Accountable To God Rather Than Man

Acts 4:13-22

“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13)

By the standards of their day, John and Peter were poorly educated, and not qualified to speak about the things of God. They had no degrees to back up their statements. As a result they were expected to simply bow to the more learned teachers and acknowledge their superiority.

Instead, they boldly spoke as to what was right, but not in a proud or foolish manner, showing logically why they believed what they said with sound evidence for their position. It was not because they were so eloquent or wise, but that they were directed by the Holy Spirit. They had spent the time with the Lord, and it showed. Could they make the same claim about us?

“And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it..” (Acts 4:14)

Much as the leaders would have liked to deny that anything had happened, the man had been healed publicly, and couldn’t be concealed even as easily as they had tried to hide Jesus’ resurrection. It would be difficult to pretend it didn’t happen after so many people saw him, especially with him walking around town. They decided to just downplay it in hopes people would forget.

“But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it. But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name. And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.” (Acts 4:15-18)

They did their best to intimidate Peter and John with their authority and education, ordering them not to speak in Jesus’ name. After all they were the experts relating to religious matters and expected to be obeyed. Peter and John’s response was definitely not what they expected.

“But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:19-20)

One traditional doctrine of Baptists, and a few other groups, is a belief in the personal responsibility of the individual to God. Even many who call themselves Baptists now believe that obedience to the leaders supersedes any personal understanding of the scriptures. They use Hebrews 13:17 to support their position. “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.”

Their position ignores the instruction in Hebrews 13:7, “Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.” We are to look at what their life is producing before we follow their instructions. In I Corinthians 11:1 Paul commanded, “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.” We are not to blindly follow the leader. No one has the authority to override or ignore God’s Command.

The Jewish leaders were depending on their position to make the disciples yield to their commands. Peter and John, led by the Holy Spirit, explained that we are to follow God, rather than man. When the leadership goes contrary to God’s teaching, we are obligated to follow God instead. It didn’t go over any better with the Jewish leaders than it does with domineering leaders today.

“So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done. For the man was above forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was showed.” (Acts 4:21-22)

The leaders would have had them punished but they couldn’t find any justification, and it might result in the people turning on them. After all, there was no question the man was able to walk, which he’d never been able to do in the previous forty years. To claim it was not of God would make them look pretty foolish.