Luke the physician wrote how the apostles were healing people and sharing the gospel throughout Jerusalem, and “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. 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. 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. 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. Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people”, and in chapter five and verse twenty-six of the book of Acts Luke shared, “then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence” where we read:
Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence:
for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned.
The verse begins, “Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence:” Luke began with the words, “then went the captain” which means “at that time departed and left the commander or governor as the highest magistrate” “with the officers” or “alongside the ministers and servants”, “and brought them without violence” which means “and carried and bore forth the apostles not having to use strength or force”. Luke shared how the “commander or governor” left the religious leaders along with the ministers and carried the apostles away without having to use “strength or force”.
The verse continues, “for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned.” Luke added the words, “for they feared the people” which means “because, since and on account that the governor and the ministers were afraid, seized with alarm and struck with fear concerning the male and female human beings who were in the temple”, “lest they should have been stoned” or “unless the governor and the ministers might be pelted with rocks or stones to wound or kill them”. Luke shared how the governor and ministers were afraid the people in the “temple” would “stone” them if they took the “apostles” by force and led them away.
When we consider Luke's words in this verse, we learn about the tenacity of these religious leaders and how they responded quickly to retrieve the “apostles” from the “temple”. However, they lead them out in a manner that would not be threatening to the people whom they were teaching. Their “fear” of being “stoned” kept them from a “violent assault”, but they still lead the “apostles” back to where the religious leaders were meeting. God was watching over His “apostles”, and because of their faith and trust in Jesus and being empowered by the Holy Spirit, the “apostles” went with the “governor and ministers” in a calm way. God loves people, and His desire is to have a personal relationship with everyone who puts their faith and trust in His Son Jesus. Let all who read these words understand the value of being a “delegate and messenger” of Jesus Christ and learn to depend upon Him when circumstances are adverse.
Next time Luke shares, “when they had brought them, they set them before the council”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
No comments:
Post a Comment