concern all, things of infinite importance, having their roots in eternity.

2. Not things of human systems and ecclesiastical dogmas. The apostles did not preach either against the Church of Judaism or about the Church government of Christianity, but about gospel facts which underlie all systems and must make the substance of all creeds.

3. Things of experience—"seen and heard." They spoke as witnesses; and the more we can preach as simply bearing testimony to the gospel, the more power we have. The various false religions of the world powerless to help because they appeal little to fact and experience.

II. THE UNIVERSAL OBLIGATION OF SPEAKING FOR CHRIST.

1. Speaking before men. The notion of secret discipleship utterly false. Special value of outspoken faith, both to the believer himself, in confirming, maturing, guiding, clearing the spiritual convictions themselves, and in supporting practice by the help of a solemn, recorded vow of service. The deeper and the more real the feeling, the more necessity to speak it before others.

2. Speaking to men in Christ's Name. We hearken unto God and he bids us speak. It is a power that grows with exercise. The world requires it more and more. Books can never take the place of preaching. In all ages men have looked for and trusted their spiritual leaders. The things of the gospel were not done in a corner, and they must be brought out into public life. Read the Bible in the midday light of modern thought and business enterprise; it is fitted to every stage of human advancement. "Stand up for Jesus."—R.

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