TRUTH and CONSEQUENCES:
(SPEAKING FOR THE DEFENSE)
ACTS 5:34-43
Introduction
Speaker and Place: Gamaliel in the same meeting along with the Apostles with the Sanhedrin (He becomes an inadvertent hero)
Occasion: Advising the Sanhedrin concerning Peter and the apostolic band
Main Thrust: Leave the Apostles alone and allow the disposition of the matter to be determined by God and His truth:
I) TRUTH: POWER OF OBEDIENCE; CONSEQUENCE: PERSECUTION
The crux of the matter is that the early churches survival depends on the events that unfold in this passage. It deals with the enemy’s opposition to the plan of God and poses as a dynamic statement for the validity of all that would follow in God’s dealings with Israel and the formation of the church.
Some have viewed the story of Acts as a new Exodus the people of God leaving a type of enslavement to the law and pursuing a new freedom in Christ. This symbolic exodus is also seen in the churches displacement from its long standing mooring to its Jewish root: it no longer is tied to a temple or a land. We are the temple and the kingdom of God is a spiritual land. It is not made up of natural boarders.
(5:29) Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than men! By saying that “Peter and the other apostles replied,” Luke lets us know that Peter acted as the spokesman for the band, with everyone being in agreement with what he had to say. Their response is not a reasoned defense; it is simply a reaffirmation of their position, which they laid out at their first trail. Here they emphasize the noble principle: “We must obey God rather than man” while emphasizing obedience to Jesus.
(5:30) The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead—whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. The term “hanging Him on a tree” is a locution for crucifixion and stems from Deuteronomy 21:22-23: If a man guilty of a capital offense is put to death and his body is hung on a tree, 23 you must not leave his body on the tree overnight. Be sure to bury him that same day, because anyone who is hung on a tree is under God’s curse. You must not desecrate the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance…
(5:31-32) God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. 32 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.” The titles ‘Prince’ and ‘Savior’ are Christological ascriptions that are rooted in the early churches confessions, and are closely aligned with the New Testament themes of exaltation and Lordship; thus affronts to the high priest and his followers. As far as the Sadducees were concerned, the charge of contempt was uncontested and repeated.
(5:33) When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death. The apostolic response was considered intolerable obstinacy, leading to a furious reaction. The Sanhedrin could not inflict capital punishment, but we have to assume that they would have created a reason to hand the apostles over to Rome if it were not for Gamaliel and the Pharisees. We have to always focus on character not conformity. The Apostles could have given in and taken a position of quiet subservience.
II) TRUTH: POWER OF THE WORD; CONSEQUENCE: CAUTION
(5:34-40) 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 them: “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. Gamaliel’s speech is tied to the concept of the power of the Word of God. If God ordains something, if He determines that it should exist, humans are wise to step out of the way and let God be God.
Conversely, Gamaliel allows God to be God in His ability to disrupt anything that sets itself up against Him and His purposes. As such, Gamaliel deals with the idea of God’s power in the spoken Word, which is reflected in Isaiah’s statements in 40:8: “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever,” and 55:11: so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
Luke’s use of the Isaianic context is important here, as in the original text, Isaiah contrasts the power/powerless ability of the Babylonian gods. The powerless gods had people who moved to oppress the people of God and God retaliated. It is an act of foolishness to wind up on the wrong side of divine directives.
Gamaliel uses words that are reminiscent of the epic conflict between God and the Babylonian gods: with YHWH winning the day. This idea of enmity against God becomes a theme that will surface in a prominent way through out the Book of Acts. As an undercurrent, there is an acknowledgement that humanity in general is at odds with God. This enmity isn’t irredeemable, but it is voluntary, hostile and persistent.
It is important to also accept the fact that there is a real devil and real forces of demonic powers that are working to oppress humanity. But this understanding doesn’t allow us to shrug off personal responsibility with a ‘the devil made me do it’ attitude. So how do we deal with the real enmity that exists in us and those who surround us?
Acts lets us see the answer in Gamaliel’s speech and in the stage it sets for Saul of Tarsus, one of the chief characters of the Book, first as an antagonist set in opposition to the hand of God, and then as a protagonist who receives redemption and change.
Enmity and Saul is powerful, as it let’s us see one who by his own admission was “a blasphemer and a persecutor and an insolent aggressor” (I Timothy 1:13). In the words of his mentor Gamaliel, he was “fighting against God” (5:39). For the entirety of the rest of his life, Paul remembered his original obstinate stance against God that was manifested in his hatred of the Christ and His people, the church. We have to always remember to judge by the present, not the past, when we see what God is doing. Too often we miss God by restricting people to things things that aren’t issues with God. Those memories became the fuel for his view of the overwhelming grace of God and how God orchestrates His will among men. Even though he had a zeal for the God of Israel, Paul had been an unwitting enemy of the Messiah of Israel.
Paul’s notoriety among the members of the church becomes very important in dealing with the concept of enmity and vengeance, particularly the Old Testament idea of the Kinsman Redeemer who served as the avenger of blood. Jewish expectations were formed by the desire to exact equal measures of vengeance. God’s dealings with Paul in his being conquered, vanquished, condemned and executed ran contrary to what would have been expected. The criminal was pardoned and given a new life as he was judged according to the measure of mercy found in Christ.
This mercy led Paul into a newness of life and the external identification of a new name as he became loyal to the Lord he once walked in opposition against. The ironic aspect of all that is happening here is intense. In Isaiah and elsewhere, the enemies of God are the Babylonians and the Egyptians. Here the enemy appears as the people of Israel, making the Jews the enemies of the Word, and thus enemies of God.
III) TRUTH: POWER OF PROMISE; CONSEQUENCE: PPOSITION
(Acts 5:38-39) Contains the model whereby we interpret the growth of the Word in the nations: “So in the present case, I tell you, keep away from these men and leave them alone; because if this plan or this undertaking is of human origin, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them-in that case you may even be found fighting against God!”
This is the criterion that provides the basis of judging the fledgling church. Luke let’s us understand that the Sanhedrin’s inability to overthrow the Apostles demonstrates to us that they are of God. This new community of the Word now has the right to call itself the people of promise. The term that describes the opposition is also important (theomaxoi): which literally means ‘fighters against God.’ The military terminology is appropriate as we see the Word conquering a new land in the new Exodus.
(5:34) 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. In the text, the Pharisees represent the continuation of the Hasidim, the ancient group of pious ones who at first joined Hassmoneans (Maccabees) in their struggle for religious freedom apart from the Greek conquerors. Later on however, they would oppose the Sadducees in their political and territorial claims.
This political and territorial sniping was the reason for an earlier problem for many who read Scripture. Barnabas enters the picture as a Levite who donates a piece of land to the church (Acts 4:36-37). This would normally be a good thing, with the Levitical exception. Levites were restricted from owning land: The Lord said to Aaron, “You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any share among them; I am your share and your inheritance among the Israelites, and instead, I give to the Levites as their inheritance the tithes that the Israelites present as an offering to the Lord. That is why I said concerning them: ‘They will have no inheritance among the Israelites (Numbers 18:20, 24; Deuteronomy 10:9, 18:1-2). So why the discrepancy? The Macabee’s reversed the rule against property ownership for Levites. Luke was showing us that those who were judging him and Paul on the Laws’ violation were in fact blatant scoff law’s themselves, becoming a law unto themselves.
The Pharisees came from diverse backgrounds and devoted themselves to the study of the law, both written and oral, as they prepared the people for the coming Messianic kingdom. At this time in history, pre-fall of the temple, they were in the minority in the Sanhedrin, but they exerted the greatest influence over the common people. This caused the Sadducees to both fear them and to listen to their counsel.
Gamaliel was either the son or grandson of Hillel and was a highly esteemed teacher. His advice was initially heeded, until another charge of heresy rose that led to Saul’s original actions of persecution. This is what we see in Acts 6-7 as Stephen applies the teachings of the Messiah Jesus to the traditional views of land, the law, and the temple. Stephen’s usage of Jesus as a primary focal point ahead of the traditional aspects of Judaism created the atmosphere of conflict that we will look at soon. Sometimes helping others means : we need to make personal sacrifices. We can’t be afraid of failure.
(5:40) 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. Gamaliel’s wise counsel held back the full intentions and wrath of the Sadducees, but not in its entirety, as the Apostles were beaten, warned again and then released.
CONCLUSION
(5:41-42) 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 Christ. Luke ends his account of the second appearance before the Sanhedrin with a statement about the joyous attitudes of the Apostles and their advancements in expanding the supernatural boundaries of the kingdom of the new Exodus. God has the ability to raise up heroes, even when they don’t realize it.
