Acts 5: 17-42

(Acts 5: 17-42)

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,  And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison. But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,  Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.  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.  But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned, and told, 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.  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.  Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people. Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned.  And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,  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.  Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.  The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.  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.  And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.  When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.  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;  And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men.  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. 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.  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:  But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.  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.  And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.  And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.

The appearance of the disciples and the crowd of high priests contrast.

『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, 』 It is not the truth that they move and act, it is the envy of those who live the truth. Everybody has a little jealousy. Even a person of good faith can be envious or envious of someone.

This word, which corresponds to the Greek noun Zelos, also means envy, but also means zeal. There are usually two types of reactions that come from being envious of someone. One is when the envious heart makes you more enthusiastic. In his second letter to the Corinthian church by the apostle Paul, we find this passage 『For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you: For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many. 』(2 Corinthians 9:1-2)

The apostle Paul confesses that he boasted about the zeal and passion of the Corinthian church members in serving the saints in the Macedonian region. Serving the saints here refers to raising an annual report for the financially poor church in Jerusalem. However, Paul testified that, stimulated by the zeal of the members of the Corinthian church, Achaiah prepared to send this annual report a year ago. This is why the passion of the members of the Corinth Church to help the weak churches led to the enthusiasm of the members in other regions. Zelos is the word that means the passion of the members of the Corinthian Church.

After the coming of the Holy Spirit on the disciples, Jerusalem burst out with the work of being filled with the Holy Spirit. Hearing the sermon of Peter the fisherman, more than 3,000 people a day were baptized to live a new life. Not only that, but there was a line of hands to help the poor by volunteering to sell their property and possessions, and signs and wonders appeared wherever the apostles went. At that time, many sick and demon-possessed people who were suffering from various diseases came to the apostles and were healed.

To this phenomenon, the reaction of the crowds of high priests was literally full of envy. Their jealousy turned into violence. Immediately they arrested the apostles and put them in prison. When the angel released the apostles from prison, the high priests arrested the Creeper disciples again and set them up in front of the Sanhedrin. They were trying to impose their own position with the authority of the council.

『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: But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God. Gamaliel's point was penetrating the untruth and fiction hidden in the violence of the high priests. They were not those who sought the truth, but were opposed to the truth, and were against God. The crowd of high priests hated to hear that they were against God.

This is because for them, God was not the object of their faith, but only a mirror to protect their power and vested interests. Peter and the apostles responded, not yielding to the threats of a group of high priests who violently expressed their envy against them. 『Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. 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. And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him. 』The image of a group of high priests wielding violence to live and the image of disciples who accept even death with joy appear in contrast. This is also what it is today.