248 LT.-COL. G. MACKINLAY, ON THE EMPHASIS OF ST. LUKE. 



We now proceed to consider briefly the second main subject 

 in the Acts: the Work of witnessing to Christ Crucified and 

 Eisen, by Sj'irit-filled men, chiefly by Peter and Paul. 



A triphcate account is recorded of the Divine commission 

 given to each of these selected agents. Emphatic attention is thus 

 drawn to the subject which fills the greater part of the Acts. 



The commission to St. Peter to preach the Gospel to the 

 heathen Cornelius and his household, together with the Apostle's 

 compliance, is emphasized by being told three times (No. 4), and 

 the importance of this triplication is further reinforced by a 

 minor one (twice recorded) of the sheet being let down three 

 times from heaven (x, 11-16 ; xi, 5-10), which doubtless served 

 to impress the command very deeply on Peter himself. 



The commissioning of St. Paul to proclaim the Gospel, and his 

 obedience to the command, are also emphasized by threefold 

 repetition (No. 5). The importance of this triplication is also 

 reinforced by a minor one, which Luke records, of the blindness 

 of the Apostle for three days (ix, 9) ; this affliction doubtless 

 served to impress the command very deeply on Paul himself. 



It is true that the components of these important triplica- 

 tions are separated from each other, but that fact does not 

 militate against the emphasis given by triple repetition. Some 

 may think that each account of these two events comes natur- 

 ally in the main narrative ; but if Luke had only recorded the 

 commission to Peter once and to Paul once, he would have had 

 room in the Acts for further interesting historical information, 

 which he must certainly have had at his disposal. This plan, how- 

 ever, he did not adopt, doubtless because he wished to concentrate 

 attention on the commissioning of Peter and Paul and on their 

 obedience. 



There are several other triplications in the Acts emphasizing 

 the Work of witnessing, but we shall not consider them. 



Turning now to the Gospel of St. Luke, we find a 

 general correspondence with the arrangement in the Acts ; for 

 in both of them there is one set of triplications which proclaims 

 a Divine Person (or Persons) of the Holy Trinity, and another 

 set, which emphasizes the performance of a grand Work. 



In the Acts, as we have seen, both Christ and the Holy Spirit 

 are proclaimed ; in the Gospel we shall find that only our 

 Saviour is emphatically announced. 



In the Acts, the Work of witnessing by the Spirit-filled Peter 

 and Paul, representatives of all preachers of the Gospel, is 

 emphasized by the triple repetition of the stories of their com- 



