Before the Sanhedrin
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they obeyed. “They entered into the temple early in the morning, and
taught.”
When Peter and John appeared among the believers and recounted
how the angel had led them directly through the band of soldiers
guarding the prison, bidding them resume the work that had been
interrupted, the brethren were filled with amazement and joy.
In the meantime the high priest and those with him had “called
the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel.” The
priests and rulers had decided to fix upon the disciples the charge of
insurrection, to accuse them of murdering Ananias and Sapphira, and
of conspiring to deprive the priests of their authority. They hoped
so to excite the mob that it would take the matter in hand and deal
with the disciples as it had dealt with Jesus. They were aware that
many who did not accept the teachings of Christ were weary of the
arbitrary rule of the Jewish authorities and anxious for some change.
The priests feared that if these dissatisfied ones were to accept the
truths proclaimed by the apostles, and were to acknowledge Jesus as
the Messiah, the anger of the entire people would be raised against the
religious leaders, who would then be made to answer for the murder
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of Christ. They decided to take strong measures to prevent this.
When they sent for the prisoners to be brought before them, great
was their amazement at the word brought back that the prison doors
were found to be securely bolted and the guard stationed before them,
but that the prisoners were nowhere to be found.
Soon the astonishing report came, “Behold, the men whom ye put
in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people. Then
went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence:
for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned.”
Although the apostles were miraculously delivered from prison,
they were not safe from examination and punishment. Christ had said
when He was with them, “Take heed to yourselves: for they shall
deliver you up to councils.”
Mark 13:9
. By sending an angel to deliver
them, God had given them a token of His love and an assurance of His
presence. It was now their part to suffer for the sake of the One whose
gospel they were preaching.
In the history of prophets and apostles, are many noble examples of
loyalty to God. Christ’s witnesses have endured imprisonment, torture,
and death itself, rather than break God’s commands. The record left by