Beginnings, Part 22 - Episode 157 (Acts 5:12-21)

Acts Chapter 5: 12-21

“12 Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon’s Portico. 13 None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem. 14 And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, 15 so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. 16 The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

17 But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy 18 they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison. 19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, 20 “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.” 21 And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach.”

What do you make of the fact that all the apostles were together in Solomon's Portico, but “none of the rest dared join them” (v. 12-13)? What’s going on? Does this have anything to do with what’s happened already in the narrative? Ananias and Sapphira? Are the disciples (those who were not apostles) fearful of what may happen to them?

In light of verse 14, how big is the church getting at this point?

Where/what is Solomon's Portico, anyway? Where is the church meeting?

Verse 15 is a powerful attestation to what the Spirit of God was doing in and amongst the early church. Even in light of the fact that many believers were afraid to join the disciples in their public ministry, crowds were coming from outside Jerusalem to be healed and delivered from demonic oppression. Two questions come to mind:

What was enabling the Spirit to move so powerfully amongst the apostles? And,

Were the signs and wonders the main factor causing people to be saved?

“Throughout Acts, signs and wonders ‘authenticate the word of missionary preaching as the word of God’.29 It is the word that saves, as people come to believe and put their trust in God as its source and Christ as its content” Acts (PNTC), David Peterson.

Here we once again meet the Sadduccees, who arrest the apostles and put them in jail. Who are these guys and why are they arresting the apostles (2 reasons)? Are they the same guys who arrested and condemned Jesus?

(“27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, 28 saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.”)

Also, what does it mean that they “put them in public prison.”

“When it is said that the high priest and his associates arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail the meaning may be that they ‘put them in prison publicly’, that is, they acted in a way that publicly demonstrated their authority over the apostles,” Peterson.

This passage ends with the apostles being led out of prison and commanded by an angel of the Lord to “Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.” What does the angel of the Lord ultimately prove to the apostles and to the Sadduccees? Also, knowing what will happen to the apostles as a result of their obedience to God, what does this passage teach us about God’s involvement in his people suffering persecution for their faith and obedience?