Truth: Not a Natural Pursuit

Introduction:

We make a mistake if we assume that people value truth, or at least value it above all.

In recent years, in our own society, we have seen a naiveté that shows this is not the case:

Fact checkers

Apologetics (a necessary task, but we must be careful to assume that if we make a factual case, we will convince people not to press their case.

Polemics: same problem as above, don’t expect people to abandon what they hold dear.

From a biblical worldview, we must remember we live in an imperfect world inhabited by imperfect people.

We may value honor above truth.

We may value being right above truth.

We may value power above truth.

Let us return inside the place where the Jewish leaders have asked the apostles to leave so they can confer.

How they must have been alarmed that Jesus had not gone away.

Uneducated and unlettered men, known to be Jesus’ disciples, were preaching in his name.

Inside the Conference

They began to confer with one another, and Luke switches to direct quotations for their conference.

They wanted to determine how to proceed with Peter and John.

“A known sign has come to be obvious to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem through them.”

“We are not able to deny.”

They decided:

They did not want this, apparently meaning Jesus, to spread unto the people any farther. They wanted to contain this message about Jesus.

They would threaten them not to speak any longer in “this name to not even one of the humans.”

Luke records that they followed through with their decision (Acts 4:18).

They ordered them never again to be speaking nor to be teaching in the name of Jesus.

A Shocking Response

Peter made it known that the Council had now landed on an issue where they could render service.

A question of what was right as well as about signs was the purview of the Council.

He calls upon them to render a judgment on the question of whether it is right in God’s sight to be hearing you all more than God.

Peter and John saw themselves as compelled to live in reality.

They were unable not speak what we saw and heard.

This sounds similar to 1 Jn. 1:1-3.

It also mirrors the opening of Acts.

Peter presents being silent on the resurrection of Jesus as a violation of their responsibility to God.

A Sad Conclusion

Surprisingly, the Council never considers:

Investigating the matter of Jesus’ resurrection further.

Why not produce His body to make it clear to the other Jesus that the message of the Apostles was inaccurate or unreliable?

Understanding the perspective of the Apostles.

Consequently, they chose to threaten the Apostles and release them from incarceration.

They had no grounds for their continued imprisonment.

The man served as undeniable evidence about Jesus’ identity more than about the powers of the Apostles.