15-16. “Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.”
A shadow is cast by something which exists in the light. The more believers walk in the light of the glory of God, revealed in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 4:66For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:6)), the more blessing will result to the spiritually needy with whom they may come in contact.
17-18. “Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation, and laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison.”
What is darker than a faithless, godless religion! Through the apostles’ preaching in the name of Jesus, everyone in need who came to the Lord had been healed in Jerusalem. This was the city where blessing was to flow out to the whole world, had the Jews received their Messiah. But the weak, unbelieving leaders—guilty of His death—angrily try to stop the blessing.
19-20. “But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.”
It was night, morally, in the hearts of the leaders of the nation of Israel. They would lock away in prison the truth, even as they had delivered to death the One who is truth. But it is at the morally darkest times, when it seems most impossible to testify of the Lord Jesus, that His power brings liberty and freedom to preach the life-giving message.
21. “And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.”
The Lord Jesus gives liberty; religion imprisons. How far from Jehovah had the leaders of the nation gone! Those who were responsible to be in the temple, leading the people in worshipping God, were instead gathered together seeking to stop the outflow of divine truth.
22-24. “But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned, and told, saying, The prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within. Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow.”
We read that where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty (2 Cor. 3:1717Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. (2 Corinthians 3:17)). The Jews’ prison and guards were no more able to contain the apostles who were guided by the Spirit of God than the grave was able to hold the blessed Lord Jesus Christ. “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” is a precious truth. The enemy goes to great lengths to stifle the gospel, but those who are led by the Spirit of God are free and at liberty to proclaim the wonderful news of salvation to the lost.
25. “Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.”
The Apostle Paul suffered “trouble, as an evildoer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound” (2 Tim. 2:99Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound. (2 Timothy 2:9)). What a comfort to know that the Word of God can never be bound, in spite of our failures or the darkness of the day in which we live.
26. “Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned.”
These wicked rulers, no doubt, wished to harm the apostles. But they could not, for “when a man’s ways please the Lord, He maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him” (Prov. 16:77When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. (Proverbs 16:7)). It is wonderful if our ways adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour, even as our words speak of the Prince of peace.
27-28. “And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them, saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.”
The gospel message is filled with good news and joy. Yet, if faithfully proclaimed, it first affects the conscience, bringing a sense of guilt and responsibility before a holy God. This the religious leaders could not stand. So blinded and hardened were they that the very oath they bound themselves with (“His blood be on us, and on our children”; Matt. 27:2525Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children. (Matthew 27:25)) they now desperately try to refuse to accept.
29. “Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.”
This simple, eloquent answer could only have come through the wisdom of the Holy Spirit. Do mere men, haters of the blessed name of Jesus, seek to silence those who speak well of Him? What is that to the believer? In relation to the powers that be, Christians ought to obey. When those powers, ordained of God, go beyond their God-given authority, Christians ought to obey God.
30. “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.”
The very God these religious leaders boasted in and the One whom the patriarchs trusted in had raised from among the dead the blessed Jesus whom they would deny. Their fathers had trusted in God, yet they who were descendents of the patriarchs were guilty of slaying His Son, their Messiah.
The faith of family members is precious—a priceless heritage—but it does not in itself benefit unless personal faith in each member is in exercise. It is eternally fatal to rest in family religious position.
31. “Him hath God exalted with His right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.”
They condemned Jesus to death, spit in His blessed face, cast Him out, mocked Him and rejected Him, but God exalted Him. Rather than execute the judgment their wicked acts deserved, God (the God of their fathers) was offering through that despised One repentance and forgiveness.
This is the heart of our blessed God—what a striking example of grace abounding to the chief of sinners! And it is so with every soul who has come to God in true repentance, confessing that complete lack of even one good thing found within themselves. Each has come away eternally blessed.
Mephibosheth, who as Saul’s grandson had good reason to fear reprisal from David, received instead, for the sake of another, all the possessions of Saul his grandfather and, most wonderful of all, a place at the king’s table. This is abounding grace such as our blessed God delights to bestow upon unworthy sinners for the sake of His beloved Son.
32. “And we are His witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey Him.”
Believers who bear witness to divine truth in the world have confidence that their testimony is supported by and in fellowship with the Holy Spirit.
33. “When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.”
Ed.