The physician Luke wrote how Peter and John were arrested for speaking to the people in the temple about the resurrection of the dead. After some discussion between them, the religious leaders put Peter and John away from them and said, “What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle has been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it. But that it spread no further among the people, let us straightly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name. And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge you. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard”, and in chapter four and verse twenty-one of the book of Acts Luke shared when the religious leaders, “had further threatened them, they let them go” where we read:
So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done.
The verse begins, “So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people:” Luke began with the words, “so when they” which means “moreover at the time and moment the religious leaders” “had further threatened them” which means “ additionally endangered and imperiled Peter and John”, “they let them go” or “the religious leaders set free and released Peter and John”, “finding nothing” which means “coming upon, discovering and observing not one thing” “how they might punish them” or “in what way and manner the religious leaders could restrain, chastise, correct or punish Peter and John”, “because of the people” which means “since and on account of the men and women who knew about the miracle performed upon the lame man”. Luke shared how the religious leader “threatened” Peter and John again and released them because they were unable to find anything for which they could “chastise and penalize” them.
The verse goes on to say, “for all men glorified God for that which was done.” Luke continued with the words, “for all men” or “because, since and on account that each, every, the whole and everyone of the people both male and female” “glorified God” which means “praised, extolled, magnified and celebrated the Heavenly Father God” “for that which was done” or “on account of what was performed and produced by Peter and John”. Luke shared how “everyone” in Jerusalem “celebrated and praised” God the Heavenly Father for everything that was performed through Peter and John.
When we meditate upon Luke's words in this verse, we learn how the religious leaders were unable to discover anything for which to “penalize” Peter and John, so they released them. The “five thousand people who became believers in Jesus at the temple” knew about the miracle performed upon the lame man, and they believed in the resurrection of the dead. God used Peter and John to perform these acts, and He is willing to save and employ anyone who will yield their life to His Son Jesus. Let all who read these words join the people in Jerusalem and “glorify God” for all that He has done.
Next time Luke shares how, “the man was above forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was showed”, 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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