Correspondence.
Bible Treasury, Volume 2, 2nd. Edition, February 1858.
(1st. Edition, February [02 1858 031])
Days and years are passing and making the moment still less — may a disengaged heart have a welcome for the last sand.
What a different character is given to the resurrection in the sermon in Acts 2 and in that in Acts 3. In Acts 2 Peter lifts up the risen Christ as Moses brought in the budding rod in Num. 17 for the confusion of the people. It is there a startling object full of judgement on a rebellions people. And Israel cry out under the sense of this, "men and brethren, what shall we do?" as Israel had cried out in Num. 17. Peter declares that the same risen, ascended Christ would return to make His foes His footstool. In Acts 3 he publishes the name of the same risen Jesus for the healing of these people. That name is set for salvation, not for judgement. And instead of the risen, ascended Christ returning to make His foes His footstool, He is declared to be waiting in the heavens till he brings refreshing and restoration with Him. And under this preaching the people do not cry out, but "many of them which heard the word believed, and the number of the men was about five thousand:" for Peter had declared that Jesus was preached for blessing (see Acts 3:26; Acts 4:4).
In the second chapter, the resurrection is rather that of the One who had suffered like a martyr at man's hand, and then it was judgement on man. In the third it is rather the resurrection of Him who had been offered up as the Lamb of God, and thus it was healing or salvation.
But what a truth it is to carry abroad, to bear onward into the midst of the human family, to use it like the pillar that was all darkness and judgement to Egypt, and light and deliverance to Israel. For indeed, no more surely was that pillar like darkness and light, than this resurrection is judgement (Acts 10:42; Acts 17:31) and salvation (Acts 10:43; Acts 13:37-39); and thus it is the great thing for the evangelist to use.