"...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. The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. 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."
(Acts 5:40-42)
Can you imagine the bold response of the disciples? They didn't spend time licking their wounds or having a pity party. They could have just threw in the towel and leave it at that. How about going back to the old way of life? They didn't even say, "Hey! This is not what I signed up for?" These men of God meant business!
“… Luke indicates here how Jesus’ followers have taken on the character of their leader. Like him they participate in ministries involving signs and wonders, like him they run afoul with Jewish leadership in Jerusalem, and like him they respond to opposition with prayer and renewed commitment to the mission, to which they have been called. One of Luke’s most persistent motifs comes again to the surface here: persecution leads to further progress in the mission.”
- Paul Achetemeier Introducing the New Testament: Its Literature and Theology
- Paul Achetemeier Introducing the New Testament: Its Literature and Theology
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