Acts 5:24-28: a reflection

24Now when the high priest, the captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard these words, they were very perplexed about them and what might become of this. 25One came and told them, “Behold, the men whom you put in prison are in the temple, standing and teaching the people.” 26Then the captain went with the officers, and brought them without violence, for they were afraid that the people might stone them. 27When they had brought them, they set them before the council. The high priest questioned them, 28saying, “Didn’t we strictly command you not to teach in this name? Behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to bring this man’s blood on us.”

The apostles have been arrested and imprisoned for preaching about Jesus, and strictly forbidden to teach in his name. Yet here they are again, freed and back in the temple, teaching the people. The authorities are perplexed and frustrated: We strictly commanded you not to teach in this name, the high priest complains, and behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching. Forbidden to speak, threatened, imprisoned, the apostles have not fallen silent; they have filled the whole city with the good news.

Notice what the opposition could not do: silence the gospel. The authorities had power to arrest, imprison, and forbid; but they could not stop the apostles from proclaiming Christ, nor keep the message from spreading. The very effort to suppress it had not worked; Jerusalem was full of the teaching. The apostles kept on, undeterred by threats and prohibitions, because they answered to a higher authority than the one forbidding them.

That is a picture of courage and of the gospel's power to spread. The good news of Christ has always met opposition, and those who proclaim it have often been threatened and told to be silent. But the message cannot finally be suppressed, and God gives his people courage to keep proclaiming it despite the cost. When you are tempted to fall silent about Christ out of fear of opposition or disapproval, remember the apostles who, though forbidden and imprisoned, filled Jerusalem with the good news. Do not let threats or disapproval silence you. Keep witnessing to Christ, trusting that the gospel cannot be silenced, and that the God you answer to is greater than any who would forbid you to speak.

Lord, forbidden to preach, threatened, and imprisoned, the apostles did not fall silent but filled Jerusalem with the good news of Christ, undeterred, because they answered to you above any who forbade them. Give me their courage. The good news has always met opposition, and those who proclaim it are often told to be silent; but the message cannot finally be suppressed. When I am tempted to fall silent about you out of fear of opposition or disapproval, remind me of the apostles who kept proclaiming Christ despite the cost. Do not let threats or disapproval silence me. Help me keep witnessing to you, trusting that the gospel cannot be silenced, and that you, whom I answer to, are greater than any who would forbid me to speak. Give me boldness to proclaim Christ, as they did.