persecution of the early believers

Persecution can be defined as subjecting an individual or a group to unfair treatment because of his/her religious beliefs

From the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit gave the apostles the strength and courage to preach, they never stopped preaching the good news about Jesus, and so they were persecuted. The church has suffered persecution in many ways by the Jews.

REASONS FOR THE OPPOSITION TO THE GOSPEL

The Jews opposed the Gospel Message for two reasons:

First, some of them rejected the good news about Jesus because they did not see Jesus as the expected Messiah and Saviour.

Second, some of them like the Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection of the dead.

THE MANIFESTATION OF THE OPPOSITION TO THE GOSPEL

The opposition manifested in the arrest of Peter and John; the arrest and martyrdom of Stephen, the persecution by Paul, the martyrdom of James, and the arrest of Peter and his miraculous escape from prison.

ARREST OF PETER AND JOHN (Acts 3: 11 – 44; 4: 5 – 31)

On their way to worship in the temple at Jerusalem at the ninth hour of the day, Peter and John met a cripple at the Beautiful Gate. Peter healed the cripple in the name of Jesus.

Many people followed Peter and John into the temple at Portico of Solomon. Peter explained to them that the cripple was healed in the name of Jesus, whom they killed but God raised him from the dead.

As Peter was speaking, the priests, the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came and arrested him and John.

Peter healed a crippled man at the beautiful gate in the name of Jesus

WHY PETER AND JOHN WERE ARRESTED (Acts 4: 1 – 4)

All the three groups had their reasons for arresting them.

1.The priests were the temple authorizes and the apostles had no right to preach in the temple   without their permission.

2. The captain of the temple was in charge of the temple police and his duty was to maintain law and order in the temple. The commotion caused by the healing of the cripple was likely to disturb the peace in the temple leading to the breakdown of law and order.
3. The Sadducees were a religious party in the time of Jesus. They did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. And so, they were not happy that the apostles were preaching the fact that Jesus died but God raised him from the dead.

THE DEFENCE OF PETER (Acts 4: 5 – 31)

The following day, Peter and John were brought before the Sanhedrin, the highest Jewish Council for trial, that is the Supreme Court of the Jews. In attendance, among the Jewish leaders, elders and scribes, were Annas the High Priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander and the members of the High Priests family. They were asked to explain the means by which thee cripple was healed. Peter told them that it was by the name of Jesus, whom they crucified but God raised from the dead. Peter made it clear that, apart from the name of Jesus, there is salvation in no other name.

The members of the Sanhedrin could not deny the miracle that had taken place, and so agreed to warn the apostles not to preach in the name of Jesus again. But Peter insisted that they would continue to preach in Jesus’ name. After threatening them, the Sanhedrin released the apostles.

After their release, Peter and John went back to the company of the early Christians. Together they prayed to God to give them the strength to preach the gospel with boldness in spite of the opposition from the Jewish authorities:

‘’ And now look upon their threats and grant to thy servants to speak thy word with boldness.”

EVALUATION

1. Narrate the miracle that led to the arrest of Peter and John
2. Give three reasons why peter and John were Arrested

Objective Questions

1. The first disciples arrested for the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ were (a)Andrew and Peter (b)James and John (c)John and Judas (d) Peter and John (e)Philip and Peter
2. The crippled man that was healed at the beautiful gate was healed (a)with anointing oil (b)with a mantle (c)in the name of Jesus (d)when peter sang a chorus (e)when the wash in river Jordan
3. One of the main reasons why the early believers were persecuted was because (a)they preached resurrection (b)they were hostile (c)they were Africans (d)they don’t eat like others (e)they fast a lot
4. Just like Jesus, Peter and John were summoned to appear before the ………….. the Jewish highest council for trial (a) Sanhedrin (b)political parties (c)judges (d)lawyers (e)pastors
5. The Sanhedrin told peter and John not to ………………. after their release (a) (b)pay tithe again (c)read bible again (d)preach in the name of Jesus again (e)have fellowship in the temple again.