Lives of the apostles of Jesus ChristBacon, David Francis
Religion
Lives of the apostles of Jesus Christ
Bacon, David Francis
Apostles
Luke, in mentioning the departure of Peter from Jerusalem after his
escape from prison by night, merely says, “And going out, he went
to _another place_.” The vague, uncertain manner in which this
circumstance is mentioned, seems to imply that the writer really knew
nothing about this “other place.” It was not a point essential to
the integrity of the narrative, though interesting to all the readers
of the history, since the most trifling particulars about the chief
apostle might well be supposed desirable to be known. But though if
it had been known, it would have been well worth recording, it was
too trifling a matter to deserve any investigation, if it had not been
mentioned to Luke by those from whom he received the accounts which he
gives of Peter; and since he is uniformly particular in mentioning even
these smaller details, when they fall in the way of his narrative, it
is but fair to conclude that in this instance he would have satisfied
the natural and reasonable curiosity of his readers, if he had had the
means of doing so. There could have been no motive when he wrote, for
concealing the fact, and he could have expressed the whole truth in as
few words as he has given to show his own ignorance of the point. From
the nature of the apostle’s motives in departing from Jerusalem, it
must have been at that time desirable to have his place of refuge known
to as few as possible; and the fact, at that time unknown, would, after
the motive for concealment had disappeared, be of too little interest
to be very carefully inquired after by those to whom it was not obvious.
In this way it happened, that this circumstance was never revealed to
Luke, who not being among the disciples at Jerusalem, would not be in
the way of readily hearing of it, and in writing the story would not
think it worth inquiring for. But one thing seems morally certain;
if Peter had taken refuge in any important place or well known city,
it must have been far more likely to have been afterwards a fact
sufficiently notorious to have come within the knowledge of his
historian; but as the most likely place for a secret retirement would
have been some obscure region, this would increase the chances of
its remaining subsequently unknown. This consideration is of some
importance in settling a few negative facts in relation to various
conjectures which have at different times been offered on the place
of Peter’s refuge.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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