The apostles knew what it was to “advance through the storm.” After the storm of the Sanhedrin, there was an advance (Acts 4:13- 37). Then the dorm occasioned by the defection and death of Ananias md Sapphira was followed by another advance (Acts 5:1- 16). We come to another storm of opposition from the Jewish authorities as the result of the apostles’ wide-spread leafing ministry, which resulted in further progress and persistence (Acts 5:40-42).

Envious over the growing popularity of the apostles, he Sadducees, the ancient materialists among the Jews, put the apostles in the common prison. But bolts and bars are nothing to Him who rolled back the stone from the sepulcher and raised up Jesus from the dead. ‘‘An angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth and said, Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.” It was not the function of the angel to preach, for God’s treasure is in earthen vessels 11 Corinthians 4:7). When morning came the prison doors were found shut, but the prisoners were gone. Later on, as we shall see, prison doors were miraculously opened, but the godly prisoners were still in prison (Acts 16:28). Those men were not delivered from the vile companionship to which they had been condemned.

Those who reject any supernatural intervention for the relief of the godly deduce that the “angel” Luke re­fers to was likely some zealous and courageous disciple, and that the apostle, in the darkness of the night and the excitement of his liberation, ascribed his rescue to the intervention of an angel. 

But a mere disciple would not have commanded the apostles to go to the Temple and proclaim an authoritative message. The Jewish council had no doubt as to the miraculous in the escape of the prisoners: and such a deliverance was a sign, not without its influence, on the subsequent decision of that council and on the courage of the two apostles.

Releasing the apostles, the council commanded them not to teach in the name of Christ. Those priests were conscience- stricken over the crime of His cruci­fixion. The apostles, however, declared that God must be obeyed, and in holy defiance they continued their dynamic, Christ-honoring ministry. They felt they were privileged to suffer shame for His dear name, and in spite of all opposition, they ceased not, in God’s house and the houses of the people, to teach and preach Jesus Christ, and the number of the disciples advanced.