freeing the apostles and telling them to go into the temple area, there to speak again, is occurring in these last days on a worldwide scale. The angel in midheaven is directing God’s people to preach the “everlasting good news,” that everyone may have the opportunity to “fear God and give him glory.” No one who is dedicated to Jehovah can hesitate for a minute from telling all peoples to “worship the One who made the heaven and the earth.”

35. What attitude do rulers and religious leaders have toward Jehovah’s witnesses today?

³⁵ The rulers and false religionists of the earth today do not like Jehovah’s witnesses to do this any more than the rulers and priests did in the days of the apostles. When Jehovah’s witnesses are arrested today they usually have to stay in prison longer than the apostles experienced in these accounts, but in God’s due time they are released. It took ten years or more to release many of Jehovah’s witnesses from the concentration camps in Hitler’s time, but these Christians did get out; and today they are listening to the angel flying in midheaven and, with their brothers worldwide, are declaring the “everlasting good news” as glad tidings.

36. (a) Returning to the days of the apostles, what do we now note happening in Jerusalem? (b) Where are the apostles reported as being found, and how can we be sure that was where they would be?

³⁶ Let us look at our apostolic patternmakers again, our exemplars in good works. Right at daybreak the apostles entered into the temple and began to teach. Now when the high priest and the Sadducees had got together and they assembled the older men of the sons of Israel, and they sent out to the jail to have the apostles brought to them, they learned from the officers that the apostles were not there. These men reported to the religious leaders: “The jail we found locked with all security and the guards standing at the doors, but on opening up we found no one inside.” The angel had taken care of everything. After he had opened the doors of the prison and had brought the apostles out, then he closed them again, locked them, and none of the guards knew what had happened, except now they learned they were guarding an empty prison. This was a disturbing situation for the captain of the temple and for the chief priests. Just about this time, when they were all worrying and were concerned over what had taken place, a certain man arrived and reported to them: “Look! The men you put in the prison are in the temple, standing and teaching the people.” This was where the angel had instructed them to go and that is where they went, to do the work God had directed them to do. “Then the captain went off with his officers and proceeded to bring” the apostles to this religious crowd, “but without violence, as they were afraid of being stoned by the people.”—Acts 5:20-26.

OBEYING GOD RATHER THAN MEN

37, 38. (a) Brought before the rulers, how did Peter fearlessly answer his accusers who demanded that the apostles stop preaching? (b) What is the situation today in this regard?

³⁷ As the apostles stood before these rulers in the Sanhedrin hall and heard the questions of the high priest, they were not quivering and were not fearful. They had the protection of Jehovah God and of the unseen angels. Therefore, after the rulers said: “We positively ordered you not to keep teaching upon the basis of this name, and yet, look! you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you are determined to bring the blood of this man upon us,” Peter and the other apostles said: “We must obey God as ruler rather than men. The God of our forefathers raised up Jesus, whom you slew, hanging him upon a stake. God exalted this one as Chief Agent and Savior to his right hand, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses of these matters, and so is the holy spirit, which God has given to those obeying him as ruler.” (Acts 5:27-32) It took boldness to say what they did to the rulers, but what they said was the truth. They were Christians.

³⁸ That is the very position every dedicated Christian must take today. Knowledge of Jehovah God and his Son, Jesus, causes a Christian to declare that Jesus Christ has been exalted as Chief Agent and Savior and now sits at the right hand of his Father “until I [Jehovah] place your enemies as a stool for your feet.”—Acts 2:34-36.

39. What may faithfulness to God mean for the Christian, and yet what does he continue to do?

³⁹ Faithfulness to the Christian mission means some inconveniences, threats, hardships and trials, and perhaps even death in some instances. So the priests and Sadducees felt ill-disposed toward the apostles, as the record shows: “When they heard this, they felt deeply cut and were wanting to do away with them.” (Acts 5:33) Sometime later Stephen was stoned to death because he spoke the truth. (Acts 7:54-60) In this modern age we see like things happening when fanatics, filled with the spirit of this world, object to the ministry of Jehovah’s witnesses. Still, when a Christian knows he is right and is commissioned to declare the “everlasting good news,” he continues to preach the glad tidings with boldness.

40. How did Gamaliel view this trial before the Sanhedrin, and what conclusions did he reach?

⁴⁰ During all this excitement back there in the days of the apostles, a man of wisdom, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, stood up and said: “Men of Israel, pay attention to yourselves as to what you intend to do respecting these men. For instance, before these days Theudas rose, saying he himself was somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined his party. But he was done away with, and all those who were obeying him were dispersed and came to nothing. After him Judas the Galilean rose in the days of the registration, and he drew off people after him. And yet that man perished, and all those who were obeying him were scattered abroad. And so, under the present circumstances, I say to you, Do not meddle with these men, but let them alone; (because, if this scheme or this work is from men, it will be overthrown; but if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them;) otherwise, you may perhaps be found fighters actually against God.” At this they gave heed to Gamaliel, “and they summoned the apostles, flogged them, and ordered them to stop speaking upon the basis of Jesus’ name, and let them go.” There should be more men today like Gamaliel to counsel the religious leaders and rulers as to the course they should take.—Acts 5:35-40.

41. How did the apostles view the flogging they received and the threats?

⁴¹ The flogging did not change matters for the apostles. They had been beaten before. They had been in prison before. They had been threatened before. There was an unseen power backing them up that the rulers did not recognize. It was Jehovah God, his Son, Christ Jesus, and a multitude of angels, and the holy spirit that God was sending to strengthen his earthly servants. These faithful Christians, “therefore, went their way from before the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy to be dishonored in behalf of his name. And every day in the temple and from house to house they continued without letup teaching and declaring the good news about the Christ.” Do you have that kind of faith? Would you listen to an angel of Jehovah and do what the apostles did? True Christians will!—Acts 5:41, 42.

42. Having listened with joy to the angel, how did the apostles show boldness in declaring the good news?

⁴² What joy the apostles had because they listened to the angel! They moved out into greater fields of service in vindication of Jehovah’s name and word. They strengthened the growing congregation of God in their day. Eventually, these apostles along with many other faithful, tried followers moved out into other regions, not just among the Jews, but among the Gentiles. These others of every tribe and tongue and people were given the opportunity of learning the truth and “the sayings about this life” that Jesus had told his followers about. The apostle Paul, writing to the Corinthians, told of his keen interest in “the sayings about this life” when he gave them his wonderful argument in proof of the resurrection of the dead.—1 Cor. 15:1-57.

43, 44. What encouragement is given to modern-day Christian witnesses of Jehovah, and what will they continue to pray?

⁴³ Christians will now imitate those apostles who did what God’s angel told them to do. Jehovah’s angels today are directing his people in his organization throughout the earth as these declare the message of “everlasting good news.” So take courage. Share in the preaching work. Do it with boldness, having confidence in God’s Word. “For he will give his own angels a command concerning you, to guard you in all your ways.” (Ps. 91:11) In proof of this Paul asks the question: “Are they not all spirits for public service, sent forth to minister for those who are going to inherit salvation?” (Heb. 1:14) His question calls for the answer Yes.

⁴⁴ Are you, then, interested in salvation through Christ Jesus? Peter and John were and said: “There is no salvation in anyone else, for there is not another name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must get saved.” (Acts 4:12) If you have the faith a Christian must have in Christ Jesus, then in order to succeed in this fast-fading system of things you will continue to pray to be “filled with the holy spirit” and as a result you will be “speaking the word of God with boldness.”—Acts 4:31.

Love and Boldness Lead to Life

1. How does a disciple of Jesus observe the commandments of that one?

IF YOU believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that “there is not another name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must get saved,” then you must certainly believe the words of Jesus and his apostles. Jesus said: “If you love me, you will observe my commandments.” (John 14:15) The logical conclusion, then, is as stated by Jesus: “He that has my commandments and observes them, that one is he who loves me. In turn he that loves me will be loved by my Father.” (John 14:21) So, when a disciple keeps Jesus’ commandments he shows love. But what do these commandments of Jesus involve? For one thing, Jesus