Preparing For Persecution XXIII

 It didn’t take long for the forces of darkness to mobilize. It didn’t take long for threats of violence to become actual violence. The enemy does not make empty threats, and when he reveals his purpose and his desire to destroy the household of faith is verbalized and on full display, be prepared for him to follow through. When anyone is vocal about their intent to do you harm, take them seriously and take them at their word. If someone says they’re intent on your destruction and the destruction of everyone you hold dear, you can’t assume they’re joking or that, at some point, they won’t attempt to carry out their threats.

There is one chapter in the Acts of the Apostles between the arrest of Peter and John and the escalation to deadly violence, and it’s filled with all the apostles being arrested, this time not just Peter and John, an angel of the Lord opening the prison doors, and them preaching in the temple. Once more, they were brought before the council, but this time, they didn’t get away with just a verbal warning.

So incensed were those who’d ordered Peter and John to keep silent that now they had to deal with six times the original number that they plotted to kill them outright. The ‘we got off on the wrong foot’ heart-to-heart hadn’t worked, and neither had their threats of intimidation because, you know, we can coexist as long as you do everything I say and stop doing everything I don’t like. The problem had not been fixed, the threats had not been taken to heart, and what’s worse, now there were more of them. Save for the intervention of one man, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, they would have likely followed through with their plot, but his was a voice of reason and one that could not be readily ignored.

His argument against killing the apostles outright was logical. Others throughout the ages had claimed divine inspiration or revelation, but they’d all come to naught. No action needed to be taken regarding those others, at least not anything close to the drastic measures the council was proposing, and the matters had worked themselves out without them having to get their hands dirty.

Acts 5:38-39, “And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it – lest you even be found to fight against God.”

As far as closing arguments go, it was a solid one. Calling back on recent history, Gamaliel pointed to two previous examples where the fervor died down, and those causing a ruckus blended back into the background, returning to society and no longer making nuisances of themselves.

Acts 5:38-39, “And they agreed with him, and when they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.”

Peter and John got off with a warning. This time, they had the apostles beaten. The next time, a life would be taken. There is always escalation, and it’s always evident. What I’ve always found fascinating is how matter of fact Luke was about the council having the apostles beaten. They went, they preached, they got arrested, they were beaten, and then let go. Wait a minute; one of these things is not like the other.

There are no details forthcoming as to how long or how aggressively they were beaten, but it was enough for them to rejoice that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Jesus.

Threats had not deterred them, and now neither had a beating. They continued doing what they’d been called to do even though they knew that at some point, the Pharisees, Sadducees, high priest, and Sanhedrin would stop playing nice.

Their purpose and desire was not focused on themselves, their well-being, their safety, or security, but rather on preaching the Christ to all who would hear, whether daily in the temple or in every house. They were more committed than the Pharisees because their love for Jesus burned bright. Although Gamaliel’s counsel may have been wise, at some point, they realized this was something new, something different, something they’d not encountered before, and ignoring it wasn’t working. They were multiplying, growing, expanding, and drawing ever more people to their cause, and there was no sign of their slowing down. What had been but a mere nuisance had turned into an existential crisis and a direct threat to their power and control.

It’s hard to deter a person or a group of people who believe that suffering shame is honor and death is gain. The early church had no hidden agenda, no vested interest, no dreams of blueberry pies, gated seaside mansions, blinged-out chariots, or personal profits, so trying to bribe them was also out the window. They’d found that one guy, Judas, and he’d been so guilt-ridden he found the nearest sturdy tree and a strong rope and played hangman before he spent a piece of the silver they’d paid him for his betrayal. All that was before they started talking about a risen Christ. Now that these people were fully convinced Jesus had risen from the dead, and they were doing miracles that no one among the Pharisees could explain away, they’d become a real problem and one that needed to be dealt with.

There’s nothing left to threaten them with; there is nothing left you can use as a deterrent because the thing you think will harm them or hurt them they perceive as joyful. For them, it was a distinction, a mark of honor to suffer beatings and shame for the name of Jesus.

These were not the kind of people who would see reason as far as the Pharisees were concerned. There was no negotiating with individuals who sold everything they had and gave it to the poor and who were over the moon about being beaten because they deemed it a badge of honor. A man that can’t be moved can’t be moved, whether by threats or actions. His purpose is clear, his course is set, and come what may, he will faithfully follow the way of Christ.

With love in Christ,

Michael Boldea, Jr.