(Suggested Reading: Chapter 5:17-42; 6:1-7)
The Apostle Paul writes “the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds; overthrowing reasonings and every high thing that lifts itself up against the knowledge of God” 2 Cor. 10:44(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) (2 Corinthians 10:4). In the record of the Acts so far five thousand “strongholds” have been pulled down but warfare continues against the “high things” in Israel opposed to the knowledge of God. The high priests and rulers of the people are also opposed to the will of God, which the same Apostle connects with the raising of Jesus Christ from among the dead in his Ephesian epistle, and to the exceeding greatness of His power. In mighty energy the Holy Spirit turns to the world, striking at such manifestations of Satan’s power as sickness, unclean spirits, etc. The wrath of the high priest at these workings of God is very great. It is important to see the meaning of these signs. When the Lord Jesus was on earth, He personally worked such works of God. But He returned to heaven and sent the Holy Spirit down. The signs of power in Acts are the proofs that another divine person is present that is the Holy Spirit for sin, disease, and death are inconsistent with the presence of God see Rev. 21:3,43And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. (Revelation 21:3‑4).
It is the power of God, the will of God, the spread of the knowledge of God that the High Priests, Sadducees, and rulers of the people are resisting. They have authority but no power; the apostles power but no authority that man will recognize. When the Lord was on earth it was the chief priests and elders who persuaded the rabble to free Barabbas and destroy Jesus see Mat. 27:20. The chief priests had set guards over His grave. Now the Sadducees, the avowed enemies of the Pharisees, oppose the doctrine of His resurrection. When Christ is in question, men who are enemies will make common cause against Him. Pilate and Herod did too see Luke 23:1212And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together: for before they were at enmity between themselves. (Luke 23:12).
What agitates them now is the mounting evidence that the Apostles’ work and testimony is of God. If it is of God, why is He not working through them, the official religious leaders of the people? They do not want divine power and authority to pass out of their hands into the hands of others. But they are no longer morally qualified to act for God. Apart from their dreadful blood guilt it is evident that they are instruments not of God, but of Satan. It is not without meaning that Satan took the Lord to the pinnacle of the Temple in the temptation. He knows the seat of his power in the world. On the other hand, God has not disowned the Temple completely even though “their house” will eventually be desolate. But the religious leaders and rulers of the people are only governed by whatever restraint public opinion imposes upon their lusts—see 5:26. Public opinion is now much more favorable to the Apostles than when they had seized them in Chapter 4. Multitudes have been healed in Jerusalem. Not only that but they have streamed into Jerusalem from outlying parts and have been healed and blessed.
The religious leaders do not want to see the Spirit of God working. Having been forced by the evidence to concede that the power with which God is working is faith in the Name of Jesus, fear must have gripped them in the interim between the two councils. This turns to wrath—literally ‘jealousy’ as ‘envy’—against the Apostles. The Council is also infuriated at being charged with the responsibility for Jesus’ death and now it is being taught that God has raised Him from the dead. So the Apostles are put in the common prison—whereas previously Peter and John had only been put in ward —4:3.
The Words of This Life
But it is not the will of God that the blessing to man which the gospel affords should be shut off by their actions. The angel of the Lord opens the prison doors and charges them “go, stand and speak in the Temple to the people all the words of this life.” This they do, early in the morning. The angel’s order told them what to do—the Lord’s example told them how to do it. This is by preaching and teaching. Teaching is prominent in the Acts. Now we cannot teach others unless we ourselves have been taught. Divine instruction comes from being in the presence of the Lord, for He is our Teacher—John 20:1616Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. (John 20:16). So the Apostles are qualified teachers of the Word from being in the Lord’s presence when He was on earth—Paul from being in the Lord’s presence in heaven. Their education in divine things came from the supreme source—God Himself. The chief priests, on the other hand, have human instruction but no divine teaching. It was the Lord’s teaching that made the chief priests “the more fierce” before Pilate. And it is reference to the Lord’s teaching with which the Acts opens up— “all things that Jesus began to do and to teach.” The connection between preaching and teaching is often forgotten today. But the Sanhedrin recognized its importance when they commanded the Apostles not to speak at all, nor to teach, in the Name of Jesus. It is rightful disobedience of this edict that brings the Apostles before that body.
The High Priest convenes a meeting of the Council and instructs the Temple police to release the Apostles from prison for trial. But the officers report that “the prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the guards standing outside 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” —v. 23-25. What consternation this news brings to the assembly of the wicked!
The Temple and the Prison
Outward beauty characterizes the Temple—its beautiful gate speaks of that—but power characterizes the new life—the prison doors are opened. Yet what a contrast between the Temple, which, even with its limitations is still owned by God, and the prison. The Temple, viewed symbolically, speaks of God’s power—the prison of Satan’s. The veil of the Temple has been rent but because man will not acknowledge who did it, he is like the man at the beautiful gate powerless to go in. He has no power to go in the Temple or go out of the prison. The Apostles have both.
The observant reader cannot fail to notice the emphasis laid throughout these passages on the Temple. God has not given it up as yet. Though Satan has usurped power in it as he does later in the Church, it is still the Temple of God. The emphasis on this is most marked. Peter and John had gone up together to the Temple at the hour of prayer and healed the lame man. Peter then seized the opportunity to preach in the Temple. These signs are given to show that God the Holy Spirit is present and working, and to testify to Israel that God has raised Jesus from among the dead. At this period the gospel is confined to Israel. Peter even said that God would send Jesus back to them if they would repent 3:20. The angel instructed the Apostles when he released them “go, stand and speak in the Temple to the people, all the words of this life” 5:20. And the final triumph is that the Apostles teach and preach daily in the Temple after the Council has done its worst.
Ever eager to stop the work of the Lord, Satan had sought to imprison the channels of divine power. But the great lesson here is that he can no longer do so. The Lord alluded to that when He said, “how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house” Mat. 12:29. Satan is the strong man, the Lord Jesus the stronger Man. “From heaven did the Lord behold the earth, to hear the groaning of the prisoner, to loose those that are appointed to death, to declare the Name of the Lord in Zion, and His praise in Jerusalem” Ps. 102:19-21. Some of this may well apply to a future day, but none can deny that it was partially fulfilled in these pristine days of the Assembly of God at Jerusalem.
Peter Before the Sanhedrin
Fearing that if they use force the people will stone them, the Temple police escort the Apostles quietly to the Council. As soon as they are present the High Priest questions them “did we not 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” v. 25-28. The famed Sanhedrin of the Jews is in no mood to tolerate any questioning of its authority.
The angel had told the Apostles to preach to the people the words of this life. But the words Peter has for the Council are of a different nature. It is his last appearance before the Sanhedrin. That a man like Peter, a fisherman by trade, can address such a learned body in such impressive surroundings, testifies to the power of God which sustains him. His reply to their accusation is terse. Peter does not tell them to repent as he does the people, although he makes it clear that repentance is open to Israel. The moral state of the Council is in marked contrast to the holy calm of the Apostles before them and is described in Ps. 36:1, 2 “the transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes. For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquities be found to be hateful.”
Peter starts by reminding them that God “the God of our fathers” has raised up Jesus. This is the same Jesus they have slain and hanged on a tree. Thus, God has reversed their decision and they are exposed as His enemies. But He does more than raise Him from the dead. He exalts Him that is He raises Him as Man to the highest height in heaven so that there is a Man in the glory on the throne of God. He is in exactly the same position as David, whose son and Lord He is, after he smote his enemies and ruled in power. Does David seek to destroy the household of Saul, the man who threw a javelin at him and sought his life? No. He says “is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?” 2 Sam 9:3. So the Lord Jesus Christ, the True David, exalted to power far exceeding David’s, is ready to pardon His enemies.
And these enemies have not only sought His life like Saul but taken it. The form of the pardon is made dear too “to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.” Peter concludes with a twofold witness to the things he has just brought before them. The Apostles are not only witnesses, but His witnesses, as the Lord had said they should be before His ascension 1:8. The Holy Spirit is the other witness. Peter’s words summarize the testimony of the Apostles; Stephen’s words, at a somewhat later date, will summarize the testimony of the Holy Spirit, by Whom he spoke.
Conviction is not the same as repentance. Convicted of sin they “were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.” Providentially God intervenes, using Gamaliel to thwart their purpose. His motive is not dear. As a Pharisee he may hesitate to condemn men who stand for the doctrine of resurrection in a Council apparently dominated by Sadducees who oppose it. Or it may be natural prudence. At any rate he brings them back to reason. He reminds them that this is not the first time men have been drawn away after leaders who have fomented trouble. Theudas and Judas of Galilee had done just that and where are they now? “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 naught, but if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it, lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.” This natural wisdom prevails. For Gamaliel is suggesting that the trouble may go away if left alone. Decisions on controversial matters are often avoided by men in organized groups for fear of compromising their positions or authority if the decisions prove wrong.
But in practice they vent their hatred on the Apostles by beating them—the first act of violence so far. The Apostles leave them with bleeding backs, but rejoicing as Paul later does at Philippi. The temper of the Sanhedrin is rising, however. They command them not to speak in the Name of Jesus before they let them go. Sometimes it pleases the Lord to deliver His saints; at other times to let them suffer. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego recognized this principle when they refused to worship the golden image. They said to the king— “O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer you in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us out of your hand, O King. But if not, be it known to you, O King, that we will not serve your gods, nor worship the golden image which you have set up” —Dan. 3:16-1816Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. 17If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. 18But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. (Daniel 3:16‑18). In the case of the Apostles there is both deliverance and suffering. The angel of the Lord opens the prison door in the night and brings them out. That is the delivering power of the Lord. On the other hand, the Council has beaten them. They correctly recognize this as identification with their risen Lord. Had He not been scourged? The servant is not above His Master. And so, they leave the Council with backs bleeding no doubt, but “rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His Name” —v. 41. Undeterred they cease not to teach and preach Jesus Christ. This they do in every house and “daily in the Temple.”
The First Office Established in the Church
Defeated in the world, Satan now seeks to sow the seeds of dissension and division in the Church. The murmuring of the Hellenists against the Hebrews can be traced to him. But God merely uses the difficulty to make a new provision for the care of Christ’s sheep.
At first we find all office in the Assembly at Jerusalem vested in the Apostles, who personally perform the duties later entrusted to deacons and elders (note that both Peter and John take the ground of being elders in 1 Pet. 5:11The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: (1 Peter 5:1) and 2 John 1:11The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth; (2 John 1) respectively). In a broad sense the distinction between the offices of deacon and elder in the early church is simple. The deacon—a word also translated “minister” —is responsible for the material needs of the Church and the elder for the spiritual needs.
The Apostles delegate these offices to others in an orderly and godly fashion, for God is a God of order. The office of deacon is delegated to the Jew first whereas the office of elder is delegated to the Gentile first. This is because the primary needs at Jerusalem are material, not spiritual, whereas the primary needs of the Gentiles are spiritual, not material. To explain this statement, consider the difference in the background of Jew and Gentile. The Apostle Paul writes— “what advantage then hath the Jew—much every way—chiefly because that to them were committed the oracles of God” —Rom. 3:1, 21What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? 2Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God. (Romans 3:1‑2). The Jews not only know the Holy Scriptures, but they have the Apostles in their midst. The Gentiles, however, will be converted out of pagan darkness . . . not only accustomed to sacrificing to idols but steeped in moral debauchery. This can easily be seen by reading the Corinthian Epistles. Of the Word of God they know nothing. Since the primary needs of the Gentiles are spiritual, elders are chosen first at Lystra and Iconium and Antioch—Gentile cities. True, elders are also mentioned in 11:30—but the official office is an apostolic delegation, and this act is first recorded in Gentile lands.
While God is a God of order, He is also a God of liberty. The offices in the early church are so set up that they neither on the one hand prevent the man holding the office from serving the Lord in other ways, nor on the other hand do they prevent others from doing the work of a deacon where there is no official appointment. Stephen and Philip illustrate this on the one hand—Phoebe on the other. Both Stephen and Philip are deacons and are directly responsible for financial matters—for ensuring equity in the daily ministration to the widow. Yet Stephen is “full of faith and power.” He does great wonders and miracles among the people. Philip is later called “the evangelist” —21:8—which is a gift from the Lord. On the other hand, Phoebe illustrates the use of office without official appointment. She is deaconess (from Greek ‘Diakonos’—a person who acts or waits in service) of the Church at Cenchrae—Rom. 16:11I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea: (Romans 16:1). Not only from the Greek word chosen but also from Scripture we know that she does not have an official appointment, for Paul writes as to the office— “let the deacons be husbands of one wife, conducting their children and their own houses well” —1 Tim. 3:1212Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. (1 Timothy 3:12). How many believers there are at Cenchrae we do not know. All we know is that Phoebe is a qualified person who takes care of the simple but important practical needs of the Assembly in that seaport town. We may perhaps picture her arranging the room where they meet, purchasing bread and wine, spreading the table, counting the collection, looking after the ‘love feast’ the early Christians enjoyed together, caring for scrolls of Scripture, or collecting food and clothes for the poor. Actually, we cannot be certain what she did but whatever it was the Lord was uppermost in her life. We all owe much to those who have followed her example. If an Apostle commended faithful work, it should not go unnoticed in our day.
The features of the deacon’s moral character are given to us in 1 Tim. 3:8-108Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; 9Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. 10And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. (1 Timothy 3:8‑10)— “grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not seeking gain by base means, holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. And let these be first proved, then let them minister.” It is written also “he that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much” —Luke 16:1010He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. (Luke 16:10). He may desire the office of an elder later, like other godly men —1 Tim. 3:11This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. (1 Timothy 3:1)—but must first prove himself in the office committed to him. This Stephen does. It is noteworthy that it is not an Apostle who first lays down his life for Christ, but Stephen, a lowly deacon. Peter, an Apostle, boasts that he will lay down his life for the Lord’s sake; Stephen, who makes no claims, is the first to do so. Again, the reader’s attention is directed to the beginning of the Book of Acts— “all that Jesus began to do and teach.” Acts is the book of doing. Teaching comes later . . . in the epistles.
A beautiful picture of the workings of grace is given to us in the choice of “the seven” as Scripture calls the “seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom.” Their names are all Grecian. But you say wasn’t it the Grecian Jews who were complaining? The Hebrew Jews will be outvoted! But if you are an honest man, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom you will never even entertain the thought of being unjust in the Church of God. How beautiful are the springs of first love! May the gracious Lord lead us back to drink of them.