The life and work of St. Paul

ST. PETER AND THE WEST PENTECOST. 47
about His death. But he would have abundant opportunities for seeing that
the Infant Church had not, as the Jews of Jerusalem had hoped, been extin-
guished by the murder of its founder. However much the news might fill
him with astonishment and indignation, he could not have been many days in
Jerusalem without receiving convincing proofs of the energy of what he then
regarded as a despicable sect.
Whence came this irresistible energy, this inextinguishable vitality ? The
answer to that question is the history of the Church and of the world.
For the death of Jesus had been followed by a succession of events, the
effects of which will be felt to the end of time events which, by a spiritual
power at once astounding and indisputable, transformed a timid handful of
ignorant and terror-stricken Apostles into teachers of unequalled grandeur,
who became in God's hands the instruments to regenerate the world.
The Resurrection of Christ had scattered every cloud from their saddened
souls. The despair which, for a moment, had followed the intense hope that
this was He who would redeem Israel, had been succeeded by a joyous and
unshaken conviction that Christ had risen from the dead. In the light of that
Resurrection, all Scripture, all history, all that they had seen and heard
during the ministry of Jesus, was illuminated and transfigured. And though
during the forty days between the Resurrection and the Ascension, the intercourse
held with them by their risen Lord was not continuous, but brief and
interrupted, 1
yet as St. Peter himself testifies, appealing, in confirmation of
his testimony, to the scattered Jews to whom His Epistle is addressed God
had begotten them again by the Resurrection unto a lively hope, to an inheri-
tance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away. 2 But besides
this glorious truth, of which they felt themselves to be the chosen witnesses, 3
their Risen Lord had given them many promises and instructions, and spoken
to them about the things which concerned the Kingdom of God. In His last
address He had specially bidden them to stay in Jerusalem, and there await
the outpouring of the Spirit of which they had already heard. 4 That promise
was to be fulfilled to them, not only individually, but as a body, as a Church ;
and it was to be fulfilled in the same city in which they had witnessed His
uttermost humiliation. And they were assured that they should not have
long to wait. But though they knew that they should be baptised with the
Holy Ghost and with fire " not many days hence," yet, for the exorcise of their
faith and to keep them watchful, the exact time was not defined. 6
Then came the last walk towards Bethany, and that solemn parting on the
Mount of Olives, when their Lord was taken away from them, and " a cloud
1 Acts i. 3, iC ijufpiov Teo-a-apajcovra. oirravoufvo* avTot*. This is the only passage in
Scripture which tells us the interval which elapsed between the Resurrection and the
Ascension.
2 1 Pet. i. 3, 4.
Acts ii. 32 ; iii. 15 ; iv. 33 ; v. 32 : x. 40, 41 ; Luke xxiv. 48, &c. On this fact St.
Luke dwells repeatedly and emphatically. (See Meyer on Acts i. 22.)
4 Acts i. 4 ; Luke xxiv. 49.
* Chrys. ad loc. "Numerus dierum non definitus exercebat fidem apostolorum "
(Bengel). The reading !o>* 7% irvro