“Enchanted But Not Changed”
“ENCHANTED BUT NOT CHANGED”
ACTS 4:13-22
The apostles had to put God and his truth before people’s opinions, and at the risk of further punishment.
One of Oswald Chambers’ studies is entitled “Enchanted but not changed”: the same description applies here. The leaders were impressed by:
But that was as far as it went. Reduced to silence by the incontrovertible evidence standing by (Luke’s gentle irony), yet unwilling to accept the logical consequence of the miracle and its significance (4:16) they rather tamely tried to quash the whole matter by muzzling the apostles (4:18). Men with a crusading and missionary zeal like Peter’s and John’s will never go meekly home and forget all about it! So they press home the unwelcome logic of 4:19-20. And further threats do not move them, either (4:21).
Of particular significance is 4:13. The Greek word means “forthright public speech”; for such a gift Paul prayed in Colossians 4:3-4 and Ephesians 6:19-20. Many a Christian preacher may very well emulate this, especially when the temptation to compromise or water down the truth of God is strong. Commentators draw the parallel with Mark 14:67. “A servant-maid of Caiaphas recognizes Peter has been with Jesus because of his overwrought condition; her master comes to the same conclusion for a precisely opposite reason” (Findlay).
Notes 4:16: the miracle was common knowledge in the city and no one could deny it. At a deeper level, the failure of the authorities to challenge the apostles’ preaching of Jesus’ bodily resurrection is of tremendous interest. “The silence of the Jews is as significant as the speech of the Christians.” Why did they not produce the remains of his buried corpse, and silence the apostles for ever? The alleged mythical origins of Christianity as a slowly growing legend, wrapped in obscurity, and a hole-in-the-corner affair are frankly incredible. See Acts 26:26; 2 Peter 1:16. 4:17: how did Luke know what the Council said? The answer may lie in Acts 6:7; or 26:10; or through Gamaliel to Saul of Tarsus, 22:3. 4:19: “listen to” has the common Old Testament meaning of “obey” (see Deuteronomy 6:4). Socrates gave an almost identical reply to his accusers. The freedom of the conscience is a foundation-stone of all morality. The tragedy is that over-zealous religious folk often deny it to those from whom they differ. 4:22: his age shows that he was a responsible witness (cf. John 9:21).