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”, and in chapter five and verse twenty-five of the book of Acts Luke shared, “then came one and told them, saying, Behold the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple” where we read:
Then came one and told them, saying,
Behold, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.
The verse begins, “Then came one and told them, saying, ...” Luke began with the words, “then came one” which means “at that time a particular and certain person arose and appeared” “and told them” or “and brought tidings and a report to the religious leaders”, “saying” which means “uttering, declaring and proclaiming” the following words. Luke shared how a particular person appeared and gave a report to the religious leaders concerning the following.
The verse goes on to say, “... Behold, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.” Luke continued with the words, “behold, the men whom you put in prison” which means “lo, look, observe and consider the male human beings that you placed, set and established in the common prison or jail” “are standing in the temple” or “are set up, established and fixed within the sacred worship place in Jerusalem”, “and teaching the people” which means “and holding discourse, giving instruction and delivering didactic doctrine to the male and female human beings who are gathered in the temple”. Luke shared how the particular one who reported to the religious leaders told them the “apostles” were in the “temple” giving instruction to the people gathered there.
When we think through Luke's words in this verse, we learn how there was one person who informed the religious leaders as to the whereabouts of the “apostles”. The “apostles” were “teaching” in the “temple” just as Jesus had instructed, and they were openly declaring the “good news” of salvation through Jesus Christ. Although these “religious leaders” were opposed to them, it did not deter them from continuing their mission. God loves people, and He wants everyone to know He has provided salvation from their sins through His Son Jesus. Those who yield to Jesus will be forgiven of their sins and granted everlasting life with God. Let everyone reading these words consider the determination of these “apostles” of Jesus, and surrender their lives to Him even as God made provision.
Next time Luke shares, “then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence”, 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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