The Apostles Persecuted; Acts 5:17 – 25 – Part 2

Church History:The high priest and his party went on with their prosecution. They, supposing they had the apostles sure enough, called the council together, a great and extraordinary council, for they summoned all the senate of the children of Israel. They were prepared, and had high expectation, to crush the gospel of Christ and the preachers of it, for they raised the whole posse. The last time they had the apostles in custody they convened them only before a committee of those that were of the kindred of the high priest, who were obliged to act cautiously; but now, that they might proceed further and with more assurance, they called together all the eldership, that is (says Dr. Lightfoot), all the three courts or benches of judges in Jerusalem, not only the great Sanhedrim, consisting of seventy elders, but the other two judicatories that were erected one in the outer-court gate of the temple, the other in the inner or beautiful gate, consisting of twenty-three judges each; so that, if there was a full appearance, here were one hundred and sixteen judges. Thus God ordered it, that the confusion of the enemies, and the apostles' testimony against them, might be more public, and that those might hear the gospel who would not hear it otherwise than from the bar. Howbeit, the high priest meant not so, neither did his heart think so; but it was in his heart to rally all his forces against the apostles, and by a universal consent to cut them all off at once.
They were disappointed, and had their faces filled with shame: He that sits in heaven laughs at them, and so may we too, to see how gravely the court is set; and we may suppose the high priest makes a solemn speech to them, setting forth the occasion of their coming together. A very dangerous faction had been raised at Jerusalem. The preaching of the doctrine of Jesus, which was needed, for the preservation of their church, which never was in such danger as now. The high priest moved speedily and effectively to suppress these teachings. He had the power in his hands to do it. He had the ringleaders of the faction now in the common prison, to be proceeded against with the utmost severity.
An officer is dispatched immediately to fetch the prisoners, but they are baffled when the officers come, and tells them that they are not to be found in the prison. The report which the officers made was; "We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside." It is probable that they found the common prisoners there. Which way the angel fetched them, whether by some back way, or opening the door and fastening it closely again (the keepers all the while asleep), we are not told; however it was, they were gone. When the high priest, and the captain of the temple, and the chief priests, heard these things, they were all astonished, and looked at each other, doubting what this thing should be. They were extremely perplexed, were at their wits' end, having never been so disappointed in all their lives of anything they were so sure of. It caused various speculations, some suggesting that they were conjured out of the prison, and made their escape by magic arts; others that the keepers had played tricks with them, knowing how many friends these prisoners had, that were so much the darlings of the people. Some feared that, having made such a wonderful escape, they would become more popular; others that, though perhaps they had frightened them from Jerusalem, they should hear of them again in another part of the country, where they would do yet more mischief, and it would be yet more out of their power to stop the spreading of the infection; and now they begin to fear that instead of curing the ill, they had made it worse. Their doubt is, in part, determined; and yet their frustration is increased by another messenger, who brings them word that their prisoners are preaching in the temple: "Behold, the men whom you put in prison, and you sent for, are now standing in the temple, under your nose and in defiance of you, teaching the people." Prisoners, that have broken prison, usually abscond, for fear of being retaken; but these prisoners, that have made their escape, dare to show their faces even where their persecutors have the greatest influence. Now this confounded them more than anything. Common prisoners may have the ability to break prison; but it is uncommon for them to have courage enough to affirm it when they have so done.