The Sanhedrin wants to shut up Peter and John as well as shut down this growing movement. But once the council hauls these two men in to intimidate them, they realize they have a HUGE problem on their hands.
These two followers of Jesus were fearless (v13). And despite being a pair of illiterate idiots (“uneducated...common": Gr. agrammatos/αγραμματος and idiotes/ιδιοτης), Pete and John had clearly spent time with that radical Rabbi/Carpenter from Nazareth.
Do people say the same about us? Are we known for our boldness? Is it obvious to others that we spend time with our Savior?
Apparently, the council didn't bring in just Pete and John, but the newly healed man (v14). If they wanted proof of this most recent miracle, he is standing right before their eyes.
They all knew him. He had regularly parked himself at the Beautiful Gate to the temple in order to panhandle (Acts 3:2). These religious leaders had walked past him day after day, week after week, year after year.
No doubt, they had ignored him. Clearly, they had done nothing for him. Now he stands before them. In contrast with the courage of Peter and John, the members of the Sanhedrin are speechless.
"But when they had commanded them to leave the council, they conferred with one another" (v15). The council goes into private deliberation and tries to figure out what in the wide world of sports they are going to do with all of this.
The rise of Jesus and His followers has stunned the council. They were sure that His crucifixion would put an end to it.
Not only were there numerous reports that He was alive, two of their own (Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus) had gone over to the other side.
The question was simple. "What shall we do with these men?" (v16). They had used every bit of political capital and leverage with Pilate to crucify Jesus. They certainly couldn't go back to him about these two Galilean fishermen.
It's interesting to note that Luke has somehow gotten the information of what was discussed in the Sanhedrin's closed deliberations. It indicates a couple of things.
First of all, it reinforces the fact that the good doctor did lots of interviews and a boatload of research in writing his two volumes to Theophilus.
Second, it reminds us that the Holy Spirit was divinely inspiring his work.
The council had big problem. "For that a notable sign has been performed through them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it." They recognize that this miraculous healing is actually a sign of something greater. And they understand that this miracle is being done through them.
The miracle was both notable and evident. The Greek for “notable” is gnostos/γνοστος. It means something notable but also remarkable and extraordinary. In other words, this healing is all the buzz in the city.
It was also “evident” or phaneros/φανηρος, which means plainly visible, brought out into the open, widely known and public knowledge.
It had just happened yesterday afternoon, but with the large crowd present in the Court of the Gentiles the word was out.
There was no way to spin this. There was no way to deny it. There was no un-breaking this light bulb.
The Sanhedrin decides to put a gag order on Pete and John. "Let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name” (v17).
Surely they can bully them into stop talking about Jesus. If they can intimidate these two rubes from the boondocks, they can at least slow down the rumors running rampant in Jerusalem.
So that's exactly what they do. They bring the two back in before the full council and "charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus” (v18).
Pete and John respond to their intimidation with even more boldness. "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard” (v19-20).
In other words, it's totally their decision (i.e. their mistake) if the Sanhedrin wants to disobey God but as followers of Jesus, they must do what He says. The council may rule in such a way, but these two men will always choose to obey the Lord.
This brings up the topic of civil disobedience. Are there times when it is proper if not imperative for followers of Christ to disobey governmental authority? The answer is "yes."
The Bible clearly commands us to submit to our government (1Pet 2:13-17). And that includes corrupt and evil rulers like Rome (Rom 13:1-7). Remember, our Savior Jesus was without guilt and broke no law despite being executed (Lk 23:4, 14-15).
But when what the government demands goes in the face of God's commands, we MUST obey God. The Jewish midwives did it (Ex 1:15-17). Daniel did it (Dan 6:4-10).
Peter and John could not keep quiet. And a big reason was that Jesus had commanded them to tell the entire world about Him. "You will be My witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth" (Acts 1:8).
They were also filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit for such a time as this (Lk 12:11-12). They'll just be obedient to Jesus, thank you.
The Sanhedrin tries to throw their weight around and threaten these men even more (v21). They couldn't even find anything to charge them with.
But these two illiterate idiots could not and would not be pushed around. Part of the council's problem was they were worried about the polls.
They were worried about public support. They were paralyzed "because of the people” (v21).
Do you let the fear of man keep us from doing what we know God is commanding us to do?
Dr. Luke concludes his account of this hearing by reminding us of the man who started this whole thing (v22). The healed man.
The Sanhedrin had treated him like a pawn, like a piece of evidence. They had absolutely no compassion for the man. They were unwilling to celebrate what God had done for him.
The once-disabled panhandler was more than 40 years old. For more than four decades, he had never walked.
How many times had the members of the council walked past him in and out of the temple courts?
Yet his life was changed when two Galilean watermen stopped and looked into his eyes. The Spirit of God opens our eyes to see people as Jesus sees them.
©2011
Jay Jennings
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