Before we get any trolls. Let us remind ourselves of a few things.
Peter was a Jew, and an observant one. The rulers were the heads of the Jewish nation at the time.
What is happening here is not an antisemitic thing. It is theology and politics. Peter is saying that he will not allow anyone to censor or silence him.
He will be inappropriate. He aims to misbehave.
Because there is only one way to find acceptance before the almighty, and that is Christ. The law and prophecies point to him, and from this time forward the people of God are the people of Christ.
Peter and John Before the CouncilAnd as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.
On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
(Acts 4:1-12 ESV)
It is the duty of those of the faith to proclaim the Gospel out of season. When it is though inappropriate, when we are called Judgmental, when our speech is termed inappropriate. In the face of great risk and great cost.
And those of us who have some degrees of freedom have to talk about our brothers who re dying, as the Islamic fanatics kill us… or the politically correct censor us.
Because the soul of the people, and the nations are at stake. There is only one way to be redeemed from this fallen time, and that is through the blood of Christ, and becoming saved.
The rest are not building a mystery or discovering their spirituality. THey are building their hell, for their next life will be a living death.
