Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.
Many who heard the apostles' bold, Spirit-empowered testimony that Jesus had risen from the dead believed, bringing the number of believing men to about five thousand. Their message was the new truth for that time, that Christ had risen and ascended, that through his death and resurrection he has power to raise the dead and will finally raise all from their graves, together with the charge that the Jews had rejected and killed him. The response followed public preaching by Peter and John after the healing of the man lame from birth, and continued even after they were seized, arrested, held, and brought to trial before the high priest, rulers and elders at Jerusalem. By God working through his Spirit after Christ's ascension, the gospel proclaimed with Pentecostal power brought five thousand to belief and conversion in a day, following the disciples' ten days of prayer, fasting, confession and unity. The success alarmed the Pharisees and Sadducees, priests and rulers who feared losing their influence and seeing the world believe on Christ, yet the more they tried to suppress the preaching the more people believed and turned from the teachings of the scribes and Pharisees. The growth did not mean the work was finished, for the new members were to be educated to become workers together with God and to serve others with Christ lifted up before the people, since strength to resist temptation is best gained by active service.
Witness and Response
The bold, Spirit-empowered testimony of the apostles that Jesus had risen from the dead led many who heard the word to believe, bringing the number of believing men to about five thousand. Their witness continued the witness of Jesus himself, expressed in words and works like His own.
Their message was the new doctrine and truth for that time: Christ's resurrection and ascension, His power to raise the dead, and that through Jesus' death and resurrection He will finally raise all the dead from their graves, together with the charge that the Jews had rejected and killed Him. They proclaimed that Jesus had risen, that Christ had risen to preach through Jesus the resurrection of the dead, and that the people should believe in His resurrection and ascension.
The response followed public preaching by Peter and John after the healing of the man lame from birth, and it continued even after they were seized, arrested, put in hold, and brought to trial before the high priest, rulers and elders at Jerusalem. About five thousand men, also described as five thousand people, thousands, and converts in a day, embraced the teaching and openly declared faith in Christ after hearing only one or two discourses. Some heard only one discourse before believing.
Those who believed included people previously afraid to confess faith who now boldly acknowledged Him after His death and resurrection, and humble fishermen who had heard Jesus teach on the Sea of Galilee and later served as ministers of the gospel helping lay the foundation of His enduring spiritual kingdom; as Christ's words came to mind they joined those who had accepted the gospel. The ingathering was the springing up and bearing of fruit of the seed and truth Christ had sown among people in many settings and places, now grown under the apostles' teaching after His resurrection and ascension. Five thousand believers were converted in one day as that sown truth bore fruit.
The success deeply stirred the people and alarmed the Pharisees and Sadducees, priests, rulers and other leaders, who feared losing their influence with priests and rulers and seeing the world soon believe on Christ. The Sadducees were stirred because their doctrine denying the resurrection was in danger and their reputation at stake, and both parties concluded the danger was greater than when Jesus was on earth and that the rulers feared Jesus would gain many followers. Opposition and arrest could not stop the spread: the more the rulers tried to suppress the preaching, the more people believed and turned from the teachings of the scribes and Pharisees, and the stirring of Jerusalem by miracle and message continued to bring people to faith.
Spirit Power and Mission
After Christ's ascension God worked by His Spirit, and the gospel proclaimed under the Holy Spirit's power brought five thousand to belief and conversion in a day. The seed of truth Christ had sown among people in many settings and places sprang up and bore fruit under the apostles' teaching after His resurrection and ascension. This is applied to the Day of Pentecost, when Christ's witnesses proclaimed the truth and the precious pearl, and five thousand were converted in one day by Pentecostal preaching made effective by the Holy Spirit. That preaching followed the disciples' ten days of prayer, fasting, confession and unity.
The ingathering gave the disciples courage and helped restrain their persecutors. The death of Judas together with the resurrection and ascension placed the disciples on vantage ground. The memory of the traitor's final confession of betraying innocent blood and his terrible death made men afraid to lay hands on them. If Christ had not borne with Judas to the end, the result of the betrayer's course would not have been impressive enough to stay the persecutors, and the most terrible scenes would have followed the ascension.
The ingathering proves that God is true though every man is a liar and that Christ Jesus is at the helm, present with His followers always even to the end of the world. The growth did not mean the work was finished, for believers were to serve others and carry the gospel beyond Jerusalem. The disciples were to spread out and work intelligently, with Christ lifted up before the people. The new members were to be educated to become workers together with God in carrying the message of salvation through Christ to those who had not received it, since strength to resist temptation is best gained by active service.
The five thousand made a great addition to the church in Jerusalem, and the growth led the disciples to think they had a great work to do there in shielding the new members from the snares and opposition of the enemy. They were in danger of remaining with the church they had raised up, satisfied with what had been accomplished. The Lord therefore permitted persecution to come upon the church, including martyrdom and scattering, to send His representatives abroad where they could work for others. So scattered believers spread the message through Judea and Samaria and farther.
Many who heard the apostles' bold, Spirit-empowered testimony that Jesus had risen from the dead believed, bringing the number of believing men to about five thousand. Their message was the new truth for that time, that Christ had risen and ascended, that through his death and resurrection he has power to raise the dead and will finally raise all from their graves, together with the charge that the Jews had rejected and killed him. The response followed public preaching by Peter and John after the healing of the man lame from birth, and continued even after they were seized, arrested, held, and brought to trial before the high priest, rulers and elders at Jerusalem. By God working through his Spirit after Christ's ascension, the gospel proclaimed with Pentecostal power brought five thousand to belief and conversion in a day, following the disciples' ten days of prayer, fasting, confession and unity. The success alarmed the Pharisees and Sadducees, priests and rulers who feared losing their influence and seeing the world believe on Christ, yet the more they tried to suppress the preaching the more people believed and turned from the teachings of the scribes and Pharisees. The growth did not mean the work was finished, for the new members were to be educated to become workers together with God and to serve others with Christ lifted up before the people, since strength to resist temptation is best gained by active service.
Witness and Response
The bold, Spirit-empowered testimony of the apostles that Jesus had risen from the dead led many who heard the word to believe, bringing the number of believing men to about five thousand. Their witness continued the witness of Jesus himself, expressed in words and works like His own.
Their message was the new doctrine and truth for that time: Christ's resurrection and ascension, His power to raise the dead, and that through Jesus' death and resurrection He will finally raise all the dead from their graves, together with the charge that the Jews had rejected and killed Him. They proclaimed that Jesus had risen, that Christ had risen to preach through Jesus the resurrection of the dead, and that the people should believe in His resurrection and ascension.
The response followed public preaching by Peter and John after the healing of the man lame from birth, and it continued even after they were seized, arrested, put in hold, and brought to trial before the high priest, rulers and elders at Jerusalem. About five thousand men, also described as five thousand people, thousands, and converts in a day, embraced the teaching and openly declared faith in Christ after hearing only one or two discourses. Some heard only one discourse before believing.
Those who believed included people previously afraid to confess faith who now boldly acknowledged Him after His death and resurrection, and humble fishermen who had heard Jesus teach on the Sea of Galilee and later served as ministers of the gospel helping lay the foundation of His enduring spiritual kingdom; as Christ's words came to mind they joined those who had accepted the gospel. The ingathering was the springing up and bearing of fruit of the seed and truth Christ had sown among people in many settings and places, now grown under the apostles' teaching after His resurrection and ascension. Five thousand believers were converted in one day as that sown truth bore fruit.
The success deeply stirred the people and alarmed the Pharisees and Sadducees, priests, rulers and other leaders, who feared losing their influence with priests and rulers and seeing the world soon believe on Christ. The Sadducees were stirred because their doctrine denying the resurrection was in danger and their reputation at stake, and both parties concluded the danger was greater than when Jesus was on earth and that the rulers feared Jesus would gain many followers. Opposition and arrest could not stop the spread: the more the rulers tried to suppress the preaching, the more people believed and turned from the teachings of the scribes and Pharisees, and the stirring of Jerusalem by miracle and message continued to bring people to faith.
Spirit Power and Mission
After Christ's ascension God worked by His Spirit, and the gospel proclaimed under the Holy Spirit's power brought five thousand to belief and conversion in a day. The seed of truth Christ had sown among people in many settings and places sprang up and bore fruit under the apostles' teaching after His resurrection and ascension. This is applied to the Day of Pentecost, when Christ's witnesses proclaimed the truth and the precious pearl, and five thousand were converted in one day by Pentecostal preaching made effective by the Holy Spirit. That preaching followed the disciples' ten days of prayer, fasting, confession and unity.
The ingathering gave the disciples courage and helped restrain their persecutors. The death of Judas together with the resurrection and ascension placed the disciples on vantage ground. The memory of the traitor's final confession of betraying innocent blood and his terrible death made men afraid to lay hands on them. If Christ had not borne with Judas to the end, the result of the betrayer's course would not have been impressive enough to stay the persecutors, and the most terrible scenes would have followed the ascension.
The ingathering proves that God is true though every man is a liar and that Christ Jesus is at the helm, present with His followers always even to the end of the world. The growth did not mean the work was finished, for believers were to serve others and carry the gospel beyond Jerusalem. The disciples were to spread out and work intelligently, with Christ lifted up before the people. The new members were to be educated to become workers together with God in carrying the message of salvation through Christ to those who had not received it, since strength to resist temptation is best gained by active service.
The five thousand made a great addition to the church in Jerusalem, and the growth led the disciples to think they had a great work to do there in shielding the new members from the snares and opposition of the enemy. They were in danger of remaining with the church they had raised up, satisfied with what had been accomplished. The Lord therefore permitted persecution to come upon the church, including martyrdom and scattering, to send His representatives abroad where they could work for others. So scattered believers spread the message through Judea and Samaria and farther.