I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Acts 4-6.

    After healing the lame man, Peter and John were arrested. When they spoke before the Sanhedrin in their defense Peter delivered a speech similar to the one he made on Pentecost. The council was surprised that these two men, who did not have an “Ivy League” education, were not only willing to stand up to them, but made an argument that they could not refute. When the Council told Peter and John to stop preaching in Jesus’ name Peter asked if they thought God would rather they obey the Council, or God? He then closed by saying they could not stop telling others about what they had seen and heard. Some time later the Sanhedrin had the Apostles arrested for continuing to preach in Jesus’ name. Once more Peter states that the Apostles would obey God rather than human authority. When the Sanhedrin wanted to kill the Apostles, Gamaliel pointed out that if the group the Apostles were forming was not from God, it would quickly die out. On the other hand, if it was from God, those opposing it would find themselves fighting against God Himself. It is worth mentioning that the Sanhedrin believed that the nascent Church was a political movement with the goal of driving the Romans out of Israel.