Acts 5:17-42
The Logic of Gamaliel
17 Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. 18 They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. 19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. 20 “Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people all about this new life.”
21 At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people.
When the high priest and his associates arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin —the full assembly of the elders of Israel—and sent to the jail for the apostles. 22 But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there. So they went back and reported, 23 “We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside.” 24 On hearing this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests were at a loss, wondering what this might lead to.
25 Then someone came and said, “Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people.” 26 At that, the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force, because they feared that the people would stone them.
27 The apostles were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. 28 “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.”
29 Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings! 30 The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead —whom you killed by hanging him on a cross. 31 God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins. 32 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
33 When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death. 34 But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while. 35 Then he addressed the Sanhedrin: “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. 36 Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. 37 After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. 38 Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. 39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”
40 His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
41 The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. 42 Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.
Peter and John were arrested and put in jail...But an angel of the LORD that night opened the doors of their jailcell...And at daybreak the apostles started to teach the people again about Jesus in the Temple courts...The captain and his officers found the apostles in the Temple court and took them to the Sanhedrin...The apostles were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest...“We gave you strict orders not to teach in this Name,” he said...“Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this Man’s blood.”...Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings!...The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead —whom you killed by hanging Him on a cross...God exalted Him to His own right hand as Prince and Savior that He might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins....We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”...
The apostles seemed not to be in despair as they were in trouble with the high priest and Sanhedrin...Even after being flogged the returned to the temple courts to teach about Jesus and the gospel...Gamaliel in his conversation with the Sanhedrin refers to two Jewish revolutionaries — Theudas and Judas — they were killed by the Romans, and their followers scattered...Gamaliel feels that if the apostles Christian belief and their teachings about Jesus is another for Great Change it will not happen, only if God has endorsed it...
The apostles know that God is LOVE...They know that God's Word is Truth...Jesus stood up and told His Disciples that He is the Truth the Life, and the Way...The Truth, the Way, and the Life is from God and was not of human origin...And since it is from God, no man could stop the Truth, the LOVE, and the Goodness that would happen as the Word about Jesus spread...
Mahatma Gandhi said, “When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won...There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall...Think of it--always.”...
Because God and His Son are Truth and LOVE they will never pass...Truth and LOVE will always be here, yesterday, today, and forever...God and Jesus, like Truth and LOVE, will never pass...Because of these things the Disciples knew that God and His Son never fail...