The Disciples of Christ. With mighty power the disciples preached a crucified and risen Saviour. They healed the sick, even one who had always been lame was restored to perfect soundness, and entered with them into the temple, walking and leaping and praising God in the sight of all the people. The news spread, and the people began to press around the disciples. Many ran together, greatly astonished and amazed at the cure that had been wrought. p. 80, Para. 1, [1SG].
When Jesus died the chief priests thought that there would be no more miracles wrought among them, that the excitement would die, and that the people would again turn to the traditions of men. But, lo! right in their midst, the disciples were working miracles, and the people were filled with amazement, and gazed with wonder upon them. Jesus had been crucified, and they wondered where the disciples had obtained this power. When he was alive they thought that he imparted power to his disciples; when Jesus died, they expected those miracles would end. Peter understood their perplexity, and said to them, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk? The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers hath glorified his Son Jesus, whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go. But ye denied the Holy One, and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you, and killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead, whereof we are witnesses. Peter told them that it was faith in Jesus that had caused this perfect soundness of a man who was before a cripple. p. 80, Para. 2, [1SG].
The chief priests and elders could not bear these words. They laid hold of the disciples and put them in confinement. But thousands were converted, and believed in the resurrection and ascension of Christ, by hearing only one discourse from the disciples. The chief priests and elders were troubled. They had slain Jesus that the minds of the people might be turned to themselves; but the matter was now worse than before. They were openly accused by the disciples of being the murderers of the Son of God, and they could not determine to what extent these things might grow, or how they themselves would be regarded by the people. They would gladly have put the disciples to death;