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Two works of Christ in Acts 1-12, part 5

From Acts 5:12 to the end of the chapter, we are given a New Testament example specifically of the second work of Christ.

In verses 12-16 we are told how the bold preaching of the word with the power of Spirit resulted in many people being converted to Christ. But not everyone was happy to see this. Beginning with verse 17 the next account begins. Acts 5:17-21 begins the story:

¹⁷ But the high priest rose up, along with all his associates (that is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy. ¹⁸ They laid hands on the apostles and put them in a public jail. ¹⁹ But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the gates of the prison, and taking them out he said, ²⁰ Go, stand and speak to the people in the temple the whole message of this Life. ²¹ Upon hearing this, they entered into the temple about daybreak and began to teach….

We are not told how many of the apostles were put in jail, but it appears that the high priest intended to make them examples of the first work of Christ—that is, to have them killed. But God’s intent was to showcase them as examples of the second work of Christ, wherein they would preach the word with boldness. So an angel was sent to release them alive, even as the second bird and the second goat were likewise released.

Another Trial

Acts 5:22, 23 continues,

²¹ … Now when the high priest and his associates came, they called the Council together, even all the Senate of the sons of Israel, and sent orders to the prison house for them to be brought. ²² But the officers who came did not find them in the prison; and they returned and reported back, ²³ saying, “We found the prison house locked quite securely and the guards standing at the doors; but when we had opened up, we found no one inside.”

It appears that the angel had made the apostles invisible to the guards during this jail break. Did they walk through the locked door? Did the angel open the door and close it after the apostles were released? We are not told, but this was more than a simple escape from jail, because the guards were unaware of what had happened. Acts 5:24 says,

²⁴ Now when the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them as to what would come of this.

Word then came that the apostles were teaching in the temple. Once again, the Sadducees had an opportunity to observe a miracle and to understand that God had done something supernatural. But, sadly, their hearts were hardened, and their only concern was that they had ignored the warning by continuing to teach the word. In fact, the apostles had the audacity to teach the word in the temple itself—presumably, in Solomon’s Porch, where such discussions occurred regularly.

Acts 5:26 says,

²⁶ Then the captain went along with the officers and proceeded to bring them back without violence (for they were afraid of the people, that they might be stoned).

The teaching of the apostles must have drawn a sizeable crowd. Perhaps the apostles told them of their angelic release from jail, and many saw this as a divine commissioning. So when the captain of the guard took note of this, he instructed his officers to ask the apostles politely to come with them.

Acts 5:27-33 says,

²⁷ When they had brought them, they stood them before the Council. The high priest questioned them, ²⁸ saying, “We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” ²⁹ But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. ³⁰ The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a cross. ³¹ He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. ³² And we are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.” ³³ But when they heard this, they were cut to the quick and intended to kill them.

Here we are told that “Peter and the apostles” were taken to the Council. This means at least three apostles had been jailed and released. They reminded the high priest that they were witnesses and were commanded by God (and in the law itself) to testify to men what they had seen and heard.

We are also given another hint as to the content of the apostolic message. The high priest found it to be highly objectionable. He claimed that they “intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” In other words, the high priest, not understanding the sacrificial work of Christ as the Passover lamb, could only see the surface issue and did not want to be blamed for the death of the Messiah. Most of the Council was outraged at the accusation and wanted to kill the apostles.

It is noteworthy that the apostles were NOT teaching that the Romans had crucified Jesus. This is confirmed in John 19:16-18,

¹⁶ So he [Pilate] handed Him over to them [the priests] to be crucified. ¹⁷ They [the priests] took Jesus, therefore, and He went out, bearing His own cross, to the place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew Golgotha. ¹⁸ There they [the priests] crucified Him, and with him two other men, one on either side, and Jesus in between.

Surely, John was among the apostles who were teaching in the temple. He personally witnessed the crucifixion (John 19:26, 27) and testified as to what he had seen and heard.

Gamaliel’s Counsel

A prominent member of the Council was a well-respected rabbi named Gamaliel. Although he was a Pharisee, he was the president of the Council and was surrounded by Sadducees. He was the grandson of Hillel the Elder, whose rabbinical school of thought believed that the Judeans ought to submit to the Roman government, as it was the fourth beast in Daniel 7. He correctly saw Rome as the iron kingdom, which God had raised up to judge Jerusalem.

It is clear that Gamaliel himself was of the School of Hillel. Opposed to Hillel was a rabbi named Shammai, who believed that the Judeans ought to resist the Romans and gain their independence. They believed that God wanted them to be free, which was partly true, except that this long captivity had been imposed upon them by God Himself on account of their sin.

Paul testifies in Acts 22:3, “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city educated under Gamaliel.” Perhaps this is why Paul had no objection to being a Roman citizen (Acts 16:37). Nonetheless, in religious matters, the School of Hillel supported the policy of executing supposed heretics. Paul soon became a leading figure in the persecution of the church.

But in this case, Gamaliel gave examples of recent leaders who had fomented revolts and who claimed to be the messiah. These movements and revolts failed, of course. It is also likely that Gamaliel took note of the miracle of the jail break. So Gamaliel gave counsel to the Council in Acts 5;38-40,

³⁸ “So in the present case, I say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action is of men, it will be overthrown, ³⁹ but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting God.” ⁴⁰ They took his advice; and after calling the apostles in, they flogged them and ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and then released them.

Here, at the end of the story, we see how the apostles were fulfilling the prophetic types of the second bird, which was to be dipped in the blood of the first bird and released into the open field (Leviticus 14:6, 7). The apostles left the Council with blood on their backs, but yet the Council had to release them, because the apostles were in God’s witness protection program.

Acts 5:41, 42 concludes,

⁴¹ So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name. ⁴² And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.

So the word of God continued to be preached with boldness, not merely to convert the city of Nineveh, but now to convert the world to the Kingdom of God. It appears that this preaching continued until the arrest and stoning of Stephen.