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, ...”, and in chapter five and verse twenty-three of the book of Acts Luke shared how the officers said, “the prison truly we found such with all safety” where we read:
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.
The verse begins, “Saying, The prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors:” Luke began with the word, “saying” which means “uttering, declaring and proclaiming”, “the prison truly found we” or “the common jail or public place where prisoners were held even so and indeed the servants and ministers of the religious leaders discovered and saw” “shut with all safety” which means “shut up with the entrance obstructed with each, every, the whole and every amount of firmness, stability and security”, “and the keepers” or “and the guards or watchmen” “standing without before the doors” which means “firmly set, placed and established outside of the prison in front of the vestibules and entryways”. Luke shared how the ministers of the “religious leaders” told them how they discovered the “prison” to be safely secured and the guards keeping their watch outside the entryways.
The verse goes on to say, “but when we had opened, we found no man within.” Luke continues with the words, “but when we had opened” which means “however, notwithstanding, nevertheless and moreover at the time and moment we servants opened up the doors to the prison”, “we found no man within” or “we servants did not discover or see any person within the prison”. Luke shared how the “servants or ministers” of the “religious leaders” told them they did not find anyone in the “prison” after they opened the passageways.
When we consider Luke's words in this verse, we learn how the “ministers” of the “religious leaders” told of their befuddling experience at the “prison”. Although it appeared to be secure with guards watching outside, no one was in the prison when they opened the doors. These “ministers” discovered what God had done during the night through His “angel”, and they could not understand how this was possible. God was at work to spread His “gospel” or “good news” of salvation through His Son Jesus to the whole world, and there was no prison or people who would contain His attempt to save people from their sins. God loves people, and He sent His Son Jesus to die for their sins and rise from the dead so He could forgive them and allow them to live eternally with Him. Those who are wise will humble themselves before this miracle working Almighty God, ask Him for forgiveness of their sins and receive His Son Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord”.
Next time Luke shares how the chief priests, “doubted of them whereunto this would grow”, 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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