Hallowed Be Your Name

Acts 4:21-23

So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done. For the man was over forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed. And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them.

In our previous study we discussed the persecution of Peter and John for preaching and teaching in Jesus's name. It cost them a night in jail and the discomfort of being alienated from the life of the church, however, it would never alienate them from the life of Christ. Spending a night in the cold and darkness of a dungeon would not separate them from the love of Christ.

Rom. 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love us Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

God servants will always be the most chastened by God. Jacob was consistently being chastened by God, but Esau was allowed to continue in sin. The difference was God’s electing love and favor set upon Jacob. You can be sure that the troubles you face for being identified with Christ is for your sanctification and because God has chosen you as a vessel of mercy for His own omnipotent glory.

Rom. 9:13,18,22-24 As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I have hated.” . . . Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens. . . . What if God wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

Because God loves us so much, He tests the hardness of our hearts with trials. He does this to show us that our hearts are cold and unloving towards the mercy and grace of God. If we are being made willing to see this work in us, and in those around us, the privilege of sharing in His glory has been granted to us as we all suffer for the name of Jesus Christ. This works in us as believers a crown of glory (Job 19:9; Prov.4:9; 17;6; 1 Pet.5:4) and the Spirit of adoption by which we cry, “Abba, Father” (Gal.4:6); but in unbelievers it works a greater condemnation who stiffen their necks from His perpetual love (Acts 7:51).

Heb. 12:3-8 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You have not resisted to the point of bloodshed, striving against sin. And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.” If you endure chastening, God deals with you as sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.

So when they had further threatened them, . . .

After spending a night in prison the elders and chief priests threatened Peter and John further. The context doesn’t seem to indicate how they were further threatened, but it is clear that it was not enough to persuade the apostles to stop speaking in Christ’s name. It is possible that they revoked their privileges to the temple and courtyard and/or denied them business rights in Jerusalem (Jn.9:34).

. . . they let them go, . . .

After threatening them they were left go. They were let go because they had no evidence of any wrong doing. The apostles were blameless in their conduct. They were submissive to the point of surrendering their rights until questioned about the authority of their teaching. The only right they fought to retain was their right to free speech. Speech against false teaching and the corruption of their religious government. Why then did the counsel let them go?

. . . finding no way of punishing them, . . .

One reason they were left go was because their own laws forbade them to punish righteousness (Rom.13:3). Therefore the only offense of Peter and John was against the pride of the leaders. But God’s law restrained their pride and abuse of power. This is an amazing grace of God. God’s law is a blessing in that it restrains the evil of the wicked and unregenerated heart. The Holy Spirit works through God’s law and man’s [fallible and uninformed] conscience to restrain the lawless works of man to a minimum. In other words, man is not as evil as he could be and will be in the future. My eschatology teaches that man’s sinful condition is not getting better, but worse the further he stiffens his neck from the truth and grace of Jesus Christ.

2 Thess. 1:6-7 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.

. . . because of the people, . . .

The people were an instrument for the Holy Spirit to work through as a witness on behalf of the apostles. The people saw everything, whether or not they agreed with everything the apostles spoke, it did not change that the people were still an instrument to restrain the evil of the elders. The leaders were zealous for God’s law which restrained their evil, but they were blinded by sin in the inner rooms of their heart. Jesus Christ and now His apostles exposed those inner areas of darkness, but the Pharisees were only restrained by keeping the law outwardly. Therefore God’s law once again worked in the favor and protection of the apostles as the people were witnesses of the miracle.

. . . since they all glorified God for what had been done.

We know the people were favoring the apostles because they glorified God for the healing of the lame beggar at the entrance of the temple. Therefore the leaders let them go having nothing to accuse them before the people. Do you glorify God for the good that is done in world regardless of who does it or why they do it? God’s common grace is bestowed on all men, even God’s enemies and Christ is glorified in the charity that they give. It is the goodness of God that people even have the desire to give to any charity (2Cor.9:2). Charity is a godly character, but godliness never saved anybody. Godliness is a character that even pagans possess, but all their godliness is a denial of His omnipotent power (2 Tim.3:5). Our fallen nature testifies that we only want to love those who love us. It is challenge for us to love those people who do not agree or desire to be a part of us.

Luke 6:32 “But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.”

God loves His enemies so much that He sent His Son as a sacrificial Lamb to die for them (Rom.5:6), and not just die but live for them, and was raised by the Father as a seal for their glorification (Rom.5:10). Therefore when we were still enemies of God the charity that we gave still glorified God and testified of His goodness (Heb.13:6), but if those deeds are not justified, sanctified, and glorified in the person of Jesus Christ all is done in vain. Lord, help us to love in truth by being generous to Your enemies and give them opportunities to glorify You for the goodness that You are (Ps.117). Only Christ can make a statement like, “For even sinners love those who love them.” Christ said that in a way as if He was not a sinner. And yes, it is true. He was not a sinner. Only Christ can make an argument like that with a clear conscience. Yes, He was holy, harmless, and undefiled in every way! If He was a sinner than I am still in my sins.

John 8:24 Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.

Christ cannot be clearer! He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!

For the man was over forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed.

This man was a cripple from the day he was born and the disability increased with age. Therefore this miracle is magnified all the more. In the same way, when we who are born in sin, and increase in sinful customs and habits, and are transformed by the divine power and grace of God it is a miracle that exalts the name of Christ. The longer we remain in sin the stronger it has its hold on us. Therefore this man being over forty years of age is a testimony that it is never too late to repent and trust in the power of God for salvation (Rom.1:16). It should cause us to glorify God when older men and women, who were never raised in the fear and care of the Lord, cry out, “Lord, have mercy upon me a sinner.” It should cause us to rejoice when a sinner turns from sin and destruction to life in Christ (Lk.15:7).

And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them.

After being let go, Peter and John had their own private meeting for the church. It was probably some sort of accountability meeting to report all that transpired in the temple and in the prison over night into the examination counsel of the Sanhedrin the next day. It is probably stated this way in contrast to the secrecy of the counsel that the Sanhedrin conducted while Peter and John were requested to leave (Acts 4:15). The Greek word for companions is ἴδιος which has multiple meanings that indicate that this was their own private meeting. For the sake of the safety of the rest of the church sometimes it is good to conduct private meetings to prevent others from the harm of “avoidable” persecution or the prevention of a matter from being handled incorrectly. This meeting was reserved for the apostles who had the wisdom to handle the persecutions with patience and to continue to pray for their persecutors. The report works as an accountability factor to restrain the freedom of the Apostles, even as, the people worked as a restrainer to prevent an illegal arrest of Peter and John. It is necessary for elders in the church to keep a record of their dealings with the people they minister to, so that there may be some sort of restraint.

Blessed and Holy Father, "hallowed" be Your name. We pray You will restrain our evil and deliver us from the temptations and the darkness that lurk within our own souls. Give us wisdom in how to pray for those who abuse and persecute us. Make our hearts soft and pliable to forgive those who spitefully use us and take advantage of Your love through us. Mold and shape us into the image of Your beloved Son who gave Himself as a ransom and a satisfaction for sin.

Amen.