But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned, and told,
This moment belongs to the apostles' public ministry in Jerusalem, when they boldly testified to Christ's work, death, resurrection, and ascension, and healings and other signs accompanied their preaching.
Before the officers were sent, the council had resolved to fix on the apostles the charge of insurrection, accusing them of murdering Ananias and Sapphira and of conspiring to deprive the priests of authority and put them to death. They trusted the mob would then kill the apostles as it had killed Jesus, while they feared the anger of a people weary of arbitrary rule if many embraced Jesus as Messiah.
The officers had been sent to bring the apostles, including Peter, from the prison to stand trial before the council to answer for teaching in the name of Jesus against the priests' ban. On arriving they found the prisoners gone and returned amazed with the startling report that they were not there. The prison itself was still securely shut and bolted, with guards stationed at the doors and remaining at their posts.
The cells were empty because God had sent His angel to open the prison and free them despite locked doors and guards. The angel was watching over them, and the deliverance was God's token of care and assurance of His presence. The angel directed the freed apostles to preach in the temple, and soon word came that the men put in prison were standing in the temple teaching the people, so the officers' report led to the discovery that they were again preaching there.
The apostles were then brought again before the council without violence, because the rulers knew the people had been so moved by what they had seen and heard that harming the apostles risked violence from the people and they could not turn the crowd against them. The episode shows human authorities opposing preaching in Jesus' name while God intervened to free His messengers so that preaching would continue. It proves that God lives and has a government above human law that always stands against the oppressor, and calls for obedience to God rather than to people.
The miraculous opening did not mean freedom from examination and punishment, for they must still suffer for Jesus' sake as He had foretold that they would be delivered up to councils. The verse assures the same divine deliverance for those who in the future refuse the spurious Sunday sabbath when Satan moves men to enforce it by forbidding buying and selling and by every oppression.
This moment belongs to the apostles' public ministry in Jerusalem, when they boldly testified to Christ's work, death, resurrection, and ascension, and healings and other signs accompanied their preaching.
Before the officers were sent, the council had resolved to fix on the apostles the charge of insurrection, accusing them of murdering Ananias and Sapphira and of conspiring to deprive the priests of authority and put them to death. They trusted the mob would then kill the apostles as it had killed Jesus, while they feared the anger of a people weary of arbitrary rule if many embraced Jesus as Messiah.
The officers had been sent to bring the apostles, including Peter, from the prison to stand trial before the council to answer for teaching in the name of Jesus against the priests' ban. On arriving they found the prisoners gone and returned amazed with the startling report that they were not there. The prison itself was still securely shut and bolted, with guards stationed at the doors and remaining at their posts.
The cells were empty because God had sent His angel to open the prison and free them despite locked doors and guards. The angel was watching over them, and the deliverance was God's token of care and assurance of His presence. The angel directed the freed apostles to preach in the temple, and soon word came that the men put in prison were standing in the temple teaching the people, so the officers' report led to the discovery that they were again preaching there.
The apostles were then brought again before the council without violence, because the rulers knew the people had been so moved by what they had seen and heard that harming the apostles risked violence from the people and they could not turn the crowd against them. The episode shows human authorities opposing preaching in Jesus' name while God intervened to free His messengers so that preaching would continue. It proves that God lives and has a government above human law that always stands against the oppressor, and calls for obedience to God rather than to people.
The miraculous opening did not mean freedom from examination and punishment, for they must still suffer for Jesus' sake as He had foretold that they would be delivered up to councils. The verse assures the same divine deliverance for those who in the future refuse the spurious Sunday sabbath when Satan moves men to enforce it by forbidding buying and selling and by every oppression.