Acts 5:33-42 CSB
When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them. [34] But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law who was respected by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered the men to be taken outside for a little while. [35] He said to them, "Men of Israel, be careful about what you're about to do to these men. [36] Some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a group of about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, and all his followers were dispersed and came to nothing. [37] After this man, Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and attracted a following. He also perished, and all his followers were scattered. [38] So in the present case, I tell you, stay away from these men and leave them alone. For if this plan or this work is of human origin, it will fail; [39] but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even be found fighting against God." They were persuaded by him. [40] After they called in the apostles and had them flogged, they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus and released them. [41] Then they went out from the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to be treated shamefully on behalf of the Name. [42] Every day in the temple, and in various homes, they continued teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.
2 Corinthians 11:24-25 CSB
Five times I received the forty lashes minus one from the Jews. [25] Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I received a stoning. Three times I was shipwrecked. I have spent a night and a day in the open sea...
True Testimonies
If you want to know if the Apostles really believed that Jesus rose from the dead, look no further than the physical toll their bodies paid while carrying that message into hostile environments. No one sustains that kind of suffering for something they know to be false.
We see this most clearly in the Apostle Paul. He bore the marks of his commitment: he was beaten with rods, survived the brutal impact of a stoning, endured the terrifying cold of an open sea, and suffered through relentless hunger and the perils of the road. Paul believed the truth he spoke, and so did the earliest Apostles.
The voices in the Sanhedrin wanted the death sentence for Peter and the other apostles, but the council was swayed by an unexpected voice, causing them to opt for a public flogging instead. Gamaliel, a Pharisee and a teacher of the Law—the very man who was an early teacher of the Apostle Paul—stood before the council. He was a man of immense respect, and when he spoke, the room fell silent. Retaining a Pharisaic view that God is ultimately sovereign over all human affairs, Gamaliel offered a warning rooted in stark, earthly logic: “If this movement is of human origin, it will inevitably fade into the sands of time as others have. But,” he cautioned, “if this is of God, you cannot stop it. To try is to find yourselves fighting against God Himself.”
The Sanhedrin ordered the disciples stripped and bound to the flogging posts in the center of the courtyard. The punishment was carried out with calculated precision: thirteen lashes across the chest and twenty-six across the back, totaling the thirty-nine lashes—the “forty minus one”—that tradition demanded. Despite the council’s commands forbidding them to utter the name of Jesus, the disciples continued to proclaim Him. Their testimony remained unshaken, manifesting as they endured the physical consequences of their message.
If the gospel of Christ were merely a fabrication—a story concocted by men for gain—the apostles would have abandoned it and sought the safety of the crowd long ago. No one survives this kind of torment for a lie; instead, they went out rejoicing to be counted worthy to suffer for the name of Jesus. This reality persists today. While many of us live in regions where the faith is openly practiced, in countless other nations, being identified as a Christian means the loss of everything—possessions, status, and sometimes even the lives of the believer and those that they hold most dear. Christians endure because we have seen the truth. A truth the world hates, yet a truth worth more than all the world’s riches.
Reflection Questions
- Gamaliel’s logic was: “If it is of God, you cannot overthrow it.” How does that principle shape how you view modern-day challenges to the gospel?
- The Apostles left the Sanhedrin rejoicing because they were counted worthy of suffering. Does this change your perspective on the small “shames” or inconveniences you face for your faith?
- How can we better support those today who are living in countries where being a Christian actually costs them everything?
Prayer
Father,
Thank You for the unwavering courage of the Apostles. You have reminded us that Your truth is not fragile; it is not a human project that can be dismantled by the hands of men. Forgive us when we fear the opinions of others or shrink back from the truth to maintain our own comfort. Give us a heart that counts it a privilege to be associated with Jesus, regardless of the cost. May our lives be living proof that Your Spirit is active and unstoppable. In Jesus’ Name.
Amen.
