College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
Acts 5:21-41
ON SOLOMON'S PORCH. Acts 5:21 a
And when they heard this, they entered into the temple about daybreak, and taught.
Acts 5:21 a As the sun broke over the eastern horizon of the hills of Judea the apostles entered the familiar portico of the temple to take up their message where it had been interrupted the day before. Who would be in the temple at this hour? Perhaps a few of the disciples who because of anxiety and prayer did not sleep that night. They were here in this hallowed spot where they had heard the words of this Life. Here they could worship and pray. But here too they were to bet met by the twelve. How the faces of God's servants must have been aglow with the inner joy of their victorious faith. How they must have preached as never before. In but a few moments the few who were present ran to carry the news to others and in a short while a multitude had gathered to listen.
178.
Who would be in the temple at the break of dawn?
179.
How do you suppose the apostles obtained an audience?
12.
BEFORE THE SANHEDRIN. Acts 5:21 b - Acts 5:41.
a.
The assembling of the council and the apostle's trial. Acts 5:21 b - Acts 5:28.
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-house to have them brought.
But the officers that came found them not in the prison; and they returned, and told,
saying, The prison-house we found shut in all safety, and the keepers standing at the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within.
Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were much perplexed concerning them whereunto this would grow.
And there came one and told them, Behold, the men whom ye put in the prison are in the temple standing and teaching the people.
Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them, but without violence; for they feared the people, lest they should be stoned.
And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them,
saying, We strictly charged you not to teach in this name: and behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.
Acts 5:21 b - Acts 5:23 A few short hours later, in another part of the temple, the high priest called the council together. Luke says that the high priest in assembling the council called all the senate of the children of Israel. This reference to the senate has to do with the Sanhedrin proper, the term senate comes from the word meaning older so it doubtless has reference to the official capacity of the Sanhedrin, or the elders. While this august assembly waited, the officers were sent to have the apostles brought. A few moments later the council members looked up to behold the officers returning but they were without their prisoners. They brought the astounding news that, although they found the prison locked and the guards at their stations, when the doors were opened they found no man within. The officers probably also questioned the keepers of the prison who could give no explanation of the disappearance of the apostles.
180.
How could the council gather in the temple without observing the preaching of the apostles?
181.
What is the meaning of the term Senate as it is used here?
182.
What was the message of the soldiers upon their return from prison?
Acts 5:24-28 The captain of the temple and the priests had dealt with these men before and had been defeated in their efforts to oppose them, but when they heard the message of the officers they began to wonder what would be the result if the news of this event became common knowledge. While they were thus thinking, a certain man hurried into their midst to tell them that the very ones whom they had publicly apprehended and jailed were now in another part of the temple doing the very thing for which they had been twice arrested: Standing and teaching the people.
The captain of the temple went off to a mission he had performed before: to lay hands on the apostles and bring them before the council. But as he and the officers went to their task he must have felt somewhat different toward these men they were about to arrest than he did on the first occasion. The authorities knew that no violence could be exercised lest the people stone them.
183.
Do you suppose this incident of the release of the apostles caused the council to think about their former experience with these men? Where is this suggested in the text?
b.
The answer of the apostles. Acts 5:29-32.
But Peter and the apostles answered and said, We must obey God rather than men.
The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew, hanging him on a tree.
Him did God exalt with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins.
And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God hath given to them that obey him.
Acts 5:29-32 Having been ushered in before the council the high priest immediately laid before them the two charges against them:
First, that they had violated the charge of the Sanhedrin;
Second, that in their teaching they were seeking to place the blame of the death of Jesus upon the rulers of the Sanhedrin.
The response of the apostles was straight to the point. With Peter as their spokesman they pleaded guilty to both charges.
Notice:
1)
We have disobeyed your charge; We must obey God rather than men.
2)
We intended to convey the thought that the blood of Jesus is upon your heads for you have slain Him and hung Him upon a tree. But God has raised Him up; indeed He has been exalted at the right hand of God. He is thus exalted and has gone through His suffering to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins.
3)
The apostles added one more thrust to this bold rebuke. They said in thought Concerning all these facts regarding Jesus we are personal witnesses, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God hath given to them that obey Him. The apostles witnessed the earthly work and triumph of Jesus whereas the Holy Spirit beheld not only this, but also His heavenly coronation at the right hand of the Father.
184.
What two charges were made against the apostles?
185.
What response did the apostles make to these charges?
186.
What was the additional remark the apostles made following their answer to the charges?
187.
What is the meaning of Acts 5:32 b?
c.
The result of the defense and the advice of Gamaliel. The release. Acts 5:38-41,
But they, when they heard this, were cut to the heart, and were minded to slay them.
But there stood up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in honor of all the people, and commanded to put the men forth a little while.
And he said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves as touching these men, what ye are about to do.
For before these days rose up Theudas, giving himself out 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 dispersed, and came to nought.
After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the enrolment, and drew away some of the people after him: he also perished; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered abroad.
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 be overthrown:
but if it is of God, ye will not be able to overthrow them; lest haply ye be found even to be fighting against God.
And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles unto them, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
They therefore departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the Name.
Acts 5:33 Ere the last words of the apostles died out on the air an angry rumble was heard among the council. The words struck home like a knife and they had to make a decision. The truth concerning sin applied to man's conscience will either make him angry or cause godly sorrow for his sin. In the case of Pentecost godly sorrow was the result, here anger was manifest. The anger was growing in such intensity that it seemed inevitable that it would soon burst forth in a sentence of death.
188.
State the two results of the truth applied to the heart and give an illustration of each.
Acts 5:34-41 When the storm was just about to break, there stood up one in the council and averted the terrible crisis. It is refreshing to meet here one who in the midst of the storm of emotion is governed by judgment rather than by hatred and pride.
Gamaliel, a Pharisee, a doctor of the law, had in honor of all the people. The same man from whom Paul was taught the law, (Acts 22:3), What had this man to say? Whatever it was, it was to be addressed to the Sandhedrin. There was much that could be heard by the apostles. The twelve were commanded by Gamaliel to step out of the presence of the Sanhedrin.
Speaking to the council, Gamaliel gave the following advice:
Consider yourselves in the action you are about to take, He suggested that if they were to condemn these men to death and then it be found that evidence was wanting, it would go hard with them. His advice was, in light of this, let them alone. He gave substantial reasons for so acting. Two illustrations were used of movements that at their inception caused quite a stir but later came to nothing. The inference was made in the use of these illustrations, that the excitement concerning Jesus was probably of the same nature and would come to the same end. By leaving these men alone the Sanhedrin would be acting wisely, for then they could determine the origin of this movement by its fruit. It if was not of God it would come to nought. But if it indeed was of God it could not be overthrown with opposition, and if they did oppose it they would be fighting against God. This was sound advice and they could not help but see its wisdom. To him, in spite of their injured pride, they agreed. But they could not bear to let these men go without some punishment; so calling the apostles in they caused the apostles to be beaten with the 39 stripes of the Jewish law. This beating was just in the eyes of the council for they had disobeyed their charge.
189.
Name three facts about Gamaliel.
190.
Did the apostles hear the words of Gamaliel?
191.
Why did Gamaliel say, Take heed unto yourselves as touching these men, what ye are about to do?
192.
State in three words the advice of Gamaliel and then give the reasons for so acting.
Acts 5:41 The stripes laid upon their backs by the council were such as would cause their flesh to be torn and bleeding, and yet they left this meeting with a heart of rejoicing, not with the burdened spirit of a martyr but with joy that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the Name. This was not a cross to be borne but a privilege to enjoy.
193.
Of what did the beating consist?
194.
What is wrong with the martyr complex or spirit?
195.
What manifests the utter disregard of the Apostles for the punishment of the council?
13.
THE SPREAD OF THE WORD. Acts 5:42.
And every day, in the temple and at home, they ceased not to teach and to preach Jesus as the Christ.
Acts 5:42 How lightly they considered the marks of the Jewish rods can be seen when we read that they went right back to the same place where they had been thrice arrested and ceased not to teach and to preach Jesus as the Christ. Not content with this, they brought the same glad tidings to the neighborhood in which they lived.