We Ought to Obey God Rather than Men

Then the captain went with the officers and brought them without violence, for they feared the people, lest they should be stoned. And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them, saying, “Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man’s blood on us!” But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.” When they heard this, they were furious and plotted to kill them.

Sometimes, the Scripture seems to put us in quite a dilemma. Peter’s response in the passage we just read shows that Peter’s response to the High Priest’s charge that the Apostles had disobeyed the strict prohibition of the Sanhedrin that they should no longer preach, teach, or do anything in the name of Jesus is that God ought to obeyed rather than men. But does not Scripture in both Romans 13:1-7 and 1 Peter 2:13-17 teach that we are to be in subjection to, that is to obey secular authority and that the one who resists these powers are disobeying the rulers which God has established. So how does this work out?

Let us first examine this text in Acts and see what it tells us. First of all, we must put this text in its context. Peter, John, and the Apostles had made a habit of teaching the people in Solomon’s Porch in the Temple which was under the supervision of the priests and Sadducees. One of the things which concerned then is that access to the place to teach was limited to approved Rabbis. The Sadducees were not spiritual people at all for the most part. They were more concerned with the profitable business of religion. So unless, a teacher challenged their authority or caused trouble among the common people whom they hated, they weren’t really concerned all that much. They might have tolerated some “populist” teaching, but they would not tolerate anyone who could be seen as a threat by Rome. We read that Jesus himself in John 11:48 represented such a threat in their eyes. The Jewish leaders could only perform their lucrative business by the grace of Rome. In addition to this, the Sadducees had part in the illegal trial at night of Jesus and His condemnation. So to preach and do signs and wonders in the name of Jesus was doubly infuriating to them.

After the healing of the lame man in chapter 3, the occasion for preaching it presented led to the arrest of Peter, John, and probably the lame man as well. Upon their release, they were strictly ordered not to preach and teach in the name of Jesus. They might overlook these acts if they were done in the name of Peter, but not Jesus. But the Apostles continued to preach and teach as well as perform signs and wonders there which led to a second arrest. But an angel of the Lord released them and passed them through the passed doors with the command to resume preaching and teaching in the name of Jesus, which they did.

When the Sanhedrin summoned for them in prison, they were shocked to hear that even though the guard was posted and the doors locked, they had escaped. They did not have long to ponder these things when news came that they were back teaching the people at the Temple. So they summoned for them there, this time without force as they feared the people would stone them. They feared men rather than God. So the Apostles were brought before the Sanhedrin.

After the High Priest had reminded them that they had been ordered not to teach and preach in Jesus’ name, the High Priest noted that they had filled Jerusalem with their teaching. Jesus had commanded that the Apostles start in Jerusalem (Acts 1:8). Jerusalem was full of the teaching of the Apostles. Soon it would spill out to Judaea and Samaria, and then to the uttermost part of the earth. But it was the teaching which was being done in Jerusalem which concerned them the most as it was a direct challenge to their authority. They claimed the authority of the Torah formally which they claimed established them as priest and leaders of the people. But they were more concerned with the authority of Rome. They wanted to obey men rather than God.

At this point, we should mention that it was Rome who approved and appointed the High Priest. It was usually sold to the highest bidder. Rome expected a cut of the profits as well as their being able to keep the population under control. The torah clearly stated that the High Priest be a descendant of Aaron, and that this appointment was for life. The Romans cared little for this. Neither did the Jews as some of the Hasmonean kings who ruled during the short period after winning freedom from Antiochus Epiphanes made themselves high priests as well. They were descendants of Judah and not Levi and should have been prohibited from serving. Strangely enough, Jesus was also a descendant of Judah, but as the Book of Hebrews notes, Jesus was of the order of Melchizedek and not Aaron which was an earlier and superior priesthood. So Jesus is the True High Priest because of belonging to this greater order.

Even though Jesus could rightly have pointed out the illegitimacy of the current priesthood, He subjected Himself to arrest and examination by them. Here, the apostles did not resist the summons of the council but went willingly, even when there was no force involved. Jesus had told them that they would bear testimony before kings and rulers for Jesus. So, in obeying men here, they were obeying the will of God as well. Scripture also tells us that God establishes earthly rulers and nations in general. Even though, governments fail to live up to God’s strict expectations of stewardship, they nevertheless are to be obeyed and shown respect. So when Paul responded in anger to being struck which was against the Jewish Law as He was uncondemned and told the High Priest: “God will strike you, you whited wall!” he was forced to apologize for it because ha had said this to the High Priest, the ruler of the people. (Acts 23:3) As evil as the High Priest was, and as much as He was opposed to Jesus Christ, he was still ruler.

We can see from the indictment of the Sanhedrin that the Apostles did not give unqualified obedience to the rulers. They had disobeyed them by preaching, teaching, and doing signs and wonders in the name of Jesus. This means there is a point that men should not be obeyed. This is because the command of God supersedes the commands and traditions of men. Jesus said to render to Caesar what belonged to Caesar and to render to God what properly belonged to Him (Mark 12:17). Christians are to obey the state within the sphere of their authority, We are to give them their proper place. But it is idolatrous to give Caesar the obedience which properly belongs to God. The very Sanhedrin put the authority of Rome over the Torah.

It seems from tis passage that the Apostles did not violently resist but submitted to arrest. They had learned Jesus’ lesson in Luke 9:54-55 where the twelve were rebuked by Him for desiring that fire come down from heaven and consume the unbelieving Samaritans. Christians are forbidden to take up arms against the governmental authority, no matter what the insult. The early church grew all the more under persecution because they were willing to suffer rather than to make others suffer, just like Jesus. But on the other hand, they were not silent concerning the Gospel, but boldly proclaimed it wherever the Lord gave opportunity, even in front of the Sanhedrin who has previously condemned Jesus. In this they witnessed in the power of the Holy Spirit. they were willing to suffer whatever consequences that would come, even execution if necessary. This willingness to be bold and to endure suffering for the name of Jesus is the hallmark of a victorious church. As Vance Havner noted in a sermon on Patmos Christianity, the church was born in the catacombs but dies in the cathedral.

Peter responded to the charge that the Apostles were trying to bring bloodguilt upon the Jewish leaders for their execution of Jesus. They should have realized that it was not Peter’s responsibility to do that, but the Lord whom they had offended. They were already guilty of the blood of Jesus. So are we all! The problem is how to deal with this reality. The audience at Pentecost realized that they were guilty of murder, not just any murder, but the murder of God’s Son who had come to save them. They felt undone. “What shall we do” was cried out in anguish. Thankfully, Jesus gave them remedy. He tells them that they did not know what they were doing, so they must repent and they would be restored. (Acts 2:37-39) This was the pattern of Apostolic preaching. So Peter reminds the Sanhedrin that God had raided up Jesus. But they had slain Him and cursed Him by hanging Him on a tree. They had cursed the One that the Father calls “My beloved Son.” Yes, they were guilty of the blood of Jesus! Peter then adds that this Jesus they had made a curse was raised up and exalted as both Prince and Savior. they had meant it for evil, but God had made good from it. they cursed Jesus, but God blessed and exalted Him. Truly they were fighting against God. Jesus suffered these things for the purpose that Israel might repent. The promise of the Holy Spirit was to be given upon their repentance, if they obeyed Him.

This is as close to an altar call the Sanhedrin would get that day. They were to stop obeying the ways of men and turn to and obey the commandments of God. They were in terrible trouble as they claimed to be representing God, but were not. They were on the verge of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit which it to attribute the acts of God to the devil and the acts of the devil to God, there comes a time when disobedience to the Gospel is not based upon ignorance but rather in full view of the facts about Jesus. I don’t claim to know where one crosses this line, but it seems that the Sanhedrin was becoming increasingly hardened to the Gospel. Gamaliel would come to some sort of realization that that they had seen and heard was indeed the work of God. He feared fighting against God. But did Gamaliel join the Apostles in faith and Gospel obedience? This is very close to knowing the truth and rejecting it.

It is important for us to realize that we have been confronted with the facts about Jesus, and that we are to respond in faithful obedience. What Peter told the council is just as true for us. It may be true that we aren’t as wicked and obstinate as the Sanhedrin was, but we are (or were )sinners. We should seriously reflect upon this passage and the warning it brings. Remember that the Sanhedrin were “religious” people. We are prone to substitute our ideas of religion for God’s, even as they did. But as Peter says “We ought to obey God rather than men.” The word “ought” in Greek is the verb “dei” which is very strong. We can see the word “deity” in it. This word is used of divine mandates. The strict command of God to preach, teach, and do signs and wonders in the name of His Son Jesu Christ takes absolute precedence over any mandates of men. when authorities forbid teaching and preaching in the name of Jesus, we must respectfully disobey them as we answer to a higher authority, In this we must be careful as it is easy to claim divine authority for many of the ideas of men. How many times have we heard of the committing of a heinous crime and hear from the perpetrator that “God told me to do it.” The Sanhedrin had misused their divine authority. They were soon to be overthrown by the Romans and to this day have ceased to exist as a body. God hates hypocrisy. But it is always proper to preach and teach in the authority (name) of Jesus. only let us make sure that it is the Gospel.

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