And when they had brought them, they set them before the council.  And the high priest asked them, (28) saying, “Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name?  And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man’s blood on us!”

But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: ” We ought to obey God rather than men.  (30)  The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you            murdered by hanging on a tree.  (31) Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.  (32)  And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.”

(40b)  they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus and let them go.  (41)  So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.

The Acts of the Apostles was written by Luke as both historical testimony and chronicle of the early Church.  Luke also wrote one of the four Gospels,   was a Gentile, a convert to Christianity, a missionary and a companion of the Apostle Paul. Luke begins Acts by recording that the apostles were commanded by Jesus to be witnesses for Him and to make disciples of all nations to the ends of the earth.

On the Jewish feast of Weeks on the Day of first fruits,  which fell on the 50th day after the Sabbath of the Passover, the gift of the Holy Spirit, promised by Christ descended upon the apostles.   The Apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit and even though forbidden by the Sanhedrin to speak of Jesus or teach in His name, they continued their teaching with boldness.There were signs and wonders accompanying the teaching of the Apostles and many were converted – remember the early church began in Jerusalem, taught by the Jewish apostles to the Jewish people.  For a second time the Apostles were arrested by the orders of the high priest, the Apostles having ignored the orders of the Jewish Council not to preach the gospel.   Luke records that during the night, an angel of the Lord released them from the jail and told them to go back to the temple to teach publicly the word of God.   When the Sanhedrin sent for the prisoners they  were told that the jailers were in place, the prison doors were shut but the prisoners were not only not there but they had returned to the Temple to teach the people.  This lack of fear shown by these Jewish followers of Christ who was crucified at the behest of the same Council is astounding.

So the Apostles were sent for and came peaceably.  When they were charged with disobeying the orders of the first judgment and the further charge of sedition – setting the people against the Jewish leaders for persecuting to death Jesus, who was the promised Messiah,   Peter responded that God’s authority was superior to that of the Sanhedrin.  Interestingly, this was a reaffirmation of the position of the Apostles, rather than a reasoned defence of their teaching –  The Apostles claimed to be witnesses to Christ, appointed by Him to preach this word of repentance and salvation to the world – not only this but the Holy spirit had been given to the Apostles to glorify Christ and prove that his doctrine is divine.

Furious at this perceived insurrection, Luke tells us that Gamaliel – a Pharisee, Elder of the Sanhedrin, Doctor of the Law, student of the Old Testament and teacher of the Apostle Paul – rose to address and advise the Council that if the accused were acting as on their own they would fail on their own.  However, if they were from God nothing would defeat God.   The Sanhedrin agreed to check their rage and they beat (scourged) the Apostles and commanded them again to speak no more in the name of Jesus.

Instead, after what should have been a humiliating and horribly painful punishment, the Apostles considered it an honor that their suffering could be useful to further the Gospel and were grateful that they were considered worthy to be dishonored for Christ.  They joyfully continued to preach even though commanded not to do so.  They were on fire with the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.