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Courage is one of the Bible virtues. It was one of the last words of Moses to Joshua: "Be strong and of good courage." It was almost the first word of the Lord on welcoming him to his new office: "Be strong and of good courage." It was the counsel given the twelve Hebrew explorers. David recalled the energising word in his charge to Solomon, and in the Psalms he rings out the same voice to all the saints: "Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord." The correspondent word "boldness" is as often used in the New Testament. It applied to Christ Himself in His preaching; it was what Paul would have the Church pray for as a gift to him; and, as we see in this book of Acts, it was one of the distinguishing traits of the other apostles and the primitive Church. Mark, then, this instance of Christian courage —

I. AS BELONGING TO PRIVATE AND NON-PROFESSIONAL MEN This was the problem that first exercised the Sanhedrin — confidence where they looked for diffidence. They had not been trained in the schools as rhetoricians who might be expected to command their speech and self-possession before the tribunal or a popular assembly. It would have been a severe ordeal to some men of education and experience. Whence, then, the calmness of these obscure disciples? It was derived from Christ Himself. And so the Sanhedrin soon perceived. Christ, though no professed rhetorician, spoke with calmness, with knowledge and with authority, and these two disciples had taken their style from their Master. I have seen plain men, who had been brought up far from schools, but brought so near to Christ that they could not but speak of Him, and with such knowledge and calmness that they always gained a hearing.

II. AS MAINTAINED IN THE FACE OF WORLDLY ARRAY AND AUTHORITY. "What will the world say of us?" is a question many persons ask with great solicitude. Some very strong men (like Napoleon) have been very weak here. What the world will do to us is still more startling, if it has a rod in its hands and a will to use it. It seemed as if the whole world was against these two Galileans, and likely to make quick work with them. The Shepherd had been smitten; how could the flock fail to be scattered? The people rather than the rulers were the audience on Pentecost. "Your rulers" are spoken of as if absent. But now the great men began to be astir. How amazed was the Sanhedrin when these two plain men, instead of humbly begging pardon, calmly stood on their defence! They went over the gospel story as unembarrassed as if they were telling it to an audience of friends.

III. AS SUSTAINED BY THE SENSE OF A DIVINE PRESENCE. "Whether it be right in the sight of God." There being two here to judge us, which shall have the precedency? The rulers had not been with Jesus, and had not learned this lesson. If Jesus were at their side, what though the whole array of the Sanhedrin confronted them? Precisely this was what the Saviour had promised: "Lo, I am with you alway."

IV. AS HAVING THE SUPPORT OF PERTINENT AND PALPABLE FACTS. When the lame man heard of the apostles' arrest, he went before the tribunal, ready to give his testimony and share their fate. Standing upright there on his feet, what could the Sanhedrin say? How else could the apostles feet at that sight but joyful and thankful that such a miracle of mercy had been wrought by their hands? This has always been a strong support in the work for God — the good results that have attended it. Paul felt this: "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ," etc.

V. AS ENCOURAGED BY THE COMPANIONSHIP OF CHRISTIAN MEN. "They went to their own company." In holy joy they lifted up their voices together in the triumphant words of the Old Testament Psalm: "Why do the Gentiles rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?" Their prayer went up for greater boldness in their Master's cause, and new wonders of grace as the fruit of it.

(W. E. Knox, D. D.)

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KJV: And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.

WEB: They called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.