Request your free, three-month trial to Tabletalk magazine. You’ll receive the print issue monthly and gain immediate digital access to decades of archives. This trial is risk-free. No credit card required.
Try Tabletalk NowAlready receive Tabletalk magazine every month?
Verify your email address to gain unlimited access.
Acts 5:27–32
“The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him” (vv. 30–32).
Taking the Apostles into custody a third time (Acts 4:1–3; 5:17–18, 26), the Jewish authorities in Jerusalem questioned Peter and the others once more. Luke records this interrogation in today’s passage.
As we see in Acts 5:27–28, the high priest took the lead in asking questions of the Apostles. He gave two reasons that the Sanhedrin was upset with the Apostles’ behavior. First, the high priest reminded the Apostles that the council had strictly forbidden Peter, John, and the others from continuing to preach the gospel when the Jewish leaders released the Apostles from custody the first time (v. 28; see 4:18). The Apostles’ unwillingness to obey the Sanhedrin demonstrated their refusal to submit to the Jewish leaders in all things, and the officials could not tolerate such insubordination. Second, the Sanhedrin was displeased that the Apostles intended to bring the blood of “this man” on the Jewish leaders (5:28). This refers to the Apostles’ charge that the Sanhedrin had presided over the unjust trial and execution of Jesus, a charge of sin that the Apostles regularly made regarding the Jewish officials and the Jews who supported them (2:23; 3:14–15; 4:11). Since the members of the Sanhedrin did not believe that they had done anything wrong in handing Jesus over to Pilate for crucifixion, they were angry at the charge.
Speaking for the Apostles, Peter reminded the officials that the Christians would obey God rather than men, just as he had told them during the first interrogation (5:29; see 4:19–20). The priests and other members of the Sanhedrin, of course, should have understood that obeying God rather than men is required when men command us to do something that God forbids or forbid us from doing what God commands. Peter went on to explain that the Sanhedrin had hung Jesus on a tree, accusing them of facilitating something that God cursed (5:30; see Deut. 21:22–23). This cursing of Jesus on the tree, however, was the means of God’s cursing sin and redeeming His people (Gal. 3:10–14). That the crucifixion purchased redemption, Peter said, was proved by God’s raising Jesus from the dead and through Him granting repentance to Israel, forgiveness of sins, and the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:31–32). Thus, even while they were under threat from the very same body that had orchestrated the crucifixion of Jesus, the Apostles extended to that group of men the hope of divine pardon through faith in Christ.
Coram Deo Living before the face of God
It can be easy to preach the gospel to our friends because we want them to be forgiven and to spend eternity with us in the new heaven and earth. It is harder to preach the gospel to our enemies because we often cannot conceive of their turning from their sins and believing in Jesus. Yet as we see in the Apostles’ example, we must be willing to preach the gospel to those who hate us. This is part of loving our enemies (Matt. 5:43–48).
For further study
- Genesis 43
- Proverbs 25:21–22
- Luke 6:27–36
- Romans 12:14–21
The bible in a year
- Numbers 21–22
- Mark 7:14–37