Acts 5:17-21
So, yesterday I got ahead of myself – What does it take for the Jewish leaders to believe? All these signs and wonders and healings taking place – that’s a good thing, right? But the leaders have the apostles arrested. Why? Verse 17b tells us that they were “filled with jealousy”! JEALOUSY??!! What were they jealous of? The “power” that they perceived was coming from the apostles…? Not likely. They didn’t seem to like it when Jesus was performing miracles. Frankly, I’m not sure they liked seeing the people healed. Rather, I think they liked having the people beaten down and submissive. Were they jealous of the crowds that the apostles were gathering? Possibly. Recall that Jesus talked about those Pharisees who …love[d] the most important seats in the synagogues and respectful greetings in the marketplaces. (Luke 11:43, NIV) Maybe it was that, combined with their fear that they might lose their standing with the masses? Clearly the apostles’ “popularity” was exceeding their own!! So the Jewish leaders were jealous of the apostles and took action against them. I’m wondering where I might find jealousy within myself and what I’m doing about it…??
But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out… (v. 19) So here’s something that I’ve seen before, in pieces, but never put together. My Study Bible listed three other occasions in Acts where an angel of the Lord intervened: guiding Philip (Acts 8:26); releasing Peter from prison (Acts 12:7-10); and striking down Herod (Acts 12:23). I’m confident that we have angels around us, guiding and protecting us, but we don’t see them and mostly don’t acknowledge them. I guess it’s appropriate for us to thank the Lord for His guidance and protection, whether it’s the Holy Spirit doing the work or His angels. Bottom line – we need to recognize Jesus and His Holy Spirit in our lives and be thankful for – and submissive to – His work within us!!
Slava Bohu!