PETER AND JOHN ARRESTED

"As no good is done, or spoken, or thought by any man without the assistance of God, * * * so there is no evil done, or spoken, or thought without the assistance of the devil."

Peter Interrupted.

While Peter was still preaching to the thousands assembled in "Solomon's Porch," he saw approaching from the castle near the Temple, the captain of the guard and his band.

The Jewish priests had become jealous, and suspicious of the apostles, and looked with alarm at the thousands of people joining the Church. So they decided to call out the soldiers, disperse the multitude, and arrest Peter and John as the men responsible for all the excitement. However, about five thousand of the people were converted that afternoon.

Imprisoned.

So the soldiers "laid hands on them," and put them in jail, "For it was now eventide," and, therefore, too late to take them to trial. Though they were shut up in close cells, yet their spirits were free and their consciences clear. They could sleep more peacefully than the priest who had caused their arrest.

Before the Sanhedrin.

In the morning, the prisoners were taken to the Sanhedrin where sat Annas, the high priest and Caiaphas, and John and Alexander, and relatives of the high priest. These men had condemned Jesus, perhaps in this very room, and they were determined that the preaching in the name of Jesus of Nazareth must cease.

Others were present that morning, and among them true friends to the apostles. One of these was the lame man, who had been healed.

Curiosity and Amazement.

As he was the innocent cause of the multitude's gathering the previous evening, everybody seemed to be even more interested in him than in the prisoners. He was carried, they knew, only twenty-four hours ago, to the temple gate, and now they see him walking firmly through the crowd to get near the apostles.

"By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?" demanded one of the judges.

"Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them. Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,

"If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole;

Peter Testifies of Christ.

"Be it known unto you all, and unto all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus of Nazareth whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by Him doth this man stand here before you whole."

How those sinful men must have quailed as they beheld Peter's dignity, felt his sincerity, and listened to the flashing words that pierced their guilty souls!

He told them further that they could get no salvation unless they, too, took upon themselves the name of Christ: "for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."

What could the priests say? What could they do?

Nothing.

Enemies Confounded.

There stood the man sound and whole, who had been helpless for forty years!

There stood Peter boldly proclaiming that the miracle was wrought in the name of Jesus of Nazareth whom they had condemned to death.

They considered Peter unlearned, but he had confounded them all.

Counsel.

After ordering the prisoners to be taken into another room, they said among themselves:

"What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem and we cannot deny it."

So, in order that the doctrine the apostles were preaching would spread no further, they concluded to threaten Peter and John, and command them not to speak to any man in "this name."

So they called the prisoners back and said in effect; "You must never more speak at all, nor teach in the name of Jesus."

Better to Obey God Than Man.

Said the apostles, "Whether it be right in the sight of God, to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.

"For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard."

No doubt these priests would have punished the apostles then, if they had not been afraid of the people, all of whom "Glorified God for that which was done."

When they were let go, Peter and John went "to their own company," and told their friends all that had happened. When they heard it, the saints united in a prayer of thanksgiving to God for all His blessings unto them.^[1]

At this meeting there was another mighty manifestation of the Holy Ghost, "and they spake the word of God with boldness."

DANGERS WITHIN THE FOLD

Unconverted.

But these leaders had to contend not only with enemies outside the Church but with the scheming, dishonest people who stole their way into the fold. There were men and women who had not repented of their sins before they were baptized; so they did not receive the Holy Ghost.

Two of these were Ananias and his wife Sapphira.

Everybody who joined the Church had everything in common. Those who had land and other property sold it and brought the money to the apostles. There were no rich and no poor—all had everything that anybody else had, and everyone possessed what belonged to all.

Two Deceivers.

Ananias and Sapphira sold a possession; but they brought only part of the money, and said it was all. Thus they told a falsehood, and showed themselves to be among the worst people in the world; for,

The Lie Detected.

"Who dares think one thing,
And another tell,
My soul detests him,
As the gates of hell."

Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Peter detected the lie, and said to Ananias,

"Why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?"

"Why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart?

A Severe Punishment.

"Thou hast not lied unto me, but unto God."

"And Ananias hearing these words fell down and gave up the ghost."

About three hours later, his wife came in, and told the same story as her husband. She, too, received a divine rebuke, and paid the penalty of her sin by giving up her life.

After that, no one dare try to deceive the apostles in giving gifts to the Church.

This is a good lesson for all to keep in mind today especially when paying tithing to the Lord.

Footnotes:

1. See Acts 4:23-31.