Acts: To The Ends Of The EarthSample

In John 7:15, the Jews were amazed that Jesus knew so much without ever having studied. In today’s passage, the Jewish leaders are amazed at the courage of Peter and John and note that "these men had been with Jesus" (v. 13).

We are amazed at the blindness of the Sanhedrin, that despite the clear evidence of the healing of the man and the claim that this was the work of Jesus, they think they can stop the gospel by moving a motion in the assembly that there should be no more Jesus talk (v. 17). There is no rational debate or presentation of contrary evidence, merely this response—"Stop this talk." Somehow they thought this would change reality and everything would go back to the way it was. No way! Peter and John have been with Jesus. They had "seen and heard" (v. 20). They were eyewitnesses of His resurrection and exaltation. They are under the authority of God, who is a far higher authority than the Sanhedrin (v. 19). They will repeat their testimony again in Acts 5:29. Let the highest court of Judaism decide—should God be obeyed, or a human court?

The Jews’ own argument before the Roman courts was exactly this; their ultimate authority was no human court, but God alone. It was said of the Scottish reformer John Knox that he feared God so much that he had no fear to stand before any human tribunal.

Peter and John had the same conviction. They were witnesses, and they had been with Jesus. They were the leaders of a group of people mandated by God Himself to speak. "We cannot help speaking" (v. 20) they say, and so they give us the ongoing model for our response to irrational, worldly opposition that seeks to silence our speaking of the gospel.

What the prophet heard, "thus says the Lord," the apostles saw and heard, and so spoke. Today, we can say with equal confidence, "Thus the Lord has written." We have the historical written record of the revelation of God, and the accredited testimony of the prophets and the apostles, each of which focuses on the Lord Jesus. The more determined the world is to ignore us, the more determined we must be to speak.

Reflection

Think of the fear you might have for the tribunal compared with the fear you have for God. How could Peter and John have had such courage? In the face of such clear evidence, why is the Sanhedrin so blind?