The physician Luke wrote, after the death of Ananias and Sapphira for tempting the Spirit of the Lord, “great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things. And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch. And of the rest did no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them. And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.) 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”, and in chapter five and verse seventeen of the book of Acts Luke shared how the religious leaders, “were filled with indignation” where we read:
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,
The verse begins, “Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, ...” Luke began with the words, “then the high priest rose up” which means “at that time the chief and principal priest raised up, stood and appeared”, “and all they that were with him” or “and each, every, the whole and everyone of the people who were beside and alongside the high priest” exhibited the following reaction. Luke shared how the “high priest” and all the people alongside of him arose and appeared with the following reaction to the signs and miracles performed by the “apostles”.
The verse goes on to say, “(which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation, ...” Luke parenthetically continued with the words, “(which is the sect” which means “that is the body or party of men following their own tenets” “of the Sadducees” whose name means “the righteous” and were “the religious party at the time of Christ among the Jews who denied that the oral law was a revelation of God to the Israelites and who deemed the written law alone to be obligatory on the nation as the divine authority”) “and were filled” which means “and were imbued, influenced, supplied, accomplished and furnished” “with indignation” or “with excitement of mind, ardor, fervor of spirit, punitive zeal, envy, contentious rivalry and jealousy”. Luke shared how the people who were “alongside” the “high priest” known as the “Sadducees” also rose up and were imbued with “punitive zeal, jealousy and envy”.
When we meditate upon Luke's words in this verse, we learn how the miracles and signs performed by the “apostles” infuriated both the “high priest” and his cohorts known as the “Sadducees”. In the same manner as they came against Jesus Himself, these religious leaders were coming after the “apostles”. The “apostles” of Jesus who were working by the “Divine Power” of the “Holy Spirit” were making these religious leaders “jealous and envious” because they were appealing to more people than the “religious leaders” themselves. God wanted people from everywhere to place their trust and belief in His Son Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord”, and when they submitted to Him, He would forgive their sins and grant them everlasting life. We shall see how “jealousy and envy” lead these “religious leaders” to act against Jesus' “apostles”, but nothing and no one would be able to stop the spreading of the “gospel” or “good news” of “salvation” to mankind. Let all who read these words yield themselves to Jesus whose power goes well beyond any “indignation” within men.
Next time Luke shares how the religious leaders, “laid their hands on the apostles”, 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".
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