The Sunday School

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jan 28, 1897

The Sunday School

International Series.

LESSON VII.—SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1897.

The Prison Opened

NOTE.—Let us couple with this lesson the prominent features of those preceding, noting the working of divine power in behalf of the working church, making it victorious over opposition both from without and from within. Notice the characteristics of those who figured prominently in the affairs connected with the growth of this church. The time of this lesson was between A. D. 30 and 33, and the opposition here recorded followed close upon the exposure of Ananias’ hypocrisy.

Lesson Scripture, Acts 5:17-32, R. V.

17 “But the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy, and laid hands on the apostles, and put them in public ward. But an angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them out, and said, Go ye, and stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life. And when they heard this, they entered into the temple about daybreak, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison-house to have them brought. But the officers that came found them not in the prison; and they returned, and told, saying, The prison-house we found shut in all safety, and the keepers standing at the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within. Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were much perplexed concerning them whereunto this would grow. And there came one and told them, Behold, the men whom ye put in the prison are in the temple standing and teaching the people. Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them, but 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, We straitly charged you not to teach in this name; and behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us. But Peter and the apostles answered and said, We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew, hanging him on a tree. Him did God exalt with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins. And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.”

Golden Text.—“We ought to obey God rather than men.” Acts 5:29.

SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.

(1) What action was taken by the leaders of the Jews? Verse 17. Note 1. (2) With what sect had the high priest identified himself? Ib. Note 2. (3) By what impulse were they moved and governed in their actions? Ib. (4) What was done to the apostles? Verse 18. Note 3. (5) What occurred that night? Verse 19. Note 4. (6) What commission did the angel give to the apostles? Verse 20. Note 5. (7) What did the apostles, therefore, do? Verse 21, first part. (8) What preparation was made for their trial? Ib., last part. (9) How was the discovery of the apostles’ escape made known to the Sanhedrin? Verse 22. (10) What report did the officers bring? Verse 23. Note 6. (11) How were the leaders affected by this report? Verse 24. Note 7. (12) While pondering over these things, what report reached them? Verse 25. (13) How were the apostles conducted into the presence of the council? Verse 26, first part. (14) Why? Ib., last part. (15) What question did the high priest ask them? Verses 27, 28. (16) Of what did he accuse the apostles? Ib., last part. Note 8. (17) How did Peter respond? Verse 29. (18) What Gospel message did Peter give to the learned Sanhedrin? Verse 30, first clause. (19) What part did he ascribe to the Jews in Christ’s sacrifice for the world? Ib., last clause. (20) How had God dealt with Him whom they had slain? Verse 31, first part. (21) For what purpose had God exalted Christ? Ib., last part. (22) In what relation did the apostles stand to these things? Verse 32, first clause. (23) What other witness had these things? Ib., last part. (24) To whom only was the Holy Ghost given? Ib.

NOTES.

1. Then the high priest rose up.—The cause of this action is seen in the four preceding verses. “The people magnified them” (the apostles); “multitudes both of men and women” were added to the believers; the sick, not only of Jerusalem but of surrounding villages, were brought to the apostles, “and they were healed every one.” Jealousy, on account of a threatened loss of prestige, stirred up the leaders to put down this growing power. But it was useless. The Comforter had come; the Holy Spirit was upon the believers; the power of God was in his church. No matter from how many different directions the winds of opposition might blow, God resolved them into one strong, steady, onward gale to help waft the ship Zion heavenward and heavenward.

2. All they that were with him.—The Sadducees were originally the governing nobility of Israel, descendants from the family of the Hasmoneans, known also as the Hasmonean aristocracy, between whom and the Pharisees there was constant rivalry, amounting at times to open war. The doctrine of the Sadducees was a secularization of the kingdom

of God. The deliverer which they expected was an earthly king. Having no belief in a future resurrection, they disclaimed belief in the coming Messiah. Of this class was he who led in the opposition to the apostles’ work.

3. The common prison.—Probably a guard-house or room in the temple itself. They could not be committed to the regular prison without a trial, and the Sanhedrin could not legally assemble that night.

4. But the angel . . . opened the prison doors.—“But” is a small word, yet it means a great deal in this as in many other instances. Here it signifies the overthrow of a scheme to thwart the purposes of God. In what other instances have angels appeared to deliver or protect the servants of God under similar circumstances? Visible angels are not the only ones God permits to visit the earth in man’s behalf. See Heb. 1:14.

5. The words of this life.—It was life through Jesus Christ, and through him only, that the apostles were here commissioned to preach—life here as well as hereafter. They were to begin their work in the morning where they had left it off the night before; for the people were hungering for the word of life.

6. We found no man within.—God had a work for the apostles on the outside of the prison. If they could have served his cause better inside the walls than outside, the officers would undoubtedly have found them within. Where the true Christian finds himself is where God needs his services. When God needed Peter in the temple to speak to the people, there is where the officers found him.

7. They doubted.—Literally, they were perplexed and at their wits’ end. The greater their opposition, the more wonderful were the manifestations attending this growing power.

8. Ye have filled Jerusalem.—This is a striking testimony of the faithfulness of Peter and his associates in preaching and teaching the words of life. This man’s blood.—His blood was upon them already, for they had invited it; but it was the accusation of having put to death the One who had come to deliver and save the people, that angered the rulers. Herein was loss of their own power over the people, if the people accepted the doctrine. The people were all looking for deliverance, some for a temporal ruler who would free them, others for the restoration of the Davidic dynasty in divine power. The accusation against the rulers was the killing of this Prince of Peace.