Chapter 6. The Honorable Counsellor.
Going on to the Acts we find the apostles brought before this council, several times; in chapter 5; they are shut up for a night in the common prison, but set free by an angel, so when the officers are sent to bring them before the council, they are puzzled to find them gone, and the next thing they hear is that they are standing in the temple, teaching. On being brought before the council, they refuse to obey the command, not to teach in the name of Jesus, and are, therefore, beaten. The council having this power, thought it was not lawful for them to put any person to death. However, in chapter 7, we see that in their blind rage and fury, they go beyond their power, and Stephen is stoned. Stoning being the Jewish mode of putting, to death; and crucifying, the Roman. Paul also. was brought before the council (Acts 23:11And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day. (Acts 23:1)), by the Roman captain, who had rescued him the day before, front the furious mob who would have killed him. We read that, “He commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear”. (Acts 22:3030On the morrow, because he would have known the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him from his bands, and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear, and brought Paul down, and set him before them. (Acts 22:30).) Now the elders and scribes who composed this council were not all of one mind, for some were Pharisees, and some were Sadducees; so the Pharisees took part with Paul, while the Sadducees would have torn him to pieces; so once more the Roman captain rescued him, and from this time on, he was kept a prisoner by the Romans until sent by them to be judged by their emperor in Rome.
It is pleasant to turn away from the chief priests, the elders and the scribes, who composed this council, and who were blinded by their hatred to the name of Jesus to all sense of right and justice, it is pleasant to turn from them to that “honorable councilor,” who would not consent “to the counsel and deed of them,” who with his fellow councilor, Nicodemus, came out boldly at the last, and showed such love and devotion to Him who had won their hearts.
ML 08/25/1912