After their first arrest, the the followers of Jesus respond with both praise and prayer. This runs counter to what the council intended – they ought to have been filled with remorse for having been shown to be teaching blasphemy, they ought to have humbly submitted to their elders and ceased their preaching of Jesus as the resurrected messiah. Luke repeats this scene again in Acts 5:41-42.
On the contrary, they rejoice that they have been counted worthy to suffer persecution in a similar way to what Jesus faced – opposition to Jesus’ teaching began with the Pharisees and Sadducees; he too was told that he was not doing miracles by the power of God; he too was subjected to traps to get him to state a false teaching publicly.
In short, this resistance to the apostolic teaching is exactly the same think Jesus faced. The rejection of the teaching is far more grace, however, since the people acted in ignorance when they killed Jesus. Ignorance is no longer an excuse – rejection of the Holy Spirit will result in a most dire judgment.
The disciples see this persecution as the fulfillment of scripture, specifically Psalm 2. This Psalm is cited as proof that the apostolic mission is having the intended effect. The “nations” in the original Psalm are the gentiles, or generically the “enemies of God.” The gentiles did plot against Jesus and did put him to death, but now Peter is applying that same thinking to the actions of the High Priest. Peter is calling the High Priest and his inner circle “gentiles.” The Jewish resistance to the Holy Spirit is therefore interpreted here as the same thing as Gentile resistance to the people of God in the Hebrew Bible. Perhaps most significant is that this resistance will be just as futile.
As they prayed, the meeting was shaken and they once again are filled with the Holy Spirit and they all spoke the word of God boldly (4:31) and in 5:41-42 they continue their boldness. Just as Peter was filled with the Spirit and spoke boldly before the High Priest, the community now speaks boldly. The council commanded silence, but the community reacts with further witnessing concerning the truth that God is about to begin the new age.
This is the first example of an arrest turning into a great revival for the Jesus community. In Acts, nothing that the world does can hinder the spreading power of the Holy Spirit!
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February 2, 2013 at 9:08 pm
cameronlowe5
This was an encouraging chapter to read, it really spoke to how I think that we as Christians are called to live. Acts 5:29 “…We must obey God rather than men,” So many times I see our brothers and sisters in Christ obeying men and being more concerned with the opinions of man than the Truth that God speaks to us through His Word. This chapter also speaks to the boldness that we as Christians need to have when faced with adversity. The Apostles found it pure joy that they where being persecuted for the name of Christ and it only fueled their passion of speaking the name of Christ and bringing people to saith in Him. We need to be taking this lesson to heart, we are seeing more and more Christians being complacent and letting others say what they can and can’t do and when they are and are not allowed to talk about God. We need to be bold for Christ and not let others dictate our faith and say what we are supposed to do. If we offend others because of our faith than we have nothing to be ashamed of. We are told that we are not allowed to cause offence because of our faith and we think that it is the Christian thing to do to not offend others. When it comes to the word of God we are called to offend those who are not believers. We can look to Galatians 1:10 and to 1 Thessalonians 2:3-6 where Paul is talking to the church in Galatia and Thessalonica telling them to be bold and to not be afraid to proclaim the Gospel. Fear of persecution is something that we as Christians will always be dealing with, for the second temple Jews it was fear of death or imprisonment and for those who are living now live in fear of social rejection. If we look to this passage we need to find encouragement and strength to be bold for God. We need to stop living in fear of social rejection and be strong for God and His mighty works.
February 3, 2013 at 9:01 pm
cbefus
This post really put forth solid evidence that Christianity is from God! In the Post before this one, it talked about Gamaliel a respected man of the law. “The man had such a great reputation that the Mishnah says “When Rabban Gamaliel the elder died, the glory of the law ceased and purity and abstinence died” (m.Sota 9.15). “ (P. Long Reading Acts) Telling the Pharisees that if it was of man the followers of Jesus Christ would fall apart but if this movement came from God nothing could be done to stop it. For years Christians has been persecuted and the only thing that it has done is fuel the spread of the Good news!
I totally agree with Cameron Lowe’s point on the Church in the US is becoming extremely complacent. Christians in the US need to become bold and not afraid to tell others about Jesus Christ! Maybe it would do the US good if there was some persecution? The only thing persecution has shown is that it turns on a fire and starts a revival! Like it did when the Disciples where persecuted and even when five missionaries where speared miles away in Ecuador, there was a major movement by Christians! I also can’t help but wonder and think if the new weapon the Devil is using is allowing Christian to be comfortable and safe and therefore also becoming complacent?
February 4, 2013 at 1:29 pm
Mike
Cameron, I would be hesitant to call persecution pure joy. The cross was far from pure joy for Jesus and in 2 cor 1:8 we see Paul in despair as a result of affliction. I agree we should be bolder, not fear men and know joy in persecution. But a danger exists that we who have not been persecuted severely trivialise it.
February 4, 2013 at 2:55 pm
Joseph Furno
This passage of scripture has two things that stood out to me in particular. The first is how amazing it is that God continues to prevail through the Holy Spirit working in Peter and the other disciples. It is a testament to the truth of the Gospel. Under such suffering a lair would have submitted and admitted his falsehood. It also speaks to the great and wonderful power of God and the gospel message. Secondly I think it shows that living in the United States and having the freedom to worship is not completely a blessing. In 1 Peter 4 it says,
“If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed…”
And in 2 Timothy 2:13 it states,
“Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted”
Being persecuted was expected for those who believed in and followed Christ and I would say that it probably drew them far closer to him and strengthened their faith in a way few who live in America and are not truly persecuted ever will.
February 4, 2013 at 7:24 pm
arenberg93
One of my favorite books is “The Cost of Discipleship” by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Dietrich emphasized a side of Christianity which seems to have been forgotten in our culture today: suffering. He claims that Jesus has not called us to a feel good, pat on the back religion in which we sit around and sing kumbaya, but to something far greater. He has called us to a life in reckless pursuit of Jesus Christ. But this life comes at a cost, in which we will suffer and hurt for this pursuit. We will be hated and beaten by those who find our ways foolish. This concept is something that the disciples knew all to well. This suffering was something that they accepted, and actually rejoiced in. They rejoiced because it meant that they were following the calling of Jesus, and that nothing would stop them. There is a definite call to this discipleship lifestyle and it should not be forgotten. As it has been mentioned in some of the posts above, maybe the American church does need something to get it moving. We should rejoice because we are accepted and have been blessed that way, but we have also lost so much potency to the gospel. The Christian life is not supposed to be an easy one! But the amazing thing in this is that so much joy and prosperity and life comes out of this difficult lifestyle. Truly, nothing can stop the gospel, and it should be the burden of our hearts to share this gospel, regardless of the price.
February 4, 2013 at 7:47 pm
April Lorenz
All the posts were really interesting, and this chapter I often wonder when I read it if I would act the same way as the disciples do. When the high priest questions them, they respond in verse 29, that “we must obey God rather than men.” This is very powerful and they had already been put into prison but they still went ahead and defied the teachers of the law and continued preaching Jesus was the Messiah. They were then taken and beaten, they didnt stop after that even. At the end of the chapter you find out that they were rejoicing for the way they had suffered for Christ. Obviously Mike they weren’t Joyful for the persecution but to be like Christ, and Peter is teaching that we need to be an example like Christ, than this was as close as they were going to get to persecution for God. As I was reading, I wondered if I would have done the same. Would I have stood up and continued preaching? would I have preached after being beaten?
February 4, 2013 at 8:09 pm
Jake Fields
I like what Cameron Lowe said about what persecution looks like in today’s world as compared to what persecution was for the apostles. The definition of persecution is this: subject to hostility and ill-treatment, usually because of race or religion. I feel like today when we try and speak about God’s word, we are afraid, we are scared of what the opposition will SAY to us, not what they will do, but what they will say. We know that we live in a free country and that we are not going to get arrested here for telling people about Christ. Yet we are still afraid. When the apostles spoke, they knew that there was a good chance they could be arrested. Paul taught, knowing that he could get stoned, thrown behind bars, chained up, and killed. That did not stop him nor did it stop the rest of the apostles. How can we be afraid when the risks are nothing compared to then? It’s rather embarrassing, and I know that I’m just one of the very many who fall victim to this fear. What does it mean to be bold? Bold is defined as showing an ability to take risks; confident and courageous. We don’t take any risks when we talk to those who are not opposing us. We are commanded to be bold many times in the Bible. I like Philippians 1:20 where Paul says he will not be ashamed, but he will speak boldly, whether by life or death, Christ will be magnified in his body. Our lives are worth giving up, they are worth the risk. Why is it so easy to even fear a hateful word that may come from our opposition? That’s called the devil having a foothold in our lives. Another beautiful thing about the word of God is that it doesn’t just say to go be bold and speak of God’s word, it also tells us how. Ephesians 3:12 says, “In whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in him.” A verse after that (Ephesians 6:20) says, “… Pray that I may declare it fearlessly as I should.” There are three concepts we see in these couple verses. We find boldness through our faith in him, through prayer, and I think it is important that others pray for us to be bold, it shows community and unity in Christ. The concept of being bold and overcoming fear of persecution is simple, but doing it isn’t easy.
February 4, 2013 at 9:06 pm
Marc Mullenix
I like that Jake brought up the fact that we allow fear to take over our feelings for why we do not talk about Jesus or evangelize. I know for me it is one thing that can be hard for me, but why? I am not going to be imprisoned for proclaiming that Jesus is the risen Messiah, I wont be put to death, but these are the persecutions the Apostles faced. I like to look at Paul and all that he went through for proclaiming the salvation of Jesus Christ. He would go into cities and preach until he was kicked out, or he did all that he needed to do. On one account he was even stoned outside of a city. It is incredible to me the persecution that these men took for their faith. We are going to face it in this life, but I feel we should embrace it and live for the Gospel message, and not by fear.
February 4, 2013 at 9:20 pm
anthonybeaulieu
Suffering for Jesus’ name was not something that shocked the followers of Jesus, and wasn’t something that they didn’t expect. Jesus warned them that they will suffer for His name. Matthew 10:22, “All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.” So they knew that persecution would happen, they had a good warning and the greatest warning of persecution came with the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on the cross. I would think that they knew it was coming and took it as joy that they were suffering for God’s name. They knew that there was more to the suffering, it was considered a great honor and made them worthy of suffering. The Pharisees and Sadducees are being held in higher regard for rejecting the disciples because they are rejecting the Holy Spirit and the power of the Holy Spirit and not giving the Holy Spirit credit for its work. The fact that they praised and worshiped God shows that they 100% fully, without a doubt, believed that Jesus was the Christ and that they were now the ones to take His message around the world. Right away, however, Satan tries to discourage them and stop them but they trust in God and the Holy Spirit’s work in them to do a miracle and because of their faith and trust in Jesus, there is rejoicing and a new community of believers that are willing to die for their faith in the Messiah.
February 4, 2013 at 10:23 pm
annalange
What an amazing response the disciples had after being persecuted! They considered it a privilege to suffer for the name of Christ (Acts 5:41). They did not stop teaching the people about Christ (Acts 5:42). Joe’s point about that the truth of the gospel is very good. Peter and the other disciples knew that God’s Word is truth, and they proved that they truly believed that by standing up for it. Isaiah 55:11 says that God’s Word will return to Him void. God used the disciples to spread the gospel, and their lives demonstrated God’s power. Earlier, in Acts 4:4, five thousand people came to know the Lord because of the preaching and witness of the disciples. The disciples had faith in God and chose to be used by Him even though it was not pleasant. The disciples were overflowing with God’s Word. In Acts 4:20, the disciples say that they “cannot but speak the things which [they] have seen and heard.” It is amazing that “nothing can hinder the power of the Holy Spirit in Acts” (“Response to Suffering” post). Even today, the Holy Spirit is working in marvelous ways.
February 4, 2013 at 11:27 pm
leviwood138
The way that the deciples reacted to their persecution obviously shows how much they believed in what they were doing. The deciples believed whole heartidly that Jesus was the Messiah and that they were preaching what was the truth regardless of what the council thought of it. The way the early church reacted to their persecution I believe should be an example of how we should be prepared to take it. If persecution happens to us in our lives, we should be glad in what our preaching of the truth brings. It seems hard to delight in the fact that we could be killed for our message, but the truth is offensive to those who do not follow the Way. Laying down our lives for the message that saved us from hellfire really should be a privilege. Look at what Matthew 5:10 says, “theirs is the kingdom of Heaven”. We will be rewarded to our earthly suffering.
February 4, 2013 at 11:43 pm
scottspooner64
I have always been move by stories of Christian persecution, and have read many excerpts out of the book “Jesus Freaks” by D.C. Talk. The stories have always made me cringe and put myself into the situation of the Christian who were being persecuted. The fact that the early Christians were persecuted and rejoiced, is the thing that is shocking, because it is not a natural human reaction. Suffering is bad! Many times I complain or grumble simply because I don’t like the food at lunch, or I have to work. Not only did the early Christians rejoice, they rejoiced in suffering. The fact that they were happy for trials puts into perspective when a Christian should have joy, which is all the time. But it is definately easier said than done. The disciples joy and fervor are an example to all and should serve as a reminder of how we should respond in the face of persecution. Maybe if there is no persecution in our lives we are doing something wrong.
February 4, 2013 at 11:45 pm
gminewsblog
Suffering in the name of The Lord is considered a privilege, as Anna said. All through Acts Paul travels from church to church spreading and teaching about Christ even through the various attempts of people to kill him. Paul shows such obedience to God by following His plan and His truth by continuing to share God’s word through the suffering he endured. Paul persevered through all the hardship in the name of God. It has been heavy on my heart to think about how suffering for His name applies to us today. We need to be broken down before we can give our whole selves to God. In order to know Christ we need to know of His suffering that we will never begin to compare our own suffering to. I love the verse in Philippians that talks about knowing Christ through his death and resurrection. “I want to know Christ–yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.” Without the suffering, we cannot know the joy that can come out of it.
February 4, 2013 at 11:46 pm
taczhompson
The way the disciples react to this occurrence proves a sort of “disregard” for the things of this world. It shows that the disciples have realized that the things of this world are unimportant and what matters most is the spread of the Gospel. The other thing this reaction to persecution shows is how firm they were holding to the things that they were teaching. They believed so fiercely in Jesus’ teaching that they were not afraid of anything happening to them while they taught in His name, and were willing to teach His Gospel regardless of the possible consequences. The way the early church reacts is the prime example of how we should react, not only to persecution, but to anything that might oppose our beliefs and teachings. When something comes up that goes against the grain of the Gospel, we should look at it as an opportunity to share Jesus with people. Suffering, in the most basic sense, is an opportunity for God to “show off” His power, and to show people His grace.
February 5, 2013 at 7:47 am
danpierpont
THis has been on my mind a lot lately. Dr. Long you will see what I mean when I give devotions in class this morning. I have been thinking a lot about suffering and the persecution of Christians and the church. I know that the church today is not persecuted like the church in the apostles day, neither the christians. But when I think of persecution, I think of suffering, and when I think of suffering I think of the times that we live in today. If you really think about it, the church today is not persecuted but almost despised. I was thinking about this this morning, Christians, that is someone with a desire to live a holy life, they are looked down upon, even among other christians. People are glorified for the things they have “been through.” and things that they have “experienced”
When I think of persecution in the apostles day, and I do see it running throughout the book of Acts, but also to today.
February 5, 2013 at 3:55 pm
lvinton
The disciples reaction in Acts 4-5 is truly a testament as to what it means to take up one’s cross and follow Jesus (Luke (9:23). I think that today many of us really haven’t experienced much persecution in terms of our faith for Christ. The disciples give an excellent example of being witnesses for Christ. Not only do they persevere through this flogging, but they rejoice and celebrate and go back out and continue to teach! That is the true testament of faith. The disciples also see this as a fulfillment of Scripture (Psalm 2). This can also be applied to our lives today that the knowledge of Scripture is truly a great aid in times of trial. The disciples considered it a privilege to suffer for Christ and they wanted all to know that because of their faith, they could endure anything and even be glad about it!