A scrawny, unkempt group of young men — social outcasts and political rebels, they were — and they presently found themselves before the men everyone was afraid of. These men called themselves the apostles. A crowd was gathered — who knows whose side they were on; they were just ready to watch the fight.
The apostles — skinny, with beards covering sharp facial features, and dark skin – you could just tell that they had been holding onto something deep inside themselves for too long, and they are about to burst with trembling passion, knowing that Truth was on their side.
They stood before the council. The high priest, the accuser, read them their crime: “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name, yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.”
You could hear them yelling with their hearts – and out of their hearts, their mouths spoke. The shorter one’s shout was too loud the context, and sounded awkward and out of place: “We must obey God rather than men!”
But they all agreed in their minds. They believed this. They knew this. They had seen a man cohabit with Death, if only to conquer its inevitable power in less than three days. They had seen it!
Banding together in defiance against the authorities who embody all injustice and hypocrisy, they spoke with an authority that never should have belonged to them. The council of the Sanhedrin was shocked – but it dared not exude any semblance of doubt. One of the councilmen stood up. Silence fell over the crowd.
The man was called Gamaliel. He had been tolerating the actions and principles of the Sanhedrin for a long time, but at times like these his conscience made him hesitant to conform. He had suspected religious and political conspiracy, and though he didn’t mind the benefit of power, he knew there was more on the line with this persistent bunch. “Send them out.” The crowds gazed with respect and fear, the Sanhedrin with annoyed impatience.
The guards kicked the apostles until they almost fell to the ground, as if this would expedite their exit from the court. Gamaliel bided the time to prepare for his address to the elders. A beat.
“Men of Israel.” He knew he these men would only listen to him if he addressed them with respect, no matter how undeserved. “Consider carefully what you intend to do to these men.”
As leverage for his appeal, he began with a concession to their legal experience. “Some time ago, Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing.” The look of satisfaction on their faces revealed that they were listening. “After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered.” Surely, to the Sanhedrin, the apostles and their Jesus would be no different.
“Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go!” The councilmen were not threatened by the appeal, but were almost enthused by the man’s challenge. “If their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”
Of course the men of the Sanhedrin believed in God. They upheld all of His laws, and they paraded the streets with their robes and phylacteries, filling the poor and the commoners with contempt and envy. They took pride in their deeds: they enjoyed being self-made men, earning their power through sheer self-effort. The fools who defied the law were punished by God with removal of health, blessings, and power. Surely that proved that God was on the Sanhedrin’s side. Surely their displays of authority in killing the Galilean even impressed God… right? Yet these apostles had apparently found a way to escape prison, and had the audacity to teach blasphemy on the temple courts. Their mere confidence and ability to persuade the crowds posed a threat to power.
Perhaps the man had a point. But perhaps they could deal with the rebels without compromising their reputation with their political supporters.
“Send them in!” one of them shouted abruptly.
The bruised men were led in, awaiting their judgment.
“Ten lashes,” he concluded, waving them away as pests.
He leaned back. That should teach them not to speak in the name of this so-called Savior. All this Jesus had saved the councilmen was more civil unrest to deal with. But no matter – soon enough there would be no followers of Jesus left, just as it were with Theudas and the rest.
“The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.”
~Acts 5:41-42
