The Acts of the Apostles, the history of the early church, by Luke the physician - Acts 5:17- 42 comments : the Sadducees indignant have the Apostles arrested

 

Acts 5:17 ¶  Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation, 18  And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison. 19  But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, 20  Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life. 21  And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. 22  But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned, and told, 23  Saying, The prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within. 24  Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow. 25  Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.

 

Note what I said back in comments on 4:1-4;

 

Acts 23:8  For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.

 

Back in 3:15 Peter referred to Christ’s resurrection which would have seriously perturbed this sect of the Jews. Josephus, the Jewish general turncoat who worked for the Romans and wrote histories of the Jews claimed that they believed that the soul could die, that there was no afterlife, that there were no rewards or penalties after death, and that only the written law was valid. They were composed of the upper class and educated elite who oversaw the temple operations and shared with the Roman upper class a denial of the reality of the supernatural. They did, apparently, believe in God but were more political and worldly than the more conservative Pharisees, and they were composed of a ruling class that expected God’s benefits and prosperity now, in this life, and denied even His intervention in history, sources say. They would have been terrified of anything that threatened their position under Roman authority.

 

They threw the Apostles in prison. But, the angel of the Lord, the presence of Christ Himself, opened the doors and literally took them out of the prison and set them free, ordering them to teach in the temple, sort of rubbing it in the faces of these priests. Imagine the scene as officers of the council go to a prison whose doors are still shut with guards standing guard still but none of the Apostles inside.

 

The officials were very perplexed at these developments and on top of that they were then told that the very men who had been locked up were now standing in the temple teaching freely.

 

Acts 5:26 ¶  Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned. 27  And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them, 28  Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us. 29  Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. 30  The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. 31  Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. 32  And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him. 33  When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them. 34  Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space; 35  And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men. 36  For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought. 37  After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed. 38  And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: 39  But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God. 40  And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41  And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. 42  And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.

 

Always aware of the dangers of a riot the officials bring the Apostles without violence to stand in front of the council and Peter makes that great statement about it being more important to obey God than men. Of course, this verse can be twisted in many different ways. But I want to put in here comments I made on chapter 4:15-22;

 

Peter and John declared, not only to the council but to us, the grounds on which we may disobey any civil law.

 

4:19  But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. 20  For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.

 

There is no law that has any authority over the Holy Spirit that works inside of us. No law can contain that Spirit.

 

Galatians 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

 

We are called to be witnesses for Christ and to make disciples.

 

Matthew 28:19  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

 

The leadership, probably caught between the amazement of the people for this miracle and the danger to their position if this aroused a disturbance that would come to the attention of their Roman masters, can only threaten them and then let them go. They were always torn between trying to squelch what was being preached or trying to ignore it for fear of public unrest.

 

Mark 12:12  And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way.

 

John 11:46  But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done. 47  Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles. 48  If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.

 

Gamaliel was an esteemed teacher of the Law. He was Paul’s professor.

 

Acts 22:3  I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.

 

Gamaliel gave sage advice to the council. He warned them to be careful. He mentioned a revolt led by a Theudas, which was a common Hebrew name, and should not be confused with the Theudas referred to by the Jewish general turncoat and historian Josephus who mentioned a much later rebel by that name. Gamaliel places Theudas’ uprising before Judas of Galilee’s which was during the reign of Herod. If Jesus was like one of them then the Apostle’s efforts would come to nothing as their leader was dead. But, if this was of God they cannot fight it because they would be fighting God. It is interesting that this doctor of the Law would even consider the truth of Christ. But this is not salvation, this hedging your bets. It is not salvation to say, well, I’ll believe on Christ just in case He’s real. That is not faith.

 

Now that they are being left alone after a humiliating beating and a useless warning not to preach Jesus the Apostles are even more bold in their teaching and preaching. In the first century most of the church met in small groups in people’s houses.

 

Romans 16:5  Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my wellbeloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.

 

1Corinthians 16:19  The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.

 

Colossians 4:15  Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house.

 

Philemon 1:2  And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellowsoldier, and to the church in thy house:

 

Teaching and preaching in every house just like Paul going from house to house in Acts 20:20 is not about winning new souls but about making disciples of believers.