Acts 5:17-42

Teacher: Rusty Kennedy
​Series: Acts

Rusty's Notes

Acts 5
IN AND OUT OF PRISON
17 Then the high priest (Caiaphas – not Annas) rose up. He and all who were with him, who belonged to the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy (passionately).

• Acts 23:8 - 8 For the Sadducees say there is no resurrection, and neither angel nor spirit, but the Pharisees affirm them all.[1]
• Jealous because the crowds were listening and following the uneducated men rather than the educated men of the Sanhedrin.
• But they were doing this to “defend their faith”
• The council was educated, ordained, and approved, and yet they had no ministry of power.
• The Apostles were ordinary laymen, yet God’s power was at work in their lives.
• The council was trying desperately to protect themselves and their dead traditions, while the Apostles were risking their lives to share the living Word of God.
• The dynamic church was enjoying the new; the dead council was defending the old.[2]

18 So they arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail.

• Not just Peter & John this time… all of the apostles.
• Peter & John had not adhered to their instructions by the Sanhedrin in Acts 4 – Shut up!
• One should not miss the irony of their being placed in the public jail, i.e., openly and for everyone to see.
• Soon they would be unable to find these very ones who were so openly placed in jail.[3]

19 But an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail during the night, brought them out, and said, 20 “Go and stand in the temple, and tell the people all about this life.” 21 Hearing this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach.

• Luke explains the breakout more in the next verses.
• The apostles received instructions from God via the angel.
• “Go and stand in the temple, and tell the people all about this life.”
• Somebody in here please show me what this looked like for them!

 
THE APOSTLES ON TRIAL AGAIN
When the high priest and those who were with him arrived, they convened the Sanhedrin—the full council of the Israelites—and sent orders to the jail to have them brought.

• This was the next morning and they had no clue what had occurred during the night.

22 But when the servants got there, they did not find them in the jail, so they returned and reported, 23 “We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing in front of the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside.”

• The guards were standing so they were not sleeping.
• Clearly it said the angel opened the doors of the jail and brought them out.

24 As the captain of the temple police (the “sagan” - 2nd in line to the High Priest) and the chief priests heard these things, they were baffled about them, wondering what would come of this.

• Not how did this happen but now what is going to happen?
• How will they be perceived?
• People have a tendency to not be concerned about specifics of a situation but more concerned about how it affects them personally.

25 Someone came and reported to them, “Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple and teaching the people.”

• Timing here is everything.

26 Then the commander went with the servants and brought them in without force, because they were afraid the people might stone them.

• Not only did they bring them in without force because they were scared… but obviously the apostles went willingly.
• Why wouldn’t they? They get to stand before the Sadducees and tell them how they got out of jail… Angels!
• One more opportunity before the Sanhedrin to proclaim the miracles of God.

27 After they brought them in, they had them stand before the Sanhedrin, and the high priest asked, 28 “Didn’t we strictly order you not to teach in this name? Look, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.”

• The high priest as presiding officer began the interrogation, charging the apostles with two offenses.
• First, they had broken the interdiction of the Sanhedrin and continued to preach “in this name.”
• Second, they were determined to lay the guilt for “this man’s blood” on them, the Jewish leaders.[4]
• What the High priest avoided saying was:
• 1) Anything about their escape by an angel
• 2) He never would say Jesus’ name.

29 Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than people.

• This is a dangerous saying that has been quoted over by many people over the years.
• Most of the time it has been misappropriated and taken out of context.

30 The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you had murdered by hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted this man to his right hand as ruler (prince/pioneer – ushering in a new set of rules) and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him (not based upon how we act… but based upon a new nature that has transformed us into naturally obeying God.)”

• In their defense they presented the Gospel one more time to the Sanhedrin.
• The High Priest was worried that the Sanhedrin might even be killed because they were being accused of killing Jesus.
• But Peter & the Apostles were more concerned about saving the High Priest & Sanhedrin than getting them killed.
• The apostles give the Jewish leaders one more opportunity to repent.

 
GAMALIEL’S ADVICE
33 When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them.

• Seeking the death penalty. – The Sadducees.

34 But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law who was respected by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered the men to be taken outside for a little while.

• Gamaliel was a Pharisee who probably did not want to see the Sadducees win any victories.
• He was a scholar highly esteemed by the people, rather liberal in his applications of the Law, and apparently moderate in his approach to problems.
• Paul was trained by Gamaliel (Acts 22:3).
• Gamaliel’s “counsel” was unwise and dangerous, but God used it to save the Apostles from death.
• That the Sadducees would heed the words of a Pharisee shows how distinguished a man Gamaliel was.[5]
• He didn’t think he needed much time to convince them… thus the “little while”.

35 He said to them, “Men of Israel, be careful about what you’re about to do to these men. 36 Some time ago Theudas (they-dus) rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a group of about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, and all his followers were dispersed and came to nothing. 37 After this man, Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and attracted a following. He also perished, and all his followers were scattered. 38 So in the present case, I tell you, stay away from these men and leave them alone. For if this plan or this work is of human origin, it will fail; 39 but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even be found fighting against God.”

• God will work out His will.
• Gamaliel used logic rather than emotion.
• He associated Jesus with two rebels which means he rejected all the evidence given by the apostles.
• Jesus was just another troublemaker to him.
• But the rebels never resurrected like Jesus did.
• “There is nothing to see or worry about here… it will dissolve on its own.”
• Gamaliel also refused to that we live in a fallen world and sometimes lies can prevail over Truth.
• But the Truth actually did prevail here.
• Gamaliel is recognized by the Jewish leaders as a distinguished scholar… but this doesn’t necessarily make him wise.
• Why didn’t he take what he knew (prophecy) and match it to what has already occurred right in front of his eyes… The evidence… again and again.

They were persuaded by him.

• They listened to Gamaliel and compromised.

40 After they called in the apostles and had them flogged, they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus and released them.

• Deuteronomy 25:1-3 - 1 “If there is a dispute between men, they are to go to court, and the judges will hear their case. They will clear the innocent and condemn the guilty. 2 If the guilty party deserves to be flogged, the judge will make him lie down and be flogged in his presence with the number of lashes appropriate for his crime. 3 He may be flogged with forty lashes, but no more. Otherwise, if he is flogged with more lashes than these, your brother will be degraded in your sight.[6]
• 2 Corinthians 11:24 - 24 Five times I received the forty lashes minus one from the Jews.[7]

41 Then they went out from the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to be treated shamefully on behalf of the Name.

• How did the Apostles respond to this illegal treatment from their nation’s religious leaders?
• They rejoiced!
• Jesus had told them to expect persecution and had instructed them to rejoice in it (Matt. 5:10–12).
• The opposition of men meant the approval of God, and it was actually a privilege to suffer for His name (Phil. 1:29).[8]

42 Every day in the temple, and in various homes, they continued teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.[9]

• In the temple… they proclaimed the Good News (preached).

In the homes… they taught the Good News.

[1] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Ac 23:8). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[2] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 425). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[3] Polhill, J. B. (1992). Acts (Vol. 26, p. 166). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[4] Polhill, J. B. (1992). Acts (Vol. 26, p. 168). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[5] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 426). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[6] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Dt 25:1–3). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[7] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (2 Co 11:24). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[8] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 427). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[9] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Ac 5:1–42). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.