And as they were speaking to
the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came
upon them, annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming the
resurrection from the dead in the name of Jesus. And they arrested them and put
them in custody until the morrow, for it was already evening. But many of those
who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to about five
thousand.
In a Nutshell
What Peter and John were saying annoyed the religious leaders so they were arrested.
Questions
What was so annoying about the teaching of Peter and John?
Peter was urging his listeners. Jesus had been especially appointed for
them. It was as if he had said "You missed Him when you sent Him off for execution
but since God has raised Him make sure you don't miss Him this time!"
Think about it.
Peter is saying something truly momentous. Forgiveness is being offered
to all; the offer extends to those complicit in the execution of the Anointed
One, the person God specially chose to fulfil the Law and Prophets. Jesus was
the purpose of their lives. Even though they had been party to His slaying, His
Rising from the dead confirms God's Mercy. Those who ordered the crucifixion
are not excluded. The Lamb has been slain. Sin has been taken away. But that is
not the end!
But what happens when those who were party to His death can not or will
not believe in such Divine forgiveness? Think about how the religious leaders
must have interpreted Peter's proclamation. They could only hear Peter's words
as his attempt to get even with them. Peter and John must have known the danger
they were in. Yes, the execution of Jesus had been unjust. But Peter's
proclamation about the healing of the man in the name of the Risen Messiah, put
the cat well and truly among the pigeons. The priests and other religious
leaders were very uneasy. They did not want news of this event to get out. What
would happen if the Roman authorities heard?
But such opposition was not new to Peter and John. Andrew, Peter's
brother, had been John the Baptist's disciple, before he introduced Peter to
Jesus, Then Herod had executed John. Jesus taught His disciples to beware of
corrupt alliances. Remember His teaching about yeast? And now Peter's words were
deeply annoying to the Sadducees. They said there is no resurrection. They were
the ones who had unsuccessfully tried to
trick Jesus.
So, that night Peter and John ended up in prison. But God's Spirit was on
the move. This episode had brought new growth to the company of those who
believed. Luke describes the opposition as a futile attempt to ambush the work
of God's Spirit. It could not succeed. This theme is repeated throughout this
amazing book. In its own way this book applies the teaching of Jesus' sower
parable, it uses Jesus' parable as a model for his account. The word gets sown.
Some falls on soil that God's Spirit has prepared. The harvest increases. But
some falls on the path and birds come, like Satan, to take away that which has
been broadcast.